2.
The Discourse on Tālapuṭa
354.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
Then Tālapuṭa the actor-headman approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, Tālapuṭa the actor-headman said this to the Blessed One -
"I have heard this, venerable sir, from actors of former times, teachers and teachers' teachers, when they speak -
'Whatever actor in the midst of the stage, in the midst of a festive gathering, makes people laugh and delights them with truth and falsehood, he, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the laughing gods.'
What does the Blessed One say about this?"
"Enough, headman, let this be.
Do not ask me this."
For the second time Tālapuṭa the actor-headman said this to the Blessed One -
"I have heard this, venerable sir, from actors of former times, teachers and teachers' teachers, when they speak -
'Whatever actor in the midst of the stage, in the midst of a festive gathering, makes people laugh and delights them with truth and falsehood, he, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the laughing gods.'
What does the Blessed One say about this?"
"Enough, headman, let this be.
Do not ask me this."
For the third time Tālapuṭa the actor-headman said this to the Blessed One -
"I have heard this, venerable sir, from actors of former times, teachers and teachers' teachers, when they speak -
'Whatever actor in the midst of the stage, in the midst of a festive gathering, makes people laugh and delights them with truth and falsehood, he, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the laughing gods.'
What does the Blessed One say about this?"
"Certainly indeed I cannot obtain from you - 'Enough, headman, let this be, do not ask me this.' But I will explain to you. Formerly, headman, beings were not free from lust, bound by the bondage of lust. For them the actor in the midst of the stage, in the midst of a festive gathering, presents those mental states that arouse lust even more exceedingly. Formerly, headman, beings were not free from hate, bound by the bondage of hate. For them the actor in the midst of the stage, in the midst of a festive gathering, presents those mental states that arouse hate even more exceedingly. Formerly, headman, beings were not free from delusion, bound by the bondage of delusion. For them the actor in the midst of the stage, in the midst of a festive gathering, presents those mental states that arouse delusion even more exceedingly. He himself being intoxicated and heedless, having made others intoxicated and heedless, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a hell called 'Laughter'. But if he holds such a view: 'Whatever actor in the midst of the stage, in the midst of a festive gathering, makes people laugh and delights them with truth and falsehood, he, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the laughing gods' - that is his wrong view. For a person of wrong view, headman, I declare one of two destinations - either hell or the animal realm."
When this was said, Tālapuṭa the headman of actors wailed and shed tears. "This indeed, headman, I did not obtain - 'Enough, headman, let this be; do not ask me this.'" "I am not, venerable sir, weeping because the Blessed One said thus to me; but I, venerable sir, have been cheated, deceived, deluded for a long time by former teachers and teachers' teachers who were actors - 'That actor who in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the festival, makes people laugh and delights them with truth and falsehood, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of the laughing gods.'" "Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, one might set upright what had been overturned, or reveal what had been concealed, or point out the path to one who was lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness - so that those with good eyesight might see forms; so too, the Teaching has been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. I, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May I, venerable sir, receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination." Then Tālapuṭa the headman of actors received the going forth under the Blessed One, he received the full ordination. And not long after being fully ordained, the Venerable Tālapuṭa, ... became one of the Worthy Ones. The second.