English
“Just as, O great king, And, if there were a pond, full of pure, clear, cool water, then if someone, defiled, covered in dirt and mud, went to that pond, and without bathing, returned still defiled, there, O great king, whom would people blame? The defiled person, or the pond? "The defiled person, venerable sir, people would blame, saying: 'This one went to the pond, and without bathing, returned still defiled. Will the pond itself bathe this one who does not wish to bathe? What fault is there in the pond?'" Just so, O great king, the Tathāgata created the excellent pond of the True Dhamma, full of the excellent water of liberation, (thinking): 'Whoever are defiled by the stains of defilements, conscious and wise, they will bathe here and wash away all defilements.' If someone goes to that excellent pond of the True Dhamma, and without bathing, returns still defiled, and turns to a lower state, people will blame that very person, saying: 'This one, having gone forth in the Dispensation of the Conqueror, and not finding a footing there, has turned to a lower state. Will the Dispensation of the Conqueror itself enlighten this one who does not practice? What fault is there in the Dispensation?'" "Or again, O great king, if a person, extremely ill, seeing a physician-surgeon, skilled in the origin of diseases, whose treatment is unfailing, certain, and successful, and after being treated, returned still ill, there, whom would people blame? The patient, or the physician?" "The patient, venerable sir, people would blame, saying: 'This one, seeing a physician-surgeon, skilled in the origin of diseases, whose treatment is unfailing, certain, and successful, and after being treated, returned still ill. Will the physician himself treat this one who does not get treated? What fault is there in the physician?'" "Just so, O great king, the Tathāgata placed within the casket of the Dispensation the deathless medicine, capable of completely calming all the diseases of defilements, (thinking): 'Whoever are afflicted by the diseases of defilements, conscious and wise, they will drink this deathless medicine and calm all the diseases of defilements.' If someone, without drinking that deathless medicine, returns still defiled, and turns to a lower state, people will blame that very person..." people will blame, saying: 'This one, having gone forth in the Buddha's Dispensation, not finding a footing there, has reverted to a lower state. How will the Buddha's Dispensation itself enlighten this one who does not practice? What is the fault of the Buddha's Dispensation?'" "Just as, O Great King, a hungry person, having gone to a great and abundant feast of merit, and not having eaten that food, should return still hungry, whom would people blame there? The hungry one or the feast of merit?" "The hungry one, venerable sir, people would blame, saying: 'This one, afflicted by hunger, having received a feast of merit, returned hungry without eating. How will the food itself enter the mouth of this one who does not eat? What is the fault of the food?'" "Even so, O Great King, the Tathāgata, within the Dispensation, placed the supreme, excellent, peaceful, auspicious, exquisite, deathless, supremely sweet food of mindfulness of the body, saying: 'Whoever, with minds hungry for defilements, minds overcome by craving, mindful and wise, having eaten this food, will remove all craving for the realms of sensual desire, form, and formlessness.' If anyone, not having eaten that food, returns still thirsty with craving, and reverts to a lower state, people will blame that very person, saying: 'This one, having gone forth in the Buddha's Dispensation, not finding a footing there, has reverted to a lower state. How will the Buddha's Dispensation itself enlighten this one who does not practice? What is the fault of the Buddha's Dispensation?'" "If, O Great King, the Tathāgata were to ordain a layperson who was already disciplined in a single fruit, then this going forth would not be for the abandonment of defilements or for purification. There would be nothing to be done by going forth. Just as, O Great King, a person, having had a pond dug with hundreds of tasks, might announce to the assembly thus: 'Sirs, let no defiled person enter this pond. Let those who have washed away dust and dirt, who are pure, who are spotless, enter this pond.' Would there, O Great King, be anything to be done with that pond by those who have washed away dust and dirt, who are pure, who are spotless?" "No, venerable sir, for the purpose for which they (would use) that pond..." they would approach it, their task would be accomplished elsewhere. What would that pond be to them? Just so, O great king, if the Tathāgata were to ordain a householder who was already disciplined in one fruit, their task would be accomplished right there. What would ordination be to them? Or again, O great king, a physician and surgeon, naturally devoted to ascetics, skilled in sacred verses and incantations, not given to speculation, expert in the origin of diseases, whose work is unfailing and certainly successful, having gathered medicines to alleviate all diseases, might announce to an assembly thus: ‘Indeed, sirs, let no one who is sick approach me; let those who are not sick, who are healthy, approach me.’ Now, O great king, would there be any task for that physician with those who are not sick, who are healthy, complete, and elated? No, venerable sir, for the purpose for which they would approach that physician and surgeon, their task would be accomplished elsewhere. What would that physician be to them? Just so, O great king, if the Tathāgata were to ordain a householder who was already disciplined in one fruit, their task would be accomplished right there. What would ordination be to them? Or again, O great king, some man, having prepared a meal of hundreds of dishes and cooked foods, might announce to an assembly thus: ‘Indeed, sirs, let no one who is hungry approach this serving; let those who have eaten well, are satisfied, full, nourished, plump, and complete approach this serving.’ Now, O great king, would there be any task for that food with those who have eaten, are satisfied, full, nourished, plump, and complete? No, venerable sir, for the purpose for which they would approach that serving, their task would be accomplished elsewhere. What would that serving be to them? Just so, O great king, if the Tathāgata were to ordain a householder who was already disciplined in one fruit, their task would be accomplished right there. What would ordination be to them? Moreover, O great king, those who are inferior, to the extent of They show five incomparable qualities of the Buddha's Teaching. Which five? They show its vastness, they show its purity and spotlessness, they show its non-association with evils, they show its difficulty to penetrate, they show its need for much restraint and protection. "How do they show its vastness? Just as, O great king, a man who is poor, of low birth, insignificant, and lacking in wisdom, having obtained a great kingdom, soon falls, decays, loses his glory, and cannot maintain his sovereignty. What is the reason? Because of the vastness of the sovereignty. Even so, O great king, whoever are insignificant, have not done good deeds, and are lacking in wisdom, when they go forth in the Buddha's Teaching, being unable to maintain that supreme and excellent going forth, they soon fall away from the Buddha's Teaching, decay, decline, and revert to a lower state. They cannot maintain the Buddha's Teaching. What is the reason? Because of the vastness of the ground of the Buddha's Teaching. Thus they show its vastness. "How do they show its purity and spotlessness? Just as, O great king, water scatters, is blown away, and dispersed on a lotus leaf; it does not settle, nor does it cling. What is the reason? Because of the purity and spotlessness of the lotus. Even so, O great king, whoever are deceitful, fraudulent, crooked, cunning, and hold wrong views, when they go forth in the Buddha's Teaching, they are soon scattered, blown away, and dispersed from that pure, spotless, thornless, bright, excellent, and supreme Teaching, without settling, without clinging, and revert to a lower state. What is the reason? Because of the purity and spotlessness of the Buddha's Teaching. Thus they show its purity and spotlessness. "How do they show its non-association with evils? Just as, O great king, the great ocean does not associate with a dead corpse; whatever dead corpse is in the great ocean, it quickly carries it to the shore or casts it onto land. What is the reason? Because the great ocean is the abode of great beings. Even so, O great king, whoever Here, wicked, unrestrained, shameless, inactive, lazy, slothful, defiled, evil people go forth in the Dispensation of the Conqueror. They, not long after, depart from the Dispensation of the Conqueror, from the great abode of the Arahants, pure, with defilements destroyed, and without dwelling therein, they revert to a lower state. For what reason? Because the Dispensation of the Conqueror does not associate with evil. Thus, they show its non-association with evil. “How do they show its difficulty of penetration? Just as, great king, whoever are unskilled, unpracticed, without craft, devoid of intelligence, archers unable to pierce a hair-tip, they fall away, they depart. For what reason? Because of the extreme subtlety and difficulty of penetrating a hair-tip. Even so, great king, whoever are foolish, dull, mute, deluded, slow-witted people go forth in the Dispensation of the Conqueror. They, unable to penetrate that extremely subtle, profound penetration of the Four Noble Truths, fall away from the Dispensation of the Conqueror, and having departed, not long after, they revert to a lower state. For what reason? Because of the extremely subtle and difficult penetration of the Truths.