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“In the country of the King of the Kosalans, it appeared at the foot of the mountain was a certain thickly settled village named Mātika. Now one day, 60 monks who had received from the Buddha a subject of meditation leading to Arhatship came to the village and entered it for alms.” “Mātika’s mother superintended the building of a monastery to serve as their place of residence, presented it to them, and the monks took up their residence there.”
“They said to each other, ‘Brothers, brethren, it behooves us not to live the life of heedlessness, for before us stands the Eight Great Hells with gates wide opened, even as our own houses. Now we have come here, thus having received a subject of meditation from the living Buddha and the favor of the Buddhas cannot be won by a deceitful person, even though he walks in their very footsteps. Only by doing the will of the Buddhas can their favor be won, therefore, be heedful. Two monks may neither stand, nor sit in any one place. In the evening we shall meet together to wait upon the elder and early in the morning we shall meet together when it is time to go the rounds for alms. At other times two of us must never be together. If however a monk is taken sick, let him come to the monastery court and strike the block. At the signal given by a stroke on the block, we will come together and provide remedy for him.’”
“So now one day, while the monks were in residence, that female disciple took ghee, molasses and other kinds of medicine and in the evening, accompanied by a retinue of bondsmen and servants, went to the monastery. Seeing no monks, she asked some men, ‘Where have the noble monks gone?’ The men who knew about the agreement made by the order of monks said to her, ‘If you strike the block, my lady, they will assemble.’”
