34c: The 19th Year (Conversions) – 1150
When they were thus seated the Buddha gave a series of talks to them, a family
of sixteen members: Talk on generosity (
dāna-kathā
), talk on morality (
sīla-
kathā
), talk on celestial abodes (
sagga-kathā
), talk on the faults of sensual
pleasures (
kammānaṁ ādinava-kathā
) and talk on the advantages of
renunciation (
nekkhamme ānisaṁsakathā
) in this order. At the end of the talk,
Kukkuṭamitta the hunter and his seven sons and the seven daughters-in-law,
were established in Stream-entry (
Sotāpatti-phala
). Having thus helped them
realise Stream-entry, the Buddha entered Rājagaha for alms and returned to the
monastery in the afternoon.
The Buddha was then asked by Ven. Ānanda: “Where have you been, exalted
Buddha?” – “I have been to the home of Kukkuṭamitta the hunter, my dear son
Ānanda,” was the answer. “Have you, exalted Buddha, made him one who
refrains from the wrong-doing of taking life? Have you admonished and
emancipated him?” – “Yes I have, dear Ānanda,” the Buddha answered. “All of
them, with Kukkuṭamitta as the fifteenth member, are now established in
unwavering faith, absolutely free from doubts in the Three Treasures, and they
have become people who refrain from the evil act of killing.”
The monks interrupted them, saying: “Exalted Buddha, there is also the hunter’s
wife; was she not there?” – “Yes, she was,” answered the Buddha. “Monks, that
housewife has already become a Stream-enterer (
Sotāpanna
) while still living as
a girl in her parent’s home.”
Then a discussion took place at a religious meeting in the Dhamma-hall
(
Dhamma-sāla
), as follows: “Friends, Kukkuṭamitta’s wife, a merchant’s
daughter, had attained Stream-entry (
Sotāpatti-phala
) while still a young
woman who was still living with her parents. Thereafter she followed the hunter
to his home and had seven sons. Asked by her husband to bring the bow, the
arrow, the spear, the stake, or the net, she would bring them to him. The hunter
on his part would carry those weapons given by his Stream-enterer (
Sotāpanna
)
wife and would commit the evil deed of taking life day after day for a long time.
How is it friends? Do those Stream-enterers (
Sotāpanna
), the noble ones, too
commit such a crime?”
The Buddha came to the monk’s meeting and asked: “What was the subject-
matter of your discussion, monks, before I came here?” The monks answered:
“We were discussing this matter of Kukkuṭamitta’s wife, the daughter of a
merchant.”