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sn.21.4 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Newly Ordained Bhikkhu

At Savatthi. Now on that occasion a certain newly ordained bhikkhu, after returning from the alms round, would enter his dwelling after the meal and pass the time living at ease and keeping silent. He did not render service to the bhikkhus at the time of making robes. Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and reported this matter to him. Then the Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu thus: “Come, bhikkhu, tell that bhikkhu in my name that the Teacher calls him.”

“Yes, venerable sir,” that bhikkhu replied, and he went to that bhikkhu and told him: “The Teacher calls you, friend.”

“Yes, friend,” that bhikkhu replied, and he approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him: “Is it true, bhikkhu, that after returning from the alms round you enter your dwelling after the meal and pass the time living at ease and keeping silent, and you do not render service to the bhikkhus at the time of making robes?”

“I am doing my own duty, venerable sir.”

Then the Blessed One, having known with his own mind the reflection in that bhikkhu’s mind, addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, do not find fault with this bhikkhu. This bhikkhu is one who gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhanas that constitute the higher mind and provide a pleasant dwelling in this very life. And he is one who, by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life enters and dwells in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“Not by means of slack endeavour,
Not by means of feeble effort,
Is this Nibbāna to be achieved,
Release from all suffering.

“This young bhikkhu by my side
Is a supreme man indeed:
He carries about his final body,
Having conquered Mara and his mount.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh


A Junior Mendicant

At Sāvatthī.
Now at that time a certain junior monk, after his meal, on his return from almsround, entered his dwelling, where he adhered to passivity and silence. And he didn’t help the mendicants out when it was time to sew robes.
Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

So the Buddha addressed a certain monk,
“Please, monk, in my name tell that monk that the Teacher summons him.”
“Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to that monk and said to him,
“Reverend, the teacher summons you.”
“Yes, reverend,” that monk replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
“Is it really true, monk, that after your meal, on your return from almsround, you entered your dwelling, where you adhered to passivity and silence, and you didn’t help the mendicants out when it was time to sew robes?”
“Sir, I am doing my own work.”
Then the Buddha, knowing what that monk was thinking, addressed the mendicants:
“Mendicants, don’t complain about this monk.
This monk gets the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when he wants, without trouble or difficulty. He has realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Not by being slack,
or with little strength
is extinguishment realized,
the freedom from all suffering.
This young monk,
this best of men,
bears his final body,
having vanquished Māra and his mount.”