Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kuṇḍikāyaṁ viharati kuṇḍadhānavane. Tena kho pana samayena suppavāsā koliyadhītā satta vassāni gabbhaṁ dhāreti. Sattāhaṁ mūḷhagabbhā sā dukkhāhi tibbāhi kharāhi kaṭukāhi vedanāhi phuṭṭhā tīhi vitakkehi adhivāseti: “sammāsambuddho vata so bhagavā yo imassa evarūpassa dukkhassa pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti; suppaṭipanno vata tassa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho yo imassa evarūpassa dukkhassa pahānāya paṭipanno; susukhaṁ vata taṁ nibbānaṁ yatthidaṁ evarūpaṁ dukkhaṁ na saṁvijjatī”ti.
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.”
Atha kho suppavāsā koliyadhītā sāmikaṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, ayyaputta, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandāhi; appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ puccha: ‘suppavāsā, bhante, koliyadhītā bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati; appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchatī’ti. Evañca vadehi: ‘suppavāsā, bhante, koliyadhītā satta vassāni gabbhaṁ dhāreti. Sattāhaṁ mūḷhagabbhā sā dukkhāhi tibbāhi kharāhi kaṭukāhi vedanāhi phuṭṭhā tīhi vitakkehi adhivāseti—sammāsambuddho vata so bhagavā yo imassa evarūpassa dukkhassa pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti; suppaṭipanno vata tassa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho yo imassa evarūpassa dukkhassa pahānāya paṭipanno; susukhaṁ vata taṁ nibbānaṁ yatthidaṁ evarūpaṁ dukkhaṁ na saṁvijjatī’”ti.
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.’”
“Paraman”ti kho so koliyaputto suppavāsāya koliyadhītāya paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho koliyaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “suppavāsā, bhante, koliyadhītā bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchati; evañca vadeti: ‘suppavāsā, bhante, koliyadhītā satta vassāni gabbhaṁ dhāreti. Sattāhaṁ mūḷhagabbhā sā dukkhāhi tibbāhi kharāhi kaṭukāhi vedanāhi phuṭṭhā tīhi vitakkehi adhivāseti—sammāsambuddho vata so bhagavā yo imassa evarūpassa dukkhassa pahānāya dhammaṁ deseti; suppaṭipanno vata tassa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho yo imassa evarūpassa dukkhassa pahānāya paṭipanno; susukhaṁ vata nibbānaṁ yatthidaṁ evarūpaṁ dukkhaṁ na saṁvijjatī’”ti.
“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.’”
“Sukhinī hotu suppavāsā koliyadhītā; arogā arogaṁ puttaṁ vijāyatū”ti. Saha vacanā ca pana bhagavato suppavāsā koliyadhītā sukhinī arogā arogaṁ puttaṁ vijāyi.
“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.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so koliyaputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā yena sakaṁ gharaṁ tena paccāyāsi. Addasā kho so koliyaputto suppavāsaṁ koliyadhītaraṁ sukhiniṁ arogaṁ arogaṁ puttaṁ vijātaṁ. Disvānassa etadahosi: “acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho, tathāgatassa mahiddhikatā mahānubhāvatā, yatra hi nāmāyaṁ suppavāsā koliyadhītā saha vacanā ca pana bhagavato sukhinī arogā arogaṁ puttaṁ vijāyissatī”ti. Attamano pamudito pītisomanassajāto ahosi.
“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.
Atha kho suppavāsā koliyadhītā sāmikaṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, ayyaputta, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandāhi: ‘suppavāsā, bhante, koliyadhītā bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī’ti; evañca vadehi: ‘suppavāsā, bhante, koliyadhītā satta vassāni gabbhaṁ dhāreti. Sattāhaṁ mūḷhagabbhā sā etarahi sukhinī arogā arogaṁ puttaṁ vijātā. Sā sattāhaṁ buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhattena nimanteti. Adhivāsetu kira, bhante, bhagavā suppavāsāya koliyadhītāya satta bhattāni saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā’”ti.
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.’”
“Paraman”ti kho so koliyaputto suppavāsāya koliyadhītāya paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so koliyaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“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:
“Suppavāsā, bhante, koliyadhītā bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati; evañca vadeti: ‘suppavāsā, bhante, koliyadhītā satta vassāni gabbhaṁ dhāreti. Sattāhaṁ mūḷhagabbhā sā etarahi sukhinī arogā arogaṁ puttaṁ vijātā. Sā sattāhaṁ buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhattena nimanteti. Adhivāsetu kira, bhante, bhagavā suppavāsāya koliyadhītāya satta bhattāni saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā’”ti.
“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.’”
Tena kho pana samayena aññatarena upāsakena buddhappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho svātanāya bhattena nimantito hoti. So ca upāsako āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa upaṭṭhāko hoti. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, moggallāna, yena so upāsako tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ upāsakaṁ evaṁ vadehi: ‘suppavāsā, āvuso, koliyadhītā satta vassāni gabbhaṁ dhāresi. Sattāhaṁ mūḷhagabbhā sā etarahi sukhinī arogā arogaṁ puttaṁ vijātā. Sā sattāhaṁ buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhattena nimanteti. Karotu suppavāsā koliyadhītā satta bhattāni, pacchā tvaṁ karissasī’ti. Tuyheso upaṭṭhāko”ti.
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.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato paṭissutvā yena so upāsako tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ upāsakaṁ etadavoca: “suppavāsā, āvuso, koliyadhītā satta vassāni gabbhaṁ dhāreti. Sattāhaṁ mūḷhagabbhā sā etarahi sukhinī arogā arogaṁ puttaṁ vijātā. Sā sattāhaṁ buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ bhattena nimanteti. Karotu suppavāsā koliyadhītā satta bhattāni, pacchā tvaṁ karissasī”ti.
“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.”
“Sace me, bhante, ayyo mahāmoggallāno tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ pāṭibhogo—bhogānañca jīvitassa ca saddhāya ca, karotu suppavāsā koliyadhītā satta bhattāni, pacchāhaṁ karissāmī”ti. “Dvinnaṁ kho te ahaṁ, āvuso, dhammānaṁ pāṭibhogo—bhogānañca jīvitassa ca. Saddhāya pana tvaṁyeva pāṭibhogo”ti.
“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.”
“Sace me, bhante, ayyo mahāmoggallāno dvinnaṁ dhammānaṁ pāṭibhogo—bhogānañca jīvitassa ca, karotu suppavāsā koliyadhītā satta bhattāni, pacchāhaṁ karissāmī”ti.
“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.”
Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno taṁ upāsakaṁ saññāpetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “saññatto, bhante, so upāsako mayā; karotu suppavāsā koliyadhītā satta bhattāni, pacchā so karissatī”ti.
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.”
Atha kho suppavāsā koliyadhītā sattāhaṁ buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi, tañca dārakaṁ bhagavantaṁ vandāpesi sabbañca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ.
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.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto taṁ dārakaṁ etadavoca: “kacci te, dāraka, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kacci na kiñci dukkhan”ti? “Kuto me, bhante sāriputta, khamanīyaṁ, kuto yāpanīyaṁ. Satta me vassāni lohitakumbhiyaṁ vutthānī”ti.
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]|.”
Atha kho suppavāsā koliyadhītā: “putto me dhammasenāpatinā saddhiṁ mantetī”ti attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā ahosi. Atha kho bhagavā suppavāsaṁ koliyadhītaraṁ attamanaṁ pamuditaṁ pītisomanassajātaṁ viditvā suppavāsaṁ koliyadhītaraṁ etadavoca: “iccheyyāsi tvaṁ, suppavāse, aññampi evarūpaṁ puttan”ti? “Iccheyyāmahaṁ, bhagavā, aññānipi evarūpāni satta puttānī”ti.
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!”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Asātaṁ sātarūpena,
piyarūpena appiyaṁ;
Dukkhaṁ sukhassa rūpena,
pamattamativattatī”ti.
“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]|.”