11.
The First Discourse on Being Beyond the Count of Decades
42.
Then the Venerable Sāriputta, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood.
Then this occurred to the Venerable Sāriputta:
"It is still very early to walk for almsfood in Sāvatthī.
What if I were to approach the park of the heterodox wandering ascetics?"
Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the park of the heterodox wandering ascetics;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with those heterodox wandering ascetics.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Now at that time, when those heterodox wandering ascetics were sitting together assembled, this discussion arose -
"Friends, anyone at all who lives the complete and pure holy life for twelve years is fit to be called a monk ‘beyond the count of decades'."
Then the Venerable Sāriputta neither delighted in nor protested against what those heterodox wandering ascetics had said. Without delighting in and without protesting against, he rose from his seat and departed - "I shall understand the meaning of this statement in the presence of the Blessed One." Then the Venerable Sāriputta, having walked for almsfood in Sāvatthī, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Blessed One -
"Here I, venerable sir, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking my bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. Then, venerable sir, this occurred to me: 'It is still very early to walk for almsfood in Sāvatthī. What if I were to approach the park of the heterodox wandering ascetics?' Then, venerable sir, I approached the park of the heterodox wandering ascetics; having approached, I exchanged friendly greetings with those heterodox wandering ascetics. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, I sat down to one side. Now at that time, venerable sir, when those heterodox wandering ascetics were sitting together assembled, this discussion arose - 'Friends, anyone at all who lives the complete and pure holy life for twelve years is fit to be called a monk "beyond the count of decades".' Then, venerable sir, I neither delighted in nor protested against what those heterodox wandering ascetics had said. Without delighting in and without protesting against, I rose from my seat and departed - 'I shall understand the meaning of this in the presence of the Blessed One.' Venerable sir, is it possible, in this Teaching and discipline, to designate a monk as ‘beyond the count of decades' merely by the counting of years?"
"Sāriputta, it is indeed not possible, in this Teaching and discipline, to designate a monk as ‘beyond the count of decades' merely by the counting of years. There are, Sāriputta, these seven ways for being ‘beyond the count of decades’ that I have realised for myself with direct knowledge and proclaimed them.
"What seven? Here, Sāriputta, a monk has a keen desire for undertaking the training and does not lose his fondness for undertaking the training in the future; he has a keen desire to attend to the Teaching and does not lose his fondness for attending to the Teaching in the future; he has a keen desire to remove vain wishes and does not lose his fondness for removing vain wishes in the future; he has a keen desire for seclusion and does not lose his fondness for seclusion in the future; he has a keen desire to arouse energy and does not lose his fondness for arousing energy in the future; he has a keen desire for mindfulness and prudence, and does not lose his fondness for mindfulness and prudence in the future; he has a keen desire to penetrate by view and does not lose his fondness for penetrating by view in the future. These, Sāriputta, are the seven ways for being ‘beyond the count of decades’ that I have realised for myself with direct knowledge and proclaimed them. Sāriputta, a monk who possesses these seven ways for being ‘beyond the count of decades’, even if he lives the complete and pure holy life for twelve years, he is fit to be called a monk ‘beyond the count of decades'; even if he lives the complete and pure holy life for twenty-four years, he is fit to be called a monk ‘beyond the count of decades'; even if he lives the complete and pure holy life for thirty-six years, he is fit to be called a monk ‘beyond the count of decades'; even if he lives the complete and pure holy life for forty-eight years, he is fit to be called a monk ‘beyond the count of decades'." The eleventh.