20.8 The Story about a Company of Old Elders
Sambahulamahallakattheravatthu

“Cut down the forest,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a company of old bhikkhus.

It seems that in the days when they were living in the world they were rich and wealthy householders of Sāvatthī. Intimate friends one of another, they banded themselves together for the performance of good works. Hearing the Teacher teach the Dhamma, they said to themselves: “We are old men; why should we remain laymen any longer?” Accordingly they asked the Teacher to let them go forth, and they went forth. Now by reason of their advanced years they were unable to learn the Dhamma by heart, and therefore built a hermitage of leaves and grass on the outskirts of the monastery, and lived there together. On their almsrounds they generally went to the houses of their sons and wives and there they took their meals. [30.160] {3.422}

Now one of the old bhikkhus had a former wife named Madhurapācikā (Sweet Cook), and she was a good friend to them all. Therefore they all used to take the food they received to her house, and sit down there and eat it, and Madhurapācikā would give them of her store of sauces and curries. In the course of time she was attacked by some disease or other and died.

Thereupon those aged elders assembled in the hut of one of their fellow elders, and falling on each other’s necks, wept and lamented, saying: “Madhurapācikā the lay disciple is dead.” Thereupon the bhikkhus came running up from all quarters and asked: “Friends, what is the matter?” The old bhikkhus replied: “Venerable Sirs, the former wife of our comrade is dead. She was a most generous benefactress of ours. Where shall we ever find another like her now? That is why we are weeping.”

The bhikkhus fell to discussing the incident in the Dhamma Hall. In came the Teacher and asked: “Bhikkhus, what are you discussing now, as you sit here all gathered together?” When they told him, he said: “Bhikkhus, this is not the first time they have so conducted themselves; the same thing happened in a previous state of existence also.

8a Story of the Past: The Birth Story about the Crows

In a previous state of existence they were all reborn as crows. As she was walking along the shore of the sea, a wave of the sea picked her up and flung her into the sea, and there she perished, whereupon they all wept and lamented. {3.423} “We will pull her out again,” said they, and forthwith set to work with their beaks to bale out the great ocean; finally they wearied of their task.

Our jaws are tired, our mouths are dry,
we must stop, not try to empty
the sea, which is full to the brim.”

After the Teacher had related this Birth Story in detail, he addressed the bhikkhus as follows: “Bhikkhus, inasmuch as you have incurred this suffering because of the forest of lust, hatred, and delusion, it is necessary for you to cut down this forest; by so doing you will obtain release from suffering.” So saying, he pronounced the following verses:

283. Vanaṁ chindatha mā rukkhaṁ, vanato jāyatī bhayaṁ,
chetvā vanañ-ca vanathañ-ca, nibbanā hotha bhikkhavo.

Cut down the forest and not just a tree,
from the forest arises a danger,
having cut down the forest and thicket,
you should be without forests, monastics. [30.161]

284. Yāva hi vanatho na chijjati
aṇumatto pi narassa nārisu,
paṭibaddhamano va tāva so,
vaccho khīrapako va mātari.

For as long as an atom of desire
of a man for a woman isn’t cut down,
for just so long is his mind in bondage,
like calf is in bondage to mother’s milk.

At the end of the teaching those five old elders were established in the fruition of Stream-entry, and those who had assembled also had benefit from the Dhamma teaching.