(Mv.VIII.15.1) [153] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Bārāṇasī as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Sāvatthī, and traveling by stages, arrived at Sāvatthī. He stayed there in Sāvatthī, at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As she was sitting there, the Blessed One instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged her with a Dhamma talk. Then Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, having been instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged by the Blessed One with a Dhamma talk, said to him, “Lord, may the Blessed One acquiesce to my meal tomorrow, together with the Saṅgha of monks.”

The Blessed One acquiesced with silence.

Then Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, understanding the Blessed One’s acquiescence, got up from her seat, bowed down to him, circumambulated him, keeping him to her right, and left.

(Mv.VIII.15.2) Now on that occasion, as the night was ending, a great storm-cloud, covering the four continents, rained down. The Blessed One addressed the monks, “Monks, on all four continents, it’s raining like it is in Jeta’s Grove. Let your bodies be rained on. This is the last great, four-continent storm-cloud.”

Responding, “As you say,” to the Blessed One, taking off their robes, they let their bodies be rained on.

(Mv.VIII.15.3) Then Visākhā, Migāra’s mother — after having exquisite staple & non-staple food prepared — commanded a slave girl, “Hey, go to the monastery and announce the time: ‘It’s time, lord. The meal is ready.’”

Responding, “As you say, Lady,” to Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, the slave girl went to the monastery and saw the monks, having taken off their robes, letting their bodies be rained on. On seeing them, (thinking,) “There aren’t any monks in the monastery, only naked ascetics letting their bodies be rained on,” went to Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, and on arrival said to her, “Lady, there aren’t any monks in the monastery, only naked ascetics letting their bodies be rained on.”

Then the thought occurred to Visākhā, Migāra’s mother — wise, competent, and intelligent — “Undoubtedly the masters, having taken off their robes, are letting their bodies be rained on. And this foolish girl thought, ‘There aren’t any monks in the monastery, only naked ascetics letting their bodies be rained on.’”

So she commanded the slave girl, “Hey, go to the monastery and announce the time: ‘It’s time, lord. The meal is ready.’”

(Mv.VIII.15.4) Then the monks, having cooled their limbs, their bodies refreshed, put on their robes and each entered his own dwelling. Then the slave girl, having gone to the monastery, not seeing any monks, (thinking,) “There aren’t any monks in the monastery. It’s an empty monastery,” went to Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, and on arrival said to her, “Lady, there aren’t any monks in the monastery. It’s an empty monastery.”

Then the thought occurred to Visākhā, Migāra’s mother — wise, competent, and intelligent — “Undoubtedly the masters, having cooled their limbs, their bodies refreshed, having put on their robes, have each entered his own dwelling. And this foolish girl thought, ‘There aren’t any monks in the monastery. It’s an empty monastery.’”

Again, she commanded the slave girl, “Hey, go to the monastery and announce the time: ‘It’s time, lord. The meal is ready.’”

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks, get together your bowl and robes. It’s time for the meal.”(2)

The monks responded, “As you say, lord.” to the Blessed One.

Then, early in the morning, having adjusted his under robe and, carrying his bowl & robes — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — the Blessed One disappeared from Jeta’s Grove and appeared at Visākhā’s gate. He sat down on a seat laid out, along with the Saṅgha of monks.

(Mv.VIII.15.6) Then, Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, exultant (with the thought,) “How amazing! How astounding! The great power and might of the Tathāgata — in that in crossing even a knee-deep flood or even a waist-deep flood not a single monk’s foot or robe would get wet!” served & satisfied the Blessed One & the Saṅgha of monks with her own hand with choice staple & non-staple foods. When the Blessed One had finished his meal and withdrawn his hand from the bowl, she sat to one side. As she was sitting there, she said to the Blessed One, “Lord, I have eight boons to ask of the Blessed One.”

“Tathāgatas have gone beyond boons, Visākhā.”

“They are allowable and blameless, lord.”

“Say it, Visākhā.”

(Mv.VIII.15.7) As long as I live, I want to give to the Saṅgha rains-bathing cloths, meals for newcomers, meals for those going away, meals for the sick, meals for those tending the sick, medicine for the sick, a steady supply of conjey, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhunīs, water bathing-cloths.”

“But, Visākhā, with what purpose in mind do you ask the eight favors of the Tathāgata?”

“Lord, just now I commanded a slave girl, ‘Hey, go to the monastery and announce the time: ‘It’s time, lord. The meal is ready.’

“Then, going to the monastery, she saw the monks, having taken off their robes, letting their bodies be rained on. On seeing them, (thinking,) ‘There aren’t any monks in the monastery, only naked ascetics letting their bodies be rained on,’ she came to me and said, ‘Lady, there aren’t any monks in the monastery, only naked ascetics letting their bodies be rained on.’

“Lord, nakedness is vile, repulsive, and disgusting. It is with this purpose in mind that I want to give the Saṅgha rains-bathing cloths for as long as I live.

(Mv.VIII.15.8) “Again, lord, a monk who is a newcomer, unskilled in the roads and the area, would have difficulty in going for alms. Having eaten my meals for newcomers, he would become skilled in the roads and the area, and would not become exhausted going for alms. It is with this purpose in mind that I want to give the Saṅgha meals for newcomers for as long as I live.

“Again, lord, a monk who is going away, searching for his own meal, would miss the caravan or he would arrive at the wrong time(3) at the place he wanted to stay, and would travel the road exhausted. Having eaten my meals for those going away, he would not miss the caravan, wouldn’t arrive at the wrong time at the place he wanted to stay, and wouldn’t travel the road exhausted. It is with this purpose in mind that I want to give the Saṅgha meals for those going away for as long as I live.

(Mv.VIII.15.9) “Again, for a sick monk not getting suitable food, his illness would increase or his death would come about. Having eaten my meals for the sick, his illness would not increase and his death would not come about. It is with this purpose in mind that I want to give the Saṅgha meals for the sick for as long as I live.

“Again, lord, a monk attending the sick, searching for his own meal brings back a meal for the sick (monk) after noon and he misses his meal.(4) Having eaten my meals for those tending the sick, he brings back a meal for the sick (monk) on time and he doesn’t miss his meal. It is with this purpose in mind that I want to give the Saṅgha meals for those tending the sick for as long as I live.

(Mv.VIII.15.10) “Again, lord, for a sick monk not getting suitable medicine, his illness would increase or his death would come about. Having taken my medicine for the sick, his illness would not increase and his death would not come about. It is with this purpose in mind that I want to give the Saṅgha medicine for the sick for as long as I live.

“Again, lord, conjey was allowed by the Blessed One at Andhakavinda with ten benefits in mind. With these benefits in mind I want to give the Saṅgha a steady supply of conjey for as long as I live.

(Mv.VIII.15.11) “There was the case, lord, when the bhikkhunīs were bathing naked in the Aciravatī River along with the prostitutes, at the same bathing spot. The prostitutes ridiculed the bhikkhunīs,

“‘Ladies, why are you living the holy life when you’re young? Shouldn’t you partake in sensuality? When you’re old, then live the holy life. That way both ends will be achieved.’(5)

“Being ridiculed by the prostitutes, the bhikkhunīs became embarrassed. Lord, the nakedness of a woman is vile, repulsive, and disgusting.

“It is with this purpose in mind that I want to give the bhikkhunī Saṅgha water-bathing cloths for as long as I live.”

(Mv.VIII.15.12) “But, Visākhā, with what rewards in mind do you ask the eight boons of the Tathāgata?”

“Here, lord, after the Rains retreat, monks from far away places will come to Sāvatthī to see the Blessed One.

“Having arrived, they will ask the Blessed One, ‘Lord, the monk named so-and-so has died. What is his destination, what his future state?’

“The Blessed One will answer about him, in terms of the fruit of stream-entry, of once-return, of non-return, or of arahantship.

“Approaching them, I will ask, ‘Venerable sirs, did the master ever come to Sāvatthī?’

(Mv.VIII.15.13) “If they tell me that he did come to Sāvatthī, then I will come to the conclusion that, ‘Undoubtedly the master used a rains-bathing cloth of mine, or a meal for newcomers, or a meal for those going away, or a meal for the sick, or a meal for those tending the sick, or medicine for the sick, or constant conjey.’

“For me, recollecting that, gladness will be born. When gladdened, rapture will be born. When enraptured at heart, my body will grow calm. My body calm, I will be sensitive to pleasure. When feeling pleasure, the mind will become concentrated.

“That will be the development of my (five) faculties, (five) strengths, and (seven) factors (for Awakening).

“It is with this reward in mind that I ask the eight boons of the Tathāgata.”

(Mv.VIII.15.14) “Good, good, Visākhā. It’s good that you, with this reward in mind, ask the eight boons of the Tathāgata.

“Visākhā, I allow the eight boons.”

Then the Blessed One rejoiced in the merit of Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, with these verses:

[155] Then the Blessed One, having rejoiced in the merit of Visākhā, Migāra’s mother, with these verses, got up from his seat and left.

(Mv.VIII.15.15) Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks:

“Monks, I allow rains-bathing cloths, meals for newcomers, meals for those going away, meals for the sick, meals for those tending the sick, medicine for the sick, constant conjey, and for the Saṅgha of bhikkhunīs, water bathing-cloths.”(7)

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