mn.69 Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Discourses)

Discourse on Gulissāni

Thus have I heard: at one time the Lord was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove at the squirrels’ feeding place. At that time a monk named Gulissāni, forest-gone, uncouth in his habits, had arrived in the midst of an Order on some business or other. Thereupon the venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks concerning the monk Gulissāni, saying:

“Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should be deferential and respectful towards his fellow Brahma-farers. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order and is not deferential and respectful towards his fellow Brahma-farers, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one who is forest-gone and who lives alone in the forest, doing as he pleases, but who is not deferential and respectful towards his fellow Brahma-farers? There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone and who has come back to an Order and is staying with an Order should be deferential and respectful towards his fellow Brahma-farers.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should be skilled about the seats, thinking: ‘I will sit down not encroaching on (the space intended for) monks who are elders, nor will I keep newly ordained monks from a seat.’ If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, and is not skilled about the seats, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one who is forest-gone and who lives alone in the forest doing what he pleases, but who does not even know the rule about decent conduct? There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone and who has come back to an Order and is staying with an Order should be skilled about the seats.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should not enter a village too early, nor return during the day. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, and enters a village too early and returns during the day, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one who is forest-gone and who lives alone in the forest doing as he pleases, but who enters a village too early and returns during the day? There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order should not enter a village too early and should not return during the day.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order should not call upon families before a meal, or after a meal. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, and calls upon families before a meal or after a meal, there will be those who will speak about him and say: ‘Is not this walking at a wrong time, frequently practised by this venerable one who is forest-gone, living alone in the forest, doing as he pleases and does not he also boast about it to one who is in the Order?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should call upon families, neither before a meal, nor after a meal.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should not be proud or inconsiderate. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, is proud and inconsiderate, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘Is not this pride and inconsiderateness, frequently practised by this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases and does not he also boast about it to one who is in the Order? There will be those that speak about him. Therefore a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should not be proud and inconsiderate.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should not be scurrilous, or of loose talk. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, is scurrilous and of loose talk, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who is scurrilous and of loose talk?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone and who comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should not be scurrilous or of loose talk.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should be of pleasant speech, a friend of the lovely. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, is of wrong speech, a friend of the evil, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who is of wrong speech, a friend of the evil?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone, comes back to an Order and is staying with an Order, should be of pleasant speech, a friend of the lovely.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, should be guarded as to the doors of his sense-organs. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, is not guarded as to the doors of his sense-organs, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who is not guarded as to the doors of his sense-organs?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone, should be guarded as to the doors of his sense-organs.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, should be moderate in eating. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, is not moderate in eating, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who is not moderate in eating?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone should be moderate in eating.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, should be intent on vigilance. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, is not intent on vigilance, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who is not intent on vigilance?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone, should be intent on vigilance.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, should be put forth energy. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, is lazy, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who is lazy?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone, should put forth energy.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, should arouse mindfulness. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, is of muddled mindfulness, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who is of muddled mindfulness?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone, should arouse mindfulness.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, should have concentration. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, has not concentration, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who has not concentration?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone, should have concentration.

Your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, should have wisdom. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, is poor in wisdom, there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who is poor in wisdom?’ There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore a monk who is forest-gone, should have wisdom.

Your reverences, earnest study in Further-Dhamma, in Further-Discipline, should be made by a monk who is forest-gone. Your reverences, there are those who will question a monk who is forest-gone on Further-Dhamma and Further-Discipline. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, on being asked a question on Further-Dhamma, on Further-Discipline, does not succeed (in answering it), there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who, on being asked a question on Further-Dhamma, on Further-Discipline, does not succeed (in answering it)? There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore earnest study should be made in Further-Dhamma, in Further-Discipline by a monk who is forest-gone.

Your reverences, earnest study should be made by a monk who is forest-gone, concerning those that are the peaceful Deliverances and are incorporeal, having transcended material shapes. There are, your reverences, those who will question a monk who is forest-gone about those that are the peaceful Deliverances and are incorporeal, having transcended material shapes. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, on being asked a question about those that are the peaceful Deliverances and are incorporeal, having transcended material shapes, does not succeed (in answering it), there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who, on being asked a question about those that are the peaceful Deliverances and are incorporeal, having transcended material shapes, does not succeed (in answering it)? There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore earnest study should be made by a monk who is forest-gone, concerning those that are the peaceful Deliverances and are incorporeal, having transcended material shapes.

Your reverences, earnest study in states of further-men should be made by a monk who is forest-gone. There are, your reverences, those who will question a monk who is forest-gone about states of further-men. If, your reverences, a monk who is forest-gone, on being asked a question about states of further-men, does not succeed (in answering it), there will be those who speak about him and say: ‘What is the good of this venerable one, who is forest-gone, living alone in a forest, doing as he pleases, but who does not even know the goal for the sake of which he has gone forth? There will be those who speak about him.’ Therefore earnest study in states of further-men, should be made by a monk who is forest-gone.”

This said, the venerable Moggallāna the Great spoke thus to the venerable Sāriputta: “Reverend Sāriputta, are these things to be taken up and practised only by a monk who is forest-gone, or also by one staying near a village?” “These things, reverend Moggallāna, are certainly to be taken up and practised by a monk who is forest-gone, all the more by one staying near a village.”

Discourse on Gulissāni: The Ninth

- Translator: I.B. Horner

- Editor: Brother Joe Smith

With Gulissāni

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
Now at that time a wilderness mendicant of lax behavior named Gulissāni had come down to the midst of the Saṅgha on some business.
There Venerable Sāriputta spoke to the mendicants about Gulissāni:
“Reverends, a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha should have respect and reverence for his spiritual companions.
If he doesn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he has no respect and reverence for his spiritual companions?’

That’s why a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha should have respect and reverence for his spiritual companions.
A wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha should be careful where he sits, thinking:
‘I shall sit so that I don’t intrude on the senior monks and I don’t block the junior monks from a seat.’
If he doesn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he’s not careful where he sits?’

That’s why a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha should be careful where he sits.
A wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha should know even the supplementary regulations.
If he doesn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he doesn’t even know the supplementary regulations?’

That’s why a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha should know even the supplementary regulations.
A wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha shouldn’t enter the village too early or return too late in the day.
If he does so, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he enters the village too early or returns too late in the day?’
That’s why a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha shouldn’t enter the village too early or return too late in the day.
A wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha shouldn’t socialize with families before or after the meal.
If he does so, there’ll be some who say:
‘This wilderness venerable, staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, must be used to wandering about at the wrong time, since he behaves like this when he’s come to the Saṅgha.’

That’s why a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha shouldn’t socialize with families before or after the meal.
A wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha shouldn’t be restless and fickle.
If he is, there’ll be some who say:
‘This wilderness venerable, staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, must be used to being restless and fickle, since he behaves like this when he’s come to the Saṅgha.’

That’s why a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha shouldn’t be restless and fickle.
A wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha shouldn’t be scurrilous and loose-tongued.
If he is, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he’s scurrilous and loose-tongued?’

That’s why a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha shouldn’t be scurrilous and loose-tongued.
A wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha should be easy to admonish, with good friends.
If he’s hard to admonish, with bad friends, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he’s hard to admonish, with bad friends?’

That’s why a wilderness monk who has come to stay in the Saṅgha should be easy to admonish, with good friends.
A wilderness monk should guard the sense doors.
If he doesn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he doesn’t guard the sense doors?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should guard the sense doors.
A wilderness monk should eat in moderation.
If he doesn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he eats too much?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should eat in moderation.
A wilderness monk should be committed to wakefulness.
If he isn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he’s not committed to wakefulness?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should be committed to wakefulness.
A wilderness monk should be energetic.
If he isn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he’s not energetic?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should be energetic.
A wilderness monk should be mindful.
If he isn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he’s not mindful?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should be mindful.
A wilderness monk should have immersion.
If he doesn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he doesn’t have immersion?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should have immersion.
A wilderness monk should be wise.
If he isn’t, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he’s not wise?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should be wise.
A wilderness monk should make an effort to learn the teaching and training.
There are those who will question a wilderness monk about the teaching and training.
If he is stumped, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he is stumped by a question about the teaching and training?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should make an effort to learn the teaching and training.
A wilderness monk should practice meditation to realize the peaceful liberations that are formless, transcending form.
There are those who will question a wilderness monk regarding the formless liberations.
If he is stumped, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he is stumped by a question about the formless liberations?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should practice meditation to realize the peaceful liberations that are formless, transcending form.
A wilderness monk should practice meditation to realize the superhuman state.
There are those who will question a wilderness monk about the superhuman state.
If he is stumped, there’ll be some who say:
‘What’s the point of this wilderness venerable’s staying alone and autonomous in the wilderness, since he doesn’t know the goal for which he went forth?’

That’s why a wilderness monk should practice meditation to realize the superhuman state.”
When Venerable Sāriputta said this, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said to him,
“Reverend Sāriputta, should these things be undertaken and followed only by wilderness monks, or by those who live within a village as well?”
“Reverend Moggallāna, these things should be undertaken and followed by wilderness monks, and still more by those who live within a village.”