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Mv VI 23
PTS: Mv VI 35 | CS: vin.mv.06.23
Keṇiyajaṭilavatthu
'Line by Line'
The Story of Keṇiya the Coiled-hair Ascetic
by
Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu
Alternate translations/layout: 'read-friendly' layout

182. keṇiyajaṭilavatthu (Mv.VI.35.1)
The Story of Keṇiya the Coiled-hair Ascetic

[86] athakho bhagavā anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena āpaṇaṁ tadavasari.

Then the Blessed One, traveling by stages, arrived at Āpaṇa.

assosi kho keṇiyo jaṭilo samaṇo khalu bho gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito āpaṇaṁ anuppatto taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁkalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā so imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti so dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotīti.

Then Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic heard that, “Gotama the contemplative — the son of the Sakyans, having gone forth from the Sakyan clan, has arrived at Āpaṇa. And of that Master Gotama this fine reputation has spread: ‘He is indeed a Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed. He has made known — having realized it through direct knowledge — this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, its generations with their contemplatives & brahmans, their rulers & common people; has explained the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end; has expounded the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. It is good to see such a worthy one.’”

athakho keṇiyassa jaṭilassa etadahosi kinnu kho ahaṁ samaṇassa gotamassa harāpeyyanti.

Then the thought occurred to Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic, “What should I have brought for Gotama the contemplative?”

(Mv.VI.35.2) athakho keṇiyassa jaṭilassa etadahosi yepi kho te brāhmaṇānaṁ pubbakā isayo mantānaṁ kattāro mantānaṁ pavattāro yesamidaṁ etarahi brāhmaṇā porāṇaṁ mantapadaṁ gītaṁ pavuttaṁ samihitaṁ tadanugāyanti tadanubhāsanti bhāsitamanubhāsanti vācitamanuvācenti seyyathīdaṁ aṭṭhako vāmako vāmadevo vessāmitto yamataggi aṅgiraso bhāradvājo vāseṭṭho kassapo bhagu rattūparatā viratā vikālabhojanā te evarūpāni pānāni sādiyiṁsu

Then the thought occurred to him, “Those brahman seers of the past, the creators of the hymns, the composers of the hymns — those ancient hymns, sung, repeated, & collected, which brahmans at present still sing, still chant, repeating what was said, repeating what was spoken — i.e., Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Aṅgirasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa & Bhagu: They refrained from eating at night and from eating at the wrong time. But they consented to juice drinks of this kind.

(Mv.VI.35.3) samaṇopi gotamo rattūparato virato vikālabhojanā arahati samaṇopi gotamo evarūpāni pānāni sāditunti

“Gotama the contemplative also refrains from eating at night and from eating at the wrong time. Gotama the contemplative should consent to juice drinks of this kind.”

pahūtaṁ pānaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā kājehi gāhāpetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sārāṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi.

So he prepared a large amount of drinks and, having it taken with carrying poles, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, he exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he stood to one side.

ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca paṭiggaṇhātu me bhavaṁ gotamo pānanti.

As he was standing there, Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic said to the Blessed One, “May Master Gotama accept my juice drinks.”

tenahi keṇiya bhikkhūnaṁ dehīti.

“In that case, Keṇiya, give them to the monks.”

bhikkhū kukkuccāyantā nappaṭiggaṇhanti.

Anxious, the monks didn’t accept them.

paṭiggaṇhatha bhikkhave paribhuñjathāti.

“Accept them, monks, and consume them.”

(Mv.VI.35.4) athakho keṇiyo jaṭilo buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pahūtehi pānehi sahatthā santappetvā sampavāretvā bhagavantaṁ dhotahatthaṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic, with his own hands, served and satisfied the Saṅgha of monks headed by the Buddha with the large amount of juice drinks. Then, when the Blessed One had washed his hand and withdrawn it from the bowl, he sat to one side.

ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi.

As he was sitting there, the Blessed One instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic with a Dhamma talk.

athakho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito bhagavantaṁ etadavoca adhivāsetu me bhavaṁ gotamo svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenāti.

Having been instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged by the Blessed One with a Dhamma talk, he said to the Blessed One, “May Master Gotama acquiesce to my meal tomorrow, together with the Saṅgha of monks.”

(Mv.VI.35.5) mahā kho keṇiya bhikkhusaṅgho aḍḍhaterasāni bhikkhusatāni tvañca brāhmaṇesu abhippasannoti.

“Keṇiya, the Saṅgha of monks is large — 1,250 monks. And you are strongly confident in the brahmans.” [cf. Sn 3.7]

dutiyampi kho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca kiñcāpi bho gotama mahā bhikkhusaṅgho aḍḍhaterasāni bhikkhusatāni ahañca brāhmaṇesu abhippasanno adhivāsetu me bhavaṁ gotamo svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenāti.

A second time, Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic said to the Blessed One, “Master Gotama, even though the Saṅgha of monks is large — 1,250 monks, and I have the highest confidence in the brahmans, may Master Gotama acquiesce to my meal tomorrow, together with the Saṅgha of monks.”

mahā kho keṇiya bhikkhusaṅgho aḍḍhaterasāni bhikkhusatāni tvañca brāhmaṇesu abhippasannoti.

“Keṇiya, the Saṅgha of monks is large — 1,250 monks. And you are strongly confident in the brahmans.”

tatiyampi kho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca kiñcāpi bho gotama mahā bhikkhusaṅgho aḍḍhaterasāni bhikkhusatāni ahañca brāhmaṇesu abhippasanno adhivāsetu me bhavaṁ gotamo svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenāti.

A third time, Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic said to the Blessed One, “Master Gotama, even though the Saṅgha of monks is large — 1,250 monks, and I have the highest confidence in the brahmans, may Master Gotama acquiesce to my meal tomorrow, together with the Saṅgha of monks.”

adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.

The Blessed One acquiesced with silence.

athakho keṇiyo jaṭilo bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

Then Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic, understanding the Blessed One’s acquiescence, got up from his seat and left.

(Mv.VI.35.6) athakho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi

Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks:

anujānāmi bhikkhave aṭṭha pānāni ambapānaṁ jambupānaṁ cocapānaṁ mocapānaṁ madhupānaṁ muddikapānaṁ sālukapānaṁ phārusakapānaṁ.

“I allow eight juice drinks: mango juice drink, rose apple juice drink, seed-banana juice drink, seedless banana juice drink, madhu juice drink, grape juice drink, water-lily root juice drink, phārusaka juice drink. [BMC: 1 2]

anujānāmi bhikkhave sabbaṁ phalarasaṁ ṭhapetvā dhaññaphalarasaṁ.

“I allow all fruit juice except for the juice of grain.

anujānāmi bhikkhave sabbaṁ pattarasaṁ ṭhapetvā pakkaḍākarasaṁ. [ME has just ‘ḍākarasaṁ.’]

“I allow all leaf-juice except for the juice of cooked vegetables.

anujānāmi bhikkhave sabbaṁ puppharasaṁ ṭhapetvā madhukapuppharasaṁ.

“I allow all flower juice except for the juice of licorice flowers.

anujānāmi bhikkhave ucchurasanti.

“I allow fresh sugar cane juice.”

(Mv.VI.35.7) athakho keṇiyo jaṭilo tassā rattiyā accayena sake assame paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā bhagavato kālaṁ ārocāpesi kālo bho gotama niṭṭhitaṁ bhattanti.

Then, at the end of the night, Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic, having ordered exquisite staple and non-staple food prepared in his own ashram, had the time announced to the Blessed One: “It’s time, Lord. The meal is ready.”

athakho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena keṇiyassa jaṭilassa assamo tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nīsīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena.

Then the Blessed One, early in the morning, adjusted his under robe and — carrying his bowl & outer robe — went to Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic’s ashram and, on arrival, sat down on a seat laid out, along with the Saṅgha of monks.

athakho keṇiyo jaṭilo buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappetvā sampavāretvā bhagavantaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then, with his own hands, Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic served and satisfied the Saṅgha of monks, with the Buddha at its head, with exquisite staple and non-staple food. Then, when the Blessed One had finished his meal and withdrawn his hand from the bowl, he sat to one side.

(Mv.VI.35.8) ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ bhagavā imāhi gāthāhi anumodi

As he was sitting there the Blessed One expressed his appreciation to Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic with these verses:

[87] aggihuttamukhā yaññā

sāvittī chandaso mukhaṁ

rājā mukhaṁ manussānaṁ

nadīnaṁ sāgaro mukhaṁ

“The fire oblation is the chief of sacrifices,

the Sāvitti[1], the chief of Vedic hymns[2],

a king, chief among human beings,

the ocean, chief among rivers,

nakkhattānaṁ mukhaṁ cando

ādicco tapataṁ mukhaṁ

puññaṁ ākaṅkhamānānaṁ

saṅgho ve yajataṁ mukhanti.

the moon, chief of the zodiac stars,

the sun, chief of things that burn, Dhp 387

and for those who sacrifice, wishing for merit,

the Saṅgha, truly, is chief.”

athakho bhagavā keṇiyaṁ jaṭilaṁ imāhi gāthāhi anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

Then the Blessed One, having expressed his appreciation to Keṇiya the coiled-hair ascetic with these verses, got up from his seat and left.

Notes

1.
This is apparently a reference to Ṛgveda iii, 62, 10, an invocation addressed to Sāvitrī, or the Sun:
tat savitur vareṇ(i)yaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo nah pracodayāt “Let us meditate on the glory of the excellent deva Sāvitrī, that he may inspire our thoughts.”
This verse, in the Gāvitrī meter, is recited during the upanayana ceremony, when a young brahman is invested with the sacred thread that initiates him into the status of a “twice-born” brahman and he begins his study of the Vedas. Although similar passages were recited when young men of other castes began their education, Ṛgveda iii, 62, 10 was reserved exclusively for brahmans. It was also the subject of many meditations on its esoteric meaning, some of which can be found in the major Upaniṣads: Bṛhad-āraṇyaka 6.3.6; śvetāśvatara 4.18; and Maitrī 6.7 and 6.34.
SnA suggests that the Buddha’s question about this verse surprises Sundarika, making him suspect that the Buddha knows more about brahmanical lore than he does, which is why he changes his tone with the following question. SnA also asserts that the Buddhist equivalent to the Sāvitti — three lines, 24 syllables — is the expression of homage to the Triple Gem: Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi, Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi, Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
2.
Chandas. This term normally means “meter,” but it also means Vedic hymn. [BMC]
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