Dhammapada Verse 93
Anuruddhatthera Vatthu
Yassasa va parikkhina
ahare ca anissito
sunnato animitto ca
vimokkho yassa gocaro
akaseva sakuntanam
padam tassa durannayam.
Verse 93: The arahat is free from moral intoxicants (asavas); he is not
attached to food. He has as his object liberation from existence, i.e., Nibbana
which is Void and Signless. His path, like that of birds in the air, cannot be
traced.
The Story of Thera Anuruddha
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (93) of
this book, with reference to Thera Anuruddha.
Thera Anuruddha was one day looking for some discarded pieces of cloth in a
rubbish heap to make into a robe as his old robe was getting soiled and torn.
Jalini, his wife of a previous existence, who was now in a deva world, saw him.
Knowing that he was looking for some cloth, she took three pieces of good deva
material and put them in the rubbish heap, making them barely visible. The
thera found the pieces of cloth and took them to the monastery. While he was
making the robe, the Buddha arrived with his Chief Disciples and senior
disciples and they also helped stitch the robe.
Meanwhile, Jalini, assuming the form of a young lady, came to the village and
learnt about the arrival of the Buddha and his disciples and also how they were
helping Thera Anuruddha. She urged the villagers to send good delicious food to
the monastery and consequently there was more than enough for all. Other
bhikkhus, seeing so much surplus, put the blame on the thera and said,
"Thera Anuruddha should have asked his relatives and lay disciples to send
just enough food; may be, he just wanted to show off that he had so many
devotees." To those bhikkhus, the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, do not
think my son Anuruddha has asked his relatives and lay disciples to send rice
gruel and other foods. My son the thera did not ask for anything; arahats do not
talk about such things like food and clothing. The excessive amount of food
brought to the monastery this morning was due to the promptings of a celestial
being and not of a man."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 93: The arahat is free from moral intoxicants
(asavas); he is not attached to food. He has as his object liberation
from existence, i.e., Nibbana which is Void and Signless. His path,
like that of birds in the air, cannot be traced.
|