Mahakhandhako, The Great Chapter sections 1-4

Tena kho pana samayena te jaṭilā,
Then at that time those yogis,
The Great Chapter - 140
[Mandāmukhipāṭihāriyaṁ]
[34: The Coal-Pan Miracle]
sītāsu Hemantikāsu rattīsu antaraṭṭhakāsu himapātasamaye,
in the cold Winter nights, in between ‘the eights’, 183 at the time of the snowfall,
najjā Nerañjarāya, ummujjanti pi nimujjanti pi,
in the river Nerañjarā, were plunging in, and plunging out,
ummujjanimujjam-pi karonti.
were plunging in and out.
Atha kho Bhagavā pañcamattāni mandāmukhisatāni abhinimmini,
Then the Gracious One created about five hundred coal-pans, 184
yattha te jaṭilā uttaritvā visibbesuṁ.
where those yogis, after emerging, warmed (themselves).
Atha kho tesaṁ jaṭilānaṁ etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to those yogis:
“Nissaṁsayaṁ kho Mahāsamaṇassa iddhānubhāvo
“No doubt it is because of the Great Ascetic’s psychic power
yathā-y-imā mandāmukhiyo nimmitā.” ti
that these coal-pans were created.”
Atha kho Uruvelakassapassa jaṭilassa etad-ahosi:
Then this occurred to the yogi Uruvelakassapa:
“Mahiddhiko kho Mahāsamaṇo mahānubhāvo,
“Powerful and majestic is this Great Ascetic,
183 There is a partial parallel to this section at Udāna 1.9, from my translation of which the
following note is taken: “the eights (aṭṭhakā) refers to the eighth day after 3 of the Full
Moons in Hemanta, i.e. at the coldest time of the year, at which times there were festivals
when the brāhmaṇas worshipped their ancestors (see SED, aṣṭakā). Antaraṭṭhake therefore
means between these times. See BHSD, s.v. aṣṭaka-rātri (on Lalitavistara 251.6) and CPD s.v.
atthakā, antaraṭṭhaka. The Commentary says that aṭṭhakā means the last four days in Māgha
and the first four in Phagguṇa, in the season of Sisira, which shows an unexpected
ignorance of brāhmaṇical festivals, and is certainly wrong”.
184 Comm: mandāmukhiyo ti aggibhājanāni vuccanti.