English
by gleaning and gathering. Then it occurred to those bhikkhus: "Now Vajjī is afflicted by a famine, with two measures of food, with white bones, with a stick for measuring, it is difficult to sustain life by gleaning and gathering. By what means might we live the rains retreat harmoniously, joyfully, without dispute, comfortably, and not be troubled by almsfood?" Some said this: "Come, friends, let us supervise the work of householders; then they will think of giving to us. Thus we will live the rains retreat harmoniously, joyfully, without dispute, comfortably, and not be troubled by almsfood." Some said this: "Enough, friends, what is the point of supervising the work of householders? Come, friends, let us carry messages for householders; then they will think of giving to us. Thus we will live the rains retreat harmoniously, joyfully, without dispute, comfortably, and not be troubled by almsfood." Some said this: "Enough, friends, what is the point of supervising the work of householders? What is the point of carrying messages for householders? Come, friends, let us speak in praise of each other's superior human attainments to householders: 'Such and such a bhikkhu is an obtainer of the first jhāna, such and such a bhikkhu is an obtainer of the second jhāna, such and such a bhikkhu is an obtainer of the third jhāna, such Such a monk is an obtainer of the fourth jhāna. Such a monk is a stream-enterer. Such a monk is a once-returner. Such a monk is a non-returner. Such a monk is an arahant. Such a monk is endowed with the three knowledges. Such a monk is endowed with the six supernormal powers. Thus they will think to give to us. Thus we, united, rejoicing, not disputing, will comfortably spend the rainy season, and will not be troubled by almsfood.” “This, indeed, friends, is better, that among us laypeople the praise of one another’s superhuman qualities be spoken.” 194. Then those monks spoke among the laypeople the praise of one another’s superhuman qualities: “Such a monk is an obtainer of the first jhāna… Such a monk is endowed with the six supernormal powers.” Then those people thought: “Indeed, we are fortunate! Indeed, we have gained well! Indeed, such monks have come to spend the rainy season with us! Indeed, never before have such monks come to spend the rainy season with us, as these monks who are virtuous, of good conduct!” They did not partake of such food themselves, nor give it to their parents, nor give it to their children and wives, nor give it to their slaves, workers, and servants, nor give it to their friends and associates, nor give it to their relatives and kinsmen, as they gave to the monks. They did not eat, chew, or drink such solid food, soft food, or drinks themselves, nor give it to their parents, nor give it to their children and wives, nor give it to their slaves, workers, and servants, nor give it to their friends and associates, nor give it to their relatives and kinsmen, as they gave to the monks. Then Those monks were of good complexion, with plump faculties, with serene facial complexions, with very clear skin complexions. Now, it was customary for monks who had completed the Rains Retreat to approach the Blessed One for an audience. Then those monks, having completed the Rains Retreat, after three months, having put their lodgings in order, taking their bowls and robes, departed in the direction of Vesālī. In due course, to where the Kūṭāgārasālā in the Great Wood of Vesālī was, to where the Blessed One was, they approached; having approached, having saluted the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Now at that time, monks who had completed the Rains Retreat in other regions were thin, rough, ill-complexioned, yellowish-pale, with veins spread over their bodies; but the monks from Vaggumudā's bank were of good complexion, with plump faculties, with serene facial complexions, with very clear skin complexions. Now, it was customary for the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, to exchange greetings with visiting monks. Then the Blessed One said this to the monks from Vaggumudā's bank: "I hope, monks, you are well, I hope you are getting along, I hope you lived the Rains Retreat in harmony, cheerfully, without dispute, comfortably, and were not troubled for almsfood?" "We are well, Blessed One, we are getting along, Blessed One. And we, venerable sir, lived the Rains Retreat in harmony, cheerfully, without dispute, comfortably, and were not troubled for almsfood." Even though they know, Tathāgatas ask, even though they know, they do not ask... ... In two ways, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, question the monks: 'We shall teach the Dhamma,' or 'The disciples...' or I will lay down a training rule. Then the Blessed One said to the monks dwelling on the bank of the Vaggumudā: "How is it, monks, that you, living in harmony, rejoicing, without dispute, spent the rains comfortably, and were not troubled for alms?" Then those monks reported that matter to the Blessed One. "Is it true, monks?" "It is not true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "This is unfitting, foolish men, unsuitable, improper, not like a recluse, unallowable, not to be done. How can you, foolish men, for the sake of your belly, speak in praise of a superhuman state to lay people, one to another? It would be better for you, foolish men, to have your belly cut open with a sharp butcher's knife, rather than, for the sake of your belly, to have spoken in praise of a superhuman state to lay people, one to another! And why is that? For from that cause, foolish men, you might meet death, or suffering like death, but not, because of that, after the body's breakup, after death, be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, the lower realms, hell. But from this cause, foolish men, after the body's breakup, after death, you would be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, the lower realms, hell. This, foolish men, is not for the conviction of the unconvinced..." Having rebuked them, and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks: "Monks, these five great thieves exist, are found in the world." Which are the five? Here, monks, it occurs to a certain great thief thus: 'When, indeed, shall I, surrounded by a hundred or a thousand, wander through villages, towns, royal cities, killing, causing to kill, cutting, causing to cut, cooking, causing to cook!' So, after some time, surrounded by a hundred or a thousand, he wanders through villages, towns, royal cities, killing, causing to kill, cutting, causing to cut, cooking, causing to cook. Just so, monks, it occurs to a certain wicked monk thus: 'When, indeed, shall I, surrounded by a hundred or a thousand, travel through villages, towns, royal cities, honored, respected, esteemed, revered, venerated by householders and monastics alike, a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines, and requisites for the sick!' So, after some time, surrounded by a hundred or a thousand, he travels through villages, towns, royal cities, honored, respected, esteemed, revered, venerated by householders and monastics alike, a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines, and requisites for the sick. This, monks, is the first great thief, existing, found in the world. Furthermore, monks, here a certain wicked monk, having learned the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, appropriates it for himself. This, monks, is the second great thief, existing, found in the world. Furthermore, monks, here a certain wicked monk a pure celibate, a perfectly pure celibate, and he defiles him with a groundless, unholy life. This, monks, is the third great thief, existing, present in the world. Again, monks, there is a certain evil monk here who, with the heavy goods and heavy requisites of the Saṅgha— that is, a monastery, monastery land, a dwelling, dwelling land, a couch, a chair, a mattress, a pillow, an iron pot, an iron bowl, an iron water pot, an iron cooking pan, an axe, a hatchet, a pickaxe, a spade, a hoe, creepers, bamboo, muñja grass, pabbaja grass, straw, clay, wooden articles, clay articles— he wins over and entices laypeople. This, monks, is the fourth great thief, existing, present in the world. In the world with devas, monks, with Māra, with Brahmā, with the generation of recluses and brahmins, with devas and humans, this is the foremost great thief: he who proclaims a non-existent, unreal superior human state. For what reason? Because, monks, the alms-food is eaten by theft. One who proclaims himself to be otherwise than he is, his meal is eaten by theft, like that of a cheating gambler. Many with saffron robes, evil-natured, unrestrained, by their evil deeds, the wicked go to hell. Better it is to eat a red-hot iron ball, blazing like a flame, than that a dissolute, unrestrained person should eat the alms-food of the country. Then the Blessed One, those Vaggumudātīriya monks having rebuked the bhikkhus in various ways for their difficulty in being supported, difficulty in being maintained… And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this rule: “Whatever bhikkhu, not knowing, should declare a superhuman state, a self-referential, sufficiently noble knowledge and vision, saying: ‘Thus I know, thus I see,’ and then at a later time, whether being questioned or not questioned, being fallen, desiring purification, should say thus: ‘Not knowing, friends, I spoke thus, not seeing, I said I saw. I prattled empty falsehood,’ he is also defeated, not in communion.” Thus this rule was laid down by the Blessed One for the bhikkhus. 196. Now at that time, many bhikkhus, perceiving as seen what was not seen, perceiving as attained what was not attained, perceiving as realized what was not realized, perceiving as experienced what was not experienced, declared final knowledge out of conceit. Then at a later time, their minds inclined to lust, their minds inclined to hatred, their minds inclined to delusion. They felt remorse: