[III. The Miracles at Uruvelā] This section with its miracle-working and supernatural elements stands out from the rest of the narrative which seems in many ways to be so realistic.
Paṭhamaṁ Pāṭihāriyaṁ
21. The First Miracle
(The Dragon-King - Prose)
Atha kho Bhagavā anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno
Then the Fortunate One while walking gradually on walking tour
yena Uruvelā tad-avasari.
arrived at Uruvelā.
Tena kho pana samayena Uruvelāyaṁ tayo jaṭilā paṭivasanti:
Then at that time at Uruvelā there lived three yogis: Literally: one with a tangled mass of hair, a matted hair ascetic. I use yogi to be concise.
Uruvelakassapo Nadīkassapo Gayākassapo ti.
known as Uruvelakassapa, Nadīkassapa, and Gayākassapa. All the names arise from the place names where they dwelt: Kassapa at
Tesu Uruvelakassapo jaṭilo pañcannaṁ jaṭilasatānaṁ
o Of these, the yogi Uruvelakassapa was the leader,
nāyako hoti vināyako aggo pamukho pāmokkho.
guide, chief, director, and instructor of five hundred yogis.
Nadīkassapo jaṭilo tiṇṇaṁ jaṭilasatānaṁ
o The yogi Nadīkassapa was the leader,
nāyako hoti vināyako aggo pamukho pāmokkho.
guide, chief, director, and instructor of three hundred yogis.
Gayākassapo jaṭilo dvinnaṁ jaṭilasatānaṁ
o The yogi Gayākassapa was the leader,
nāyako hoti vināyako aggo pamukho pāmokkho.
guide, chief, director, and instructor of two hundred yogis.
Atha kho Bhagavā yena Uruvelakassapassa jaṭilassa assamo tenupasaṅkami,
Then the Fortunate One approached the yogi Uruvelakassapa’s ashram,
upasaṅkamitvā Uruvelakassapaṁ jaṭilaṁ etad-avoca:
and after approaching he said this to the yogi Uruvelakassapa:
“Sace te Kassapa agaru vaseyyāma ekarattiṁ agyāgāre.” ti
“If it is not troublesome to you, Kassapa, we This is the so-called royal we, a plural that is used politely in many languages when talking about oneself. would stay for one night in the sacrificial firehouse.” SED:
“Na kho me Mahāsamaṇa garu,
“It is not troublesome to me, Great Ascetic,
caṇḍettha Nāgarājā iddhimā āsīviso ghoraviso,
(but) there is a fierce, venomous, poisonous, Dragon-King here, having psychic power,
so taṁ mā viheṭhesī.” ti
he should not (be allowed to) harass you.”
Dutiyam-pi kho Bhagavā Uruvelakassapaṁ jaṭilaṁ etad-avoca:
For a second time the Fortunate One said this to the yogi Uruvelakassapa:
“Sace te Kassapa agaru vaseyyāma ekarattiṁ agyāgāre.” ti
“If it is not troublesome to you, Kassapa, we would stay for one night in the sacrificial firehouse.”
“Na kho me Mahāsamaṇa garu,
“It is not troublesome to me, Great Ascetic,
caṇḍettha Nāgarājā iddhimā āsīviso ghoraviso,
(but) there is a fierce, venomous, poisonous, Dragon-King here, having psychic power,
so taṁ mā viheṭhesī.” ti
he should not (be allowed to) harass you.”
Tatiyam-pi kho Bhagavā Uruvelakassapaṁ jaṭilaṁ etad-avoca:
For a third time the Fortunate One said this to the yogi Uruvelakassapa:
“Sace te Kassapa agaru vaseyyāma ekarattiṁ agyāgāre.” ti
“If it is not troublesome to you, Kassapa, we would stay for one night in the sacrificial firehouse.”
“Na kho me Mahāsamaṇa garu,
“It is not troublesome to me, Great Ascetic,
caṇḍettha Nāgarājā iddhimā āsīviso ghoraviso,
(but) there is a fierce, venomous, poisonous, Dragon-King here, having psychic power,
so taṁ mā viheṭhesī.” ti
he should not (be allowed to) harass you.”
“Appeva maṁ na viheṭheyya iṅgha tvaṁ Kassapa anujānāhi agyāgāran”.-ti
“It is all right, he will not harass me, come now, Kassapa, allow me the sacrificial firehouse.”
“Vihara Mahāsamaṇa yathāsukhan.”-ti
“Dwell (there), Great Ascetic, according to your pleasure.”
Atha kho Bhagavā agyāgāraṁ pavisitvā tiṇasantharakaṁ paññāpetvā, nisīdi,
Then the Fortunate One, after entering the sacrificial firehouse and preparing a grass covering, sat down,
pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā, ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya, parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.
folded his legs crosswise, set his body straight, and established mindfulness at the front.
Atha kho so Nāgo addasa Bhagavantaṁ paviṭṭhaṁ,
Then the Dragon saw that the Fortunate One had entered,
disvāna dukkhī dummano padhūpāsi.
and after seeing (him), pained, depressed, he belched out smoke.
Atha kho Bhagavato etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to the Fortunate One:
“Yan-nūnāhaṁ imassa Nāgassa anupahacca chaviñ-ca cammañ-ca
“Now what if I, without having destroyed Comm:
maṁsañ-ca nhāruñ-ca aṭṭhiñ-ca aṭṭhimiñjañ-ca
flesh, muscle, bone, or bone-marrow,
tejasā tejaṁ pariyādiyeyyan?”-ti
were to overcome (the Dragon’s) power with (my) power?” Comm:
Atha kho Bhagavā tathārūpaṁ iddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkhāritvā padhūpāsi.
Then the Fortunate One so arranged it with his psychic powers that he (also) belched out smoke.
Atha kho so Nāgo makkhaṁ asahamāno pajjali.
Then that Dragon, unbearably angry, blazed forth.
Bhagavā pi tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā pajjali,
The Fortunate One, having attained the fire-element, also blazed forth,
ubhinnaṁ sajotibhūtānaṁ agyāgāraṁ ādittaṁ viya hoti,
and both of them burned so bright that it was as if the sacrificial firehouse on fire,
sampajjalitaṁ sajotibhūtaṁ.
in flames, was burning down.
Atha kho te jaṭilā agyāgāraṁ parivāretvā evam-āhaṁsu:
Then those yogis, having surrounded the sacrificial firehouse, said this:
“Abhirūpo vata bho Mahāsamaṇo Nāgena viheṭhiyatī.” ti
“The Great Ascetic is surely intelligent, This meaning for
Atha kho Bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena,
Then the Fortunate One, with the passing of that night,
tassa Nāgassa anupahacca chaviñ-ca cammañ-ca,
without harming that Dragon’s tegument, skin,
maṁsañ-ca nhāruñ-ca aṭṭhiñ-ca aṭṭhimiñjañ-ca,
flesh, muscle, bone, or bone-marrow,
tejasā tejaṁ pariyādayitvā, patte pakkhipitvā,
after overcoming (the Dragon’s) power with (his own) power and dropping him into his bowl,
Uruvelakassapassa jaṭilassa dassesi:
showed (him) to the yogi Uruvelakassapa, (saying):
“Ayaṁ te Kassapa Nāgo pariyādinno assa tejasā tejo” ti.
“This is your Dragon, Kassapa, his power was overcome by (my) power.”
Atha kho Uruvelakassapassa jaṭilassa etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to the yogi Uruvelakassapa:
“Mahiddhiko kho Mahāsamaṇo mahānubhāvo,
“Powerful and majestic is this Great Ascetic,
yatra hi nāma caṇḍassa Nāgarājassa iddhimato āsīvisassa ghoravisassa
o since he can overcome this fierce, venomous, poisonous, Dragon-King’s
tejasā tejaṁ pariyādayissati,
psychic power with (his own) power,
na tveva ca kho Arahā yathā ahan.”-ti
but he is surely not a Worthy One like I am.”