English
'This one, for the sake of nourishing the body, for the sake of strengthening the body, acted unrighteously, acted unevenly; let the hell-wardens not throw him into hell!'?" "No, indeed, Venerable Sāriputta. But rather, while he is crying out, the hell-wardens would throw him into hell." 448. "What do you think, Dhanañjāni? If someone, for the sake of his parents, acts unrighteously, acts unevenly, or if someone, for the sake of his parents, acts righteously, acts evenly; which is better?" "Indeed, Venerable Sāriputta, if someone, for the sake of his parents, acts unrighteously, acts unevenly, that is not better; but if someone, Venerable Sāriputta, for the sake of his parents, acts righteously, acts evenly, that is better here. For unrighteous, uneven conduct, Venerable Sāriputta, righteous, even conduct is better." "Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous actions, by which one can support one's parents, and not commit evil deeds, and follow a path of merit." "What do you think, Dhanañjāni? If someone, for the sake of his children and wife, acts unrighteously, acts unevenly, or if someone, for the sake of his children and wife, acts righteously, acts evenly; which is better?" "Indeed, Venerable Sāriputta, if someone, for the sake of his children and wife, acts unrighteously, acts unevenly, that is not better; but if someone, Venerable Sāriputta, for the sake of his children and wife, acts righteously, acts evenly, that is better here." is better. Unrighteous and uneven conduct, O Sāriputta, righteous and even conduct is better. Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous livelihoods, by which one can support children and wife, and not commit evil deeds, and practice the path of merit. "What do you think, Dhanañjāni? If one, for the sake of servants, workers, and laborers, acts unrighteously and unevenly, or if one, for the sake of servants, workers, and laborers, acts righteously and evenly; which is better?" "Indeed, O Sāriputta, if one, for the sake of servants, workers, and laborers, acts unrighteously and unevenly, that is not better; but if one, O Sāriputta, for the sake of servants, workers, and laborers, acts righteously and evenly, that is better. Unrighteous and uneven conduct, O Sāriputta, righteous and even conduct is better." "Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous livelihoods, by which one can support servants, workers, and laborers, and not commit evil deeds, and practice the path of merit." "What do you think, Dhanañjāni? If one, for the sake of friends and associates, acts unrighteously and unevenly, or if one, for the sake of friends and associates, acts righteously and evenly; which is better?" "Indeed, O Sāriputta, if one, for the sake of friends and associates, acts unrighteously and unevenly, that is not better; but if one, O Sāriputta, for the sake of friends and associates, acts righteously and evenly, that is better. Unrighteous and uneven conduct, O Sāriputta, righteous and even conduct is better." "Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous livelihoods, by which one can do what is to be done for friends and associates, and not commit evil deeds, and practice the path of merit." "What do you think, Dhanañjāni? If one, for the sake of relatives and blood-relations, acts unrighteously and unevenly, or if one, for the sake of relatives and blood-relations, acts righteously and evenly; which is better?" "Indeed, O Sāriputta, Dhanañjāni, if for the sake of relatives and kinsmen one were to act unrighteously, unevenly, that is not better. But whoever, Venerable Sāriputta, for the sake of relatives and kinsmen were to act righteously, evenly, that is better here. Unrighteous and uneven conduct, Venerable Sāriputta, righteous and even conduct is better. Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous deeds for the sake of others, by which one can do what needs to be done for relatives and kinsmen, and not do evil deeds, and undertake a path of merit. What do you think, Dhanañjāni? If for the sake of guests one were to act unrighteously, unevenly, or if for the sake of guests one were to act righteously, evenly, which is better? If, Venerable Sāriputta, for the sake of guests one were to act unrighteously, unevenly, that is not better. But whoever, Venerable Sāriputta, for the sake of guests were to act righteously, evenly, that is better here. Unrighteous and uneven conduct, Venerable Sāriputta, righteous and even conduct is better. Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous deeds for the sake of others, by which one can do what needs to be done for guests, and not do evil deeds, and undertake a path of merit. What do you think, Dhanañjāni? If for the sake of departed ancestors one were to act unrighteously, unevenly, or if for the sake of departed ancestors one were to act righteously, evenly, which is better? If, Venerable Sāriputta, for the sake of departed ancestors one were to act unrighteously, unevenly, that is not better. But whoever, Venerable Sāriputta, for the sake of departed ancestors were to act righteously, evenly, that is better here. Unrighteous and uneven conduct, Venerable Sāriputta, righteous and even conduct is better. Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous deeds for the sake of others, by which one can do what needs to be done for departed ancestors, and not do evil deeds, and undertake a path of merit. What do you think, Dhanañjāni? If for the sake of deities who acts unrighteously, unevenly, or who, for the sake of gods, acts righteously, evenly; which is better? "Indeed, good Sāriputta, he who, for the sake of gods, acts unrighteously, unevenly, that is not better; but he who, good Sāriputta, for the sake of gods, acts righteously, evenly, that is better here. For unrighteous, uneven conduct, good Sāriputta, righteous, even conduct is better." "Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous deeds, by which one can do what is to be done for the gods, and not do evil deeds, and enter upon a path of merit. "What do you think, Dhanañjāni, who, for the sake of a king, acts unrighteously, unevenly, or who, for the sake of a king, acts righteously, evenly; which is better?" "Indeed, good Sāriputta, he who, for the sake of a king, acts unrighteously, unevenly, that is not better; but he who, good Sāriputta, for the sake of a king, acts righteously, evenly, that is better here. For unrighteous, uneven conduct, good Sāriputta, righteous, even conduct is better." "Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous deeds, by which one can do what is to be done for the king, and not do evil deeds, and enter upon a path of merit. "What do you think, Dhanañjāni, who, for the sake of nourishing and strengthening the body, acts unrighteously, unevenly, or who, for the sake of nourishing and strengthening the body, acts righteously, evenly; which is better?" "Indeed, good Sāriputta, he who, for the sake of nourishing and strengthening the body, acts unrighteously, unevenly, that is not better; but he who, good Sāriputta, for the sake of nourishing and strengthening the body, acts righteously, evenly, that is better here. For unrighteous, uneven conduct, good Sāriputta, righteous, even conduct is better." "Indeed, Dhanañjāni, there are other righteous deeds, by which one can both nourish and strengthen the body, and not and not to do evil deeds, but to practice the path of merit." 449. Then indeed the brahmin Dhanañjāni, having delighted in the venerable Sāriputta's words, and rejoiced in them, rose from his seat and departed. Then indeed the brahmin Dhanañjāni, at a later time, became sick, suffering, gravely ill. Then indeed the brahmin Dhanañjāni addressed a certain man: "Come, good man, go to the Blessed One; having gone, in my name, bow your head at the feet of the Blessed One, saying: 'Venerable sir, the brahmin Dhanañjāni is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head at the feet of the Blessed One.' And go to the venerable Sāriputta; having gone, in my name, bow your head at the feet of the venerable Sāriputta, saying: 'Venerable sir, the brahmin Dhanañjāni is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head at the feet of the venerable Sāriputta.' And also say this: 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the venerable Sāriputta would go to the dwelling of the brahmin Dhanañjāni, out of compassion.'" "Yes, venerable sir," that man replied to the brahmin Dhanañjāni, and went to the Blessed One; having gone, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, that man indeed said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, the brahmin Dhanañjāni is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head at the feet of the Blessed One." And he went to the venerable Sāriputta; having gone, he saluted the venerable Sāriputta and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, that man indeed said this to the venerable Sāriputta: "Venerable sir, the brahmin Dhanañjāni is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows his head at the feet of the venerable Sāriputta, and also says this: 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the venerable Sāriputta would go to the dwelling of the brahmin Dhanañjāni, out of compassion.'" Venerable Sāriputta consented by silence. 450. Then Venerable Sāriputta, having dressed and taken his bowl and robe, went to the dwelling of Dhanañjāni the brahmin; having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Having sat down, Venerable Sāriputta said to Dhanañjāni the brahmin: “Is it tolerable for you, Dhanañjāni, is it endurable? Do your painful feelings recede, not advance? Is their recession apparent, not their advance?” “It is not tolerable for me, Venerable Sāriputta, it is not endurable. My severe painful feelings advance, they do not recede. Their advance is apparent, not their recession. Just as, Venerable Sāriputta, a strong man might cleave the head with a sharp sword; even so, Venerable Sāriputta, excessive winds cleave my head. It is not tolerable for me, Venerable Sāriputta, it is not endurable.