English
5. The Chapter on the Righteous 1. The Discourse on the Nāga (Elephant/Noble One) 43. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Then, in the morning, having put on his undergarment and taken his bowl and robe, the Blessed One entered Sāvatthī for alms. Having wandered for alms in Sāvatthī, and having returned from his alms round after the meal, he addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to the Eastern Park, Migāramātā's palace, for the day's abiding." "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with Venerable Ānanda, went to the Eastern Park, Migāramātā's palace. Then, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, the Blessed One addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to the Eastern Bathing-hall to bathe our limbs." "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with Venerable Ānanda, went to the Eastern Bathing-hall to bathe his limbs. Having bathed his limbs in the Eastern Bathing-hall, and having come out, he stood with a single robe, drying his limbs. Now at that time, King Pasenadi of Kosala's white elephant named Nāga was coming out of the Eastern Bathing-hall with a great orchestra playing. And people, seeing it, said this: "How beautiful, sirs, is the king's Nāga; how lovely, sirs, is the king's Nāga; how pleasing, sirs, is the king's Nāga; how well-formed, sirs, is the king's Nāga!" When this was said, Venerable Udāyī said to the Blessed One: "Is it only, venerable sir, when people see a great, magnificent, well-formed elephant that they say, 'Indeed, sirs, a Nāga, a Nāga!' or do people, seeing any other great, magnificent, well-formed being, also say, 'Indeed, sirs, a Nāga, a Nāga!'" "Indeed, an elephant, Udāyi, seeing a great, huge body, people say: ‘Indeed, sirs, an elephant! An elephant!’ And Udāyi, seeing a great, huge… And Udāyi, seeing a great, huge… And Udāyi, seeing a great, huge… And Udāyi, seeing a great, huge… And Udāyi, seeing a great, huge human body, people say: ‘Indeed, sirs, an elephant! An elephant!’ But Udāyi, whoever in the world with its devas, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans, does no offense by body, speech, or mind, him I call an ‘elephant’ (nāga). Wonderful, Venerable Sir! Amazing, Venerable Sir! How well-spoken this is, Venerable Sir, by the Blessed One: ‘But Udāyi, whoever in the world with its devas, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans, does no offense by body, speech, or mind, him I call an ‘elephant’ (nāga).’ And this well-spoken statement of the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, I approve with these verses: The Awakened One, become human, self-controlled, composed; Moving on the Brahma-path, delighting in the calming of the mind. Whom humans revere, the one gone beyond all phenomena; Devas too revere him, so I have heard from the Arahant. Gone beyond all fetters, come from the forest to the non-forest; Delighting in renunciation from sensual pleasures, released like gold from a rock. The Nāga surpasses all, as Himālaya other mountain peaks; Among all those named ‘Nāga’, he is the true Nāga, unsurpassed. I will praise the Nāga to you, for he does no offense; Gentleness and non-harming, these are his two feet. Austerity and holy life, these are his other limbs; Faith is the great Nāga’s hand, equanimity his white tusks. Mindfulness his neck, wisdom his head, investigation, reflection on Dhamma; The ardent practice of Dhamma is his belly, solitude is his tail. ‘That meditator, breathing in and out, Is well-composed within. Walking, the noble one is composed; Standing, the noble one is composed. Lying down, the noble one is composed; Sitting, too, the noble one is composed. Everywhere the noble one is restrained; This is the noble one's accomplishment. He eats what is blameless, He does not eat what is blameworthy. Having received food and clothing, He avoids accumulation. Small and large fetters, Cutting all bonds, Wherever he goes, He goes without attachment. Just as a white lotus, Born in water, grows, Is not stained by water, Pure-scented, delightful; So too, well-born in the world, The Buddha dwells in the world, Not stained by the world, Like a lotus by water. Like a great fire, blazing, It is extinguished without fuel. When the formations are calmed, It is called "extinguished" (Nibbāna). This is an explanation of the meaning, An analogy taught by the wise. The great noble ones will understand The noble one taught by the Noble One. Without lust, without hatred, Without delusion, without defilements, Abandoning the body, the noble one Will attain final Nibbāna, without defilements.’ This is the first. 2. The Discourse to Migasālā 44. Then indeed, in the morning, Venerable Ānanda, having dressed and taken his bowl and robe, approached the dwelling of the lay follower Migasālā. Having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared for him. Then indeed the lay follower Migasālā approached Venerable Ānanda. Having approached, she paid homage to Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the lay follower Migasālā said this to Venerable Ānanda: “How indeed, Venerable Ānanda, Is this Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to be understood, Whereby both one who lives the holy life And one who does not live the holy life Will have the same destination in the future? My father, My father, venerable sir, was an old celibate, practicing aloofness, abstaining from sexual village ways. He passed away. The Blessed One declared that he was a once-returner, reborn in the Tusita realm. My uncle, venerable sir, Isidatta, was not celibate, content with his own wife. He also passed away. The Blessed One declared that he was a once-returner, reborn in the Tusita realm. How, venerable Ananda, how is this Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to be understood, where a celibate and a non-celibate both have the same destination in the future? "Indeed, sister, this is what the Blessed One declared." Then Venerable Ananda, having received alms food at the house of Migasālā the lay follower, rose from his seat and departed. Then Venerable Ananda, after his meal, having returned from his alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Ananda said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, in the morning, having dressed and taken my bowl and robe, I approached the house of Migasālā the lay follower; having approached, I sat down on the seat prepared. Then, venerable sir, Migasālā the lay follower approached me; having approached and paid homage to me, she sat down to one side. Seated to one side, venerable sir, Migasālā the lay follower said this to me: 'How, venerable Ananda, how is this Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to be understood, where a celibate and a non-celibate both have the same destination in the future? My father, venerable sir, was an old celibate, practicing aloofness, abstaining from sexual village ways. He passed away. The Blessed One declared that he was a once-returner, reborn in the Tusita realm. My uncle, venerable sir, Isidatta, was not celibate, content with his own wife. He also passed away..." declared by the Blessed One, a once-returner attained, reborn in the Tusita realm. How, how indeed, Venerable Ānanda, is this Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to be understood, where indeed a celibate and a non-celibate both will have the same destination in the future? When this was said, I, Venerable sir, said to the laywoman Migasālā – ‘Indeed, sister, this was declared by the Blessed One.’ Who, Ānanda, is the laywoman Migasālā? Foolish, ignorant, a mere child, with a child's perception. And who has knowledge of the faculties of persons, superior and inferior? There are these six persons, Ānanda, existing, found in the world. Which six? Here, Ānanda, a certain person is gentle, pleasant to live with, his fellow celibates delight in living with him. For him, even by listening, it is not done; even by much learning, it is not done; even by view, it is not penetrated; he does not attain temporary liberation. He, at the breaking up of the body, after death, goes to decline, not to distinction; he is one who goes to decline, not one who goes to distinction. But here, Ānanda, a certain person is gentle, pleasant to live with, his fellow celibates delight in living with him. For him, even by listening, it is done; even by much learning, it is done; even by view, it is penetrated; he attains temporary liberation. He, at the breaking up of the body, after death, goes to distinction, not to decline; he is one who goes to distinction, not one who goes to decline. There, Ānanda, those who measure, measure thus – ‘For this one, the same qualities; for that one, the same qualities. Why is one of them inferior, and one superior?’ That, Ānanda, will be for their long-term harm and suffering. There, Ānanda, this person who is gentle, pleasant to live with, his fellow celibates delight in living with him, for him, even by listening, it is done; even by much learning, it is done; even by view, it is penetrated; he attains temporary liberation. This one, Ānanda... Indeed, this person is more excellent and more sublime than that former person. For what reason is that? Ananda, the stream of Dhamma carries this person along. Who could know the interval apart from a Tathagata! Therefore, Ananda, do not be one who measures persons; do not take measure of persons. Ananda, one who takes measure of persons is crippled. Either I, Ananda, might take measure of persons, or one who is like me. Here, Ananda, for a certain person, anger and conceit are present, and from time to time states of greed arise in him. For him, it is not done by listening,