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8. Aggasāvakayuga to Purimapabbajitānaṃ dhammābhisamaya (The Pair of Chief Disciples, the Great Crowd's Going Forth, and the Earlier Renunciants' Arriving at the Dhamma)

· 53 min read

Vipassī the Bhagavā teaches Khaṇḍa and Tissa, then the eighty-four thousand of Bandhumatī and the eighty-four thousand who had gone forth after him; each company gains the Dhamma Eye, goes forth and is liberated. The Mahāpadānasutta (7D/1), translated from the Dīgha Nikāya.

Original text: 7D/1.13–1.15 Aggasāvakayuga to Purimapabbajitānaṃ dhammābhisamaya 157–170 in the World Tipitaka Edition

Vipassī the Bhagavā chooses his first hearers, Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son, appears in the Khema Deer Park at Bandhumatī and has the park keeper summon them. The gradual discourse brings them the Dhamma Eye, they go forth, and a Dhamma talk liberates their minds. The eighty-four thousand of the city follow, and then the eighty-four thousand who had gone forth after him earlier; each company hears the same discourse and is liberated in the same words.

flowchart LR
    A["Vipassī: whom to teach first?"] --> B["appears in the Khema Deer Park"]
    B --> C["the park keeper summons Khaṇḍa and Tissa"]
    C --> K["Khaṇḍa and Tissa"]
    K --> G["gradual discourse"]
    G --> D["Dhamma Eye"]
    D --> R["refuge, going forth, higher ordination"]
    R --> L["Dhamma talk: minds liberated"]
    L --> M["the city's eighty-four thousand hear and come"]
    M --> G
    L --> N["the earlier eighty-four thousand gone forth hear and come"]
    N --> G

(72.)

157. Then, Bhikkhave, this thought occurred to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant (liberated one), the sammāsambuddha (perfectly awakened one): ‘To whom should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?’ Then, Bhikkhave, this thought occurred to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha: ‘This Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son, living in the royal capital Bandhumatī, are indeed wise, experienced, intelligent, for a long time of a nature with little dust in their eyes. What if I were to teach the Dhamma first to Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son; they will quickly understand this Dhamma.’

(73.)

158. Then, Bhikkhave, Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm; even so — having vanished from the root of the bodhi tree, appeared in the Khema Deer Park in the royal capital Bandhumatī. Then, Bhikkhave, Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, addressed the park keeper: ‘Come, friend park keeper, enter the royal capital Bandhumatī and speak thus to Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son: Bhante, Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, has arrived at the royal capital Bandhumatī and is dwelling in the Khema Deer Park; he wishes to see you.’ ‘Yes, Bhante,’ the park keeper replied, Bhikkhave, to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, and having entered the royal capital Bandhumatī, said this to Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son: ‘Bhante, Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, has arrived at the royal capital Bandhumatī and is dwelling in the Khema Deer Park; he wishes to see you.’

(74.)

159. Then, Bhikkhave, Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son, having had stately carriages harnessed, each mounted a stately carriage and set out from the royal capital Bandhumatī in stately carriages. They set out for the Khema Deer Park. Having gone by carriage as far as there was ground for a carriage, they dismounted from the carriage and approached Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, on foot. Having approached, they bowed to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, and sat down to one side.

(75.)

160. To them Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, gave a gradual discourse, that is to say, dānakathā (talk on giving), sīlakathā (talk on virtue), saggakathā (talk on heaven); he explained the danger, baseness, and defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Bhagavā knew them to have ready minds, pliable minds, minds free from hindrances, elated minds, confident minds, then he expounded that teaching of the Dhamma which is the most elevated of the Buddhas — dukkha (suffering), samudaya (origin), nirodha (cessation), magga (path). Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would rightly receive dye; even so, for Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son, on that very seat, there arose the viraja (pure), vītamala (stainless) dhammacakkhu (Dhamma Eye): ‘Whatever phenomenon is subject to origination is completely subject to cessation.’

(76.)

161. They, who had seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, deeply penetrated the Dhamma, overcome uncertainty, free from doubt, attained confidence, not relying on another in the Teacher’s instruction, said this to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha: ‘Excellent, Bhante! Excellent, Bhante! Just as, Bhante, one might set upright what has been overturned, or reveal what is hidden, or point out the path to one who is lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness, thinking, “those with eyes will see forms”; even so, the Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by the Bhagavā. We, Bhante, go for refuge to the Bhagavā and to the Dhamma. May we, Bhante, receive the pabbajjā (going forth) in the Bhagavā’s presence, may we receive the upasampadā (higher ordination)?’

(77.)

162. Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son, Bhikkhave, gained the going forth in the presence of Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha; they gained the higher ordination. Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, instructed, encouraged, fired up, and gladdened them with a Dhamma talk; he explained the danger, baseness, and defilement of saṅkhāra (mental constructions), and the benefit of nibbāna (extinguishment). While they were being instructed, encouraged, fired up, and gladdened by Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, with a Dhamma talk, after only a short time their cittāni (minds), anupādāya (not grasping), were liberated from the āsavā (defilements).

(78.)

163. The great crowd of people of the royal capital Bandhumatī, Bhikkhave, eighty-four thousand beings, heard: ‘Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, it is said, has arrived at the royal capital Bandhumatī and is dwelling in the Khema Deer Park. And Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son, it is said, have shaved off their hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the presence of Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha.’ Having heard, this thought occurred to them: ‘Surely that Dhamma and Discipline is not inferior, that going forth is not inferior, wherein Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son have shaved off their hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and gone forth from the home life into homelessness. Khaṇḍa the king’s son and Tissa the chief priest’s son, having shaved off their hair and beard and put on ochre robes, will go forth from the home life into homelessness — how much more so, then, we?’ Then, Bhikkhave, that great crowd of people, eighty-four thousand beings, having gone out from the royal capital Bandhumatī, approached the Khema Deer Park and Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha; having approached, they bowed to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, and sat down to one side.

(79.)

164. To them Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, gave a gradual discourse. That is to say, dānakathā (talk on giving), sīlakathā (talk on virtue), saggakathā (talk on heaven); he explained the danger, baseness, and defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Bhagavā knew them to have ready minds, pliable minds, minds free from hindrances, elated minds, confident minds, then he expounded that teaching of the Dhamma which is the most elevated of the Buddhas — dukkha (suffering), samudaya (origin), nirodha (cessation), magga (path). Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would rightly receive dye; even so, for those eighty-four thousand beings, on that very seat, there arose the viraja (pure), vītamala (stainless) dhammacakkhu (Dhamma Eye): ‘Whatever phenomenon is subject to origination is completely subject to cessation.’

(80.)

165. They, who had seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, deeply penetrated the Dhamma, overcome uncertainty, free from doubt, attained confidence, not relying on another in the Teacher’s instruction, said this to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha: ‘Excellent, Bhante! Excellent, Bhante! Just as, Bhante, one might set upright what has been overturned, or reveal what is hidden, or point out the path to one who is lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness, thinking, “those with eyes will see forms”; even so, the Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by the Bhagavā. We, Bhante, go for refuge to the Bhagavā, to the Dhamma, and to the bhikkhusaṃgha (Saṅgha of bhikkhū). May we, Bhante, receive the pabbajjā (going forth) in the Bhagavā’s presence, may we receive the upasampadā (higher ordination)?’

(81.)

166. Those eighty-four thousand beings, Bhikkhave, gained the going forth in the presence of Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha; they gained the higher ordination. Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, instructed, encouraged, fired up, and gladdened them with a Dhamma talk; he explained the danger, baseness, and defilement of saṅkhāra (mental constructions), and the benefit of nibbāna (extinguishment). While they were being instructed, encouraged, fired up, and gladdened by Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, with a Dhamma talk, after only a short time their cittāni (minds), anupādāya (not grasping), were liberated from the āsavā (defilements).

(82.)

167. Those earlier eighty-four thousand who had gone forth, Bhikkhave, heard: ‘Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, it is said, has arrived at the royal capital Bandhumatī and is dwelling in the Khema Deer Park, and it is said he teaches the Dhamma.’ Then, Bhikkhave, those eighty-four thousand who had gone forth approached the royal capital Bandhumatī, the Khema Deer Park, and Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha; having approached, they bowed to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, and sat down to one side.

(83.)

168. To them Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, gave a gradual discourse. That is to say, dānakathā (talk on giving), sīlakathā (talk on virtue), saggakathā (talk on heaven); he explained the danger, baseness, and defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Bhagavā knew them to have ready minds, pliable minds, minds free from hindrances, elated minds, confident minds, then he expounded that teaching of the Dhamma which is the most elevated of the Buddhas — dukkha (suffering), samudaya (origin), nirodha (cessation), magga (path). Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would rightly receive dye; even so, for those eighty-four thousand who had gone forth, on that very seat, there arose the viraja (pure), vītamala (stainless) dhammacakkhu (Dhamma Eye): ‘Whatever phenomenon is subject to origination is completely subject to cessation.’

(84.)

169. They, who had seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, deeply penetrated the Dhamma, overcome uncertainty, free from doubt, attained confidence, not relying on another in the Teacher’s instruction, said this to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha: ‘Excellent, Bhante! Excellent, Bhante! Just as, Bhante, one might set upright what has been overturned, or reveal what is hidden, or point out the path to one who is lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness, thinking, “those with eyes will see forms”; even so, the Dhamma has been made clear in many ways by the Bhagavā. We, Bhante, go for refuge to the Bhagavā, to the Dhamma, and to the bhikkhusaṃgha (Saṅgha of bhikkhū). May we, Bhante, receive the pabbajjā (going forth) in the Bhagavā’s presence, may we receive the upasampadā (higher ordination)?’

(85.)

170. Those eighty-four thousand who had gone forth, Bhikkhave, gained the going forth in the presence of Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha; they gained the higher ordination. Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, instructed, encouraged, fired up, and gladdened them with a Dhamma talk; he explained the danger, baseness, and defilement of saṅkhāra (mental constructions), and the benefit of nibbāna (extinguishment). While they were being instructed, encouraged, fired up, and gladdened by Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, with a Dhamma talk, after only a short time their cittāni (minds), anupādāya (not grasping), were liberated from the āsavā (defilements).

  • Three conversions in one formula: gradual discourse, Dhamma Eye, request for the going forth, liberating Dhamma talk are the Khandhaka’s sentences for the group of five and Yasa’s friends, twins on 1.6, 1.7, 1.11 and 1.13; the gradual discourse is on buddhavacana.
  • Khaṇḍa and Tissa take two refuges, the Bhagavā and the Dhamma (161), since there is no Saṅgha yet; the city’s eighty-four thousand take three (165).
  • Renderings: vipassī bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho “Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha” as in part 7, glossed at 157 and bare after; kheme migadāye “the Khema Deer Park” (DPD: a park in Bandhumatī); caturāsītipabbajitasahassāni “eighty-four thousand who had gone forth”; saṅkhārānaṃ ādīnavaṃ “mental constructions” by the glossary, where the sense is conditioned things.
  • sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṃsesi “instructed, encouraged, fired up, and gladdened” from the DPD; buddhavacana has two other sets.
  • The edition’s 157–170 are CST 72–85.

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