The Discourse about the Great Emancipation

[The Third Chapter for Recitation] 80
[17: Ānanda's Failure]
Then the Gracious One, having dressed in the morning time, after
picking up his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms. After walking
for alms in Vesālī, and returning from the alms-round after the meal,
he addressed venerable Ānanda, (saying): “Take up the sitting mat,
Ānanda, we will approach the Cāpāla shrine to dwell for the day.”
“Very well, reverend Sir,” said venerable Ānanda, and after replying
to the Gracious One, and taking the sitting mat, he followed along
close behind the Gracious One.
Then the Gracious One approached the Cāpāla shrine, and after
approaching, he sat down on the prepared seat, and also venerable
Ānanda, after worshipping the Gracious One, sat down on one side.
While sitting on one side the Gracious One said this to venerable
Ānanda: “Delightful, Ānanda, is Vesālī, delightful is the Udena shrine,
delightful is the Gotamaka shrine, delightful is the Sattamba shrine,
80 There is a gap in the record here of 7 months, if the traditional date for the
Final Emancipation is correct. This is discussed in the Introduction to the
Texts and Translation of this discourse.
72