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less troublesome, less laborious, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit than this sacrifice with its threefold accomplishment, its sixteen requisites, its constant, suitable offering, this gift of a monastery, and these goings for refuge?" "Indeed there is, brahmin, another sacrifice" And with this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice, with sixteen requisites, and with this constant giving, with a favorable sacrifice, and with this giving of a monastery, and with these refuges, is less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit. "But what, good Gotama, is that sacrifice which, compared to this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice, with sixteen requisites, and this constant giving, with a favorable sacrifice, and this giving of a monastery, and these refuges, is less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit?" "Indeed, brahmin, whoever with a clear mind undertakes the training rules – abstinence from taking life, abstinence from taking what is not given, abstinence from sexual misconduct, abstinence from false speech, abstinence from fermented and distilled intoxicants which are a basis for heedlessness. This, indeed, brahmin, is the sacrifice which, compared to this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice, with sixteen requisites, and this constant giving, with a favorable sacrifice, and this giving of a monastery, and these refuges, is less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit." "But is there, good Gotama, another sacrifice which, compared to this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice, with sixteen requisites, and this constant giving, with a favorable sacrifice, and this giving of a monastery, and these refuges, and these training rules, is less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit?" "Indeed, brahmin, there is another sacrifice which, compared to this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice, with sixteen requisites, and this constant giving, with a favorable sacrifice, and this giving of a monastery, and these refuges, and these training rules, is less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit." "But what, good Gotama, is that sacrifice which, compared to this threefold accomplishment of sacrifice, with sixteen requisites, and this constant giving, with a favorable sacrifice, and this giving of a monastery, and Than these refuges, and than these precepts, is there anything less troublesome, and less laborious, and of greater fruit, and of greater benefit? Here, brahmin, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Enlightened One... Thus, brahmin, a monk is endowed with virtue... he enters and dwells in the first jhāna. This, brahmin, is a sacrifice less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit than the former sacrifices... He enters and dwells in the second jhāna... the third jhāna... the fourth jhāna. This too, brahmin, is a sacrifice less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit than the former sacrifices. He directs and inclines his mind to knowledge and vision... This too, brahmin, is a sacrifice less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit than the former sacrifices... He understands: 'There is no further state of being for me.' This too, brahmin, is a sacrifice less troublesome, and less laborious, and of great fruit, and of great benefit than the former sacrifices. And, brahmin, there is no other sacrificial accomplishment higher or more excellent than this sacrificial accomplishment. When this was said, Kūṭadanta the brahmin said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, good Gotama! Excellent, good Gotama! Just as, good Gotama, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms; even so has the Dhamma been made clear in many ways by the good Gotama. I go for refuge to the good Gotama, and to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the good Gotama remember me as a lay follower, who has gone for refuge from this day forth as long as life lasts. I..." “Good Gotama, seven hundred bulls, seven hundred young steers, seven hundred young heifers, seven hundred goats, and seven hundred rams I release, I grant them life. Let them eat green grasses, let them drink cool waters, let cool winds blow upon them.” Attainment of the Fruit of Stream-entry 355. Then the Blessed One gave the brahmin Kūṭadanta a gradual discourse, that is, a discourse on giving, a discourse on moral conduct, a discourse on heaven; he explained the danger, the degradation, the defilement of sensual pleasures, and the advantage of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew the brahmin Kūṭadanta to have a ready mind, a pliant mind, a mind free from hindrances, an uplifted mind, a confident mind, then he expounded the teaching peculiar to the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, would perfectly absorb dye, even so, in that very seat, the stainless, spotless Eye of Dhamma arose in the brahmin Kūṭadanta: “Whatever is of an origin nature, all that is of a cessation nature.” 356. Then the brahmin Kūṭadanta, having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, penetrated the Dhamma, having crossed over doubt, having put away perplexity, having gained confidence, being independent of others in the Teacher’s Dispensation, said to the Blessed One: “May the good Gotama accept my invitation for tomorrow’s meal together with the Sangha of bhikkhus.” The Blessed One accepted by his silence. 357. Then the brahmin Kūṭadanta, knowing the Blessed One’s acceptance, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. Then the brahmin Kūṭadanta, when that night had passed, had excellent hard and soft food prepared in his sacrificial enclosure, and had the time announced to the Blessed One: “It is time, good Gotama; the meal is ready.” 358. Then the Blessed One, in the forenoon, having dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, together with the Sangha of bhikkhus, went to He approached the sacrificial enclosure of the brahmin Kūṭadanta. Having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Then indeed, the brahmin Kūṭadanta with his own hands satisfied and served the community of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with excellent hard food and soft food. Then indeed, when the Blessed One had finished eating, with his hand removed from the bowl, the brahmin Kūṭadanta having taken a certain low seat, sat down to one side. The Blessed One, with a talk on Dhamma, instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened the brahmin Kūṭadanta, who was sitting to one side. Then he rose from his seat and departed. The Kūṭadanta Sutta, the fifth, is finished.