Mahakhandhako, The Great Chapter sections 1-4

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