4.
The Discourse on Bākula
209. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Venerable Bākula was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Then the naked ascetic Kassapa, a former lay companion of the Venerable Bākula, approached the Venerable Bākula; having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Bākula. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the naked ascetic Kassapa said this to the Venerable Bākula -
"How long have you been gone forth, friend Bākula?" "Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend." "But during these eighty years, friend Bākula, how many times have you indulged in sexual intercourse?" "I should not be asked thus, friend Kassapa - 'But during these eighty years, friend Bākula, how many times have you indulged in sexual intercourse?' But I should be asked thus, friend Kassapa - 'But during these eighty years, friend Bākula, how many times has perception of sensuality arisen in you?'"
210. "Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend, and I do not know of a perception of sensuality having arisen before. That the Venerable Bākula for eighty years does not know of a perception of sensuality having arisen before - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula.
"Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend, and I do not know of a perception of anger... etc. a perception of violence having arisen before. That the Venerable Bākula for eighty years does not know of a perception of violence having arisen before - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula.
"Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend, and I do not know of a sensual thought having arisen before. That the Venerable Bākula for eighty years does not know of a sensual thought having arisen before - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula.
"Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend, and I do not know of a thought of anger... etc. a thought of violence having arisen before. That the Venerable Bākula for eighty years does not know of a thought of violence having arisen before - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula.
211. "Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend, and I do not know of having accepted a robe given by a householder. That the Venerable Bākula for eighty years does not know of having accepted a robe given by a householder - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula.
"Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend, and I do not know of having cut a robe with a knife. That the Venerable Bākula for eighty years does not know of having cut a robe with a knife... etc... we remember.
"Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend, and I do not know of having sewn a robe with a needle... etc... I do not know of having dyed a robe with dye... I do not know of having sewn a robe for the kathina robe-making ceremony... I do not know of having been engaged in robe-making for fellows in the holy life... I do not know of having accepted an invitation... I do not know of such a thought having arisen before - 'Oh, may someone invite me!'... I do not know of having sat in an inhabited area... I do not know of having eaten in an inhabited area... I do not know of having grasped the sign of a woman by her features... I do not know of having taught the Teaching to a woman, even a verse of four lines... I do not know of having approached the nuns' quarters... I do not know of having taught the Teaching to a nun... I do not know of having taught the Teaching to a female trainee... I do not know of having taught the Teaching to a female novice... I do not know of having given the going forth... I do not know of having given full ordination... I do not know of having given guidance... I do not know of having caused a novice to attend... I do not know of having bathed in a sweat room... I do not know of having bathed with bath powder... I do not know of having been engaged in body care for fellows in the holy life... I do not know of an illness having arisen before, even for the time it takes to milk a cow... I do not know of having taken medicine, even a piece of yellow myrobalan... I do not know of having leaned against a backrest... I do not know of having prepared a sleeping place. That the Venerable... etc... we remember.
"Eighty years have I been gone forth, friend, and I do not know of having entered the rains retreat in a lodging near a village. That the Venerable Bākula for eighty years does not know of having entered the rains retreat in a lodging near a village - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula.
"For only seven days, friend, did I, with conflict, eat food obtained from the people; then on the eighth day final liberating knowledge arose. That the Venerable Bākula for only seven days, with conflict, ate food obtained from the people; then on the eighth day final liberating knowledge arose - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula.
212. "May I, friend Bākula, receive the going forth in this Teaching and discipline, may I receive full ordination." The naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth in this Teaching and discipline, he received full ordination. Not long after being fully ordained, the Venerable Kassapa, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, before long - that unsurpassed final goal of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness - the final goal of the holy life, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwelt. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being." And the Venerable Kassapa became one of the Worthy Ones.
Then the Venerable Bākula at a later time, having taken a key, having approached from dwelling to dwelling, said thus - "Come forth, venerable sirs, come forth, venerable sirs. Today my final Nibbāna will take place." "That the Venerable Bākula, having taken a key, having approached from dwelling to dwelling, said thus - 'Come forth, venerable sirs, come forth, venerable sirs; today my final Nibbāna will take place' - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula."
The Venerable Bākula attained final Nibbāna while sitting in the midst of the community of monks. "That the Venerable Bākula attained final Nibbāna while sitting in the midst of the community of monks - this too we remember as a wonderful and marvellous quality of the Venerable Bākula."
The Discourse on Bākula is concluded as fourth.