8.8 The Story about the Youth Dīghāyu
Dīghāyukumāravatthu

“For the one who is constantly worshipping,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at a small forest hut near Dīghalambika with reference to the youth Dīghāyu. {2.235}

It seems that two Brahmins, residents of the city of Dīghalambika, went forth in an outside order, and for forty-eight years performed religious austerities. Finally one of them thought: “My line will perish; I will therefore return to the world.” Accordingly he sold to others the merit of the austerities he had performed, and with a hundred cattle and a hundred pieces of [29.236] money procured him a wife and set up a household. After a time his wife gave birth to a son.

Now the other ascetic, his former companion, after visiting foreign parts, returned once more to that city. Hearing that he had returned, the lay disciple took son and wife and went to see him. When he met him, he placed his son in the arms of the mother, and himself worshipped the ascetic. Then the mother placed the child in the arms of the father and worshipped the ascetic. “Live long!” said the ascetic to them. {2.236} But when the son was made to salute him, he held his peace.

Said the father: “Venerable Sir, why was it that when we saluted you, you said: ‘Live long!’ but when this boy saluted you, you said not a word?” – “Some disaster awaits this boy, Brahmin.” – “How long will he live, venerable Sir?” – “For seven days, Brahmin.” – “Is there any way of averting this, venerable Sir?” – “I know of no way of averting this.” – “But who might know, venerable Sir?” – “The ascetic Gotama; go to him and ask him.” – “Were I to go there, I should be afraid because of having abandoned my austerities.” – “If you love your son, think not of having abandoned your austerities, but go to him and ask him.”

The Brahmin went to the Teacher, and himself straightaway saluted him. “Live long!” said the Teacher. When the boy’s mother saluted him, he said the same. But when they made the boy salute him, he held his peace. Then the Brahmin asked the Teacher the same question he had previously asked the ascetic, and the Teacher made the same prediction. We are told that this Brahmin, not having attained omniscience, united his own wisdom with omniscience, but for all that discovered no way of averting his son’s fate. The Brahmin asked the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, is there no way of averting this?” – “There might be, Brahmin.” – “What way might there be, venerable Sir?”

“If you erect a pavilion before the door of your house, {2.237} and set a chair in the center of it, and arrange eight or sixteen seats in a circle about it, and cause my disciples to sit therein; and if you then cause texts to be recited for the purpose of securing protection and averting wicked consequences for the space of seven days uninterruptedly, in that case the danger that threatens him might be averted.” – “Dear Gotama, it is a perfectly easy matter to erect a pavilion and do all the rest, but how am I to obtain the services of your disciples?” – “If you will do all this, I will send my disciples.” – “Very well, dear Gotama.”

So the Brahmin completed all of the preparations at the door [29.237] of his house and then went to the Teacher. The Teacher sent the bhikkhus, and they went there and sat down, seating the boy also on a little bench. For seven nights and seven days without interruption, the bhikkhus recited the usual texts, and on the seventh day the Teacher came himself.

When the Teacher came, the Devatās of all the worlds assembled. But a certain Yakkha named Avaruddhaka, who had served Vessavaṇa for twelve years and who had received the boon: “Seven days hence you shall receive this boy,” approached and stood waiting. But when the Teacher came there, and the powerful Devatās gathered themselves together, and the weak Devatās drew back, {2.238} stepping back twelve leagues so as to make room, then Avaruddhaka stepped back also.

The Teacher recited the protective texts all night long, with the result that when the seven days had elapsed, Avaruddhaka failed to get the boy. Indeed, when the dawn of the eighth day rose, they brought the boy and caused him to make obeisance to the Teacher. The Teacher said: “Live long!” – “Dear Gotama, how long will the boy live?” – “For 120 years, Brahmin.” So they gave him the name of Āyuvaḍḍhana. AJ: “With life increased.” When the youth grew up, he went about surrounded by five hundred lay disciples.

One day the bhikkhus began a discussion in the Dhamma Hall: “Just think, friends! The youth Āyuvaḍḍhana would have died on the seventh day, but now he is destined to live for 120 years. There he goes, surrounded by five hundred lay disciples. There must therefore be some reason why the term of life of living beings here in the world increases.”

The Teacher approached and asked them: “Bhikkhus, what are you sitting here now talking about?” When they told him, he said: “Bhikkhus, it is not a matter of years alone. Living beings here in the world who respect and reverence the virtuous, increase in four matters, obtain release from danger, and abide in safety unto the end of their days.” So saying, he joined the connection, and teaching the Dhamma, pronounced the following verse: {2.239}

109. Abhivādanasīlissa niccaṁ vaddhāpacāyino,
cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti: āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṁ balaṁ.

For the one who is constantly
worshipping honourable elders,
four things increase: the length of life,
beauty and happiness and strength.

At the end of the teaching the youth Āyuvaḍḍhana, together with his five hundred lay disciples were established in the fruition of Stream-entry, and many others reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.

last updated: August 2024