Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Park of the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood together with a number of very well-known elder disciples—the venerable Sāriputta, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna, the venerable Mahā Kassapa, the venerable Anuruddha, the venerable Revata, the venerable Ānanda, and other very well known elder disciples.
Then, when it was evening, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna rose from meditation, went to the venerable Mahā Kassapa, and said to him: “Friend Kassapa, let us go to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma.”—“Yes, friend,” the venerable Mahā Kassapa replied. Then the venerable Mahā Moggallāna, the venerable Mahā Kassapa, and the venerable Anuruddha went to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma.
The venerable Ānanda saw them going to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma. Thereupon he went to the venerable Revata and said to him: “Friend Revata, those true men are going to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma. Let us also go to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma.”—“Yes, friend,” the venerable Revata to replied. Then the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda went to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma.
The venerable Sāriputta saw the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda coming in the distance and said to the venerable Ānanda: “Let the venerable Ānanda come, welcome to the venerable Ānanda, the Blessed One’s attendant, who is always in the Blessed One’s presence. Friend Ānanda, the Gosinga Sālatree Wood is delightful, the night is moonlit, the sāla trees are all in blossom, and heavenly scents seem to be floating in the air. What kind of bhikkhu, friend Ānanda, could illuminate the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and consolidates what he has learned. Such teachings as are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, and which affirm a holy life that is utterly perfect and pure—such teachings as these he has learned much of, remembered, mastered verbally, investigated with the mind, and penetrated well by view. And he teaches the Dhamma to the four assemblies with well-rounded and coherent statements and phrases for the eradication of the underlying tendencies. That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Revata thus: “Friend Revata, the venerable Ānanda has spoken according to his own inspiration. Now we ask the venerable Revata: Friend Revata, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful, the night is moonlit, the sāla trees are all in blossom, and heavenly scents seem to be floating in the air. What kind of bhikkhu, friend Revata, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu delights in solitary meditation and takes delight in solitary meditation; he is devoted to internal serenity of mind, does not neglect meditation, possesses insight, and dwells in empty huts. That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Anuruddha thus: “Friend Anuruddha, the venerable Revata has spoken according to his own inspiration. Now we ask the venerable Anuruddha: Friend Anuruddha, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful…What kind of bhikkhu, friend Anuruddha, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu surveys a thousand worlds. Just as a man with good sight, when he has ascended to the upper palace chamber, might survey a thousand wheel-rims, so too, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu surveys a thousand worlds . That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Mahā Kassapa thus: “Friend Kassapa, the venerable Anuruddha has spoken according to his own inspiration. Now we ask the venerable Mahā Kassapa: Friend Kassapa, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful…What kind of bhikkhu, friend Kassapa, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu is a forest dweller himself and speaks in praise of forest dwelling; he is an almsfood eater himself and speaks in praise of eating almsfood; he is a refuse-rag wearer himself and speaks in praise of wearing refuse-rag robes; he is a triple-robe wearer himself and speaks in praise of wearing the triple robe; he has few wishes himself and speaks in praise of fewness of wishes; he is content himself and speaks in praise of contentment; he is secluded himself and speaks in praise of seclusion; he is aloof from society himself and speaks in praise of aloofness from society; he is energetic himself and speaks in praise of arousing energy; he has attained to virtue himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of virtue; he has attained to concentration himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of concentration; he has attained to wisdom himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of wisdom; he has attained to deliverance himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of deliverance; he has attained to the knowledge and vision of deliverance himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of the knowledge and vision of deliverance. That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Mahā Moggallāna thus: “Friend Moggallāna, the venerable Mahā Kassapa has spoken according to his own inspiration. Now we ask the venerable Mahā Moggallāna: Friend Moggallāna, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful…What kind of bhikkhu, friend Moggallāna, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, two bhikkhus engage in a talk on the higher Dhamma and they question each other, and each being questioned by the other answers without foundering, and their talk rolls on in accordance with the Dhamma. That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
When this was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna addressed the venerable Sāriputta thus: “Friend Sāriputta, we have all spoken according to our own inspiration. Now we ask the venerable Sāriputta: Friend Sāriputta, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful, the night is moonlit, the sāla trees are all in blossom, and heavenly scents seem to be floating in the air. What kind of bhikkhu, friend Sāriputta, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Moggallāna, a bhikkhu wields mastery over his mind, he does not let the mind wield mastery over him. In the morning he abides in whatever abiding or attainment he wants to abide in during the morning; at midday he abides in whatever abiding or attainment he wants to abide in at midday; in the evening he abides in whatever abiding or attainment he wants to abide in during the evening. Suppose a king or a king’s minister had a chest full of variously coloured garments. In the morning he could put on whatever pair of garments he wanted to put on in the morning; at midday he could put on whatever pair of garments he wanted to put on at midday; in the evening he could put on whatever pair of garments he wanted to put on in the evening. So too, a bhikkhu wields mastery over his mind, he does not let the mind wield mastery over him. In the morning…at midday…in the evening he abides in whatever abiding or attainment he wants to abide in during the evening. That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
Then the venerable Sāriputta addressed those venerable ones thus: “Friends, we have all spoken according to our own inspiration. Let us go to the Blessed One and report this matter to him. As the Blessed One answers, so let us remember it.”—“Yes, friend,” they replied. Then those venerable ones went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, they sat down at one side. The venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable sir, the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda came to me to listen to the Dhamma. I saw them coming in the distance and said to the venerable Ānanda: ‘Let the venerable Ānanda come, welcome to the venerable Ānanda…Friend Ānanda, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful…What kind of bhikkhu, friend Ānanda, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?’ When asked, venerable sir, the venerable Ānanda replied: ‘Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu has learned much…as in §4…That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.’”
“Good, good, Sāriputta. Ānanda, speaking rightly, should speak just as he did. For Ānanda has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and consolidates what he has learned. Such teachings as are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, and which affirm a holy life that is utterly perfect and pure—such teachings as these he has learned much of, remembered, mastered verbally, investigated with the mind, and penetrated well by view. And he teaches the Dhamma to the four assemblies with well-rounded and coherent statements and phrases for the eradication of the underlying tendencies.”
“When this was said, venerable sir, I addressed the venerable Revata thus: ‘Friend Revata…What kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?’ And the venerable Revata replied: ‘Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu delights in solitary meditation…as in §5…That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.’”
“Good, good, Sāriputta. Revata, speaking rightly, should speak just as he did. For Revata delights in solitary meditation, takes delight in solitary meditation, is devoted to internal serenity of mind, does not neglect meditation, possesses insight, and dwells in empty huts.”
“When that was said, venerable sir, I addressed the venerable Anuruddha thus: ‘Friend Anuruddha…What kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?’ And the venerable Anuruddha replied: ‘Here, friend Sāriputta, with the divine eye…as in §6…That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.’”
“Good, good, Sāriputta. Anuruddha, speaking rightly, should speak just as he did. For with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, Anuruddha surveys a thousand worlds.”
“When this was said, venerable sir, I addressed the venerable Mahā Kassapa thus: ‘Friend Kassapa…What kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?’ And the venerable Mahā Kassapa replied: ‘Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu is a forest-dweller himself…as in §7…That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.’”
“Good, good, Sāriputta. Kassapa, speaking rightly, should speak just as he did. For Kassapa is a forest-dweller himself and speaks in praise of forest dwelling…he has attained to the knowledge and vision of deliverance himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of the knowledge and vision of deliverance.”
“When this was said, venerable sir, I addressed the venerable Mahā Moggallāna thus: ‘Friend Moggallāna…What kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?’ And the venerable Mahā Moggallāna replied: ‘Here, friend Sāriputta, two bhikkhus engage in a talk on the higher Dhamma…as in §8…That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sālatree Wood.’”
“Good, good, Sāriputta. Moggallāna, speaking rightly, should speak just as he did. For Moggallāna is one who talks on the Dhamma.”
When that was said, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna told the Blessed One: “Then, venerable sir, I addressed the venerable Sāriputta thus: ‘Friend Sāriputta…What kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?’ And the venerable Sāriputta replied: ‘Here, friend Moggallāna, a bhikkhu wields mastery over his mind… as in §9…That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.’”
“Good, good, Moggallāna. Sāriputta, speaking rightly, should speak just as he did. For Sāriputta wields mastery over his mind, he does not let the mind wield mastery over him. In the morning he abides in whatever abiding or attainment he wants to abide in during the morning; at midday he abides in whatever abiding or attainment he wants to abide in at midday; in the evening he abides in whatever abiding or attainment he wants to abide in during the evening.”
When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta asked the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, which of us has spoken well?” “You have all spoken well, Sāriputta, each in his own way. Hear also from me what kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood. Here, Sāriputta, when a bhikkhu has returned from his almsround, after his meal, he sits down, folds his legs crosswise, sets his body erect, and establishing mindfulness in front of him, resolves: ‘I shall not break this sitting position until through not clinging my mind is liberated from the taints.’ That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sālatree Wood.”
That is what the Blessed One said. Those venerable ones were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Thus have I heard:
At one time the Lord was staying in a grove in the Gosiṅga sāl-wood together with many famous disciples who were elders: with the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Moggallāna the Great and the venerable Kassapa the Great and the venerable Anuruddha and the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda and with other famous disciples who were elders.
Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great, emerging from solitary meditation towards the evening, approached the venerable Kassapa the Great; having approached, he spoke thus to the venerable Kassapa the Great: “Let us go, reverend Kassapa, we will approach the venerable Sāriputta so as to hear Dhamma.” “Yes, your reverence,” the venerable Kassapa the Great answered the venerable Moggallāna the Great in assent.
Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great and the venerable Kassapa the Great and the venerable Anuruddha approached the venerable Sāriputta so as to hear Dhamma. The venerable Ānanda saw the venerable Moggallāna the Great and the venerable Kassapa the Great and the venerable Anuruddha approaching the venerable Sāriputta so as to hear Dhamma; having seen them, he approached the venerable Revata; having approached, he spoke thus to the venerable Revata: “Reverend Revata, some who are true men are approaching the venerable Sāriputta so as to hear Dhamma; let us go, reverend Revata, we will approach the venerable Sāriputta so as to hear Dhamma.” “Yes, your reverence,” the venerable Revata answered the venerable Ānanda in assent.
Then the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda approached the venerable Sāriputta so as to hear Dhamma. The venerable Sāriputta saw the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda coming in the distance; having seen them, he spoke thus to the venerable Ānanda: “Let the venerable Ānanda come; good is the coming of the venerable Ānanda who is the Lord's attendant, the Lord's companion. Delightful, reverend Ānanda, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Ānanda, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this case, reverend Sāriputta, a monk comes to be one who has heard much, who masters what he has heard, who stores what he has heard; those teachings which are lovely at the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the end, which with the spirit and the letter declare the Brahma-faring which is completely fulfilled, utterly pure-such teachings come to be much heard by him, borne in mind, repeated out loud, pondered over in the mind, well comprehended by view; he teaches Dhamma to the four assemblies with correct and fluent lines and sentences for the rooting out of (latent) propensities. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
When this had been said, the venerable Sāriputta spoke thus to the venerable Revata: “It has been explained, reverend Revata, by the venerable Ānanda according to his own capacity. On this point we are now asking the venerable Revata, saying: Delightful, reverend Revata, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Revata, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, a monk delights in solitary meditation, he is delighted by solitary meditation, he is intent on mental tranquillity within, his meditation is uninterrupted, he is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
When this had been said, the venerable Sāriputta spoke thus to the venerable Anuruddha: “It has been explained, reverend Anuruddha, by the venerable Revata according to his own capacity. On this point we are now asking the venerable Anuruddha: Delightful, reverend Anuruddha, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Anuruddha, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, a monk surveys the thousand worlds with purified deva-vision surpassing that of men. Reverend Sāriputta, as a man with vision might survey a thousand concentric circles from the top of a long house, so, reverend Sāriputta, does a monk survey the thousand worlds with purified deva-vision, surpassing that of men. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
When this had been said, the venerable Sāriputta spoke thus to the venerable Kassapa the Great: “It has been explained, reverend Kassapa, by the reverend Anuruddha according to his own capacity. On this point we are asking the venerable Kassapa the Great: Delightful, reverend Kassapa, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Kassapa, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, a monk is both a forest-dweller himself and one who praises forest-dwelling; he is an almsman himself and one who praises being an almsman; he is a rag-robe wearer himself and one who praises the wearing of rag-robes; he wears three robes himself and is one who praises the wearing of three robes; he is of few wishes himself and is one who praises being of few wishes; he is contented himself and is one who praises contentment; he is aloof himself and is one who praises aloofness; he is ungregarious himself and is one who praises ungregariousness; he is of stirred up energy himself and is one who praises stirring up energy; he is possessed of moral habit himself and is one who praises success in moral habit; he is possessed of concentration himself and is one who praises success in concentration; he is possessed of intuitive wisdom himself and is one who praises success in intuitive wisdom; he is possessed of freedom himself and is one who praises success in freedom; he is possessed of the knowledge and vision of freedom himself and is one who praises success in the knowledge and vision of freedom. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
When this had been said, the venerable Sāriputta spoke thus to the venerable Moggallāna the Great: “It has been explained, reverend Moggallāna, by the venerable Kassapa the Great according to his own capacity. On this point we are now asking the venerable Moggallāna the Great: Delightful, reverend Moggallāna, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Moggallāna, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, two monks are talking on Further Dhamma; they ask one another questions; in answering one another's questions they respond and do not fail, and their talk on Dhamma goes forward. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
Then the venerable Moggallāna the Great spoke thus to the venerable Sāriputta: “It has been answered by all of us, reverend Sāriputta, each one according to his own capacity. On this point we are now asking the venerable Sāriputta: Delightful, reverend Sāriputta, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Moggallāna, a monk has rule over mind, he is not under mind's rule; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the morning, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the morning; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in at midday, in that attainment of abiding he abides at midday; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the evening, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the evening.
Reverend Moggallāna, as a king or a king's chief minister might have a chest for clothes filled with differently dyed cloths, so that no matter which pair of cloths he wished to put on in the morning, he could put on that self-same pair of cloths in the morning; no matter which pair of cloths he wished to put on at midday, he could put on that self-same pair of cloths at midday; no matter which pair of cloths he wished to put on in the evening, he could put on that self-same pair of cloths in the evening-even so, reverend Moggallāna, a monk rules over mind, is not under mind's rule; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the morning, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the morning; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in at midday, in that attainment of abiding he abides at midday; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the evening, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the evening. By a monk of such a type, reverend Moggallāna, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
Then the venerable Sāriputta spoke thus to these venerable ones: “It has been explained by all of us, your reverences, each one according to his own capacity. Let us go, your reverences, we will approach the Lord; having approached, we will tell this matter to the Lord; as the Lord explains it to us so we will remember it.” “Very well, your reverence,” these venerable ones answered the venerable Sāriputta in assent.
Then these venerable ones approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, they sat down at a respectful distance. As he was sitting down at a respectful distance, the venerable Sāriputta spoke thus to the Lord: “Now, Lord, the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda approached me in order to hear Dhamma. And I, Lord, saw the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda coming in the distance, and on seeing the venerable Ānanda, I spoke thus: ‘Let the venerable Ānanda come; good is the coming of the venerable Ānanda who is the Lord's attendant, the Lord's companion. Delightful, reverend Ānanda, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Ānanda would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?’
When I had spoken thus, Lord the venerable Ānanda spoke thus to me: ‘In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, a monk comes to be one who has heard much, who masters what he has heard, who stores what he has heard; those teachings which are lovely at the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the end, which with the spirit and the letter declare the Brahma-faring which is completely fulfilled, utterly pure-such teachings come to be much heard by him, borne in mind, repeated out loud, pondered over in the mind, well comprehended by view; he teaches Dhamma to the four assemblies with correct and fluent lines and sentences for the rooting out of (latent) propensities. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
“It is good, Sāriputta, it is good. It is so that Ānanda, in answering you properly, should answer. For Sāriputta, Ānanda is one who has heard much, who masters what he has heard, who stores what he has heard; those teachings which are lovely at the beginning, lovely in the middle and lovely at the end, which with the spirit and the letter declare the Brahma-faring which is completely fulfilled, utterly pure-such teachings come to be much heard by him, borne in mind, repeated out loud, pondered over in the mind, well comprehended by view; he teaches Dhamma to the four assemblies with correct and fluent lines and sentences for the rooting out of (latent) propensities.”
“When this had been said, Lord, I spoke thus to the venerable Revata: ‘It has been answered, reverend Revata, by the venerable Ānanda according to his own capacity. On this point we are now asking the venerable Revata, saying: Delightful, reverend Revata, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Revata, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, a monk delights in solitary meditation, he is delighted by solitary meditation, he is intent on mental tranquillity within, his meditation is uninterrupted, he is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
“It is good, Sāriputta, it is good. It is so that Revata, in answering you properly, should answer. For, Sāriputta, Revata is one who delights in solitary meditation, who is delighted by solitary meditation, he is intent on mental tranquillity within, his meditation is uninterrupted, he is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.”
“When this had been said, Lord, I spoke thus to the venerable Anuruddha: ‘It has been answered, reverend Anuruddha, by the venerable Revata according to his own capacity. On this point we are now asking the venerable Anuruddha: Delightful, reverend Anuruddha, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Anuruddha, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, a monk surveys the thousand worlds with purified deva-vision surpassing that of men. Reverend Sāriputta, as a man with vision might survey a thousand concentric circles from the top of a long house, so, reverend Sāriputta, does a monk survey the thousand worlds with purified deva-vision, surpassing that of men. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
“It is good, Sāriputta, it is good. It is so that Anuruddha, in answering you properly, should answer. For, Sāriputta, Anuruddha surveys the thousand worlds with purified deva-vision, surpassing that of men.”
“When this had been said, Lord, I spoke thus to the venerable Kassapa the Great: “It has been explained, reverend Kassapa, by the reverend Anuruddha according to his own capacity. On this point we are asking the venerable Kassapa the Great: Delightful, reverend Kassapa, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Kassapa, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, a monk is both a forest-dweller himself and one who praises forest-dwelling; he is an almsman himself and one who praises being an almsman; he is a rag-robe wearer himself and one who praises the wearing of rag-robes; he wears three robes himself and is one who praises the wearing of three robes; he is of few wishes himself and is one who praises being of few wishes; he is contented himself and is one who praises contentment; he is aloof himself and is one who praises aloofness; he is ungregarious himself and is one who praises ungregariousness; he is of stirred up energy himself and is one who praises stirring up energy; he is possessed of moral habit himself and is one who praises success in moral habit; he is possessed of concentration himself and is one who praises success in concentration; he is possessed of intuitive wisdom himself and is one who praises success in intuitive wisdom; he is possessed of freedom himself and is one who praises success in freedom; he is possessed of the knowledge and vision of freedom himself and is one who praises success in the knowledge and vision of freedom. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
“It is good, Sāriputta, it is good. It is so that Kassapa, in answering you properly, should answer. For Sāriputta, Kassapa is a forest-dweller himself and is one who praises forest-dwelling; he is an almsman himself and one who praises being an almsman; he is a rag-robe wearer himself and one who praises the wearing of rag-robes; he wears three robes himself and is one who praises the wearing of three robes; he is of few wishes himself and is one who praises being of few wishes; he is contented himself and is one who praises contentment; he is aloof himself and is one who praises aloofness; he is ungregarious himself and is one who praises ungregariousness; he is of stirred up energy himself and is one who praises stirring up energy; he is possessed of moral habit himself and is one who praises success in moral habit; he is possessed of concentration himself and is one who praises success in concentration; he is possessed of intuitive wisdom himself and is one who praises success in intuitive wisdom; he is possessed of freedom himself and is one who praises success in freedom; he is possessed of the knowledge and vision of freedom himself and is one who praises success in the knowledge and vision of freedom.
“When this had been said, Lord, I spoke thus to the venerable Moggallāna the Great: “It has been explained, reverend Moggallāna, by the venerable Kassapa the Great according to his own capacity. On this point we are now asking the venerable Moggallāna the Great: Delightful, reverend Moggallāna, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Moggallāna, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Sāriputta, two monks are talking on Further Dhamma; they ask one another questions; in answering one another's questions they respond and do not fail, and their talk on Dhamma goes forward. By a monk of such a type, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
“It is good, Sāriputta, it is good. It is so that Moggallāna, in answering you properly, should answer. For, Sāriputta, Moggallāna is a talker on Dhamma.”
When this had been said, the venerable Moggallāna the Great spoke thus to the Lord: “Then I Lord, spoke thus to the venerable Sāriputta: “It has been answered by all of us, reverend Sāriputta, each one according to his own capacity. On this point we are now asking the venerable Sāriputta: Delightful, reverend Sāriputta, is the Gosiṅga sāl-wood, it is a clear moonlight night, the sāl-trees are in full blossom, methinks deva-like scents are being wafted around. By what type of monk, reverend Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined?”
“In this connection, reverend Moggallāna, a monk has rule over mind, he is not under mind's rule; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the morning, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the morning; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in at midday, in that attainment of abiding he abides at midday; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the evening, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the evening.
Reverend Moggallāna, as a king or a king's chief minister might have a chest for clothes filled with differently dyed cloths, so that no matter which pair of cloths he wished to put on in the morning, he could put on that self-same pair of cloths in the morning; no matter which pair of cloths he wished to put on at midday, he could put on that self-same pair of cloths at midday; no matter which pair of cloths he wished to put on in the evening, he could put on that self-same pair of cloths in the evening-even so, reverend Moggallāna, a monk rules over mind, is not under mind's rule; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the morning, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the morning; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in at midday, in that attainment of abiding he abides at midday; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the evening, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the evening. By a monk of such a type, reverend Moggallāna, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
“It is good, Moggallāna, it is good. It is so that Sāriputta, in answering you properly, should answer. For, Moggallāna, Sāriputta has rule over mind, he is not under mind's rule; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the morning in that attainment of abiding he abides in the morning; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in at midday, in that attainment of abiding he abides at midday; whatever attainment of abiding he wishes to abide in in the evening, in that attainment of abiding he abides in the evening.”
When this had been said, the venerable Sāriputta spoke thus to the Lord: “Now, by whom was it well spoken, Lord?” “It was well spoken by you all in turn, Sāriputta. now hear from me by what type of monk the Gosiṅga sāl-wood would be illumined. In this connection, Sāriputta, a monk, returning from alms-gathering after the meal, sits down cross-legged, the back erect, having raised up mindfulness in front of him, and thinking: ‘I will not quit this cross-legged (position) until my mind is freed from the cankers without any residuum (for rebirth) remaining.’ By such a type of monk, Sāriputta, would the Gosiṅga sāl-wood be illumined.”
Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, these venerable ones rejoiced in what the Lord had said.
Greater Discourse in Gosiṅga: The Second
- Translator: I.B. Horner
