Who is More Dear?

ud5.1:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala was upstairs in the royal longhouse together with Queen Mallikā. Then King Pasenadi addressed Queen Mallikā, “Mallikā, is there anyone more dear to you than yourself?”

ud5.1:2 “No, Great King, there isn’t. But is there anyone more dear to you than yourself?” “For me also, Mallikā, there’s no one.”

ud5.1:3 Then King Pasenadi of Kosala came downstairs from the stilt longhouse, went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

ud5.1:5 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.1:6 “Having explored every quarter with the mind, one finds no one dearer than oneself. Likewise for others, each holds themselves dear; so one who desires self-knowledge <j>would harm no other.”

Short-lived

ud5.2:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Ānanda came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! How short-lived was the Blessed One’s mother! For seven days after the Blessed One was born, his mother passed away and was raised to the host of the joyful in the Garden.”

ud5.2:2 “That’s so true, Ānanda! For the mothers of beings intent of awakening are short-lived. Seven days after the beings intent on awakening are born, their mothers pass away and are raised to the host of the joyful in the Garden.”

ud5.2:3 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.2:4 “Whether born or to be born, all depart, leaving the body behind. The skillful, understanding that all is lost, would keenly practice the spiritual life.”

With Suppabuddha the Leper

ud5.3:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. At that time in Rājagaha there was a leper called Suppabuddha. He was a poor person, destitute, and pitiful. Now, at that time the Buddha was teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly.

ud5.3:2 Suppabuddha saw the crowd seated off in the distance and thought, “Surely some fresh and cooked foods will be distributed there. Why don’t I approach the crowd? Hopefully I’ll get something to eat.”

ud5.3:3 So he approached the crowd where he saw the Buddha teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly. When he saw this he thought, “There’s no food being distributed here. The ascetic Gotama is teaching Dhamma in an assembly. Why don’t I also listen to the teaching?” Right there he sat down to one side, thinking, “I also will listen to the teaching.”

ud5.3:4 Then the Buddha focused on encompassing the minds of everyone in the assembly, thinking, “Who here is capable of understanding the teaching?” He saw Suppabuddha sitting in the assembly, and thought, “He is capable of understanding the teaching.” He gave a step by step talk especially for Suppabuddha on giving, ethical conduct, and the Garden. He revealed the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Buddha knew that Suppabuddha’s mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he revealed the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye, in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in Suppabuddha: “Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.”

ud5.3:5 Then Suppabuddha saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. He went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. He rose from his seat and went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said:

ud5.3:6 “Excellent, sir! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, the Buddha has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

ud5.3:7 After Suppabuddha had been educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired with a Dhamma talk by the Buddha, he got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. But soon after Suppabuddha had left, a cow with a baby calf charged at him and took his life.

ud5.3:8 Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said, “The leper named Suppabuddha, after being educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired with a Dhamma talk by the Buddha, has passed away. Where has he gone in the next life?”

ud5.3:9 “Mendicants, Suppabuddha was astute. He practiced in line with the teaching, and did not trouble me about the teachings. With the ending of three fetters, Suppabuddha is a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

ud5.3:10 When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha, “What is the cause, sir, what is the reason why Suppabuddha became a leper, a poor person, destitute, and pitiful?”

ud5.3:11 “Once upon a time, mendicants, Suppabuddha used to be a financier’s son right here in Rājagaha. On his way to visit a park, he saw Tagarasikhī, an independent Buddha, entering the city for alms. When he saw this he thought, “Who is this leper wandering about with his leper’s robe?” Before leaving, he spat on the ground and turned his left side to Tagarasikhī. As a result of that deed he burned in hell for many years, for many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years. And as a residual result of that same deed, he became a leper right here in Rājagaha, a poor person, destitute and pitiful. But owing to faith in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One, he undertook ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. After undertaking these things, when his body broke up, after death, he entered a good place, a heavenly realm, in the company of the angels of the thirty-three. There he outshines the others in beauty and glory.”

ud5.3:12 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.3:13 “As a clear-eyed man would avoid rough paths, so long as strength is found; an astute person in the living world, would shun bad deeds.”

The Boys

ud5.4:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, between Sāvatthī and the Jeta Grove, several boys were tormenting some fish.

ud5.4:2 Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. He saw the boys tormenting the fish. He went to them and said, “Boys, do you fear pain? Do you dislike pain?” “Yes, sir,” they replied. “We dislike pain.”

ud5.4:3 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.4:4 “If you fear pain, if you dislike pain, don’t do bad deeds either openly or in secret.

ud5.4:5 If you should do a bad deed, now or in the future, you won’t be freed from suffering, though you fly away and flee.”

Sabbath

ud5.5:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery. Now, at that time it was the sabbath, and the Buddha was sitting surrounded by the Saṅgha of monks.

ud5.5:2 And then, as the night was getting late, in the first watch of the night, Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha and said, “Sir, the night is getting late. It is the first watch of the night, and the Saṅgha of monks has been sitting long. Please, sir, may the Buddha recite the monastic code to the monks.” But when he said this, the Buddha kept silent.

ud5.5:3 For a second time, as the night was getting late, in the middle watch of the night, Ānanda rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha and said, “Sir, the night is getting late. It is the middle watch of the night, and the Saṅgha of monks has been sitting long. Please, sir, may the Buddha recite the monastic code to the monks.” But for a second time the Buddha kept silent.

ud5.5:4 For a third time, as the night was getting late, in the last watch of the night, as dawn stirred, bringing joy to the night, Ānanda rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha and said, “Sir, the night is getting late. It is the last watch of the night and dawn stirs, bringing joy to the night. Please, sir, may the Buddha recite the monastic code to the monks.” “Ānanda, the assembly is not pure.”

ud5.5:5 Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thought, “Who is the Buddha talking about?” Then he focused on encompassing the minds of everyone in the Saṅgha. He saw that unethical individual, of bad qualities, filthy, with suspicious behavior, underhand, no true ascetic or spiritual practitioner—though claiming to be one—rotten inside, festering, and depraved, sitting in the middle of the Saṅgha. When he saw him he rose from his seat, went up to him and said, “Get up, reverend. The Buddha has seen you. You can’t live in communion with the monks.” But when he said this, that individual kept silent.

ud5.5:6 For a second time and a third time, he asked that monk to leave. But for a third time that individual kept silent.

ud5.5:7 Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna took that individual by the arm, ejected him out the gate, and bolted the door. Then he went up to the Buddha, and said to him, “I have ejected that individual. The assembly is pure. Please, sir, may the Buddha recite the monastic code to the monks.” “It’s incredible, Moggallāna, it’s amazing, how that futile man waited to be taken by the arm!”

ud5.5:8 Then the Buddha said to the monks, “From this day forth, monks, I will not perform the sabbath or recite the monastic code. Now you should perform the sabbath and recite the monastic code. It’s impossible, monks, it can’t happen that a Realized One could recite the monastic code in an impure assembly.

ud5.5:9 Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things the titans love the ocean. What eight?

ud5.5:10 The ocean gradually slants, slopes, and inclines, with no abrupt precipice. This is the first thing the titans love about the ocean.

ud5.5:11 Furthermore, the ocean is consistent and doesn’t overflow its boundaries. This is the second thing the titans love about the ocean.

ud5.5:12 Furthermore, the ocean doesn’t accommodate a carcass, but quickly carries it to the shore and strands it on the beach. This is the third thing the titans love about the ocean.

ud5.5:13 Furthermore, when they reach the ocean, all the great rivers—that is, the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—lose their names and clans and are simply reckoned as ‘the ocean’. This is the fourth thing the titans love about the ocean.

ud5.5:14 Furthermore, for all the world’s streams that reach it, and the showers that fall from the sky, the ocean never empties or fills up. This is the fifth thing the titans love about the ocean.

ud5.5:15 Furthermore, the ocean has just one taste, the taste of salt. This is the sixth thing the titans love about the ocean.

ud5.5:16 Furthermore, the ocean is full of many kinds of treasures, such as pearls, gems, beryl, conch, quartz, coral, silver, native gold, rubies, and emeralds. This is the seventh thing the titans love about the ocean.

ud5.5:17 Furthermore, many great beings live in the ocean, such as leviathans, leviathan-gulpers, leviathan-gulper-gulpers, titans, dragons, and centaurs. In the ocean there are life-forms a hundred leagues long, or even two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, or five hundred leagues long. This is the eighth thing the titans love about the ocean. Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things the titans love the ocean.

ud5.5:18 In the same way, seeing eight incredible and amazing things, monks, the mendicants love this teaching and training. What eight?

ud5.5:19 The ocean gradually slants, slopes, and inclines, with no abrupt precipice. In the same way in this teaching and training the penetration to enlightenment comes from gradual training, progress, and practice, not abruptly. This is the first thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

ud5.5:20 The ocean is consistent and doesn’t overflow its boundaries. In the same way, when a training rule is laid down for my disciples they wouldn’t break it even for the sake of their own life. This is the second thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

ud5.5:21 The ocean doesn’t accommodate a carcass, but quickly carries it to the shore and strands it on the beach. In the same way, the Saṅgha doesn’t accommodate an individual who is unethical, of bad qualities, filthy, with suspicious behavior, underhand, no true ascetic or spiritual practitioner—though claiming to be one—rotten inside, festering, and depraved. But they quickly gather and expel them. Even if such an individual is sitting in the middle of the Saṅgha, they’re far from the Saṅgha, and the Saṅgha is far from them. This is the third thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

ud5.5:22 Furthermore, when they reach the ocean, all the great rivers—that is, the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—lose their names and clans and are simply reckoned as ‘the ocean’. In the same way, when they go forth from the lay life to homelessness, all four classes—aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials—lose their former names and clans and are simply reckoned as ‘ascetics who follow the Sakyan’. This is the fourth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

ud5.5:23 For all the world’s streams that reach it, and the showers that fall from the sky, the ocean never empties or fills up. In the same way, though several mendicants become fully extinguished in the element of extinguishment with no residue, the element of extinguishment never empties or fills up. This is the fifth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

ud5.5:24 The ocean has just one taste, the taste of salt. In the same way, this teaching and training has one taste, the taste of freedom. This is the sixth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

ud5.5:25 The ocean is full of many kinds of treasures, such as pearls, gems, beryl, conch, quartz, coral, silver, native gold, rubies, and emeralds. In the same way, this teaching and training is full of many kinds of treasures, such as the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. This is the seventh thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training.

ud5.5:26 Many great beings live in the ocean, such as leviathans, leviathan-gulpers, leviathan-gulper-gulpers, titans, dragons, and centaurs. In the ocean there are life-forms a hundred leagues long, or even two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, or five hundred leagues long. In the same way, great beings live in this teaching and training, and these are those beings. The stream-enterer and the one practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry. The once-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of once-return. The non-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of non-return. The perfected one, and the one practicing for perfection. This is the eighth thing the mendicants love about this teaching and training. Seeing these eight incredible and amazing things, the mendicants love this teaching and training.”

ud5.5:27 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.5:28 “The rain saturates things that are covered up; it doesn’t saturate things that are open. Therefore you should open up a covered thing, so the rain will not saturate it.”

With Soṇa

ud5.6:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Mahākaccāna was staying in the land of the Avantis near Kuraraghara on Steep Mountain. And the layman Soṇa of the Sharp Ears was Mahākaccāna’s attendant.

ud5.6:2 Then as Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “As I understand Master Mahākaccāna’s teachings, it’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?”

ud5.6:3 Then Soṇa went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then he said,

ud5.6:4 “May Master Mahākaccāna please give me the going forth!”

ud5.6:5 When this was said, Mahākaccāna said to him, “It’s hard to lead the spiritual life as long as you live, eating in one part of the day and sleeping alone. Come now, Soṇa, while remaining a layperson just as you are, devote yourself to the instructions of the Buddhas, leading the spiritual life at suitable times, eating in one part of the day and sleeping alone.” Then Soṇa’s aspiration to go forth died down.

ud5.6:6 For a second time, while in private retreat the thought came to Soṇa that he should go forth, but the outcome was the same.

ud5.6:7 For a third time, as Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “As I understand Master Mahākaccāna’s teachings, it’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?” For a third time, Soṇa went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then he said,

ud5.6:8 “May Master Mahākaccāna please give me the going forth!”

ud5.6:9 Then Mahākaccāna gave Soṇa the going forth. Now at that time the southern region, including Avanti, was short of monks. It took three years and much struggle and difficulty before Venerable Mahākaccāna was able to assemble from here and there a Saṅgha consisting of ten monks and give Venerable Soṇa the full ordination.

ud5.6:10 Then as Venerable Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “I have not personally seen the Buddha. I have only heard reports that that Blessed One is like this or like that. If my mentor allows, I should go to see that Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.”

ud5.6:11 Then in the late afternoon, Soṇa came out of retreat, went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then Mahākaccāna said,

ud5.6:13 “Good, good, Soṇa! Go to see the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. You will see that Blessed One who is impressive and inspiring, with peaceful faculties and heart, attained to the highest self-control and serenity, like an elephant with tamed, guarded, and controlled faculties. On seeing him, in my name bow with your head to his feet. Ask him if he is healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably, saying, ‘Sir, my mentor Venerable Mahākaccāna bows with his head to your feet. He asks if you are healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.’”

ud5.6:14 Saying, “Yes, sir,” Soṇa welcomed and agreed with Mahākaccāna’s words. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled Mahākaccāna, keeping him on his right. Then he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sāvatthī. Eventually he came to Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Grove. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Soṇa said to the Buddha, “Sir, my mentor Venerable Mahākaccāna bows with his head to your feet. He asks if you are healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.”

ud5.6:15 “I hope you’re keeping well, mendicant, I hope you’re all right. And I hope you have arrived from your journey unwearied, having had no trouble getting almsfood.” “I’m keeping well, Blessed One, I’m all right. And I have arrived from my journey unwearied, having had no trouble getting almsfood.”

ud5.6:16 Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda, “Prepare lodgings for this visiting mendicant.” Then Venerable Ānanda thought, “When the Buddha orders me to prepare lodgings for a specific mendicant, he wishes to stay in the same dwelling with that mendicant. The Buddha wishes to stay together with Venerable Soṇa.” He prepared lodgings for Soṇa in the same dwelling where the Buddha was staying.

ud5.6:17 The Buddha spent much of the night sitting meditation in the open. Then he got up from his seat, washed his feet, and entered the dwelling. Venerable Soṇa did the same. Then the Buddha rose at the crack of dawn and addressed Soṇa, “Speak some Dhamma, mendicant, as you feel inspired.”

ud5.6:18 “Yes, sir,” replied Soṇa. He intoned all sixteen discourses in the Chapter of the Eights. When Soṇa finished his intoning, the Buddha applauded, saying, “Good, good, mendicant! You have learned the sixteen discourses of the Chapter of the Eights well, you have applied the mind and remembered it well. You are a good speaker, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning. How many rains have you been ordained, mendicant?” “I have one rains, Blessed One.” “But why did it take you so long to make it?” “Sir, I have long seen the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, yet living in a house is cramped, with many duties and much to do.”

ud5.6:19 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.6:20 “Seeing the danger of the world, I understood the truth without attachments. The Noble One does not delight in evil, the Pure One does not delight in evil.”

With Revata the Doubter

ud5.7:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Revata the Doubter was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, with his body straight, reviewing his own purification by traversing doubt.

ud5.7:2 The Buddha saw him meditating there.

ud5.7:3 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.7:4 “Any doubts about this life or the next, about one’s own experiences or those of another: those who meditate give them all up, keenly practicing the spiritual life.”

Schism in the Saṅgha

ud5.8:1 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 Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms.

ud5.8:2 Devadatta saw him wandering for alms, so he went up to him and said, “From this day forth, Reverend Ānanda, I shall perform the sabbath and legal proceedings of the Saṅgha apart from the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants.”

ud5.8:3 Then Ānanda wandered for alms in Rājagaha. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had just happened, adding:

ud5.8:4 “Today, sir, Devadatta will split the Saṅgha. He will perform the sabbath and legal proceedings of the Saṅgha.”

ud5.8:5 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.8:6 “It’s easy for the good to do good, but for the bad, doing good is hard. For the bad, it’s easy to do bad, but for the noble ones, doing bad is hard.”

Teasing

ud5.9:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. Now at that time several young students were passing by not far from the Buddha in a teasing manner. The Buddha saw them.

ud5.9:2 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.9:3 “Dolts pretending to be astute, they talk, their words out of bounds. They blab at will, their mouths agape, and no one knows what leads them on.”

With Cūḷapanthaka

ud5.10:1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Cūḷapanthaka was sitting not far from the Buddha, cross-legged, his body set straight, and mindfulness brought to the present.

ud5.10:2 The Buddha saw him meditating there.

ud5.10:3 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

ud5.10:4 “Steady in body, steady in mind, standing, sitting or lying down: a mendicant focusing on this mindfulness gains an ever higher distinction. And when they have done so, they vanish from the King of Death.”