22.3 The Story about the Bhikkhus Who Lived on the Banks of the Vaggumudā
Vaggumudātīriyabhikkhuvatthu

This Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Mahāvana near Vesālī with reference to the bhikkhus who lived on the banks of the Vaggumudā. {3.480}

This story occurs in the Pārājika, in the section entitled: “Laying False Claim to Supernormal Attainments.” AJ: Vinaya Pārājika 4, I include the story here in Ajahn Brahmāli’s translation, with suitable adjustments.

At one time when the Buddha was staying in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood near Vesālī, a number of monks who were friends had entered the rainy-season residence on the banks of the river Vaggumudā. At that time Vajjī was short of food and afflicted with hunger, with crops affected by whiteheads and turned to straw.

It was not easy to get by on almsfood.

The monks considered the difficult circumstances, and they thought: “How can we have a comfortable rains, live in peace and harmony, and get almsfood without trouble?”

Some said: “We could work for the householders, and they’ll support us in return.”

Others said: “There’s no need to work for the householders. Let’s instead take messages for them, and they’ll support us in return.”

Still others said: “There’s no need to work or take messages for them. Let’s instead talk up one another’s superhuman qualities to the householders: ‘That monk has the first absorption, that monk the second absorption, that monk the third, that monk the fourth; that monk is a Stream-enterer, that monk a Once-returner, that a Non-returner, that an Arahat; that monk has the three true insights, and that the six super knowledges.’ Then they’ll support us. In this way we’ll have a comfortable rains, live together in peace and harmony, and get almsfood without trouble. This is the way to go.”

Then those monks did just that. And the people there thought, “We’re so fortunate that such monks have come to us for the rainy-season residence. Such virtuous and good monks have never before entered the rains residence with us.” And they gave such food and drink to those monks that they did not even eat and drink themselves, or give to their parents, to their wives and children, to their slaves, servants, and workers, to their friends and companions, or to their relatives. Soon those monks had a good color, bright faces, clear skin, and sharp senses.

Now it was the custom for monks who had completed the rainy-season residence to go and visit the Buddha. And so, when the three months were over and they had completed the rains residence, those monks put their dwellings in order, took their bowls and robes, and set out for Vesālī. When they eventually arrived, they went to the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. There they approached the Buddha, bowed, and sat down.

At that time the monks who had completed the rains residence in that region were thin, haggard, and pale, with veins protruding all over their bodies. Yet the monks from the banks of the Vaggumudā had a good color, bright faces, clear skin, and sharp senses. Since it is the custom for Buddhas to greet newly arrived monks, the Buddha said to them: “I hope you’re keeping well, monks, I hope you’re getting by? I hope you had a comfortable and harmonious rains, and got almsfood without trouble?”

“We’re keeping well, Sir, we’re getting by. We had a comfortable and harmonious rains, and got almsfood without trouble.” When Buddhas know what is going on, sometimes they ask and sometimes not. They know the right time to ask and when not to ask. Buddhas ask when it is beneficial, otherwise not, for Buddhas are incapable of doing what is unbeneficial. Buddhas question the monks for two reasons: To give a teaching or to lay down a training rule.

And the Buddha said to those monks: “In what way, monks, did you have a comfortable and harmonious rains? And how did you get almsfood without trouble?”

They then told him.

At that time the Teacher said to those bhikkhus: “But, bhikkhus, is it true that for the sake of the belly you have praised each other before laymen as possessors of supernormal gifts?” – “Yes, venerable Sir,” they replied. Thereupon the Teacher reproved those bhikkhus in varied terms, and having so done, pronounced the following verse: {3.481}

308. Seyyo ayoguḷo bhutto tatto, aggisikhūpamo,
yañ-ce bhuñjeyya dussīlo raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ asaññato.

It’s better to eat a glowing
iron ball, like a flame of fire,
than that the monastic who is
unrestrained and unvirtuous
should enjoy the country’s almsfood.