1008
30: The 12
th
Rains Retreat (Famine)
Having thus spent the 11
th
Rains Retreat (
Vassa
) at the Brahmin village of
Ekanāḷa, giving discourses such as the Discourse to Kasibhāradvāja (
Kasi-
bhāradvāja-sutta
, SN 7.11, Snp 1.4) and others to those who were worthy of
conversion, the Buddha set out from the village at the end of the Rains Retreat
(
Vassa
), distributing the cool medicinal water of the deathless among Devas and
humans, and eventually reached the city of Verañjā. He then took up residence
with 500 monks, who were of high, noble birth, in terms of virtue, near the
margosa (
nimba
) tree, which was occupied by a demon, Naḷeru by name, near
Verañjā city.
The following is based on the Section about Verañjā (
Verañja-kaṇḍa
, Vin
Pār 1, PTS 3.1) and its commentary.
The Brahmin Verañja’s Visit to the Buddha
Then the Brahmin Verañja heard the good news as follows: “Friends, the monk
Gotama, the Sakyan Prince who has become an ascetic, is staying together with
500 highly virtuous monks near the margosa tree which is occupied by the
demon Naḷeru near our city of Veranjā.
The good reputation of Ven. Gotama goes up to the top of the universe
(
Bhavagga
), spreading all over thus: “That Buddha is called an Arahat because
he is worthy of special honour; he is called Perfectly Self-Awakened One
because he understands all phenomena perfectly by himself; he is called
endowed with understanding and good conduct (
vijjā-caraṇa-sampaññā
),
because of his wisdom and practice; he is called Well-gone (
Sugato
) because he
speaks good words; he is called the one who understands the worlds (
loka-vidū
)
because he knows the three worlds analytically; he is called the unsurpassed
guide for those people who need taming (
anuttaro purisa-dammasārathi
)
because of his power in training people; he is called the Teacher of gods and
men (
Satthā-deva-manussānaṁ
) because these beings are taught by him; he is
called Awakened (
Buddha
) because he realizes the four truths by himself and let
others realize them; he is called Fortunate One (
Bhagavā
) because he is endowed
with the sixfold glory.
That Fortunate One comprehends the world of space (
okāsa-loka
) with its Devas,
Māras and Brahmas, as well as the world of sentient beings (
satta-loka
) with its