25.12 The Story about the Novice Sumana
Sumanasāmaṇeravatthu

“That young Bhikkhu who is devoted,” [30.264] {4.120} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Pubbārāma with reference to the novice Sumana. The story from beginning to end is as follows:

12a. Story of the Past: The Poor Man Annabhāra and the Rich Man Sumana

In the dispensation of the Buddha Padumuttara a certain youth saw the Teacher in the midst of the fourfold assembly assign to a certain bhikkhu the place of foremost of those who possess the divine eye. Desiring the same attainment for himself, he invited the Teacher to be his guest, gave alms for seven days to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus presided over by the Buddha, and made the following aspiration: “Venerable Sir, may I also in time to come, under the dispensation of some Buddha, become foremost of those who possess the divine eye.” The Teacher surveyed 100,000 aeons of time, and seeing that his aspiration would be fulfilled, made the following prophecy: “100,000 aeons of time from now, under the dispensation of the Buddha Gotama, this youth will be foremost of those who possess the divine eye, and his name will be Anuruddha.”

After the youth had heard this prophecy, it seemed to him every day as if he were about to reach this attainment on the next. When the Teacher passed into Parinibbāna, he asked the bhikkhus to tell him the procedure preliminary to the attainment of the divine eye. Causing many thousand torches to be set up in a circle about the golden shrine of the Teacher, seven leagues in extent, he honored him with the offering of light.

Passing from that state of existence, he was reborn in the Deva Realm, and after passing from one state of existence to another during 100,000 aeons of time, he was reborn in this age of the world at Bārāṇasī in the household of a poor man. He made his living as a grass-carrier for the rich man Sumana, and his name was Annabhāra (Food-Bearer). The rich man Sumana constantly gave large gifts in this city. [30.265]

Now one day a Paccekabuddha named Upariṭṭha arose from the attainment of cessation in Gandhamādana, {4.121} and considered within himself: “To whom shall I show favor today?” Straightaway the thought came to him: “Today I ought to show my favor to Annabhāra.” And perceiving within himself: “At this moment Annabhāra is on the point of returning home from the forest with his grass,” he took bowl and robe, and proceeding by supernatural power, appeared before Annabhāra. Annabhāra, seeing that the bowl in his hand was empty, asked him: “Venerable Sir, have you received no food?” The Paccekabuddha replied: “It is my expectation to receive food, man of great merit.” – “Well then, venerable Sir, wait a moment,” said Annabhāra.

Throwing down his grass carrying-pole, he went home quickly and asked his wife: “My dear wife, is there a portion of food set aside for me, or is there not?” – “There is, master,” replied his wife. So Annabhāra returned quickly to the Paccekabuddha and took his bowl. Thought he to himself: “Hitherto, when I have desired to give alms, I have had no alms to give; and when I have had alms to give, I have not succeeded in finding anyone to give them to. Today, however, I have not only seen a recipient for my alms, but I have alms to give. Fortunate indeed am I!” So he went home, poured the boiled rice into the bowl, took it back, placed it in the hands of the Paccekabuddha, and made the following aspiration: “Venerable Sir, may I obtain release from such a wretched life as I now lead; may I never so much as hear the word isn’t (natthi). The Paccekabuddha returned thanks, saying: “So be it, man of great merit,” and went his way.

The Devatā residing in the rich man Sumana’s parasol exclaimed: “Oh, the gift, supreme gift, well bestowed on Upariṭṭha!” {4.122} and thrice applauded him. Said the rich man to him: “Have you not seen me giving gifts all along?” The Devatā replied: “I am not giving applause with reference to this gift of yours; it was because of the pleasure and satisfaction it afforded me to see Annabhāra give alms to Upariṭṭha that I bestowed this applause.” – “Wonderful indeed!” exclaimed the rich man. “All this time I have given alms, and yet have not succeeded in winning applause from this Devatā. But Annabhāra, who gains his living by working for me, has won applause from him by giving a single portion of alms. I will give him a suitable price for his gift and make this portion of alms my own.”

Accordingly the rich man caused Annabhāra to be summoned [30.266] and asked him: “Did you give alms to anybody today?” – “Yes, master, I gave my portion of boiled rice to the Paccekabuddha Upariṭṭha today.” – “Here, take this penny and give me this portion of alms.” – “I will not give it, master.” The rich man gradually increased his offer to a thousand coins, but Annabhāra refused to give his portion of alms. Then said the rich man: “Very well, sir, if you will not give me the portion of alms, take a thousand coins and make over to me the merit of your gift.” Annabhāra replied: “I will consult with his reverence, and then make up my mind what to do.” So he went quickly to the Paccekabuddha and asked him: “Venerable Sir, the rich man Sumana has offered me a thousand coins, asking me to make over to him the merit I acquired by giving you a portion of alms. What shall I do?”

The Paccekabuddha answered with a simile: “Wise man, it is as if in a village consisting of a hundred families, a man were to light a lamp in a single house and the rest of the villagers were to moisten their wicks with their own oil, light their lamps, and take them away with them. {4.123} Is that light the light of the first lamp or not?” – “Venerable Sir, in that case the light of the first lamp has multiplied itself.” – “Wise man, precisely so is it with the alms you gave. Whether it be a ladleful of broth, or a spoonful of boiled rice, when a man makes over to others the merit of a portion of alms which he has given, the merit thereof increases according to the number of persons to whom he gives. To be sure, you have given but a single portion of alms. But in making over the merit thereof to the rich man, that one portion of alms has become two, of which one belongs to you and the other to him.”

“Very well, venerable Sir,” said Annabhāra. And taking leave of the Paccekabuddha, he went to the rich man and said: “Master, receive the merit of the portion of alms which I gave.” – “Well then, take these coins.” – “I will not sell the portion of alms I gave. I give you the merit thereof out of faith.” – “Then give it to me out of faith. For my part, I honor your noble qualities. Friend, take this money. But from this very day, work no more for me with your own hands. Build a house for yourself in the principal street of the city and take up your residence therein. Whatever you may require for your purposes, take all from my store.” Such was the immediate fruit of a portion of alms given to one who had arisen from an attainment of cessation. Therefore the king also, hearing of the incident, caused Annabhāra to be summoned before [30.267] him, obtained from him a share of the merit, gave him great wealth, and gave him the post of a Rich Man.

Thus did Annabhāra become a friend of the rich man Sumana. After performing works of merit to the end of his life, he passed from that state of existence and was reborn in the Deva Realm.

After passing from one state of existence to another in the worlds of the Devas and the world of humans, {4.124} he obtained a new conception in the dispensation of the present Buddha in the city of Kapilavatthu in the household of Amitodana the Sakyan. At the end of ten lunar months his mother gave birth. He was named Anuruddha. He was the youngest brother of Mahānāma, son of the Teacher’s uncle. He was very delicately nurtured and was the possessor of a vast store of merit.

12b. Story of the Present: Anuruddha Goes Forth

It seems that one day six nobles engaged in a game of marbles, staking cakes on the result. Anuruddha lost and sent to his mother for cakes. His mother filled a large golden dish with cakes and sent them to him. The six nobles ate the cakes and resumed their play. Anuruddha lost again and sent to his mother for some more cakes. Three times in all, his mother sent him cakes. The fourth time she sent back word: “There isn’t (natthi) cake to send.” When Anuruddha received her message, having never before heard the word natthi, he imagined to himself: “These must be natthi cakes.” So he sent the man back, saying to him: “Go fetch some natthi cakes.” When his mother received the message: “My lady, send me some natthi cakes,” she thought to herself: “My son has never heard the word natthi. How can I teach him what natthi means?” So she washed a golden bowl, covered it with another golden bowl, and sent it to her son, saying to the bearer: “Here, friend, give this to my son.”

At that moment the guardian Devatās of the city thought: “In our master’s previous existence as Annabhāra he gave food that was his own portion to the Paccekabuddha Upariṭṭha, {4.125} making the aspiration: ‘May I never hear the word natthi.’ If we, knowing all this as we do, should look on complacently, it may even happen that our heads will split into seven pieces.” So they filled the dish with celestial cakes. The man carried the dish back, set it down before the six nobles, and uncovered it. The fragrance of the cakes permeated the entire city. Moreover, the moment a morsel of this cake [30.268] was placed in the mouth, it thrilled the seven thousand nerves of taste.

Anuruddha thought: “Doubtless my mother never loved me before, for never at any other time has she fried natthi cakes for me.” So he went to his mother and said to her: “Dear mother, do you not love me?” – “Dear son, what are you saying? You are dearer to me than my very eyes, dearer to me than my heart’s flesh.” – “Dear mother, if you really love me, why have you never before given me such cakes as these natthi cakes?” Anuruddha’s mother asked the man: “Friend, was there anything in the dish?” – “Yes, my lady, the dish was filled with cakes the like of which I never saw before.” Anuruddha’s mother thought: “My son has wrought works of merit, and Devatās must therefore have sent him celestial cakes.” Anuruddha said to his mother: “Dear mother, I never ate such cakes as these before. From this time forth fry natthi cake alone for me.” So from that time forth, whenever Anuruddha said: “I should like some cakes to eat,” his mother would wash a golden bowl, {4.126} cover it with another bowl, and send it to him, and the Devatās would fill the dish with celestial cakes. Thus during all the time Anuruddha lived amid the cares of the household life, he never knew the meaning of the word natthi and lived altogether on celestial cakes.

Now when one after another the sons of families belonging to the Sakya clan had gone forth to form the Teacher’s retinue, Mahānāma the Sakyan said to his younger brother Anuruddha: “Dear brother, no member of our family has yet gone forth. Either you or I ought to go forth.” Anuruddha replied: “I have been delicately nurtured; I shall never be able to go forth and live the life of a bhikkhu.” – “Well then, you take up farming, and I will go forth.” – “What is this farming?” For Anuruddha did not even know where food comes from; how therefore could he be expected to know the meaning of farming? Therefore did he speak thus.

For one day the three princes Anuruddha, Bhaddiya, and Kimbila engaged in a discussion of the question: “Where does food come from?” Kimbila said: “It comes from the granary.” It seems that one day Kimbila saw rice being put into a granary. So he imagined: “Food comes from the granary,” and said so.

Bhaddiya said to Kimbila: “You know nothing about it; food comes from a pot.” It seems that one day Bhaddiya saw food being taken out of a pot. So he imagined: “Food comes from a pot,” and said so.

Anuruddha [30.269] said to both of them: “You know nothing about it; {4.127} food comes from a huge golden bowl with a jeweled knob.” It seems that Anuruddha had never seen men pounding rice or boiling it, but had seen it only after it had been taken out of a pot and set before him in a golden bowl. So Anuruddha imagined: “It comes from the bowl and nowhere else,” and said so.

How could this youth of great merit who was so unsophisticated as not to know even where food comes from, be expected to know the meaning of farming?

Mahānāma said: “Come, Anuruddha, I will tell you what a man who lives the life of a householder must do. First you must cause the field to be plowed.” And beginning at the beginning, Mahānāma instructed his brother in the various duties. Now after Anuruddha had heard his brother enumerate the endless round of duties connected with the life of a householder, he said: “I have no use for the householder’s life.” So he asked leave of his mother to go forth. And joining the five Sakyan princes, he went forth from the city with them, went to Anupiya Mango Grove, approached the Teacher, and went forth.

Having gone forth, he walked in the way of Dhamma, and in due time realized threefold knowledge. Reclining on his solitary couch, able now by the divine eye to survey the thousand worlds as easily as emblic myrobalans placed on the palm of the hand, he breathed forth the following exalted utterance:

I know my previous lives, I
have purified the divine eye,
I have attained the three knowledges,
and the supernormal powers,
I have done the Buddha’s teaching.

“What did I do to win this attainment?” thought Anuruddha. Straightaway he perceived: “In the dispensation of the Buddha Padumuttara I made an aspiration; and at a later time, as I passed through the rounds of birth and rebirth, I was reborn at Bārāṇasī at such and such a time, and gained my living by working for hire for the rich man Sumana. Annabhāra was my name.” And he said: {4.128}

Previously I was Annabhāra,
a poor man, who cut grass,
alms food was given by me
to such a one, Upariṭṭha.

Then the following thought occurred to him: “Where has my friend the rich man Sumana been reborn, he that offered me money for the portion of alms I gave to Upariṭṭha, and received the merit thereof?” Straightaway he saw him and said: “In Viñjha Forest, at the foot of [30.270] a mountain, there is a market-town named Muṇḍa; and there lives a lay disciple named Mahā Muṇḍa, and he has two sons, Mahā Sumana and Culla Sumana. The rich man Sumana has been reborn as Culla Sumana.”

Having seen him, he thought to himself: “Is there any use in my going there or not? Considering the matter, he saw the following: “So soon as I go there, although he is but seven years old, he will go forth, and will attain Arahatship at the razor’s edge.” Having seen all this, since the season of the rains was at hand, he proceeded through the air and alighted at the gate of the village.

12c. Story of the Present: The Novice Sumana and the Nāga

Now the lay disciple Mahā Muṇḍa had been an intimate friend of the elder in a previous state of existence also. So when it was time to go the rounds for alms, seeing the elder putting on his robe, he said to his son Mahā Sumana: “Dear son, my noble master the Elder Anuruddha has arrived. So long as no one else takes his bowl, you go take his bowl, and I will provide a seat for him.” Mahā Sumana did so. The lay disciple showed the elder every attention in his house, and obtained his promise to reside there during the three months of the rains, the elder graciously consenting. The lay disciple cared for the elder during the three months of the rains as faithfully as though he were caring for him for but a single day. {4.129}

At the festival of the Great Invitation (Mahā Pavāraṇā) he brought treacle, oil, rice, and the like, placed them at the elder’s feet, and said to him: “Accept these, venerable Sir.” – “Enough, lay disciple, I have no use for these.” – “Venerable Sir, this is the usual offering bestowed upon those who have kept residence; pray accept it.” – “Enough, lay disciple.” – “Why will you not accept it, venerable Sir?” – “I have no novice to attend me.” – “Well then, venerable Sir, my son Mahā Sumana will be your novice.” – “Lay disciple, I have no use for Mahā Sumana.” – “Well then, venerable Sir, let Culla Sumana go forth.” – “Very well,” replied the elder, consenting, and he let Culla Sumana go forth. Culla Sumana attained Arahatship in the tonsure hall. The elder tarried there with him for a fortnight and then, saying to himself: “I will go see the Teacher,” took leave of his kinsfolk, proceeded through the air to the Himālaya country, and descended to the ground at Araññakuṭikā (Wilderness Hut).

Now the elder was ordinarily energetic and active, and as he walked [30.271] back and forth during the former and the latter part of the night, he began to suffer with indigestion. The novice noticed that he looked haggard and pale and asked him: “Venerable Sir, what ails you?” – “I am troubled with indigestion.” – “Have you ever before been troubled with it, venerable Sir?” – “Yes, friend.” – “What will cure you, venerable Sir?” – “Friend, drinking-water brought from Lake Anotatta will cure me.” – “Well then, venerable Sir, I will fetch you some.” – “Can you do so, novice?” – “Yes, venerable Sir.” – “Well then, Paṇṇaka, king of the Nāgas, who lives at Lake Anotatta, knows me; tell him your errand, and fetch me a jar of drinking-water for medicinal purposes.” – “Very well,” replied the novice, and saluting his preceptor, he rose into the air and proceeded to Lake Anotatta, five hundred leagues away. {4.130}

Now on that day the king of the Nāgas had laid his plans to disport himself in the water in company with some dancing Nāgas. When therefore he saw the novice approaching, he became very angry. He said to himself: “Here this shaveling novice walks about, scattering the dust of his own feet on the top of my head! He must have come to fetch drinking-water from Lake Anotatta. Well, I will not let him have any drinking-water!” And forthwith he lay down, covering with his hood the whole of Lake Anotatta, fifty leagues in extent, just as one would cover a pot with a great dish. The novice observed the manner of the king of the Nāgas, and perceiving within himself: “He is angry,” pronounced the following verse:

Listen to me, king of Nāgas,
one of great heat, one of great strength,
give to me a jar of water,
I have come here for medicine.

Hearing this, the king of the Nāgas pronounced the following verse:

In the eastern direction,
is a great river called Ganges,
it flows into the great ocean,
you go and fetch water from there.

When the novice heard this, he thought to himself: “This Nāga will not give me water of his own free will. I will therefore employ violence, display great supernatural power, overpower him, and take the water.” {4.131} So the novice said to the king of the Nāgas: “Mighty king, my preceptor directed me to fetch drinking-water from Lake Anotatta and nowhere else. Therefore I will fetch only this water. Depart from me; do not seek to hinder me.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse: [30.272]

From here I take drinking water,
this is all that I seek,
if you have power and strength, you
can hold me back, king of Nāgas.

The king said of the Nāgas to the novice:

Novice, if you are a strong man,
I rejoice in your words,
carry off my drinking water!

Then said the novice to the king of the Nāgas: “Thus, mighty king, will I take the water.” The king said of the Nāgas: “Take it if you can.” – “Very well,” said the novice, “make up your mind for certain.” Three times did the novice exact an acknowledgement from the king of the Nāgas. Then he thought to himself: “I had best manifest the power of the dispensation of the Buddha in taking this water.” So he went to the Devatās who dwell in the sky. They approached, saluted him, and said: “What do you wish, venerable Sir?” – “There is going to be a battle between me and Paṇṇaka, king of the Nāgas, who broods over the surface of Lake Anotatta; go there and see who wins and who loses.”

In like manner the novice went to the Four Protectors of the World, and to Sakka, Suyāma, Santusita, Paranimmitavasavattī, and told them what was about to happen. Then he went farther to each one of the Brahma worlds, nine in number. The Brahma of each of these worlds {4.132} approached, saluted him, and asked: “What do you wish, venerable Sir?” The novice told each of them what was about to happen. Thus the novice passed through each of the worlds in but an instant of time, visiting all of the Devatās except the Unconscious Devas and the Formless Brahmas, and told the Devatās what was about to happen. Hearing his words, all of the Devatās assembled on the surface of Lake Anotatta, filling the sky completely, as when powdered lead is put into a pint-measure. When the host of Devatās had assembled, the novice, poised in the air, spoke thus to the king of the Nāgas:

Listen to me, king of Nāgas,
one of great heat, one of great strength,
give to me a jar of water,
I have come here for medicine.

The king of the Nāgas replied:

Novice, if you are a strong man,
I rejoice in your words,
carry off my drinking water!

Having thrice exacted an acknowledgement from the king of the Nāgas, the novice, poised in the air, assumed the form of Brahma, twelve leagues in height, and descending from the sky, trod upon the hood of the [30.273] king of the Nāgas, forced his head downwards, and squeezed him with all his might. Just as when a strong man treads on a wet skin, so also, the instant the novice trod on the hood of the Nāga, folds formed in the Nāga’s hood the size of spoons, and slipped away. And from every place from which the folds of the Nāga’s hood had slipped, spurted jets of water as tall as the trunks of palmyra trees. The novice, poised in the air, {4.133} filled his jar with drinking-water.

The host of Devas gave their applause. The king of the Nāgas was overwhelmed with shame, and filled with anger towards the novice, and his eyes took on the color of red berries. The king said of the Nāgas to himself: “This fellow has gathered together a host of Devas, trod on my hood, and put me to shame. I will seize him, thrust his hand into my mouth, and crush the flesh of his heart. Or I will pick him up by his heels and throw him over the Ganges.” And setting out with all speed, he pursued him, but was unable to overtake him.

The novice went back to his preceptor, placed the jar of water in his hands, and said to him: “Drink thereof, venerable Sir.” The king of the Nāgas came up behind him and said to the preceptor: “Venerable Anuruddha, your novice took water I did not give him and brought it to you; do not drink it.” – “Novice, is this true?” – “Drink, venerable Sir; the water I have brought to you was given to me by the king of the Nāgas himself.” The elder knew in his heart: “It is impossible that a novice who has attained Arahatship should utter a falsehood,” and therefore drank of the water. The moment he did so he felt better.

Again the Nāga said to the elder: “Venerable Sir, your novice assembled the host of the Devas, one and all, and put me to open shame. I intend either to split his heart for him or to pick him up by the heels and fling him over the Ganges.” – “Mighty king, the novice possesses great supernatural power; you will never be able to fight with the novice; beg his pardon and go.” {4.134}

Now the king of the Nāgas knew without anybody telling him, that the novice possessed great supernatural power, and pursued him merely out of a sense of shame. Therefore he obeyed the elder’s command, asked the novice to pardon him, made friends with him and said to the novice: “Henceforth, when you need water from Lake Anotatta, do not put yourself to the trouble of coming for it. Simply send a message, and I will myself bring the water and give it to you.” Having so said, he departed. [30.274]

The elder took the novice with him and set out on his rounds. The Teacher, knowing that the elder was on his way, sat in Migāramātā’s mansion, waiting for the elder to come. When the bhikkhus saw the elder approaching, they came forth to meet him and took his bowl and robe. Some of them patted the novice on the head and tweaked his ears, saying: “Little novice, are you not discontented?” When the Teacher saw what they were doing, he thought to himself: “These bhikkhus are doing a very wrong thing in taking liberties with this novice. They are taking hold of this novice as one would take a poisonous snake by the neck. They do not know how great is the supernatural power which he possesses. I ought this very day to make known the virtues of the novice Sumana.” The elder approached, worshipped the Teacher, and sat down. The Teacher exchanged friendly greetings with the elder, and addressed the Elder Ānanda as follows: “Ānanda, I desire to bathe my feet in water from Lake Anotatta. Give waterpots to the novices and bid them fetch water.” {4.135}

The Elder Ānanda assembled five hundred novices within the monastery, of whom the novice Sumana was the youngest of all. Said the elder to the oldest novice of all: “Novice, the Teacher desires to bathe his feet in water from Lake Anotatta. Take a waterpot, go to Lake Anotatta, and fetch water from thence.” – “I cannot do it, venerable Sir,” replied the oldest novice, declining to go. The elder then asked each of the remaining novices in turn, and they likewise refused. But were there no novices who had attained Arahatship? Of course there were, but they refused to go because they knew: “This basket of flowers was not made for us; it was made solely for the novice Sumana.” Those who had not yet attained refused because they knew that they were unequal to the task.

Finally the novice Sumana’s turn came. Said the Elder Ānanda: “Novice, the Teacher desires to bathe his feet in water from Lake Anotatta, and requests that you take a waterpot and fetch him water.” – “If the Teacher desires me to fetch him water, I will fetch it,” replied the novice. And saluting the Teacher, he said: “Venerable Sir, I am informed that you desire me to fetch water from Lake Anotatta.” – “Yes, Sumana.” Thereupon the novice selected from among the monastery vessels of solid beaten gold which had been made by command of Visākhā, a great casket with a capacity of sixty waterpots of water. He said to himself: “There is no need of my [30.275] raising this and placing it on my shoulder.” So taking it in his hand and letting it hang down, he soared into the air and struck out in the direction of the Himālaya country.

While the novice was yet a long way off, the king of the Nāgas saw him approaching, and advancing to meet him, {4.136} took the casket, placed it on his shoulder, and said to the novice: “Venerable Sir, so long as you have a slave like me in the land of the living, why did you come in person? If you needed water, why did you not just send a message?” And filling the casket with water, he lifted it up himself and said to the novice: “You go ahead, venerable Sir; I myself will carry the water.” – “Remain where you are, great king,” replied the novice, “I have received a command from the Sambuddha.” So saying, he caused the king of the Nāgas to turn back; and grasping the casket with his hand by the rim, he soared away into the air.

The Teacher saw him approaching and addressed the bhikkhus as follows: “Bhikkhus, behold the grace of the novice! He soars through the air with grace equal to that of a royal goose.” The novice set down the casket of water and worshipped the Teacher. The Teacher said to the novice: “How old are you, Sumana?” – “I am seven years old, venerable Sir.” – “Well then, Sumana, from this day forth be a bhikkhu.” So saying, the Teacher bestowed on him the inheritance of admission to full membership in the Saṅgha. It is said that but two novices ever received admission to full membership in the Saṅgha at the age of seven years: this novice Sumana and the novice Sopāka.

When this novice Sumana had thus received admission to full membership in the Saṅgha, the bhikkhus began the following discussion in the Dhamma Hall: “How wonderful it is, friends! How great is the supernatural power of this novice! We have never seen supernatural power so marvelous before!”

At that moment the Teacher drew near and asked the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus, what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together?” When they told him, he said: “Bhikkhus, such is the attainment that even a young bhikkhu wins in my dispensation, if he walk in righteousness.” {4.137} So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

382. Yo have daharo bhikkhu yuñjati Buddhasāsane,
sŏ imaṁ lokaṁ pabhāseti, abbhā mutto va candimā.

That young bhikkhu who’s devoted
to the Buddha’s dispensation,
surely shines forth in this world, like
the moon that is freed from a cloud.

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