7.4 The Story about the Elder Anuruddha
Anuruddhattheravatthu

“For him whose pollutants are destroyed,” [29.201] {2.173}this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veḷuvana with reference to the Elder Anuruddha.

For one day, the elder, whose robes were worn out, was seeking fresh robes on refuse-heaps and in other similar places. Now in the elder’s third previous existence he had a wife who had been reborn in the Realm of the Thirty-Three as the Devadhītā Jālinī. When the Devadhītā Jālinī saw the elder seeking cloths for robes, she resolved to aid him.

So taking three celestial cloths thirteen cubits long and four cubits wide, and thinking to herself: “If I display these cloths in this manner, the elder will not take them,” she went to a certain refuse-heap in front of the heap where the elder was seeking cloths and laid them down in such a way that only the hems were visible. {2.174}

As the elder proceeded on his way seeking cloths, he saw the hems of the celestial garments, whereupon he took hold of them and pulled them out. When he saw that they possessed the dimensions above described, he said to himself: “This indeed is a most remarkable refuse-heap!” And taking them with him, he went his way.

On the day he was to make his robes, the Teacher, accompanied by his retinue of five hundred bhikkhus, went to the monastery and sat down; likewise did the eighty great elders sit down there also. For the purpose of sewing the robes. Elder Mahā Kassapa sat at the foot. Elder Sāriputta in the midst, and Elder Ānanda at the head. The company of bhikkhus spun out the thread, the Teacher threaded the needle, and Elder Mahā Moggallāna went here and there supplying whatever else might be needed.

The Devadhītā entered the village and incited the inhabitants to give alms, saying: “They are making robes for my noble Elder Anuruddha. The Teacher, surrounded by the eighty Great Disciples, and accompanied by his retinue of five hundred bhikkhus, has gone to the monastery and sat down therein. Take rice-porridge and other provisions and go to the monastery.”

During the meal Elder Mahā Moggallāna brought large pieces of rose-apple, but the five hundred bhikkhus were unable to eat it. Sakka drew a circle about the place where they were making the robes; the earth was as if dyed with [29.202] lac; there was a great heap of food both soft and hard remaining over and above to the bhikkhus who had eaten.

The bhikkhus were offended, and said: {2.175} “Why should such a quantity of food be provided for so few bhikkhus? Judging by the quantity, Anuruddha’s kinsfolk and retainers must have been told: ‘Bring this quantity.’ Elder Anuruddha doubtless wishes to show how many relatives and supporters he has.”

The Teacher asked the bhikkhus what they were talking about. When they told him, he said: “But, bhikkhus, you do not think that this was brought by any orders of Anuruddha, do you?” – “Yes, venerable Sir; we do.” – “Bhikkhus, my son Anuruddha does not talk thus. They that have rid themselves of the pollutants do not spend their time talking about requisites; nay, these provisions were produced by the supernatural power of a Devatā.” And joining the connection and teaching the Dhamma, he pronounced the following verse:

93. Yassāsavā parikkhīṇā, āhāre ca anissito,
suññato animitto ca vimokkho yassa gocaro,
ākāse va sakuntānaṁ, padaṁ tassa durannayaṁ.

For him whose pollutants
are destroyed, who is not
dependent on the foods,
for him whose resort is
the liberation that
is empty or signless,
like the birds in the sky,
his footprint’s hard to find.

At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.

last updated: August 2024