The Buddha crossed the flood of suffering without any support and without struggling.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kathaṁ nu tvaṁ, mārisa, oghamatarī”ti?
Then, when the night had advanced, a certain deity, of surpassing beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s grove, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she stood at one side. Standing to one side, that deity said to the Blessed One: “How, dear sir, did you cross over the flood?”
“Appatiṭṭhaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.
“Without any support, friend, and without struggling, I crossed over the flood.”
“Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarī”ti?
“But how, dear sir, did you cross over the flood without any support and without struggling?”
“Yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, santiṭṭhāmi tadāssu saṁsīdāmi; yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, āyūhāmi tadāssu nibbuyhāmi. Evaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.
“When I took support, friend, I sank; when I struggled, I was swept away. In this way, friend, without any support, without struggling, I crossed over the flood.”
“Cirassaṁ vata passāmi,
brāhmaṇaṁ parinibbutaṁ;
Appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ,
tiṇṇaṁ loke visattikan”ti.
After a long time, indeed, I see,
a Brahmin who has attained final Nibbāna;
Without any support, without struggling,
having crossed over the entanglements of the world.
Idamavoca sā devatā. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho sā devatā: “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.
Thus spoke that deity. The Teacher approved. Then that deity, having said “The Teacher approved,” paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and vanished right there.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park.
Then, when the night had advanced, a certain deity, of surpassing beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s grove, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she stood at one side. Standing to one side, that deity said to the Blessed One: “How, dear sir, did you cross over the flood?”
“Without any support, friend, and without struggling, I crossed over the flood.”
“But how, dear sir, did you cross over the flood without any support and without struggling?”
“When I took support, friend, I sank; when I struggled, I was swept away. In this way, friend, without any support, without struggling, I crossed over the flood.”
After a long time, indeed, I see,
a Brahmin who has attained final Nibbāna;
Without any support, without struggling,
having crossed over the entanglements of the world.
Thus spoke that deity. The Teacher approved. Then that deity, having said “The Teacher approved,” paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and vanished right there.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kathaṁ nu tvaṁ, mārisa, oghamatarī”ti?
“Appatiṭṭhaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.
“Yathākathaṁ pana tvaṁ, mārisa, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarī”ti?
“Yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, santiṭṭhāmi tadāssu saṁsīdāmi; yadāsvāhaṁ, āvuso, āyūhāmi tadāssu nibbuyhāmi. Evaṁ khvāhaṁ, āvuso, appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ oghamatarin”ti.
“Cirassaṁ vata passāmi,
brāhmaṇaṁ parinibbutaṁ;
Appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ,
tiṇṇaṁ loke visattikan”ti.
Idamavoca sā devatā. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho sā devatā: “samanuñño me satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.