English
357. Then the horse-rider headman approached the Blessed One; having approached, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the horse-rider headman said this to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, Venerable Sir, from the former teachers and masters, the horse-riders, speaking thus: 'The horse-rider who strives and exerts himself in battle, when he strives and exerts himself, others kill him, they destroy him. After the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn into the company of the vanquished devas." "What does the Blessed One say about this?" "Enough, headman, let that be; do not ask me about this." A second time… and a third time, the cavalryman headman said to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, venerable sir, from former teachers and grand-teachers, cavalrymen, speaking: 'That cavalryman who strives and exerts himself in battle, and while he strives and exerts himself, others strike him down and destroy him, he, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn into the company of the vanquished devas.' What does the Blessed One say about this?" "Indeed, headman, I cannot get you to stop – 'Enough, headman, let that be; do not ask me about this.' But I will explain it to you. That cavalryman, headman, who strives and exerts himself in battle, his mind was previously seized by evil, ill-directed: 'May these beings be slain, or bound, or cut off, or destroyed, or may they not exist!' And while he strives and exerts himself, others strike him down and destroy him, he, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn into a hell named Vanquished. If, however, he holds such a view: 'That cavalryman who strives and exerts himself in battle, and while he strives and exerts himself, others strike him down and destroy him, he, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn into the company of the vanquished devas,' that is his wrong view. And for a person, headman, who holds a wrong view, I declare one of two destinations: either hell or the animal realm." When this was said, the cavalryman headman wept, he shed tears. "Indeed, headman, I could not get you to stop – 'Enough, headman, let that be; do not ask me about this.'" "I do not weep, venerable sir, because the Blessed One said this to me. But, venerable sir, I have been long deceived, cheated, and deluded by former teachers and grand-teachers, cavalrymen." – ‘That horseman who strives and struggles in battle, him, striving and struggling, others kill and destroy. He, with the breaking of the body, after death, is reborn into the company of the vanquished gods.’ “Excellent, Venerable Sir… From today onwards, I go for refuge as a lay follower.” The Fifth. 6. The Discourse to Asibandhakaputta 358. At one time the Blessed One was staying in Nāḷandā, in Pāvārika’s Mango Grove. Then Asibandhakaputta the headman approached the Blessed One. Having approached and greeted the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Asibandhakaputta the headman said to the Blessed One: “Venerable Sir, the Brahmins, those of later times, with their water-pots, wearing garlands of moss, performing water-ablutions, worshipping fire, they send off, as it were, they make known, as it were, they cause to descend, as it were, the dead and departed to heaven. But the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, is he able to do so that all the world, with the breaking of the body, after death, would be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world?” “In that case, headman, I will question you in return. Answer as you see fit.” “What do you think, headman? Suppose there was a person here who was a killer of living beings, a taker of what is not given, a wrongdoer in sensual pleasures, a speaker of falsehoods, a slanderer, a harsh speaker, a frivolous talker, covetous, with a mind of ill-will, of wrong view. And a great multitude of people were to gather together and entreat him, praise him, with joined palms, follow him around, saying: ‘May this person, with the breaking of the body, after death, be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world!’ What do you think, headman? Would that person, because of the entreaty or the praise or the following around with joined palms of that great multitude of people, with the breaking of the body, after death, be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world?” “No, Venerable Sir.” “Just as, headman, if a person were to throw a great broad stone into a deep water-pool. And a great multitude of people were to gather together…” One might implore, extol, with joined hands, circumambulate, saying: ‘Rise up, O great rock! Float up, O great rock! Float to land, O great rock!’ What do you think, headman? Would that great rock, because of the imploring, or because of the extolling, or because of the circumambulating with joined hands by a great crowd of people, rise up, or float up, or float to land? ‘No, venerable sir.’ Just so, headman, that person who takes life, takes what is not given, misconducts himself in sensual pleasures, speaks falsely, speaks divisively, speaks harshly, engages in idle chatter, is covetous, has ill will, and has wrong view. Even if a great crowd of people were to gather together, implore him, extol him, with joined hands, circumambulate him, saying: ‘May this person, with the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world!’ Yet, that person, with the breaking up of the body, after death, would be reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. What do you think, headman? Suppose there were a person here who abstains from taking life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from misconduct in sensual pleasures, abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is not covetous, has no ill will, and has right view. Even if a great crowd of people were to gather together, implore him, extol him, with joined hands, circumambulate him, saying: ‘May this person, with the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell!’ What do you think, headman? Would that person, because of the imploring, or because of the extolling, or because of the circumambulating with joined hands by a great crowd of people, with the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell? ‘No, venerable sir.’ Just as, headman, a person might take a pot of ghee or a pot of oil, submerge it in a deep pool of water, and break it. Therein, whatever gravel or potsherds it has, those would sink downwards. of it; and whatever ghee or oil is in it, that would rise upwards. Then a great crowd of people would gather together, come together, and implore it, praise it, with joined hands, and follow it closely, saying: ‘Sink down, oh ghee and oil! Submerge, oh ghee and oil! Go down, oh ghee and oil!’ What do you think, headman, would that ghee and oil sink down, or submerge, or go down, because of the imploring or the praising or the following closely with joined hands of that great crowd of people?” “No, venerable sir.” “Even so, headman, the person who abstains from taking life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is not covetous, has a mind free from ill-will, and has right view— even if a great crowd of people were to gather together, come together, and implore him, praise him, with joined hands, and follow him closely, saying: ‘May this person, with the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell!’ Yet that person, with the breaking up of the body, after death, would be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.” When this was said, Asibandhakaputta the headman said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, venerable sir… From today onwards, I take refuge for life.” The Sixth. 7. The Discourse on the Simile of the Field 359. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Nāḷandā, in Pāvārika’s Mango Grove. Then Asibandhakaputta the headman approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Asibandhakaputta the headman said to the Blessed One: “Does not the Blessed One, venerable sir, dwell with compassion for the welfare of all beings?” “Yes, headman, the Tathāgata dwells with compassion for the welfare of all beings.” “Then why, venerable sir, does the Blessed One teach the Dhamma thoroughly to some, but not so thoroughly to others?” teaches the Dhamma?" "Then, headman, I will question you in return about this. As it seems fit to you, so should you explain it. What do you think, headman? Here, a farmer, a householder, has three fields: one field is excellent, one field is medium, one field is poor, wild, barren, bad soil. What do you think, headman? That farmer, that householder, wishing to plant seeds, where would he plant them first? In that field which is excellent, or in that field which is medium, or in that field which is poor, wild, barren, bad soil?" "Venerable sir, that farmer, that householder, wishing to plant seeds, would plant them in that field which is excellent. Having planted there, he would plant them in that field which is medium. Having planted there, he might plant them in that field which is poor, wild, barren, bad soil, or he might not plant them. For what reason? At least it will be fodder for cattle." "Just as, headman, that field which is excellent; even so are my monks and nuns. To them I teach the Dhamma— beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, fully complete, pure, I proclaim the holy life. For what reason? For these, headman,