The Discourse about Cunda

Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was walking on walking tour amongst the Mallas with a great Community of monks, and arrived at Pāva. There the Gracious One dwelt near Pāva, in Cunda the smith’s mango wood.
Cunda the smith heard: “The Gracious One, it seems, is walking on walking tour amongst the Mallas with a great Community of monks, and has arrived at Pāva, and is dwelling near Pāva, in my mango wood.”
Then Cunda the smith went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side. While Cunda the smith sat on one side the Gracious One instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered him with a Dhamma talk.
Then Cunda the smith, having been instructed, roused, enthused, and cheered by the Gracious One with a Dhamma talk, said to the Gracious One: “May the Gracious One consent, reverend Sir, to me offering him a meal on the morrow, together with the Community of monks.” The Gracious One consented by maintaining silence. Then Cunda the smith, having understood the Gracious One’s consent, after rising from his seat, worshipping and circumambulating the Gracious One, went away.
Then with the passing of that night, Cunda the smith, in his own residence, having had excellent comestibles and edibles made ready, and an abundance of tender pork, had the time accounced to the Gracious One, saying: “It is time, reverend Sir, the meal is ready.”
Then the Gracious One, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up his bowl and robe, together with the Community of monks, went to Cunda the smith’s residence, and after going, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down the Gracious One addressed Cunda the smith, saying: “Serve me with the tender pork you have prepared, Cunda, but serve the Community of monks with the other comestibles and edibles which have been prepared.
“Yes, reverend Sir”, said Cunda the smith, and after replying to the Gracious One, he served the Gracious One with the tender pork that had been prepared, but served the Community of monks with the other comestibles and edibles which had been prepared.
Then the Gracious One addressed Cunda the smith, saying: “Throw that left over tender pork into a pit, Cunda, for I do not see, Cunda, in the world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brāhmaṇas, princes and men, one who, having eaten it, could completely digest it, except for a Realised One.”
“Yes, reverend Sir”, said Cunda the smith, and after replying to the Gracious One, and throwing what was left over of that tender pork into a pit, he went to the Gracious One, and after going and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side. While sat on one side the Gracious One, after instructing, rousing, enthusing, and cheering Cunda the smith with a Dhamma talk, having risen from the seat, went away.
Then for the Gracious One, after eating Cunda the smith’s food, a painful affliction arose, dysentery, and strong feelings occurred, such as end in death. There the Gracious One, mindfully, with full awareness, bore those pains without being troubled.
Then the Gracious One addressed venerable Ānanda, saying: “Come, Ānanda, let us go to Kusināra.”
“Yes, reverend Sir”, venerable Ānanda replied to the Gracious One.

Having eaten Cunda the smith’s food, so I have heard,
The Firm One experienced a very strong affliction, such as ends in death.
For the Teacher, who had eaten tender pork,
A very strong sickness arose.
While still purging the Gracious One said:
“I will go to the city of Kusināra.”

Then the Gracious One, having gone down from the road, went to the root of a certain tree, and after going, 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.”
“Yes, 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.
While sat 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 Kukutthā 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.”
For a second time 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 Kukutthā 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 third time the Gracious One addressed venerable Ānanda, saying: “Come now, Ānanda, bring drinking water, I am thirsty, Ānanda, and will drink.”
“Yes, reverend Sir”, said venerable Ānanda, and after replying to the Gracious One, and taking the bowl, he went to the river. Then that little river that was flowing, which had been churned by the wheels, and was stirred up and disturbed, as venerable Ānanda was going, flowed transparent, clear, and undisturbed.
Then it occurred to venerable Ānanda: “Surely it is wonderful, surely it is marvellous, the Realised One’s great power and great majesty, in that that little river that is flowing, which has been churned by wheels, and is stirred up and disturbed, as I was going, flowed transparent, clear, and undisturbed.”
After taking a bowl of drinking water he went to the Gracious One, and after going, he said this to the Gracious One: “It is wonderful, reverend Sir, it is marvellous, reverend Sir, the Realised One’s great power and great majesty, in that that little river that is flowing, which has been churned by wheels, and is stirred up and disturbed, as I was going, flowed transparent, clear, and undisturbed. Please drink the drinking water, Gracious One! Please drink the drinking water, Fortunate One!” Then the Gracious One drank the drinking water.
Then the Gracious One with a great Community of monks went to the river Kukutthā, and after going, and entering into the river Kukutthā, bathing, and drinking, and coming back out, went to the mango wood, and after going, he addressed venerable Cundaka, saying: “Come now, Cundaka, prepare the outer robe folded in four for me, I am weary, Cundaka, and will lie down.”
“Yes, reverend Sir”, said venerable Cundaka, and after replying to the Gracious One, he prepared the outer robe folded in four. Then the Gracious One lay down on his right side in the lion’s posture, after placing one foot on the top of the other, mindfully, with full awareness, having applied his mind to the thought of rising. And venerable Cundaka sat down right there in front of the Gracious One.

The Awakened One, having gone to the little river Kukutthā,
Which had water that was transparent, pleasant, and clear,
The Teacher, very weary, entered the river,
the Realised One, who is unmatched here in the world.
After washing and drinking, the Teacher came out,
And in the middle of the group of monks, at the front,
The Teacher, the Gracious One, having taught the Dhamma here,
The Great Sage went to the mango wood.
He addressed the monk called Cundaka, saying:
“Spread out the lying robe folded in four for me,”
Cunda, urged by the One with Developed Mind,
Very quickly spread the robe folded in four.
The Teacher, very weary, lay down,
With Cunda sat right there at the front.

Then the Gracious One addressed venerable Ānanda, saying: “It may be, Ānanda, that someone might cause remorse for the smith Cunda, saying: ‘There is no gain for you, friend Cunda, it is a poor gain for you, friend Cunda, in that the Realised One, after eating his last almsfood from you, attained Complete Emancipation.’
“If there is remorse for Cunda the smith, Ānanda, drive it out in this way, saying: ‘There is a gain for you, friend Cunda, it is a good gain for you, friend Cunda, in that the Realised One, after eating his last almsfood from you, attained Complete Emancipation. I heard this face to face with the Gracious One, friend Cunda, I learned it face to face:
“There are these two almsfoods which have the same fruit, have the same result, that is a greater fruit, a greater result than other almsfood. Which two?
“That almsfood which, after eating, the Realised One awakens to the unsurpassed Perfect Awakening; and that almsfood which, after eating, the Realised One attains Complete Emancipation in the Emancipation-element which has no basis for attachment remaining. These are the two almsfoods which have the same excellent fruit, have the same excellent result, that is a greater fruit, a greater result than other almsfood.
“Friend Cunda the smith has accumulated a good deed that is conducive to long life, friend Cunda the smith has accumulated a good deed that is conducive to beauty, friend Cunda the smith has accumulated a good deed that is conducive to happiness, friend Cunda the smith has accumulated a good deed that is conducive to fame, friend Cunda the smith has accumulated a good deed that is conducive to heaven, friend Cunda the smith has accumulated a good deed that is conducive to sovereignty.”
“If there is remorse for Cunda the smith, Ānanda, you should drive it out in this way!”
Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“For the one who gives merit is increased,
From restraint hatred is not accumulated.
“The skilful one gives up what is bad,
Through the destruction of passion, hatred, and delusion,
he is emancipated.”