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9<br />
Second Section<br />
<strong>The</strong> next section is easier to summarise: it traces the progress the Dispensation made<br />
during the first Rains Retreat, which was spent in the Deer Park after the initial<br />
teachings. First Yasa, a wealthy young man from the capital, meets up with the<br />
Buddha and becomes a monk, and eventually a Worthy One. His Father, 14 Mother<br />
and former Wife all go for refuge to the Three Treasures as lay followers committed<br />
for life. <strong>The</strong>n four of his good friends, and fifty more friends all become monks and<br />
attain full liberation.<br />
At that point there were sixty-one monks and Arahats in the world, and at the end of<br />
the Rains Retreat the Buddha sent them out to the four directions to teach to all who<br />
would listen. <strong>The</strong>y go and start making their own converts and the Buddha eventually<br />
initalises a procedure whereby they can administer ordination themselves, rather than<br />
bringing the aspirant to him personally. <strong>The</strong> curious thing is this: with only one or<br />
two possible exceptions, 15 we never hear of any of these monks again, and not even<br />
one appears to accompany the Buddha when he sets out to return to Uruvelā, where<br />
he had initially attained Awakening.<br />
Before he sets out on that journey the Buddha apparently had one or two encounters<br />
with Māra, who according to the traditions was still pursuing the Buddha for up to<br />
one year after the Awakening. I say one or two purposely, because it is not clear<br />
from the text whether we are dealing with two different visitations, or with two<br />
rescensions of the same encounter. I tend to think the latter, which is strengthened by<br />
there being two rescensions of the next but one story in the text.<br />
We next have the curious story of the Buddha’s encounter with the good group of 30<br />
friends while traveling back to Magadha. Apparently out for a picnic, one of their<br />
number has his belongings stolen by a prostitute he had brought along for the day.<br />
<strong>The</strong> group goes off in search of the miscreant, but come across the Buddha instead<br />
who teaches them Dhamma so effectively that they all attain at least the first stage of<br />
sainthood and request and receive ordination, but once again it appears none of the<br />
group accompanies the Buddha on his further journeying into Magadha.<br />
Third Section<br />
<strong>The</strong> third section for recital finds the Buddha back in Uruvelā, but now somewhat<br />
north of where he had Awakened, in the Ashram of the fire-worshipper Uruvelā<br />
Kassapa, who is living there with his five-hundred disciples. This Kassapa is one of<br />
three brothers who are living in the area engaged in the same practice, with three<br />
hundred and two hundred disciples each.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Buddha asks if he can stay for the night in the firehouse. At first Kassapa<br />
refuses, fearing that a Dragon (Nāga) who is living there would harm him, but<br />
eventually the Buddha persuades Kassapa to let him stay. During the night there is a<br />
fiery contest with the Dragon, which the Buddha wins.<br />
14 He was the first lay-follower to take the threefold refuge.<br />
15 See the discussion about Assaji below.