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Mv I 13
PTS: Mv I 1.22 | CS: vin.mv.01.13
Bimbisārasamāgamakathā
"line by line"
The Discussion of the Meeting with (King) Bimbisāra
by
Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu
Alternate translations/layout: reading layout
(Mv.I.22.1) [56] athakho bhagavā gayāsīse yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena rājagahaṁ tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ bhikkhusahassena sabbeheva purāṇajaṭilehi.

Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Gayā Head as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Rājagaha with the large Saṅgha of monks — a thousand monks — all of them former coiled-hair ascetics.

athakho bhagavā anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena rājagahaṁ tadavasari.

Traveling by stages he arrived at Rājagaha.

tatra sudaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati laṭṭhivanuyyāne suppatiṭṭhe cetiye.

And there at Rājagaha the Blessed One stayed at the Suppatiṭṭha Shrine in the Sapling-forest Park.

(Mv.I.22.2) [57] assosi kho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro samaṇo khalu bho gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito rājagahaṁ anuppatto rājagahe viharati laṭṭhivanuyyāne suppatiṭṭhe cetiye

King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha heard, “Master Gotama the contemplative — a son of the Sakyans, having gone forth from the Sakyan clan — has arrived at Rājagaha and is staying at the Suppatiṭṭha Shrine in the Sapling-forest Park.

taṁ kho pana bhagavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti

“And of that master Gotama this fine reputation has spread: ‘He is indeed a Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed.

so imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti

“‘He has made known — having realized it through direct knowledge — this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, its generations with their contemplatives & brahmans, their rulers & common people.

so dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti

“‘He has explained the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end; has expounded the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure.’

sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotīti.

“It is good to see such a worthy one.”

(Mv.I.22.3) athakho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro dvādasanahutehi māgadhikehi brāhmaṇagahapatikehi parivuto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, accompanied by 120,000 Magadhan householders and brahmans, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, he bowed down and sat to one side.

tepi kho dvādasanahutā māgadhikā brāhmaṇagahapatikā appekacce bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu

Some of the 120,000 Magadhan householders and brahmans also bowed down to the Blessed One and sat to one side.

appekacce bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sārāṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu

Some of them exchanged courteous greetings with the Blessed One, and after an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, sat to one side.

appekacce yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu

Some of them, having raised their hands palm-to-palm in front of the heart to the Blessed One, sat to one side.

appekacce bhagavato santike nāmagottaṁ sāvetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu

Some of them, after announcing their name and clan in the Blessed One’ presence, sat to one side.

appekacce tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.

Some of them, staying silent, sat to one side.

(Mv.I.22.4) athakho tesaṁ dvādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ etadahosi kiṁ nu kho mahāsamaṇo uruvelakassape brahmacariyaṁ carati udāhu uruvelakassapo mahāsamaṇe brahmacariyaṁ caratīti.

Then the thought occurred to the 120,000 Magadhan householders and brahmans, “Is the great contemplative living the holy life under Uruvelakassapa or is Uruvelakassapa living the holy life under the great contemplative?”

athakho bhagavā tesaṁ dvādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya āyasmantaṁ uruvelakassapaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi

The Blessed One, having known with his awareness the train of thought in the awarenesses of the 120,000 Magadhan householders and brahmans, addressed Uruvelakassapa in verse:

kimeva disvā uruvelavāsi

pahāsi aggiṁ kisakovadāno.

“Having seen what,

while living at Uruvelā,

has the teacher of ascetics,

abandoned the fire?

pucchāmi taṁ kassapa etamatthaṁ

kathaṁ pahīnaṁ tava aggihuttaṁ.

I ask you about this matter, Kassapa:

Why has your fire oblation been abandoned?”

rūpe ca sadde ca atho rase ca

kāmitthiyo cābhivadanti yaññā

[Uruvelakassapa:] “Forms, sounds, and flavors too,

Sensuality and women — sacrifices promise these.

etaṁ malanti upadhīsu ñatvā

tasmā na yiṭṭhe na hute arañjiṁ.

Having known of acquisitions: ‘This is stained,’

I no longer delight in oblations or sacrifices.”

dutiyagāthāya ayamattho — ete rūpādike kāme itthiyo ca yaññā abhivadanti, svāhaṁ etaṁ sabbampi rūpādikaṁ kāmappabhedaṁ khandhupadhīsu malanti ñatvā yasmā ime yiṭṭhahutappabhedā yaññā malameva vadanti, tasmā na yiṭṭhe na hute arañjiṁ; yiṭṭhe vā hute vā nābhiraminti attho.

The meaning of the second verse: Sacrifices promise these sensual pleasures of form, etc., and women. Having known of all of these various kinds of sensual pleasures, starting with forms, that “In regard to the acquisition of aggregates, they are stained,” and because these various kinds of oblations and sacrifices speak of just what is stained, I no longer delight in oblations or sacrifices. “I don’t enjoy oblations or sacrifices.” That’s the meaning.

(Mv.I.22.5) ettha ca te mano na ramittha (kassapāti bhagavā)

rūpesu saddesu atho rasesu

[The Buddha to Kassapa:] “Now your mind doesn’t delight,

in forms, sounds, or flavors.

atha kocarahi devamanussaloke

rato mano kassapa brūhi metaṁ.

Then, in the world with its humans and devas,

what is your mind’s delight? Explain it to me, Kassapa.”

disvā padaṁ santamanūpadhīkaṁ

akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ

[Uruvelakassapa:] “Having seen the state of peace,

without acquisitions,

having nothing,

unattached in sensuality and becoming,

anaññathābhāvimanaññaneyyaṁ

tasmā na yiṭṭhe na hute arañjinti.

the state unchanging,

leading to nothing else,

I no longer delight in oblations or sacrifices.”

(Mv.I.22.6) [58] athakho āyasmā uruvelakassapo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca satthā me bhante bhagavā sāvakohamasmi satthā me bhante bhagavā sāvakohamasmīti.

Then Ven. Uruvelakassapa got up from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and putting his head down at the Blessed One’s feet, said, “The Blessed One is my teacher. I am his disciple. The Blessed One is my teacher. I am his disciple.”

athakho tesaṁ dvādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ etadahosi uruvelakassapo mahāsamaṇe brahmacariyaṁ caratīti.

Then the thought occurred to the 120,000 Magadhan householders and brahmans, “Uruvelakassapa is living the holy life under the great contemplative.”

(Mv.I.22.7) athakho bhagavā tesaṁ dvādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya anupubbikathaṁ kathesi seyyathīdaṁ dānakathaṁ sīlakathaṁ saggakathaṁ kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi.

Then the Blessed One, having known with his awareness the train of thought in the minds of the 120,000 Magadhan householders and brahmans, gave them a graduated talk: talk on generosity, talk on virtue, talk on heaven, talk on the drawbacks, lowliness, and defilement of sensuality, and talk on the rewards of renunciation.

yadā te bhagavā aññāsi kallacitte muducitte vinīvaraṇacitte udaggacitte pasannacitte atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā taṁ pakāsesi dukkhaṁ samudayaṁ nirodhaṁ maggaṁ.

When the Blessed One knew that their minds were ready — malleable, free from hindrances, uplifted, and bright — he proclaimed the characteristic Dhamma talk of Buddhas: stress, origination, cessation, and path.

(Mv.I.22.8) seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ vatthaṁ apagatakāḷakaṁ sammadeva rajanaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya evameva ekādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ bimbisārappamukhānaṁ tasmiṁyevāsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi yaṅkiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbantaṁ nirodhadhammanti.

Just as a clean piece of cloth, free from grime, would properly take dye, in the same way, the dustless, stainless eye of Dhamma arose for 110,000 Magadhan householders and brahmans, headed by Bimbisāra, as they were sitting right there — “Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.”

ekanahutaṁ upāsakattaṁ paṭivedesi.

(The remaining) 10,000 declared themselves lay-followers.

(Mv.I.22.9) [59] athakho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṁkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthu sāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavoca

Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, having seen the Dhamma, having attained the Dhamma, having known the Dhamma, having fathomed the Dhamma, having crossed over and beyond uncertainty, having no more perplexity, having gained fearlessness, independence of others with regard to the Teacher’s message, said to the Blessed One,

pubbe me bhante kumārassa sato pañca assāsakā ahesuṁ te me etarahi samiddhā

“Lord, before, when I was still a prince [young man], I had five aspirations. They are now fulfilled for me.

pubbe me bhante kumārassa sato etadahosi aho vata maṁ rajje abhisiñceyyunti ayaṁ kho me bhante paṭhamo assāsako ahosi so me etarahi samiddho

“Lord, before, when I was still a prince, I thought, ‘O! may I be consecrated as king!’ That, Lord, was my first aspiration. Now it is fulfilled for me.

tassa me vijitaṁ arahaṁ sammāsambuddho okkameyyāti ayaṁ kho me bhante dutiyo assāsako ahosi so me etarahi samiddho

“‘And may an arahant, rightly self-awakened, alight in my kingdom!’ This, Lord, was my second aspiration. Now it is fulfilled for me.

(Mv.I.22.10) tañcāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ payirupāseyyanti ayaṁ kho me bhante tatiyo assāsako ahosi so me etarahi samiddho

“‘And may I attend on that Blessed One!’ That, Lord, was my third aspiration. Now it is fulfilled for me.

so ca me bhagavā dhammaṁ deseyyāti ayaṁ kho me bhante catuttho assāsako ahosi so me etarahi samiddho

“‘And may that Blessed One teach me the Dhamma!’ That, Lord, was my fourth aspiration. Now it is fulfilled for me.

tassa cāhaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ ājāneyyanti ayaṁ kho me bhante pañcamo assāsako ahosi so me etarahi samiddho

“‘And may I understand that Blessed One’s Dhamma!’ That, Lord, was my fifth aspiration. Now it is fulfilled for me.

pubbe me bhante kumārassa sato ime pañca assāsakā ahesuṁ te me etarahi samiddhā

“Lord, before, when I was still a prince, I had these five aspirations. They are now fulfilled for me.

(Mv.I.22.11) abhikkantaṁ bhante abhikkantaṁ bhante seyyathāpi bhante nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya andhakāre vā telappajjotaṁ dhāreyya cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantīti evamevaṁ bhagavatā anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito

“Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear.

esāhaṁ bhante bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca

“I go to the Blessed One for refuge, and the Dhamma and the Saṅgha of monks.

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gataṁ

“May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.

adhivāsetu ca me bhante bhagavā svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenāti.

“And may the Blessed One acquiesce to my meal tomorrow, along with the Saṅgha of monks.”

adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

The Blessed One acquiesced with silence.

(Mv.I.22.12) athakho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, understanding the Blessed One’s acquiescence, got up from his seat, bowed down to him, circumambulated him, keeping him to his right, and left.

[60] athakho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro tassā rattiyā accayena paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā bhagavato kālaṁ ārocāpesi kālo bhante niṭṭhitaṁ bhattanti.

As the night was ending, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, having ordered exquisite staple & non-staple food prepared, had the time announced to the Blessed One: “It’s time, Lord. The meal is ready.”

athakho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ pāvisi mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ bhikkhusahassena sabbeheva purāṇajaṭilehi.

Then the Blessed One, early in the morning, adjusted his under robe and — carrying his bowl & robes, entered Rājagaha with the large Saṅgha of monks — a thousand monks — all of them former coiled-hair ascetics.

(Mv.I.22.13) [61] tena kho pana samayena sakko devānamindo māṇavakavaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa purato purato gacchati imā gāthāyo gāyamāno

Now at that time, Sakka, King of the Devas, assuming the form of a brahman youth, went along ahead of the Saṅgha of monks, headed by the Buddha, singing this verse:

danto dantehi saha purāṇajaṭilehi

vippamutto vippamuttehi

“The Tamed One,

with the tamed —

with the former coiled hair ascetics!

The Thoroughly Released One,

with the thoroughly released!

siṅgīnikkhasuvaṇṇo

rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā.

The color of golden ginger,

The Blessed One entered Rājagaha.

mutto muttehi saha purāṇajaṭilehi

vippamutto vippamuttehi

siṅgīnikkhasuvaṇṇo

rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā.

The Released One,

with the released —

with the former coiled hair ascetics!

The Thoroughly Released One,

with the thoroughly released!

The color of golden ginger,

The Blessed One entered Rājagaha.

tiṇṇo tiṇṇehi saha purāṇajaṭilehi

vippamutto vippamuttehi

siṅgīnikkhasuvaṇṇo

rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā.

The One who has Crossed Over,

with those who have crossed over —

with the former coiled hair ascetics!

The Thoroughly Released One,

with the thoroughly released!

The color of golden ginger,

The Blessed One entered Rājagaha.

santo santehi saha purāṇajaṭilehi

vippamutto vippamuttehi

siṅgīnikkhasuvaṇṇo

rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā.

The Peaceful One,

with the peaceful ones —

with the former coiled hair ascetics!

The Thoroughly Released One,

with the thoroughly released!

The color of golden ginger,

The Blessed One entered Rājagaha.

dasavāso dasabalo

dasadhammavidū dasabhi cupeto

so dasasataparivāro

[line break here? ME has after rājagahaṁ]

rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavāti.

He has ten spheres of influence,

ten powers —

knower of ten Dhammas,

possessing ten —

surrounded by ten hundreds,

the Blessed One entered Rājagaha.”

(Mv.I.22.14) [62] manussā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ passitvā evamāhaṁsu abhirūpo vatāyaṁ māṇavako dassanīyo vatāyaṁ māṇavako pāsādiko vatāyaṁ māṇavako

On seeing Sakka, King of the Devas, the people said, “How handsome, that brahman youth. How good-looking, that brahman youth. How inspiring, that brahman youth.”

kassa nu kho ayaṁ māṇavakoti.

“Whose (son/student) is that brahman youth?”

evaṁ vutte sakko devānamindo te manusse gāthāya ajjhabhāsi

When that was said, Sakka, King of the Devas, addressed the people in verse:

yo dhīro sabbadhidanto

suddho appaṭipuggalo

arahaṁ sugato loke

tassāhaṁ paricārakoti.

“That Enlightened One,

everywhere tamed,

that pure, matchless individual,

worthy, well-gone in the world —

his attendant am I.”

(Mv.I.22.15) [63] athakho bhagavā yena rañño māgadhassa seniyassa bimbisārassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena.

Then the Blessed One went to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha’s residence and sat down on a seat laid out, along with the Saṅgha of monks.

athakho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappetvā sampavāretvā bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, with his own hands, served & satisfied the Saṅgha of monks, headed by the Blessed One, with exquisite staple & non-staple food. When the Blessed One had finished his meal and withdrawn his hand from the bowl, the king sat to one side.

(Mv.I.22.16) ekamantaṁ nisinnassa kho rañño māgadhassa seniyassa bimbisārassa etadahosi kattha nu kho bhagavā vihareyya yaṁ assa gāmato neva atidūre na accāsanne gamanāgamanasampannaṁ atthikānaṁ manussānaṁ abhikkamanīyaṁ divā appakiṇṇaṁ rattiṁ appasaddaṁ appanigghosaṁ vijanavātaṁ manussarāhaseyyakaṁ paṭisallānasāruppanti.

As he was sitting there, the thought occurred to him, “Where should the Blessed One stay, that would be neither too far from the village nor too close, accessible, where interested people could come out, not crowded by day, with few noises or sounds of voices at night, far from wind and crowds, private from human beings, and appropriate for seclusion?”

(Mv.I.22.17) athakho rañño māgadhassa seniyassa bimbisārassa etadahosi idaṁ kho amhākaṁ veḷuvanaṁ uyyānaṁ gāmato neva atidūre na accāsanne gamanāgamanasampannaṁ atthikānaṁ manussānaṁ abhikkamanīyaṁ divā appakiṇṇaṁ rattiṁ appasaddaṁ appanigghosaṁ vijanavātaṁ manussarāhaseyyakaṁ paṭisallānasāruppaṁ

The thought occurred to him, “I have this Bamboo Grove (Veḷuvana) Park, which is neither too far from the village nor too close, accessible, where interested people could come out, not crowded by day, with few noises or sounds of voices at night, far from wind and crowds, private from human beings, and appropriate for seclusion

yannūnāhaṁ veḷuvanaṁ uyyānaṁ buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa dadeyyanti.

“What if I were to give the Bamboo Grove Park to the Saṅgha of monks, headed by the Blessed One?”

(Mv.I.22.18) athakho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sovaṇṇamayaṁ bhiṅgāraṁ gahetvā bhagavato oṇojesi etāhaṁ bhante veḷuvanaṁ uyyānaṁ buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa dammīti.

So King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, taking a golden water vessel[1] made this offering to the Blessed One, “I give this Bamboo Grove Park to the Saṅgha of monks, headed by the Blessed One.”

paṭiggahesi bhagavā ārāmaṁ.

The Blessed One accepted the monastery.

athakho bhagavā rājānaṁ māgadhaṁ seniyaṁ bimbisāraṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

The Blessed One, having instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha with Dhamma talk, got up from his seat and left.

athakho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi

Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks:

anujānāmi bhikkhave ārāmanti.

“Monks, I allow a monastery.”[2]

Notes

1.
This refers to the custom of pouring water from a ceremonial vessel while making a gift.
2.
See BMC, chapter "Monastery Buildings & Property".
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