English
If, when asked, he answers thus, we will refute his doctrine. And if, when asked, he answers thus, we will also refute his doctrine.’ They hear: ‘The ascetic Gotama, sirs, has entered such and such a village or town.’ They approach the ascetic Gotama. The ascetic Gotama instructs them with a Dhamma talk, rouses them, encourages them, and gladdens them. Instructed, roused, encouraged, and gladdened by the ascetic Gotama with a Dhamma talk, they do not ask the ascetic Gotama a question, how then could they refute his doctrine? Instead, they ask the ascetic Gotama for permission to go forth from the home life into homelessness. The ascetic Gotama ordains them. Having been ordained there, dwelling secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute, they, in no long time, realize for themselves with direct knowledge in this very life that unsurpassed goal of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good families rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, and they abide in it. They say this: ‘Indeed, sirs, we would have been lost! Indeed, sirs, we would have perished! For previously, though not ascetics, we claimed to be ascetics; though not brahmins, we claimed to be brahmins; though not arahants, we claimed to be arahants. Now, indeed, we are ascetics; now, indeed, we are "Oh brahmins, now we are arahants!" When I, sirs, saw this fourth footprint in the ascetic Gotama, then I came to a conclusion: 'The Blessed One is perfectly enlightened, the Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is well-practiced.' "When I, sirs, saw these four footprints in the ascetic Gotama, then I came to a conclusion: 'The Blessed One is perfectly enlightened, the Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is well-practiced.' When this was said, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi descended from his chariot drawn by entirely white mares, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, raised his hands in anjali towards the Blessed One, and three times uttered an exclamation: "Homage to that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One! Homage to that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One! Homage to that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One! May we too, at some time or another, meet with that venerable Gotama! May there be some conversation!" Then the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having exchanged courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi reported to the Blessed One all the conversation he had had with the wanderer Pilotika. When this was said, the Blessed One said to the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi: "Not yet, brahmin, is the Simile of the Elephant's Footprint fully complete in detail. But, brahmin, how the Simile of the Elephant's Footprint is fully complete in detail, that listen to, attend carefully, I will speak." "Yes, sir," the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "Just as, brahmin, an elephant tracker might enter an elephant forest. He might see in the elephant forest a large elephant footprint, long in length, and broad in width. He who is skilled Look, the elephant tracker does not yet conclude — 'Oh, what a great elephant!' What is the reason for that? For there are, brahmin, in the elephant forest dwarf female elephants called 'vāmanikā' with large footprints, 'This might be their footprint.' He follows it. Following it, he sees in the elephant forest a huge elephant footprint, long and extended, and broad across, and deeply pressed. The elephant tracker who is skilled does not yet conclude — 'Oh, what a great elephant!' What is the reason for that? For there are, brahmin, in the elephant forest tall female elephants called 'kāḷārikā' with large footprints, 'This might be their footprint.' He follows it. Following it, he sees in the elephant forest a huge elephant footprint, long and extended, and broad across, and deeply pressed, and high marks made by tusks. The elephant tracker who is skilled does not yet conclude — 'Oh, what a great elephant!' What is the reason for that? For there are, brahmin, in the elephant forest tall female elephants called 'kaṇerukā' with large footprints, 'This might be their footprint.' He follows it. Following it, he sees in the elephant forest a huge elephant footprint, long and extended, and broad across, and deeply pressed, and high marks made by tusks, and high broken branches. And he sees that elephant gone to the root of a tree, or gone to an open space, or walking, or standing, or sitting, or lying down. He then concludes — 'This indeed is that great elephant.' Just so, brahmin, here a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, perfectly enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well-gone, knower of the worlds, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. He this world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, with its recluses and brahmins, with its gods and humans, having directly known and realized it for himself, declares it. He teaches the Dhamma beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter; entirely perfect He proclaims the holy life, full and purified. A householder hears that Dhamma, or a householder's son, or one born into some other family. Having heard that Dhamma, he gains faith in the Tathāgata. Endowed with that faith, he reflects thus: 'Confining is the household life, a path of dust; open is the going forth. It is not easy for one living in a house to lead the holy life, utterly complete, utterly purified, polished like a conch shell. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and go forth from the home life into homelessness?' So, at a later time, having abandoned a small aggregate of wealth, or having abandoned a large aggregate of wealth, having abandoned a small circle of relatives, or having abandoned a large circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on saffron robes, and goes forth from the home life into homelessness. 292. Thus gone forth, he undertakes the training and livelihood of bhikkhus. Having abandoned the taking of life, he abstains from the taking of life. He lays down rod and weapon, conscientious, compassionate, dwelling with concern for the welfare of all living beings. Having abandoned the taking of what is not given, he abstains from the taking of what is not given. He is a taker of what is given, expecting what is given. He dwells with a pure self by means of this. Having abandoned unchastity, he is chaste, living apart, abstaining from sexual intercourse, the village custom. Having abandoned false speech, he abstains from false speech. He is a speaker of truth, bound to truth, firm, reliable, not a deceiver of the world. Having abandoned divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech. Having heard something here, he does not repeat it there to cause division among these. Or having heard something there, he does not repeat it here to cause division among those. Thus, he is a reconciler of those who are divided, a promoter of those who are united. He delights in concord, rejoices in concord, exults in concord, and speaks words that create concord. Having abandoned harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech. He speaks words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, affectionate, reaching the heart. A person, dear to many, pleasing to many, speaks such a word: Having abandoned frivolous talk, he abstains from frivolous talk. He speaks at the right time, he speaks what is true, he speaks what is beneficial, he speaks about the Dhamma, he speaks about the Vinaya. He speaks words that are like a treasure, at the right time, with reasons, limited (to the point), and meaningful. 293. He abstains from harming seeds and plants. He eats once a day, abstaining from food at night. He abstains from eating at the wrong time. He abstains from seeing dancing, singing, music, and shows. He abstains from wearing garlands, perfumes, and ointments, from adornment and beautification. He abstains from high and luxurious beds. He abstains from accepting gold and silver. He abstains from accepting raw grain. He abstains from accepting raw meat. He abstains from accepting women and girls. He abstains from accepting male and female slaves. He abstains from accepting goats and sheep. He abstains from accepting chickens and pigs. He abstains from accepting elephants, cattle, horses, and mares. He abstains from accepting fields and land. He abstains from engaging in messages and errands. He abstains from buying and selling. He abstains from cheating with scales, metals, and measures. He abstains from bribery, deception, fraud, and crookedness. He abstains from cutting, killing, binding, highway robbery, plunder, and violence. 294. He is content with robes for covering the body, with almsfood for filling the belly. Wherever he goes, he goes taking only these. Just as a bird, a fowl, wherever it flies, it flies with only its wings as a burden. Even so, a monk is content with (robes) for covering the body... with robes for covering the body, with almsfood. Wherever he goes, he goes taking these with him. Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, he experiences an blameless joy within himself. 295. He, seeing a form with the eye, is not a seizer of its features, nor of its details. Whatever might cause him, while the eye-faculty remains unguarded, to be assailed by covetousness and distress, evil unwholesome states, for its restraint he practices, he guards the eye-faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the eye-faculty. Hearing a sound with the ear... smelling a smell with the nose... tasting a taste with the tongue... touching a tangible with the body... cognizing a mental phenomenon with the mind,