1.
The First Discourse on Mahānāma
1017.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Monastery.
Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said this to the Blessed One -
"This Kapilavatthu, venerable sir, is successful and prosperous, belonging to the public, crowded with people, with congested cul-de-sacs.
I, venerable sir, having attended upon the Blessed One or upon monks who are inspiring to the mind, when entering Kapilavatthu in the evening;
I encounter even a stray elephant, venerable sir;
I encounter even a stray horse, venerable sir;
I encounter even a stray chariot, venerable sir;
I encounter even a stray cart, venerable sir;
I encounter even a stray person, venerable sir.
At that time, venerable sir, my mindfulness concerning the Blessed One becomes confused, my mindfulness concerning the Teaching becomes confused, my mindfulness concerning the Community becomes confused.
It occurs to me, venerable sir, thus -
'If I were to die at this time, what would be my destination, what would be my future life?'"
"Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear, Mahānāma! Your death will not be evil, your making of time will not be evil. For anyone, Mahānāma, whose mind has for a long time been developed through faith, developed through morality, developed through learning, developed through generosity, developed through wisdom, this body of his which is material, made of the four great elements, originating from mother and father, built up from cooked rice and food made with flour, subject to impermanence, to rubbing, massaging, breaking up and destruction. That right here crows eat, or vultures eat, or hawks eat, or dogs eat, or jackals eat, or various kinds of creatures eat; but whatever mind of his has for a long time been developed through faith, etc. developed through wisdom, that goes upward, goes to distinction.
"Just as, Mahānāma, a man might plunge a pot of ghee or a pot of oil into a deep lake and break it. There, whatever gravel or potsherds there might be, they would go downwards; but whatever ghee or oil there might be, that would go upwards, would go to distinction. So too, Mahānāma, for anyone whose mind has for a long time been developed through faith, etc. developed through wisdom, this body of his which is material, made of the four great elements, originating from mother and father, built up from cooked rice and food made with flour, subject to impermanence, to rubbing, massaging, breaking up and destruction - that right here crows eat, or vultures eat, or hawks eat, or dogs eat, or jackals eat, or various kinds of creatures eat; but whatever mind of his has for a long time been developed through faith, etc. developed through wisdom, that goes upward, goes to distinction. But your mind, Mahānāma, has for a long time been developed through faith, etc. developed through wisdom. Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear, Mahānāma! Your death will not be evil, your making of time will not be evil." The first.