Während im Jetavana Kloster verweilend, sprach der Buddha, im Bezug auf das Brahmanenpaar Namens Culekasataka, den Vers (116) diese Buches aus.

Da war einst ein Brahmanenpaar in Savatthi, das nur ein äußeres Gewand hatte, welchen sie untereinander teilten. Wegen diesem waren sie als Ekasataka bekannt. So sie nur ein äußeres Gewand hatten, konnten beide nicht gleichzeitig ausgehen. So ging die Frau während des Tages die Lehreden, gegeben von dem Buddha, anhören, und der Mann in der Nacht. In einer Nacht, als der Brahmane dem Buddha zuhörte, wurde sein Körper von erfreuender Befriedigung durchströmt, und er fühlte ein starkes Verlangen, das äußere Gewand, welches er trug, dem Buddha darzubieten. Aber er erkannte, daß, würde er das einzige äußere Gewand welches er hatte, hergeben, er keines für ihn und seine Frau mehr übrig wäre. So zögerte er und sorgte sich. So verging die erst und zweite Wache der Nacht vorüber. Es kam die dritte und er sagte zu sich selbst: „Wenn ich so elend und sorgenreich bin, würde ich es nicht vermögen, nicht in die vier Niedrigen Welten (apayas) zu fallen. Ich werde das äußere Gewand nun dem Buddha darbieten.“ So gesagt, platzierte er den Stoff zu den Füssen des Buddhas und rief drei mal: „Ich habe gewonnen“, aus.

Der König Pasenadi von Kosala, der unter der Zuhörerschaft war, hörte diese Worte und ordnete einem Diener an dem nachzugehen. Über des Brahmanens Darbietung an den Buddha unterrichtet, bemerkte der König, daß der Brahmane etwas getan hat, was nicht leicht zu tun war und sollte daher belohnt werden. Der König ordnete seinen Männern an, dem Brahmanen ein Stück Stoff, als Belohnung für sein Vertrauen und seine Großzügigkeit zu geben. Der Brahmane bot auch dieses Gewand dem Buddha dar, und wurde vom König mit zwei Gewändern belohnt. Und wieder bot der Brahmane die zwei Gewänder dem Buddha dar, und wurde mit vier belohnt. So gab er, was immer er vom König erhielt, dm Buddha, und jedes Mal verdoppelte der König die Belohnung. Als letztlich die Belohnung auf zweiunddreißig Gewandstücke anwuchs, behielt der Brahmane ein Gewand für sich, und eines für seine Frau, und bot die übrigen dreißig Stücke de Buddha dar.

Dann, abermals denkend, daß der Brahmane wirklich eine sehr schwere Aufgabe erfüllt habe, müsse er passend dafür belohnt werden. Der König sendete einen Boten zum Palast, um zwei Samtgewänder, jedes Hunderttausend wert, zu bringen, und gab sie dem Brahmane. Der Brahmane machte Stücke aus wertvollem Stoff zu zwei Baldachins und hinterließ einen im parfümierten Raum, in dem der Buddha schlief, und den anderen in seinem eigenen Haus, über dem Platz an dem den Bhikkhus stetig Almosenspeise dargeboten wurde. Als der König danach wieder ins Jatavana-Kloster ging, um dem Buddha seine Ehre zu erweisen, sah er den samtenen Baldachin und erkannte ihn als die Gabe, getan vom Brahmane, und war sehr verzückt. Dieses Mal gestaltete er eine Belohnung von sieben Arten in Vierern (sabbacatukka), und zwar vier Elefanten, vier Pferde, vier weibliche Sklaven, vier männliche Sklaven, vier Laufburschen und Viertausend in Bar.

Als die Bhikkhus davon hörten, fragten sie den Buddha: „Wie kommt es im Falles diese Brahmanen, daß eine gute Tat getan, unverzüglich Früchte trägt?“ Ihnen antwortete der Buddha: „Wenn der Brahmane sein äußeres Gewand in der ersten Nachtwache dargeboten hätte, wäre er mit sechzehn jeder Art belohnt worden; wenn er seine Darbietung zur mittleren Wache getan hätte, wäre er mit acht jeder Art belohnt worden; so er seine Darbietung erst in der letzten Wache der Nacht gemacht hat, wurde er nur mit vier jeder Art belohnt.“ So sollte jemand, der in Großzügigkeit geben möchte, flink sein es zu tun. wenn man zögerlich ist, kommt der Lohn langsam und nur spärlich. Und wenn jemand zu langsam ist, gute Handlungen zu tun, mag dieser gar nicht fähig sein, sie zu vollbringen, den der Geist neigt sich dazu sich am Schlechten zu erfreuen.

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (117) of this book, with reference to Thera Seyyasaka.

Once there was a thera by the name of Seyyasaka, who was in the habit of masturbating. When the Buddha heard about this, he rebuked the thera for doing something that would lead one farther away from the attainment of Magga and Phala. At the same time, the Buddha laid down the discipline prohibiting such indulgence in sexual pleasures, i.e., Samghadisesa Apatti, offences which require penance and suspension from the Order. Then, the Buddha added, „This kind of offence can only lead to evil results in this world as well as in the next.“

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

Während er sich im Jetavana-Kloster aufhielt, sprach der Buddha den Vers (118) dieses Buches mit Bezug auf Laja, eine weibliche Deva.

Zu einer Zeit hielt sich Thera Mahakassapa in der Pippali-Höhle auf und verweilte in anhaltender Sammlung in Konzentration (samapatti) für sieben Tage. Bald, nachdem er aus dem samapatti ausgetreten war, mit dem Wunsch, jemandem eine Gelegenheit zu geben, etwas einem gerade aus dem samapatti ausgetretenen Thera darzubieten, sah er nach draußen und fand ein junges Mädchen, das Mais(1) in einer Feldhütte briet. So stand er an ihrer Tür um Almosenspeise und sie gab all den gebratenen Mais(1) in die Schale des Thera. Als sie sich wieder umdrehte, nachdem sie dem Thera gebratenen Mais(1) dargeboten hatte, wurde sie von einer giftigen Schlange gebissen und starb. Sie wurde in der Tavatimsa-Deva-Welt geboren und wurde bekannt als Laja (gebratener Mais(1)) Devadhita.

Laja erkannte, dass sie in Tavatimsa wiedergeboren wurde, weil sie Thera Mahakassapa gebratenen Mais dargeboten hatte, und fühlte sehr viel Dankbarkeit für ihn. Sie beschloss, dass sie weiterhin dem Thera Dienste einige erbringen sollte, um ihr Glück anhaltender zu machen. Also ging sie jeden Morgen zum Kloster des Thera, fegte das Gelände, füllte die Wasserschüsseln und tat andere Dienste. Zuerst dachte der Thera, dass junge Samaneras diese Dienste getan hätten; aber eines Tages fand er heraus, dass eine weibliche Deva jene Dienste geleistet hatte. Also wies er sie an, nicht mehr ins Kloster zu kommen, da die Leute zu reden anfangen könnten, wenn sie weiter zum Kloster käme. Lajadevadhita war sehr bestürzt; sie bettelte den Thera an und weinte, „Bitte zerstören Sie nicht meine Reichtümer, meinen Wohlstand.“ Der Buddha hörte ihre Schreie und sandte das Licht aus seiner Kammer hinaus und sagte zu der Deva: „Devadhita, es ist die Pflicht meines Sohnes Kassapa, dein Kommen zum Kloster zu stoppen; gute Taten zu tun, ist die Pflicht von einem, der bestrebt ist, Verdienste zu erlangen.“

Dann sprach der Buddha in Versen wie folgt:

Am Ende dieser Lehrrede erlangte Lajadevadhita Sotapatti-Verwirklichung.

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (119) and (120) of this book, with reference to Anathapindika, the famous rich man of Savatthi.

Anathapindika was the donor of the Jetavana monastery, which was built at a cost of fifty-four crores. He was not only generous but also truly devoted to the Buddha. He would go to the Jetavana monastery and pay homage to the Buddha thrice daily. In the mornings he would bring along rice gruel, in the day-time some suitable rich food or medicine and in the evenings some flowers and incense. After some time Anathapindika became poor, but being a sotapanna he was not shaken by misfortune, and he continued to do his daily acts of charity. One night, the spirit guarding the gate to the house of Anathapindika appeared to him in person, and said, „I am the guardian of your gate. You have been offering your property to Samana Gotama with no thoughts of your future. That is why you are now a poor man. Therefore, you should make no more offerings to Samana Gotama and should look after your own business affairs and get rich again“

Anathapindika drove the guardian spirit out of his house for saying such things, and as Anathapindika was a sotapanna the guardian spirit could not disobey him and so had to leave the premises. He had nowhere to go and wanted to return but was afraid of Anathapindika. So, he approached Sakka, king of the devas. Sakka advised him first to do a good turn to Anathapindika, and after that, to ask his pardon. Then Sakka continued, „There are about eighteen crores taken as loans by some traders which are not yet repaid to Anathapindika; another eighteen crores buried by the ancestors of Anathapindika, which have been washed away into the ocean, and another eighteen crores, which belong to no one, buried in a certain place. Go and recover all these wealth by your supernatural power and fill up the rooms of Anathapindika. Having done so, you may ask his pardon“. The guardian spirit did as instructed by Sakka, and Anathapindika again became rich.

When the guardian spirit told Anathapindika about the information and instructions given by Sakka, about the recovery of his riches from underneath the earth, from within the ocean and from the debtors, he was struck with awe. Then Anathapindika took the guardian spirit to the Buddha. To both of them the Buddha said, „One may not enjoy the benefits of a good deed, or suffer the consequences of a bad deed for a long time; but time will surely come when his good or bad deed will bear fruit and ripen“.

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

At the end of the discourse, the guardian spirit of the gate of Anathapindika's house attained Sotapatti Fruition.

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (121) of this book, with reference to a bhikkhu who was careless in the use of furniture belonging to the monastery.

This bhikkhu, after using any piece of furniture, such as a couch, a bench or a stool belonging to the monastery, would leave it outside in the compound, thus exposing it to rain and sun and also to white ants. When other bhikkhus chided him for his irresponsible behaviour, he would retorted, „I do not have the intention to destroy those things; after all, very little damage has been done,“ and so on and so forth and he continued to behave in the same way. When the Buddha came to know about this, he sent for the bhikkhu and said to him, „Bhikkhu, you should not behave in this way: you should not think lightly of an evil, however small it may be, because it will become big if you do it habitually.“

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (122) of this book, with reference to Bilalapadaka, a rich man.

Once, a man from Savatthi, having heard a discourse given by the Buddha, was very much impressed, and decided to practise what was taught by the Buddha. The exhortation was to give in charity not only by oneself but also to get others to do so and that by so doing one would gain much merit and have a large number of followers in the next existence. So, that man invited the Buddha and all the resident bhikkhus in the Jetavana monastery for alms-food the next day. Then he went round to each one of the houses and informed the residents that alms-food would he offered the next day to the Buddha and other bhikkhus and so to contribute according to their wishes. The rich man Bilalapadaka seeing the man goings round from house to house disapproved of his behaviour and felt a strong dislike for him and murmured to himself, „O this wretched man! Why did he not invite as many bhikkhus as he could himself offer alms, instead of going round coaxing people?“ So he asked the man to bring his bowl and into this bowl, he put only a little rice, only a little butter, only a little molass. These were taken away separately and not mixed with what others had given. The rich men could not understand why his things were kept separately, and he thought perhaps that man wanted others to know that a rich man like him had contributed very little and so put him to shame. Therefore, he sent a servant to find out.

The promoter of charity put a little of everything that was given by the rich man into various pots of rice and curry and sweetmeats so that the rich man may gain much merit. His servant reported what he had seen; but Bilalapadaka did not get the meaning and was not sure of the intention of the promoter of charity. However, the next day he went to the place where alms-food was being offered. At the same time, he took a knife with him, intending to kill the chief promoter of charity, if he were to reveal in public just how little a rich man like him had contributed.

But this promoter of charity said to the Buddha, „Venerable Sir, this charity is a joint offering of all; whether one has given much or little is of no account; each one of us has given in faith and generosity; so may all of us gain equal merit.“ When he heard those words, Bilalpadaka realized that he had wronged the man and pondered that if he were not to own up his mistake and ask the promoter of charity to pardon him, he would he reborn in one of the four lower worlds (apayas). So he said, „My friend, I have done you a great wrong by thinking ill of you; please forgive me.“ The Buddha heard the rich man asking for pardon, and on enquiry found out the reason. So, the Buddha said, „My disciple, you should not think lightly of a good deed, however small it may be, for small deeds will become big if you do them habitually.“

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

At the end of the discourse, Bilalapadaka the rich man attained Sotapatti Fruition.

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (123) of this book, with reference to Mahadhana the merchant.

Mahadhana was a rich merchant from Savatthi. On one occasion, five hundred robbers were planning to rob him, but thy did not get the chance to rob him. In the meantime, they heard that the merchant would soon be going out with five hundred carts loaded with valuable merchandise. The merchant Mahadhana also invited the bhikkhus who would like to go on the same journey to accompany him, and he promised to look to their needs on the way. So five hundred bhikkhus accompanied him. The robbers got news of the trip and went ahead to lie in wait for the caravan of the merchant. But the merchant stopped at the outskirts of the forest where the robbers were waiting. The caravan was to move on after camping there for a few days. The robbers got the news of the impending departure and made ready to loot the caravan; the merchant, in his turn, also got news of the movements of the bandits and he decided to return home. The bandits now heard that the merchant would go home; so they waited on the homeward way. Some villagers sent word to the merchant about the movements of the bandits, and the merchant finally decided to remain in the village for some time. When he told the bhikkhus about his decision, the bhikkhus returned to Savatthi by themselves.

On arrival at the Jetavana monastery they went to the Buddha and informed him about the cancellation of their trip. To then, the Buddha said, „Bhikkhus, Mahadhana keeps away from the journey beset with bandits; one who does not want to die keeps away from poison; so also, a wise bhikkhu, realizing that the three levels of existence(1) are like a journey beset with, danger, should strive to keep away from doing evil.“

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

At the end of the discourse, those five hundred bhikkhus attained Sotapatti Fruition.

While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (124) of this book, with reference to the hunter Kukkutamitta and his family.

At Rajagaha there was once a rich man's daughter who had attained Sotapatti Fruition as a young girl. One day, Kukkutamitta, a hunter, came into town in a cart to sell venison. Seeing Kukkutamitta the hunter, the rich young lady fell in love with him immediately; she followed him, married him and lived with him in a small village. As a result of that marriage, seven sons were born to them and in course of time, all the sons got married. One day, the Buddha surveyed the world early in the morning with his supernormal power and found that the hunter, his seven sons and their wives were due for attainment of Sotapatti Fruition. So, the Buddha went to the place where the hunter had set his trap in the forest. He put his footprint close to the trap and seated himself under the shade of a bush, not far from the trap.

When the hunter came, he saw no animal in the trap; he saw the footprint and surmised that someone must have come before him and let cut the animal. So, when he saw the Buddha under the shade of the bush, he took him for the man who had freed the animal from his trap and flew into a rage. He took out his bow and arrow to shoot at the Buddha, but as he drew his bow, he became immobilized and remained fixed in that position like a statue. His sons followed and found their father; they also saw the Buddha at some distance and thought he must be the enemy of their father. All of them took out their bows and arrows to shoot at the Buddha, but they also became immobilized and remained fixed in their respective postures. When the hunter and his sons failed to return, the hunter's wife followed them into the forest, with her seven daughters-in-law. Seeing her husband and all her sons with their arrows aimed at the Buddha, she raised both her hands and shout: „Do not kill my father.“

When her husband heard her words, he thought, „This must be my father-in-law“, and her sons thought, „This must be our grandfather“; and thoughts of loving-kindness came into them. Then the lady said to them, ''Put away your bows and arrows and pay obeisance to my father„. The Buddha realized that, by this time, the minds of the hunter and his son; had softened and so he willed that they should be able to move and to put away their bows and arrows. After putting away their bows and arrows, they paid obeisance to the Buddha and the Buddha expounded the Dhamma to them. In the end, the hunter, his seven sons and seven daughters-in-law, all fifteen of them, attained Sotapatti Fruition.

Then the Buddha returned to the monastery and told Thera Ananda and other bhikkhus about the hunter Kukkutamitta and his family attaining Sotapatti Fruition in the early part of the morning. The bhikkhus then asked the Buddha, „Venerable Sir, is the wife of the hunter who is a sotapanna, also not guilty of taking life, if she has been getting things like nets, bows and arrows for her husband when he goes out hunting?“ To this question the Buddha answered, “Bhikkhus, the sotapannas do not kill, they do not wish others to get killed. The wife of the hunter was only obeying her husband in getting things for him. Just as the hand that has no wound is not affected by poison, so also, because she has no intention to do evil she is not doing any evil.„

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (125) of this book, with reference to Koka the huntsman.

One morning, as Koka was going out to hunt with his pack of hounds, he met a bhikkhu entering the city for alms-food. He took that as a bad omen and grumbled to himself, „Since I have seen this wretched one, I don't think I would get anything today,“ and he went on his way. As expected by him he did not get anything. On his way home also he again saw the same bhikkhu returning to the monastery after having had his alms-food in the city, and the hunter became very angry. So he set his hounds on the bhikkhu. Swiftly, the bhikkhu climbed up a tree to a level just out of reach of the hounds. Then the hunter went to the foot of the tree and pricked the heels of the bhikkhu with the tip of his arrow. The bhikkhu was in great pain and was not able to hold his robes on; so the robes slipped off his body on to the hunter who was at the foot of the tree.

The dogs seeing the yellow robe thought that the bhikkhu had fallen off the tree and pounced on the body, biting and pulling at it furiously. The bhikkhu, from his shelter in the tree, broke a dry branch and threw it at the dogs. Then the dogs discovered that they had been attacking their own master instead of the bhikkhu, and ran away into the forest. The bhikkhu came down from the tree and found that the hunter had died and felt sorry for him. He also wondered whether he could be held responsible for the death, since the hunter had died for having been covered up by his yellow robes.

So, he went to the Buddha to clear up his doubt. The Buddha said, “My son, rest assured and have no doubt; you are not responsible for the death of the hunter; your morality (sila) is also not soiled on account of that death. Indeed, that huntsman did a great wrong to one whom he should do no wrong and so had come to this grievous end.„

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

At the end of the discourse the bhikkhu attained arahatship.

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (126) of this book, with reference to Thera Tissa.

Once, there was a gem polisher and his wife in Savatthi; there was also a thera, who was an arahat. Every day, the couple offered alms-food to the thera. One day, while the gem polisher was handling meat, a messenger of King Pasenadi of Kosala arrived with a ruby, which was to be cut and polished and sent back to the king. The gem polisher took the ruby with his hand which was covered with blood, put it on a table and went into the house to wash his hands. The pet crane of the family seeing the blood stained ruby and taking it for a piece of meat picked it up and swallowed it in the presence of the thera. When the gem polisher returned, he found that the ruby was missing. He asked his wife and his son and they answered that they had not taken it. Then, he asked the thera and the thera said that he did not take it; but he was not satisfied. As there was no one else in the house, the gem polisher concluded that it must be the thera who had taken the precious ruby: so he told his wife that he must torture the thera to get admission of theft.

But his wife replied, „This thera had been our guide and teacher for the last twelve years, and we have never seen him doing anything evil; please do not accuse the thera. It would be better to take the king's punishment than to accuse a noble one.“ But her husband paid no heed to her words; he took a rope and tied up the thera and beat him many times with a stick, as a result of which the thera bled profusely from the head, ears and nose, and dropped on the floor. The crane, seeing blood and wishing to take it, came close to the thera. The gem polisher, who was by then in a great rage, kicked the crane with all his might and the bird died instantaneously. Then, the thera said, „Please see whether the crane is dead or not,“ and the gem polisher replied, „You too shall die like this crane.“ When the thera was sure the crane had died, he said softly, „My disciple, the crane swallowed the ruby.“

Hearing this, the gem polisher cut up the crane and found the ruby in the stomach. Then the gem polisher realized his mistake and trembled with fear. He pleaded with the thera to pardon him and also to continue standing at his door for alms. To him the thera replied, „My disciple, it is not your fault, nor is it mine. This has happened on account of what has been done in our previous existences; it is just our debt in samsara; I feel no ill will towards you. As a matter of fact, this has happened because I have entered a house. From today, I would not enter any house; I would only stand at the door.“ Soon after saying this, the thera expired as a result of his injuries.

Later, the bhikkhus asked the Buddha where the various characters in the above episode were reborn, and the Buddha answered, “The crane was reborn as the son of the gem polisher; the gem polisher was reborn in niraya; the wife of the gem polisher was reborn in one of the deva worlds; and the thera, who was already an arahat when he was living, realized Parinibbana.„

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (127) of this book, with reference to questions raised by three groups of bhikkhus concerning three extraordinary incidents.

The first group: A group of bhikkhus were on their way to pay homage to the Buddha and they stopped at a village on the way. Some people were cooking alms-food for those bhikkhus when one of the houses caught fire and a ring of fire flew up into the air. At that moment, a crow came flying, got caught in the ring of fire and dropped dead in the central part of the village. The bhikkhus seeing the dead crow observed that only the Buddha would be able to explain for what evil deed this crow had to die in this manner. After taking alms-food they continued on their journey to pay homage to the Buddha, and also to ask about the unfortunate crow.

The second group: Another group of bhikkhus wore travelling in a boat; they too wore on their way to pay homage to the Buddha. When they were in the middle of the ocean the boat could not be moved. So, lots were drawn to find out who the unlucky one was; three times the lot fell on the wife of the skipper. Then the skipper said sorrowfully, „Many people should not die on account of this unlucky woman; tie a pot of sand to her neck and threw her into the water so that I would not see her.“ The woman was thrown into the sea as instructed by the skipper and the ship could move on. On arrival at their destination. the bhikkhus disembarked and continued on their way to the Buddha. They also intended to ask the Buddha due to what evil kamma the unfortunate woman was thrown overboard.

The third group: A group of seven bhikkhus were also on their way to pay homage to the Buddha. On the way, they enquired at a monastery whether there was any suitable place for them to take shelter for the night in the neighbourhood. They were directed to a cave, and there they spent the night; but in the middle of the night, a large boulder slipped off from above and effectively closed the entrance. In the morning, the bhikkhus from the nearby monastery coming to the cave saw what had happened and they went to bring people from seven villages. With the help of these people they tried to move the boulder, but it was of no avail. Thus, the seven bhikkhus were trapped in the cave without food or water for seven days. On the seventh day, the boulder moved miraculously by itself, and the bhikkhus came out and continued their way to the Buddha. They also intended to ask the Buddha due to what previous evil deed they were thus shut up for seven days in a cave.

The three groups of travellers met on the way and together they went to the Buddha. Each group related to the Buddha what they had seen or experienced on their way and the Buddha answered their questions.

The Buddha answer to the first group: “Bhikkhus, once there was a farmer who had an ox. The ox was very lazy and also very stubborn. It could not be coaxed to do any work; it would lie down chewing the cud or else go to sleep. The farmer lost his temper many times on account of this lazy, stubborn animal; so in anger he tied a straw rope round the neck of the ox and set fire to it, and the ox died. On account of this evil deed the, farmer had suffered for a long time in niraya, and in serving out the remaining part of his punishment, he had been burnt to death in the last seven existences.„

The Buddha's answer to the second group: „Bhikkhus, once there was a woman who had a pet dog. She used to take the dog along with her wherever she went and young boys of the city poked fun at her. She was very angry and felt so ashamed that she planned to kill the dog. She filled a pot with sand, tied it round the neck of the dog and threw it into the water; and the dog was drowned. On account of this evil deed that woman had suffered for a long time in niraya and in serving the remaining part of her punishment, she had been thrown into the water to drown in the last one hundred existences.“

The Buddha's answer to the third group: “Bhikkhus, once, seven cowherds saw an iguana going into a mound and they dosed all the seven outlets of the mound with twigs and branches of trees. After closing the outlets they went away, completely forgetting the iguana that was trapped in the mound. Only after seven days, they remembered what they had done and hurriedly returned to the scene of their mischief and let out the iguana. On account of this evil deed, those seven had been imprisoned together for seven days without any food, in the last fourteen existences.„

Then, a bhikkhu remarked, „O indeed! There is no escape from evil consequences for one who has done evil, even if he were in the sky, or in the ocean, or in a cave.“ To him, the Buddha said, “Yes, Bhikkhu! You are right; even in the sky or anywhere else, there is no place which is beyond the reach of evil consequences.„

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

At the end of the discourse all the bhikkhus attained Sotapatti Fruition.

While residing at the Nigrodharama monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (128) of this book, with reference to King Suppabuddha.

King Suppabuddha was the father of Devadatta and father-in-law of Prince Siddhattha who later became Gotama Buddha. King Suppabuddha was very antagonistic to the Buddha for two reasons. First, because as prince Siddhattha he had left his wife Yasodhara, the daughter of King Suppabuddha, to renounce the world; and secondly, because his son Devadatta, who was admitted into the Order by Gotama Buddha, had come to regard the Buddha as his arch enemy. One day, knowing that the Buddha would be coming for alms-food, he got himself drunk and blocked the way. When the Buddha and the bhikkhus came, Suppabuddha refused to make way, and sent a message saying, „I cannot give way to Samana Gotama, who is so much younger than me.“ Finding the road blocked, the Buddha and the bhikkhus turned back. Suppabuddha then sent someone to follow the Buddha secretly and find out what the Buddha said, and to report to him.

As the Buddha turned back, he said to Ananda, “Ananda, because King Suppabuddha had refused to give way to me, on the seventh day from now he would be swallowed up by the earth, at the foot of the steps leading to the pinnacled hall of his palace.„ The king's spy heard these words and reported to the king. And the king said that he would not go near those steps and would prove the words of the Buddha to be wrong. Further, he instructed his men to remove those steps, so that he would not be able to use them; he also kept some men on duty, with instructions to hold him back should he go in the direction of the stairs.

When the Buddha was told about the king's instructions to his men, he said, “Bhikkhus! Whether King Suppabuddha lives in a pinnacled tower, or up in the sky, or in an ocean, or in a cave, my word cannot go wrong; King Suppabuddha will be swallowed up by the earth at the very place I have told you.„

Dann sprach der Buddha folgenden Vers:

On the seventh day, about the time of the alms meal the royal horse got frightened for some unknown reason and started neighing loudly and kicking about furiously. Hearing frightening noises from his horse, the king felt that he must handle his pet horse and forgetting all precautions, he started towards the door. The door opened of its own accord, the steps which had been pulled down earlier were also there, his men forgot to stop him from going down. So the king went down the stairs and as soon as he stepped on the earth, it opened and swallowed him up and dragged him right down to Avici Niraya.

End of Chapter Nine: Evil (Papavagga)