I. Giới thiệu chung

Tôn giả Subāhu (1)– một trong bốn người bạn xuất gia theo Ngài Yasa và 1 vị Subāhu (2)– thuộc nhóm bạn Godhika , Valliya và Uttiya

1. Subāhu Thera. He was the son of a setthi family of Benares, and was the friend of Yasa. When Yasa and his companions joined the Order Subāhu followed his example, and they all became arahants. Vin.i.19f.

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2. Subāhu Thera. He was the son of a Malla rājā of Pāvā. He joined the Order on the occasion of the Buddha’s first visit to Rājagaha and attained arahantship together with his friends Godhika, Valliya and Uttiya. Bimbisāra built a hut for them but forgot the roof; there was no rain until this defect had been made good (Thag.vs.52; ThagA.i.123f).

Ninety nine kappas ago Subāhu paid homage to Siddhattha Buddha. Thirty seven kappas ago he was king sixteen times, under the name of Agada. He is perhaps identical with Ñānasaññaka of the Apadāna. Ap.i.140f.

1. Subāhu (1) Thera. Anh là con trai của một gia đình định cư Benares, và là bạn của Yasa . Khi Yasa và những người bạn đồng hành của anh ấy gia nhập Dòng Subāhu đã noi gương anh ấy, và tất cả họ đều trở thành những vị A-la-hán. Vin.i.19f.

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2 . Subāhu (2) Thera. Ông là con trai của một Malla rājā của Pāvā . Ông gia nhập Dòng nhân dịp Đức Phật viếng thăm Rājagaha lần đầu tiên và đắc quả A la hán cùng với những người bạn của ông là Godhika , Valliya và Uttiya . Bimbisāra dựng một túp lều cho họ nhưng quên mất mái nhà; không có mưa cho đến khi khuyết tật này được làm tốt (Thag.vs.52; ThagA.i.123f).

Chín mươi chín kappas trước Subāhu đã bày tỏ lòng kính trọng đối với Đức Phật Siddhattha . Ba mươi bảy kappa trước đây, ông đã mười sáu lần làm vua, dưới tên của Agada. Ngài có lẽ giống hệt với Ñānasaññaka của Apadāna. Ap.i.140f.

II. Trưởng lão tăng kệ – Tiểu bộ kinh Nikaya

Vị Subàhu (2) xuất hiện trong tiểu bộ kinh trưởng lão tăng kệ

(LI-LIV) Ghodhika, Subàhu (2), Valliya, Uttiya (Thera. 8)

Trong thời đức Phật tại thế, bốn vị này sanh ở Pava, con của bốn vua Malla, và giữa bốn người này, có một tình bạn chân thành. Bốn vị này có một sứ mệnh, cùng đi đến vua xứ Kapilavatthu. Lúc bấy giờ, Thế Tôn cũng đến đó và sống tại vườn cây bàng, tại đấy, Thế Tôn đã cảm hóa bốn vị này với thần thông song hành. Các vị này xuất gia và không bao lâu chứng quả A-la-hán, với sự hiểu biết về nghĩa và về pháp. Sau khi được vua chúa kính trọng cúng dường, bốn vị này sống ở trong rừng. Khi bốn vị này đến Vương Xá, vua Bimbisàra (Bình Sa), mời bốn vị an cư mùa mưa và bảo làm mỗi người một cái nhà, nhưng vô ý lại không lợp mái. Các vị này sống trong nhà ấy, nhưng không có chỗ che mưa, và dầu là mùa mưa, trời lại không mưa. Vua Bimbisàra nhận thấy hiện tượng này, nhớ lại sự sai trái sơ hở của mình, liền cho lợp mái lại tổ chức một ngày khánh thành, cúng dường cho Tăng chúng. Các vị Trưởng lão nhận lời, đi vào ngôi nhà và triển khai lòng từ. Từ phía Bắc và phía Ðông một cơn giông tố nổi lên, và các vị Trưởng lão xuất định, mưa to bắt đầu rơi xuống. Rồi Godhika do mưa to gió lớn, nói lên bài kệ:

51. Trời mưa, như hát hay,

Ta ở trong am thất,

Ðược che kín khỏi gió,

Ta sống thật an lạc,

Tâm ta khéo định tĩnh.

Hãy mưa, nếu trời muốn.

Subàhu nói lên bài kệ:

52. Trời mưa, như hát hay,

Ta ở trong am thất,

Ðược che kín, khỏi gió,

Ta sống thật an lạc,

Tâm khéo định trên thân,

Hãy mưa, nếu trời muốn.

Vàlliya nói lên bài kệ:

53. Trời mưa, như hát hay,

Ta ở trong am thất,

Ðược che kín, khỏi gió,

Ta sống thật an lạc.

Không phóng dật, ta sống,

Hãy mưa, nếu trời muốn.

Uttiya nói lên bài kệ:

54. Trời mưa, như hát hay,

Ta ở trong am thất

Ðược che kín, khỏi gió,

Ta sống thật an lạc,

Trong ấy, sống một mình,

Hãy mưa, nếu trời muốn.

III.https://tipitaka.fandom.com/wiki/Thera_1.51:_Godhika,Subahu,Valliya,Uttiya

Vị Subàhu (2) xuất hiện trong tiểu bộ kinh trưởng lão tăng kệ , vị Subàhu (1) tạm thời Tâm Học chưa có thông tin

51. Godhika, Subāhu, Valliya, Uttiya

In the time of our Buddha, these four, companions in a former birth when Kassapa Buddha was on earth, were reborn at Pava^[1] as the sons of four Malla (king)rājas,^[2] and there [55] was whole-hearted friendship between them. They went on some embassy to the King at Kapilavatthu. At that time the Lord(Buddha) too had gone there, and was staying in the Banyan Park, where he convinced the Sākiyan rajas by his twin-miracle^[3] Then the four saw the same and believed. They entered the Monk’s order, and not long after attained arahantship(enlightenment) with thorough mastery of the letter and spirit of the Path(Dhamma). Now after they had received much honour and support from the King and his ministers, they lived in the forest. Then King Bimbisara, when they went to Rājagaha, called on them and invited them to spend the rains, building for each of them a hut, but carelessly omitting to have the huts roofed. So the Theras lived in those huts unsheltered. But at the time of the rains, the god rained not.^[4] And the king, wondering  because of that, remembered his neglect, and had the it thatched with plaster and painted, and held an opening festival, besides giving gifts to the Monk’s order. The Theras did the King the favour of entering, and forthwith attained to the suffusion of universal love. Then from the north and the east arose a great storm-cloud, and just as the Theras emerged from their ecstasy, the rain fell. Then Godhika, aroused by the thunder of the storm, uttered this verse:

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[51] Vassati devo yathā sugītaɱ||
Channā me kuṭikā sukhā nivātā||
Cittaɱ susamāhitaɱ ca mayhaɱ||
Atha ce patthayasi pavassa devā’ ti.|| ||

 [51] God rains as it was a melody most sweet.
Snug is my little hut, sheltered, well-roofed.
The heart of me is firm and at peace.
Now as it please you to rain, god, rain !

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And Subahu:

[52] Vassati devo yathā sugītaɱ||
Channā me kuṭikā sukhā nivātā||
Cittaɱ susamāhitaɱ ca kāye||
Atha ce patthayasi pavassa devā’ ti.|| ||

[52] God rains as it was a melody most sweet.
Snug is my little hut, sheltered, well-roofed,
Well has my mind the body’s nature grasped.^[5]

Now as it please you to rain, god, rain!

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And Valliya:

[53] Vassati devo yathā sugītaɱ||
Channā me kuṭikā sukhā nivātā||
Tassaɱ viharāmi appamatto||
Atha ce patthayasi pavassa devā’ ti.|| ||

[53] God rains as it was a melody most sweet.
Snug is my little hut, sheltered, well-roofed.
In this earnest and strenuous I live.
Now an it please you to rain, god, rain!

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And Uttiya:

[54] Vassati [9] devo yathā sugītaɱ||
Channā me kuṭikā sukhā nivātā||
Tassaɱ viharāmi adutiyo||
Atha ce patthayasi pavassa devā’ ti.|| ||

[54] God rains as it was a melody most sweet.
Snug is my little hut, sheltered, well-roofed.
In this I live unmated and alone.^[6] Now an it please you to rain, god, rain!

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^[1] See Dialogues, ii. 186 ff.

^[2] Among Mallas, Koliyans, Licchavis, Sākiyans, every clansman was called a (king)rāja.

^[3] See p. 36, n. 1.

^[4] The usual idiom for ‘it rained’ (cf. I.). The Commentary again paraphrases ‘deva’ by rain-cloud (megha), without Pajjunna. The metre of these rain-verses is of a peculiar rippling rhythm. I cannot allocate it.

^[5] Lit.: ‘Well composed is the mind with respect to the senses.’

^[6] Adutiyo can mean this, or else ‘free from craving.’ Cf. verse 896, n.

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1.6    Chapter VI

1.6-1[51] Commentary on the stanza of

Godhikādicatu Thera

1,1. The four stanzas starting with vassati devo constitutes those of these four Theras: Gomika, Subāhu, Valliya and Uttiya. What is the origin? These also, having done devoted service towards former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, were reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Siddhattha ninety four aeons (kappa) ago, from now. On having attained the age of intelligence, they became mutual companions and wandered about together. One of them saw the Blessed One Suddhattha wandering about for alms-food and offered a spoonful of meal. The second of the four became pious-minded, paid his homage with five forms of touching earth (paṅcapatiṭṭhita) and lifted up his clasped hands. The third, pleasingly minded offered the Glorious One a handful of flowers. The fourth made reverential offering of jasmine flowers. In this manner, they had their mind pleasingly pious toward the Master, and being intent upon (pasuta) that act of merit, were reborn in the divine world and again making merit now and ten, wandered about their rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human-beings and came to be reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Kassapa, became companions and monks in the dispensation, did their monks’ duties and were reborn as a son each of four Malla monarchs at Pāvā, at the time of our Glorious One. To them they gave the names: Gomika, Subāhu, Valliya, and Uttiya. Mutually they became beloved companions. They, on a certain business, went to kapilavatthu. On that occasion as well, the Master went to Kapilavatthu, dwelt at te Nigrodha monastery, showed the twin miracle and subdued the Sākiyan sovereigns headed by king Suddhodana. Then, those four sons of Mallamonarch aslo witnessed the miracle, gained pleasing piety, became monks, did deeds of developing clear insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship along with analytical knowledge but before long. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:–

“(On having seen) the golden complexioned

self-awakened Buddha, the right recipient

of dedicated donations eminently emerging

(abhinikkhantaṃ) from excellence (pavara)

having come to woodless from the wood

(i.e. from the forest of taṇhā to the denuded

(taṇhakkhaya) area, I offered a spoonful of

alms-food, to such a great hero, the great

sage Siddhattha, who had becalmed Himself

by means of His wisdom (paññā).

My joy (vitti) in Buddha, the kinsman

of the sun, whom I followed closely from

behind step by step as He be-peaced (nibbāpente)

the multitude of men (mahājanaṃ), grew enormous

(uḷārajātā).

It was ninety four aeons (kappa) ago, from

now, that I then gave My offering.

I do not remember any evil existence;

this is the fruitful result of alms-food

offering.

Eighty seven aeons (kappa) ago from now,

(I became) these seven world-kings, en-

dowed with seven gems, known by the name

of Mahāreṇu.

My depravity had been burnt. …

Buddha’s instruction had been carried

out.”

:Said The Thera Godhika

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Subahu Thera

“I caught sight of the golden complexioned

self-awakened Buddha, resembling the thorough-

bred bull nisabha, similar to thrice-breached

with rut (tidhābhinna) elephant of Mātaṅga

species, seeker of greatness (madesi), the

eldest of the world, entering well upon the

chariot road lighting up all the directions

like unto the full moon (uḷarājā), where-

upon I had my mind made pleasingly pious

over His knowledge (ñāṇa) having lifted up

my clasped hands. Pious-minded and good-

hearted, I paid my homage to Buddha

Siddhattha.

It was ninety four aeons (kappa) ago,

from now, that I, then, did my deed;

I do not remember any evil existence;

this is the fruitful result of my per-

ception (saññā) of Buddha’s knowledge

(ñāṇa).

Seventy three aeons (kappa) ago, from

now, I became sixteen world-kings of

great vigour, endowed with seven gems,

known as the most excellent of men.

My depravity had been burnt; …

Buddha’s instruction had been carried

out.”

:Said The Thera Subāhu

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Valliya Thera

“I lived among Tivara, a florist

I was then. I met the stainless

(viraja) Buddha Siddhattha honoured

(pūjita) by the world.

Pious-minded and good-hearted, I

offered Him a handful of flowers.

Wherever I sprang up, it was by the

vehicle (vāha) of that deed (kamma).

I enjoyed desirable fruition of my

own deed well-done formerly, being

surrounded by good jasmine flowers;

this is the fruitful result of flower

offering.

It was ninety four aeons (kappa) ago

that I made special offering of flowers.

I do not remember amy evil existence;

this is the fruitful result of my

reverential offering of flowers.

Leaving aside the current present,

for ninety four (aeons), there, (I

became) five hundred kings known by

the name of Najjasama.

My depravity had been burnt. :P;

Buddha’s instruction had been carried

out.”

The Thera Valliya.

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Uttiya Thera

“I offered natural flowers (jātipuppha)

to the Blessed One Siddhattha.

With joyful smile (hāsa) flowers seven

in number were scattered down by me at

His feet. On account of that act now,

I do enjoy human immortality (narāmara).

In the dispensation of the self-awakened

Buddha I bear my ultimate body.

It was ninety four aeons (kappa) ago,

from now, that I made a special offering

of flowers; I do not remember any

evil existence; this is the fruitful

result of offering flowers reverentially.

There were thirteen world-kings, known

by the name of Samantagandha (sweet-

scented all round), five aeons (kappa)

ago from now; they were rulers of men

over the whole world (caturanta).

My depravity had been burnt; …

Buddha’s instruction had been carried

out.

: said Uttiya Thera.

****

1,2. Having however attained Arahantship, these four Theras, popular and well-known in the world, became duly honoured and revered by monarchs and main ministers and lived but together in the forest. Then, on one occasion, king Bimbisāra approached those four Theras who had come near Rājagaha, paid his homage to them, invited them in such a way that they were to spend the three months of lent during the rains, had residential structures built, one by one for each of them, but due to confusion (sammosa) of mindfulness, the king had not them roofed. The Theras resided in the unroofed dwellings. At the time for the rain to come, the rain did not shower. The king, on thinking thus:– “under what circumstance, indeed, the rain has not showered?,” came to know of that reason, had those dwellings roofed, caused clay-work and ornamental work done to them and performing the ceremony of dwellings (kuṭikamaha) offered charity to a large congregation of bhikkhus. Out of compassion for the king, the Theras entered the huts (kuṭikā) and entered upon the jhāna (samāpatti) based on loving kindness (mettā). Thereupon, from the north-east direction, a great rain-cloud arose and began to rain at the very moment the Theras rose up from their trance (samāpatti). Out of those four (tesu) the Thera Godhika rose up from his trance (samāpatti) and uttered this stanza together with the thundering of the rain-cloud.

51. ”The rain makes its shower similar

to sweet singing; my residential

structure has been roofed and my

abode is comfortable (sukha); my

mind is well composed (susamāhita)

also. Then, should you so desire,

you may shower, O rain!”

There, vassati means: it sprinkles, it brings down rain-bearing shower. Devo means rain-cloud (megah). Yathā sugītaṃ means thundering like unto sweet song (sundara gīta), thus, is the significance. Indeed, the rain cloud at the time of showering rain, would rise up in hundred heaps (paṭala) and a thousand ceilings (paṭala), thundering and emitting lightning even does look graceful; not alone. Therefore, charming (siniddha), sweet, deep-sounding rain showers down; thus, he shows. He spoke of not being harassed by that sound thus:– “Channā me kuṭikā sukhā nivātā,” this residential structure on mine is roofed with reeds, etc. in such a manner that the rain shower does not enter; he spoke of (his) not being harassed  by that shower of rain. Naturally (sabbhāvato) there were such sorts of happiness as comfort of accomodation (paribhogasukha) as well as the comfort of  weather in congenial climate (utusappāya). (My residential structure) is free (rahitā) from wind-danger due to her firmly closed pervading (phusitaddaḷhapihita) windows (vātapāna). He spoke about his not being oppressed because of both forms of residential facilities (sappāya) Cittaṃ Susamāhitañ ca mayhaṃ is to be construed thus:– My mind also is well composed by means of unsurpassed concentration (anuttarasamādhi) well concentrated in nibbāna as object of thought (arammaṇa). He showed his state of being free from worry (appossukka) owing to the absence of this deeply internal danger (parissaya). Atha ce patthayasi means: then, should you so desire now; if you wish. Pavassa means: you might sprinkle, scatter (your) water; rain down your rain-shower. Deva means the calling out to the rain-cloud.

Commentary on the stanza

of the Thera Godhika

is complete.

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