XX. Buddha's Visit To Chunda

Buddhist Scriptures, by E.J. Thomas, [1913], at sacred-texts.com

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XX

BUDDHA'S VISIT TO CHUNDA

The two following passages are from the Sutta of the Great Decease, an account of the last few months of the life of Buddha. The food which Buddha ate at the meal provided by Chunda has been stated to have been pork. For this there is no foundation. Prof. Monier Williams, who was animated by a strong missionary spirit, even asserted that "the story is that Gautama died from eating too much pork." The word which is used is not sūkaramamsa, the word used for pork, but sūkaramaddava, which literally means "boar's soft [food]," and to call it pork is merely a bad guess. It is generally agreed now by scholars (e.g. K. E. Neumann, Prof. Rhys Davids) that it was truffle, Tuber indicum, which still grows on the slopes of the Himalayas, and is eaten by boars.

The Lord, after staying at Bhoganagara as long as he wished, said to the elder Ānanda, "Come, Ānanda, we will go to Pāvā." "Yes, reverend sir," the elder Ānanda replied. Then the Lord, with a great retinue of brethren, proceeded to Pāvā. There the Lord dwelt at Pāvā in the mango-grove of Chunda, who was of a family of smiths. Now Chunda the smith heard that the Lord had arrived at Pāvā, and was dwelling in his mango-grove. So Chunda the smith approached

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the Lord, and, having approached, he saluted the Lord, and sat down on one side. As he sat on one side the Lord instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened him with a discourse on the doctrine. Then Chunda the smith, instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened by the discourse on the doctrine, said to the Lord, "Let the reverend Lord accept food from me to-morrow with the retinue of brethren." By his silence the Lord assented. So Chunda the smith, perceiving the assent of the Lord, arose from his seat, saluted the Lord, and, passing round him to the right, went away.

The next day Chunda the smith caused to be prepared in his house excellent food, hard and soft, and much truffle, and caused it to be announced to the Lord, "It is time, reverend sir; the meal is ready." So the Lord, in the morning, dressed himself, took his bowl and robe, and with the retinue of brethren went to the abode of Chunda the smith. On arriving he sat on the appointed seat, and said to Chunda the smith, "Serve me, Chunda, with the truffles that are prepared, and serve the retinue of brethren with the other hard and soft food prepared." "Yes, reverend sir," assented Chunda the smith, and served the Lord with the truffles prepared, and the retinue of brethren with the other hard and soft food. Then the Lord said to Chunda the smith, "The truffles that remain,

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[paragraph continues] Chunda, bury in a pit. I see no one in the world of gods and men, of Māra, of Brahma, or among ascetics and brahmins, gods and men, by whom it could be eaten and properly digested, except by the Tathāgata." "Yes, reverend sir," assented Chunda, and, burying the remaining truffles in a pit, he approached the Lord, and, having approached, he saluted the Lord and sat down on one side. As he sat on one side, the Lord instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened him with a discourse on the doctrine, and then arose from his seat and departed.

Then there arose in the Lord, after he had eaten the food of Chunda the smith, sharp pain and dysentery, and violent mortal pains set in. Conscious and self-possessed the Lord endured them without anxiety, and said to the elder Ānanda, "Come, Ānanda, let us go to Kusinārā." "Yes, reverend sir," the elder Ānanda assented. (Mahāparinibbāna S. IV.)