10.
The Vepulla Mountain Discourse
143.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on the Vulture's Peak mountain.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Monks."
"Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"This wandering in the round of rebirths, monks, is without discernible beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating and wandering in the round of rebirths. Once in the past, monks, for this Vepulla mountain the designation 'Pācīnavaṃsa' arose. Now at that time, monks, for human beings the designation 'Tivarā' arose. For the Tivarā human beings, monks, the life-span was forty thousand years. The Tivarā human beings, monks, ascended the Pācīnavaṃsa mountain in four days, and descended in four days. Now at that time, monks, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had arisen in the world. Monks, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had a pair of disciples named Vidhura and Sañjīva, the foremost, the best pair. See, monks, that designation of this mountain has disappeared, and those human beings have died, and that Blessed One has attained final Nibbāna. Thus impermanent, monks, are activities; thus unstable, monks, are activities; thus without comfort, monks, are activities. This is enough, monks, to become disenchanted with all activities, enough to become dispassionate, enough to become liberated.
"Once in the past, monks, for this Vepulla mountain the designation 'Vaṅkaka' arose. Now at that time, monks, for human beings the designation 'Rohitassā' arose. For the Rohitassā human beings, monks, the life-span was thirty thousand years. The Rohitassā human beings, monks, ascended the Vaṅkaka mountain in three days, and descended in three days. Now at that time, monks, the Blessed One Koṇāgamana, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had arisen in the world. Monks, the Blessed One Koṇāgamana, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had a pair of disciples named Bhiyyosa and Uttara, the foremost, the best pair. See, monks, that designation of this mountain has disappeared, and those human beings have died, and that Blessed One has attained final Nibbāna. Thus impermanent, monks, are activities, etc. enough to become liberated.
"Once in the past, monks, for this Vepulla mountain the designation 'Supassa' arose. Now at that time, monks, for human beings the designation 'Suppiyā' arose. For the Suppiyā human beings, monks, the life-span was twenty thousand years. The Suppiyā human beings, monks, ascended the Supassa mountain in two days, and descended in two days. Now at that time, monks, the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had arisen in the world. Monks, the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had a pair of disciples named Tissa and Bhāradvāja, the foremost, the best pair. See, monks, that designation of this mountain has disappeared, and those human beings have died, and that Blessed One has attained final Nibbāna. Thus impermanent, monks, are activities; thus unstable, monks, are activities, etc. enough to become liberated.
"Now indeed, monks, for this Vepulla mountain the designation 'Vepulla' arose. Now indeed, monks, for these human beings the designation 'Magadhans' arose. The life-span of the Magadhan human beings, monks, is short, limited, and brief; one who lives long lives a hundred years or a little more. The Magadhan human beings, monks, ascend the Vepulla mountain in a moment and descend in a moment. Now indeed, monks, I, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, have arisen in the world. And I, monks, have a pair of disciples named Sāriputta and Moggallāna, the foremost, the best pair. There will be, monks, that time when this designation of this mountain will disappear, and these human beings will die, and I will attain final nibbāna. Thus impermanent, monks, are activities; thus unstable, monks, are activities; thus without comfort, monks, are activities. This is enough, monks, to become disenchanted with all activities, enough to become dispassionate, enough to become liberated."
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this -
Supassa for the Suppiyas, and Vepulla for the Magadhans.
Having arisen, they cease; their appeasement is blissful." The tenth.
The second chapter.
Its summary:
Brother, sister, son, daughter, and the Vepulla mountain.
The Connected Discourses on Without Discernible Beginning is complete.