3.
The Discourse on the Wonderful and Marvellous
197. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Then, when several monks, after the meal, having returned from their alms round, were seated together assembled in the assembly hall, this discussion arose - "It is wonderful, friends, it is marvellous, friends, the great supernormal power and great majesty of the Truth-finder. For the Truth-finder will know the Buddhas of the past who have attained final Nibbāna, who have cut off obsession, who have cut off the path, who have exhausted the round of rebirths, who have transcended all suffering - 'Those Blessed Ones were of such birth,' and also 'those Blessed Ones were of such name,' and also 'those Blessed Ones were of such clan,' and also 'those Blessed Ones were of such morality,' and also 'those Blessed Ones were of such teachings,' and also 'those Blessed Ones were of such wisdom,' and also 'those Blessed Ones were of such dwelling,' and also 'those Blessed Ones were of such liberation!'" When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said this to those monks - "Wonderful indeed, friends, are the Truth-finders and endowed with wonderful qualities; marvellous indeed, friends, are the Truth-finders and endowed with marvellous qualities." And this discussion among those monks was not finished.
198. Then the Blessed One, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, went to the assembly hall; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the monks: "What discussion were you having as you sat together here, monks? And what was the conversation that was interrupted?" "Here, venerable sir, when we, after the meal, having returned from our alms round, were seated together assembled in the assembly hall, this discussion arose - 'It is wonderful, friends, it is marvellous, friends, the great supernormal power and great majesty of the Truth-finder. For the Truth-finder will know the Buddhas of the past who have attained final Nibbāna, who have cut off obsession, who have cut off the path, who have exhausted the round of rebirths, who have transcended all suffering - those Blessed Ones were of such birth, of such name, of such clan, of such morality, of such teachings, of such wisdom, of such dwelling, those Blessed Ones were of such liberation!' When this was said, venerable sir, the Venerable Ānanda said this to us - 'Wonderful indeed, friends, are the Truth-finders and endowed with wonderful qualities; marvellous indeed, friends, are the Truth-finders and endowed with marvellous qualities.' This, venerable sir, was our discussion that was interrupted; then the Blessed One arrived."
199. Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda - "Therefore, Ānanda, let the wonderful and marvellous qualities of the Truth-finder occur to you exceedingly."
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'Mindful and fully aware, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta was reborn in the Tusita realm.' That the Bodhisatta, mindful and fully aware, was reborn in the Tusita realm - this too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'Mindful and fully aware, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta stayed in the Tusita realm.' That the Bodhisatta, mindful and fully aware, stayed in the Tusita realm - this too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
200. "Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'As long as life lasts, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta stayed in the Tusita realm.' That the Bodhisatta stayed in the Tusita realm as long as life lasts - this too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'Mindful and fully aware, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta, having passed away from the Tusita realm, descended into his mother's womb.' That the Bodhisatta, mindful and fully aware, having passed away from the Tusita realm, descended into his mother's womb - this too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
201. "Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta, having passed away from the Tusita realm, descends into his mother's womb, then in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, among the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, an immeasurable, eminent light appears in the world, surpassing even the divine power of the gods. Even in those world-interstices, miserable, uncovered, dark, of blinding darkness, where these moon and sun, so powerful, so mighty, do not reach with their radiance, there too an immeasurable, eminent light appears in the world, surpassing even the divine power of the gods. And those beings who have been reborn there, they too perceive one another by that light - "So there are indeed other beings reborn here, friend." And this ten-thousand world-system trembles, quakes, and shakes violently, and an immeasurable, eminent light appears in the world, surpassing even the divine power of the gods.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
202. "Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta has descended into his mother's womb, four young gods approach for protection in the four directions - Let no human being or non-human being or anyone vex the Bodhisatta or the Bodhisatta's mother.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
203. "Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta has descended into his mother's womb, the Bodhisatta's mother is by nature moral, abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from sexual misconduct, abstaining from lying, abstaining from spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta has descended into his mother's womb, no mental state connected with sensual pleasures arises in the Bodhisatta's mother towards men, and the Bodhisatta's mother is not to be transgressed by any man with a lustful mind.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta has descended into his mother's womb, the Bodhisatta's mother becomes an obtainer of the five types of sensual pleasure. She, endowed and furnished with the five types of sensual pleasure, indulges herself.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
204. "Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta has descended into his mother's womb, no illness whatsoever arises in the Bodhisatta's mother; the Bodhisatta's mother is happy, with unwearied body; and the Bodhisatta's mother sees the Bodhisatta within her womb, complete with all major and minor limbs, not defective in any faculty. Just as, Ānanda, a lapis lazuli gem is beautiful, of pure origin, octagonal, well polished. Through it there might be strung a thread, blue or yellow or red or white or pale yellow. A man with eyes, having placed it in his hand, might review it: this lapis lazuli gem is beautiful, of pure origin, octagonal, well polished; through it there is strung a thread, blue or yellow or red or white or pale yellow. Just so, Ānanda, when the Bodhisatta has descended into his mother's womb, no illness whatsoever arises in the Bodhisatta's mother; the Bodhisatta's mother is happy, with unwearied body; and the Bodhisatta's mother sees the Bodhisatta within her womb, complete with all major and minor limbs, not defective in any faculty.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
205. "Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When the Bodhisatta is seven days old, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta's mother dies and is reborn in the Tusita realm.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'Now, Ānanda, while other women give birth after carrying the embryo in the womb for nine or ten months, the Bodhisatta's mother does not give birth to the Bodhisatta in that way. The Bodhisatta's mother gives birth to the Bodhisatta only after carrying him in the womb for exactly ten months.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'Now, Ānanda, while other women give birth either sitting or lying down, the Bodhisatta's mother does not give birth to the Bodhisatta in that way. The Bodhisatta's mother gives birth to the Bodhisatta only while standing.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, the gods receive him first, afterwards human beings.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
206. "Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, even before the Bodhisatta touches the ground, four young gods receive him and place him before his mother - "Be delighted, queen; an influential son has been born to you.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, he emerges clean, unsmeared by water, unsmeared by phlegm, unsmeared by blood, unsmeared by any impurity, pure and clean. Just as, Ānanda, a jewel gem placed on Kāsi cloth neither smears the Kāsi cloth, nor does the Kāsi cloth smear the jewel gem. What is the reason for this? Because of the purity of both. Just so, Ānanda, when the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, he emerges clean, unsmeared by water, unsmeared by phlegm, unsmeared by blood, unsmeared by any impurity, pure and clean.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, two streams of water appear from the sky - one of cool water, one of warm water; with which they perform the water-function for the Bodhisatta and for his mother.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
207. "Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'Just born, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta, having stood firmly on even feet on the earth, facing north, walks with seven strides, while a white umbrella is held over him, and surveys all directions, and speaks a bold speech - I am the foremost in the world, I am the eldest in the world, I am the best in the world. This is my last birth, there is now no more rebirth.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One.
"Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, venerable sir, face to face I received it - 'When, Ānanda, the Bodhisatta emerges from his mother's womb, then in the world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, among the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, an immeasurable, eminent light appears in the world, surpassing even the divine power of the gods. Even in those world-interstices, miserable, uncovered, dark, of blinding darkness, where these moon and sun, so powerful, so mighty, do not reach with their radiance, there too an immeasurable, eminent light appears in the world, surpassing even the divine power of the gods. And those beings who have been reborn there, they too perceive one another by that light - "So there are indeed other beings reborn here, friend." And this ten-thousand world-system trembles, quakes, and shakes violently, and an immeasurable, eminent light appears in the world, surpassing even the divine power of the gods.' That, venerable sir, etc. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One."
208. "Therefore, Ānanda, remember this too as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Truth-finder. Here, Ānanda, for the Truth-finder feelings arise as known, continue as known, pass away as known; perceptions arise as known, continue as known, pass away as known; applied thoughts arise as known, continue as known, pass away as known. This too, Ānanda, remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Truth-finder." "That, venerable sir, for the Blessed One feelings arise as known, continue as known, pass away as known; perceptions as known... applied thoughts arise as known, continue as known, pass away as known. This too, venerable sir, I remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Blessed One."
This the Venerable Ānanda said. The Teacher was approving; and those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Venerable Ānanda had said.
The Discourse on Wonderful and Marvellous Qualities is concluded as third.