雜阿含經 卷第十八Saṃyukta Āgama · Fascicle 18

“The gatekeeper, though he does not know how many people there are, knows that the people pass only through this door and nowhere else.” The fourteen discourses of this fascicle are spoken by the disciples: Śāriputra answers a wanderer’s several dozen questions, and after each answer comes “There is. It is the eightfold noble path”; Śāriputra does not know the minds of the Buddhas, yet he knows “the limits of the Dharma” of the Buddhas. What a disciple knows is not everything; it is the door.

I. One Door

Yanfuche asks about nirvāṇa, about the higher relief, about the higher coolness, and Śāriputra’s answer is each time “the permanent ending of desire, the permanent ending of hatred, the permanent ending of delusion”; asked about the arhat, he answers ‘cut off without remainder’; asked about the ending of outflows, he answers that the three outflows are ‘ended without remainder’; asked about coolness, he answers the ending of the five lower bonds; asked about outflows, the floods, clinging, bonds, and fetters, he answers each time with a numbered list of what is to be cut off; and at the end of each question—“is there a path, is there a way, cultivated and much cultivated,” by which this is attained?—the answer is a single sentence. The several dozen names are what the man asks; the one path is where the Dharma returns. The questioner is a wanderer of another sect, and many of the names he asks about come from other ways; the one who answers does not dispute the names, he only shows the door.

II. Declaring for Oneself

A bhikṣu tests his mind with a pure sign: if desire arises he “does not dare to declare for himself,” and if the mind is secluded he “is able to declare for himself.” Devadatta teaches that one who cultivates the mind in the dharma of the mind can declare for himself that he is free from desire; Śāriputra asks why he does not teach “knowing for oneself that there is no further existence”—the difference between the two declarations lies in what is declared. Relief and coolness each have the distinction between “cut off” and “already cut off, already known.” Among the discourses spoken by the disciples much is said of knowing for oneself: the fruit is not declared by another but known by oneself; known and then spoken—this is what is spoken by the disciples.

III. What One Relies On

For one who breaks the precepts, “that on which he relies declines,” and everything from gladness to nirvāṇa is lost, “as when the root of a tree is damaged, the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit do not come to be”; one who attains the immeasurable samādhi and yet thinks longingly of the existing body is like “glue stuck to the hand,” and never gets free—the samādhi is not what he relies on; “the mind gives rise to faith and delight and does not think of the existing body” is what he relies on. Whether a charge of an offence is rightly made does not lie in the offence charged but in “truly, not falsely; timely, not untimely; for benefit, not for harm; gently, not harshly; with a mind of loving-kindness, not with anger.” Maudgalyāyana, dwelling in the noble silence, finds initial and sustained thought arising again; dwelling in the noble dwelling, finds the mind taking up signs; and three times the World-Honored One comes and teaches, “do not be heedless.” Even the disciple’s concentration relies on the teacher.

IV. The Two Venerables

At the end of each question in discourse 490, “then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left”: the questioner is a wanderer, the one who answers a venerable, and both are called venerables. The end of discourse 503 has the same sentence, and there the two are Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, one taking himself for a small stone and the other for a great mountain, and the other likewise, “taking on the same colour.” The fascicle of the discourses spoken by the disciples begins with two venerables in discussion and ends with two venerables in discussion. What is spoken is not the disciple’s own view but the meaning within the noble Dharma and discipline, and the single door; so the questioner may be a wanderer and the one who answers a disciple, and what is spoken does not differ from what the Buddha speaks.

Fascicle 18 of the Saṃyukta Āgama, translated in the Song by Guṇabhadra, belongs to the Connected Discourses Spoken by the Disciples, and this fascicle is the first fascicle of the Connected Discourses Spoken by the Disciples; at its head the fascicle marks its own recitation title, “the Recitation Spoken by the Disciples, Part Four.” The fascicle holds fourteen discourses, from the four hundred and ninetieth discourse to the five hundred and third, most of them spoken by the Buddha’s disciples. In the first discourse of the fascicle, the four hundred and ninetieth, Yanfuche, a wanderer of another sect, asks the venerable Śāriputra: beginning from the question of what is difficult in going forth, he goes on to ask about one who teaches the Dharma well, nirvāṇa, why one goes forth, the ending of outflows, the arhat, ignorance, outflows, existence, the existing body, suffering, the floods, the yoke, clinging, ties, bonds, fetters, desire, nourishment, relief, coolness, craving, the courses of action, and stains, and Śāriputra answers each one by one; after every answer Yanfuche asks again whether there is a path and a way that can cut off and can attain, and Śāriputra always answers with the eightfold noble path, and the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rise from their seats and leave; the four hundred and ninety-first discourse says in brief that the questions of the ascetic wanderer are also thus. In the five discourses after that, the venerable Śāriputra teaches the bhikṣus: of one who attains the immeasurable samādhi, the difference between a mind that does not delight in nirvāṇa as the ceasing of the existing body and a mind that gives rise to faith and delight in it; how a forest-dwelling bhikṣu examines within himself thoughts of desire, and in regard to a pure sign either gives rise to craving and desire or inclines towards seclusion; under a withered tree, meditative reflection and supernormal power, and resolving in mind that it is earth; that for one who breaks the precepts that on which he relies declines, while one who keeps the precepts is complete in the root; and that the bhikṣu who has committed an offence and the bhikṣu who charges him with it should both rely on right reflection and examine themselves. In the four hundred and ninety-seventh and the four hundred and ninety-eighth discourses, the venerable Śāriputra speaks to the Buddha: in the one he asks about the five dharmas for charging an offence, for being charged, for repenting, for remorse, and for awakening, and recounts for himself his forbearance as in the discourse of the simile of the saw; in the other he roars the lion’s roar, and says of himself that he does not know the minds of the Buddhas of the three times but knows the Dharma of the Buddhas, taking a frontier city with one door as the simile. In the four hundred and ninety-ninth discourse, the venerable Śāriputra asks the bhikṣu Yuezi, a disciple of Devadatta, how Devadatta teaches the Dharma, teaches that one who cultivates the mind well in the dharma of the mind is able to declare for himself, and makes it clear with four similes. In the five hundredth discourse, the wanderer nun of another sect Jingkou asks the venerable Śāriputra about the four ways of eating; hearing the answer she rejoices and praises the ascetics, the sons of the Śākyan, is killed by the wanderers of other sects, and at the end of her life is born in the Tuṣita heaven. In the five hundred and first and the five hundred and second discourses, the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana recounts for himself how he reflected on the noble silence and the noble dwelling, how the World-Honored One came three times to instruct him, and says of himself that he is a son of the Buddha. In the five hundred and third discourse, the venerable Śāriputra, the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, and the venerable Ānanda dwell together in one room, and the two great disciples discuss the attainment of quiescence, speaking together by the divine eye and the divine ear, and diligent effort, and praise each other in turn. The speakers: the principal speakers are the Buddha’s disciples; the World-Honored One teaches the Dharma directly only in the four hundred and ninety-seventh and the four hundred and ninety-eighth discourses; the four hundred and ninetieth and the five hundredth are asked by wanderers of other sects; the four hundred and ninety-ninth and the five hundred and third are questions and answers between disciple and disciple; the words of the World-Honored One in the five hundred and third discourse are only recounted by the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana. The fascicle has one verse, in the four hundred and ninetieth discourse, spoken by the venerable Śāriputra; the plain rendering translates it line by line in verse form; the question and answer after the verse continue in the same group. There is no summary verse. The four hundred and ninety-first discourse has no “Thus have I heard” and no dwelling place. For the dialogues of question and answer, the similes, and the long discourses, the segments within a discourse follow the rounds of question and answer, the simile and its application, and the enumerations; the four hundred and ninetieth discourse takes each of Yanfuche’s questions and answers as one short segment. Where the base text abbreviates—“in this manner, Yanfuche’s questions are set out as forty discourses,” “as said before,” “the yoke is as the floods are said,” “as with stains, so too with grime, grease, thorns, fondness, and ties,” and the “up to” of the four hundred and ninety-seventh discourse—the plain rendering abbreviates as the base text words it, and does not fill in on its behalf. The four hundred and ninetieth, the four hundred and ninety-first, the five hundredth, and the five hundred and third discourses have no closing words “rejoiced and practiced accordingly,” and the plain rendering, following the base text, does not add them. The parenthesis at the head of each segment (…) is the anchor of page, register, and line in the Taishō canon.

〔0 · Title〕（0126a03）The title of the sūtra is “Saṃyukta Āgama,” and this is “Fascicle 18.” The translator’s attribution reads “translated by Guṇabhadra, Tripiṭaka master from India, in the Song”—translated by Guṇabhadra, the Tripiṭaka master who came from India in the time of the Song. At the head of this fascicle there is the recitation title “the Recitation Spoken by the Disciples, Part Four,” which begins the Connected Discourses Spoken by the Disciples. The fascicle holds fourteen discourses, from the four hundred and ninetieth to the five hundred and third; it has one verse, in the four hundred and ninetieth discourse; the four hundred and ninety-first discourse is an abbreviating sentence of the compilers. After the five hundred and third discourse it closes with “Saṃyukta Āgama, Fascicle 18.”

〔490 · There Is a Path, There Is a Way〕（0126a07）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of Magadha, in the village Naluo. At that time the venerable Śāriputra was also in the land of Magadha, in the village Naluo. At that time there was a wanderer of another sect named Yanfuche, an old good friend of Śāriputra, who came to where Śāriputra was; having greeted him and exchanged courtesies, he withdrew and sat to one side, and asked Śāriputra: “In the noble Dharma and discipline, what is difficult?” Śāriputra told Yanfuche: “Only going forth is difficult.” “How is going forth difficult?” He answered: “Delight is difficult.” “How is delight difficult?” He answered: “Delighting in constantly cultivating the good dharmas is difficult.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, makes the constant cultivation of the good dharmas grow?” He answered: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.” Yanfuche said: “Śāriputra! This is the good path, this is the good way; cultivated and much cultivated, the good dharmas are constantly cultivated and grow. Śāriputra! One who has gone forth and constantly cultivates this path will before long swiftly end all the outflows.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

In this manner, Yanfuche’s questions are set out in sequence as forty discourses.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “How is one called one who teaches the Dharma well? [How] is one rightly directed in the world? How is one called well-gone in the world?” Śāriputra said: “If one teaches the Dharma so as to tame desire and craving, tame hatred, and tame delusion, this is called one who teaches the Dharma in the world. If one is directed towards taming desire and craving, towards taming hatred, towards taming delusion, this is called rightly directed. If desire is already ended, cut off without remainder and known without remainder, and hatred and delusion are already ended, cut off without remainder and known without remainder, this is called well cut off.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can bring about being well cut off?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called nirvāṇa—what is nirvāṇa?” Śāriputra said: “Nirvāṇa is the permanent ending of desire, the permanent ending of hatred, the permanent ending of delusion, the permanent ending of all defilements—this is called nirvāṇa.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can attain nirvāṇa?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “Why does one go forth and cultivate pure conduct under the ascetic Gautama?” Śāriputra said: “In order to cut off desire, in order to cut off hatred, in order to cut off delusion, one goes forth and cultivates pure conduct under the ascetic Gautama.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off desire, hatred, and delusion?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the ending of outflows—what is called the ending of outflows?” Śāriputra said: “Outflows are the three outflows, namely the outflow of desire, the outflow of existence, the outflow of ignorance. When these three outflows are ended without remainder, this is called the ending of outflows.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can attain the ending of outflows?” Śāriputra answered: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the arhat—what is called the arhat?” Śāriputra said: “Desire already cut off without remainder, hatred and delusion already cut off without remainder—this is called the arhat.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can attain arhatship?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the arhat as such—what is called the arhat as such?” Śāriputra said: “Desire permanently ended without remainder, hatred and delusion permanently ended without remainder—this is called the arhat as such.” He asked again: “Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can attain to the arhat as such?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called ignorance—what is ignorance?” Śāriputra said: “What is called ignorance is not knowing the former limit, not knowing the later limit, not knowing the former, later, and middle limits; not knowing the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, the jewels; not knowing suffering, its arising, its cessation, and the path; not knowing the wholesome, the unwholesome, and the indeterminate; not knowing inside, not knowing outside; whatever matter one does not know, dark and obstructed—this is called ignorance.” Yanfuche said to Śāriputra: “This is a great mass of darkness.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off ignorance?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche again asked the venerable Śāriputra: “What is called outflows—what are outflows?” As said before.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called existence—what is existence?” Śāriputra said: “Existence is the three existences—desire existence, form existence, formless existence.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off this existence?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the existing body—what is the existing body?” Śāriputra said: “The existing body is the five aggregates of clinging. What are the five aggregates of clinging? The aggregate of clinging to form, and the aggregates of clinging to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which can cut off this existing body?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called suffering—what is suffering?” Śāriputra said: “Suffering is the suffering of birth, the suffering of ageing, the suffering of illness, the suffering of death, the suffering of separation from what is loved, the suffering of meeting what is hated, the suffering of not getting what is sought. In brief, the suffering of the five aggregates of clinging—this is called suffering.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which can cut off this suffering?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the floods—what are the floods?” Śāriputra said: “The floods are the flood of desire, the flood of existence, the flood of views, the flood of ignorance.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off these floods?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the yoke—what is the yoke?” The yoke is as the floods are said.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called clinging—what is clinging?” Śāriputra said: “Clinging is the four kinds of clinging, namely clinging to desire, clinging to self, clinging to views, clinging to precepts.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off this clinging?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called ties—what are ties?” Śāriputra said: “Ties are the four ties, namely the tie of desire, the tie of hatred, the tie of clinging to precepts, the tie of the view of self.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off these ties?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path. Right view, up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called bonds—what are bonds?” Śāriputra said: “Bonds are the nine bonds, namely the bond of craving, the bond of hatred, the bond of conceit, the bond of ignorance, the bond of views, the bond of grasping at the other, the bond of doubt, the bond of envy, the bond of stinginess.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off these bonds?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called fetters—what are fetters?” Śāriputra said: “Fetters are the seven fetters, namely the fetter of desire, the fetter of hatred, the fetter of craving for existence, the fetter of conceit, the fetter of ignorance, the fetter of views, the fetter of doubt.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off these fetters?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called desire—what is desire?” Śāriputra said: “Desire is forms cognized by the eye that are lovely, pleasing, to be dwelt on, so that one is stained and attached to form; sounds cognized by the ear, odours cognized by the nose, tastes cognized by the tongue, and objects of touch cognized by the body that are lovely, pleasing, to be dwelt on, so that one is stained and attached to touch. Yanfuche! These qualities are not desire; desire is only perceiving, thinking, and reflecting.” Then Śāriputra spoke a verse:

　　“The world’s manifold forms are not the fetter of craving and desire;

　　it is only perception and thought—that is a man’s desire.

　　Those manifold forms are always in the world;

　　one who tames the mind of craving and desire—that one is wise.”

He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off this desire?” Śāriputra answered: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra, saying: “What is called nourishment—what is nourishment?” Śāriputra said: “Nourishment has five nourishments, namely the nourishment of desire, the nourishment of hatred, the nourishment of drowsiness, the nourishment of restlessness and remorse, the nourishment of doubt.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off these five nourishments?” Śāriputra answered: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called relief—what is relief?” Śāriputra said: “Relief is the cutting off of the three bonds.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off the three bonds?” Śāriputra answered: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called one who has attained relief—what is one who has attained relief?” Śāriputra said: “One who has attained relief is one in whom the three bonds are already ended and already known.” He asked again: “Is there a path, is there a way, which can cut off these bonds?” Śāriputra answered: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called attaining the higher relief—what is attaining the higher relief?” Śāriputra said: “Attaining the higher relief is the permanent ending of desire, the permanent ending of hatred and delusion—this is called attaining the higher relief.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can attain the higher relief?” Śāriputra answered: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the place of attaining the higher relief—what is the place of attaining the higher relief?” Śāriputra said: “The place of attaining the higher relief is where desire is already cut off and already known, permanently ended without remainder, and hatred and delusion are already cut off and already known, permanently ended without remainder—this is the place of attaining the higher relief.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can attain the place of the higher relief?” Śāriputra answered: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called coolness—what is coolness?” Śāriputra said: “Coolness is the ending of the five lower bonds, namely the view of the body, clinging to precepts, doubt, desire, and hatred.” He asked again: “Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can cut off these five lower bonds and attain coolness?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called attaining coolness—what is attaining coolness?” Śāriputra said: “When the five lower ones are already ended and already known, this is called attaining coolness.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which, cultivated and much cultivated, can attain coolness?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the higher coolness—what is the higher coolness?” Śāriputra said: “The higher coolness is desire permanently ended without remainder, hatred and delusion permanently ended without remainder, all defilements permanently ended without remainder—this is called the higher coolness.” He asked again: “Is there a path, is there a way, which can attain this higher coolness?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called attaining the higher coolness—what is called attaining the higher coolness?” Śāriputra said: “Attaining the higher coolness is desire permanently ended without remainder, already cut off and already known, hatred and delusion permanently ended without remainder, already cut off and already known—this is called attaining the higher coolness.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which can attain this higher coolness?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called craving—what is craving?” Śāriputra said: “There are three cravings, namely craving for sensual pleasure, craving for form, craving for the formless.” He asked again: “Is there a path, is there a way, which can cut off these three cravings?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called the courses of action—what are the courses of action?” Śāriputra said: “The courses of action are the ten unwholesome courses of action, namely killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, idle talk, desire, hatred, wrong view.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which can cut off these ten courses of action?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

Yanfuche asked Śāriputra: “What is called stains—what are stains?” Śāriputra said: “Stains are the three stains: the stain of desire, the stain of hatred, the stain of delusion.” He asked again: “Śāriputra! Is there a path, is there a way, which can cut off these three stains?” Śāriputra said: “There is. It is the eightfold noble path—right view up to right concentration.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.

As with stains, so too with grime, grease, thorns, fondness, and ties.

〔491 · As the Ascetic Wanderer Asked, So Too〕（0128a28）As with the discourse on Yanfuche’s questions, so too with the questions of the ascetic wanderer.

〔492 · Attaining the Immeasurable Samādhi, Realized in the Body〕（0128b01）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. At that time the venerable Śāriputra was also staying there. At that time the venerable Śāriputra said to the bhikṣus: “If a bhikṣu attains the immeasurable samādhi and dwells in its full accomplishment realized in the body, yet his mind does not delight in nirvāṇa as the ceasing of the existing body, and he thinks longingly of the existing body—it is as if a man had glue stuck to his hand and took hold of a branch with it; his hand would stick to the tree and he could not get free. Why? Because of the glue on his hand. Bhikṣus! One who has realized the measureless samādhi in the body, whose mind does not delight in nirvāṇa as the ceasing of the existing body, and who thinks longingly of the existing body, in the end does not get free, does not obtain the teaching of the Dharma in accordance with the Dharma here and now, and even at the end of his life gains nothing, comes back to be born in this realm again, and in the end cannot break through the darkness of delusion. It is as if beside a village there were a muddy pond, its mud very deep, so that it could drown a man, and in a long drought without rain the water of the pond dried up and the ground cracked. Likewise, bhikṣus, he does not obtain the teaching of the Dharma in accordance with the seen Dharma, and even at the end of his life gains nothing, and when he comes to be born he falls back again into this realm.

“If a bhikṣu attains the immeasurable samādhi and dwells in its full accomplishment realized in the body, and his mind gives rise to faith and delight in nirvāṇa as the ceasing of the existing body and does not think of the existing body—it is as if a man took hold of a branch with a clean, dry hand; his hand would not stick to the tree. Why? Because his hand is clean. Likewise, bhikṣus, one who attains the immeasurable samādhi and dwells in its full accomplishment realized in the body, whose mind gives rise to faith and delight in nirvāṇa as the ceasing of consciousness and does not think of the existing body, has the teaching of the Dharma in accordance with the Dharma here and now, and even at the end of his life does not come back to be born in this realm. Therefore, bhikṣus, strive with diligence to break through ignorance. It is as if beside a village there were a muddy pond, and water flows in from the four directions and frequent rains fall, water always enters the pond, the water of that pond overflows, the foul matter flows out with it, and the pond is clean. Likewise, all can have the teaching of the Dharma in accordance with the Dharma here and now, and even at the end of life do not come back to be born in this realm. Therefore, bhikṣus, strive with diligence to break through ignorance.” When the venerable Śāriputra had spoken this discourse, the bhikṣus, having heard what he said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔493 · Are You Aware of Thoughts of Desire in Your Mind?〕（0128b26）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. At that time the venerable Śāriputra told the bhikṣus: “If a forest-dwelling bhikṣu, whether in an open place, in a wood, or under a tree, should train thus, examining and reflecting inwardly: ‘Am I aware of thoughts of desire in my mind?’—if he is not aware, then in regard to an object, or in regard to a pure sign, if craving and desire arise, this goes against seclusion. It is as if a man rowed a boat upstream with all his strength; when his body grew a little tired, the boat would turn back and drift downstream. Likewise, bhikṣus, reflecting on the thought of purity, craving and desire arise again, and this goes against seclusion; this bhikṣu, when he trains, cultivates an inferior means and does not attain purity, and so is carried off again by craving and desire, does not attain the power of the Dharma, his mind is not still, and he does not unify his mind; towards that pure sign craving and desire arise in turn, and flow and pour away, going against seclusion. It should be known that this bhikṣu does not dare to declare for himself that he is free from desire and liberated from the five strands of sense pleasure.

“If a bhikṣu, whether in an open place, in a wood, or under a tree, reflects thus: ‘Within my mind, am I free from desire?’—this bhikṣu, in regard to an object, or taking up a pure sign, perceives that his mind is secluded from it and inclines, flows, and pours towards seclusion. It is like a bird’s feather which, entering fire, curls up and cannot be spread. Likewise, a bhikṣu who takes up a pure sign then inclines towards seclusion, flowing and pouring. Bhikṣus! It should be known thus: in the practice of means his mind is not slack, he attains the stillness of the Dharma, calm, rest, and happiness, pure and unified in mind; that is to say: having reflected, I incline towards seclusion in regard to the pure sign, I incline to cultivating the path, and so I am able to declare for myself that I am free from desire and liberated from the five strands of sense pleasure.” When the venerable Śāriputra had spoken this discourse, the bhikṣus, having heard what he said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔494 · Wishing This Withered Tree to Become Earth〕（0128c19）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. The venerable Śāriputra was on Vulture Peak. At that time the venerable Śāriputra, in the morning, put on his robe, took his bowl, left Vulture Peak, and entered Rājagṛha for alms; by the roadside he saw a great withered tree, spread his sitting-mat under the tree, sat upright with his body composed, and said to the bhikṣus: “If a bhikṣu cultivates meditative reflection, attains the power of supernormal power, and gains mastery of mind, and wishes this withered tree to become earth, it at once becomes earth. Why? Because in this withered tree there is the earth element. Therefore a bhikṣu who has attained the power of supernormal power, resolving in mind that it is earth, makes it become earth and not otherwise.

“If a bhikṣu has attained the power of supernormal power, with mastery as he wishes, and wishes this tree to become water, fire, wind, gold, silver, and such things, all are accomplished and not otherwise. Why? Because this withered tree has the water element. Therefore, bhikṣus, one who in meditative reflection has attained the power of supernormal power, with mastery as he wishes, and wishes the withered tree to become gold, at once makes it become gold and not otherwise, and likewise all the various other things, all accomplished and not otherwise. Why? Because that withered tree has the various elements. Therefore, bhikṣus, one who in meditative reflection has attained the power of supernormal power, with mastery as he wishes, accomplishes the various things, all not otherwise; bhikṣus should know that the range of a bhikṣu’s meditative reflection and supernormal power is inconceivable. Therefore, bhikṣus, strive in meditative reflection and train in the supernormal powers.” When Śāriputra had spoken this discourse, the bhikṣus, having heard what he said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔495 · That on Which He Relies Declines〕（0129a09）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. At that time the venerable Śāriputra was on Vulture Peak. At that time the venerable Śāriputra told the bhikṣus: “For one who breaks the precepts, because of the broken precepts, that on which he relies declines, and his mind does not dwell in delight; not dwelling in delight, he loses gladness, rest, happiness, the stillness of samādhi, knowing and seeing as it really is, weariness, freedom from desire, and liberation, and can never attain nirvāṇa without remainder. As when the root of a tree is damaged, the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit do not come to be, so too with a bhikṣu who breaks the precepts. His merit declines, his mind does not dwell in delight; not having faith and delight, he loses gladness, rest, happiness, the stillness of samādhi, knowing and seeing as it really is, weariness, freedom from desire, and liberation; having lost liberation, he can never attain nirvāṇa without remainder.

“A bhikṣu who keeps the precepts is complete in the root, complete in what he relies on, and his mind attains faith and delight; attaining faith and delight, his mind attains joy, rest, happiness, the stillness of samādhi, knowing and seeing as it really is, weariness, freedom from desire, and liberation; attaining liberation, he can swiftly attain nirvāṇa without remainder. As when the root of a tree is undamaged, the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit all come to be, so too with a bhikṣu who keeps the precepts. Complete in the root, accomplished in what he relies on, his mind attains faith and delight; attaining faith and delight, joy, rest, happiness, the stillness of samādhi, knowing and seeing as it really is, weariness, freedom from desire, and liberation, he swiftly attains nirvāṇa without remainder.” When the venerable Śāriputra had spoken this discourse, the bhikṣus, having heard what he said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔496 · When Disputes Arise and They Accuse One Another〕（0129a27）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time Śāriputra told the bhikṣus: “If disputes arise among the bhikṣus and they accuse one another, there is the bhikṣu who has committed the offence and the bhikṣu who charges him. If they do not rely on right reflection and examine themselves, it should be known that for a long night those bhikṣus are obstinate, the dispute grows in turn, they oppose one another, their resentment deepens, and the offence that arose cannot be stilled by the right Dharma and discipline and brought to rest. If bhikṣus have this dispute that has arisen, whether the bhikṣu who committed the offence or the bhikṣu who charges him! and both rely on right reflection, examine themselves, and reproach themselves, it should be known that for a long night those bhikṣus will not be obstinate, will not oppose one another with resentment growing in turn, and the offence that arose can be stilled by the Dharma and discipline and brought to rest.

“How does a bhikṣu reflect rightly and examine himself? A bhikṣu should reflect thus: ‘I was not right, I was not proper, I committed an offence I should not have committed, and let him see me; had I not committed this offence, he would not have seen it; because he saw my offence and, displeased, blamed me, he charged me with it, and that is all. The other bhikṣus who hear of it will also blame me, and so for a long night there will be dispute, obstinacy growing in turn, dispute and accusation, and the offence that arose cannot be stilled by the right Dharma and discipline and brought to rest; now I know for myself, as one pays one’s own tax.’ This is called a bhikṣu’s being able to examine himself in regard to the offence that arose.

“How is the bhikṣu who charges an offence able to examine himself? The bhikṣu who charges an offence should think thus: ‘That elder bhikṣu committed an improper offence and let me see it; had he not committed this improper offence, I would not have seen it. I saw his offence and, displeased, charged him; the other bhikṣus, seeing it, would also be displeased and charge him, and for a long night there would be dispute, growing in turn without rest, and the offence that arose could not be stilled by the right Dharma and discipline and brought to rest. From this day on I shall put it away myself, as one pays one’s own tax.’ In this way the bhikṣu who charges an offence is well able to rely on right reflection and examine himself inwardly.

“Therefore, bhikṣus, those with an offence and those who charge an offence should rely on right reflection and examine themselves, and not let obstinacy grow for a long night. Bhikṣus! [Thus] there is no dispute, and the disputes that arise can be stilled by the Dharma and discipline and brought to rest.” When the venerable Śāriputra had spoken this discourse, the bhikṣus, having heard it, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔497 · By How Many Dharmas May One Charge Another With an Offence〕（0129b25）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time the venerable Śāriputra came to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, withdrew and sat to one side, and said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu who charges an offence wishes to charge another with an offence, with his mind settled, by how many dharmas may he charge another with an offence?” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “If a bhikṣu has his mind settled, by five dharmas he may charge another with an offence. What are the five? Truly, not falsely; timely, not untimely; for benefit, not for harm; gently, not harshly; with a mind of loving-kindness, not with anger. Śāriputra! A bhikṣu who charges an offence, complete in these five dharmas, may charge another with an offence.”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! By how many dharmas does the bhikṣu who is charged settle his own mind?” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “The bhikṣu who is charged should settle his mind by five dharmas. He thinks: ‘Where does he get [this offence]? Let it be true, not false; let it be timely, not untimely; let it be for benefit, not for harm; gently, not harshly; with loving-kindness, not with anger.’ Śāriputra! The bhikṣu who is charged should be complete in these five dharmas and settle his own mind.”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! I see those who charge others with offences falsely and not truly, untimely and not in time, for harm and not for benefit, harshly and not gently, with anger and not with loving-kindness. World-Honored One! As for a bhikṣu who falsely charges another with an offence, by how many dharmas should one benefit him and bring him to repent?” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “A bhikṣu who falsely charges an offence should be benefited by five dharmas and brought to repent; one should say to him: ‘Elder! Your charge of an offence now is false and not true; you should repent. It is untimely and not in time, for harm and not for benefit, harsh and not gentle, with anger and not with loving-kindness; you should repent.’ Śāriputra! A bhikṣu who falsely charges another with an offence should be benefited by these five dharmas and brought to repent, and this also makes bhikṣus of the future not charge others falsely with offences.”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! By how many dharmas does the bhikṣu who is falsely charged with an offence keep himself free of remorse?” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “The bhikṣu who is falsely charged with an offence should keep himself free of remorse by five dharmas. He should think thus: ‘That bhikṣu’s charge of an offence is false, not true; untimely, not in time; for harm, not for benefit; harsh, not gentle; with anger, not with loving-kindness; I truly have no remorse.’ The bhikṣu who is falsely charged with an offence should settle his own mind by these five dharmas, and himself have no remorse.”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! There are bhikṣus who charge an offence truly and not falsely, timely and not untimely, for benefit and not for harm, gently and not harshly, with loving-kindness and not with anger; as for a bhikṣu who truly charges an offence, by how many dharmas should one benefit him and keep him from changing?” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “A bhikṣu who truly charges an offence should be benefited by five dharmas and kept free of remorse; one should say thus: ‘Elder! Your charge of an offence is true, not false; timely, not untimely; for benefit, not for harm; gentle, not harsh; with loving-kindness, not with anger.’ Śāriputra! A bhikṣu who truly charges an offence should be benefited by these five dharmas and kept free of remorse, and this also makes bhikṣus of the future who charge truly have no remorse.”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! As for a bhikṣu who is truly charged with an offence, by how many dharmas should one benefit him and keep him free of remorse?” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “A bhikṣu who is charged with an offence should be benefited by five dharmas and kept free of remorse; one should say thus: ‘That bhikṣu’s charge of an offence is true, not false; do not be remorseful; timely, not untimely; for benefit, not for harm; gentle, not harsh; with loving-kindness, not with anger; do not be remorseful.’”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! I see bhikṣus who are truly charged with an offence and are angry. World-Honored One! As for a bhikṣu who is truly charged with an offence and is angry, by how many dharmas should he be brought to awaken himself from his resentment?” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “A bhikṣu who is truly charged with an offence and is angry should be brought by five dharmas to awaken himself; one should say to him: ‘Elder! That bhikṣu charged you truly with an offence, not falsely; do not resent it …’ up to ‘with loving-kindness, not with anger; do not resent it.’ Śāriputra! A bhikṣu who is truly charged with an offence and is angry should be brought by these five dharmas to awaken from his resentment.”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! There are those who charge me with offences truly and falsely; towards both I shall settle my own mind. If it is true, I shall know it for myself; if it is false, I shall clear myself, saying: ‘This is not true; I know for myself that there is no such thing in me.’ World-Honored One! I shall do thus, as the World-Honored One said in the discourse of the simile of the saw, teaching the ascetics: ‘If robbers came and seized you and sawed your bodies apart, and you gave rise to evil thoughts and evil words towards the robbers, you would create your own obstruction. Therefore, bhikṣus, if they saw your bodies apart, you should not give rise towards them to an evil mind that changes, or to evil words, creating your own obstruction. Towards that person you should give rise to a mind of loving-kindness, without enmity or hatred, and dwell in the full attainment of loving-kindness towards the realms of the four directions; thus should you train.’ Therefore, World-Honored One, I shall do thus, as the World-Honored One said: if the pain of being sawn apart is still to be borne, how much more should one bear a small pain, a small slander? The gain of an ascetic, the wish of an ascetic, is to wish to cut off unwholesome dharmas and to wish to cultivate wholesome dharmas; these unwholesome dharmas should be cut off and the wholesome dharmas cultivated; with diligent effort, guarding oneself well, binding one’s thoughts in reflection, and acting without heedlessness—thus should one train.”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! If I charge another bhikṣu with an offence, truly and not falsely, timely and not untimely, for benefit and not for harm, gently and not harshly, with loving-kindness and not with anger, yet among the bhikṣus so charged there are still those who harbour anger.” The Buddha asked Śāriputra: “What kind of bhikṣu, hearing his offence charged, gives rise to anger?” Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! If that bhikṣu is crooked and deceitful, false and faithless, without shame or scruple, lazy and forgetful, unconcentrated and of evil wisdom, slack, opposed to seclusion, without respect for the precepts and discipline, heedless of the ascetic life, not diligent in training, not examining himself, gone forth for the sake of a livelihood, not seeking nirvāṇa—such a person, hearing me charge his offence, gives rise to anger.”

The Buddha asked Śāriputra: “What kind of bhikṣu, hearing you charge his offence, does not resent it?” Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! If there is a bhikṣu who is not crooked, not deceitful, not false, has faith, shame and scruple, diligence and right mindfulness, right concentration and wisdom, is not slack, does not abandon seclusion, deeply respects the precepts and discipline, is mindful of the ascetic practice, reveres nirvāṇa, has gone forth for the sake of the Dharma, not for the sake of his life—such a bhikṣu, hearing me charge his offence, receives it joyfully, bowing his head, as if drinking sweet dew. As a woman of the kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa class, bathed and clean, obtaining a fine and lovely flower, cherishes it and places it on her head, wearing it as a crown—likewise a bhikṣu who is not crooked, not deceitful, not false, of right faith, with shame and scruple, diligence and right mindfulness, right concentration and wisdom, not slack, with his mind set on seclusion, deeply respecting the precepts and discipline, mindful of the ascetic practice, diligent in self-examination, gone forth for the sake of the Dharma, resolved on seeking nirvāṇa—such a bhikṣu, hearing me charge his offence, receives it joyfully, bowing his head, as if drinking sweet dew.”

The Buddha told Śāriputra: “If that bhikṣu is crooked and deceitful, false, faithless, without shame or scruple, lazy and forgetful, unconcentrated and of evil wisdom, slack, opposed to seclusion, without respect for the precepts and discipline, heedless of the ascetic practice, not seeking nirvāṇa, gone forth for the sake of a livelihood—such a bhikṣu should not be instructed, [nor should one] speak with him. Why? Because such bhikṣus break the pure conduct. If that bhikṣu is not crooked, not deceitful, not false, has faith, shame and scruple, diligence and right mindfulness, right concentration and wisdom, is not slack, has his mind set on seclusion, deeply respects the precepts and discipline, is mindful of the ascetic practice, is resolved in revering nirvāṇa, has gone forth for the sake of the Dharma—such a bhikṣu should be instructed. Why? Because such a bhikṣu can cultivate pure conduct and can establish himself.” When the Buddha had spoken this discourse, the venerable Śāriputra, having heard what the Buddha said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔498 · The Limits of the Dharma〕（0130c07）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the mango grove of Naluojiantuo the cloth-seller. At that time Śāriputra came to where the World-Honored One was, bowed his head at his feet, withdrew and sat to one side, and said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! I have deep faith in the World-Honored One: of all the wisdom of the ascetics and brāhmaṇas of the past, the future, and the present, there is none equal to the World-Honored One’s awakening, let alone surpassing it.” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “Excellent! Excellent! Śāriputra, excellent is what you have said; it is a foremost saying; you can roar the lion’s roar in the assembly, saying of yourself that you have deep faith in the World-Honored One, and saying that of all the wisdom of the ascetics and brāhmaṇas of the past, the future, and the present, there is none equal to the Buddha’s awakening, let alone surpassing it.”

The Buddha asked Śāriputra: “Can you know with certainty the higher precepts of the Fully and Perfectly Awakened Ones of the past?” Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “I do not know.” The World-Honored One asked again: “Śāriputra! Do you know such a Dharma, such wisdom, such knowledge, such liberation, such a dwelling?” Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “I do not know, World-Honored One!” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “Do you then know the higher precepts of the Fully and Perfectly Awakened Ones of the future, such a Dharma, such wisdom, such knowledge, such liberation, such a dwelling?” Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “I do not know, World-Honored One!” The Buddha told Śāriputra: “Can you then know the higher precepts of the Buddhas of the present, such a Dharma, such wisdom, such knowledge, such liberation, such a dwelling?” Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “I do not know, World-Honored One!”

The Buddha told Śāriputra: “If you do not know the dharmas in the minds of the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, of the past, the future, and the present, how can you praise them so? Roaring the lion’s roar in the great assembly, you said: ‘I have deep faith in the World-Honored One: of all the wisdom of the ascetics and brāhmaṇas of the past and the future, there is none equal to the World-Honored One’s awakening, let alone surpassing it’?”

Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! I cannot know the limits of the minds of the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, of the past, the future, and the present; but I can know the limits of the Dharma of the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones. I have heard the World-Honored One teach the Dharma, ever deeper, ever better, ever higher, ever subtler; I have heard the World-Honored One teach the Dharma: knowing one dharma, I cut off one dharma; knowing one dharma, I realize one dharma; knowing one dharma, I cultivate one dharma; reaching the end of the Dharma, I attain pure faith in the teacher, and my mind is purified.

“The World-Honored One is perfectly awakened. World-Honored One! It is as if a king had a frontier city, its walls square and straight all round, firm and solid, with only one door and no second door, and set a gatekeeper there; the people going in and out all pass through this door; whether going in or going out, the gatekeeper, though he does not know how many people there are, knows that the people pass only through this door and nowhere else. Likewise, I know that the Buddhas of the past, the Tathāgatas, the Worthy Ones, the Perfectly Awakened Ones, all cut off the five hindrances—which afflict the mind, weaken the power of wisdom, belong to the side of obstruction, and do not lead to nirvāṇa—dwelt in the four foundations of mindfulness, cultivated the seven factors of awakening, and attained unsurpassed, right and perfect awakening. The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, of the future also cut off the five hindrances—which afflict the mind, weaken the power of wisdom, belong to the side of obstruction, and do not lead to nirvāṇa—dwell in the four foundations of mindfulness, cultivate the seven factors of awakening, and attain unsurpassed, right and perfect awakening. The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, of the present, the Tathāgatas, the Worthy Ones, the Perfectly Awakened Ones, also cut off the five hindrances—which afflict the mind, weaken the power of wisdom, belong to the side of obstruction, and do not lead to nirvāṇa—dwell in the four foundations of mindfulness, cultivate the seven factors of awakening, and attain unsurpassed, right and perfect awakening.”

The Buddha told Śāriputra: “So it is, so it is. Śāriputra! The Buddhas of the past, the future, and the present have all cut off the five hindrances—which afflict the mind, weaken the power of wisdom, belong to the side of obstruction, and do not lead to nirvāṇa—dwell in the four foundations of mindfulness, cultivate the seven factors of awakening, and attain unsurpassed, right and perfect awakening.” When the Buddha had spoken this discourse, the venerable Śāriputra, having heard what the Buddha said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔499 · How Does Devadatta Teach the Dharma?〕（0131a25）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. At that time the venerable Śāriputra was on Vulture Peak. At that time there was the bhikṣu Yuezi! a disciple of Devadatta, who came to where the venerable Śāriputra was; having greeted each other and exchanged courtesies, he withdrew and stood to one side. When he had withdrawn and stood to one side, the venerable Śāriputra asked the bhikṣu Yuezi: “Does the bhikṣu Devadatta teach the Dharma to the bhikṣus?” The bhikṣu Yuezi answered: “He teaches the Dharma.” The venerable Śāriputra asked the bhikṣu Yuezi: “How does Devadatta teach the Dharma?” The bhikṣu Yuezi said to the venerable Śāriputra: “That Devadatta teaches the Dharma thus: ‘A bhikṣu who cultivates the mind in the dharma of the mind—this bhikṣu is able to declare for himself: “I am free from desire, liberated from the five strands of sense pleasure.”’”

Śāriputra said to the bhikṣu Yuezi: “Why does your Devadatta not teach the Dharma, saying: ‘A bhikṣu who cultivates the mind well in the dharma of the mind, with a mind free from desire, a mind free of hatred, a mind free of delusion, attaining the dharma without greed, the dharma without hatred, the dharma without delusion, the dharma that does not turn back to desire existence, form existence, or formless existence—that bhikṣu is able to declare for himself: “My birth is ended, the pure conduct is established, what was to be done is done, I know for myself that there is no further existence”’?” The bhikṣu Yuezi said: “He cannot, venerable Śāriputra!”

Then the venerable Śāriputra said to the bhikṣu Yuezi: “If a bhikṣu cultivates the mind well in the dharma of the mind, is able to be free of the mind of desire, of hatred, and of the mind of delusion, and attains the dharma without greed, without hatred, and the dharma without delusion, this bhikṣu is able to declare for himself: ‘My birth is ended, the pure conduct is established, what was to be done is done, I know for myself that there is no further existence.’

“It is as if near a village there were a great mountain of rock, unbroken, undamaged, unpierced, thick and dense; even if a wind came from the east it could not move it, nor could it pass through it to the west. Likewise, winds coming from the south, the west, the north, and the four intermediate directions could not topple it, nor could they pass through it. Likewise, a bhikṣu who cultivates the mind well in the dharma of the mind, with a mind free from desire, a mind free of hatred, a mind free of delusion, attaining the dharma without greed, the dharma without hatred, the dharma without delusion—this bhikṣu is able to declare for himself: ‘My birth is ended, the pure conduct is established, what was to be done is done, I know for myself that there is no further existence.’

“It is as if an indra-pillar of copper and iron, and a copper pillar, were set deep in the ground, packed firm; the winds of the four directions could not topple it. Likewise, a bhikṣu, having cultivated the mind well in the dharma of the mind, with a mind free from desire, a mind free of hatred, a mind free of delusion, attaining the dharma without greed, the dharma without hatred, the dharma without delusion—this bhikṣu is able to declare for himself: ‘My birth is ended, the pure conduct is established, what was to be done is done, I know for myself that there is no further existence.’

“It is as if a stone pillar sixteen cubits long were set eight cubits into the ground; the winds of the four directions could not topple it. Likewise, a bhikṣu, having cultivated the mind well in the dharma of the mind, wholly free of the mind of desire, free of the mind of hatred, free of the mind of delusion, attaining the dharma without greed, the dharma without hatred, the dharma without delusion, is able to declare for himself: ‘My birth is ended, the pure conduct is established, what was to be done is done, I know for myself that there is no further existence.’

“It is as fire burns what is unburnt, and what is burnt is not burnt again. Likewise, a bhikṣu, having cultivated the mind in the dharma of the mind, with a mind free from desire, a mind free of hatred, a mind free of delusion, attaining the dharma without greed, the dharma without hatred, the dharma without delusion, is able to declare for himself: ‘My birth is ended, the pure conduct is established, what was to be done is done, I know for myself that there is no further existence.’” When Śāriputra had spoken this discourse, the bhikṣus, having heard what he said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔500 · Seeking Food Only by the Dharma to Sustain Himself〕（0131c09）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. At that time the venerable Śāriputra was also staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. At that time the venerable Śāriputra, in the morning, put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered Rājagṛha for alms; having begged for alms, he ate under a tree. At that time there was a wanderer nun of another sect, Jingkou, who came out of Rājagṛha on some small business, and saw the venerable Śāriputra sitting under a tree eating; having seen him, she asked: “Ascetic, are you eating?” The venerable Śāriputra answered: “I am eating.” She asked again: “How is it? Does the ascetic eat with the mouth downward?” He answered: “No, sister!” She asked again: “Do you eat with the mouth upward?” He answered: “No, sister!” She asked again: “How is it? Do you eat facing the four directions?” He answered: “No, sister!” She asked again: “Do you eat facing the four intermediate directions?” He answered: “No, sister!”

She asked again: “I ask whether the ascetic is eating, and you answer me: ‘I am eating.’ I ask whether you eat with the mouth upward, and you answer me: ‘No.’ I ask whether you eat with the mouth downward, and you answer me: ‘No.’ I ask whether you eat facing the four directions, and you answer me: ‘No.’ I ask whether you eat facing the four intermediate directions, and you answer me: ‘No.’ What is the meaning of what you have said in this way?”

The venerable Śāriputra said: “Sister! All those ascetics and brāhmaṇas who are skilled in affairs and skilled in crooked methods and seek food by wrong livelihood—such ascetics and brāhmaṇas eat with the mouth downward. Those ascetics and brāhmaṇas who observe the stars and calendars and seek food by wrong livelihood—such ascetics and brāhmaṇas eat with the mouth upward. Those ascetics and brāhmaṇas who run errands for others and seek food by wrong livelihood—such ascetics and brāhmaṇas eat facing the four directions. Those ascetics and brāhmaṇas who treat all kinds of illness by medical means and seek food by wrong livelihood—such ascetics and brāhmaṇas eat facing the four intermediate directions. Sister! I do not fall into these four kinds of wrong livelihood in seeking food. Rather, sister, I seek food only by the Dharma and so sustain myself; therefore I say that I do not eat in these four ways.”

Then the wanderer nun of another sect Jingkou, having heard what the venerable Śāriputra said, rejoiced and approved and left. Then the wanderer nun of another sect Jingkou, in the streets and lanes and at the crossroads of Rājagṛha, praised them, saying: “The ascetics, the sons of the Śākyan, sustain themselves by pure livelihood, by the purest livelihood; whoever wishes to give should give to the ascetics, the sons of the Śākyan clan; whoever wishes to make merit should make merit with the ascetics, the sons of the Śākyan.” At that time there were wanderers of other sects who heard the wanderer nun of another sect Jingkou praising the ascetics, the sons of the Śākyan, and out of jealousy killed that wanderer nun of another sect Jingkou; after her death she was born in the Tuṣita heaven, because of the faith she had given rise to towards the venerable Śāriputra.

〔501 · This Is Called the Noble Silence〕（0132a13）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. At that time the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana was at Rājagṛha, on Vulture Peak. At that time the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana told the bhikṣus: “At one time the World-Honored One was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. I was staying here on Vulture Peak, alone in a quiet place, and thought thus: ‘What is the noble silence?’ And I thought thus: ‘If a bhikṣu, initial and sustained thought stilled, inwardly pure and one-pointed, without initial or sustained thought, with the joy and happiness born of samādhi, dwells having attained the second dhyāna, this is called the noble silence.’ And I thought thus: ‘Now I too should keep the noble silence, with initial and sustained thought stilled, inwardly pure and one-pointed, without initial or sustained thought, with the joy and happiness born of samādhi, dwelling in its attainment, and dwell in it much; having dwelt in it much, a mind with initial and sustained thought arose again.’ Then the World-Honored One, knowing the thought in my mind, vanished from the Bamboo Grove monastery and appeared before me on Vulture Peak, and said to me: ‘Maudgalyāyana! You should keep the noble silence; do not be heedless.’ Having heard the World-Honored One say this, I at once again left initial and sustained thought, inwardly pure and one-pointed, without initial or sustained thought, with the joy and happiness born of samādhi, and dwelt having attained the second dhyāna. So it was a second and a third time, and the Buddha a second and a third time taught me: ‘You should keep the noble silence; do not be heedless.’ I at once again stilled initial and sustained thought, inwardly pure and one-pointed, without initial or sustained thought, with the joy and happiness born of samādhi, and dwelt having attained the second dhyāna.

“If it is rightly said that a son of the Buddha is born from the Buddha’s mouth, born from the Dharma by transformation, and has obtained a share of the Buddha’s Dharma, then I am that one. Why? I am a son of the Buddha, born from the Buddha’s mouth, born from the Dharma by transformation, having obtained a share of the Buddha’s Dharma; with little effort I attained dhyāna, liberation, samādhi, and attainment. It is as with the eldest son of a wheel-turning king: though not yet anointed, he has already obtained the royal law, and without striving he can obtain the five strands of sense pleasure. So too am I: being a son of the Buddha, without striving I attained dhyāna, liberation, samādhi, and attainment; in a single day the World-Honored One by his supernormal power came three times to where I was, instructed me three times, and established me in the standing of a great man.” When the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana had spoken this discourse, the bhikṣus, having heard what he said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔502 · This Is Called the Noble Dwelling〕（0132b11）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. At that time the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana was at Rājagṛha, on Vulture Peak. At that time the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana told the bhikṣus: “At one time the World-Honored One was staying at Rājagṛha, and I was staying on Vulture Peak. Alone in a quiet place, I thought thus: ‘What is called the noble dwelling?’ And I thought thus: ‘If a bhikṣu does not attend to any sign, and in the signless attainment of mind dwells in its full accomplishment realized in the body, this is called the noble dwelling.’ I thought thus: ‘I should dwell in this noble dwelling, not attending to any sign, in the signless attainment of mind, dwelling in its full accomplishment realized in the body, and dwell in it much; having dwelt in it much, a mind that takes up signs arose.’ Then the World-Honored One, knowing the thought in my mind, in the time it takes a strong man to bend or stretch his arm, by his supernormal power vanished from the Bamboo Grove monastery and appeared before me on Vulture Peak, and said to me: ‘Maudgalyāyana! You should dwell in the noble dwelling; do not be heedless.’ Having heard the World-Honored One’s teaching, I at once left all signs, and in the signless attainment of mind dwelt in its full accomplishment realized in the body. So it was up to a third time, and the World-Honored One also came three times to teach me: ‘You should dwell in the noble dwelling; do not be heedless.’ Having heard the teaching, I left all signs, and in the signless attainment of mind dwelt in its full accomplishment realized in the body.

“Venerable ones! If a son of the Buddha is rightly spoken of, then I am that one, born from the Buddha’s mouth, born from the Dharma by transformation, having obtained a share of the Buddha’s Dharma. Why? I am a son of the Buddha, born from the Buddha’s mouth, born from the Dharma by transformation, having obtained a share of the Buddha’s Dharma; with little effort I attained dhyāna, liberation, samādhi, and attainment. It is as with the son of a wheel-turning king: though not yet anointed, he has already obtained the royal law, and without striving he can obtain the five strands of sense pleasure. So too am I. Being a son of the Buddha, without striving I attained dhyāna, liberation, samādhi, and attainment; in a single day the World-Honored One by his supernormal power came three times to where I was, instructed me three times, and established me in the standing of a great man.” When the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana had spoken this discourse, the bhikṣus, having heard what he said, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.

〔503 · Dwelling Only in a Coarse Attainment〕（0132c08）Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying at Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time the venerable Śāriputra, the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, and the venerable Ānanda were at Rājagṛha, in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove, dwelling together in one room. Then the venerable Śāriputra, in the last watch of the night, said to the venerable Maudgalyāyana: “Wonderful, venerable Maudgalyāyana! Tonight you dwelt in the attainment of quiescence.” The venerable Maudgalyāyana heard the venerable Śāriputra’s words; [Śāriputra] again said to the venerable Maudgalyāyana: “I did not hear the sound of your breathing at all.” The venerable Maudgalyāyana said: “This was not the attainment of quiescence; I dwelt only in a coarse attainment. Venerable Śāriputra! Tonight I was speaking with the World-Honored One.”

The venerable Śāriputra said: “Maudgalyāyana! The World-Honored One is staying at Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, very far from here; how did you speak together? You are now in the Bamboo Grove; how did you speak together? Did you go to where the World-Honored One is by supernormal power? Or did the World-Honored One come to where you are by supernormal power?” The venerable Maudgalyāyana said to the venerable Śāriputra: “I did not go to where the World-Honored One is by supernormal power, nor did the World-Honored One come to where I am by supernormal power; but I heard him between Śrāvastī and Rājagṛha, because the World-Honored One and I have both attained the divine eye and the divine ear. I was able to ask the World-Honored One: ‘What is called diligent effort—what is called diligent effort?’ The World-Honored One answered me: ‘Maudgalyāyana! If this bhikṣu by day walks or sits and purifies his mind by the unobstructed dharmas; in the first watch of the night sits or walks and purifies his mind by the unobstructed dharmas; in the middle watch of the night goes out of his room and washes his feet, returns into his room, lies down on his right side with foot resting on foot, binds his thoughts to the perception of light, mindful and clearly knowing, and keeps in mind the perception of rising; in the last watch of the night wakes slowly and rises slowly, sits or walks, and purifies his mind by the unobstructed dharmas—Maudgalyāyana! This is called a bhikṣu’s diligent effort.’”

The venerable Śāriputra said to the venerable Maudgalyāyana: “You, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, are truly of great supernormal power, of great merit and power, sitting at ease; and I too am of great power, in that I am together with you. Maudgalyāyana! It is as when someone takes a small stone and throws it onto a great mountain, [and the small stone with] the great mountain are the same in colour and taste; so too am I, who am seated on the same seat with a venerable one of such great power and great virtue. It is as with the fresh and pure fine things of the world, which everyone bears on their heads. Likewise the venerable Maudgalyāyana is of great virtue and great power, and all who live the pure conduct should bear him on their heads. All who meet the venerable Maudgalyāyana, keep company with him, and revere and make offerings to him gain great benefit; and I now too, keeping company with the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, also gain benefit.”

Then the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana said to the venerable Śāriputra: “That I now sit on the same seat with the venerable Śāriputra, of great wisdom and great virtue, is as when a small stone is thrown onto a great mountain and takes on the same colour; so too am I, seated on the same seat with the venerable Śāriputra of great wisdom, as his second companion.” Then the two venerables, having finished their discussion, each rose from his seat and left.