The Life Stories of the Monks – 1917 

 

 

was done by the other future great disciples. Thereafter, he declared his 
aspiration, saying to the Buddha: “Exalted Buddha, as a result of this great act of 
merit, I do not want any other form of welfare but I want to be the foremost 
(

etad-agga

) among those who receive many material gains, in the Dispensation 

of a Future Buddha, like the monk who was declared so seven days ago.” 

Foreseeing that the man of good family’s wish would be fulfilled without any 
hitch, the Buddha predicted: “Your wish will be fulfilled later in the 
Dispensation of Buddha Gotama,” and then he returned to the monastery. 

Life as a Countryman 

Having performed meritorious deeds till his death, the future Sīvali took rebirth 
only in the realms of Devas and humans, without being reborn in the four 
suffering states. During the lifetime of the Buddha Vipassī, who appeared 91 
aeons ago, he became a man of good family in a certain village not far away 
from the city of Bandhumatī. At that time, the citizens of Bandhumatī, in 
friendly competition with the king, discussed among themselves and gave a big 
alms giving to the Buddha. 

One day, when they gave a collective alms giving, they inspected their offerings 
to see what was missing and discovered that there were no honey and milk curds. 
So they agreed to bring them from any possible place by all means and placed a 
man to watch the road leading to the city from the countryside. 

Then a villager came, the future Sīvali, carrying a pot of milk curds from his 
village and thinking that he would exchange them for something he needed. But, 
before he entered the city, he wished to wash his face and hands and was 
looking for water everywhere but saw a beehive which was as big as the head of 
a plough but without bees. Believing that the beehive appeared because of his 
past act of merit, he took it and entered the city. 

When the townsman, who was assigned to the road, saw the villager, he asked: 
“For whom, friend, are you carrying this honey and these curds?” – “Sir, they 
are not for any particular person. In fact, I am carrying them to sell,” the 
villager answered. “In that case, friend, take a coin from my hand and give me 
that honey and those curds,” said the townsman. 

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Then the villager thought: “These things, which I have brought now, are not 
much valuable, yet this man is buying them from me at a high price, even in his