12.2 The Story about the Elder Upananda the Sakyan
Upanandasakyaputtattheravatthu

“First one should establish oneself,” {3.139} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Upananda, the Sakyan.

It seems that this elder, who was skilled in teaching Dhamma, after listening to a discourse on the subject of being satisfied with but little, accepted a large number of robes with which several bhikkhus who had taken upon themselves the ascetic practices honored him, and besides that took all the utensils which they had left and carried them off with him.

As the season of the rains was near at hand, he went off into the country. He stopped at a certain monastery to teach the Dhamma, and the novices and young monks liked the way he talked so well that they said to him: “Spend the rainy season here, venerable Sir.” – “What allowance is made to a bhikkhu who spends the season of the rains here?” asked the elder. “A single robe,” was the reply. The elder left his shoes there and went on to the next monastery. {3.140} When he reached the second monastery, he asked the same question: “What allowance is made here?” – “Two robes,” was the reply. [29.353] There he left his walking-stick. Then he went on to the third monastery and asked the same question: “What allowance is made here?” – “Three robes,” was the reply. There he left his waterpot.

Then he went on to the fourth monastery and asked the same question: “What allowance is made here?” – “Four robes,” was the reply. “Very good,” said the elder: “I will take up my residence here,” and there he went into residence. And he taught the Dhamma to the laymen and bhikkhus who resided there so well that they honored him with a great number of cloths and robes. When he had completed residence, he sent a message to the other monasteries, saying: “I left my requisites behind me, and must therefore have whatever is required for residence; pray send them to me.” When he had gathered all of his possessions together, he put them in a cart and continued his journey.

Now at a certain monastery two young bhikkhus who had received two robes and a single blanket found it impossible to make a division satisfactory to both of them, and therefore settled themselves beside the road and began to quarrel, saying: “You may have the robes, but the blanket belongs to me.” When they saw the elder approaching, they said: “Venerable Sir, you make a fair division and give us what you think fit.” – “Will you abide by my decision?” – “Yes indeed; we will abide by your decision.” – “Very good, then.” So the elder divided the two robes between the two bhikkhus; then he said to them: “This blanket should be worn only by us who teach the Dhamma,” and when he had thus said, he shouldered the costly blanket and went off with it.

Disgusted and disappointed, the young bhikkhus went to the Teacher and reported the whole matter to him. The Teacher said: “This is not the first time {3.141} he has taken what belonged to you and left you disgusted and disappointed; he did the same thing also in a previous state of existence.” And he related the following:

2a Story of the Past: The Birth Story about (the Jackal) Dabbhapuppha AJ: see Ja 400.

Once upon a time, long, long ago, two otters named Anutīracārī and Gambhīracārī, caught a big redfish and fell to quarreling over it, saying: “The head belongs to me; you may have the tail.” Unable to effect a division satisfactory to both of them, and catching sight of a certain jackal, they appealed to him for a decision, saying: “Uncle, you make such a division of this fish as you think proper and [29.354] render an award.” Said the jackal: “I have been appointed judge by the king, and am obliged to sit in court for hours at a time; I came out here merely to stretch my legs; I have no time now for such business.” – “Uncle, don’t say that; make a division and render an award.” – “Will you abide by my decision?” – “Yes indeed, uncle, we will abide by your decision.” – “Very good, then,” said the jackal. The jackal cut off the head and laid that aside, and then cut off the tail and laid that aside. When he had so done, he said to them: “Friends, Anutīracārī, who runs along the bank shall have the tail, and Gambhīracārī, who runs in the deep water shall have the head; as for this middle portion, however, this shall be mine, inasmuch as I am a justice.” And to make them see the matter in a better light, he pronounced the following verse:

Anutīracārī shall have the tail,
and Gambhīracārī shall have the head;
but as for this middle portion,
it shall belong to the justice.

Having pronounced this verse, the jackal picked up the middle portion of the fish and went off with it. As for the otters, they were filled with disgust and disappointment, and stood and eyed the jackal as he went away.

When the Teacher had finished this Story of the Past, he said: “And thus it was that in times long past this elder filled you with disgust and disappointment.” Then the Teacher consoled those bhikkhus and rebuked Upananda, saying: “Bhikkhus, a man who admonishes others should first direct himself in the way he should go.” And when he had thus spoken, he pronounced the following verse:

158. Attānam-eva paṭhamaṁ patirūpe nivesaye,
athaññam-anusāseyya, na kilisseyya paṇḍito.

First one should establish oneself
in what is suitable, then one
can advise another, the wise one
should not have any defilement.

At the end of the teaching those bhikkhus were established in the fruition of Stream-entry, and many people had benefit from the Dhamma teaching.