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Mv V 11
PTS: Mv V 13 | CS: vin.mv.05.11
Soṇakuṭikaṇṇavatthu
The Story of Soṇa Kuṭīkaṇṇa[1]
by
Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu
Alternate translations/layout: 'line by line' Pāḷi - English

(Mv.V.13.1) [20] And on that occasion Ven. Mahā Kaccāna was living among the Avantīs on Papāte [Precipice] Mountain near the Osprey Habitat.

And at that time the lay follower Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa was a supporter of Ven. Mahā Kaccāna.

So he went to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.

As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna,

“Venerable sir, as I understand the Dhamma that Master Mahā Kaccāna teaches, it’s not easy living at home to live the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. I want to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness. Give me the Going-forth, Master Mahā Kaccāna!”

(Mv.V.13.2) When this was said, Ven. Mahā Kaccāna said to the lay follower Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa, “It’s hard, Soṇa, to live the life-long, sleeping-alone, one-meal-a-day holy life.

“Please, right there as you are a householder, devote yourself to the message of the Awakened Ones and to the proper-time [i.e., Uposatha day], sleeping-alone, one-meal-a-day holy life.”

And so Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa’s aspiration for going forth subsided.

Then a second time, Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa …

Then a third time, Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa went to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna and on arrival, having bowed down to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna, sat to one side.

As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Mahā Kaccāna,

“Venerable sir, as I understand the Dhamma that Master Mahā Kaccāna teaches, it’s not easy living at home to live the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. I want to shave off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness. Give me the Going-forth, Master Mahā Kaccāna!”

So Ven. Mahā Kaccāna gave Soṇa Koṭikaṇṇa the going-forth.

Now at that time Avantī and the Southern Route [The Deccan] had few monks.

So only after three years — having gathered from here & there with hardship & difficulty a quorum-of-ten Saṅgha of monks — did Ven. Mahā Kaccāna give the Acceptance to Ven. Soṇa.

Notes

1.
See also: Ud 5.6: Soṇa Sutta
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