6.8 The Story about Five Hundred Bhikkhus

Dhp 83

CST4: Pañcasatabhikkhuvatthu

Burlingame: A Pack of Vagabonds

Compare: Vin Pār 1; Ja 183

During a famine the Buddha and his bhikkhus lived frugally and without complaint; later rogues who lived off the leftovers of the bhikkhus roamed around making a nuisance of themselves; the Buddha praised those who live restrained and spoke a verse.

Cast: Brahmin Verañjā, Māra, Elder Mahā Moggallāna

Keywords: Chief Disciples, Greed, Laziness, Past Lives, Strong Drink

***

“True people surely everywhere renounce,” [29.193] this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to five hundred bhikkhus. The story begins at Verañjā. {2.153}

For in the first period after Awakening the Fortunate One paid a visit to Verañjā, and, at the invitation of the Brahmin Verañjā, went into residence there for the rainy season with five hundred bhikkhus. Now the Brahmin Verañjā came under the spell of Māra to such an extent that not for a single day did he give a thought to the Teacher. Moreover there was a famine in Verañjā. The bhikkhus {2.154} went throughout and about Verañjā for alms, but, receiving none, became exhausted. Thereupon horse-dealers provided them with steamed grain in measures. Elder Mahā Moggallāna, seeing that they were exhausted, desired to feed them sap of the earth and sought permission for them to enter Uttarakuru for alms, but the Teacher refused his request. Not for a single day were the bhikkhus anxious about food, but continued to live entirely free from desire.

After the Teacher had resided there for three months, he notified the Brahmin Verañja of his intention to leave and the Brahmin did him honor and reverence. The Teacher established him in the refuges, and departed. After journeying from place to place, the Teacher reached Sāvatthī in due course at a certain time, and took up his residence at Jetavana. The residents of Sāvatthī presented food to the Teacher in honor of his arrival.

Now at that time, by the kindness of the bhikkhus, five hundred eaters of leftovers lived within the monastery enclosure. After eating leftovers of choice food left by the bhikkhus, they would lie down to sleep. When they arose, they would go to the bank of the river and shout and jump and wrestle and play. Both within and without the monastery, they did nothing but misbehave.

The bhikkhus discussed their actions in the Dhamma Hall: {2.155} “Friends, only look at those eaters of leftovers! When there was a famine in Verañjā, they were guilty of no impropriety. But now, [29.194] after eating all sorts of choice food, they go about indulging in all manner of improprieties. But at Verañjā the bhikkhus lived peacefully and at the present time also they are living in peace and quiet.”

The Teacher entered the Dhamma Hall and asked the bhikkhus what they were discussing. When they told him, he said: “In former times also these men were guilty of the same conduct.

In former times, reborn as five hundred asses, they took leavings of liquor made of the moist juices of the grape, drunk by five hundred thoroughbreds of Sindh, and kneading the leavings with water and straining them through towels, they drank this juiceless, vile drink, called “strained water.” And straightaway becoming as drunk as though they had drunk wine, they went about shouting.

This fibrous water, tasteless, inferior,
drinking it, the donkeys became tipsy.
Whereas after drinking this fine liquor
the thoroughbreds did not become tipsy. {2.156}

Having drunk just a little the low man
taking it becomes drunk, leader of men.
The patient one, born in good family,
drinking the finest drink doesn’t get drunk.

Having related this Birth Story about the Fibrous Drink BG: Ja 183. in detail, the Teacher said: “Thus, bhikkhus, good men, renouncing the wicked principle of desire, are not subject to change in times of happiness or of sorrow.” And joining the connection, he instructed them in the Dhamma by pronouncing the following verse:

83. Sabbattha ve sappurisā cajanti,
na kāmakāmā lapayanti santo;
sukhena phuṭṭhā atha vā dukhena,
noccāvacaṁ paṇḍitā dassayanti.

True people surely everywhere renounce,
the good do not talk about sense-pleasures;
when touched by pleasure or by suffering,
the wise are not elated or depressed. {2.157}