English
A third time, indeed, these well-known, well-known Licchavis, assembled, gathered in the assembly hall, in many ways speak in praise of the Buddha, speak in praise of the Dhamma, speak in praise of the Saṅgha. A third time, indeed, it occurred to Sīha the general: "Surely that Blessed One must be an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, since these well-known, well-known Licchavis, assembled, gathered in the assembly hall, in many ways speak in praise of the Buddha, speak in praise of the Dhamma, speak in praise of the Saṅgha. What will the Nigaṇṭhas do to me, whether I ask their permission or not? What if I were to approach that Blessed One for an audience, without asking the Nigaṇṭhas' permission, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One?" Then indeed Sīha the general, with five hundred chariots, set out from Vesālī in the middle of the day for an audience with the Blessed One. As far as the ground was suitable for a vehicle, he went by vehicle; having dismounted from the vehicle, on foot he approached where the Blessed One was; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Then Sīha, the general, said this to the Blessed One: ‘I have heard this, venerable sir: “The recluse Gotama is a non-doer, he teaches non-doing, and by that he trains his disciples.”’ Those, venerable sir, who said this: “The recluse Gotama is a non-doer, he teaches non-doing, and by that he trains his disciples.” Are they, venerable sir, speaking in accordance with the Blessed One’s words? And are they not misrepresenting the Blessed One with what is untrue? And are they explaining the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma? And does no co-dharmic dispute arise that merits reproach? For we, venerable sir, do not wish to misrepresent the Blessed One.’ 291. “There is, Sīha, a way, by which way, speaking rightly, one might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is a non-doer, he teaches non-doing, and by that he trains his disciples.’ There is, Sīha, a way, by which way, speaking rightly, one might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is a doer, he teaches doing, and by that he trains his disciples.’ There is, Sīha, a way, by which way, speaking rightly, one might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is an annihilator, he teaches annihilation, and by that he trains his disciples.’ There is, Sīha, a way, by which way, speaking rightly, one might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is one who loathes, he teaches loathing, and by that he trains his disciples.’ There is, Sīha, a way, by which way, speaking rightly, one might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is a disciplinarian, he teaches discipline, and by that he trains his disciples.’ There is, Sīha, a way, by which way, speaking rightly, one might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is an ascetic, he teaches asceticism, and by that he trains his disciples.’ There is, Sīha, a way, by which way, speaking rightly, one might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is one without presumption, he teaches being without presumption, and by that he trains his disciples.’ There is, Sīha, a way, by which way, speaking rightly, one might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is one who gives assurance, as and teaches the Dhamma for that, and disciplines his disciples with that. 292. “And what, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is a non-doer, he teaches the Dhamma for non-doing, and disciplines his disciples with that’? For I, Sīha, speak of non-doing of bodily misconduct, of verbal misconduct, of mental misconduct; I speak of non-doing of various evil, unwholesome states. This, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is a non-doer, he teaches the Dhamma for non-doing, and disciplines his disciples with that’. “And what, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is a doer, he teaches the Dhamma for doing, and disciplines his disciples with that’? For I, Sīha, speak of doing of bodily good conduct, of verbal good conduct, of mental good conduct; I speak of doing of various wholesome states. This, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is a doer, he teaches the Dhamma for doing, and disciplines his disciples with that’. “And what, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is an annihilator, he teaches the Dhamma for annihilation, and disciplines his disciples with that’? For I, Sīha, speak of the annihilation of lust, of hatred, of delusion; I speak of the annihilation of various evil, unwholesome states. This, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is an annihilator, he teaches the Dhamma for annihilation, and disciplines his disciples with that’. “And what, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama is one who abhors, he teaches the Dhamma for abhorrence, and disciplines his disciples with that’? For I, Sīha, abhor bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct; of various evil I am disgusted by the entry into unwholesome states. This, indeed, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: 'The recluse Gotama is one who is disgusted; he teaches the Dhamma for disgust, and by that he trains his disciples.' "And what, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: 'The recluse Gotama is one who disciplines; he teaches the Dhamma for discipline, and by that he trains his disciples'? For I, Sīha, teach the Dhamma for the discipline of lust, of hatred, of delusion; I teach the Dhamma for the discipline of various evil, unwholesome states. This, indeed, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: 'The recluse Gotama is one who disciplines; he teaches the Dhamma for discipline, and by that he trains his disciples.' "And what, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: 'The recluse Gotama is an ascetic; he teaches the Dhamma for asceticism, and by that he trains his disciples'? I declare, Sīha, that evil, unwholesome states are things to be burnt away – misconduct in body, misconduct in speech, misconduct in mind. One, Sīha, whose evil, unwholesome states that are to be burnt away are abandoned, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future – him I call an ascetic. For the Tathāgata, Sīha, evil, unwholesome states that are to be burnt away are abandoned, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. This, indeed, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: 'The recluse Gotama is an ascetic; he teaches the Dhamma for asceticism, and by that he trains his disciples.' "And what, Sīha, is the way by which one, rightly speaking, might say of me: 'The recluse Gotama is one who is free from rebirth; he teaches the Dhamma for freedom from rebirth, and by that he trains his disciples'? One, Sīha, for whom future conception in a womb, the arising of renewed existence, is abandoned, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future – him I call one who is free from rebirth." For the Tathāgata, Sīha, future womb-conception, rebirth, is abandoned, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise in the future. This, Sīha, is the way, by which way one speaking rightly of me would say – 'The recluse Gotama is without rebirth, he teaches the Dhamma for being without rebirth, and by that he trains his disciples.' "And what, Sīha, is the way, by which way one speaking rightly of me would say – 'The recluse Gotama is confident, he teaches the Dhamma for confidence, and by that he trains his disciples'?" For I, Sīha, am confident with the highest confidence, I teach the Dhamma for confidence, and by that I train my disciples. This, Sīha, is the way, by which way one speaking rightly of me would say – 'The recluse Gotama is confident, he teaches the Dhamma for confidence, and by that he trains his disciples.'" When this was said, Sīha the general said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, venerable sir… May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower, who has gone for refuge from today until life's end." "Consider carefully, Sīha; careful consideration is good for well-known people like you." "By this, venerable sir, I am even more pleased and delighted with the Blessed One, that the Blessed One tells me this – 'Consider carefully, Sīha; careful consideration is good for well-known people like you.' For if, venerable sir, other sectarians had gained me as a disciple, they would carry a banner throughout the whole of Vesālī – 'Sīha the general has become our disciple!' Yet the Blessed One tells me this – 'Consider carefully, Sīha; careful consideration is good for well-known people like you.' Therefore, venerable sir, I go for refuge to the Blessed One a second time, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower, who has gone for refuge from today until life's end." "For a long time, Sīha, your family has been a well-spring for the Nigaṇṭhas, who you should not think that alms should be given to those who come to them.” “By this, too, Venerable Sir, I am even more pleased and delighted with the Blessed One, that the Blessed One tells me this: ‘For a long time, Siha, your family has been a watering place for the Nigaṇṭhas, so you should think that alms should be given to those who come to them.’ I have heard it said, Venerable Sir, that the ascetic Gotama says this: ‘Alms should be given to me alone, not to others; alms should be given to my disciples alone, not to the disciples of others; what is given to me is greatly fruitful, what is given to others is not greatly fruitful; what is given to my disciples is greatly fruitful,