CHUNDA

CHUNDA, THE SMITH

  THE Blessed One went to Pava. When Chunda, the worker in metals,

heard that the Blessed One had come to Pava and was staying in his

mango grove, he came to the Buddha and respectfully invited him and

the brethren to take their meal at his house. And Chunda prepared

rice-cakes and a dish of dried boar's meat.

  When the Blessed One had eaten the food prepared by Chunda, the

worker in metals, there fell upon him a dire sickness, and sharp

pain came upon him even unto death. But the Blessed One, mindful and

self-possessed, bore it without complaint. And the Blessed One

addressed the venerable Ananda, and said: "Come, Ananda, let us go

on to Kusinara."

  On his way the Blessed One grew tired, and he went aside from the

road to rest at the foot of a tree, and said: "Fold the robe, I pray

thee, Ananda, and spread it out for me. I am weary, Ananda, and must

rest awhile!" "Be it so, Lord!" said the venerable Ananda; and he

spread out the robe folded fourfold. The Blessed One seated himself,

and when he was seated he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said:

"Fetch me some water, I pray thee, Ananda. I am thirsty, Ananda, and

would drink."

  When he had thus spoken, the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed

One: "But just now, Lord, five hundred carts have gone across the

brook and have stirred the water; but a river, O Lord, is not far off.

Its water is clear and pleasant, cool and transparent, and it is

easy to get down to it. the Blessed One may both drink water and

cool his limbs."

  A second time the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda,

saying: "Fetch me some water, I pray thee, Ananda, I am thirsty,

Ananda, and would drink."

  And a second time the venerable Ananda said: "Let us go to the

river."

  Then the third time the Blessed One addressed the venerable

Ananda, and said: "Fetch me some water, I pray thee, Ananda, I am

thirsty, Ananda and would drink." "Be it so, Lord!" said the venerable

Ananda in assent to the Blessed One; and, taking a bowl, he went

down to the streamlet. And lo! the streamlet, which, stirred up by

wheels, had become muddy, when the venerable Ananda came up to it,

flowed clear and bright and free from all turbidity. And he thought:

"How wonderful, how marvelous is the great might and power of the

Tathagata!"

  Ananda brought the water in the bowl to the Lord, saying: "Let the

Blessed One take the bowl. Let the Happy One drink the water. Let

the Teacher of men and gods quench his thirst. Then the Blessed One

drank of the water.

  Now, at that time a man of low caste, named Pukkusa, a young

Malla, a disciple of Alara Kalama, was passing along the high road

from Kusinara to Pava. Pukkusa, the young Malla, saw the Blessed One

seated at the foot of a tree. On seeing him he went up to the place

where the Blessed One was, and when he had come there, he saluted

the Blessed One and took his seat respectfully on one side. Then the

Blessed One instructed, edified, and gladdened Kukkusa, the young

Malla, with religious discourse.

  Aroused and gladdened by the words of the Blessed One, Pukkusa,

the young Malla, addressed a certain man who happened to pass by,

and said: "Fetch me, I pray thee, my good man, two robes of cloth of

gold, burnished and ready for wear."

  "Be it so, sir!" said that man in assent to Pukkusa, the young

Malla; and he brought two robes of cloth of gold, burnished and

ready for wear.

  The Malla Pukkusa presented the two robes of cloth of gold,

burnished and ready for wear, to the Blessed One, saying: "Lord, these

two robes of burnished cloth of gold are ready for wear. May the

Blessed One show me favor and accept them at my hands!"

  The Blessed One said: "Pukkusa, robe me in one, and Ananda in the

other one." And the Tathagata's body appeared shining like a flame,

and he was beautiful above all expression.

  The venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: "How wonderful a thing

is it, Lord, and how marvelous, that the color of the skin of the

Blessed One should be so clear, so exceedingly bright! When I placed

this robe of burnished cloth of gold on the body of the Blessed One,

lo! it seemed as if it had lost its splendor!"

  The Blessed One said: "There are two occasions on which a

Tathagata's appearance becomes clear and exceeding bright. In the

night, Ananda, in which a Tathagata attains to the supreme and perfect

insight, and in the night in which he passes finally away in that

utter passing away which leaves nothing whatever of his earthly

existence to remain.

  And the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said: "Now

it may happen, Ananda, that some one should stir up remorse in Chunda,

the smith, by saying: 'It is evil to thee, Chunda, and loss to thee,

that the Tathagata died, having eaten his last meal from thy

provision.' Any such remorse, Ananda, in Chunda, the smith, should

be checked by saying: 'It is good to thee, Chunda, and gain to thee,

that the Tathagata died, having eaten his last meal from thy

provision. From the very mouth of the Blessed One, O Chunda, have I

heard, from his own mouth have I received this saying, "These two

offerings of food are of equal fruit and of much greater profit than

any other: the offerings of food which a Tathagata accepts when he has

attained perfect enlightenment and when he passes away by the utter

passing away in which nothing whatever of his earthly existence

remains behind-these two offerings of food are of equal fruit and of

equal profit, and of much greater fruit and much greater profit than

any other. There has been laid up by Chunda, the smith, a karma

redounding to length of life, redounding to good birth, redounding

to good fortune, redounding to good fame, redounding to the

inheritance of heaven and of great power."' In this way, Ananda,

should be checked any remorse in Chunda, the smith."

  Then the Blessed One, perceiving that death was near, uttered

these words: "He who gives away shall have real gain. He who subdues

himself shall be free, he shall cease to be a slave of passions. The

righteous man casts off evil; and by rooting out lust, bitterness, and

illusion, do we reach Nirvana."