English
Indeed, as I have heard the Brahma speaking about 'raw stench', those cannot be overcome by dwelling in a home, I shall go forth, sirs, from home into homelessness.'" "Then let Master Govinda wait six years... ...wait five years... ...wait four years... ...wait three years... ...wait two years... ...wait one year, after one year, we too will go forth from home into homelessness, and whatever your destination, that will be our destination." "'Indeed, sirs, one year is too long, I cannot, sirs, wait one year. Indeed, sirs, who knows about lives! The next world is to be gone to, it should be understood by reflection, good should be done, the holy life should be lived, there is no immortality for one who is born. Indeed, as I have heard the Brahma speaking about 'raw stench', those cannot be overcome by dwelling in a home, I shall go forth, sirs, from home into homelessness.'" "Then let Master Govinda wait seven months, after seven months, we too will go forth from home into homelessness, and whatever your destination, that will be our destination." "'Indeed, sirs, seven months is too long, I cannot, sirs, wait seven months." to wait. Who indeed, sirs, knows the lives? The next world is to be gone to, the teaching is to be understood, good is to be done, the holy life is to be lived, there is no deathlessness for one who is born. As I have heard the Brahma speaking about the raw smell, those who dwell in a house cannot crush them well, I shall go forth, sirs, from home to homelessness." "Then, sir Govinda, wait six months... ...five months... four months... three months... two months... one month... half a month, after half a month, we too shall go forth from home to homelessness, then whatever your destination, that will be our destination." "Indeed, sirs, half a month is too long, I am not able, sirs, to wait half a month. Who indeed, sirs, knows the lives! The next world is to be gone to, the teaching is to be understood, good is to be done, the holy life is to be lived, there is no deathlessness for one who is born. As I have heard the Brahma speaking about the raw smell, those who dwell in a house cannot crush them well, I shall go forth, sirs, from home to homelessness." "Then, sir Govinda, wait seven days, until we instruct our own sons and brothers in the kingdom, after seven days, we too shall go forth from home to homelessness, then whatever your destination, that will be our destination." "Indeed, sirs, seven days is not long, I shall wait for you, sirs, for seven days." Invitation of the Great Brahmin Householders and Others 324. Then, sirs, the great Brahmin Govinda approached those seven great Brahmin householders and seven hundred renunciants; having approached, he said this to those seven great Brahmin householders and seven hundred renunciants: "Now, sirs, seek another teacher, who will recite the mantras for you. I wish, sirs, to go forth from home to homelessness. As I have heard... I have heard the Brahma speaking of raw flesh. Those who dwell in a house cannot completely suppress them. Therefore, sirs, I shall go forth from home into homelessness. Sir Govinda, do not go forth from home into homelessness. Going forth, sirs, is of little influence and little gain. The state of a Brahmin is of great influence and great gain. Sirs, do not speak thus: ‘Going forth is of little influence and little gain, the state of a Brahmin is of great influence and great gain.’ Who, sirs, other than myself, is of greater influence or greater gain? For I, sirs, am now like a king to kings, like a Brahma to Brahmins, like a deity to householders. All that I shall abandon, and go forth from home into homelessness. For as I have heard the Brahma speaking of raw flesh, those who dwell in a house cannot completely suppress them. Therefore, sirs, I shall go forth from home into homelessness. If Sir Govinda goes forth from home into homelessness, we too shall go forth from home into homelessness. Then whatever your destiny, that shall be our destiny. Invitation to the Wives 325. Then, sirs, the Brahmin Mahāgovinda approached his forty equal wives. Having approached, he said to his forty equal wives: ‘Whoever among you, ladies, wishes, may go to her own family home, or seek another husband. I wish, ladies, to go forth from home into homelessness. For as I have heard the Brahma speaking of raw flesh, those who dwell in a house cannot completely suppress them. Therefore, ladies, I shall go forth from home into homelessness.’ ‘You alone are our kin for those who desire kin, and you are our husband for those who desire a husband. If Sir Govinda goes forth from home into homelessness, we too shall go forth from home into homelessness. Then whatever your destiny, that shall be our destiny.’ Mahāgovinda's Going Forth 326. Then, sirs, the Brahmin Mahāgovinda And after the lapse of seven days, having shaved off his hair and beard, having put on saffron robes, he went forth from home to homelessness. But when the brahmin Mahāgovinda had gone forth, seven anointed khattiya kings, seven great brahmin householders, seven hundred bathers, forty wives of similar status, many thousands of khattiyas, many thousands of brahmins, many thousands of householders, and women from many harems, having shaved off their hair and beard, having put on saffron robes, followed the brahmin Mahāgovinda, who had gone forth from home to homelessness. Surrounded by that assembly, sirs, the brahmin Mahāgovinda wandered through villages, towns, and royal capitals. Indeed, sirs, at that time, when the brahmin Mahāgovinda approached a village or a town, he was like a king to kings, like Brahmā to brahmins, like a deity to householders. Indeed, at that time, people, whether they sneezed or stumbled, would say this: ‘Homage to the brahmin Mahāgovinda! Homage to the seven chaplains!’ 327. “The brahmin Mahāgovinda, sirs, dwelt pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness. Likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, in every way, he dwelt pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. He dwelt pervading with a mind imbued with compassion, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. He dwelt pervading with a mind imbued with appreciative joy, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. He dwelt pervading with a mind imbued with equanimity, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. And he taught his disciples the path to companionship with Brahmā. 328. “Indeed, sirs, at that time, those disciples of the brahmin Mahāgovinda who fully understood the teaching, at the breaking up of the body, after death, reappeared in a good destination, the Brahmā world. Those who did not fully understand the teaching, at the breaking up of the body, after death, some of them… they were reborn into the company of the devas who control creations by others; some were reborn into the company of the devas who delight in creation; some were reborn into the company of the Tusita devas; some were reborn into the company of the Yama devas; some were reborn into the company of the Tāvatiṃsa devas; some were reborn into the company of the Cātumahārājika devas; those who fulfilled the lowest body, they fulfilled the body of gandhabbas. Thus, sirs, the going forth of all those young men was not in vain, it was not barren, it was fruitful, it had a good outcome.’” 329. “Does the Blessed One remember that?” “I remember, Pañcasikha. At that time I was the great brahmin Govinda. I taught those disciples the path to the company of Brahmā’s world. But that holy life of mine, Pañcasikha, did not lead to disenchantment, nor to dispassion, nor to cessation, nor to tranquility, nor to direct knowledge, nor to full enlightenment, nor to Nibbāna, but only to rebirth in Brahmā’s world. But this holy life of mine, Pañcasikha, leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna. And what is that holy life, Pañcasikha, that leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna? It is this Noble Eightfold Path. That is to say: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This, Pañcasikha, is that holy life that leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna. 330. “And those disciples of mine, Pañcasikha, who fully understand the teaching in its entirety, they, by the destruction of the taints, realize for themselves in this very life, with direct knowledge, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation through wisdom, and abide therein; those who do not fully understand Those who fully understand the teaching, by the destruction of the five lower fetters, become spontaneously reborn, there they attain final Nibbāna, never to return from that world. Those who do not fully understand the teaching, some, by the destruction of three fetters, and the attenuation of lust, hatred, and delusion, become Once-returners, having come to this world just once more, they will make an end of suffering. Those who do not fully understand the teaching, some, by the destruction of three fetters, become Stream-enterers, not subject to falling into lower states, assured, with enlightenment as their destination. Thus, Pañcasikha, for all these young men of good family, their going forth is not in vain, it is fruitful, with good results, with a good outcome. This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, Pañcasikha, the gandhabba son, having rejoiced in and approved of the Blessed One's words,