Mahaparinibbanasuttam (DN 16) - Ancient Buddhist Texts

The Second Chapter for Recitation - 76
“Sace pi me ayyaputtā Vesāliṁ sāhāraṁ dassatha
“If, noble sirs, you would give Vesālī and its revenues 104
evam-ahaṁ taṁ bhattaṁ na dassāmī.” ti
still I would not give this meal (to you).”
Atha kho te Licchavī aṅgulī poṭhesuṁ:
Then the Licchavīs snapped their fingers, (thinking):
“Jitamhā vata bho Ambakāya, jitamhā vata bho Ambakāyā.” ti
“We have surely been defeated by a woman, we have surely been defeated by a
woman.” 105
Atha kho te Licchavī yena Ambapālivanaṁ tena pāyiṁsu.
Then the Licchavīs entered Ambapālī’s Wood.
Addasā kho Bhagavā te Licchavī dūrato va āgacchante,
The Gracious One saw those Licchavīs coming from afar,
disvā bhikkhū āmantesi:
and having seen (them), he addressed the monks, (saying):
“Yesaṁ bhikkhave bhikkhūnaṁ devā Tāvatiṁsā adiṭṭhā,
* “Let those monks who have not seen the Tāvatiṁsa Divinities, monks,
oloketha bhikkhave Licchaviparisaṁ,
look at the Licchavī troupe, monks,
apaloketha bhikkhave Licchaviparisaṁ,
look upon the Licchavī troupe, monks,
upasaṁharatha bhikkhave Licchaviparisaṁ Tāvatiṁsasadisan.”-ti
contemplate the Licchavī troupe, monks, who are like the Tāvatiṁsa (Divinities).” 106
Atha kho te Licchavī yāvatikā yānassa bhūmi yānena gantvā,
Then after the Licchavīs had gone as far as the ground for vehicles (would allow),
yānā paccorohitvā, pattikā va yena Bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu,
and had descended from the vehicles, they approached the Gracious One by foot,
104 Lit: with its means (of existence) (sāhāraṁ).
105 This is a play on Ambapālī’s name. Ambaka, means a woman.
106 The Commentary says that the Buddha urged the monks to look on the splendour of the
Licchavī princes so that they would remember it and realise the nature of impermanence when
they were destroyed by the Magadahan King Ajātasattu.