27a: The 9th Rains Retreat (Ghosaka and Māgaṇḍiya) – 933 

 

months, and retreated to the forests of the Himālayas in the summer and winter 
seasons, lasting eight months. 

Years rolled by, and one day, the recluses felt exhausted after crossing a vast 
barren land without water on their way from the Himālayas to Kosambī. They 
eventually came upon a huge banyan tree and naturally entertained the hope 
that from the look of the banyan tree, there would be a guardian deity powerful 
enough to provide them with water. 

The guardian deity of the banyan tree thought it would be well to fulfil the need 
of the recluses, and he caused a stream of water, about six inches in volume, to 
flow from the fork of the tree. When the recluses saw the silvery water, they 
received it with their cups and quenched their thirst, and then they began to 
think that it would be a good thing if the guardian deity could also provide them 
with food, since they happened to be in the thick of a forest far away from the 
villages. Whereupon, the guardian deity offered them celestial gruel, which was 
suitable for the recluses. 

The recluses thought, since the guardian deity had provided them with food and 
water, they now had a desire to see him in person. The recluses asked him: 
“Deva, you are enjoying such pleasure; therefore, we wonder what kind of deeds 
of merit you did in your previous existence?” The deity replied: “I observed the 
eight precepts for half a day in my previous existence.” 

This will be further explained: This guardian deity of the banyan tree was one of 
the servants of Anāthapiṇḍika in his previous life. It was customary amongst the 
occupants of the house of Anāthapiṇḍika that everyone should observe the 
precepts on every holy day. One early morning of an Observance Day a 
workman was required to go to the place of work to perform his duties. When 
Anāthapiṇḍika took a list of the recipients of food for that day, he discovered 
that the workman was the only one who had gone to the forest for work that day. 
So he allowed the cook to draw food for the evening, just enough for that 
workman. The cooking woman drew the allotted ration and kept it ready 
prepared for him. On his return, the cook gave him the share of food reserved 
for him. 

When the workman found that the whole house was unusually quiet that day, he 
enquired about the unusual silence and the empty mess room from the cook. “It 
is an Observance Day, so all the occupants of the house are observing the 
precepts,” was her reply. He asked her again: “Is it true, Mother?” She nodded