THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
370
SÈtÈgiri Deva asked by this verse:
SampaÒÒÈÑ munino cittaÑ;
kammunÈ vyappathena ca.
VijjÈcaraÓa-sampaÒÒÈÑ;
handa passÈma GotamaÑ.
My friend Hemavata, the mind of the Buddha, whom I have seen, is endowed
with
TÈdiguÓa
. He is endowed with purity of deed, purity of word and purity
of thought. Let us even now go and respectfully behold the Buddha, who is
endowed with the three
vijjÈs
, the eight
vijjÈs
and the fifteen
caraÓas
.
Thereupon, Hemavata Deva, as one who had acquired the power of great learning since
his previous existence, wished to speak in praise of the qualities of the Buddha which
appealed to him and to invite SÈtÈgiri to go along with him and behold the Buddha. Thus,
he recited the following verses:
EnÊja~ghaÑ kisaÑ vÊraÑ;
appÈhÈraÑ alolupaÑ.
MuniÑ vanasmiÑ jhÈyantaÑ;
ehi passcÈma GotamaÑ.
SÊhaÑ v'ekacaraÑ nÈgaÑ:
kÈmesu anapekkhinaÑ.
Upasa~
kamma
pucchÈma;
maccupÈsa-ppamocanaÑ.
Come, SÈtÈgiri, let us go. Let us behold the Buddha of Gotama lineage whose
calves are round and graceful like those of an antelope (eÓÊ) living in the
upper reaches of the forest; whose limbs and other parts of the body, big and
small, are appropriately long in five features, short in four, small in four, tall
in six, and round where they should be round; who is diligent and capable of
resisting and fighting the dangers from within and without the body; who
takes only one meal (a day) just to sustain His body; who has done away with
excessive craving (
loluppa-taÓhÈ
) with regard to food; who is in full
possession of the four
magga-ÒÈÓas
, knowledge of the four Paths; and who
usually remains absorbed in
jhÈna
in a secluded forest.
My friend SÈtÈgiri, let us go to the presence of the Buddha, who, like Kesara
Lion King, cannot be easily approached by ordinary persons; who can
forbear the vicissitudes of the world; who is fearless; who is the one and
only (Buddha) appearing in a universe; who, like Chaddanta Elephant King,
is endowed with great physical and intellectual power; and who is free from
any desire and passion for all the material objects of sensual pleasures. Let
us ask Him about the Dhamma of NibbÈna, which will surely deliver us from
the round of suffering in the three planes of existence, the snare of the King
of Death.
In this way Hemavata urged SÈtÈgiri Deva King and the retinue of one thousand
devayakkhas
to go along with him and worship the Buddha and listen to the Sermons.
Lady KÈÄÊ became A SotÈpanna
It was the day in which the grand festival of the month of ŒsaÄha was being celebrated.
At that time, like a divine damsel enjoying divine luxury in the divine city of TÈvatiÑsa,
which was adorned with ornaments everywhere, a lady, by the name of KÈÄÊ, residing in the
town of Kuraraghara near RÈjagaha City, having gone up to the upper terrace of her
parents' mansion and having opened the lion-propped window, was just standing and letting
herself to be aired, to ease the pains of her impending labour from pregnancy.
(Lady KÈÄÊ hailed from RÈjagaha City. On coming of age, she was married in