MAJJHIMA NIKAAYA III
II. 3. 5. Maagandiyasutta.m
III.
3. 4. Bakkulasutta.m- The wonderful things about venerable Bakkula-(124)
I
heard thus.At one time venerable Bakkula lived in the squirrels’ sanctuary
in the bamboo grove in Rajagaha. Then Acela-Kassapa a friend of venerable
Bakkula when he was a householder approached him, exchanged friendly greetings,
sat on a side and said.
‘For
how long was venerable Bakkula a homeless one?’
‘Friend,
I was homeless for eighty years.’
‘Friend
Bakkula, during these eighty years, how many times did you indulge in sexual
things?’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, I should not be questioned in that manner, as during these eighty
years, how many times did you indulge in sexual things? Friend Kassapa,
you should question me thus, during these eighty years, how many times
did sexual perceptions arise to you?
‘Friend
Bakkula, during these eighty years, how many times didsexual perceptions
arise to you?’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a
single sexual perception that has arisen to me’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of a single sexual percepton during these
eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a
single angry, hurting perception that has arisen to me’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of a single angry, hurtingpercepton during
these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of
venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a
single sensual thought that has arisen to me’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of a single sensual thought during these
eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a
single angry, hurting thought that has arisen to me’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of a single angry, hurting thought during
these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of
venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of accepting
a robe from a householder.’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of accepting a robe from a householder
during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing
of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of cutting
the robe with an instrument.’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of cutting the robe with an instrument
during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing
of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of sewing
the robe with a needle.’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of sewing the robe with a needle during
these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of
venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of dyeing
the robe with dye.’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of dyeing the robe with dye during these
eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of sewing
the katina robe.’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of sewing the katina robe, during these
eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of employing
co-associates to sew the robe,...re... accepting an invitation,....re....
even the arising of the thought. O! Someone should invite me!.’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know ofemploying co-associates to sew the robe,...re...
accepting an invitation,....re.... even the arising of the thought. O!
Someone should invite me!.during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful
and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of sitting
inisde a house,...re... partaking food inside a house,....re.... observing
even the minor sign of a woman,...re...... teaching a woman at least the
four lines of a verse,...re...... approaching the attendance hall of the
bhikkhunis,...re.... teaching the bhikkhnis,...re....teachingthe trainee
novices female or male,...re.....’
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know ofsitting inside a house,...re..... teaching
the trainee novices female or male, during these eighty years. I bear this
as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of ordaining
someone,...re... confering the higher ordination to someone,....re....
providing requisites to someone or attending to a novice,...re...... taking
a steam bath ,...re...... using bathing powder to bathe,...re.... employing
a co-associate to massage the body,...re....the arising of an ailment even
for a short while,...re.....’partaking of some medicine for a sickness,
at least some green porridge,....re.... sleeping turned to the wrong side,...re.....sleeping,...re.....observing
rains at the end of the village
‘That
venerable Bakkula does not know of ordaining someone,...re..... observing
the rains at the end of the village, during these eighty years. I bear
this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
it was only for seven days that I partook the countryman’s morsels with
a debt, on the eighth day I realized extinction
‘It
was only for seven days that venerable Bakkula partook the countryman’s
morsels with a debt, on the eighth day he realized extinction. I bear this
as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend,
Bakkula, may I obtain the going forth and the higher ordination in this
Dispensation.’ There upon Acela Kassapa obtained the going forth and the
higher ordination, in that DispensationNot long after the higher ordination
of venerable Kassapa, he withdrew from the crowd, abode zealous for dispelling
and attained the noble end of the holy life here and now, for which sons
of clansmen rightfully go forth homeless. He knew that birth was destroyed,
the holy life was lived, what should be done was done, knew there was nothing
more to wish. Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfect.
Not
long afterwards venerable Bakkula took a bunch of keys and went from one
dwelling to the other saying, ‘Friends, come! Today, will be my final extinction.
That,
venerable Bakkula took a bunch of keys and went from one dwelling to the
other saying, ‘Friends, come! Today, will be my final extinction. I bear
this too, as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
Venerable
Bakkula attained final extinction in the midst of the Community of bhikkhus
seated.
That, venerable Bakkula attained final extinction
in the midst of the Community of bhikkhus seated.I bear this too, as a
wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’