The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [358]
23. When this was said, the brahmin Brahmāyu rose from his seat, and after arranging his upper robe on one shoulder, he extended his hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One and uttered this exclamation three times: “Honour to the Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened! Honour to the Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened! Honour to the Blessed One, accomplished and fully enlightened! Perhaps sometime or other we might meet Master Gotama, perhaps we might have some conversation with him.”
24. Then, in the course of his wandering, the Blessed One eventually arrived at Mithilā. There the Blessed One lived in Makh̄deva’s Mango Grove. The brahmin householders of Mithil̄ heard: [141] “The recluse Gotama, the son of the Sakyans who went forth from a Sakyan clan, has been wandering in the country of the Videhans with a large Sangha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus, and he has now come to Mithilā and is living in Makhādeva’s Mango Grove. Now a good report of Master Gotama has been spread to this effect...(as in §3 above)...Now it is good to see such arahants.”
25. Then the brahmin householders of Mithilā went to the Blessed One. Some paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down at one side; some exchanged greetings with him, and when this courteous and amiable talk was finished, sat down at one side; some extended their hands in reverential salutation towards him and sat down at one side; some pronounced their name and clan in the Blessed One’s presence and sat down at one side; some kept silent and sat down at one side.
26. The brahmin Brahmāyu heard: “The recluse Gotama, the son of the Sakyans who went forth from the Sakyan clan, has arrived in Mithilā and is living in Makhādeva’s Mango Grove in Mithilā.”
Then the brahmin Brahmāyu went to Makhādeva’s Mango Grove with a number of brahmin students. When he came to the Mango Grove, he thought: “It is not proper that I should go to the recluse Gotama without first being announced.” Then he addressed a certain brahmin student: “Come, brahmin student, go to the recluse Gotama and ask in my name whether the recluse Gotama is free from illness and affliction, and is healthy, strong, and abiding in comfort, saying: ‘Master Gotama, the brahmin Brahmāyu asks whether Master Gotama is free from illness...abiding in comfort,’ and say this: ‘The brahmin Brahm̄yu, Master Gotama, is old, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, and come to the last stage; he is in his hundred and twentieth year. He is a master of the Three Vedas with their vocabularies, liturgy, phonology, and etymology, and the histories as a fifth; skilled in philology and grammar, he is fully versed in natural philosophy and in the marks of a Great Man. Of all the brahmin householders who live in Mithilā, the brahmin Brahmāyu is pronounced the foremost of them in wealth, in knowledge of the hymns, [142] and in age and fame. He wants to see Master Gotama.’”
“Yes, sir,” the brahmin student replied. He went to the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him, and when this courteous and amiable talk was finished, he stood at one side and delivered his message. [The Blessed One said:]
“Student, let the brahmin Brahmāyu come at his own convenience.”
27. Then the brahmin student went to the brahmin Brahmāyu and said: “Permission has been granted by the recluse Gotama. You may come, sir, at your own convenience.”
So the brahmin Brahmāyu went to the Blessed One. The assembly saw him coming in the distance, and they at once made way for him as for one who was