[XII. Faith in Various Districts]
[Soṇa and Uttara in Suvaṇṇabhūmi]
48-62 ≠ Mhv 44-55
The Elder Uttara and the Elder Soṇa, of great psychic power, went to Suvaṇṇabhūmi. But at that time whenever children were born in the King’s Palace, a fierce demoness would leave the ocean, eat the child and depart. At that moment in the King’s Palace a prince was born and people, having seen the Elders, thought: ‘These are friends of the demons.’
Thus thinking to kill them they approached with weapons. Seeing them holding weapons in their hands, he asked: “Why did you come?” “The children born in the Royal family are eaten by demons, and you are friends with these demons.”
When this was said, the Elders said this to those people: “We are virtuous ascetics, who are restrained from killing breathing beings, having unmatched goodness, we are not friends of the demoness.”
At that moment the demoness said to her assembly: “I will eat the children,” and quickly left from the waters. Having seen them, the multitude cried out a loud cry: “The demons have come to eat us all!”
The Elder, having created twice as many fearful demons, surrounded that demoness and her assembly on all sides. After seeing that created demoness’ assembly in all directions and considering: ‘This land is now theirs’, fearfully she ran away.
He placed a protection of that district on all sides and the Elder taught the Discourse on Brahma’s Net DN 1. in that gathering and established the multitude in the Refuges and Precepts.
But for sixty thousand there was a penetration of the Dhamma, and three and a half thousand sons of good families went forth. One and half thousand daughters of good families also went forth. Since that time when a prince was born in the King’s Palace the Kings gave them the names of Soṇa and Uttara.
The very sympathetic Victor, renounced attainment of the Deathless happiness for himself, and sought the benefit of the world here and there. Who would be heedless in benefiting the world?
Written for the Faith and Invigoration of Good People
The Twelfth Chapter in the Great Lineage called
Faith in Various Districts