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MAJJHIMA NIKAAYA III
II. 3. 5. Maagandiyasutta.m
III. 3. 4. Bakkulasutta.m
(124)- The wonderful things about venerable Bakkula
I heard thus.
At one time venerable Bakkula lived in the squirrels’ sanctuary in the bamboo
grove in Rajagaha. Then Acela-Kassapa a friend of venerable Bakkula when he was a
householder approached him, exchanged friendly greetings, sat on a side and said.
‘For how long was venerable Bakkula a homeless one?’
‘Friend, I was homeless for eighty years.’
‘Friend Bakkula, during these eighty years, how many times did you indulge in
sexual things?’
‘Friend, Kassapa, I should not be questioned in that manner, as during these
eighty years, how many times did you indulge in sexual things? Friend Kassapa, you should
question me thus, during these eighty years, how many times did sexual perceptions arise
to you?
‘Friend Bakkula, during these eighty years, how many times didsexual perceptions
arise to you?’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a
single sexual perception that has arisen to me’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of a single sexual percepton during these
eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a
single angry, hurting perception that has arisen to me’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of a single angry, hurtingpercepton during
these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a
single sensual thought that has arisen to me’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of a single sensual thought during these
eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of a
single angry, hurting thought that has arisen to me’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of a single angry, hurting thought during
these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of
accepting a robe from a householder.’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of accepting a robe from a householder
during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of
cutting the robe with an instrument.’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of cutting the robe with an instrument
during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of
sewing the robe with a needle.’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of sewing the robe with a needle during
these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of
dyeing the robe with dye.’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of dyeing the robe with dye during these
eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of
sewing the katina robe.’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of sewing the katina robe, during these
eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of
employing co-associates to sew the robe,...re... accepting an invitation,....re.... even
the arising of the thought. O! Someone should invite me!.’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know ofemploying co-associates to sew the
robe,...re... accepting an invitation,....re.... even the arising of the thought. O!
Someone should invite me!.during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful and
surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of
sitting inisde a house,...re... partaking food inside a house,....re.... observing even
the minor sign of a woman,...re...... teaching a woman at least the four lines of a
verse,...re...... approaching the attendance hall of the bhikkhunis,...re.... teaching the
bhikkhnis,...re....teachingthe trainee novices female or male,...re.....’
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know ofsitting inside a house,...re..... teaching
the trainee novices female or male, during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful
and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Kassapa, during these eighty years of homeless life, I do not know of
ordaining someone,...re... confering the higher ordination to someone,....re.... providing
requisites to someone or attending to a novice,...re...... taking a steam bath
,...re...... using bathing powder to bathe,...re.... employing a co-associate to massage
the body,...re....the arising of an ailment even for a short
while,...re.....’partaking of some medicine for a sickness, at least some green
porridge,....re.... sleeping turned to the wrong
side,...re.....sleeping,...re.....observing rains at the end of the village
‘That venerable Bakkula does not know of ordaining someone,...re..... observing
the rains at the end of the village, during these eighty years. I bear this as a wonderful
and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend, it was only for seven days that I partook the countryman’s morsels
with a debt, on the eighth day I realized extinction
‘It was only for seven days that venerable Bakkula partook the countryman’s
morsels with a debt, on the eighth day he realized extinction. I bear this as a wonderful
and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
‘Friend, Bakkula, may I obtain the going forth and the higher ordination in this
Dispensation.’ There upon Acela Kassapa obtained the going forth and the higher
ordination, in that DispensationNot long after the higher ordination of venerable Kassapa,
he withdrew from the crowd, abode zealous for dispelling and attained the noble end of the
holy life here and now, for which sons of clansmen rightfully go forth homeless. He knew
that birth was destroyed, the holy life was lived, what should be done was done, knew
there was nothing more to wish. Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfect.
Not long afterwards venerable Bakkula took a bunch of keys and went from one dwelling
to the other saying, ‘Friends, come! Today, will be my final extinction.
That, venerable Bakkula took a bunch of keys and went from one dwelling to the other
saying, ‘Friends, come! Today, will be my final extinction. I bear this too, as a
wonderful and surprising thing of venerable Bakkula.’
Venerable Bakkula attained final extinction in the midst of the Community of bhikkhus
seated.
That, venerable Bakkula attained final extinction in the midst of the Community of
bhikkhus seated.I bear this too, as a wonderful and surprising thing of venerable
Bakkula.’
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