The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha
Page 60
14. “Here, Bhaddāli, some bhikkhu does not fulfil the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation. He considers thus: ‘Suppose I were to resort to a secluded resting place: the forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, an open space, a heap of straw—perhaps I might realise a superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.’ He resorts to some such secluded resting place. While he lives thus withdrawn, the Teacher censures him, wise companions in the holy life who have made investigation censure him, gods censure him, and he censures himself. Being censured in this way by the Teacher, by wise companions in the holy life, by gods, and by himself, he realises no superhuman state, no distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Why is that? That is how it is with one who does not fulfil the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.
15. “Here, Bhaddāli, some bhikkhu does fulfil the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation. He considers thus: ‘Suppose I were to resort to a secluded resting place: the forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, [441] an open space, a heap of straw—perhaps I might realise a superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.’ He resorts to some such secluded resting place. While he lives thus withdrawn, the Teacher does not censure him, wise companions in the holy life who have made investigation do not censure him, gods do not censure him, and he does not censure himself. Being uncensured in this way by the Teacher, by wise companions in the holy life, by gods, and by himself, he realises a superhuman state, a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.
16. “Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. Why is that? That is how it is with one who fulfils the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.
17. “With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and abides in the second jhāna…With the fading away as well of rapture…he enters upon and abides in the third jhāna…With the abandoning of pleasure and pain…he enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna…Why is that? That is how it is with one who fulfils the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.
18. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified and bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives…(as Sutta 51, §24)…Thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past lives. Why is that? That is how [442] it is with one who fulfils the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.
19. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified and bright…attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings…(as Sutta 51, §25)…Thus with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he understands how beings pass on according to their actions. Why is that? That is how it is with one who fulfils the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.
20. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified and bright…attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the destruction of the taints. He understands as it actually is: ‘This is suffering’…(as Sutta 51, §26)…He understands as it actually is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of the taints.’
21. “When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.’ Why is that? That is how it is with one who fulfils the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.”
22. Thereupon the venerable Bhaddāli asked: “Venerable sir, what is the cause, what is the reason, why they take action against some bhikkhu here by repeatedly admonishing him? What is the cause, what is the reason, why they do not take such action against some bhikkhu here by repeatedly admonishing him?”
23. “Here, Bhaddāli, some bhikkhu is a constant offender with many offences. When he is corrected by the bhikkhus, he prevaricates, leads the talk aside, shows disturbance, hate, and bitterness; he does not proceed rightly, he does not comply, he does not clear himself, he does not say: ‘Let me so act that the Sangha will be satisfied.’ [443] Bhikkhus, taking account of this matter, think: ‘It would be good if the venerable ones examine this bhikkhu in such a way that this litigation against him is not settled too quickly.’ And the bhikkhus examine that bhikkhu in such a way that the litigation against him is not settled too quickly.
24. “But here some bhikkhu is a constant offender with many offences. When he is corrected by the bhikkhus, he does not prevaricate, lead the talk aside, or show disturbance, hate, and bitterness; he proceeds rightly, he complies, he clears himself, he says: ‘Let me so act that the Sangha will be satisfied.’ Bhikkhus, taking account of this matter, think: ‘It would be good if the venerable ones examine this bhikkhu in such a way that this litigation against him is settled quickly.’ And the bhikkhus examine that bhikkhu in such a way that the litigation against him is settled quickly.
25. “Here some bhikkhu is a chance offender without many offences. When he is corrected by the bhikkhus, he prevaricates… (repeat rest of §23)…And the bhikkhus examine that bhikkhu in such a way that [444] the litigation against him is not settled too quickly.
26. “But here some bhikkhu is a chance offender without many offences. When he is corrected by the bhikkhus, he does not prevaricate…(repeat rest of §24)…And the bhikkhus examine that bhikkhu in such a way that the litigation against him is settled quickly.
27. “Here some bhikkhu progresses by a measure of faith and love.666 In this case bhikkhus consider thus: ‘Friends, this bhikkhu progresses by a measure of faith and love. Let him not lose that measure of faith and love, as he may if we take action against him by repeatedly admonishing him.’ Suppose a man had only one eye; then his friends and companions, his kinsmen and relatives, would guard his eye, thinking: ‘Let him not lose his one eye.’ So too, some bhikkhu progresses by a measure of faith and love…‘Let him not lose that measure of faith and love, as he may if we take action against him by repeatedly admonishing him.’
28. “This is the cause, this is the reason, why they take action against some bhikkhu here by repeatedly admonishing him; this is the cause, this is the reason, why they do not take such action against some bhikkhu here by repeatedly admonishing him.”
29. “Venerable sir, what is the cause, what is the reason, why there were previously [445] fewer training rules and more bhikkhus became established in final knowledge? What is the cause, what is the reason, why there are now more training rules and fewer bhikkhus become established in final knowledge?”
30. “That is how it is, Bhaddāli. When beings are deteriorating and the true Dhamma is disappearing, then there are more training rules and fewer bhikkhus become established in final knowledge. The Teacher does not make known the training rule for disciples until certain things that are the basis for taints become manifest here in the Sangha;667 but when certain things that are the basis for taints become manifest here in the Sangha, then the Teacher makes known the training rule for disciples in order to ward off those things that are the basis for taints.
31. “Those things that are the basis for taints do not become manifest here in the Sangha until the Sangha has reached greatness; but when the Sangha has reached greatness, then those things that are the basis for taints become manifest here in the Sangha, and then the Teacher makes known the training rule for disciples in order to ward off those things that are the basis for taints. Those things that are the basis for taints do not become manifest here in the Sangha until the Sangha has reached the acme of worldly gain…the acme of fame…great lear
ning…long-standing renown; but when the Sangha has reached long-standing renown, then those things that are the basis for taints become manifest here in the Sangha, and then the Teacher makes known the training rule for disciples in order to ward off those things that are the basis for taints.
32. “There were few of you, Bhaddāli, when I taught an exposition of the Dhamma through the simile of the young thoroughbred colt. Do you remember that, Bhaddāli?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“To what reason do you attribute that?”
“Venerable sir, I have long been one who did not fulfil the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.”
“That is not the only cause or the only reason. But rather, by encompassing your mind with my mind, I have long known you thus: ‘When I am teaching the Dhamma, this misguided man does not heed it, does not give it attention, does not engage it with all his mind, does not hear the Dhamma with eager ears.’ Still, Bhaddāli, I will teach you an exposition of the Dhamma through the simile of the young thoroughbred colt. Listen and attend closely [446] to what I shall say.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Bhaddāli replied.
The Blessed One said this:
33. “Bhaddāli, suppose a clever horse-trainer obtains a fine thoroughbred colt. He first makes him get used to wearing the bit. While the colt is being made to get used to wearing the bit, because he is doing something that he has never done before, he displays some contortion, writhing, and vacillation, but through constant repetition and gradual practice, he becomes peaceful in that action.668
“When the colt has become peaceful in that action, the horse-trainer further makes him get used to wearing the harness. While the colt is being made to get used to wearing the harness, because he is doing something that he has never done before, he displays some contortion, writhing, and vacillation, but through constant repetition and gradual practice, he becomes peaceful in that action.
“When the colt has become peaceful in that action, the horse-trainer further makes him act in keeping in step, in running in a circle, in prancing, in galloping, in charging, in the kingly qualities, in the kingly heritage, in the highest speed, in the highest fleetness, in the highest gentleness. While the colt is being made to get used to doing these things, because he is doing something that he has never done before, he displays some contortion, writhing, and vacillation, but through constant repetition and gradual practice, he becomes peaceful in those actions.
“When the colt has become peaceful in these actions, the horse-trainer further rewards him with a rubbing down and a grooming. When a fine thoroughbred colt possesses these ten factors, he is worthy of the king, in the king’s service, and considered one of the factors of a king.
34. “So too, Bhaddāli, when a bhikkhu possesses ten qualities, he is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What are the ten? Here, Bhaddāli, a bhikkhu possesses the right view of one beyond training,669 the right intention of one beyond training, the right speech of one beyond training, the right action of one beyond training, the right livelihood of one beyond training, the right effort of one beyond training, [447] the right mindfulness of one beyond training, the right concentration of one beyond training, the right knowledge of one beyond training, and the right deliverance of one beyond training.670 When a bhikkhu possesses these ten qualities, he is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
That is what the Blessed One said. The venerable Bhaddāli was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Laṭukikopama Sutta
The Simile of the Quail
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the country of the Anguttarāpans where there was a town of theirs named Āpaṇa.
2. Then, when it was morning, the Blessed One dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, went into Āpaṇa for alms. When he had wandered for alms in Āpaṇa and had returned from his almsround, after his meal he went to a certain grove for the day’s abiding. Having entered the grove, he sat down at the root of a tree for the day’s abiding.
3. When it was morning, the venerable Udāyin dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he too went into Āpaṇa for alms. When he had wandered for alms in Āpaṇa and had returned from his almsround, after his meal he went to that same grove for the day’s abiding. Having entered the grove, he sat down at the root of a tree for the day’s abiding.
4. Then, while the venerable Udāyin was alone in meditation, the following thought arose in his mind: “How many painful states has the Blessed One rid us of! How many pleasant states has the Blessed One brought us! How many unwholesome states has the Blessed One rid us of! How many wholesome states has the Blessed One brought us!”
5. Then, when it was evening, the venerable Udāyin rose from meditation, went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side [448] and told him:
6. “Here, venerable sir, while I was alone in meditation, the following thought arose in my mind: ‘How many painful states has the Blessed One rid us of!…How many wholesome states has the Blessed One brought us!’ Venerable sir, formerly we used to eat in the evening, in the morning, and during the day outside the proper time. Then there was an occasion when the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: ‘Bhikkhus, please abandon that daytime meal, which is outside the proper time.’671 Venerable sir, I was upset and sad, thinking: ‘Faithful householders give us good food of various kinds during the day outside the proper time, yet the Blessed One tells us to abandon it, the Sublime One tells us to relinquish it.’ Out of our love and respect for the Blessed One, and out of shame and fear of wrongdoing, we abandoned that daytime meal, which was outside the proper time.
“Then we ate only in the evening and in the morning. Then there was an occasion when the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: ‘Bhikkhus, please abandon that night meal, which is outside the proper time.’ Venerable sir, I was upset and sad, thinking: ‘The Blessed One tells us to abandon the more sumptuous of our two meals, the Sublime One tells us to relinquish it.’ Once, venerable sir, a certain man had obtained some soup during the day and he said: ‘Put that aside and we will all eat it together in the evening.’ [Nearly] all dishes are prepared at night, few by day. Out of our love and respect for the Blessed One, and out of shame and fear of wrongdoing, we abandoned that night meal, which was outside the proper time.
“It has happened, venerable sir, that bhikkhus wandering for alms in the thick darkness of the night have walked into a cesspool, fallen into a sewer, walked into a thornbush, and walked into a sleeping cow; they have met hoodlums who had already committed a crime and those planning one, and they have been sexually enticed by women. Once, venerable sir, I went wandering for alms in the thick darkness of the night. A woman washing a pot saw me by a flash of lightning and screamed out in terror: ‘Mercy me, a devil has come for me!’ I told her: ‘Sister, I am no devil, I am a bhikkhu [449] waiting for alms.’—‘Then it’s a bhikkhu whose ma’s died and whose pa’s died!672 Better, bhikkhu, that you get your belly cut open with a sharp butcher’s knife than this prowling for alms for your belly’s sake in the thick darkness of the night!’ Venerable sir, when I recollected that I thought: ‘How many painful states has the Blessed One rid us of! How many pleasant states has the Blessed One brought us! How many unwholesome states has the Blessed One rid us of! How many wholesome states has the Blessed One brought us!’”
7. “So too, Udāyin, there are certain misguided men here who, when told by me ‘Abandon this,’ say: ‘What, such a mere trifle, such a little thing as this? This recluse is much too exacting!’ And they do not abandon that and they show discourtesy towards me as well as towards those bhikkhus desirous of training. For them that thing becomes a strong, stout, tough, unrotting tether and a thick yoke.
/> 8. “Suppose, Udāyin, a quail were tethered by a rotting creeper and would thereby expect injury, captivity, or death. Now suppose someone said: ‘The rotting creeper by which that quail is tethered and thereby expects injury, captivity, or death, is for her a feeble, weak, rotting, coreless tether.’ Would he be speaking rightly?”
“No, venerable sir. For that quail the rotting creeper by which she is tethered and thereby expects injury, captivity, or death, is a strong, stout, tough, unrotting tether and a thick yoke.”
“So too, Udāyin there are certain misguided men here who, when told by me ‘Abandon this’…do not abandon that and they show discourtesy towards me as well as towards those bhikkhus desirous of training. For them that thing becomes a strong, stout, tough, unrotting tether and a thick yoke.