8.
The Discourse on Alms-Collecting
80.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Monastery.
Then the Blessed One, having dismissed the Community of monks for some reason, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kapilavatthu for almsfood.
Having walked for almsfood in Kapilavatthu, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, he approached the Great Wood for the day residence.
Having plunged into the Great Wood, he sat down for the day residence at the root of a young marmelos tree.
Then, when the Blessed One had gone to a private place and was in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind: "The Community of monks has been dismissed by me. There are here monks who are new, recently gone forth, newly come to this Teaching and discipline. For them, not seeing me, there might be alteration, there might be change. Just as for a young calf not seeing its mother, there might be alteration, there might be change, so too there are here monks who are new, recently gone forth, newly come to this Teaching and discipline; for them, not seeing me, there might be alteration, there might be change. Just as for young seeds not obtaining water, there might be alteration, there might be change, so too there are here, etc. for them, not obtaining an audience with me, there might be alteration, there might be change. What if, just as the Community of monks was formerly helped by me, so too I should now help the Community of monks."
Then Brahmā Sahampati, having known with his mind the reflection in the mind of the Blessed One - just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so - having vanished from the Brahma world, appeared before the Blessed One. Then Brahmā Sahampati, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One - "So it is, Blessed One; so it is, Fortunate One! The Community of monks has been dismissed by the Blessed One, venerable sir. There are here monks who are new, recently gone forth, newly come to this Teaching and discipline. For them, not seeing the Blessed One, there might be alteration, there might be change. Just as for a young calf not seeing its mother, there might be alteration, there might be change, so too there are here monks who are new, recently gone forth, newly come to this Teaching and discipline; for them, not seeing the Blessed One, there might be alteration, there might be change. Just as for young seeds not obtaining water, there might be alteration, there might be change, so too there are here monks who are new, recently gone forth, newly come to this Teaching and discipline; for them, not obtaining an audience with the Blessed One, there might be alteration, there might be change. May the Blessed One delight in the Community of monks, venerable sir; may the Blessed One greet the Community of monks, venerable sir. Just as the Community of monks was formerly helped by the Blessed One, so too may he now help the Community of monks."
The Blessed One consented by silence. Then Brahmā Sahampati, having learned of the Blessed One's acceptance, having paid respect to the Blessed One and circumambulated him keeping him on his right, disappeared right there.
Then the Blessed One, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, approached the Nigrodha park; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One performed such a feat of supernormal power that those monks, one by one and in pairs, with fearful demeanour, approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To those monks seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"This is the lowest of livelihoods, monks, that is to say, going for alms. This is a curse in the world, monks: 'You wander about as an almsman with bowl in hand.' And yet, monks, sons of good family take it up for a reason, dependent on a reason; not driven by kings, not driven by thieves, not oppressed by debt, not oppressed by fear, not overcome by livelihood; but rather: 'We are fallen into birth, ageing, death, sorrows, lamentations, sufferings, displeasures, and anguishes, fallen into suffering, afflicted by suffering; perhaps the ending of this whole mass of suffering might be discerned.'
"Thus gone forth is this son of good family, monks. And yet he is covetous, with intense lust for sensual pleasures, with a corrupted mind, with evil mental intentions, unmindful, not fully aware, unconcentrated, with a wandering mind, with uncontrolled faculties. Just as, monks, a firebrand from a funeral pyre, burning at both ends, smeared with dung in the middle, serves neither as firewood in the village nor as firewood in the forest. I say this person is similar to that, monks: fallen away from the enjoyments of a householder, and not fulfilling the goal of asceticism.
"There are these three unwholesome thoughts, monks - sensual thought, thought of anger, thought of violence. And where, monks, do these three unwholesome thoughts cease without remainder? For one dwelling with mind well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, or for one developing the signless concentration. This is enough, monks, to develop the signless concentration. The signless concentration, monks, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and great benefit.
"Monks, there are these two views - view of existence and view of non-existence. Therein, monks, a learned noble disciple considers thus: 'Is there indeed anything in the world which, if I were to cling to it, I would be without fault?' He thus understands: 'There is indeed nothing in the world which, if I were to cling to it, I would be without fault. For I, clinging, would cling just to matter; just to feeling... just to perception... clinging, would cling just to activities, just to consciousness. For me there would be existence with clinging as condition; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and anguish would come to be. Thus would be the origin of this whole mass of suffering.'"
"What do you think, monks, is materiality permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Feeling... perception... activities... consciousness... etc. Therefore, monks, seeing thus... He understands: ... there is no more coming back to any state of being.'" The eighth.