English
6. The Discourse on the Pleasing 164. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans, in the Sakyan town named Vedhaññā, in the pleasing mansion in their mango grove. The Death of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta Now at that time Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta had just died in Pāvā. With his death, the Nigaṇṭhas became divided, split into two factions, quarreling, disputing, arguing, wounding each other with verbal darts, saying: "You do not understand this Dhamma and Discipline, I understand this Dhamma and Discipline. How could you understand this Dhamma and Discipline? You are practicing wrongly, I am practicing rightly. My words are coherent, yours are not. You said first what should have been said last, and last what should have been said first. What you have long practiced has been overturned, your doctrine has been refuted, you are defeated, go and seek release from your view, or unravel it if you can!" It was as if, I think, a slaughter was taking place among the Nigaṇṭhas, the followers of Nāṭaputta. Even those lay disciples of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, dressed in white, were disillusioned, disaffected, and disgusted with the Nigaṇṭhas, the followers of Nāṭaputta, just as it is with a Dhamma and Discipline that is ill-proclaimed, ill-expounded, not leading to liberation, not conducive to peace, not proclaimed by a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, with a broken pillar, without refuge. 165. Then the novice Cunda, having spent the rainy season in Pāvā, went to Sāmagāma, to where Venerable Ānanda was. Having approached and greeted Venerable Ānanda, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the novice Cunda said to Venerable Ānanda: "Venerable sir, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta has just died in Pāvā. With his death, the Nigaṇṭhas became divided, split into two factions... (as above)... with a broken pillar, without refuge." When this was said, Venerable Ānanda said to the novice Cunda: "There is, indeed, Oh, Cunda, friend, this is a matter to present to the Blessed One. Come, friend Cunda, let us approach the Blessed One; having approached, we will report this matter to the Blessed One. ‘Yes, venerable sir,’ Cunda the novice replied to Venerable Ānanda. Then Venerable Ānanda and Cunda the novice approached the Blessed One; having approached, they bowed to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: ‘Venerable sir, Cunda the novice says this: ‘Venerable sir, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta has recently died at Pāvā, and with his death, the Nigaṇṭhas are divided… without refuge, with their pillar broken.’’ A Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by one who is not a Perfectly Self-Awakened One. 166. ‘It is so, Cunda, when the Dhamma and Discipline is ill-proclaimed, ill-expounded, not leading to liberation, not conducive to peace, proclaimed by one who is not a Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Here, Cunda, the teacher is not a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, and the Dhamma is ill-proclaimed, ill-expounded, not leading to liberation, not conducive to peace, proclaimed by one who is not a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, and the disciple, in that Dhamma, does not dwell practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, does not practice properly, does not live in conformity with the Dhamma, but deviates from that Dhamma. He should be told thus: ‘Friend, your gains are these, your good fortune is this: your teacher is not a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, and the Dhamma is ill-proclaimed, ill-expounded, not leading to liberation, not conducive to peace, proclaimed by one who is not a Perfectly Self-Awakened One. And you, in that Dhamma, do not dwell practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, do not practice properly, do not live in conformity with the Dhamma, but deviate from that Dhamma.’ Thus, Cunda, the teacher there is blameworthy, the Dhamma there is blameworthy, and the disciple there is thus praised. Whoever, Cunda, would say to such a disciple: ‘Venerable sir, practice thus, as the Dhamma has been taught and proclaimed by your teacher.’ Whoever and he who encourages, and he who is encouraged to act accordingly. All of them generate much demerit. For what reason? Because, Cunda, it is thus in a poorly expounded Dhamma and Vinaya, poorly proclaimed, not leading to liberation, not conducive to tranquility, not proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One. 167. "Here, Cunda, the Teacher is not a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Dhamma is poorly expounded, poorly proclaimed, not leading to liberation, not conducive to tranquility, not proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One. And the disciple, in that Dhamma, lives practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, following the Dhamma, undertaking that Dhamma and acting accordingly. He should be told thus: 'Your gain, friend, is a loss, your acquisition is poor, your Teacher is not a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Dhamma is poorly expounded, poorly proclaimed, not leading to liberation, not conducive to tranquility, not proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One. And you, in that Dhamma, live practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, following the Dhamma, undertaking that Dhamma and acting accordingly.' Thus, Cunda, the Teacher is blameworthy there, the Dhamma is blameworthy there, and the disciple is blameworthy there. Whoever, Cunda, would say to such a disciple: 'Surely, venerable one, you are practicing the path, you will realize the path.' And he who praises, and he who is praised, and he who is praised exerts even greater effort. All of them generate much demerit. For what reason? Because, Cunda, it is thus in a poorly expounded Dhamma and Vinaya, poorly proclaimed, not leading to liberation, not conducive to tranquility, not proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One. The Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One 168. "Here, Cunda, the Teacher is a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Dhamma is well expounded, well proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to tranquility, proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One. And the disciple, in that Dhamma, does not live practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, does not practice properly, does not follow the Dhamma, and deviates from that Dhamma. He should be told thus: 'Yours is a loss, friend, yours is ill-gained, your Teacher is a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Dhamma is well-expounded, well-proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to peace, proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One. And you, in that Dhamma, do not live practicing according to the Dhamma, do not practice properly, do not live in conformity with the Dhamma, but deviate from that Dhamma.' Thus, Cunda, the Teacher is praised there, the Dhamma is praised there, and the disciple is thus blamed there. Whoever, Cunda, would say to such a disciple thus: 'Let this venerable one practice in the way the Dhamma has been taught and proclaimed by the Teacher.' And he who encourages, and he whom he encourages, and he who, encouraged, practices accordingly. All of them generate much merit. For what reason? For thus it is, Cunda, in the well-expounded Dhamma and Discipline, well-proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to peace, proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One. 169. "Here, Cunda, the Teacher is a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Dhamma is well-expounded, well-proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to peace, proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the disciple, in that Dhamma, lives practicing according to the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in conformity with the Dhamma, having undertaken that Dhamma, he lives. He should be told thus: 'Yours is a gain, friend, yours is well-gained, your Teacher is a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Dhamma is well-expounded, well-proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to peace, proclaimed by a Perfectly Enlightened One. And you, in that Dhamma, live practicing according to the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in conformity with the Dhamma, having undertaken that Dhamma, you live.' Thus, Cunda, the Teacher is praised there, the Dhamma is praised there, and the disciple is thus praised there. Whoever, Cunda, would say to such a disciple thus: 'Surely this venerable one, practicing rightly, will realize the right.' i. And whoever praises, and whoever is praised, and whoever, being praised, exerts effort to a greater extent. All of them produce much merit. For what reason? Thus it is, Cunda, in the well-expounded Dhamma and Vinaya, clearly proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to peace, proclaimed by the Perfectly Enlightened One. The Teacher regretted by disciples 170. Here, Cunda, a Teacher arose in the world, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Dhamma was well-expounded, clearly proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to peace, proclaimed by the Perfectly Enlightened One, but his disciples were not fully instructed in the True Dhamma, nor was their complete and perfect holy life made manifest, made clear, made all-encompassing, made miraculous, well-proclaimed among devas and humans. Then that Teacher disappeared. Such a Teacher, Cunda, having passed away, is regretted by his disciples. For what reason? "A Teacher arose for us in the world, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, and the Dhamma was well-expounded, clearly proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to peace, proclaimed by the Perfectly Enlightened One, but we were not fully instructed in the True Dhamma, nor was our complete and perfect holy life made manifest, made clear, made all-encompassing, made miraculous, well-proclaimed among devas and humans. Then our Teacher disappeared!" Such a Teacher, Cunda, having passed away, is regretted by his disciples. The Teacher not regretted by disciples 171. Here, Cunda, a Teacher arose in the world, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One. And the Dhamma was well-expounded, clearly proclaimed, leading to liberation, conducive to peace,