English
That the venerable Bākula, for eighty years, does not recall having spent the Rains in a village dwelling, this too we hold to be a wonder and marvel of the venerable Bākula. For only seven days, friends, did I eat the country's alms-food with defilements; then on the eighth, gnosis arose. That the venerable Bākula ate the country's alms-food with defilements for only seven days; then on the eighth, gnosis arose, this too we hold to be a wonder and marvel of the venerable Bākula. May I, friend Bākula, obtain the going forth in this Dhamma and Discipline, may I obtain the higher ordination... ordination.” Indeed, the naked Kassapa obtained going forth in this Dhamma and Discipline, he obtained full ordination. Not long after his full ordination, Venerable Kassapa, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, resolute, not long after, for the sake of which sons of good families rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, he attained and dwelt in it. He directly knew: “Destroyed is birth, lived is the holy life, done is what was to be done, there is no more of this state.” Indeed, Venerable Kassapa was one of the Arahants. Then Venerable Bākula, at a later time, taking a door-bolt, went from dwelling to dwelling and said this: “Come forth, Venerables, come forth, Venerables. Today my final Nibbāna will take place.” “That Venerable Bākula, taking a door-bolt, went from dwelling to dwelling and said this: ‘Come forth, Venerables, come forth, Venerables; today my final Nibbāna will take place,’ this too we hold as a wondrous, amazing quality of Venerable Bākula.” Venerable Bākula attained final Nibbāna while seated in the midst of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. “That Venerable Bākula attained final Nibbāna while seated in the midst of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, this too we hold as a wondrous, amazing quality of Venerable Bākula.” The Bākula Sutta, the fourth, is finished. 5. The Discourse on the Stage of Taming 213. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. Now at that time the novice Aciravata was dwelling in a forest hut. Then Prince Jayasena, walking for exercise, strolling about, approached the novice Aciravata. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the novice Aciravata. Having concluded courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. As he sat to one side, Then Prince Jayasena said to the novice Aciravata: “I have heard, good Aggivessana, that ‘here a monk, diligent, ardent, resolute, dwelling, might attain one-pointedness of mind.’” “It is so, Prince, it is so, Prince. Here a monk, diligent, ardent, resolute, dwelling, might attain one-pointedness of mind.” “May the good Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has heard it, as he has learned it.” “I cannot, Prince, teach you the Dhamma as I have heard it, as I have learned it. For if I were to teach you, Prince, the Dhamma as I have heard it, as I have learned it, and you were not to understand the meaning of my words, that would be a weariness for me, that would be a vexation for me.” “May the good Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has heard it, as he has learned it. Perhaps I might understand the meaning of the good Aggivessana’s words.” “I would teach you, Prince, the Dhamma as I have heard it, as I have learned it. If you were to understand the meaning of my words, that would be good. If you were not to understand the meaning of my words, you would remain as you are, and you would not question me further about it.” “May the good Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has heard it, as he has learned it. If I understand the meaning of the good Aggivessana’s words, that will be good. If I do not understand the meaning of the good Aggivessana’s words, I will remain as I am, and I will not question the good Aggivessana further about it.” 214. Then the novice Aciravata taught Prince Jayasena the Dhamma as he had heard it, as he had learned it. When this was said, Prince Jayasena said to the novice Aciravata: “It is impossible, good Aggivessana, it is not possible that a monk, diligent, ardent, resolute, dwelling, might attain one-pointedness of mind.” its one-pointedness.” Then Prince Jayasena, having explained to the novice Aciravata the impossibility and unsuitability of it, rose from his seat and departed. Then the novice Aciravata, not long after Prince Jayasena had departed, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the novice Aciravata reported to the Blessed One all the conversation he had had with Prince Jayasena. When this was said, the Blessed One spoke to the novice Aciravata thus: “How is it possible here, Aggivessana? That which is to be known by renunciation, to be seen by renunciation, to be attained by renunciation, to be realized by renunciation— that Prince Jayasena, living amidst sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, being consumed by thoughts of sensual pleasure, being tormented by the fever of sensual pleasure, being eager in the search for sensual pleasure, would know it, or see it, or realize it— that is not possible. 215. “Just as, Aggivessana, there are two elephants or horses or oxen, well-tamed, well-disciplined; and two elephants or horses or oxen, untamed, undisciplined. What do you think, Aggivessana? Those two elephants or horses or oxen that are well-tamed, well-disciplined— would they, being tamed, go to the state of being tamed, reach the ground of being tamed?” “Yes, venerable sir.” “But those two elephants or horses or oxen that are untamed, undisciplined— would they, being untamed, go to the state of being tamed, reach the ground of being tamed, just like those two elephants or horses or oxen that are well-tamed, well-disciplined?” “No, venerable sir.” “Even so, Aggivessana, that which is to be known by renunciation, to be seen by renunciation, to be attained by renunciation, to be realized by renunciation— that Prince Ja Prince Yasena, living amidst sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, consumed by thoughts of sensual pleasures, burning with the fever of sensual pleasures, eager in the search for sensual pleasures, will know, or see, or realize it directly – this is not possible. 216. Just as, Aggivessana, not far from a village or town, there is a great mountain. Two friends, having left that village or town, would approach that mountain by effort; having approached, one friend would stand at the foot of the mountain, and one friend would ascend to the top of the mountain. Then the friend standing at the foot of the mountain would say to the friend standing on top of the mountain thus: ‘Friend, what do you see, standing on top of the mountain?’ He would say thus: ‘Indeed, friend, standing on top of the mountain, I see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful lands, delightful ponds.’ He would say thus: ‘Indeed, friend, it is impossible, there is no opportunity, that you, standing on top of the mountain, could see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful lands, delightful ponds.’ Then the friend standing on top of the mountain, having descended to the foot of the mountain, having taken that friend by the arm and led him to the top of the mountain, and having let him rest for a moment, would say thus: ‘Friend, what do you see, standing on top of the mountain?’ He would say thus: ‘Indeed, friend, standing on top of the mountain, I see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful lands, delightful ponds.’ He would say thus: ‘Just now, friend, you said – we understand thus – ‘Indeed, friend, it is impossible, there is no opportunity, that you, standing on top of the mountain, could see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful lands, delightful ponds.’ And just now you said, we understand thus – ‘Indeed, I see... Indeed, friend, standing on top of the mountain, the charm of the park, the charm of the forest, the charm of the land, the charm of the pond. He would say this: ‘Indeed, friend, I, obstructed by this great mountain, could not see anything.’ By a greater mass than that, Aggivessana, Prince Jayasena is covered, enveloped, enshrouded, bound by the mass of ignorance. That which is to be known by renunciation, to be seen by renunciation, to be attained by renunciation, to be realized by renunciation, that, indeed, Prince Jayasena, dwelling amidst sensual pleasures, enjoying sensual pleasures, consumed by thoughts of sensual pleasure, burning with the fever of sensual pleasure, eager in the search for sensual pleasure, will know, or see, or realize – this is not possible. If, Aggivessana, these two similes were to occur to Prince Jayasena, it would be no wonder if Prince Jayasena were to become clear to you, and being clear, he would show you his clarity.” “But how, Venerable Sir, could these two similes, so wonderful and unheard of before, occur to Prince Jayasena, as they have to the Blessed One?” 217. Just as, Aggivessana, a king, a consecrated warrior, would summon an elephant-trainer: ‘Come, friend elephant-trainer, mount the royal elephant, enter the elephant forest, observe a wild elephant, and bind it by the neck to the royal elephant.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ Aggivessana, the elephant-trainer, having assented to the consecrated warrior king, mounted the royal elephant, entered the elephant forest, observed a wild elephant, and bound it by the neck to the royal elephant. Then the royal elephant would lead it out into the open. Thus, indeed, Aggivessana, the forest elephant has gone into the open. For, Aggivessana, forest elephants are attached to this: the elephant forest. Then the elephant forester reported to the anointed khattiya king: 'The forest elephant, O King, has gone into the open.' Then, Aggivessana, that anointed khattiya king