Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
16. Kassapa Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
16. Kindred Sayings on Kassapa
Sutta 10
Bhikkhun'Upassaya Suttaṃ
The Sisters' Quarters
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
The venerable Mahā-Kassapa was once staying near Sāvatthī
at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now the venerable Ānanda,
robing himself at an early hour
and taking his bowl and robe,
went into the presence of the venerable Mahā-Kassapa,
saluted him,
and sat down beside him.
So seated he said to the venerable Mahā-Kassapa:
"Let us go, your reverence,[1]
to a certain sisters' settlement."
"Go thou, friend Ānanda,
thou art a man of many duties,
of much work."[2]
And a second time Ānanda said to the venerable Mahā-Kassapa:
"Let us go, your reverence,
to a certain sisters' settlement."
And a second time the venerable Mahā-Kassapa responded:
"Go thou, friend Ānanda,
thou art a man of many duties,
of much work."
And a third time Ānanda said to the venerable Mahā-Kassapa:
"Let us go, your reverence,
to a certain sisters' settlement."
Then the venerable Mahā-Kassapa
at that early hour
robing himself
and taking bowl and robe,
with Ānanda walking as attendant behind him,
went to that certain sisters' settlement
and sat down on the seat made ready.
Then a number of sisters came before Mahā-Kassapa,
and saluted him
and sat down beside him.
And those sisters so seated
the venerable Mahā-Kassapa instructed by a religious talk,
enlightening,
inciting,
and inspiring them.[3]
Thereupon he rose from his seat and departed.
Now the sister Fat Tissa was not pleased,
and gave vent to words of displeasure:
"What! does Father[4] Mahā-Kassapa deem he is to speak doctrine
in the presence of Father Ānanda
the learned sage?[5]
It is as if the needle-pedlar
were to deem he could sell a needle
to the needlemaker!"
[146] Now the venerable Mahā-Kassapa heard
that Fat Tissa the sister
was talking like this.
And he said to the venerable Ānanda:
"How, now, friend Ānanda,
am I the needle-pedlar
and you the needlemaker,
or am I the needlemaker
and you the needle-pedlar?"
"Be indulgent, your reverence,
women are foolish."
"Come, come, friend Ānanda,
let not the Order inquire further concerning thee.[6]
As to this,
what thinkest thou, friend Ānanda?
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire [can],
aloof from sense and evil,
attain to
and abide in First Jhāna,
wherein thought is applied and sustained,
which is born of solitude
and filled with zest and pleasant emotion.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
aloof from sense and evil,
attain to
and abide in First Jhāna,
wherein thought is applied and sustained,
which is born of solitude
and filled with zest and pleasant emotion?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire [can],
aloof from sense and evil,
attain to
and abide in First Jhāna,
wherein thought is applied and sustained,
which is born of solitude
and filled with zest and pleasant emotion.
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
aloof from sense and evil,
attain to
and abide in First Jhāna,
wherein thought is applied and sustained,
which is born of solitude
and filled with zest and pleasant emotion.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
from the subsiding of thought applied and sustained,
[can] attain to
and abide in Second Jhāna,
which is inward tranquillizing,
uplifting of will,
where is no applying and sustaining of thought,
which is born of concentration
and filled with zest and pleasant emotion.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
from the subsiding of thought applied and sustained,
[can] attain to
and abide in Second Jhāna,
which is inward tranquillizing,
uplifting of will,
where is no applying and sustaining of thought,
which is born of concentration
and filled with zest and pleasant emotion?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
from the subsiding of thought applied and sustained,
[can] attain to
and abide in Second Jhāna,
which is inward tranquillizing,
uplifting of will,
where is no applying and sustaining of thought,
which is born of concentration
and filled with zest and pleasant emotion.
Kassapa too, brethren,
according as he desires,
from the subsiding of thought applied and sustained,
[can] attain to
and abide in Second Jhāna,
which is inward tranquillizing,
uplifting of will,
where is no applying and sustaining of thought,
which is born of concentration
and filled with zest and pleasant emotion.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
from the fading out of zest,
[can] attain to
and abide in Third Jhāna,
abiding with even mind,
mindful and discerning,
aware in the body
of that pleasant emotion
whereof the Ariyans declare:
"Happy doth he abide with even, lucid mind!"
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
from the fading out of zest,
[can] attain to
and abide in Third Jhāna,
abiding with even mind,
mindful and discerning,
aware in the body
of that pleasant emotion
whereof the Ariyans declare:
"Happy doth he abide with even, lucid mind!?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
from the fading out of zest,
[can] attain to
and abide in Third Jhāna,
abiding with even mind,
mindful and discerning,
aware in the body
of that pleasant emotion
whereof the Ariyans declare:
"Happy doth he abide with even, lucid mind!"
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
from the fading out of zest,
[can] attain to
and abide in Third Jhāna,
abiding with even mind,
mindful and discerning,
aware in the body
of that pleasant emotion
whereof the Ariyans declare:
"Happy doth he abide with even, lucid mind!"
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
from putting away both pleasant and painful emotion,
by the dying out
of the joy and sorrow I felt before,
[can] attain to
and abide in Fourth Jhāna,
that utterly pure lucidity
and indifference of mind,
wherein is neither happiness nor unhappiness.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
from putting away both pleasant and painful emotion,
by the dying out
of the joy and sorrow he felt before,
[can] attain to
and abide in Fourth Jhāna,
that utterly pure lucidity
and indifference of mind,
wherein is neither happiness nor unhappiness?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
from putting away both pleasant and painful emotion,
by the dying out
of the joy and sorrow I felt before,
[can] attain to
and abide in Fourth Jhāna,
that utterly pure lucidity
and indifference of mind,
wherein is neither happiness nor unhappiness.
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
from putting away both pleasant and painful emotion,
by the dying out
of the joy and sorrow he felt before,
[can] attain to
and abide in Fourth Jhāna,
that utterly pure lucidity
and indifference of mind,
wherein is neither happiness nor unhappiness.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
by passing entirely beyond the awareness of visible shapes,
by the dying out of the awareness of resistances,
by paying no heed to the awareness of diversity,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the conceptual sense of space as infinite,
thinking:
"Infinite is space."
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
by passing entirely beyond the awareness of visible shapes,
by the dying out of the awareness of resistances,
by paying no heed to the awareness of diversity,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the conceptual sense of space as infinite,
thinking:
"Infinite is space."'?"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
by passing entirely beyond the awareness of visible shapes,
by the dying out of the awareness of resistances,
by paying no heed to the awareness of diversity,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the conceptual sense of space as infinite,
thinking:
"Infinite is space."
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
by passing entirely beyond the awareness of visible shapes,
by the dying out of the awareness of resistances,
by paying no heed to the awareness of diversity,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the conceptual sense of space as infinite,
thinking:
"Infinite is space."'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
when I have wholly passed beyond the sense of space as infinite,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of consciousness as infinite, thinking
"Infinite is consciousness."
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
when he has wholly passed beyond the sense of space as infinite,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of consciousness as infinite, thinking
"Infinite is consciousness."'?"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
when I have wholly passed beyond the sense of space as infinite,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of consciousness as infinite, thinking
"Infinite is consciousness."
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
when he has wholly passed beyond the sense of space as infinite,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of consciousness as infinite, thinking
"Infinite is consciousness."
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
when I have wholly passed beyond the sense of consciousness as infinite,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of nothingness, thinking,
"There is nothing."
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
when he has wholly passed beyond the sense of consciousness as infinite,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of nothingness, thinking,
"There is nothing."'?"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
when I have wholly passed beyond the sense of consciousness as infinite,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of nothingness, thinking,
"There is nothing."
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
when he has wholly passed beyond the sense of consciousness as infinite,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of nothingness, thinking,
"There is nothing."
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
when I have wholly passed beyond the sense of nothingness,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of neither percipience nor non-percipience.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
when he has wholly passed beyond the sense of nothingness,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of neither percipience nor non-percipience?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
when I have wholly passed beyond the sense of nothingness,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of neither percipience nor non-percipience.
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
when he has wholly passed beyond the sense of nothingness,
[can] attain to
and abide in
the sense of neither percipience nor non-percipience.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
when I have passed wholly beyond the sense of neither percipience nor non-percipience,
[can] attain to
and abide in [that state in which there is]
ceasing of percipience and feeling.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
when he has passed wholly beyond the sense of neither percipience nor non-percipience,
[can] attain to
and abide in [that state in which there is]
ceasing of percipience and feeling?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
when I have passed wholly beyond the sense of neither percipience nor non-percipience,
[can] attain to
and abide in [that state in which there is]
ceasing of percipience and feeling.
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
when he has passed wholly beyond the sense of neither percipience nor non-percipience,
[can] attain to
and abide in [that state in which there is]
ceasing of percipience and feeling.'
§
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
enjoy manifold mystic power:
Being one I become many,
being many I become one;
here visible
there invisible
I go without let or hindrance through wall,
through rampart,
through hill,
as if through air;
I dive into earth
and up again
as if in water;
I walk on water
without cleaving it
as on earth;
I travel seated cross-legged through air
as if I were a bird on the wing;
I can handle and stroke with the hand
this moon and sun,
mighty and powerful though they be;
I can control the body
even to Brahma world.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
enjoy manifold mystic power:
Being one he becomes many,
being many he becomes one;
here visible
there invisible
he goes without let or hindrance through wall,
through rampart,
through hill,
as if through air;
he dives into earth
and up again
as if in water;
he walks on water
without cleaving it
as on earth;
he travels seated cross-legged through air
as if he were a bird on the wing;
he can handle and stroke with the hand
this moon and sun,
mighty and powerful though they be;
he can control the body
even to Brahma world?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
enjoy manifold mystic power:
Being one I become many,
being many I become one;
here visible
there invisible
I go without let or hindrance through wall,
through rampart,
through hill,
as if through air;
I dive into earth
and up again
as if in water;
I walk on water
without cleaving it
as on earth;
I travel seated cross-legged through air
as if I were a bird on the wing;
I can handle and stroke with the hand
this moon and sun,
mighty and powerful though they be;
I can control the body
even to Brahma world."
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
enjoy manifold mystic power:
Being one he becomes many,
being many he becomes one;
here visible
there invisible
he goes without let or hindrance through wall,
through rampart,
through hill,
as if through air;
he dives into earth
and up again
as if in water;
he walks on water
without cleaving it
as on earth;
he travels seated cross-legged through air
as if he were a bird on the wing;
he can handle and stroke with the hand
this moon and sun,
mighty and powerful though they be;
he can control the body
even to Brahma world.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren, according as I desire,
with with purified hearing of devas
passing that of men,
can hear sounds both of devas and of men
whether far or near.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
with with purified hearing of devas
passing that of men,
can hear sounds both of devas and of men
whether far or near?'
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren, according as I desire,
with with purified hearing of devas
passing that of men,
can hear sounds both of devas and of men
whether far or near.
Kassapa too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
with with purified hearing of devas
passing that of men,
can hear sounds both of devas and of men
whether far or near.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
know in mind
the mind of other beings,
other persons,
I know the passionate heart as passionate,
the dispassionate heart as dispassionate,
I know the heart of hate as hating,
the heart of amity as amiable;
I know the dull heart as dull,
the intelligent heart as intelligent;
I know the confused mind as confused,
the intent mind as tense,
the lofty mind as such,
the mean mind as mean,
the far-seeing mind as far-seeing mind,
the cramped vision as cramped vision,
the concentrated mind as concentrated mind,
the desultory mind as desultory mind,
the freed mind as freed,
the bound mind as bound.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
knows in mind
the mind of other beings,
other persons,
he knows the passionate heart as passionate,
the dispassionate heart as dispassionate,
he knows the heart of hate as hating,
the heart of amity as amiable;
he knows the dull heart as dull,
the intelligent heart as intelligent;
he knows the confused mind as confused,
the intent mind as tense,
the lofty mind as such,
the mean mind as mean,
the far-seeing mind as far-seeing mind,
the cramped vision as cramped vision,
the concentrated mind as concentrated mind,
the desultory mind as desultory mind,
the freed mind as freed,
the bound mind as bound?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
know in mind
the mind of other beings,
other persons,
I know the passionate heart as passionate,
the dispassionate heart as dispassionate,
I know the heart of hate as hating,
the heart of amity as amiable;
I know the dull heart as dull,
the intelligent heart as intelligent;
I know the confused mind as confused,
the intent mind as tense,
the lofty mind as such,
the mean mind as mean,
the far-seeing mind as far-seeing mind,
the cramped vision as cramped vision,
the concentrated mind as concentrated mind,
the desultory mind as desultory mind,
the freed mind as freed,
the bound mind as bound.
Kassapa, brethren
according as he desires,
knows in mind
the mind of other beings,
other persons,
he knows the passionate heart as passionate,
the dispassionate heart as dispassionate,
he knows the heart of hate as hating,
the heart of amity as amiable;
he knows the dull heart as dull,
the intelligent heart as intelligent;
he knows the confused mind as confused,
the intent mind as tense,
the lofty mind as such,
the mean mind as mean,
the far-seeing mind as far-seeing mind,
the cramped vision as cramped vision,
the concentrated mind as concentrated mind,
the desultory mind as desultory mind,
the freed mind as freed,
the bound mind as bound.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
can remember my divers former lives,
that is to say,
one birth,
or two,
or three,
or four,
or five births,
or ten,
twenty,
thirty,
forty,
fifty births,
or a hundred,
a thousand
or even a hundred thousand,
or even more than one seon of involution
or more than one aeon of evolution,
or more than one of both involution and evolution:
"Such an one was I by name,
of such a clan,
of such a social status,
so was I nourished,
such happy and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end,
deceasing thence
so did I come to be,
there too was I such by name,
of such a clan,
of such a social station,
so was I nourished,
such happy and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end,
deceasing thence
so did I come to be here:"
I can thus call to mind
in circumstance
and detail
my former lives
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
can remember his divers former lives,
that is to say,
one birth,
or two,
or three,
or four,
or five births,
or ten,
twenty,
thirty,
forty,
fifty births,
or a hundred,
a thousand
or even a hundred thousand,
or even more than one seon of involution
or more than one aeon of evolution,
or more than one of both involution and evolution:
"Such an one was I by name,
of such a clan,
of such a social status,
so was I nourished,
such happy and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end,
deceasing thence
so did I come to be,
there too was I such by name,
of such a clan,
of such a social station,
so was I nourished,
such happy and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end,
deceasing thence
so did I come to be here:"
he can thus call to mind
in circumstance
and detail
his former lives?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
can remember my divers former lives,
that is to say,
one birth,
or two,
or three,
or four,
or five births,
or ten,
twenty,
thirty,
forty,
fifty births,
or a hundred,
a thousand
or even a hundred thousand,
or even more than one seon of involution
or more than one aeon of evolution,
or more than one of both involution and evolution:
"Such an one was I by name,
of such a clan,
of such a social status,
so was I nourished,
such happy and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end,
deceasing thence
so did I come to be,
there too was I such by name,
of such a clan,
of such a social station,
so was I nourished,
such happy and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end,
deceasing thence
so did I come to be here:"
I can thus call to mind
in circumstance
and detail
my former lives.
Kassapa, brethren
according as he desires,
can remember his divers former lives,
that is to say,
one birth,
or two,
or three,
or four,
or five births,
or ten,
twenty,
thirty,
forty,
fifty births,
or a hundred,
a thousand
or even a hundred thousand,
or even more than one seon of involution
or more than one aeon of evolution,
or more than one of both involution and evolution:
"Such an one was I by name,
of such a clan,
of such a social status,
so was I nourished,
such happy and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end,
deceasing thence
so did I come to be,
there too was I such by name,
of such a clan,
of such a social station,
so was I nourished,
such happy and painful experiences were mine,
so did the span of life end,
deceasing thence
so did I come to be here:"
he can thus call to mind
in circumstance
and detail
his former lives.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
can behold with purified deva-vision
past that of man,
beings as they decease
and come to be
mean or excellent,
fair or foul,
I can know them going
according to their deeds
to weal or woe,
thinking:
"Lo! these good people
whose deeds were evil,
whose speech was evil,
whose thoughts were evil,
abusers of Ariyans,
having wrong views
and undertaking the acts that [come from] wrong views -
they at the breaking up of the body,
after death
have come to be
in the Waste,
the Woeful Way,
the Downfall,
hell.
Lo! those good people
whose deeds were good,
whose speech was good,
whose thoughts were good,
who abused not Ariyans,
of right views
and who undertook the acts that [come from] right views -
they at the breaking up of the body,
after death
have come to be in a good destiny,
in a bright world."
Thus do I behold beings
with pure deva-sight
passing that of men,
how they decease,
and come to be
mean or excellent,
fair or foul,
I know them
as going according to their actions
to weal or woe.
Ānanda too, brethren, can
according as he desires,
can behold with purified deva-vision
past that of man,
beings as they decease
and come to be
mean or excellent,
fair or foul,
he can know them going
according to their deeds
to weal or woe,
thinking:
"Lo! these good people
whose deeds were evil,
whose speech was evil,
whose thoughts were evil,
abusers of Ariyans,
having wrong views
and undertaking the acts that [come from] wrong views -
they at the breaking up of the body,
after death
have come to be
in the Waste,
the Woeful Way,
the Downfall,
hell.
Lo! those good people
whose deeds were good,
whose speech was good,
whose thoughts were good,
who abused not Ariyans,
of right views
and who undertook the acts that [come from] right views -
they at the breaking up of the body,
after death
have come to be in a good destiny,
in a bright world."
Thus does he behold beings
with pure deva-sight
passing that of men,
how they decease,
and come to be
mean or excellent,
fair or foul,
he knows them
as going according to their actions
to weal or woe?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'I, brethren,
according as I desire,
can behold with purified deva-vision
past that of man,
beings as they decease
and come to be
mean or excellent,
fair or foul,
I can know them going
according to their deeds
to weal or woe,
thinking:
"Lo! these good people
whose deeds were evil,
whose speech was evil,
whose thoughts were evil,
abusers of Ariyans,
having wrong views
and undertaking the acts that [come from] wrong views -
they at the breaking up of the body,
after death
have come to be
in the Waste,
the Woeful Way,
the Downfall,
hell.
Lo! those good people
whose deeds were good,
whose speech was good,
whose thoughts were good,
who abused not Ariyans,
of right views
and who undertook the acts that [come from] right views -
they at the breaking up of the body,
after death
have come to be in a good destiny,
in a bright world."
Thus do I behold beings
with pure deva-sight
passing that of men,
how they decease,
and come to be
mean or excellent,
fair or foul,
I know them
as going according to their actions
to weal or woe.
Kassapa, brethren,
according as he desires,
can behold with purified deva-vision
past that of man,
beings as they decease
and come to be
mean or excellent,
fair or foul,
he can know them going
according to their deeds
to weal or woe,
thinking:
"Lo! these good people
whose deeds were evil,
whose speech was evil,
whose thoughts were evil,
abusers of Ariyans,
having wrong views
and undertaking the acts that [come from] wrong views -
they at the breaking up of the body,
after death
have come to be
in the Waste,
the Woeful Way,
the Downfall,
hell.
Lo! those good people
whose deeds were good,
whose speech was good,
whose thoughts were good,
who abused not Ariyans,
of right views
and who undertook the acts that [come from] right views -
they at the breaking up of the body,
after death
have come to be in a good destiny,
in a bright world."
Thus does he behold beings
with pure deva-sight
passing that of men,
how they decease,
and come to be
mean or excellent,
fair or foul,
he knows them
as going according to their actions
to weal or woe.'
■
Was it thou whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'And I, brethren,
by the withering of the intoxicants,
have entered into
and abide in
that sane and immune emancipation of will,
that emancipation of insight
which I have come thoroughly to know
and to realize for myself
even in this present life.
Ānanda too, brethren,
by the withering of the intoxicants,
has entered into
and abides in
that sane and immune emancipation of will,
emancipation of insight
which he has come thoroughly to know
and to realize for himself
even in this present life?'"
"Not so, your reverence."
"Or, was it I whom the Exalted One brought before the Order, saying:
'And I, brethren,
by the withering of the intoxicants,
have entered into
and abide in
that sane and immune emancipation of will,
that emancipation of insight
which I have come thoroughly to know
and to realize for myself
even in this present life.
Kassapa too, brethren,
by the withering of the intoxicants,
has entered into
and abides in
that sane and immune emancipation of will,
emancipation of insight
which he has come thoroughly to know
and to realize for himself
even in this present life.'
It were as easy, friend,
to imagine that an elephant
seven to eight cubits high
could be hidden under a young palmleaf,
as to imagine that the six Super-knowledges of me
could be hidden!"
But sister Fat Tissa fell away from the holy life.
[1] The Comy. represents the Master as now having passed away, and that Kassapa had taken his place and would be trusted as a preacher.
[2] Namely, just then of comforting and sustaining the congregations mourning the loss of the Buddha. Comy.
[3] On this formula see above, i, 141, n. 4.
[4] Ayyo, literally Ariya, from the dieeretic form Ayira. Ayyaka, diminutive = grandfather.
Vedehamuni. Index of Pali Words: Vedehīta pana paṇḍitā-dhivacanam etan, yath'āha: 'Vedehikā gahapatāni; "ayyo Ānando vedehamunīti tatrayaṇ vacanattho: vedena īhati ghatati vāyamatīti vedehi.
— p.p.
[5] On vedehamuni see above, i, 321.
[6] Comy.: That is, Stop, thou friend! let not the Order imagine hereafter there must be a keeping company, a fondness between you and any one of the Sisters.
