[II. Progress of the Sāsana]
Paññāsagihisahāyakapabbajā
16. The Going-Forth of the Fifty Householder Friends
Assosuṁ kho āyasmato Yasassa paññāsamattā gihisahāyakā,
o About fifty of the venerable Yasa’s householder friends,
Jānapadā pubbānupubbakānaṁ kulānaṁ puttā:
sons of the traditional leading families Comm:
“Yaso kira kulaputto kesamassuṁ ohāretvā,
“The young man Yasa, it seems, after shaving off his hair and beard,
kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā, agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito.” ti
and donning brown garments, has gone forth from the home to the homeless life.”
Sutvāna nesaṁ etad-ahosi:
After hearing (it), this occurred to them:
“Na hi nūna so orako Dhammavinayo, na sā orakā pabbajjā
“This is not an inferior Dhamma and Discipline, not an inferior going-forth
yattha Yaso kulaputto kesamassuṁ ohāretvā,
in which the young man Yasa, after shaving off his hair and beard,
kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā, agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito.” ti
and donning brown garments, has gone forth from the home to the homeless life.”
Te yenāyasmā Yaso tenupasaṅkamiṁsu,
They approached the venerable Yasa,
upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ Yasaṁ abhivādetvā, ekam-antaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
and after approaching and worshipping the venerable Yasa, they sat down on one side.
Atha kho āyasmā Yaso te paññāsamatte gihisahāyake ādāya
Then the venerable Yasa took those fifty householder friends
yena Bhagavā tenupasaṅkami,
and approached the Fortunate One,
upasaṅkamitvā Bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā, ekam-antaṁ nisīdi.
and after approaching and worshipping the Fortunate One, he sat down on one side.
Ekam-antaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā Yaso Bhagavantaṁ etad-avoca:
While sitting on one side the venerable Yasa said this to the Fortunate One:
“Ime me Bhante paññāsamattā gihisahāyakā
“These, venerable Sir, are about fifty of my householder friends
Jānapadā pubbānupubbakānaṁ kulānaṁ puttā,
sons of the traditional leading families in the State,
ime Bhagavā ovadatu anusāsatū.” ti
please advise them, Fortunate One, please instruct them.”
Tesaṁ Bhagavā anupubbikathaṁ kathesi,
The Fortunate One spoke about the gradual teaching to them,
seyyathīdaṁ: dānakathaṁ sīlakathaṁ saggakathaṁ,
that is to say: talk about giving, talk about virtue, talk about heaven,
kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ,
the danger, degradation, and defilement of sensual desires,
nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi.
and the advantages of renunciation, (these) he explained.
Yadā te Bhagavā aññāsi kallacitte muducitte,
When the Fortunate One knew that they had ready minds, pliable minds,
vinīvaraṇacitte udaggacitte pasannacitte,
open minds, uplifted minds, confident minds,
atha yā Buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā Dhammadesanā taṁ pakāsesi:
he explained to them the Dhamma teaching the Awakened Ones have discovered themselves:
Dukkhaṁ Samudayaṁ Nirodhaṁ Maggaṁ.
Suffering, Origination, Cessation, Path.
Seyyathā pi nāma suddhaṁ vatthaṁ apagatakāḷakaṁ
Just as it is known that a clean cloth without a stain
sammad-eva rajanaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya,
will take the dye well,
evam-eva tesaṁ tasmiṁ yeva āsane,
just so to them on that very seat,
virajaṁ vītamalaṁ Dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi:
the dust-free, stainless Vision-of-the-Dhamma arose:
“Yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ,
“Whatever has the nature of arising,
sabban-taṁ nirodhadhamman.”-ti
all that has the nature of ceasing.”
Te diṭṭhadhammā pattadhammā,
They, having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma,
viditadhammā pariyogāḷhadhammā tiṇṇavicikicchā vigatakathaṁkathā
understood the Dhamma, penetrated the Dhamma, crossed over uncertainty, being without doubts,
vesārajjappattā aparappaccayā Satthusāsane Bhagavantaṁ etad-avocuṁ:
having attained full confidence, having become independent of others in the Teacher’s teaching, said this to the Fortunate One:
“Labheyyāma mayaṁ Bhante Bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ,
“May we receive the going-forth, venerable Sir, in the presence of the Fortunate One,
labheyyāma upasampadan.”-ti
may we receive the full ordination.”
“Etha bhikkhavo” ti Bhagavā avoca “svākkhāto Dhammo,
“Come, monks,” said the Fortunate One, “the Dhamma has been well-proclaimed,
caratha brahmacariyaṁ sammā dukkhassa antakiriyāyā.” ti
live the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering.”
Sā va tesaṁ āyasmantānaṁ upasampadā ahosi.
That was these venerable ones’ full ordination.
Atha kho Bhagavā te bhikkhū Dhammiyā kathāya ovadi anusāsi.
Then the Fortunate One gave advice and instruction with a Dhamma talk to those monks.
Tesaṁ Bhagavatā Dhammiyā kathāya ovadiyamānānaṁ anusāsiyamānānaṁ
As the Fortunate One gave advice and instruction with a Dhamma talk
anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucciṁsu,
their minds were liberated from the pollutants, without attachment,
tena kho pana samayena ekasaṭṭhi loke arahanto honti.
and at that time there were sixty-one Worthy Ones in the world.
Paññāsagihisahāyakapabbajā Niṭṭhitā
The Going Forth of the Fifty Householder Friends is Finished