:: 4. Conversion of Bimbisara. ::
1. Rajagraha was the capital of Seniya Bimbisara; King of Magadha.
2. Having heard of the conversions of this large number of Jatilas, everyone in the city had begun to talk about the Blessed One.
3. Thus King Bimbisara came to know of his arrival in the city.
4. " To have converted the most orthodox and the most obstinate Jatilas was no mean task." " Truly so," said King Bimbisara to himself, " he must be the Blessed, holy, absolute Buddha, proficient in knowledge and conduct, the way-farer, who understands the world, the highest one, who guides men, the teacher of gods and men. He must be teaching the truth, which he understood himself.
5. " He must be preaching that Dhamma which is lovely in the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the end, in the spirit and in the letter ; he must be proclaiming the consummate perfect, pure and holy life. It is good to obtain the sight of a man like him."
6. So King Bimbisara, surrounded by twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders, went to the place where the Blessed One was. Having approached him and respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him. And of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders, some also respectfully saluted the Blessed One and sat down near him ; some exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and having done so they sat down near him with complaisant words ; some bent their clasped hands towards the Blessed One and sat down near him ; some made known their name and family name before the Blessed One and sat down near him ; some sat down near him silently.
7. Now those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders saw Uruvella Kassyapa among the monks who came with the Blessed Lord. They thought: " How now is this ? Does the great Samana follow the holy life under Uruvella Kassyapa, or does Uruvella Kassyapa follow the holy life under the great Samana?"
8. And the Blessed One, who understood in his mind the reflection which had arisen in the minds of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders, addressed the venerable Uruvella Kassyapa : "What has thou seen, 0 dweller of Uruvella, that thou who art called the great one has forsaken the fire worship? How is it thou has forsaken the fire sacrifice ? "
9. Kassyapa replied : " It is sights and sounds, and also tastes, and omen of sense desire that the sacrifices promise ; because I understood that these things are impure that I took no more delight in sacrifices and offerings."
10. " But if you don't mind, tell us what made you think so ? "
11. Then the venerable Uruvella Kassyapa rose from his seat, adjusted his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, prostrated himself, inclining his head to the feet of the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One: " My teacher is the Blessed One, I. am his pupil." Then those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders understood : " Uruvella Kassyapa follows the holy life under the great Samana."
12. And the Blessed One, who understood in his mind 'the reflection that had arisen in the minds of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders, preached to them his Dhamma. Just as a clean cloth free from black specks properly takes the dye, thus eleven myriads of those Magadha Brahmins and householders with Bimbisara at their head, while sitting there, obtained the pure and spotless dye of the Dhamma. One myriad announced their having become lay followers.
13. Then the Magadha king, Seniya Bimbisara, having witnessed the scene, having understood the Dhamma, having penetrated the Dhamma, having overcome uncertainty, having dispelled all doubts, having gained full knowledge, said to the Blessed One : " In former days. Lord, when I was a prince, I entertained five aspirations ; these are now fulfilled.
14. " In former days. Lord, to me when I was a prince, came this thought : ' O that I might be inaugurated king ! ' That was my first aspiration, Lord ; that is now fulfilled. ' And might then a holy one, a fully Enlightened One, come over into my kingdom ! ' This was my second aspiration, Lord ; that is now fulfilled. ' And might I minister to that Blessed One ! ' That was my third aspiration. Lord ; that is now fulfilled. ' And might he, the Blessed One, preach the Dhamma to me ! ' This was my fourth aspiration, Lord ; and that is now fulfilled. ' And might I understand the Dhamma of that Blessed One! 'This was my fifth aspiration, Lord; this is now fulfilled. These were my five aspirations, Lord, which I entertained in former days when I was a prince.
15. " Wonderful, Lord ! Wonderful, just as if one should set up, what had been overturned, or should reveal what had been hidden, or should point out the way to one who had lost his way, or should bring a lamp into the darkness, in order that those who had eyes might see things, thus has the Blessed One preached the Dhamma in many ways. I take refuge. Lord, in that Blessed One, and in the Dhamma, and in the fraternity of Bhikkus (monks). May the Blessed One receive me from this day forth, while my life lasts, as a lay disciple who has taken refuge in him."
1. Rajagraha was the capital of Seniya Bimbisara; King of Magadha.
2. Having heard of the conversions of this large number of Jatilas, everyone in the city had begun to talk about the Blessed One.
3. Thus King Bimbisara came to know of his arrival in the city.
4. " To have converted the most orthodox and the most obstinate Jatilas was no mean task." " Truly so," said King Bimbisara to himself, " he must be the Blessed, holy, absolute Buddha, proficient in knowledge and conduct, the way-farer, who understands the world, the highest one, who guides men, the teacher of gods and men. He must be teaching the truth, which he understood himself.
5. " He must be preaching that Dhamma which is lovely in the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the end, in the spirit and in the letter ; he must be proclaiming the consummate perfect, pure and holy life. It is good to obtain the sight of a man like him."
6. So King Bimbisara, surrounded by twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders, went to the place where the Blessed One was. Having approached him and respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him. And of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders, some also respectfully saluted the Blessed One and sat down near him ; some exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and having done so they sat down near him with complaisant words ; some bent their clasped hands towards the Blessed One and sat down near him ; some made known their name and family name before the Blessed One and sat down near him ; some sat down near him silently.
7. Now those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders saw Uruvella Kassyapa among the monks who came with the Blessed Lord. They thought: " How now is this ? Does the great Samana follow the holy life under Uruvella Kassyapa, or does Uruvella Kassyapa follow the holy life under the great Samana?"
8. And the Blessed One, who understood in his mind the reflection which had arisen in the minds of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders, addressed the venerable Uruvella Kassyapa : "What has thou seen, 0 dweller of Uruvella, that thou who art called the great one has forsaken the fire worship? How is it thou has forsaken the fire sacrifice ? "
9. Kassyapa replied : " It is sights and sounds, and also tastes, and omen of sense desire that the sacrifices promise ; because I understood that these things are impure that I took no more delight in sacrifices and offerings."
10. " But if you don't mind, tell us what made you think so ? "
11. Then the venerable Uruvella Kassyapa rose from his seat, adjusted his upper robe so as to cover one shoulder, prostrated himself, inclining his head to the feet of the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One: " My teacher is the Blessed One, I. am his pupil." Then those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders understood : " Uruvella Kassyapa follows the holy life under the great Samana."
12. And the Blessed One, who understood in his mind 'the reflection that had arisen in the minds of those twelve myriads of Magadha Brahmins and householders, preached to them his Dhamma. Just as a clean cloth free from black specks properly takes the dye, thus eleven myriads of those Magadha Brahmins and householders with Bimbisara at their head, while sitting there, obtained the pure and spotless dye of the Dhamma. One myriad announced their having become lay followers.
13. Then the Magadha king, Seniya Bimbisara, having witnessed the scene, having understood the Dhamma, having penetrated the Dhamma, having overcome uncertainty, having dispelled all doubts, having gained full knowledge, said to the Blessed One : " In former days. Lord, when I was a prince, I entertained five aspirations ; these are now fulfilled.
14. " In former days. Lord, to me when I was a prince, came this thought : ' O that I might be inaugurated king ! ' That was my first aspiration, Lord ; that is now fulfilled. ' And might then a holy one, a fully Enlightened One, come over into my kingdom ! ' This was my second aspiration, Lord ; that is now fulfilled. ' And might I minister to that Blessed One ! ' That was my third aspiration. Lord ; that is now fulfilled. ' And might he, the Blessed One, preach the Dhamma to me ! ' This was my fourth aspiration, Lord ; and that is now fulfilled. ' And might I understand the Dhamma of that Blessed One! 'This was my fifth aspiration, Lord; this is now fulfilled. These were my five aspirations, Lord, which I entertained in former days when I was a prince.
15. " Wonderful, Lord ! Wonderful, just as if one should set up, what had been overturned, or should reveal what had been hidden, or should point out the way to one who had lost his way, or should bring a lamp into the darkness, in order that those who had eyes might see things, thus has the Blessed One preached the Dhamma in many ways. I take refuge. Lord, in that Blessed One, and in the Dhamma, and in the fraternity of Bhikkus (monks). May the Blessed One receive me from this day forth, while my life lasts, as a lay disciple who has taken refuge in him."
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