English
"Even so, Sandaka, for that bhikkhu, the Arahant, whose taints are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, whose fetters of existence are destroyed, rightly liberated through perfect knowledge—is it that for him, whether walking or standing, sleeping or awake, constantly and continually, the knowledge and vision 'My taints are destroyed' is not present; but rather, reflecting, he knows 'My taints are destroyed'." 236. "But, Venerable Ānanda, how many are those who have gone forth in this Dhamma and Discipline?" "Not just one hundred, Sandaka, not two hundred, not three hundred, not four hundred, not five hundred, but rather there are more who have gone forth in this Dhamma and Discipline." "Wonderful, Venerable Ānanda, amazing!" Ah, good Ananda! There will be no self-praise of the Dhamma, no disparagement of others' Dhamma, and the teaching of the Dhamma in its proper place will be so abundant that many will be seen to be liberated. But these Ajivakas, sons of a barren woman, praise themselves and disparage others, and they declare only three liberators, namely – Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Saṃkicca, and Makkhali Gosala." Then Sandaka the wanderer addressed his own assembly, "Go forth, sirs, and live the holy life under the ascetic Gotama. It is no longer easy for us to give up gains, honor, and renown." Thus did Sandaka the wanderer urge his own assembly to live the holy life under the Blessed One. The Sandaka Sutta, the sixth, is ended. 7. The Mahāsakuludāyī Sutta 237. Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One was staying in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Place. Now at that time many well-known wanderers were dwelling in the wanderers' park at Moranivāpa, namely – Annabhāra, Varadhara, and Sakuludāyī the wanderer, and other well-known wanderers. Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the morning, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms. Then it occurred to the Blessed One, "It is too early to wander for alms in Rājagaha. What if I were to go to the wanderers' park at Moranivāpa, to Sakuludāyī the wanderer?" Then the Blessed One went to the wanderers' park at Moranivāpa. Now at that time Sakuludāyī the wanderer was sitting with a large assembly of wanderers, noisy and boisterous, engaged in various kinds of worldly talk, namely – talk of kings, talk of robbers, talk of ministers, talk of armies, talk of fear, talk of war, talk of food, talk of drink, talk of clothes, talk of beds, talk of garlands, talk of perfumes, talk of relatives, talk of vehicles, talk of villages, talk of villages, talk of towns, talk of countries, talk of women, talk of heroes, talk of streets, talk of watering places, talk of departed ancestors, talk of various things, talk of the world, talk of the ocean, talk of existence and non-existence. Then Sakuludāyī the wanderer saw the Blessed One coming from afar. Seeing him, he quieted his assembly: "Sirs, be silent; sirs, do not make a sound. This ascetic Gotama is coming; that venerable one desires silence and praises silence. Perhaps, knowing the assembly to be silent, he will deem it fit to approach." Then those wanderers became silent. Then the Blessed One approached Sakuludāyī the wanderer. Then Sakuludāyī the wanderer said to the Blessed One: "Come, venerable sir, Blessed One. Welcome, venerable sir, to the Blessed One. It has been a long time, venerable sir, since the Blessed One made this journey, that is, to come here. Let the Blessed One sit, venerable sir; this seat is prepared." The Blessed One sat on the prepared seat. Sakuludāyī the wanderer also took a low seat and sat to one side. To Sakuludāyī the wanderer, seated to one side, the Blessed One said: 238. "What talk, Udāyī, were you engaged in just now, and what was the topic of your interrupted conversation?" "That talk, venerable sir, in which we were engaged just now, that talk, venerable sir, will not be difficult for the Blessed One to hear later. In former days, venerable sir, even earlier, when various sectarian ascetics and brahmins were gathered and assembled in the Curiosity Hall, this conversation arose among them: 'Indeed, fortunate are the Angas and Magadhas, indeed, well-gained are the Angas and Magadhas! For here, these ascetics and brahmins, who are members of communities, leaders of groups, teachers of groups, well-known, famous, founders of sects, esteemed as good by many people, make Rājagaha their rainy season residence—" ...residing. And this Purana Kassapa, a leader of a group, a head of a group, a teacher of a group, known, famous, a founder of a sect, esteemed by many people; he too is residing in Rājagaha for the rainy season. And this Makkhali Gosāla... (and so on) ... Ajita Kesakambala... Pakudha Kaccāyana... Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta... Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, a leader of a group, a head of a group, a teacher of a group, known, famous, a founder of a sect, esteemed by many people; he too is residing in Rājagaha for the rainy season. And this ascetic Gotama, a leader of a group, a head of a group, a teacher of a group, known, famous, a founder of a sect, esteemed by many people; he too is residing in Rājagaha for the rainy season. Now, among these venerable ascetics and brahmins, leaders of groups, heads of groups, teachers of groups, known, famous, founders of sects, esteemed by many people, whose disciples are respected, revered, honored, worshipped? And which one do the disciples respect, revere, and depend upon to live? 239. There, some spoke thus: 'This Purana Kassapa, a leader of a group, a head of a group, a teacher of a group, known, famous, a founder of a sect, esteemed by many people; but he is not respected, not revered, not honored, not worshipped by his disciples. Nor do the disciples respect, revere, and depend upon Purana Kassapa to live. Once upon a time, Purana Kassapa was teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds. There, a certain disciple of Purana Kassapa made a noise, saying: "Sirs, do not ask Purana Kassapa about this matter; he does not know this; we know this, ask us about this matter; we will explain this to you, sirs." Once upon a time, Purana Kassapa, weeping with uplifted arms, could not get them to stop, saying: "Sirs, be quiet, sirs, do not make a noise. They are not asking you, sirs, they are asking us; we will explain this to them." Indeed, many disciples of Purana Kassapa would engage in dispute. and departed, saying: "You do not know this Dhamma and Discipline, I know this Dhamma and Discipline. How will you know this Dhamma and Discipline? You are wrongly practicing, I am rightly practicing. Mine is consistent, yours is inconsistent. What should be said first, you said last; what should be said last, you said first. Your accustomed way is reversed. Your argument is imposed, you are refuted. Go, seek release from the argument, or unravel it if you can." Thus, Pūraṇa Kassapa was not respected by his disciples, not revered, not honored, not worshipped. Nor did his disciples live respecting, revering, and depending on Pūraṇa Kassapa. And Pūraṇa Kassapa was reviled with a Dhamma-revilement. Some said thus: ‘This Makkhali Gosāla… (and so on for Ajita Kesakambala, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta)… and Nigaṇṭha Nāṭāputta, is indeed a leader of a community, a head of a group, a teacher of a group, well-known, famous, a founder of a sect, esteemed as good by many people; but he was not respected by his disciples, not revered, not honored, not worshipped. Nor did his disciples live respecting, revering, and depending on Nigaṇṭha Nāṭāputta. It happened formerly that Nigaṇṭha Nāṭāputta was teaching Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds. There, a certain disciple of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭāputta made a noise, saying: "Sirs, do not ask Nigaṇṭha Nāṭāputta about this matter; he does not know it; we know it, ask us about this matter; we will explain it to you, sirs." It happened formerly that Nigaṇṭha Nāṭāputta, weeping with uplifted arms, could not get them to be quiet, saying: "Sirs, be quiet, sirs, do not make a noise. They are not asking you, they are asking us; we will explain it to them." Indeed, many disciples of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭāputta, having imposed an argument, departed, saying: "You do not know this Dhamma and Discipline, I know this Dhamma and Discipline. How will you know this Dhamma and Discipline? You are wrongly… You are wrongly committed. I am rightly committed. Mine is correct, yours is incorrect. You spoke later what should have been spoken first, You spoke first what should have been spoken later. Your practice is reversed. Your argument is defeated, You are refuted. Go, seek release from the argument, Or unravel it if you can. Thus, the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta was not respected, not revered, not honored, not worshipped by his disciples. And his disciples did not live respecting, revering, and relying on the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta. And the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta was reviled with a reviling of the Dhamma. 240. Some said thus: “This recluse Gotama is also a leader of a community, a head of a group, a teacher of a group, renowned, famous, a founder of a sect, well-regarded by many people. And he is respected, revered, honored, worshipped by his disciples. And his disciples live respecting, revering, and relying on the recluse Gotama. Once, the recluse Gotama taught the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds. There, a certain disciple of the recluse Gotama coughed. Then another fellow monk nudged him with his knee: ‘Be silent, venerable sir, do not make a sound, our Teacher, the Blessed One, is teaching the Dhamma.’ At that time when the recluse Gotama taught the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds, there was no sound of spitting or coughing from the disciples of the recluse Gotama. And the great multitude was present, eagerly anticipating: ‘Whatever the Blessed One will speak of the Dhamma, that we shall hear.’