The Discourse about the Great Emancipation

The Fourth Chapter for Recitation
[30: Bringing Drinking Water]
Then the Gracious One, having gone down from the road, approached
the root of a certain tree, and after approaching, he addressed
venerable Ānanda, (saying): “Come now, Ānanda, prepare the outer
robe folded in four for me, I am weary, Ānanda, and will sit down.”
“Very well, reverend Sir”, said venerable Ānanda, and after replying
to the Gracious One, he prepared the outer robe folded in four, and the
Gracious One sat down on the prepared seat. 131 While sitting the
Gracious One addressed venerable Ānanda, (saying): “Come now,
Ānanda, bring drinking water, I am thirsty, Ānanda, and will drink.”
After that was said, venerable Ānanda said this to the Gracious One:
“Just now, reverend Sir, five hundred wagons have passed by, and the
little water that flows, having been churned by the wheels, is stirred up
and disturbed. The Kakutthā river is not far away, with transparent
water, agreeable water, cool water, pure water, with beautiful banks, a
delightful (place), there the Gracious One can drink drinking water,
and can cool his limbs.”
For a second time the Gracious One addressed venerable Ānanda,
(saying): “Come now, Ānanda, bring drinking water, I am thirsty,
Ānanda, and will drink.”
131 The Commentary tells us that the Buddha had to sit down like this 25 times
on the way from Pāvā to Kusinārā.
126