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Tidipa

1. Ubbhatakanavasandhāgāra (The New Assembly Hall at Ubbhataka)

· 20 min read

The Bhagavā at Pāvā accepts the Mallas' new assembly hall, teaches them for much of the night and asks āyasmā Sāriputta to address the bhikkhū. The opening of the Saṅgītisutta (8D/10), translated from the Dīgha Nikāya.

Original text: 8D/10 Ubbhatakanavasandhāgāra 773–778 in the World Tipitaka Edition

Summary

Section titled “Summary”

The opening of the Saṅgītisutta (8D/10), the recitation of the Dhamma in lists that āyasmā Sāriputta gives in the parts that follow. The Bhagavā, travelling through the Malla country with five hundred bhikkhū, stays at Pāvā, and the Mallas of Pāvā ask him to be the first to use their new assembly hall, Ubbhataka. He teaches them for much of the night, sends them home and, his back aching, asks Sāriputta to give the bhikkhū a Dhamma talk while he lies down in the lion’s posture.

Diagram

Section titled “Diagram”
flowchart TB
    A["The Bhagavā arrives at Pāvā"] --> B["The Mallas offer the new hall Ubbhataka"]
    B --> C["Consent by silence"]
    C --> D["The hall prepared: coverings, seats, water pot, lamp"]
    D --> E["The assembly seated around the Bhagavā"]
    E --> F["A Dhamma talk for much of the night"]
    F --> G["The Mallas dismissed"]
    G --> H["Sāriputta asked to teach the bhikkhū"]
    H --> I["The Bhagavā lies down in the lion's posture"]

Text

Section titled “Text”

(296.)

773. Thus heard by me — At one time the Bhagavā, while travelling through the Malla country together with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhū, about five hundred bhikkhū, arrived at Pāvā, a town of the Mallas. There, indeed, the Bhagavā was dwelling at Pāvā, in the mango grove of Cunda the smith’s son.

(297.)

774. Now at that time, a new assembly hall called ‘Ubbhataka’ had been recently built by the Mallas of Pāvā, and it had not been occupied by any wanderer, brahmin, or any human being. The Mallas of Pāvā heard, “The Bhagavā, it is said, while travelling through the Malla country together with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhū, about five hundred bhikkhū, has arrived at Pāvā, and is dwelling at Pāvā in the mango grove of Cunda the smith’s son.” Then the Mallas of Pāvā approached the Bhagavā; having approached, they bowed to the Bhagavā and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Mallas of Pāvā said this to the Bhagavā, “Here, Bhante, a new assembly hall called ‘Ubbhataka’ has been recently built by the Mallas of Pāvā, and it has not been occupied by any wanderer, brahmin, or any human being. And may the Bhagavā, Bhante, indeed be the first to use it; after it has been used by the Bhagavā first, the Mallas of Pāvā will use it. That would be for the Mallas of Pāvā’s long-term welfare and happiness.” The Bhagavā consented by silence.

(298.)

775. Then the Mallas of Pāvā, knowing the Bhagavā’s consent, rose from their seats, bowed to the Bhagavā, circumambulated him keeping their right side towards him, and approached the assembly hall. Having approached, they spread the assembly hall with a complete floor covering, prepared seats for the Bhagavā, set up a water pot, lit an oil lamp, and then approached the Bhagavā. Having approached, they bowed to the Bhagavā and stood to one side. Standing to one side, those Mallas of Pāvā said this to the Bhagavā, “Bhante, the assembly hall is completely spread with floor coverings, seats are prepared for the Bhagavā, a water pot is set up, and an oil lamp is lit. May the Bhagavā, Bhante, do now as he sees fit.”

(299.)

776. Then the Bhagavā, having dressed and taking his bowl and robes, approached the assembly hall together with the Saṅgha of bhikkhū. Having approached, he washed his feet, entered the assembly hall, and sat facing east, leaning against the central pillar. The Saṅgha of bhikkhū also washed their feet, entered the assembly hall, and sat facing east, leaning against the western wall, keeping the Bhagavā in front. The Mallas of Pāvā also washed their feet, entered the assembly hall, and sat facing west, leaning against the eastern wall, keeping the Bhagavā in front. Then the Bhagavā, for much of the night, instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened the Mallas of Pāvā with a Dhamma talk, and then dismissed them, saying, “The night is indeed far advanced, Vāseṭṭhas. Do now as you see fit.” “Yes, Bhante,” the Mallas of Pāvā replied to the Bhagavā, and rising from their seats, they bowed to the Bhagavā, circumambulated him keeping their right side towards him, and departed.

(300.)

777. Then, soon after the Mallas of Pāvā had departed, the Bhagavā looked over the utterly silent Saṅgha of bhikkhū and addressed āyasmā Sāriputta, “The Saṅgha of bhikkhū, Sāriputta, is indeed free from sloth and torpor. May a Dhamma talk for the bhikkhū occur to you, Sāriputta. My back aches. I shall stretch it.” “Yes, Bhante,” āyasmā Sāriputta replied to the Bhagavā.

778. Then the Bhagavā, having laid out his four-folded outer robe, lay down on his right side in the lion’s posture, placing one foot on the other, aware and clearly comprehending, having fixed his mind on the apperception of rising.

Commentary

Section titled “Commentary”
  • The frame of the Saṅgītisutta: the lists that follow are āyasmā Sāriputta’s recitation to the bhikkhū, spoken while the Bhagavā lies down and listens; the sutta and its lists are discussed on the index page.
  • The narrative formulas are twins of the Khandhaka pages: dressing and taking the bowl and robes (Khandhaka 7, 13, 14), “instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened” with a Dhamma talk (Khandhaka 7, 13).
  • Renderings by the glossary: samaṇa wanderer (774), saññā apperception in “the apperception of rising” (778); thinamiddha “sloth and torpor” and sīhaseyya “the lion’s posture” (777–778) follow the DPD.
  • “Vāseṭṭhas” (776) keeps the Mallas’ clan vocative in Pāḷi, as the site keeps every vocative.
  • The edition’s 773–778 are CST 296–300, shown in parentheses in the tabs.

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