3:7 With Sela

So I have heard:

At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Northern Āpaṇas together with a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants when he arrived at a town of the Northern Āpaṇas named Āpaṇa.

The matted-hair ascetic Keṇiya heard: “It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—has arrived at Āpaṇa, together with a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants. He has this good reputation: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others. He teaches Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. It’s good to see such perfected ones.”

So Keṇiya approached the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk. Then he said to the Buddha: “Would Master Gotama together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?”

When he said this, the Buddha said to him: “The Saṅgha is large, Keṇiya; there are 1,250 mendicants. And you are devoted to the brahmins.”

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For a second time, Keṇiya asked the Buddha to accept a meal offering. “Never mind that the Saṅgha is large, with 1,250 mendicants, and that I am devoted to the brahmins. Would Master Gotama together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?” And for a second time, the Buddha gave the same reply.

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For a third time, Keṇiya asked the Buddha to accept a meal offering. “Never mind that the Saṅgha is large, with 1,250 mendicants, and that I am devoted to the brahmins. Would Master Gotama together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?” The Buddha consented in silence.

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Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Keṇiya got up from his seat and went to his own hermitage. There he addressed his friends and colleagues, relatives and family members: “My friends and colleagues, relatives and family members: please listen! The ascetic Gotama together with the mendicant Saṅgha has been invited by me for tomorrow’s meal. Please help me with the preparations.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. Some dug ovens, some chopped wood, some washed dishes, some set out a water jar, and some spread out seats. Meanwhile, Keṇiya set up the pavilion himself.

Now at that time the brahmin Sela was residing in Āpaṇa. He had mastered the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies, ritual, phonology and etymology, and the testament as fifth. He knew philology and grammar, and was well versed in cosmology and the marks of a great man. And he was teaching three hundred students to recite the hymns.

And at that time Keṇiya was devoted to Sela. Then Sela, while going for a walk escorted by the three hundred students, approached Keṇiya’s hermitage. He saw the preparations going on, and said to Keṇiya: “Keṇiya, is your son or daughter being married? Or are you setting up a big sacrifice? Or has King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha been invited for tomorrow’s meal?”

“There is no marriage, Sela, and the king is not coming. Rather, I am setting up a big sacrifice. The ascetic Gotama has arrived at Āpaṇa, together with a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants. He has this good reputation: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ He has been invited by me for tomorrow’s meal together with the mendicant Saṅgha.”

“Mister Keṇiya, did you say ‘the awakened one’?”

“I said ‘the awakened one’.”

“Mister Keṇiya, did you say ‘the awakened one’?”

“I said ‘the awakened one’.”

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Then Sela thought: “It’s hard to even find the word ‘awakened one’ in the world. The thirty-two marks of a great man have been handed down in our hymns. A great man who possesses these has only two possible destinies, no other. If he stays at home he becomes a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. His dominion extends to all four sides, he achieves stability in the country, and he possesses the seven treasures. He has the following seven treasures: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the jewel, the woman, the treasurer, and the counselor as the seventh treasure. He has over a thousand sons who are valiant and heroic, crushing the armies of his enemies. After conquering this land girt by sea, he reigns by principle, without rod or sword. But if he goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, he becomes a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, who draws back the veil from the world. “But Keṇiya, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha?”

When he said this, Keṇiya pointed with his right arm and said: “There, Mister Sela, at that line of blue forest.” Then Sela, together with his students, approached the Buddha. He said to his students: “Come quietly, gentlemen, tread gently. For the Buddhas are intimidating, like a lion living alone. When I’m consulting with the ascetic Gotama, don’t interrupt. Wait until I’ve finished speaking.”

Then Sela went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. and scrutinized the Buddha’s body for the thirty-two marks of a great man. He saw all of them except for two, which he had doubts about: whether the private parts were covered in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue.

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Then it occurred to the Buddha: “Sela sees all the marks except for two, which he has doubts about: whether the private parts are covered in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue.” The Buddha used his psychic power to will that Sela would see his private parts covered in a foreskin. And he stuck out his tongue and stroked back and forth on his ear holes and nostrils, and covered his entire forehead with his tongue.

Then Sela thought: “The ascetic Gotama possesses the thirty-two marks completely, lacking none. But I don’t know whether or not he is an awakened one. I have heard that brahmins of the past who were elderly and senior, the teachers of teachers, said, ‘Those who are perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas reveal themselves when praised.’ Why don’t I extoll him in his presence with fitting verses?” Then Sela extolled the Buddha in his presence with fitting verses:

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Sela

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Buddha

Sela

Buddha

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Sela

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Pupils

Narrator

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Buddha

And the brahmin Sela together with his assembly received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence. And when the night had passed Keṇiya had a variety of delicious foods prepared in his own home. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying: “It’s time, Master Gotama, the meal is ready.” Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to Keṇiya’s hermitage, where he sat on the seat spread out, together with the Saṅgha of mendicants.

Then Keṇiya served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with a variety of delicious foods. When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Keṇiya took a low seat and sat to one side. The Buddha expressed his appreciation with these verses:

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Buddha

When the Buddha had expressed his appreciation to Keṇiya the matted-hair ascetic with these verses, he got up from his seat and left.

Then Venerable Sela and his assembly, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. They lived having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. And Venerable Sela together with his assembly became perfected.

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Then Sela with his assembly went to see the Buddha. He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said:

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Sela

Selasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ:

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā aṅguttarāpesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ aḍḍhateḷasehi bhikkhusatehi yena āpaṇaṁ nāma aṅguttarāpānaṁ nigamo tadavasari.

Assosi kho keṇiyo jaṭilo "Samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito aṅguttarāpesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ aḍḍhateḷasehi bhikkhusatehi āpaṇaṁ anuppatto. Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:  ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti. Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī"ti.

Atha kho keṇiyo jaṭilo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Atha kho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "adhivāsetu me bhavaṁ gotamo svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā"ti.

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ etadavoca:  "mahā kho, keṇiya, bhikkhusaṅgho aḍḍhateḷasāni bhikkhusatāni; tvañca brāhmaṇesu abhippasanno"ti.

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Dutiyampi kho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "kiñcāpi, bho gotama, mahā bhikkhusaṅgho aḍḍhateḷasāni bhikkhusatāni, ahañca brāhmaṇesu abhippasanno; adhivāsetu me bhavaṁ gotamo svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā"ti. Dutiyampi kho bhagavā keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ etadavoca:  "mahā kho, keṇiya, bhikkhusaṅgho aḍḍhateḷasāni bhikkhusatāni; tvañca brāhmaṇesu abhippasanno"ti.

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Tatiyampi kho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "kiñcāpi, bho gotama, mahā bhikkhusaṅgho aḍḍhateḷasāni bhikkhusatāni, ahañca brāhmaṇesu abhippasanno, adhivāsetu me bhavaṁ gotamo svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā"ti. Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

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Atha kho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā yena sako assamo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā mittāmacce ñātisālohite āmantesi:  "suṇantu me bhavanto mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā, samaṇo me gotamo nimantito svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena, yena me kāyaveyyāvaṭikaṁ kareyyāthā"ti.

"Evaṁ, bho"ti kho keṇiyassa jaṭilassa mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā keṇiyassa jaṭilassa paṭissutvā appekacce uddhanāni khaṇanti, appekacce kaṭṭhāni phālenti, appekacce bhājanāni dhovanti, appekacce udakamaṇikaṁ patiṭṭhāpenti, appekacce āsanāni paññāpenti. Keṇiyo pana jaṭilo sāmaṁyeva maṇḍalamāḷaṁ paṭiyādeti.

Tena kho pana samayena selo brāhmaṇo āpaṇe paṭivasati, tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū sanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ sākkharappabhedānaṁ itihāsapañcamānaṁ padako veyyākaraṇo lokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu anavayo, tīṇi ca māṇavakasatāni mante vāceti.

Tena kho pana samayena keṇiyo jaṭilo sele brāhmaṇe abhippasanno hoti. Atha kho selo brāhmaṇo tīhi māṇavakasatehi parivuto jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno yena keṇiyassa jaṭilassa assamo tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho selo brāhmaṇo keṇiyassa jaṭilassa assame appekacce uddhanāni khaṇante … pe … appekacce āsanāni paññapente, keṇiyaṁ pana jaṭilaṁ sāmaṁyeva maṇḍalamāḷaṁ paṭiyādentaṁ. Disvāna keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ etadavoca:  "Kiṁ nu kho bhoto keṇiyassa āvāho vā bhavissati, vivāho vā bhavissati, mahāyañño vā paccupaṭṭhito, rājā vā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro nimantito svātanāya saddhiṁ balakāyenā"ti?

"Na me, bho sela, āvāho vā bhavissati vivāho vā, nāpi rājā māgadho seniyo bimbisāro nimantito svātanāya saddhiṁ balakāyena; api ca kho me mahāyañño paccupaṭṭhito. Atthi samaṇo gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito aṅguttarāpesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ aḍḍhateḷasehi bhikkhusatehi āpaṇaṁ anuppatto. Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ … pe … buddho bhagavāti. So me nimantito svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā"ti.

"Buddhoti, bho keṇiya, vadesi"?

"Buddhoti, bho sela, vadāmi".

"Buddhoti, bho keṇiya, vadesi"?

"Buddhoti, bho sela, vadāmī"ti.

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Atha kho selassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:  "ghosopi kho eso dullabho lokasmiṁ yadidaṁ buddhoti. Āgatāni kho panamhākaṁ mantesu dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni, yehi samannāgatassa mahāpurisassa dveva gatiyo bhavanti anaññā. Sace agāraṁ ajjhāvasati rājā hoti cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto sattaratanasamannāgato. Tassimāni satta ratanāni bhavanti, seyyathidaṁ – cakkaratanaṁ, hatthiratanaṁ, assaratanaṁ, maṇiratanaṁ, itthiratanaṁ, gahapatiratanaṁ, pariṇāyakaratanameva sattamaṁ. Parosahassaṁ kho panassa puttā bhavanti sūrā vīraṅgarūpā parasenappamaddanā. So imaṁ pathaviṁ sāgarapariyantaṁ adaṇḍena asatthena dhammena abhivijiya ajjhāvasati. Sace kho pana agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati, arahaṁ hoti sammāsambuddho loke vivaṭṭacchado. Kahaṁ pana, bho keṇiya, etarahi so bhavaṁ gotamo viharati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho"ti?

Evaṁ vutte, keṇiyo jaṭilo dakkhiṇaṁ bāhuṁ paggahetvā selaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca:  "yenesā, bho sela, nīlavanarājī"ti. Atha kho selo brāhmaṇo tīhi māṇavakasatehi saddhiṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Atha kho selo brāhmaṇo te māṇavake āmantesi:  "appasaddā bhonto āgacchantu, pade padaṁ nikkhipantā. Durāsadā hi te bhagavanto sīhāva ekacarā. Yadā cāhaṁ, bho, samaṇena gotamena saddhiṁ manteyyaṁ, mā me bhonto antarantarā kathaṁ opātetha; kathāpariyosānaṁ me bhavanto āgamentū"ti.

Atha kho selo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho selo brāhmaṇo bhagavato kāye dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni samannesi. Addasā kho selo brāhmaṇo bhagavato kāye dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni yebhuyyena ṭhapetvā dve. Dvīsu mahāpurisalakkhaṇesu kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati – kosohite ca vatthaguyhe pahūtajivhatāya cāti.

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Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi:  "passati kho me ayaṁ selo brāhmaṇo dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni yebhuyyena ṭhapetvā dve. Dvīsu mahāpurisalakkhaṇesu kaṅkhati vicikicchati nādhimuccati na sampasīdati – kosohite ca vatthaguyhe pahūtajivhatāya cā"ti. Atha kho bhagavā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāsi, yathā addasa selo brāhmaṇo bhagavato kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ. Atha kho bhagavā jivhaṁ ninnāmetvā ubhopi kaṇṇasotāni anumasi paṭimasi, ubhopi nāsikasotāni anumasi paṭimasi, kevalampi nalāṭamaṇḍalaṁ jivhāya chādesi.

Atha kho selassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:  "samannāgato kho samaṇo gotamo dvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi paripuṇṇehi, no aparipuṇṇehi. No ca kho naṁ jānāmi buddho vā no vā. Sutaṁ kho pana metaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ vuḍḍhānaṁ mahallakānaṁ ācariyapācariyānaṁ bhāsamānānaṁ:  ‘ye te bhavanti arahanto sammāsambuddhā, te sake vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attānaṁ pātukarontī’ti. Yannūnāhaṁ samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthaveyyan"ti. Atha kho selo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi: 

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(bhagavā):

(iti selo brāhmaṇo):

(selāti bhagavā):

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(selāti bhagavā):

Alattha kho selo brāhmaṇo sapariso bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ. Atha kho keṇiyo jaṭilo tassā rattiyā accayena sake assame paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā bhagavato kālaṁ ārocāpesi:  "kālo, bho gotama, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan"ti. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena keṇiyassa jaṭilassa assamo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena.

Atha kho keṇiyo jaṭilo buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi. Atha kho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ aññataraṁ nīcaṁ āsanaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ bhagavā imāhi gāthāhi anumodi: 

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Atha kho bhagavā keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ imāhi gāthāhi anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

Atha kho āyasmā selo sapariso eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva … pe … aññataro kho panāyasmā selo sapariso arahataṁ ahosi.

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Atha kho āyasmā selo sapariso yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ cīvaraṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

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Selasuttaṁ sattamaṁ.