English
Just as a clean cloth, free from stains, perfectly absorbs dye, even so, for Upāli the householder, right on that seat, the dust-free, stain-free Dhamma-eye arose: 'Whatever is of the nature to arise, all that is of the nature to cease.' Then Upāli the householder, having seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, penetrated the Dhamma, crossed over doubt, dispelled perplexity, gained confidence, become independent of others in the Teacher's Dispensation, said to the Blessed One: "Now, venerable sir, we shall go, we have much to do, many duties." "As you now deem fit, householder." 70. Then Upāli the householder, having rejoiced in and approved of the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him clockwise, and went to his own dwelling. Having gone there, he addressed the doorkeeper: "From today, friend doorkeeper, I close the door to male and female Nigaṇṭhas; the door is open to the Blessed One's monks, nuns, male and female lay followers. If any Nigaṇṭha comes, you should say to him: 'Stop, venerable sir, do not enter. From today, Upāli the householder has become a disciple of the ascetic Gotama. The door is closed to male and female Nigaṇṭhas; the door is open to the Blessed One's monks, nuns, male and female lay followers. If, venerable sir, you need alms, stand right here, they will bring them to you right here.'" "Yes, venerable sir," the doorkeeper replied to Upāli the householder. 71. Now the Nigaṇṭha Dīghatapassī heard: "Upāli the householder, it is said, has become a disciple of the ascetic Gotama." Then the Nigaṇṭha Dīghatapassī went to where the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta was; having gone there, he [addressed] the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭa... his son, saying: “I have heard, Venerable Sir, that Upāli the householder has gone for refuge to the ascetic Gotama.” “It is impossible, Tapassī, there is no occasion for Upāli the householder to go for refuge to the ascetic Gotama. But there is an occasion for the ascetic Gotama to go for refuge to Upāli the householder.” A second time, Dīghatapassī the Nigaṇṭha… A third time, Dīghatapassī the Nigaṇṭha said to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: “I have heard, Venerable Sir… to Upāli the householder.” “Well then, Venerable Sir, I will go and find out whether Upāli the householder has gone for refuge to the ascetic Gotama or not.” “Go, Tapassī, and find out whether Upāli the householder has gone for refuge to the ascetic Gotama or not.” 72. Then Dīghatapassī the Nigaṇṭha approached the dwelling of Upāli the householder. The doorkeeper saw Dīghatapassī the Nigaṇṭha approaching from afar. Seeing Dīghatapassī the Nigaṇṭha, he said: “Stop, Venerable Sir, do not enter. From today onwards, Upāli the householder has gone for refuge to the ascetic Gotama. The door is closed to Nigaṇṭhas and Nigaṇṭhīs. The door is open to the Blessed One’s monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. If, Venerable Sir, you want alms, stand right here, they will bring them to you right here.” “I do not want alms, friend,” he said, and turning back from there, he approached Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta. Having approached, he said to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: “It is indeed true, Venerable Sir, that Upāli the householder has gone for refuge to the ascetic Gotama. This, Venerable Sir, I could not prevent. Indeed, Venerable Sir, it does not please me that Upāli the householder should attribute a doctrine to the ascetic Gotama. For the ascetic Gotama, Venerable Sir, is a magician, a captivating magician.” who knows with what he converts the disciples of other sects? He has been converted, venerable sir, Upāli the householder, by the ascetic Gotama, with a converting magic! It is impossible, Tapassī, it is out of the question that Upāli the householder would go for refuge to the ascetic Gotama. It is possible, however, that the ascetic Gotama would go for refuge to Upāli the householder. A second time, indeed, Dīghatapassī the Nigaṇṭha said to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: It is true, venerable sir... would go for refuge to Upāli the householder. A third time, indeed, Dīghatapassī the Nigaṇṭha said to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: It is true, indeed, venerable sir... would go for refuge to Upāli the householder. Well then, Tapassī, I will go, so that I myself may know whether Upāli the householder has gone for refuge to the ascetic Gotama or not. Then Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, together with a large assembly of Nigaṇṭhas, approached the dwelling of Upāli the householder. The doorkeeper saw Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta coming from afar. Having seen Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, he said to him: Stop, venerable sir, do not enter. From today onwards, Upāli the householder has gone for refuge to the ascetic Gotama. The door is closed to Nigaṇṭhas and Nigaṇṭhīs. The door is open to the Blessed One's monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. If you, venerable sir, want almsfood, stand right here; they will bring it to you right here. In that case, good doorkeeper, go to Upāli the householder; having gone, tell Upāli the householder this: Venerable sir, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, together with a large assembly of Nigaṇṭhas, is standing outside the gatehouse; he wishes to see you. Yes, venerable sir, the doorkeeper, having assented to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, went to Upāli the householder; having gone, Upāli to the householder said this: ‘‘The Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, venerable sir, with a large assembly of Nigaṇṭhas stands at the outer gatehouse; he wishes to see you.’’ ‘‘Then, good doorkeeper, arrange seats in the middle hall.’’ ‘‘Yes, venerable sir,’’ the doorkeeper, having assented to Upāli the householder, having arranged seats in the middle hall, approached Upāli the householder; having approached, he said to Upāli the householder: ‘‘The seats, venerable sir, are arranged in the middle hall. Do as you now deem fit.’’ 73. Then Upāli the householder approached the middle hall; having approached, on the seat there which was chief, excellent, supreme, and choice, he himself sat down, and addressed the doorkeeper: ‘‘Then, good doorkeeper, approach the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta; having approached, say this to the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: ‘Upāli the householder, venerable sir, says this: Please enter, venerable sir, if you wish.’’ ‘‘Yes, venerable sir,’’ the doorkeeper, having assented to Upāli the householder, approached the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta; having approached, he said to the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: ‘‘Upāli the householder, venerable sir, says this: ‘Please enter, venerable sir, if you wish.’’ Then the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, with a large assembly of Nigaṇṭhas, approached the middle hall. Then Upāli the householder – whereas formerly, whenever he saw the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta coming from afar, he would go forth to meet him, and the seat there, which was chief, excellent, supreme, and choice, he would wipe it with his upper robe and take it and make him sit down – now, on the seat there, which was chief, excellent, supreme, and choice, he himself sat down, and said to the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: ‘‘There are seats available, venerable sir; s... If you wish, sit down. When this was said, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta said to Upāli the householder: "You are mad, householder, you are deluded, householder! Having gone, saying, 'Venerable sir, I will go and impose a debate on the recluse Gotama,' you have returned overwhelmed by a great debate. Just as, householder, a man who goes to fetch eggs might return with his eggs removed, or just as, householder, a man who goes to fetch eyes might return with his eyes removed; even so, householder, having gone, saying, 'Venerable sir, I will go and impose a debate on the recluse Gotama,' you have returned overwhelmed by a great debate. You have been turned around, householder, by the recluse Gotama's turning-around magic." 74. "Excellent, venerable sir, is this turning-around magic; auspicious, venerable sir, is this turning-around magic; may my dear relatives, venerable sir, be turned around by this turning-around; may it be for the long-term welfare and happiness of my dear relatives; and if all khattiyas, venerable sir, were turned around by this turning-around; it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of all khattiyas; and if all brahmins... (and so on) ...vessas... (and so on) ...suddas, venerable sir, were turned around by this turning-around; it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of all suddas; and if the world with its devas, venerable sir, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, with its recluses and brahmins, with its devas and humans, were turned around by this turning-around; it would be for the long-term welfare and happiness of the world with its devas, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, with its recluses and brahmins, with its devas and humans. Therefore, venerable sir, I shall give you a simile. By a simile, some discerning men understand the meaning of what is said. 75. "Once upon a time, venerable sir, a certain brahmin, old, aged, advanced in years, had a young maiden as his wife, who was pregnant and about to give birth. Then, venerable sir, that maiden said to that brahmin: 'Go, you, br Brahmin, go to the market, buy a monkey cub and bring it, which will be a plaything for my son." When this was said, that brahmin said to that young woman: "Wait, lady, until you give birth. If you, lady, give birth to a son, for you I will go to the market, buy a monkey cub and bring it, which will be a plaything for your son. But if you, lady, give birth to a daughter, for you I will go to the market, buy a female monkey cub and bring it, which will be a plaything for your daughter." A second time, venerable sir, that young woman... a third time, venerable sir, that young woman said to that brahmin: "Go, brahmin, go to the market, buy a monkey cub and bring it, which will be a plaything for my son." Then, venerable sir, that brahmin, enamored and devoted to that young woman, went to the market, bought a monkey cub, brought it, and said to that young woman: "Here, lady, is the monkey cub