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The Discourse about the Great Emancipation

[The Second Chapter for Recitation]

[15: The Courtesan Ambapàlã]

Then the GraciousOne, after living near Nàdika for as long as he liked, addressed venerable ânanda, (saying): ßCome ânanda let us approach Vesàlã.û

ßVery well, reverend Sir,û venerable ânanda replied to the Gracious One. Then the Gracious One together with a great Community of monks arrived at Vesàlã. There the Gracious One lived near Vesàlã in Ambapàlã's Wood. There the Gracious One addressed the monks, (saying):

ßMindfully and with full awareness, monks, a monk should live, this is our advice to you. Comm: sato bhikkhave ti Bhagavà Ambapàlidassane satipaccupaññhànatthaü visesato idha satipaññhànadesanaü àrabhi; mindful, monks, the Gracious One began the teaching of mindfulness specially here, so that they would be attending to mindfulness when they saw Ambapàlã.⁰¹ And how, monks, is a monk mindful? What follows is the summary of the ways of attending to mindfulness (satipaññhàna), a translation of which is found elsewhere on this website.⁰²

Here, monks, a monk dwells contemplating (the nature of) the body in the body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world; he dwells contemplating (the nature of) feelings in feelings, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world; he dwells contemplating (the nature of) the mind in the mind, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world; he dwells contemplating (the nature of) things in (various) things, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.

Thus, monks, a monk is mindful. And how, monks, does a monk have full awareness? This now forms of section in the Satipaññhànasutta.⁰³

Here, monks, a monk in going forwards, in going back, is one who practises with full awareness, in looking ahead, or in looking around, he is one who practises with full awareness, in bending or in stretching, he is one who practises with full awareness, in bearing his double-robe, bowl, and (other) robes, he is one who practises with full awareness, in eating, in drinking, in chewing, in tasting, he is one who practises with full awareness, in passing stool and urine, he is one who practises with full awareness, in going, in standing, in sitting, in sleeping, in waking, in talking, and in maintaining silence, he is one who practises with full awareness.

Thus, monks, a monk has full awareness. Mindfully and with full awareness, monks, a monk should live, this is our advice to you.û

* * *

The courtesan Ambapàlã heard: ßThe Gracious One, it seems, has reached Vesàlã and is living near Vesàlã in my Mango Wood.û Ambapàlã's name means (daughter of the) Mango Keeper, though according to the Commentary she was born spontaneously in a mango wood perhaps this one?), and hence acquired the name. Courtesans like Ambapàli were often very rich as we can see from the description of her vehicles and pleasure garden.⁰⁴

Then the courtesan Ambapàlã, after having (many) great and august vehicles prepared, and mounting (those) great and august vehicles, departed with those great and august vehicles from Vesàlã, and after approaching by vehicle to her pleasure garden as far as the ground for vehicles (would allow), and descending from the vehicles, she approached the Gracious One by foot, and after approaching and worshipping the Gracious One, she sat down on one side. While the courtesan Ambapàlã was sitting on one side the Gracious One instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered her with a talk about the Teaching.

Then the courtesan Ambapàlã, having been instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered by the Gracious One with a talk about the Teaching, said to the Gracious One: ßMay the Gracious One consent, reverend Sir, to me (offering him) a meal on the morrow, together with the Community of monks.û

The Gracious One consented by maintaining silence. Then the courtesan Ambapàlã, having understood the Gracious One's consent, after rising from her seat, worshipping and circumambulating the Gracious One, went away.

The Licchavãs from Vesàlã heard: ßThe Gracious One, it seems, had reached Vesàlã and is living near Vesàlã in Ambapàlã's Wood.û

Then those Licchavãs, after having (many) great and august vehicles prepared, and mounting (those) great and august vehicles, departed with those great and august vehicles from Vesàlã. There some of the Licchavãs were blue, having a blue appearance, with blue clothes and blue decorations; some of the Licchavãs were yellow, having a yellow appearance, with yellow clothes and yellow decorations; some of the Licchavãs were red, having a red appearance, with red clothes and red decorations; some of the Licchavãs were white, having a white appearance, with white clothes and white decorations.

Then the courtesan Ambapàlã rolled alongside the Licchavã youths axle by axle, wheel by wheel, and yoke by yoke. Then those Licchavãs said this to the courtesan Ambapàlã: ßWhy do you, Ambapàlã, roll alongside the Licchavã youths axle by axle, wheel by wheel, and yoke by yoke?û

ßBecause I have invited the Gracious One, noble sirs, for a meal on the morrow, together with the Community of monks.û

ßGive (us) this meal, Ambapàlã, for a hundred thousand (kahapanas).û

ßIf, noble sirs, you would give Vesàlã and its revenues Lit: with its means (of existence) (sàhàraü).⁰⁵ still I would not give this meal (to you).û

Then the Licchavãs snapped their fingers, (thinking): ßWe have surely been defeated by a woman, we have surely been defeated by a woman.û This is a play on Ambapàlã's name. Ambaka, means a woman.⁰⁶

Then the Licchavãs entered Ambapàlã's Wood. The Gracious One saw those Licchavãs coming from afar, and having seen (them), he addressed the monks, (saying): ßLet those monks who have not seen the Tàvatiüsa Divinities, monks, look at the Licchavã troupe, monks, look upon the Licchavã troupe, monks, contemplate the Licchavã troupe, monks, who are like the Tàvatiüsa (Divinities).û The Commentary says that the Buddha urged the monks to look on the splendour of the Licchavã princes so that they would remember it and realise the nature of impermanence when they were destroyed by the Magadahan King Ajàtasattu.⁰⁷

Then after the Licchavãs had gone as far as the ground for vehicles (would allow), and had descended from the vehicles, they approached the Gracious One by foot, and after approaching and worshipping the Gracious One, they sat down at one side.

While the Licchavãs were sitting on one side the Gracious One instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered them with a talk about the Teaching. Then the Licchavãs, having been instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered by the Gracious One with a talk about the Teaching, said to the Gracious One: ßPlease consent to us (offering) a meal on the morrow, together with the Community of monks.û

ßI have (already) consented to the courtesan Ambapàlã's meal on the morrow.û

Then the Licchavãs snapped their fingers, (thinking): ßWe have surely been defeated by a woman, we have surely been defeated by a woman.û

Then the Licchavãs, after greatly rejoicing and gladly receiving this word of the Gracious One, This stock phrase seems out of place here, given the circumstances.⁰⁸ rising from their seats, worshipping and circumambulating the Gracious One, went away.

Then the courtesan Ambapàlã after the night had passed, having had excellent foodstuffs made ready in her own pleasure park, had the time announced to the Gracious One, (saying): ßIt is time, reverend Sir, the meal is ready.û

Then the Gracious One, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, together with the Community of monks, approached the courtesan Ambapàlã's residence, and after approaching he sat down on the prepared seat. Then the courtesan Ambapàlã with her own hand served and satisfied the Community of monks with the Buddha at its head with excellent foodstuffs.

Then the courtesan Ambapàlã, when the Gracious One had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, having taken a certain low seat, sat down on one side. While sitting on one side the courtesan Ambapàlã said this to the Gracious One: ßI donate this pleasure park, reverend Sir, to the Community of monks with the Buddha at its head.û âràma (from Ñram) originally meant a pleasure park, but they were ideal places for monks, and many were given over for that purpose, and the name eventually came to mean monastery.⁰⁹

The Gracious One accepted the pleasure park. Then the Gracious One, after instructing, rousing, enthusing, and cheering the courtesan Ambapàlã with a talk about the Teaching, having risen from the seat, went away. Unfortunately the Commentary gives us no idea what the Buddha taught to Ambapàli on this occasion.¹⁰

* * *

There also the Gracious One, while living in Vesàlã in Ambapàlã's Wood, spoke frequently to the monks about the Teaching, (saying):

ßSuch is virtue, such is concentration, such is wisdom, when virtue is well-developed it yields great fruit and brings great advantages in regard to concentration, when concentration is well-developed it yields great fruit and brings great advantages in regard to wisdom, when wisdom is well-developed the mind is completely liberated from the pollutants, that is to say: the pollutant of sensuality, the pollutant of (craving for) continued existence, the pollutant of ignorance.û