MAJJHIMA NIKAAYA III
II. 3. 5. Maagandiyasutta.m
III.
3. 3. Acchariyabbhutadhammasutta.m-The discourse on wonderful things(123)
I
heard thus.At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by
Anaathapindika in Jeta’s grove in Saavatthi. Then a lot of bhikkhus after
the mid-day meal, were assembled and seated in the attendance hall and
this conversation arose among them
‘Friends,
it is wonderful and surprising how the Thus Gone One knows the Enlightened
Ones of yore. How they came to final extinction, cut the diffusedness of
the world, cut short their journey and cameto
the end of the journey and end of all unpleasaantness. Saying, those Blessed
Ones were of such birth, name, clan, virtues, thoughts, wisdom, abidings
and such releases.’ When this was said venerable Aananda said thus; ‘Friends,
indeed the Thus Gone One has wonderful and surprising things and is endowed
with them.’
When
this conversation was going on, the Blessed One got up from his seclusion
approached the attendance hall, sat on the prepared seat and addressed
the bhikkhus.’Bhikkhus, with what talk were you seated here and what other
talk did take place?’
‘Venerable
sir, after the mid-day meal, we were assembled and seated in the attendance
hall and this conversation arose among us. Friends, it is wonderful and
surprising how the Thus Gone One knows the Enlightened Ones of yore. How
they came to final extinction, cut the diffusedness of the world, cut short
their journey and cameto the end
of the journey and end of all unpleasaantness. Saying, those Blessed Ones
were of such birth, name, clan, virtues, thoughts, wisdom, abidings and
such releases. Venerable sir, when this was said venerable Aananda said
thus; Friends, indeed the Thus Gone One has wonderful and surprising things
and is endowed with them. When this conversation was going on, the Blessed
One arrived.
Then
the Blessed One addressed venerable Aananda. ‘If so Aananda, for the great
pleasure of many declare the wonderful and surprising things of the Thus
Gone One.’
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, the one aspiring enlightenment was born with the gods of
happiness, with mindful awareness.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something
wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.
.
‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and
you acknowledged them. “Aananda, the one aspiring enlightenment abode with
the gods of happiness, with mindful awareness.” Venerable sir, this I bear
as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, the one aspiring enlightenment abode with the gods of happiness,
until the end of that life span.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something
wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, the one aspiring enlightenment, disappeared fromthe
gods of happiness, and descended into the mother’s womb with mindful awareness.”
Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the
Blessed One
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, disappeared fromthe
gods of happiness, and descended into the mother’s womb, in the world of
gods and men, Maaras, Brahmaas, recluses and brahmins there arose an immeasurable
effulgence transcending the splendour of the gods. Even the dark uncoveredrecesses
between the world systems where the resplendent moon and sun do not shine
there arose an immeasurable effulgence transcending the splendour of the
gods. Beings born there saw each other on account of that effulgence and
knew that there were other beings born there. The ten thousandfold world
system shivered and trembled on account of that immeasurable effulgence
transccending the splendour of the gods” Venerable sir, this I bear as
something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born to this world
from the mother’s womb four gods stood guarding the four directions. They
thought may the one aspiring enlightenment or his mother be not hurt by
a human, non human or anyone in the world ” Venerable sir, this I bear
as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born into this
world from the mother’s womb, the mother by nature was virtuous, abstaining
from, destroying living things, taking the not given, misbehaving sexually,
telling lies and intoxicating drinks” Venerable sir, this I bear as something
wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, from the day the one aspiring enlightenment, descended
to the mother’s womb, sensual desires about men did not arise in the mind
of his mother.She had risen above attachment to thoughts of any man” Venerable
sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One
‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and
you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was
born to this world the mother of the one aspiring enlightenment was endowed
and provided with the five sense pleasures” Venerable sir, this I bear
as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One .
.‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born to this world
the mother of the one aspiring enlightenment was healthy, happy and had
no ailments what so ever. She could see the one in her womb complete with
all limbs large and small. Like a well completed comely lapis gem with
eight facets, with a thread of blue, yellow, red, white or pale running
through it. A man who could see would place it in his palm and would reflect.
This is the well completed comely lapis gem with eight facets, with a thread
of blue, yellow, red, white or pale running through it In the same manner,
when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born to this world the mother
of the one aspiring enlightenment was healthy, happy and had no ailments
what so ever. She could see the one in her womb complete with all limbs
large and small. Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and
surprising of the Blessed One .
.‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, seven days after the birth ofthe
one aspiring enlightenment,the mother
of the one aspiring enlightenment passed away and was born with the happy
gods” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising
of the Blessed One .
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, other women give birth bearing the womb for about nine
or ten months. That is not so with the one aspiring enlightenment, the
mother of the one aspiring enlightenment bore the womb for complete ten
months and gaves birth” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful
and surprising of the Blessed One .
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, other women give birth either seated or lyingThat
is not so with the one aspiring enlightenment, the mother of the one aspiring
enlightenment gave birth standing” Venerable sir, this I bear as something
wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One .
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born in this world
first the gods accepted him and next humans” Venerable sir, this I bear
as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One .
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born in this world,
before he placed a foot on earth, four gods accept him and placing him
in front of the mother said, queen be happy, you have given birth to a
powerful son.” Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising
of the Blessed One .‘Venerable sir I have heard these words from the Blessed
One himself and you acknowledged them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring
enlightenment, was born, he was born pure uncontaminated with water in
the passage, phlegm, blood or any impurity. As though a gem was placed
on a Kashmire cloth. The Kashmire cloth is not soiled by the gem, nor the
gem by the Kashmire cloth. This is on account of the purity of both. In
the same manner when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born he was born
pure uncontaminated with water in the passage, phlegm, blood or any impurity.”
Venerable sir, this I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the
Blessed One .
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, soon after the one aspiring enlightenment was born he stood
on his feet, and while the white umbrella was borne over him, went seven
steps to the north, looked in all directions and utterred majestic words.
I’m the chief in this world, the most accepted and the most senior.This
is my last birth, I will not be born again.” Venerable sir, this I bear
as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One
‘Venerable
sir I have heard these words from the Blessed One himself and you acknowledged
them. “Aananda, when the one aspiring enlightenment, was born in this world,
in the world of gods and men, Maaras, Brahmaas, recluses and brahmins there
arose an immeasurable effulgence transcending the splendour of the gods.
Even the dark uncoveredrecesses
between the world systems where the resplendent moon and sun do not shine
there arose an immeasurable effulgence transcending the splendour of the
gods. Beings born there saw each other on account of that effulgence and
knew that there were other beings born there. The ten thousandfold world
system shivered and trembled on account of that immeasurable effulgence
transccending the splendour of the gods” Venerable sir, this I bear as
something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.’
‘Then
Aananda, bear this too as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed
One. Aananda, to the Thus Gone One knowing feelings, arise, persist and
fade, knowingperceptions, arise,
persist and fade, knowing thoughts, arise, persist and fade.Aananda, bear
this too as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.
‘Venerable
sir, that to the Thus Gone One knowing feelings, arise, persist and fade,
knowingperceptions, arise, persist
and fade, knowing thoughts, arise, persist and fade.Venerable sir, this
I bear as something wonderful and surprising of the Blessed One.’
Venerable Aananda said thus, and was delighted knowing the Teacher acknowledges my words. Those bhikkhus delighted in the words of the venerable Aananda.