Mahākhandhako The Great Chapter - Ancient Buddhist Texts

13
Vinayapiṭake Mahāvaggassa Paṭhamo Bhāgo
The First Section of the Great Division in the Discipline Collection
Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa
Reverence to him, the Gracious One, the Worthy One, the Perfect Sambuddha
Mahākhandhako 1-4
The Great Chapter 1-4 18
[I: The First Teachings] 19
Bodhikathā
1: The Story about the Awakening (Tree) 20
(Conditional Origination)
Tena samayena Buddho Bhagavā Uruvelāyaṁ viharati,
At that time the Awakened One, 21 the Gracious One, was dwelling near Uruvelā, 22
najjā Nerañjarāya tīre Bodhirukkhamūle paṭhamābhisambuddho.
on the bank of the river Nerañjarā, at the root of the Awakening tree, in the first
(period) after the complete and perfect Awakening. 23
Atha kho Bhagavā Bodhirukkhamūle
o Then at that time the Gracious One sat at the root of the Awakening tree 24
sattāhaṁ ekapallaṅkena nisīdi vimuttisukhapaṭisaṁvedī.
in one cross-legged posture for seven days experiencing the happiness of liberation.
18 Only the first four sections have been prepared here, as they form a continuous narrative
which is lost in later sections.
19 These titles written between square brackets are added by the present editor to help outline
the story.
20 Cf. Udāna 1.1. The first section in the Mahākhandaka occurs also as the first 3 discourses
in the Udāna in somewhat different form, which will be noted as we come across them.
21 In the Udāna after the usual Evaṁ me sutaṁ, This I heard, which is said to have been
spoken by Ānanda, a different formula is used: Ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā... At one time the
Gracious One... The Tena samayena... formula is normally used in the Vinaya in its place.
22 Although the Commentary gives a number of explanations, it seems to me that Uruvelā
would mean Great Sands, which must have described the area in Lord Buddha’s time.
23 Although here this obviously refers to the period immediately after the Awakening, the
paṭhamābhisambuddha is taken to refer to the first 20 years after that event.
24 Comm: Bodhi vuccati catūsu Maggesu ñāṇaṁ; Awakening is said (because of) knowledge in
regard to the four Paths (of Awakening).