Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling near |Kuṇḍiyā::name of a Koliyan town [kuṇḍiyā]| in Kuṇḍadhāna grove. At that time, |Suppavāsā::foremost disciple of the Buddha among those who offer excellent items [suppavāsā]|, a noblewoman of the Koliyan clan, had been enduring a difficult pregnancy for seven years. For seven days she had been in obstructed labor, afflicted by intense, harsh, sharp, and piercing pains, yet she endured with three reflections: “Truly, the Blessed One is a perfectly Awakened One, who teaches the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| for the ending of such suffering. Truly the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of the Blessed One’s disciples is practicing well, who walk the path for the ending of such suffering. Truly blissful is |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|, where suffering such as this does not exist.”
Then the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā addressed her husband: “Come, dear husband, go to the Blessed One. When you have approached him, bow with your head at the Blessed One’s feet on my behalf, and ask: ‘Venerable sir, Suppavāsā, a noblewoman of the Koliyan clan, bows her head at the Blessed One’s feet and asks whether he is well and healthy, nimble, strong, and dwelling comfortably.’ Then say this: ‘The Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā had been enduring a difficult pregnancy for seven years. For seven days she had been in obstructed labor, afflicted by intense, harsh, sharp, and piercing pains, yet she endured with three reflections: Truly, the Blessed One is a perfectly Awakened One, who teaches the Dhamma for the ending of such suffering. Truly the Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practicing well, who walk the path for the ending of such suffering. Truly blissful is Nibbāna, where suffering such as this does not exist.’”
“Very best,” the young Koliyan man replied, assenting to the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā. Then he went to the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Koliyan man said this to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, Suppavāsā, a noblewoman of the Koliyan clan, bows her head at the Blessed One’s feet and asks whether he is well and healthy, nimble, strong, and dwelling comfortably. And she also says this: ‘Suppavāsā, venerable sir, a noblewoman of the Koliyan clan, had been enduring a difficult pregnancy for seven years. For seven days she had been in obstructed labor, afflicted by intense, harsh, sharp, and piercing pains, yet she endured with three reflections: Truly, the Blessed One is a perfectly Awakened One, who teaches the Dhamma for the ending of such suffering. Truly the Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practicing well, who walk the path for the ending of such suffering. Truly blissful is Nibbāna, where suffering such as this does not exist.’”
“May Suppavāsā, the noblewoman of the Koliyan clan, be happy and healthy; may she give birth to a healthy son.” And immediately upon the words of the Blessed One, the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā became happy and healthy, and she gave birth to a healthy son.
“Yes, venerable sir,” the Koliyan man replied, approving and rejoicing in the Blessed One’s words. Then, rising from his seat, he bowed to the Blessed One, circumambulated him with his right side toward him, and returned to his own home. When he arrived, he saw the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā happy and healthy, having given birth to a healthy son. Seeing this, the thought arose in him: “Oh lord, how wonderful, how marvelous is the might of the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]|, for as soon as he spoke, Suppavāsā, happy and healthy, gave birth to a healthy child.” He was delighted, uplifted, and filled with joy and happiness.
Then the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā said to her husband: “Come, dear husband, go to the Blessed One. When you have approached him, bow with your head at the Blessed One’s feet on my behalf, and say: ‘Venerable sir, Suppavāsā, a noblewoman of the Koliyan clan, bows her head at the Blessed One’s feet.’ Then say this: ‘The Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā had been enduring a difficult pregnancy for seven years. For seven days she had been in obstructed labor, but now she is happy and healthy, having given birth to a healthy son. She invites the bhikkhu Saṅgha headed by the Buddha for meals for seven days. Please let the Blessed One accept seven meals from the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā, together with the bhikkhu Saṅgha.’”
“Very best,” the young Koliyan man replied, assenting to the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā. Then he went to the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the young Koliyan man said this to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, Suppavāsā, a noblewoman of the Koliyan clan, bows her head at the Blessed One’s feet, and she says this: ‘The Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā had been enduring a difficult pregnancy for seven years. For seven days she had been in obstructed labor, but now she is happy and healthy, having given birth to a healthy son. She invites the Bhikkhu Saṅgha headed by the Buddha for meals for seven days. Please let the Blessed One accept seven meals from the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā, together with the Bhikkhu Saṅgha.’”
At that time, the bhikkhu Saṅgha headed by the Buddha had been invited by a certain lay follower for a meal the next day. And that lay follower was a supporter of the venerable |Mahāmoggallāna::foremost disciple of the Buddha in psychic power; lit. Moggallāna the great [mahāmoggallāna]|. Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Mahāmoggallāna: “Come, Moggallāna, go to that lay follower. When you have approached him, say this to that lay follower: ‘Friend, the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā had been enduring a difficult pregnancy for seven years. For seven days she had been in obstructed labor, but now she is happy and healthy, having given birth to a healthy son. She invites the bhikkhu Saṅgha headed by the Buddha for meals for seven days. Let the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā provide the seven meals; afterward, you can provide yours.’ He is your supporter.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Mahāmoggallāna replied, assenting to the Blessed One. Then he went to that lay follower. Having approached, he said this to that lay follower: “Friend, the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā had been enduring a difficult pregnancy for seven years. For seven days she had been in obstructed labor, but now she is happy and healthy, having given birth to a healthy son. She invites the bhikkhu Saṅgha headed by the Buddha for meals for seven days. Let the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā provide the seven meals; afterward, you can provide yours.”
“If, sir Mahāmoggallāna can guarantee me three things—wealth, life, and faith—then let the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā provide the seven meals; afterward, I will provide mine.” “Friend, I can guarantee you two things—wealth and life. But as for faith, you yourself are the guarantor.”
“If, sir Mahāmoggallāna can guarantee me two things—wealth and life—then let the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā provide the seven meals; afterward, I will provide mine.”
Then the venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having persuaded that lay follower, went to the Blessed One. Having approached, he said this to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, that lay follower has been persuaded by me; let the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā provide the seven meals; afterward, he will provide his.”
Then the Koliyan noblewoman Suppavāsā, with her own hands, served and satisfied the bhikkhu Saṅgha headed by the Buddha for seven days with various kinds of excellent food. And she made her little boy bow to the Blessed One and the entire bhikkhu Saṅgha.
Then the Venerable Sāriputta said to the young boy: “I hope you are well, I hope you are managing, I hope you are not feeling any pain.” “Venerable Sāriputta, how could I be well, how could I be managing? For seven years, I lived in a |womb::lit. pot of blood [lohitakumbhī]|.”
Then Suppavāsā, the Koliyan noblewoman, thinking: “My son is conversing with the |general of Dhamma::epithet of Sāriputta [dhammasenāpati]|,” was pleased, delighted, and filled with joy and happiness. Then, the Blessed One, having known that Suppavāsā, the Koliyan noblewoman, was pleased, delighted, and filled with joy and happiness, said to her: “Suppavāsā, would you like to have another child like this?” “Sir, I would like to have seven more children like this!”
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Unpleasant in the guise of pleasant,
the disliked in the guise of liked;
|Suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]| in the guise of happiness,
overpowers the |negligent::inattentive, careless, intoxicated [pamatta]|.”