English
The Tathāgata, placing them in that position, caused a rain-garment to be given to the Sangha. Moreover, great king, it occurred to the Tathāgata thus: 'The Sangha is worthy of veneration by nature; I will venerate the Sangha with what is mine.' So he caused a rain-garment to be given to the Sangha. No, great king, the Tathāgata does not praise only his own veneration, but rather, those in the world who are worthy of veneration, their veneration too the Tathāgata praises. This too, great king, was spoken by the Blessed One, the God of gods, in the excellent Majjhima Nikāya, in the Discourse on the Heirs of Dhamma, proclaiming the practice of fewness of wishes: 'That former monk of mine is more worthy of veneration and more praiseworthy.' There is not, great king, any being in the realms of existence who is more worthy of offerings, or superior, or greater, or more distinguished than the Tathāgata. The Tathāgata alone is superior, greater, distinguished. This too, great king, was spoken by the Māṇavagāmika deity in the excellent Saṃyutta Nikāya, standing before the Blessed One, amidst gods and humans – Vipula is called the best of the Rājagaha mountains; Setu is the best of the Himalayas, the sun of those who go through the sky. The ocean is the best of waters, and the moon of the constellations; Of the world with its gods, the Buddha is called the foremost. These verses, great king, were well-sung by the Māṇavagāmika deity, not ill-sung; well-spoken, not ill-spoken; and approved by the Blessed One. Was it not, great king, also said by the Elder Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma – A single mental clarity; Or taking refuge with clasped hands; Is able to save, in the Buddha who vanquishes the forces of Māra. And by the Blessed One... Spoken by the God of gods: 'One person, monks, arising in the world, arises for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans. Who is that one person? The Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One... ...for gods and humans.' "Good, Venerable Nāgasena, I accept it thus." The second question on Gotami's cloth offering. 3. The question on the right practice of laypeople and renunciants "Venerable Nāgasena, this was also spoken by the Blessed One: 'Monks, I praise the right practice of a layperson or a renunciant. Monks, whether a layperson or a renunciant, one who practices rightly, by reason of right practice, attains the Way, the Dhamma, the wholesome.' If, Venerable Nāgasena, a layperson, wearing white clothes, enjoying sensual pleasures, dwelling in a bed crowded with children and wife, experiencing Kasi sandalwood, wearing garlands, perfumes, and ointments, accepting gold and silver, adorned with jeweled earrings and a variegated turban, practicing rightly, attains the Way, the Dhamma, the wholesome; and a renunciant, wearing patched saffron robes, subsisting on alms food, perfectly fulfilling the four groups of moral precepts, undertaking and observing the one hundred and fifty training rules, observing completely the thirteen ascetic practices, practicing rightly, attains the Way, the Dhamma, the wholesome. Then, Venerable, what is the difference between a layperson and a renunciant? Ascetic practice is fruitless, renunciation is meaningless. The guarding of training rules is barren, the undertaking of ascetic practices is vain. What is the point of practicing hardship there? Surely, happiness should be attained through happiness!" "This was also spoken, great king, by the Blessed One: 'Monks, I praise the right practice of a layperson or a renunciant. Monks, whether a layperson or a renunciant, one who practices rightly, by reason of right practice, attains the Way, the Dhamma, the wholesome.' Thus, great king, the one who practices rightly is indeed supreme, p" Even one gone forth, O King, if he does not practice rightly, saying 'I am one gone forth', then he is far from recluseship, far from the holy life, much more so than a householder in white clothes. Even a householder, O King, practicing rightly, attains the path, the skillful Dhamma. Even one gone forth, O King, practicing rightly, attains the path, the skillful Dhamma. But indeed, O King, it is only one gone forth who is master and lord of recluseship. Going forth, O King, has many virtues, countless virtues, immeasurable virtues. It is not possible to measure the virtue of going forth. Just as, O King, for a wish-fulfilling jewel, it is not possible to measure its value with wealth, saying 'this is the price of the jewel', even so, O King, going forth has many virtues, countless virtues, immeasurable virtues. It is not possible to measure the virtue of going forth. Or again, O King, just as in the great ocean, it is not possible to measure the waves, saying 'there are so many waves in the great ocean', even so, O King, going forth has many virtues, countless virtues, immeasurable virtues. It is not possible to measure the virtue of going forth. For one gone forth, O King, whatever is to be done, all that quickly succeeds, not for long. For what reason? One gone forth, O King, is of few wishes, content, secluded, unentangled, energetic, unattached, homeless, of perfect virtue, of purifying conduct, skilled in ascetic practices. For that reason, for one gone forth, whatever is to be done, all that quickly succeeds, not for long. Just as, O King, a straight, pure arrow, well-sharpened like a Nigaṇṭha's (tool), well-prepared, flies true, even so, O King, for one gone forth, whatever is to be done, all that quickly succeeds, not for long. "Good, Venerable Nāgasena, I accept this as it is." The Third Question on the Right Practice of Householders and Those Gone Forth. 4. The Question on the Faults of Practice. 4. "Venerable Nāgasena, when the Bodhisatta performed the difficult ascetic practices..." It was, not like this elsewhere, there was exertion, renunciation, battle with defilements, dispersion of the army of death, taking of food, difficult practices. In such an endeavor, not finding any taste, and weakening his mind, he spoke thus: ‘Indeed, by these bitter, difficult practices, I do not attain the superhuman state, the noble distinction of knowledge and vision. Is there not another path to awakening?’ Then, having become disenchanted, he attained omniscience by another path. Again, by that very practice, he instructs and encourages his disciples. ‘‘Exert yourselves, renounce, engage in the Buddha's teaching; Shake off the army of death, as an elephant a reed-hut.’’ ‘‘For what reason, indeed, Venerable Nāgasena, does the Tathāgata, by the practice by which he himself became disenchanted and dispassionate, therein instruct and encourage his disciples?’’ ‘‘Then too, great king, and now too, it is that very practice. Having practiced that very practice, the Bodhisatta attained omniscience. Moreover, great king, the Bodhisatta, while exerting extreme effort, completely stopped taking food. Due to the cessation of food, mental weakness arose in him. By that weakness, he was unable to attain omniscience. He, partaking of a moderate amount of solid food, by that very practice, soon attained omniscience. That very practice, great king, is for the attainment of omniscient knowledge by all Tathāgatas. ‘‘Just as, great king, food is the support for all beings, all beings, dependent on food, experience happiness, even so, great king, that very practice is for the attainment of omniscient knowledge by all Tathāgatas. This, great king, is not a fault of exertion, nor of renunciation, nor of the battle with defilements, by which the Tathāgata at that time did not attain omniscient knowledge. Rather, this was a fault of the cessation of food. That practice is always ready and prepared. ‘‘Just as, great king, a man might travel a long distance with excessive speed, by that he would be exhausted or one who crawls on his buttocks, or one who cannot move on the ground. Is there, O great king, a fault in the great earth, because of which that man became paralyzed?” “No, venerable sir; the great earth is always ready, venerable sir, how can there be a fault in it? This is a fault of the effort itself, because of which that man became paralyzed.” “Even so, O great king, this is not a fault of the beginning, nor of the exertion, nor of the battle with defilements, because of which the Tathāgata at that time did not attain omniscience, but rather this is a fault of the suppression of food, for that practice is always ready. “Or just as, O great king, a man might wear a dirty cloth, and not have it washed, this is not a fault of the water, the water is always ready. This is a fault of the man himself. Even so, O great king, this is not a fault of the beginning, nor of the exertion, nor of the battle with defilements, because of which the Tathāgata at that time did not attain omniscience, but rather this is a fault of the suppression of food, for that practice is always ready. Therefore, the Tathāgata instructs and encourages his disciples in that very practice. Thus, O great king, that practice is always ready and blameless.” “Excellent, venerable Nāgasena, I accept it as such.” The Fourth Question: The Fault of the Practice. 5. The Fifth Question: Turning Back to a Lower State. 5. “Venerable Nāgasena, this teaching of the Tathāgata is great, essential, excellent, supreme, foremost, incomparable, pure, stainless, bright, blameless. It is not proper to ordain a householder so soon. A householder, after being trained in one fruit, when he is a non-returner, then he should be ordained. What is the reason? These wicked people, after being ordained in that pure teaching, turn back and revert to a lower state. By their returning, this great multitude thinks thus: ‘Indeed, this teaching of the ascetic Gotama must be worthless, since these people turn back!’ This is the reason here.”