(Mv.VI.34.1) [83] Now at that time Meṇḍaka the householder lived in the city of Bhaddiya. He had this kind of supernatural power: Having bathed his head and had the granary swept, he would sit outside the door. From the sky, a stream of grain would pour down and fill the granary. His wife had this kind of supernatural power: Having sat down near a single one-āḷhaka bowl and a single curry-pot, she could serve the slaves and workmen with a meal. It wouldn’t run out as long as she didn’t get up. His son had this kind of supernatural power: Taking a single bag of a thousand, he would give the slaves and workmen their wages for six months. It wouldn’t run out as long as it was in his hand.

(Mv.VI.34.2) His daughter-in-law had this kind of supernatural power: Having sat down near a single four-doṇa(1) basket, she could give ten workmen their food for six months. It wouldn’t run out as long as she didn’t get up. His slave had this kind of supernatural power: Plowing with a single plowshare, he cut seven furrows.

(Mv.VI.34.3) King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha heard that, “They say that in our kingdom, Meṇḍaka the householder is living in the city of Bhaddiya. He has this kind of supernatural power: Having bathed his head and had the granary swept, he sits outside the door. From the sky, a stream of grain pours down and fills the granary. His wife has this kind of supernatural power: Having sat down near a single one-āḷhaka bowl and a single curry-pot, she can serve the slaves and workmen with a meal. It doesn’t run out as long as she doesn’t get up. His son has this kind of supernatural power: Taking a single bag of a thousand, he gives the slaves and workmen their wages for six months. It doesn’t run out as long as it’s in his hand.

(Mv.VI.34.4) “His daughter-in-law has this kind of supernatural power: Having sat down near a single four-doṇa basket, she can give ten workmen their food for six months. It doesn’t run out as long as she doesn’t get up. His slave has this kind of supernatural power: Plowing with a single plowshare, he cuts seven furrows.”

(Mv.VI.34.5) Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha addressed a certain all-purpose minister, “I say, in our kingdom, they say, Meṇḍaka the householder is living in the city of Bhaddiya. He has this kind of supernatural power: Having bathed his head and had the granary swept, he sits outside the door. From the sky, a stream of grain pours down and fills the granary. …

“His slave has this kind of supernatural power: Plowing with a single plowshare, he cuts seven furrows.

“I say, go and find out (about it): What you have seen will be as if seen by me.”

Responding, “As you say, your majesty,” to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Māgadha, he set forth for Bhaddiya with a fourfold army.

(Mv.VI.34.6) Traveling by stages, he arrived there and went to Meṇḍaka the householder. On arrival he said to Meṇḍaka, “I’ve been commanded by the king, householder, (saying,) ‘I say, in our kingdom, they say, Meṇḍaka the householder is living in the city of Bhaddiya. He has this kind of supernatural power: Having bathed his head and had the granary swept, he sits outside the door. From the sky, a stream of grain pours down and fills the granary. …

“‘… His slave has this kind of supernatural power: Plowing with a single plowshare, he cuts seven furrows. I say, go and find out (about it): It will be as if what is seen by you was seen by me myself.’ We would like to see your supernatural power, householder.”

Then Meṇḍaka the householder, having bathed his head and had the granary swept, sat outside the door. From the sky, a stream of grain poured down and filled the granary.

“We have seen your supernatural power, householder. We would like to see your wife’s supernatural power.”

(Mv.VI.34.7) So Meṇḍaka the householder told his wife, “In that case, serve the fourfold army with a meal.”

Having sat down near a single one-āḷhaka bowl and a single curry-pot, Meṇḍaka the householder’s wife served the fourfold army with a meal. It didn’t run out as long as she didn’t get up.

“We have seen your wife’s supernatural power, householder. We would like to see your son’s supernatural power.”

(Mv.VI.34.8) So Meṇḍaka the householder told his son, “In that case, give the fourfold army their wages for six months.”

Taking a single bag of a thousand, Meṇḍaka the householder’s son gave the fourfold army their wages for six months. It didn’t run out as long as it was in his hand.

“We have seen your son’s supernatural power, householder. We would like to see your daughter-in-law’s supernatural power.”

(Mv.VI.34.9) So Meṇḍaka the householder told his daughter-in-law, “In that case, give the fourfold army their food for six months.”

Having sat down near a single four-doṇa basket, Meṇḍaka the householder’s daughter-in-law gave the fourfold army food for six months. It didn’t run out as long as she didn’t get up.

“We have seen your daughter-in-law’s supernatural power, householder. We would like to see your slave’s supernatural power.”

“Master, my slave’s supernatural power is to be seen in the field.”

“Enough, householder. We’ve seen your slave’s supernatural power.”(2)

Then the minister went back to Rājagaha again with the fourfold army, and went to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Māgadha. On arrival, he reported the matter to the king.

(Mv.VI.34.10) [84] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Vesālī as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Bhaddiya, along with a large Saṅgha of monks — 1,250 monks. Then, traveling by stages, he arrived at Bhaddiya. There at Bhaddiya, the Blessed One stayed in Jāti’s Grove.

(Mv.VI.34.11) Meṇḍaka the householder heard that, “Master Gotama the contemplative — the son of the Sakyans, having gone forth from the Sakyan clan, has arrived at Bhaddiya and is staying in Jāti’s Grove.

“And of that master Gotama this fine reputation has spread: ‘He is indeed a Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed. He has made known — having realized it through direct knowledge — this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, its generations with their contemplatives & brahmans, their rulers & common people. He has explained the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end; has expounded the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. It is good to see such a worthy one.’”

(Mv.VI.34.12) Then Meṇḍaka the householder, having had auspicious vehicles yoked, mounting an auspicious vehicle, set out from Bhaddiya with the auspicious vehicles to see the Blessed One. Several sectarians saw him coming from afar and, on seeing him, said to him, “Where are you going, householder?”

“Venerable sirs, I’m going to see the contemplative Gotama.”

“But why, householder, are you, an espouser of a doctrine of action, going to see the contemplative Gotama, an espouser of a doctrine of inaction? The contemplative Gotama is an espouser of a doctrine of inaction, teaches the Dhamma for the sake of inaction, and trains his disciples with that.”

(Mv.VI.34.13) Then the thought occurred to Meṇḍaka the householder, “Undoubtedly the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened. That’s why these sectarians are envious.”

Going in his vehicle as far as there was ground for a vehicle, getting down from his vehicle, he went to the Blessed One on foot. On arrival, having bowed to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One gave him a graduated talk: talk on generosity, talk on virtue, talk on heaven, talk on the drawbacks, lowliness, and defilement of sensuality, and talk on the rewards of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that Meṇḍaka the householder’s mind was ready — malleable, free from hindrances, uplifted, and bright — he proclaimed the characteristic Dhamma talk of Buddhas: stress, origination, cessation, and path. Just as a clean piece of cloth, free from grime, would properly take dye, in the same way the dustless, stainless eye of Dhamma arose for Meṇḍaka the householder as he was sitting right there — “Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.”

Then Meṇḍaka the householder, having seen the Dhamma, having attained the Dhamma, having known the Dhamma, having fathomed the Dhamma, having crossed over and beyond uncertainty, having no more perplexity, having gained fearlessness, independence of others with regard to the Teacher’s message, said to the Blessed One,

“Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.

“And may the Blessed One acquiesce to my meal tomorrow, together with the Saṅgha of monks.”

The Blessed One acquiesced with silence.

(Mv.VI.34.14) Then Meṇḍaka the householder, understanding the Blessed One’s acquiescence, got up from his seat, bowed down to him, circumambulated him, keeping him to his right, and left.

Then, at the end of the night, Meṇḍaka the householder, having ordered exquisite staple and non-staple food prepared, had the time announced to the Blessed One: “It’s time, Lord. The meal is ready.”

Then the Blessed One, early in the morning, adjusted his under robe and — carrying his bowl & outer robe — went to the residence of Meṇḍaka the householder and, on arrival, sat down on a seat laid out, along with the Saṅgha of monks.

(Mv.VI.34.15) Then Meṇḍaka the householder’s wife, son, daughter-in-law, and slave went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, the Blessed One gave them a graduated talk: talk on generosity, talk on virtue, talk on heaven, talk on the drawbacks, lowliness, and defilement of sensuality, and talk on the rewards of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that their minds were ready — malleable, free from hindrances, uplifted, and bright — he proclaimed the characteristic Dhamma talk of Buddhas: stress, origination, cessation, and path. Just as a clean piece of cloth, free from grime, would properly take dye, in the same way the dustless, stainless eye of Dhamma arose for them as they were sitting right there — “Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.”

Then, having seen the Dhamma, having attained the Dhamma, having known the Dhamma, having fathomed the Dhamma, having crossed over and beyond uncertainty, having no more perplexity, having gained fearlessness, independence of others with regard to the Teacher’s message, they said to the Blessed One,

“Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. May Master Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.”

(Mv.VI.34.16) Then, with his own hands, Meṇḍaka the householder served and satisfied the Saṅgha of monks with the Buddha at its head with exquisite staple and non-staple food. Then, when the Blessed One had finished his meal and withdrawn his hand from the bowl, he sat to one side.

As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, for as long as the the Blessed One is staying in Bhaddiya, I (offer) the Saṅgha of monks, with the Buddha at its head, regular meals.”(3)

The Blessed One, having instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Meṇḍaka the householder with Dhamma talk, got up from his seat and left.