[IV. In Rājagaha]
42: The Going-Forth of the Well-Known (Sons of Good Families)
Then at that time many well-known sons of good families from Magadha were living the spiritual life under the Fortunate One. People were grumbling, moaning, cursing: “The Ascetic Gotama’s method is making (families) childless, the Ascetic Gotama’s method is causing breakage and loss, Comm: whatever fathers went forth, those (families) suffered breakage and loss, and (the women) became widows. the Ascetic Gotama’s method is family-smashing, now through him a thousand yogis have gone forth, and these two-hundred and fifty of Sañjaya’s wanderers have gone forth, Notice that again there is no mention of those who went forth in Bārāṇasī. and these many well-known sons of good families from Magadha are (all) living the spiritual life under the Ascetic Gotama,” and having seen the monks, they scolded them with this verse:
“The Great Ascetic has come to Giribbaja Another name for Rājagaha. Cf. Pabbajāsuttaṁ of Suttanipāta (Sn 3.4): the Buddha went to Rājagaha, to Giribbaja of the Magadhans. in Magadha
After leading off all those under Sañjaya, who will he lead off now?”
The monks heard those people grumbling, moaning, cursing. Then those monks informed the Fortunate One of it. “This noise will not last long, monks, it will last for only seven days, and with the passing of seven days it will disappear. Therefore, monks, whoever scolds you with this verse:
‘The Great Ascetic has come to Giribbaja in Magadha
After leading off all those under Sañjaya, who will he lead off now?’
you scold them back with this verse:
‘The Great Heros, the Realised Ones, lead with the True Dhamma,
By the Dhamma The commentary has an interesting note here explaining that this word can be taken as having locative, genitive, or instrumental sense, giving the meanings: in the Dhamma, for the Dhamma, or by the Dhamma; however the form is an instrumental and I translate it as such. they are leading, why be jealous of the wise?’ ”
Then at that time people, after seeing the monks, scolded them with this verse:
“The Great Ascetic has come to Giribbaja in Magadha
After leading off all those under Sañjaya, who will he lead off now?”
and the monks scolded those people back with this verse:
“The Great Heros, the Realised Ones, lead with the True Dhamma,
By the Dhamma they are leading, why be jealous of the wise?”
“It seems the people and ascetics (are led) with Dhamma by the Sakyan son,
they are not led by what is not Dhamma.”
That noise lasted only seven days, and with the passing of those seven days it disappeared.
The Going Forth of Sāriputta and Moggallāna is Finished
The Fourth Section for Recital is Finished