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  “Then, ascetic, do you sorrow?”

  “What has been lost, friend?”

  “Then, ascetic, do you neither delight nor sorrow?”

  “Yes, friend.”

  305 “I hope that you’re untroubled, bhikkhu.

  I hope no delight is found in you.

  I hope that when you sit all alone

  Discontent doesn’t spread over you.”169

  306 “Truly, I’m untroubled, spirit,

  Yet no delight is found in me.

  And when I’m sitting all alone <125>

  Discontent doesn’t spread over me.”

  307 “How are you untroubled, bhikkhu?

  How is no delight found in you?

  How come, when you sit all alone,

  Discontent doesn’t spread over you?”

  308 “Delight comes to one who is miserable,

  Misery to one filled with delight.

  As a bhikkhu undelighted, untroubled:

  That’s how you should know me, friend.”

  309 “After a long time at last I see

  A brahmin who is fully quenched,

  A bhikkhu undelighted, untroubled,

  Who has crossed over attachment to the world.”170

  19 (9) Uttara

  Setting at Rājagaha. Standing to one side, the young deva Uttara recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: [55] <126> 310 “Life is swept along, short is the life span;

  No shelters exist for one who has reached old age.

  Seeing clearly this danger in death,

  One should do deeds of merit that bring happiness.”

  311 “Life is swept along, short is the life span;

  No shelters exist for one who has reached old age.

  Seeing clearly this danger in death,

  A seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.”

  20 (10) Anāthapiṇḍika

  Standing to one side, the young deva Anāthapiṇḍika recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:312 “This indeed is that Jeta’s Grove,

  The resort of the Order of seers,

  Dwelt in by the Dhamma King,

  A place that gives me joy.

  313 “Action, knowledge, righteousness,

  Virtue, an excellent life:

  By this are mortals purified, <127>

  Not by clan or wealth.

  314 “Therefore a person who is wise,

  Out of regard for his own good, [56]

  Should carefully examine the Dhamma:

  Thus he is purified in it.

  315 “Sāriputta truly is endowed with wisdom,

  With virtue and with inner peace.

  Even a bhikkhu who has gone beyond

  At best can only equal him.”

  This is what the young deva Anāthapiṇḍika said. Having said this, he paid homage to the Blessed One and, keeping him on the right, he disappeared right there.

  Then, when the night had passed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, last night, when the night had advanced, a certain young deva … approached me … and in my presence recited these verses:316–19 “‘This indeed is that Jeta’s Grove, ... <128> At best can only equal him.’

  “This is what that young deva said. Having said this, he paid homage to me and, keeping me on the right, he disappeared right there.”

  When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, that young deva must surely have been Anāthapiṇḍika. For Anāthapiṇḍika the householder had full confidence in the Venerable Sāriputta.”

  “Good, good, Ānanda! You have drawn the right inference by reasoning.171 For that young deva, Ānanda, was Anāthapiṇḍika.”

  <129>

  III. VARIOUS SECTARIANS

  21 (1) Siva

  Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, when the night had advanced, the young deva Siva, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:172 320 “One should associate only with the good;

  With the good one should foster intimacy.

  Having learnt the true Dhamma of the good,

  One becomes better, never worse. <130>

  321 “One should associate only with the good;

  With the good one should foster intimacy.

  Having learnt the true Dhamma of the good,

  Wisdom is gained, but not from another.

  322 “One should associate only with the good;

  With the good one should foster intimacy.

  Having learnt the true Dhamma of the good,

  One does not sorrow in the midst of sorrow.

  323 “One should associate only with the good;

  With the good one should foster intimacy. [57]

  Having learnt the true Dhamma of the good,

  One shines amidst one’s relations.

  324 “One should associate only with the good;

  With the good one should foster intimacy.

  Having learnt the true Dhamma of the good,

  Beings fare on to a good destination.

  325 “One should associate only with the good;

  With the good one should foster intimacy.

  Having learnt the true Dhamma of the good,

  Beings abide comfortably.” <131>

  Then the Blessed One replied to the young deva Siva in verse:326 “One should associate only with the good;

  With the good one should foster intimacy.

  Having learnt the true Dhamma of the good,

  One is released from all suffering.”

  22 (2) Khema

  Standing to one side, the young deva Khema recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:327 “Foolish people devoid of wisdom

  Behave like enemies towards themselves.

  They go about doing evil deeds

  Which yield only bitter fruit.

  328 “That deed is not well performed

  Which, having been done, is then repented,

  The result of which one experiences

  Weeping with a tearful face.

  329 “But that deed is well performed

  Which, having been done, is not repented,

  The result of which one experiences

  Joyfully with a happy mind.”173 <132>

  [The Blessed One:]330 “One should promptly do the deed

  One knows leads to one’s own welfare;

  The thinker, the wise one, should not advance

  With the reflection of the carter.

  331 “As the carter who left the highway,

  A road with an even surface,

  And entered upon a rugged bypath

  Broods mournfully with a broken axle—

  332 “So the fool, having left the Dhamma

  To follow a way opposed to Dhamma,

  When he falls into the mouth of Death

  Broods like the carter with a broken axle.”174

  23 (3) Serī

  Standing to one side, the young deva Serī addressed the Blessed One in verse: <133>333 “They always take delight in food,

  Both devas and human beings.

  So what sort of spirit could it be

  That does not take delight in food?”

  334 “When they give out of faith

  With a heart of confidence,

  Food accrues to [the giver] himself

  Both in this world and the next.

  335 “Therefore, having removed stinginess,

  The conqueror of the stain should give a gift.

  Merits are the support for living beings

  [When they arise] in the other world.” [58]

  “It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! How well this was stated by the Blessed One:336–37 “‘When they give out of faith ... <134>
r />   [When they arise] in the other world.’

  “Once in the past, venerable sir, I was a king named Serī, a donor, a philanthropist, one who spoke in praise of giving. At the four gates I had gifts given to ascetics, brahmins, paupers, wayfarers, mendicants, and beggars. Then, venerable sir, the harem women came to me and said: ‘Your majesty gives gifts, but we do not give gifts. It would be good if, with your majesty’s assistance, we too might give gifts and do meritorious deeds.’ It occurred to me: ‘I am a donor, a philanthropist, one who speaks in praise of giving. So when they say, “Let us give gifts,” what am I to say to them?’ So, venerable sir, I gave the first gate to the harem women. There the harem women gave gifts, and my gifts returned to me. <135>

  “Then, venerable sir, my khattiya vassals came to me and said: ‘Your majesty gives gifts, the harem women give gifts, but we do not give gifts. It would be good if, with your majesty’s assistance, we too might give gifts and do meritorious deeds.’ It occurred to me: ‘I am a donor….’ So, venerable sir, I gave the second gate to the khattiya vassals. There the khattiya vassals gave gifts, and my gifts returned to me.

  “Then, venerable sir, my troops came to me … [59] … So, venerable sir, I gave the third gate to the troops. There the troops gave gifts, and my gifts returned to me. <136>

  “Then, venerable sir, the brahmins and householders came to me … So, venerable sir, I gave the fourth gate to the brahmins and householders. There the brahmins and householders gave gifts, and my gifts returned to me.

  “Then, venerable sir, my men came to me and said: ‘Now your majesty is not giving gifts anywhere.’175 When this was said, I told those men: ‘Well then, I say, send half of the revenue generated in the outlying provinces from there to the palace. There itself give half as gifts to ascetics, brahmins, paupers, wayfarers, mendicants, and beggars.’

  “I did not reach any limit, venerable sir, to the meritorious deeds that I did for such a long time, to the wholesome deeds that I did for such a long time, <137> such that I could say: ‘There is just so much merit,’ or ‘There is just so much result of merit,’ or ‘For just so long am I to dwell in heaven.’ It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! How well this was stated by the Blessed One:338 “‘When they give out of faith

  With a heart of confidence,

  Food accrues to [the giver] himself

  Both in this world and the next.

  339 “‘Therefore, having removed stinginess,

  The conqueror of the stain should give a gift.

  Deeds of merit are the support for living beings

  [When they arise] in the other world.’” [60]

  24 (4) Ghaṭīkāra

  Standing to one side, the young deva Ghaṭīkāra recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:…340–52 “Seven bhikkhus reborn in Avihā

  Have been fully liberated.…”

  ... (verses 340–52 = verses 170–82, in 1:50) <138–41>…

  Both now inwardly developed,

  Bearers of their final bodies. [61]

  25 (5) Jantu

  Thus have I heard. On one occasion a number of bhikkhus were dwelling among the Kosalans in a little forest hut on a slope of the Himalayas—restless, puffed up, personally vain, rough-tongued, rambling in their talk, muddle-minded, without clear comprehension, unconcentrated, scatter-brained, loose in their sense faculties.176

  Then, on the Uposatha day of the fifteenth, the young deva Jantu approached those bhikkhus and addressed them in verses:177 353 “In the past the bhikkhus lived happily,

  The disciples of Gotama.

  Without wishes they sought their alms,

  Without wishes they used their lodgings.

  Having known the world’s impermanence,

  They made an end to suffering.

  354 “But now like headmen in a village

  They make themselves hard to maintain.

  They eat and eat and then lie down, <142>

  Infatuated in others’ homes. 178

  355 “Having reverently saluted the Saṅgha,

  I here speak only about some:

  They are rejected, without protector,

  Become just like the dead.179

  356 “My statement is made with reference

  To those who dwell in negligence.

  As for those who dwell in diligence,

  To them I humbly pay homage.”

  26 (6) Rohitassa

  At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, the young deva Rohitassa said to the Blessed One:

  “Is it possible, venerable sir, by travelling to know or to see or to reach the end of the world, where one is not born, does not age, does not die, does not pass away, and is not reborn?” <143>

  “As to that end of the world, friend, where one is not born, does not age, does not die, does not pass away, and is not reborn—I say that it cannot be known, seen, or reached by travelling.” 180

  “It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! How well this was stated by the Blessed One: ‘As to that end of the world, friend, … I say that it cannot be known, seen, or reached by travelling.’

  “Once in the past, venerable sir, I was a seer named Rohitassa, son of Bhoja, possessed of spiritual power, able to travel through the sky. [62] My speed was such, venerable sir, that I could move just as swiftly as a firm-bowed archer—trained, skilful, practised, experienced—could easily shoot past the shadow of a palmyra tree with a light arrow.181 My stride was such, venerable sir, that it seemed to reach from the eastern ocean to the western ocean. Then, venerable sir, the wish arose in me: ‘I will reach the end of the world by travelling.’ <144> Possessing such speed and such a stride, and having a life span of a hundred years, living for a hundred years, I travelled for a hundred years, without pausing except to eat, drink, take meals and snacks, to defecate and urinate, to sleep and dispel fatigue; yet I died along the way without having reached the end of the world.

  “It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! How well this was stated by the Blessed One: ‘As to that end of the world, friend, where one is not born, does not age, does not die, does not pass away, and is not reborn—I say that it cannot be known, seen, or reached by travelling.’”

  “However, friend, I say that without having reached the end of the world there is no making an end to suffering. It is, friend, in just this <145> fathom-high carcass endowed with perception and mind that I make known the world, the origin of the world, the cessation of the world, and the way leading to the cessation of the world.182

  357 “The world’s end can never be reached

  By means of travelling [through the world],

  Yet without reaching the world’s end

  There is no release from suffering.

  358 “Therefore, truly, the world-knower, the wise one,

  Gone to the world’s end, fulfiller of the holy life,

  Having known the world’s end, at peace,

  Longs not for this world or another.”

  27 (7) Nanda

  Standing to one side, the young deva Nanda recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One:359 “Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass;

  The stages of life successively desert us.

  Seeing clearly this danger in death,

  One should do deeds of merit that bring happiness.”

  360 “Time flies by, the nights swiftly pass;

  The stages of life successively desert us. [63]

  Seeing clearly this danger in death,

  A seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” <146>

  28 (8) Nandivisāla

  Standing to one side, the young deva Nandivisāla addressed the Blessed One in verse:361 “Having four wheels and nine doors,

  Filled up and bound with greed,

  Born from a bog, O great hero!

  How does one escape from it?”

  362 “Having cut the thong and the strap,

  Having cut off evil desire and g
reed,

  Having drawn out craving with its root:

  Thus one escapes from it.”

  29 (9) Susīma

  <147> At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him: “Do you too, Ānanda, approve of Sāriputta?”183

  “Indeed, venerable sir, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged? The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, is wise, one of great wisdom, of wide wisdom, of joyous wisdom, of swift wisdom, of sharp wisdom, of penetrative wisdom.184 The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, has few wishes; he is content, secluded, aloof, energetic. The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, is one who gives advice, one who accepts advice, a reprover, one who censures evil. Indeed, venerable sir, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged?” [64]