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7. Pūtigattatissattheravatthu3.7 The Story about the Elder Pūtigatta Tissa
Aciraṃ vatayaṃ kāyoti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā sāvatthiyaṃ viharanto pūtigattatissattheraṃ ārabbha kathesi.“Before long, alas, this body,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Sāvatthī with reference to Elder Pūtigatta Tissa.The Pāli opening is ‘Before long, alas, this body.’ The original translation’s ‘Before long has passed by’ changes the sense. [29.20] marks page 20 of volume 29 of the Harvard Oriental Series English translation. {1.319} marks page 319 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text.
Eko kira sāvatthivāsī kulaputto satthu santike dhammaṃ sutvā sāsane uraṃ datvā pabbajito, so laddhūpasampado tissatthero nāma ahosi.A certain youth of station who lived at Sāvatthī heard the Teacher teach the Dhamma, having given his heart to the Dispensation, went forth, and after admission as a full member of the Saṅgha became known as Elder Tissa.
Gacchante gacchante kāle tassa sarīre rogo udapādi. Sāsapamattiyo piḷakā uṭṭhahiṃsu.As time went on, an eruption broke out on his body. At first appeared pustules no bigger than mustard-seeds, but as the disease progressed, they assumed successively the size of mung beans,The pustules are compared to mung beans and peas. The original translation called these kidney beans and chickpeas.
Tā anupubbena muggamattā kalāyamattā kolaṭṭhimattā āmalakamattā beḷuvasalāṭumattā beḷuvamattā hutvā pabhijjiṃsu, sakalasarīraṃ chiddāvachiddaṃ ahosi. Pūtigattatissattherotvevassa nāmaṃ udapādi.peas, jujube seeds, emblic myrobalans, unripe vilva fruits, and ripe vilva fruits. Finally they burst open, and his whole body became covered with open sores. In this way he came to be called Elder Pūtigatta Tissa (Tissa with a Festering Body).The Pāli distinguishes unripe and ripe vilva fruits. The original translation gave only one vilva stage. Pūtigatta refers to a festering body, rather than specifically limbs.
Athassa aparabhāge aṭṭhīni bhijjiṃsu. So appaṭijaggiyo ahosi. Nivāsanapārupanaṃ pubbalohitamakkhitaṃ jālapūvasadisaṃ ahosi.After a time his bones broke, and he became difficult to care for. His under and upper garments, which were stained with pus and blood,Tissa’s bones broke; the original translation said they disintegrated. Appaṭijaggiyo indicates he had become difficult to care for.
Saddhivihārikādayo paṭijaggituṃ asakkontā chaḍḍayiṃsu. So anātho hutvā nipajji.looked like pancakes. His fellow-residents, unable to care for him, abandoned him, and he lay down without a protector.His robes were stained with pus and blood. The original translation mentioned only dried blood. His fellow residents abandoned him; the Pāli does not say they physically cast him out or that he lay on the ground.
Buddhānañca nāma dve vāre lokavolokanaṃ avijahitaṃ hoti. Paccūsakāle lokaṃ volokentā cakkavāḷamukhavaṭṭito paṭṭhāya gandhakuṭiabhimukhaṃ ñāṇaṃ katvā olokenti,Now the Buddhas never fail to survey the world twice a day. At dawn they survey the world, looking from the rim of the world towards the Perfumed Chamber, taking cognizance of all they see. In the evening they survey the world,
sāyaṃ olokentā gandhakuṭito paṭṭhāya bāhirābhimukhaṃ ñāṇaṃ katvā olokenti. Tasmiṃ pana samaye bhagavato ñāṇajālassa anto pūtigattatissatthero paññāyi.looking from the Perfumed Chamber and taking cognizance of all that is without. Now at this time the Elder Pūtigatta Tissa appeared within the net of the Fortunate One’s knowledge. The Teacher,
Satthā tassa bhikkhuno arahattassa upanissayaṃ disvā, “ayaṃ saddhivihārikādīhi chaḍḍito,knowing that the bhikkhu Tissa was ripe for Arahatship, thought to himself: “This bhikkhu has been abandoned by his associates; at the present time he has no other refuge than me.”
idānissa maṃ ṭhapetvā aññaṃ paṭisaraṇaṃ natthī”ti gandhakuṭito nikkhamitvā vihāracārikaṃ caramāno viya aggisālaṃ gantvā ukkhaliṃ dhovitvā udakaṃ datvā uddhanaṃ āropetvā udakassa tattabhāvaṃ āgamayamāno aggisālāyameva aṭṭhāsi.Accordingly the Teacher departed from the Perfumed Chamber, and pretending to be making the rounds of the monastery, went to the hall where the fire was kept. He washed a pot, filled it with water, and placed it on the brazier, waited in the fire-room for the water to boil,The Teacher filled the washed pot with water before setting it on the hearth. The original translation omitted the filling.
Tattabhāvaṃ jānitvā gantvā tassa bhikkhuno nipannamañcakoṭiyaṃ gaṇhi,and when he knew it was hot, went and took hold of the end of the bed where that bhikkhu was lying.{1.320} marks page 320 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text.
tadā bhikkhū “apetha, bhante, mayaṃ gaṇhissāmā”ti mañcakaṃ gahetvā aggisālaṃ ānayiṃsu.At that time the bhikkhus said to the Teacher: “Please step aside, venerable Sir; we will carry the bed.” So saying, they took up the bed and carried Tissa into the fire-room.The bhikkhus ask the Teacher to step aside so they can carry the bed. The original translation asked him to depart and said they would carry Tissa. Ambaṇa is a large vessel into which hot water was poured. The original translation called it a measure and said the water was sprinkled. [29.21] marks page 21 of volume 29 of the Harvard Oriental Series English translation.
Satthā ambaṇaṃ āharāpetvā uṇhodakaṃ āsiñcitvā tehi bhikkhūhi tassa pārupanaṃ gāhāpetvā uṇhodake maddāpetvā mandātape vissajjāpesi.The Teacher caused a large vessel to be brought and poured hot water into it. He then caused the bhikkhus to take Tissa’s upper garment, wash it thoroughly in hot water, and lay it in the mild sunshine to dry.
Athassa santike ṭhatvā sarīraṃ uṇhodakena temetvā ghaṃsitvā nhāpesi, tassa nahānapariyosāne pārupanaṃ sukkhi.Then he went, and taking his stand near Tissa, moistened his body with hot water and rubbed and bathed him. At the end of his bath his upper garment was dry.The robe was dried in mild sunlight (mandātapa), a detail omitted in the original translation.
Atha naṃ taṃ nivāsāpetvā nivatthakāsāvaṃ udake maddāpetvā ātape vissajjāpesi. Athassa gatte udake chinnamatte tampi sukkhi.The Teacher caused him to be clothed in his upper garment and caused his under garment to be washed thoroughly in hot water and laid in the sun to dry. As soon as the water had evaporated from his body, his under garment was dry.
So ekaṃ kāsāvaṃ nivāsetvā ekaṃ pārupitvā sallahukasarīro ekaggacitto mañcake nipajji. Satthā tassa ussīsake ṭhatvā,Thereupon Tissa put on one of the yellow robes as an under garment and the other as an upper garment, and with body light and mind concentrated lay down on the bed.
“bhikkhu ayaṃ tava kāyo apetaviññāṇo nirupakāro hutvā kaliṅgaraṃ viya pathaviyaṃ sessatī”ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha –The Teacher took his stand at Tissa’s pillow and said to him: “Bhikkhu, consciousness will depart from you, your body will become useless and, like a log, will lie on the ground.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:Sallahukasarīro describes his lightened body, and ekaggacitto his concentrated mind. The original translation said refreshed body and tranquil mind.
41. “Aciraṃ vatayaṃ kāyo, pathaviṃ adhisessati; Chuddho apetaviññāṇo, niratthaṃva kaliṅgara”nti.Before long, alas, this body will lie on the ground, rejected, without consciousness, just like a useless piece of wood.Aciraṃ vatayaṃ means ‘Before long, alas, this body,’ rather than ‘Before long has passed by, alas.’ {1.321} marks page 321 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text.
Tattha aciraṃ vatāti bhikkhu na cirasseva ayaṃ kāyo pathaviṃ adhisessati, imissā pakatisayanena sayitāya pathaviyā upari sayissati. Chuddhoti apaviddho,
apagataviññāṇatāya tuccho hutvā sessatīti dasseti. Yathā kiṃ? Niratthaṃva kaliṅgaraṃ nirupakāraṃ niratthakaṃ kaṭṭhakhaṇḍaṃ viya.
Dabbasambhāratthikā hi manussā araññaṃ pavisitvā ujukaṃ ujukasaṇṭhānena vaṅkaṃ vaṅkasaṇṭhānena chinditvā dabbasambhāraṃ gaṇhanti,
avasesaṃ pana susirañca pūtikañca asārakañca gaṇṭhijātañca chinditvā tattheva chaḍḍenti. Aññe dabbasambhāratthikā āgantvā taṃ gahetāro nāma natthi, oloketvā attano upakārakameva gaṇhanti,
itaraṃ pathavīgatameva hoti. Taṃ pana tena tena upāyena mañcapaṭipādakaṃ vā pādakathalikaṃ vā phalakapīṭhaṃ vā kātuṃ sakkāpi bhaveyya.
Imasmiṃ pana attabhāve dvattiṃsāya koṭṭhāsesu ekakoṭṭhāsopi mañcapaṭipādakādivasena aññena vā upakāramukhena gayhūpago nāma natthi,
kevalaṃ niratthaṃva kaliṅgaraṃ ayaṃ kāyo apagataviññāṇo katipāheneva pathaviyaṃ sessatīti.
Desanāvasāne pūtigattatissatthero saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ pāpuṇi, aññepi bahū sotāpannādayo ahesuṃ.At the end of the teaching Elder Pūtigatta Tissa attained Arahatship together with the analytic knowledges, and many others became Stream-enterers and so on.Tissa attained Arahatship with the analytic knowledges; many others became stream-enterers and so on. Both details were omitted in the original translation.
Theropi arahattaṃ patvāva parinibbāyi. Satthā tassa sarīrakiccaṃ kārāpetvā dhātuyo gahetvā cetiyaṃ kārāpesi.The elder then passed into Parinibbāna. The Teacher performed the funeral rites over his body, and taking the relics, caused a shrine to be erected.
Bhikkhū satthāraṃ pucchiṃsu – “bhante, pūtigattatissatthero kuhiṃ nibbatto”ti. “Parinibbuto, bhikkhave”ti. “Bhante,The bhikkhus asked the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, where was Elder Pūtigatta Tissa reborn?” – “He has passed into Parinibbāna, bhikkhus.” – “Venerable Sir,
evarūpassa pana arahattūpanissayasampannassa bhikkhuno kiṃ kāraṇā gattaṃ putikaṃ jātaṃ, kiṃ kāraṇā aṭṭhīni bhinnāni, kimassa kāraṇaṃ arahattassa upanissayabhāvaṃ patta”nti? “Bhikkhave,how did it happen that such a bhikkhu, having the supporting conditions to attain Arahatship, came to have a putrid body? Why did his bones break? Through what deed in a former birth did he obtain the supporting conditions for the attainment of Arahatship?”The bhikkhus ask why Tissa’s body became putrid and his bones broke. The original translation used the vaguer ‘diseased’ and said his bones disintegrated.
sabbametaṃ etassa attanā katakammeneva nibbatta”nti. “Kiṃ pana tena, bhante, kata”nti? “Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇāthā”ti atītaṃ āhari –– “Bhikkhus, all these things happened solely because of deeds he committed in a previous existence.” – “But, venerable Sir, what did he do?” – “Well then, bhikkhus, listen.”{1.322} marks page 322 of volume 1 of the Pāli Text Society Pāli text.
Ayaṃ kassapasammāsambuddhakāle sākuṇiko hutvā bahū sakuṇe vadhitvā issarajanaṃ upaṭṭhahi. Tesaṃ dinnāvasese vikkiṇāti,In the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa, Tissa was a fowler. He used to kill birds in large numbers and serve them to people in power. Those he did not give to them he sold.The fowler killed birds and supplied people in power. The original translation said he caught birds and supplied royalty.
“vikkitāvasesā māretvā ṭhapitā pūtikā bhavissantī”ti yathā uppatituṃ na sakkonti, tathā tesaṃ jaṅghaṭṭhīni ca pakkhaṭṭhīni ca bhinditvā rāsiṃ katvā ṭhapeti,Fearing that if he killed and kept the birds he did not sell, they would rot, and desiring to prevent his captive birds from taking flight, he used to break their leg-bones and wing-bones and lay them aside, piling them in a heap.[29.22] marks page 22 of volume 29 of the Harvard Oriental Series English translation.
te punadivase vikkiṇāti. Atibahūnaṃ pana laddhakāle attanopi atthāya pacāpeti.On the following day he would sell them. When he had too many, he would have some cooked also for himself.
Tassekadivasaṃ rasabhojane pakke eko khīṇāsavo piṇḍāya caranto gehadvāre aṭṭhāsi. So theraṃ disvā cittaṃ pasādetvā, “mayā bahū pāṇā māretvā khāditā, ayyo ca me gehadvāre ṭhito,One day, when well-flavored food had been cooked for him, a bhikkhu who was an Arahat stopped at the door of his house on his rounds for alms. When Tissa saw the elder, he made his mind serene, and thought: “I have killed and eaten many living creatures.
antogehe ca rasabhojanaṃ saṃvijjati, piṇḍapātamassa dassāmī”ti tassa pattaṃ ādāya pūretvā rasapiṇḍapātaṃ datvā theraṃ pañcapatiṭṭhitena vanditvā,A noble elder stands at my door, and an abundance of well-flavored food is in my house. I will therefore give him alms.” So he took the bhikkhu’s bowl and filled it, and having given him well-flavored food,
“bhante, tumhehi diṭṭhadhammassa matthakaṃ pāpuṇeyya”nti āha. Thero “evaṃ hotū”ti anumodanaṃ akāsi.worshipped the bhikkhu with the five limbs and said: “Venerable Sir, may I obtain the summit of the Dhamma you have seen.” Said the elder, returning thanks: “So be it.”
“Bhikkhave, tadā katakammavasenetaṃ tissassa nipphannaṃ, sakuṇānaṃ aṭṭhibhedananissandena tissassa gattañca pūtikaṃ jātaṃ, aṭṭhīni ca bhinnāni,Bhikkhus, it was through the meritorious deed Tissa did then that this fruit accrued to him. It was because he broke the bones of birds that his body became putrid and his bones broke.The deed’s result is a putrid body and broken bones. The original translation called these diseased limbs and disintegrated bones.
khīṇāsavassa rasapiṇḍapātadānanissandena arahattaṃ patto”ti.It was because he gave well-flavored food to the Arahat that he attained Arahatship.
Pūtigattatissattheravatthu sattamaṃ.