[III. The Miracles at Uruvelā]

[Mandāmukhipāṭihāriyaṁ]
[34. The Coal-Pan Miracle]

Tena kho pana samayena te jaṭilā,
Then at that time those yogis,

sītāsu Hemantikāsu rattīsu antaraṭṭhakāsu himapātasamaye,
in the cold Winter nights, in between ‘the eights’,There is a partial parallel to this section at Udāna 1.9, from my translation of which the following note is taken: “the eights (aṭṭhakā) refers to the eighth day after 3 of the Full Moons in Hemanta, i.e. at the coldest time of the year, at which times there were festivals when the brāhmaṇas worshipped their ancestors (see SED, aṣṭakā). Antaraṭṭhake therefore means between these times. See BHSD, s.v. aṣṭaka-rātri (on Lalitavistara 251.6) and CPD s.v. atthakā, antaraṭṭhaka. The Commentary says that aṭṭhakā means the last four days in Māgha and the first four in Phagguṇa, in the season of Sisira, which shows an unexpected ignorance of brāhmaṇical festivals, and is certainly wrong”. at the time of the snowfall,

najjā Nerañjarāya, ummujjanti pi nimujjanti pi,
in the river Nerañjarā, were plunging in, and plunging out,

ummujjanimujjam-pi karonti.
were plunging in and out.

Atha kho Bhagavā pañcamattāni mandāmukhisatāni abhinimmini,
Then the Fortunate One created about five hundred coal-pans, Comm: mandāmukhiyo ti aggibhājanāni vuccanti.

yattha te jaṭilā uttaritvā visibbesuṁ.
where those yogis, after emerging, warmed (themselves).

Atha kho tesaṁ jaṭilānaṁ etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to those yogis:

“Nissaṁsayaṁ kho Mahāsamaṇassa iddhānubhāvo
“No doubt it is because of the Great Ascetic’s psychic power

yathā-y-imā mandāmukhiyo nimmitā.” ti
that these coal-pans were created.”

Atha kho Uruvelakassapassa jaṭilassa etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to the yogi Uruvelakassapa:

“Mahiddhiko kho Mahāsamaṇo mahānubhāvo,
“Powerful and majestic is this Great Ascetic,

yatra hi nāma tāva bahū mandāmukhiyo pi abhinimminissati,
since he can create so many coal-pans for them,

na tveva ca kho Arahā yathā ahan.”-ti
but he is surely not a Worthy One like I am.”

last updated: August 2009