2.
The Discourse at Devadaha
2.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Devadaha, a market town of the Sakyans.
Then several monks who were going to the western country approached the Blessed One;
having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, those monks said this to the Blessed One -
"We wish, venerable sir, to go to the western country, to take up residence in the western country."
"But have you, monks, taken leave of Sāriputta?" "No, venerable sir, we have not taken leave of the Venerable Sāriputta." "Take leave of Sāriputta, monks. Sāriputta, monks, is wise, a helper of his fellows in the holy life." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
Now at that time the Venerable Sāriputta was seated not far from the Blessed One in a certain clump of eḷagalā shrubs. Then those monks, having delighted in and given thanks for what the Blessed One had said, rose from their seats, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on their right, and approached the Venerable Sāriputta; having approached, they exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those monks said this to the Venerable Sāriputta - "We wish, friend Sāriputta, to go to the western country, to take up residence in the western country. We have taken leave of the Teacher."
"There are, friends, those who ask questions of a monk who has gone to various foreign kingdoms - wise warriors, wise brahmins, wise householders, and wise ascetics. Wise people, friends, are investigators - 'What does the venerable ones' Teacher assert, what does he proclaim? Have the teachings been well heard, well grasped, well attended to, well retained, well penetrated by wisdom by the venerable ones, so that when answering the venerable ones would be ones who speak what has been said by the Blessed One, and would not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue, and would explain what is in conformity with the Teaching, and no reasonable counter-argument would come to a blameworthy position?'"
"We would come even from afar, friend, to the presence of the Venerable Sāriputta to understand the meaning of this statement. It would be good indeed if the meaning of this statement would occur to the Venerable Sāriputta himself." "Well then, friends, listen and pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, friend," those monks assented to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this -
"There are, friends, those who ask questions of a monk who has gone to various foreign kingdoms - wise warriors, etc. wise ascetics. Wise people, friends, are investigators - 'What does the venerable ones' Teacher assert, what does he proclaim?' Thus questioned, you, friends, should answer thus - 'Our Teacher, friends, is one who proclaims the removal of desire and lust.'"
"Even when thus answered, friends, there would still be those who ask a further question - wise warriors, etc. wise ascetics. Wise people, friends, are investigators - 'In what does the venerable ones' Teacher teach the removal of desire and lust?' Thus questioned, you, friends, should answer thus - 'In matter, friends, the Teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust; in feeling, in perception, in activities, in consciousness the Teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust.'
"Even when thus answered, friends, there would still be those who ask a further question - wise warriors, etc. wise ascetics. Wise people, friends, are investigators - 'Having seen what danger does the venerable ones' Teacher teach the removal of desire and lust in matter, in feeling, in perception, in activities, in consciousness the Teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust?' Thus questioned, you, friends, should answer thus - 'In matter, friends, for one whose lust has not departed, whose desire has not departed, whose affection has not departed, whose thirst has not departed, whose fever has not departed, whose craving has not departed, from the change and alteration of that matter there arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish. In feeling, in perception, in activities, for one whose lust has not departed, etc. whose craving has not departed, from the change and alteration of those activities there arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish. In consciousness, for one whose lust has not departed, whose desire has not departed, whose affection has not departed, whose thirst has not departed, whose fever has not departed, whose craving has not departed, from the change and alteration of that consciousness there arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish. Having seen this danger, friends, the Teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust in matter, in feeling, in perception, in activities, in consciousness the Teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust.'
"Even when thus answered, friends, there would still be those who ask a further question - wise warriors, wise brahmins, wise householders, and wise ascetics. Wise people, friends, are investigators - 'Having seen what benefit does the venerable ones' Teacher teach the removal of desire and lust in matter, in feeling, in perception, in activities, in consciousness the Teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust?' Thus questioned, you, friends, should answer thus - 'In matter, friends, for one whose lust has departed, whose desire has departed, whose affection has departed, whose thirst has departed, whose fever has departed, whose craving has departed, from the change and alteration of that matter there do not arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish. In feeling, in perception, in activities, for one whose lust has departed, whose desire has departed, whose affection has departed, whose thirst has departed, whose fever has departed, whose craving has departed, from the change and alteration of those activities there do not arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish. In consciousness, for one whose lust has departed, whose desire has departed, whose affection has departed, whose thirst has departed, whose fever has departed, whose craving has departed, from the change and alteration of that consciousness there do not arise sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure and anguish. Having seen this benefit, friends, the Teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust in matter, in feeling, in perception, in activities, in consciousness the Teacher teaches the removal of desire and lust.'
"Friend, if for one having attained unwholesome mental states and dwelling therein, there were a pleasant abiding in this very life, without vexation, without anguish, without fever, and upon the body's collapse at death, a fortunate realm were to be expected, the Blessed One would not praise the abandoning of unwholesome mental states. But because, friend, for one having attained unwholesome mental states and dwelling therein, there is a painful abiding in this very life, with vexation, with anguish, with fever, and upon the body's collapse at death, an unfortunate realm is to be expected, therefore the Blessed One praises the abandoning of unwholesome mental states.
Friend, if for one having attained wholesome mental states and dwelling therein, there were a painful abiding in this very life, with vexation, with anguish, with fever, and upon the body's collapse at death, an unfortunate realm were to be expected, the Blessed One would not praise the undertaking of wholesome mental states. But because, friend, for one having attained wholesome mental states and dwelling therein, there is a pleasant abiding in this very life, without vexation, without anguish, without fever, and upon the body's collapse at death, a fortunate realm is to be expected, therefore the Blessed One praises the undertaking of wholesome mental states."
This the Venerable Sāriputta said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Venerable Sāriputta had said. The second.