Ekaṃ samayaṃ sambahulā bhikkhū kosalesu viharanti aññatarasmiṃ vanasaṇḍe.

VAR: vassaṃvuṭṭhā → vassaṃ vutthā (bj, s1-3, km, pts1-2)

Atha kho te bhikkhū vassaṃvuṭṭhā temāsaccayena cārikaṃ pakkamiṃsu. Atha kho yā tasmiṃ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā te bhikkhū apassantī paridevamānā tāyaṃ velāyaṃ imaṃ gāthaṃ abhāsi:

“Arati viya mejja khāyati,
Bahuke disvāna vivitte āsane;
Te cittakathā bahussutā,
Kome gotamasāvakā gatā”ti.

Evaṃ vutte, aññatarā devatā taṃ devataṃ gāthāya paccabhāsi:

“Māgadhaṃ gatā kosalaṃ gatā,
Ekacciyā pana vajjibhūmiyā;
Magā viya asaṅgacārino,
Aniketā viharanti bhikkhavo”ti.