10.
Discourse on the Dwelling
153.
Thus have I heard.
On one occasion the venerable Mahākassapa was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Then the venerable Ānanda, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, approached the venerable Mahākassapa;
having approached, he said this to the venerable Mahākassapa -
"Come, venerable Kassapa, let us approach a certain nuns' quarters."
"Go yourself, friend Ānanda, you have much to do, you have many duties."
For the second time the venerable Ānanda said this to the venerable Mahākassapa -
"Come, venerable Kassapa, let us approach a certain nuns' quarters."
"Go yourself, friend Ānanda, you have much to do, you have many duties."
For the third time the venerable Ānanda said this to the venerable Mahākassapa -
"Come, venerable Kassapa, let us approach a certain nuns' quarters."
Then the venerable Mahākassapa, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, with the venerable Ānanda as his attendant monk, approached a certain nuns' quarters; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Then several nuns approached the venerable Mahākassapa; having approached, they paid respect to the venerable Mahākassapa and sat down to one side. To those nuns seated to one side, the venerable Mahākassapa instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened them with a talk on the Teaching. Then the venerable Mahākassapa, having instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened those nuns with a talk on the Teaching, rose from his seat and departed.
Then the nun Thullatissā, displeased, uttered words of displeasure - "How can the noble Mahākassapa think to speak on the Teaching in the presence of the noble Ānanda, the wise sage? Just as a needle-seller might think to sell a needle in the presence of a needle-maker; so too the noble Mahākassapa thinks to speak on the Teaching in the presence of the noble Ānanda, the wise sage."
The venerable Mahākassapa heard the nun Thullatissā speaking these words. Then the venerable Mahākassapa said this to the venerable Ānanda - "Now what, friend Ānanda, am I the needle-seller and you the needle-maker; or am I the needle-maker and you the needle-seller?" "Be patient, venerable Kassapa, foolish is womankind." "Wait, friend Ānanda, lest the Community investigate you further.
"What do you think, friend Ānanda, were you brought forward in the Blessed One’s presence before the community of monks - 'I, monks, whenever I wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enter and dwell in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and bliss born of seclusion. Ānanda too, monks, whenever he wishes, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enters upon and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and bliss born of seclusion'?" "No, venerable Sir."
"I indeed, friend, was brought up in the Blessed One’s presence before the community of monks - 'I, monks, whenever I wish, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enter and dwell in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and bliss born of seclusion. Kassapa too, monks, whenever he wishes, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states... etc. enters upon and dwells in the first meditative absorption'... etc.
"What do you think, friend Ānanda, were you brought forward in the Blessed One’s presence before the community of monks - 'I, monks, through the elimination of the mental corruptions, realised by my own direct knowledge, in this very life, the liberation of mind and the liberation by wisdom that are free from mental corruptions and, having entered upon them, dwell in them. Ānanda too, monks, through the elimination of the mental corruptions, realised by his own direct knowledge, in this very life, the liberation of mind and the liberation by wisdom that are free from mental corruptions and, having entered upon them, dwells in them'?" "No, venerable Sir."
"I indeed, friend, was brought up in the Blessed One’s presence before the community of monks - 'I, monks, through the elimination of the mental corruptions, realised by my own direct knowledge, in this very life, the liberation of mind and the liberation by wisdom that are free from mental corruptions and, having entered upon them, dwell in them. Kassapa too, monks, through the elimination of the mental corruptions, realised by his own direct knowledge, in this very life, the liberation of mind and the liberation by wisdom that are free from mental corruptions and, having entered upon them, dwells in them.'"
"One might think, friend, to conceal a seven-cubit elephant or a seven-and-a-half-cubit one with a palm leaf, who might think to conceal my six direct knowledges."
And the nun Thullatissā fell away from the holy life. The tenth.