Atha kho bhagavā gayāsīse yathābhirantaṁ viharitvā yena rājagahaṁ tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi, mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ bhikkhusahassena sabbeheva purāṇajaṭilehi. Atha kho bhagavā anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena rājagahaṁ tadavasari. Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati laṭṭhivane suppatiṭṭhe cetiye.
Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Gayā’s Head as long as he wished, set out on tour toward Rājagaha with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, a thousand bhikkhus, all of them former matted-hair ascetics. Then the Blessed One, wandering by stages, arrived at Rājagaha. There the Blessed One stayed at Rājagaha, in the Sapling Grove, at the Suppatiṭṭha shrine.
Assosi kho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro— “samaṇo khalu bho gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito rājagahaṁ anuppatto rājagahe viharati laṭṭhivane suppatiṭṭhe cetiye. Taṁ kho pana bhagavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato— itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti.
King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha heard: “The ascetic Gotama, the Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family, has arrived at Rājagaha and is staying at Rājagaha, in the Sapling Grove, at the Suppatiṭṭha shrine. And a good report has spread about the Blessed One Gotama: ‘The Blessed One is an Arahant, perfectly Awakened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, who has reached the destination, knower of the world, an unsurpassed guide of trainable persons, a teacher of gods and humans, Buddha, Fortunate One. He makes known this world with its gods, its Māras, and its Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans, having realized it for himself by direct knowledge. He teaches the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, and he proclaims the spiritual life with its meaning and its phrasing, complete and pure. It is good to see such arahants.’”
Atha kho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro dvādasanahutehi māgadhikehi brāhmaṇagahapatikehi parivuto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Tepi kho dvādasanahutā māgadhikā brāhmaṇagahapatikā appekacce bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu, appekacce bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu, sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu, appekacce yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu, appekacce bhagavato santike nāmagottaṁ sāvetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu, appekacce tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.
Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, accompanied by a hundred and twenty thousand Magadhan brahmin householders, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat to one side. Of those hundred and twenty thousand Magadhan brahmin householders, some paid homage to the Blessed One and sat to one side; some exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and when they had finished their courteous and polite talk, sat to one side; some saluted the Blessed One with joined palms and sat to one side; some announced their name and clan in the Blessed One’s presence and sat to one side; and some sat to one side in silence.
Atha kho tesaṁ dvādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ etadahosi— “kiṁ nu kho mahāsamaṇo uruvelakassape brahmacariyaṁ carati, udāhu uruvelakassapo mahāsamaṇe brahmacariyaṁ caratī”ti? Atha kho bhagavā tesaṁ dvādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya āyasmantaṁ uruvelakassapaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi— “Kimeva disvā uruvelavāsi, Pahāsi aggiṁ kisakovadāno; Pucchāmi taṁ kassapa etamatthaṁ, Kathaṁ pahīnaṁ tava aggihuttan”ti. “Rūpe ca sadde ca atho rase ca, Kāmitthiyo cābhivadanti yaññā; Etaṁ malanti upadhīsu ñatvā, Tasmā na yiṭṭhe na hute arañjin”ti.
Then it occurred to those hundred and twenty thousand Magadhan brahmin householders: “Does the great ascetic live the spiritual life under Uruvelakassapa, or does Uruvelakassapa live the spiritual life under the great ascetic?” Then the Blessed One, knowing with his own mind the reflection in their minds, addressed the venerable Uruvelakassapa in verse:
“What did you see, dweller at Uruvelā,
you who are lean from the vow, that you abandoned the fire?
I ask you this matter, Kassapa:
how was your fire-sacrifice abandoned?”
“Forms and sounds, and also tastes,
the women they desire, and the sacrifices they praise —
having known this as a stain among acquisitions,
I therefore take no delight in sacrifice or offering.”
“Ettheva te mano na ramittha, (kassapāti bhagavā) Rūpesu saddesu atho rasesu; Atha ko carahi devamanussaloke, Rato mano kassapa brūhi metan”ti. “Disvā padaṁ santamanūpadhīkaṁ, Akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ; Anaññathābhāvimanaññaneyyaṁ, Tasmā na yiṭṭhe na hute arañjin”ti.
“Your mind did not delight just there,” said the Blessed One,
“in forms, in sounds, and in tastes.
Then in what, in the world of gods and humans,
does your mind delight, Kassapa? Tell me this.”
“Having seen the state that is peaceful, without acquisitions,
nothing, unattached to sensual existence,
that does not become otherwise and is not to be known by another —
therefore I take no delight in sacrifice or offering.”
Atha kho āyasmā uruvelakassapo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— “satthā me, bhante, bhagavā, sāvakohamasmi; satthā me, bhante, bhagavā, sāvakohamasmī”ti. Atha kho tesaṁ dvādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ etadahosi— “uruvelakassapo mahāsamaṇe brahmacariyaṁ caratī”ti.
Then the venerable Uruvelakassapa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, placed his head at the Blessed One’s feet, and said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, the Blessed One is my teacher. I am a disciple. Venerable sir, the Blessed One is my teacher. I am a disciple.” Then it occurred to those hundred and twenty thousand Magadhan brahmin householders: “Uruvelakassapa lives the spiritual life under the great ascetic.”
Atha kho bhagavā tesaṁ dvādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathesi, seyyathidaṁ— dānakathaṁ sīlakathaṁ saggakathaṁ kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi. Yadā te bhagavā aññāsi kallacitte muducitte vinīvaraṇacitte udaggacitte pasannacitte, atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā, taṁ pakāsesi— dukkhaṁ, samudayaṁ, nirodhaṁ, maggaṁ.
Then the Blessed One, knowing with his own mind the reflection in the minds of those hundred and twenty thousand Magadhan brahmin householders, gradually gave a discourse, first on giving, then on virtue, and then on the heavens; he explained the dangers, degradation, and defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that their minds were ready, receptive, free of hindrances, uplifted, and confident, he then expounded the distinctive teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its arising, its cessation, and the path.
Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ vatthaṁ apagatakāḷakaṁ sammadeva rajanaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya; evameva ekādasanahutānaṁ māgadhikānaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatikānaṁ bimbisārappamukhānaṁ tasmiṁyeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi— “yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti. Ekanahutaṁ upāsakattaṁ paṭivedesi.
Just as a clean cloth with no dark spots would properly absorb dye, so too, in that very seat, the stainless, immaculate Dhamma eye arose in a hundred and ten thousand Magadhan brahmin householders, with Bimbisāra at their head: “Whatever is subject to arising is all subject to cessation.” Ten thousand declared themselves lay disciples.
Atha kho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṅkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavoca— “pubbe me, bhante, kumārassa sato pañca assāsakā ahesuṁ, te me etarahi samiddhā. Pubbe me, bhante, kumārassa sato etadahosi— ‘aho vata maṁ rajje abhisiñceyyun’ti, ayaṁ kho me, bhante, paṭhamo assāsako ahosi, so me etarahi samiddho. ‘Tassa ca me vijitaṁ arahaṁ sammāsambuddho okkameyyā’ti, ayaṁ kho me, bhante, dutiyo assāsako ahosi, so me etarahi samiddho.
Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, deeply penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed beyond doubt, with no more uncertainty, confident and self-assured, and become independent of others in the Teacher’s instruction, said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, when I was a boy I had five hopes, and they are now fulfilled. When I was a boy, venerable sir, it occurred to me: ‘If only I were consecrated in kingship.’ This, venerable sir, was my first hope, and it is now fulfilled. ‘And may an arahant, a perfectly Awakened One, enter my realm.’ This, venerable sir, was my second hope, and it is now fulfilled.
‘Tañcāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ payirupāseyyan’ti, ayaṁ kho me, bhante, tatiyo assāsako ahosi, so me etarahi samiddho. ‘So ca me bhagavā dhammaṁ deseyyā’ti, ayaṁ kho me, bhante, catuttho assāsako ahosi, so me etarahi samiddho. ‘Tassa cāhaṁ bhagavato dhammaṁ ājāneyyan’ti, ayaṁ kho me, bhante, pañcamo assāsako ahosi, so me etarahi samiddho. Pubbe me, bhante, kumārassa sato ime pañca assāsakā ahesuṁ, te me etarahi samiddhā.
“‘And may I attend upon that Blessed One.’ This, venerable sir, was my third hope, and it is now fulfilled. ‘And may that Blessed One teach me the Dhamma.’ This, venerable sir, was my fourth hope, and it is now fulfilled. ‘And may I understand that Blessed One’s Dhamma.’ This, venerable sir, was my fifth hope, and it is now fulfilled. When I was a boy, venerable sir, I had these five hopes, and they are now fulfilled.
Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante. Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya—‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhagavatā anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi, dhammañca, bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ, bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gataṁ, adhivāsetu ca me, bhante, bhagavā, svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā”ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.
“Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, reveal what had been concealed, point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms—even so, the Dhamma has been explained by the Blessed One in many ways. I go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward for life. And, venerable sir, may the Blessed One accept tomorrow’s meal, together with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.” The Blessed One consented by remaining silent.
Atha kho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi. Atha kho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro tassā rattiyā accayena paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā bhagavato kālaṁ ārocāpesi— “kālo, bhante, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan”ti. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ pāvisi mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ bhikkhusahassena sabbeheva purāṇajaṭilehi.
Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, knowing that the Blessed One had consented, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on the right, and left. Then, at the end of that night, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha had excellent food, hard and soft, prepared and announced the time to the Blessed One: “It is time, venerable sir. The meal is ready.” Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Rājagaha with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, a thousand bhikkhus, all of them former matted-hair ascetics.
Tena kho pana samayena sakko devānamindo māṇavakavaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa purato purato gacchati imā gāthāyo gāyamāno— “Danto dantehi saha purāṇajaṭilehi, Vippamutto vippamuttehi; Siṅgīnikkhasavaṇṇo, Rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā. Mutto muttehi saha purāṇajaṭilehi, Vippamutto vippamuttehi; Siṅgīnikkhasavaṇṇo, Rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā. Tiṇṇo tiṇṇehi saha purāṇajaṭilehi, Vippamutto vippamuttehi; Siṅgīnikkhasavaṇṇo, Rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā. Santo santehi saha purāṇajaṭilehi, Vippamutto vippamuttehi; Siṅgīnikkhasavaṇṇo, Rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā. Dasavāso dasabalo, Dasadhammavidū dasabhi cupeto; So dasasataparivāro, Rājagahaṁ pāvisi bhagavā”ti.
At that time Sakka, lord of the gods, having created the appearance of a young man, walked in front of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha, singing these verses:
“Tamed, with the tamed, the former matted-hair ascetics,
freed, with the freed —
gold-colored,
the Blessed One entered Rājagaha.
Released, with the released, the former matted-hair ascetics,
freed, with the freed —
gold-colored,
the Blessed One entered Rājagaha.
Crossed over, with those who have crossed over, the former matted-hair ascetics,
freed, with the freed —
gold-colored,
the Blessed One entered Rājagaha.
Peaceful, with the peaceful, the former matted-hair ascetics,
freed, with the freed —
gold-colored,
the Blessed One entered Rājagaha.
Ten-dwelling, ten-powered,
knower of the ten qualities, endowed with ten —
he, with a following of a thousand,
the Blessed One entered Rājagaha.”
Manussā sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ passitvā evamāhaṁsu— “abhirūpo vatāyaṁ māṇavako, dassanīyo vatāyaṁ māṇavako, pāsādiko vatāyaṁ māṇavako. Kassa nu kho ayaṁ māṇavako”ti? Evaṁ vutte, sakko devānamindo te manusse gāthāya ajjhabhāsi— “Yo dhīro sabbadhi danto, suddho appaṭipuggalo; Arahaṁ sugato loke, tassāhaṁ paricārako”ti.
People, seeing Sakka, lord of the gods, said: “This young man is handsome indeed. This young man is lovely to see indeed. This young man is inspiring indeed. Whose young man is this?” When this was said, Sakka, lord of the gods, addressed those people in verse:
“He who is steadfast, tamed in every way,
pure, without a counterpart,
the arahant, the well-gone in the world —
I am his attendant.”
Atha kho bhagavā yena rañño māgadhassa seniyassa bimbisārassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena. Atha kho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappetvā sampavāretvā bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then the Blessed One approached the home of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha and sat on a prepared seat together with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, with his own hands, served and satisfied the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with excellent food, hard and soft. When the Blessed One had finished his meal and taken his hand from the bowl, the king sat to one side.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnassa kho rañño māgadhassa seniyassa bimbisārassa etadahosi— “kattha nu kho bhagavā vihareyya? Yaṁ assa gāmato neva atidūre na accāsanne, gamanāgamanasampannaṁ, atthikānaṁ atthikānaṁ manussānaṁ abhikkamanīyaṁ, divā appākiṇṇaṁ, rattiṁ appasaddaṁ appanigghosaṁ vijanavātaṁ, manussarāhasseyyakaṁ, paṭisallānasāruppan”ti.
Then, while King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha was sitting to one side, it occurred to him: “Where might the Blessed One stay? It should be neither too far from a village nor too near, accessible for coming and going, approachable by people who want to come, not crowded by day, quiet at night and without noise, free of people, a place where humans can withdraw, suitable for seclusion.”
Atha kho rañño māgadhassa seniyassa bimbisārassa etadahosi— “idaṁ kho amhākaṁ veḷuvanaṁ uyyānaṁ gāmato neva atidūre na accāsanne gamanāgamanasampannaṁ atthikānaṁ atthikānaṁ manussānaṁ abhikkamanīyaṁ divā appākiṇṇaṁ rattiṁ appasaddaṁ appanigghosaṁ vijanavātaṁ manussarāhasseyyakaṁ paṭisallānasāruppaṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ veḷuvanaṁ uyyānaṁ buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa dadeyyan”ti.
Then it occurred to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha: “This Bamboo Grove park of ours is neither too far from a village nor too near, accessible for coming and going, approachable by people who want to come, not crowded by day, quiet at night and without noise, free of people, a place where humans can withdraw, suitable for seclusion. Suppose I were to give the Bamboo Grove park to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha.”
Atha kho rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro sovaṇṇamayaṁ bhiṅkāraṁ gahetvā bhagavato oṇojesi— “etāhaṁ, bhante, veḷuvanaṁ uyyānaṁ buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa dammī”ti. Paṭiggahesi bhagavā ārāmaṁ. Atha kho bhagavā rājānaṁ māgadhaṁ seniyaṁ bimbisāraṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi— “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, ārāman”ti.
Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha took a golden pitcher and offered it to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, I give this Bamboo Grove park to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha.” The Blessed One accepted the park. Then the Blessed One instructed, encouraged, roused, and gladdened King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha with a talk on the Dhamma, rose from his seat, and left. Then the Blessed One, with a talk on the Dhamma concerning this occasion and this incident, addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, I allow a park.”