English
If, Venerable Nāgasena, it was said by the Blessed One, 'Restraint of body is good,' then the statement that he showed the hidden private part of the brahmin Sela, which was enclosed in a sheath, is false. If he showed the hidden private part of the brahmin Sela, which was enclosed in a sheath, then that statement 'Restraint of body is good' is also false. This two-horned question has come to you; it must be resolved by you." "This was indeed spoken by the Blessed One, O great king, 'Restraint of body is good,' and the hidden private part of the brahmin Sela, which was enclosed in a sheath, was shown. Indeed, O great king, for whomever doubt arose concerning the Tathāgata, for the purpose of awakening that person, the Blessed One, by his psychic power, showed a corresponding body part, and only that person saw that marvel." "Who, Venerable Nāgasena, will believe this, that one person in the assembly sees that private part, while the rest, dwelling right there, do not see it? Please, instruct me on the reason for that; make me understand with a reason." "Have you ever seen, O great king, a sick person surrounded by relatives and friends?" "Yes, Venerable Sir." "Does that assembly, O great king, see the pain with which that person suffers?" "No, Venerable Sir, that person himself, Venerable Sir, experiences the pain." "Just so, O great king, for whomever..." doubt arose in the Tathāgata, for the enlightenment of that very one, the Tathāgata shows a corresponding body by psychic power, that very one sees that miracle. “Or again, great king, if a spirit were to possess some man, would that assembly, great king, see the coming of that spirit?” “No, venerable sir, that very sick person sees the coming of that spirit.” “Even so, great king, in whomsoever doubt arose in the Tathāgata, for the enlightenment of that very one, the Tathāgata shows a corresponding body by psychic power, that very one sees that miracle.” “It is difficult, venerable Nāgasena, what the Blessed One has done, that which is invisible to even one, by showing it.” “No, great king, the Blessed One did not show a secret, but by psychic power, he showed a shadow.” “Even by seeing a shadow, venerable sir, the secret is seen, by seeing which one is convinced.” “And difficult, great king, the Tathāgata does to enlighten beings capable of enlightenment. If, great king, the Tathāgata were to neglect action, beings capable of enlightenment would not awaken. And because, great king, the Tathāgata is skilled in means to enlighten beings capable of enlightenment, therefore, the Tathāgata, by whatever means beings capable of enlightenment awaken, by that very means he enlightens those capable of enlightenment. “Just as, great king, a physician and surgeon, by whatever medicine a sick person becomes well, by that very medicine he approaches the sick person, he makes him vomit what is to be vomited, he purges what is to be purged, he anoints what is to be anointed, he administers enemas what is to be administered. Even so, great king, the Tathāgata, by whatever means beings capable of enlightenment awaken, by that very means he enlightens them. “Or again, great king, a woman with a difficult pregnancy shows an invisible secret to a physician, even so, great king, the Tathāgata, to enlighten beings capable of enlightenment, showed an invisible secret as a shadow by psychic power. There is no, great king, place called invisible depending on a person.” If, O great king, someone, seeing the Blessed One's heart, would awaken, even to him the Blessed One would show his heart by means of a device, for the Tathāgata, O great king, is skilled in means, expert in teaching. "Indeed, O great king, the Tathāgata, knowing the inclination of the Elder Nanda, led him to the divine abode and showed him divine maidens, thinking, 'By this, this young man will awaken,' and by that, that young man awakened. Thus, indeed, O great king, the Tathāgata, by various means, disparaging, blaming, and loathing the sign of beauty, for the sake of his awakening, showed him the crow-footed nymphs. Thus also, the Tathāgata is skilled in means, expert in teaching. "Furthermore, O great king, the Tathāgata, approaching the Elder Cūḷapanthaka, who was cast out by his brother, suffering, and dejected, gave him a fine piece of cloth, thinking, 'By this, this young man will awaken,' and that young man, for that reason, attained mastery in the Buddha's dispensation. Thus also, O great king, the Tathāgata is skilled in means, expert in teaching. "Furthermore, O great king, the Tathāgata, when questioned by the brahmin Mogharāja even a third time, did not answer, thinking, 'Thus will the conceit of this young man subside; with the subsiding of conceit, there will be awakening,' and by that, the conceit of that young man subsided, and with the subsiding of conceit, that brahmin attained mastery in the six supernormal powers. Thus also, O great king, the Tathāgata is skilled in means, expert in teaching." "Excellent, venerable Nāgasena! The question has been well-resolved with various reasons. What was profound has been made unprofound. Darkness has been turned into light. The knot has been untied. Opposing views have been shattered. You have opened the eyes of the Buddha's sons. The sectarians are speechless. You are indeed the foremost among the excellent assembly!" The third question on showing the hidden object. 4. The question on the absence of harsh speech. 4. "Venerable Nāgasena, this was also spoken by the Elder Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma: 'Friends, the Tathāgata's conduct of speech is pure. There is no misconduct of speech in the Tathāgata, which the Tathāgata would guard, thinking, 'Let no one...'" 'May another not know this about me.' And again, the Tathāgata, when laying down the pārājika rule for the offense of the elder Sudinna, son of Kalandaka, addressed him with harsh words, with the term 'deluded man.' And because that elder was distressed in mind by the term 'deluded man,' and was thereby hindered, he was unable to penetrate the noble path. If, Venerable Nāgasena, the Tathāgata's conduct of speech is pure, there is no misconduct of speech in the Tathāgata, then the statement that the Tathāgata, for the offense of the elder Sudinna, son of Kalandaka, addressed him with the term 'deluded man' is false. If the Blessed One, for the offense of the elder Sudinna, son of Kalandaka, addressed him with the term 'deluded man,' then the statement that the Tathāgata's conduct of speech is pure, there is no misconduct of speech in the Tathāgata, is also false. This two-horned problem has come to you, and you must resolve it." "This was also said, great king, by the elder Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma: 'Friends, the Tathāgata's conduct of speech is pure; there is no misconduct of speech in the Tathāgata that the Tathāgata would guard, thinking, "May another not know this about me."' And the Blessed One, when laying down the pārājika rule for the offense of the venerable Sudinna, son of Kalandaka, addressed him with the term 'deluded man,' but that was with an unduṭṭha mind, without anger, and according to the true characteristic. What is the true characteristic there? Great king, for a person who does not realize the Four Noble Truths in this existence, his manhood is deluded; what is done for one purpose results in another. Therefore, he is called a 'deluded man.' Thus, great king, the Blessed One addressed the venerable Sudinna, son of Kalandaka, with a statement of truth, not with a false statement." "Even if, Venerable Nāgasena, one speaks reviling a truth, we impose a fine of a kahāpaṇa on him; that is indeed an offense, speaking separately from the object, acting with revilement." "Is there, great king, Have you ever heard that one who has stumbled is greeted, or stood up for, or honored, or given gifts? No, Venerable Sir, wherever, by whomever, one has stumbled, that one is worthy of reproach, worthy of rebuke. They even cut off their head, they strike them, they bind them, they kill them, they burn them. In that case, great king, the Blessed One only performed an action, not an inaction. Even an action, Venerable Nāgasena, should be done appropriately, suitably. Even by hearing, Venerable Nāgasena, the world with its deities is ashamed, is embarrassed by the Tathāgata. How much more by seeing, by approaching, by serving him! Now, great king, does a physician give soothing medicines for an infected body, with inflamed humors? No, Venerable Sir, he gives sharp, scraping medicines. Just so, great king, the Tathāgata gives instruction for the calming of all defilement-diseases. Even harsh, great king, is the Tathāgata's speech, it makes beings soft, it makes them tender. Just as, great king, even warm water softens and makes tender whatever is to be softened, whatever is to be made tender, just so, great king, even harsh is the Tathāgata's speech, it is beneficial, accompanied by compassion. Just as, great king, a father's word is beneficial to his sons, accompanied by compassion, just so, great king, even harsh is the Tathāgata's speech, it is beneficial, accompanied by compassion. Even harsh, great king, is the Tathāgata's speech, it is for the abandoning of beings' defilements. Just as, great king, even foul-smelling cow urine, when drunk, and even bitter medicine, when eaten, destroys the diseases of beings, just so, great king, even harsh is the Tathāgata's speech, it is beneficial, accompanied by compassion. Just as, great king, even a large pile of cotton, falling on another's body, does not cause pain, just so, great king, even harsh is the Tathāgata's... His speech causes no one suffering." "Well-resolved, Venerable Nāgasena, is this question by many reasons. Good, Venerable Nāgasena, thus do I accept it as such." The fourth question on the absence of harsh speech. 5. The question on the absence of consciousness in trees. 5.