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9. Cārikāanujānana (The Permission to Wander)

· 38 min read

Vipassī the Bhagavā sends his bhikkhū out to wander for the welfare of the many, to return every six years for the recitation of the pātimokkha, which he gives in three verses. The Mahāpadānasutta (7D/1), translated from the Dīgha Nikāya.

Original text: 7D/1.16 Cārikāanujānana 171–180 in the World Tipitaka Edition

With six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū gathered in the royal capital Bandhumatī, Vipassī the Bhagavā reflects that he should send them out to wander for the welfare of the many, no two by one way, and have them return every six years to recite the pātimokkha. A Great Brahmā reads his thought, appears, asks for the same and promises that the gods will bring the bhikkhū back in time. Vipassī allows it; the bhikkhū disperse, the gods count down the years, and on their return he recites the pātimokkha in three verses.

flowchart TB
    A["Vipassī alone in seclusion"] --> B["reflection: send the bhikkhū out to wander"]
    B --> C["return every six years for the pātimokkha"]
    B --> D["a Great Brahmā reads his thought and appears"]
    D --> E["asks for the same: the gods will bring them back"]
    E --> F["Vipassī tells the bhikkhū and allows it"]
    F --> G["the bhikkhū set out on tour that very day"]
    G --> H["the gods count down the six years"]
    H --> I["the bhikkhū return by psychic power"]
    I --> J["the pātimokkha recited: three verses"]

(86.)

171. Now at that time, Bhikkhave, a great Saṅgha of bhikkhū was staying in the royal capital Bandhumatī, six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū. Then, Bhikkhave, while Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant (liberated one), the sammāsambuddha (perfectly awakened one), was alone in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind: ‘A great Saṅgha of bhikkhū is now staying in the royal capital Bandhumatī, six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū; what if I were to allow the bhikkhū: “Wander, Bhikkhave, on tour for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas (deities) and humans; Let not two go by one [way]. Teach, Bhikkhave, the Dhamma (doctrine) that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased; make known the brahmacariya (the optimal life) that is wholly complete and perfectly pure. There are beings apparajakkhajātikā (with little dust in their eyes by nature) who are wasting away through not hearing the Dhamma (doctrine), and there will be those who understand the Dhamma. And moreover, after the passing of every six years, the royal capital Bandhumatī should be approached for the recitation of the pātimokkha (precepts for monastics).”’

(87.)

172. Then, Bhikkhave, a certain Great Brahmā, knowing with his own mind the thought process of 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 Brahmā world, appeared before Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha. Then, Bhikkhave, that Great Brahmā, arranging his upper robe over one shoulder and extending his clasped hands towards Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, said this to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha: ‘So it is, Bhagavā, so it is, Sugata (Fortunate One). A great Saṅgha of bhikkhū, Bhante, is now staying in the royal capital Bandhumatī, six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū; may the Bhagavā, Bhante, allow the bhikkhū: “Wander, Bhikkhave, on tour for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas (deities) and humans; Let not two go by one [way]. Teach, Bhikkhave, the Dhamma (doctrine) that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased; make known the brahmacariya (the optimal life) that is wholly complete and perfectly pure. There are beings apparajakkhajātikā (with little dust in their eyes by nature) who are wasting away through not hearing the dhamma, and there will be those who understand the dhamma.” And moreover, Bhante, we will act so that the bhikkhū will approach the royal capital Bandhumatī after the passing of every six years for the recitation of the pātimokkha.’ That Great Brahmā said this, Bhikkhave. Having said this, he bowed to Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, circumambulated him keeping his right side towards him, and vanished right there.

(88.)

173. Then, Bhikkhave, Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, having risen from seclusion in the evening, addressed the bhikkhū: ‘Here, Bhikkhave, while I was alone in seclusion, this reflection arose in my mind: “A great Saṅgha of bhikkhū is now staying in the royal capital Bandhumatī, six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū. What if I were to allow the bhikkhū: Wander, Bhikkhave, on tour for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas (deities) and humans; Let not two go by one [way]. Teach, Bhikkhave, the Dhamma (doctrine) that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased; make known the brahmacariya (the optimal life) that is wholly complete and perfectly pure. There are beings apparajakkhajātikā (with little dust in their eyes by nature) who are wasting away through not hearing the Dhamma (doctrine), and there will be those who understand the Dhamma. And moreover, after the passing of every six years, the royal capital Bandhumatī should be approached for the recitation of the pātimokkha.”’

174. Then, Bhikkhave, a certain Great Brahmā, knowing my thought process with his own mind — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm; even so, having vanished from the Brahmā world, appeared before me. Then, Bhikkhave, that Great Brahmā, arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, and having extended his clasped hands towards me, said this to me: ‘So it is, Bhagavā, so it is, Sugata (Fortunate One). A great Saṅgha of bhikkhū, Bhante, is now staying in the royal capital Bandhumatī, six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū. May the Bhagavā, Bhante, allow the bhikkhū: Wander, Bhikkhave, on tour for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas (deities) and humans; Let not two go by one [way]. Teach, Bhikkhave, the Dhamma (doctrine) … and so on … there are beings apparajakkhajātikā (with little dust in their eyes by nature) who are wasting away through not hearing the Dhamma (doctrine), and there will be those who understand the Dhamma. And moreover, Bhante, we will act so that the bhikkhū will approach the royal capital Bandhumatī after the passing of every six years for the recitation of the pātimokkha.’ That Great Brahmā said this, Bhikkhave. Having said this, he bowed to me, circumambulated me keeping his right side towards me, and vanished right there.

175. ‘I allow, Bhikkhave: wander on tour for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas (deities) and humans; Let not two go by one [way]. Teach, Bhikkhave, the Dhamma (doctrine) that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased; make known the brahmacariya (the optimal life) that is wholly complete and perfectly pure. There are beings apparajakkhajātikā (with little dust in their eyes by nature) who are wasting away through not hearing the Dhamma (doctrine), and there will be those who understand the Dhamma. And moreover, Bhikkhave, after the passing of every six years, the royal capital Bandhumatī should be approached for the recitation of the pātimokkha.’ Then, Bhikkhave, the bhikkhū, for the most part on that very day, set out on a tour of the country.

(89.)

176. Now at that time there were eighty-four thousand dwellings in Jambudīpa. For when one year had passed, the gods raised a cry: ‘One year has passed, Mārisā (venerable sirs); five years now remain; after the passing of five years the royal capital Bandhumatī should be approached for the recitation of the pātimokkha.’ When two years had passed … when three years had passed … when four years had passed … when five years had passed, the gods raised a cry: ‘Five years have passed, Mārisā; one year now remains; after the passing of one year the royal capital Bandhumatī should be approached for the recitation of the pātimokkha.’ When six years had passed, the gods raised a cry: ‘Six years have passed, Mārisā; it is now time to approach the royal capital Bandhumatī for the recitation of the pātimokkha.’ Then, Bhikkhave, those bhikkhū, some by their own psychic power, some by the psychic power of the gods, approached the royal capital Bandhumatī that very day for the recitation of the pātimokkha.

(90.)

177. There, Bhikkhave, Vipassī the Bhagavā, the arahant, the sammāsambuddha, recited the pātimokkha in the Saṅgha of bhikkhū thus:

178. ‘Patience, forbearance, is the supreme austerity,
The Buddhas say nibbāna (extinguishment) is supreme;
For one who harms others is not one gone forth,
One troubling another is not a samaṇa (wanderer).

179. Non-doing of all wrongdoing,
taking up wholesome (thoughts);
Purifying one’s own mind,
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

180. Not blaming, not harming,
And restraint in the pātimokkha;
And moderation in food,
And a secluded living place;
And devotion to adhicitta (the higher mind),
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.’

  • The sending out repeats the Khandhaka’s words to the first sixty bhikkhū (1.8), the twins at 171, 173 and 175, with the six-yearly recitation added; Brahmā’s reading of the thought and his appearance have the form of 1.5 and part 7.
  • The pātimokkha recited is three verses, the Dhammapada’s 18Dh/14.4 Ānandattherapañhavatthu 197–199; 197 is in the textbook’s bonus chapter and keeps its wording, 198–199 are new here.
  • Renderings: aṭṭhasaṭṭhibhikkhusatasahassaṃ “six million eight hundred thousand bhikkhū” (DPD); aññataro mahābrahmā “a certain Great Brahmā”; devatā saddamanussāvesuṃ “the gods raised a cry” as in the Dhammacakka; tapo “austerity” (DPD tapas 2); adhicitta “the higher mind”.
  • The Khandhaka twin’s “devas (deities)” stands in the sending-out sentence where the sutta elsewhere has “gods”: for the author to bring together.
  • The gods’ yearly announcements and the return “by psychic power” are the narrative’s calendar, a point for the author’s rational reading.

Go to previous page (8. Aggasāvakayuga to Purimapabbajitānaṃ dhammābhisamaya (The Pair of Chief Disciples, the Great Crowd’s Going Forth, and the Earlier Renunciants’ Arriving at the Dhamma)) / Go to parent page (Mahāpadānasutta) / Go to next page (10. Devatārocana (The Deities’ Report))