I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara's mother. Now at that time, the Blessed One — it being the observance day — was sitting surrounded by the community of monks. Then Ven. Ananda — when the night was far advanced, at the end of the first watch — arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The first watch has ended. The community of monks has been sitting here long. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to them." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.
Then a second time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the second watch, Ven. Ananda arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The second watch has ended. The community of monks has been sitting here long. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to them." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.
Then a third time, when the night was far advanced, at the end of the third watch, as dawn was approaching and the face of the night was beaming, Ven. Ananda arose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, stood facing the Blessed One with his hands placed palm-to-palm over his heart, and said to him: "The night, lord, is far advanced. The third watch has ended. Dawn is approaching and the face of the night is beaming. The community of monks has been sitting here long. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to the community of monks."
"Ananda, the gathering isn't pure."
Then the thought occurred to Ven. Maha Moggallana: "In reference to which individual did the Blessed One just now say, 'Ananda, the gathering isn't pure'?" So he directed his mind, encompassing with his awareness the awareness of the entire community of monks. He saw that individual — unprincipled, evil, unclean and suspect in his undertakings, hidden in his actions, not a contemplative though claiming to be one, not leading the holy life though claiming to do so, inwardly rotten, oozing with desire, filthy by nature — sitting in the midst of the community of monks. On seeing him, he got up, went over to that individual, and on reaching him said, "Get up, my friend. You have been seen by the Blessed One. You have no communion with the community of monks." Then the individual remained silent. A second time... A third time, Ven. Maha Moggallana said, "Get up, my friend. You have been seen by the Blessed One. You have no communion with the community of monks." And for a third time the individual remained silent.
Then Ven. Maha Moggallana, grabbing that individual by the arm, having expelled him through the outside door of the porch and locking the bolt, approached the Blessed One and on arrival said, "I have expelled that individual, lord. The gathering is now pure. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to the community of monks."
"Isn't it amazing, Moggallana. Isn't it astounding, how that individual waited until he was grabbed by the arm." Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "From now on I will no longer perform the observance or recite the Patimokkha. You alone, monks, will perform the observance and recite the Patimokkha. It is impossible, it cannot happen, that a Tathagata would perform the observance or recite the Patimokkha with an impure gathering.
"Monks, there are these eight amazing and astounding facts about the ocean that, as they see them again and again, have the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean. Which eight?
"[1] The ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch. The fact that the ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sharp drop-off not just after a stretch:1 This is the first amazing and astounding fact about the ocean that, as they see it again and again, has the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean.
"[2] And furthermore, the ocean is stable and does not overstep its tideline... This is the second amazing and astounding fact about the ocean that, as they see it again and again, has the Asuras pleased with the ocean.
"[3] And furthermore, the ocean does not tolerate a dead body. Any dead body in the ocean gets washed to the shore and thrown up on dry land... This is the third amazing and astounding fact about the ocean that, as they see it again and again, has the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean.
"[4] And furthermore, whatever great rivers there are — such as the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhu, the Mahi — on reaching the ocean, give up their former names and are classed simply as 'ocean'... This is the fourth amazing and astounding fact about the ocean that, as they see it again and again, has the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean.
"[5] And furthermore, though the rivers of the world pour into the ocean, and rain falls from the sky, no swelling or diminishing in the ocean for that reason can be discerned... This is the fifth amazing and astounding fact about the ocean that, as they see it again and again, has the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean.
"[6] And furthermore, the ocean has a single taste: that of salt... This is the sixth amazing and astounding fact about the ocean that, as they see it again and again, has the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean.
"[7] And furthermore, the ocean has these many treasures of various kinds: pearls, sapphires, lapis lazuli, shells, quartz, coral, silver, gold, rubies, and cat's eyes... This is the seventh amazing and astounding fact about the ocean that, as they see it again and again, has the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean.
"[8] And furthermore, the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as whales, whale-eaters, and whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nagas, and gandhabbas. There are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred... three hundred... four hundred... five hundred leagues long. The fact that the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as whales, whale-eaters, and whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nagas, and gandhabbas; and there are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred... three hundred... four hundred... five hundred leagues long: This is the eighth amazing and astounding fact about the ocean that, as they see it again and again, has the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean.
"These are the eight amazing and astounding facts about the ocean that, as they see them again and again, have the Asuras greatly pleased with the ocean.
"In the same way, monks, there are eight amazing and astounding facts about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see them again and again, have the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline. Which eight?
"[1] Just as the ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch, in the same way this Doctrine and Discipline has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual progression, with a penetration to gnosis only after a long stretch. The fact that this Doctrine and Discipline has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual progression, with a penetration to gnosis not just after a stretch: This is the first amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see it again and again, has the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline.
"[2] And furthermore, just as the ocean is stable and does not overstep its tideline, in the same way my disciples do not — even for the sake of their lives — overstep the training rules I have formulated for them... This is the second amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see it again and again, has the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline.
"[3] And furthermore, just as the ocean does not tolerate a dead body — any dead body in the ocean getting washed to the shore and thrown up on dry land — in the same way, if an individual is unprincipled, evil, unclean and suspect in his undertakings, hidden in his actions — not a contemplative though claiming to be one, not leading the holy life though claiming to do so, inwardly rotten, oozing with desire, filthy by nature — the community has no communion with him. Holding an immediate meeting, they banish him from the community. Even though he may be sitting in the midst of the community, he is far from the community, and the community far from him... This is the third amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see it again and again, has the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline.
"[4] And furthermore, just as whatever great rivers there are — such as the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhu, the Mahi — on reaching the ocean, give up their former names and are classed simply as 'ocean'; in the same way, when members of the four castes — noble warriors, priests, merchants, and workers — go forth from home to the homeless life in the Doctrine and Discipline declared by the Tathagata, they give up their former names and clans and are classed simply as 'contemplatives, sons of the Sakyan'... This is the fourth amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see it again and again, has the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline.
"[5] And furthermore, just as the rivers of the world pour into the ocean, and rain falls from the sky, but no swelling or diminishing in the ocean for that reason can be discerned; in the same way, although many monks are totally unbound into the property of Unbinding with no fuel remaining, no swelling or diminishing in the property of Unbinding for that reason can be discerned... This is the fifth amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see it again and again, has the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline.
"[6] And furthermore, just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, this Doctrine and Discipline has a single taste: that of release... This is the sixth amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see it again and again, has the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline.
"[7] And furthermore, just as the ocean has these many treasures of various kinds — pearls, sapphires, lapis lazuli, shells, quartz, coral, silver, gold, rubies, and cat's eyes — in the same way, this Doctrine and Discipline has these many treasures of various kinds: the four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path... This is the seventh amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see it again and again, has the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline.
"[8] And furthermore, just as the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as whales, whale-eaters, and whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nagas, and gandhabbas, and there are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred... three hundred... four hundred... five hundred leagues long; in the same way, this Doctrine and Discipline is the abode of such mighty beings as stream-winners and those practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry; once-returners and those practicing to realize the fruit of once-returning; non-returners and those practicing to realize the fruit of non-returning; arahants and those practicing for arahantship. The fact that this Doctrine and Discipline is the abode of such mighty beings as stream-winners and those practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry; once-returners and those practicing to realize the fruit of once-returning; non-returners and those practicing to realize the fruit of non-returning; arahants and those practicing for arahantship: This is the eighth amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see it again and again, has the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline.
"These are the eight amazing and astounding facts about this Doctrine and Discipline that, as they see them again and again, have the monks greatly pleased with the Doctrine and Discipline."
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
The rain soddens what's covered, & doesn't sodden what's exposed. So open up what's covered up, so that it won't get soddened by the rain.
Notes
1. n'aayataken'eva papaato hoti: Ireland translates this passage as: "There is no sudden precipice." Horner, in her translation of the identical passage at Cv.IX.1.3, renders it as: "with no abruptness like a precipice." Both translators are following the second definition given for aayataka in the PTS Dictionary as an adjective meaning "sudden, abrupt," and the instrumental, aayatakena, as an adverb meaning "abruptly." These definitions are supported by citations only to this passage in its two locations, and are based on the relevant commentaries. The Udana Commentary explains this passage as meaning "Not (having) a cut-off bank like a great lake with a drop-off from the very beginning." It then goes on to explain how the ocean floor gradually slopes off, starting in inch-by-inch increments, until it reaches the depth of 8,400 leagues at the base of Mount Suneru. The Commentary to Cv.IX explains the passage as meaning, "Not deep at right at first; gradually deep."
There are, however, several problems with these translations and interpretations. (1) They are directly contrary to all the other meanings of aayataka and its cognate forms as used elsewhere in the Canon. (2) They do not follow the grammar and syntax of the sentence in Pali. (3) They ignore a basic fact about the continental shelf off the coast of India. And (4) they do not allow for a proper understanding of the specific analogy being drawn between the ocean and the Dhamma-Vinaya.
(1) In Cv.V.3.1, aayataka clearly means stretched, drawn-out, or prolonged. This is the first definition for the word given in the PTS Dictionary. This word is an adjective related to the verb aayamati, which means to stretch or stretch out, both in the transitive and the intransitive sense. To take a word meaning "stretched" in all other contexts and to force it to mean "sudden" in this one context flies in the face of common sense.
(2) Ireland treats aayataken'eva as an adjective modifying papaato. If this were the correct interpretation, though, both words would have to be in the same case, which they are not. Horner's translation is hard to unpack grammatically. Either she is taking the instrumental adverb aayatakena as "abruptness," which turns it into a nominative form, while moving the eva from the abruptness to modify the precipice. Or else she treats papaato as abruptness and keeps the eva with the aayatakena, in which case she is again turning an adverb into a noun.
(3) The continental shelf off the coast of India, like that off the eastern coast of the United States, actually slopes gradually for a long distance and then falls away in a sudden drop-off.
(4) These two translations make it sound as if there is no drop-off at all off the coast of India. Transferring this point to the analogy drawn from the ocean to the Dhamma-Vinaya, the analogy would work only if we infer that there is no penetrative of gnosis in the Dhamma-Vinaya. Other passages in the Canon, such as Ud.I.10, indicate that this is clearly not the case.
For these reasons, I have chosen to re-think the passage in the following way:
(1) The indeclinable adverb aayatakena, in order to maintain its commonality with its cognates and their uses in other passages, should be translated as "after a stretch." Aayataken'eva would then mean "after just a stretch"; n'aayataken'eva, "not after just a stretch." This would open the possibility that the papaato, the precipice or sharp drop-off, could happen after a long distance or a gradual slope.
(2) This would fit with the actual state of the ocean off the coast of India.
(3) This would also allow for a correct understanding of the analogy in line with other passages in the Canon. For instance, Bahiya in Ud I.10 clearly has a sudden insight into the Dhamma, a sudden penetration of gnosis. However, this penetration is not totally unprepared for. There is a gradual slope leading up to it, however short. To begin with, Bahiya comes to the Buddha with the correct assumption that there is a correct path of practice leading to arahantship. In this, he is far ahead of those of his contemporaries who came to the Buddha denying that arahantship was possible or — even if it was possible — that a path of practice could lead there. He is also portrayed as having the strong sense of samvega needed to practice diligently. The Buddha gives him a step-wise series of instructions, starting with the seen and moving to more refined levels: the heard, the sensed, and the cognized. Then he tells Bahiya the series of realizations that follow on this practice. Thus, even though Bahiya's insight on hearing this instruction was sudden, his practice did follow a series of steps: things to do, realizations that resulted and were to be developed and explored. In other words, his insight did not come out of nowhere. It was not a mere neurotic breakthrough. There was a stepwise preparation involving an understanding of cause and effect.
(4) Thus the correct interpretation of this analogy between the ocean and the Dhamma-Vinaya would seem to be that there is a precipice in the ocean, preceded by a gradual slope, just as there is a penetration of gnosis in the Dhamma-Vinaya, preceded by a stepwise practice.