(Kosambaka Vatthu) While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatthī, the Buddha uttered Verse (6) of this book, with reference to the bhikkhus of Kosambī. The bhikkhus of Kosambī had formed into two groups. One group followed the master of Vinaya and the other followed the teacher of the Dhamma and they were often quarrelling among themselves. Even the Buddha could not stop them from quarrelling ; so he left them and spent the vassa, residence period of the rains, all alone in Rakkhita Grove near Pālileyyaka forest. There, the elephant Pālileyya waited upon the Buddha. The lay disciples of Kosambī, on learning the reason for the departure of the Buddha, refused to make offerings to the remaining bhikkhus. This made them realize their mistake and reconciliation took place among themselves. Still, the lay disciples would not treat them as respectfully as before, until they owned up their fault to the Buddha. But the Buddha was away and it was in the middle of the vassa; so the bhikkhus of Kosambī spent the vassa in misery and hardship. At the end of the vassa, the Venerable Ānanda and five hundred bhikkhus approached the Buddha and gave the message from Anāthapiṇḍika and other lay disciples imploring him to return. In due course the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatthī. The bhikkhus followed him there, fell down at his feet, and owned up their fault. The Buddha rebuked them for disobeying him. He told them to remember that they must all die some day and therefore, they must stop their quarrels and must not act as if they would never die. Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows: Pare ca na vijānanti, mayamettha yamāmase. Ye ca tattha vijānanti, tato sammanti medhagā. Most people never realise that all of us here shall one day perish. But those who do realise that truth settle their quarrels peacefully. At the end of the discourse, all the assembled bhikkhus were established in Sotāpatti Fruition.
