10.
The Discourse on Gavesī
180.
On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on a journey among the Kosalans together with a large Community of monks.
The Blessed One, travelling on the highway, saw in a certain region a great sal grove;
having seen it, having turned aside from the road, he approached that sal grove;
having approached, having plunged into that sal grove, he manifested a smile at a certain spot.
Then this occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: "What is the cause, what is the condition, for the Blessed One's manifestation of a smile? Truth-finders do not manifest a smile without reason." Then the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, for the Blessed One's manifestation of a smile? Truth-finders do not manifest a smile without reason."
"Once in the past, Ānanda, in this region there was a city, prosperous and flourishing, with many people, crowded with people. Now, Ānanda, the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, dwelt in dependence on that city. Now, Ānanda, the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had a lay follower named Gavesī who did not fulfil the moral precepts. By the lay follower Gavesī, Ānanda, about five hundred lay followers were acknowledged and encouraged, who did not fulfil the moral precepts. Then, Ānanda, this occurred to the lay follower Gavesī: 'I am very helpful to these five hundred lay followers, a forerunner, an instigator, and I do not fulfil the moral precepts, and these five hundred lay followers do not fulfil the moral precepts. Thus this is exactly equal, there is nothing exceeding; come, let me exceed.'
Then, Ānanda, the lay follower Gavesī approached those five hundred lay followers; having approached, he said this to those five hundred lay followers: 'From this day forth, venerables, remember me as one who fulfils the moral precepts!' Then, Ānanda, this occurred to those five hundred lay followers: 'The noble Gavesī has been very helpful to us, a forerunner, an instigator. If indeed the noble Gavesī will be one who fulfils the moral precepts, how much more then we!' Then, Ānanda, those five hundred lay followers approached the lay follower Gavesī; having approached, they said this to the lay follower Gavesī: 'From this day forth, let the noble Gavesī remember these five hundred lay followers too as ones who fulfil the moral precepts.' Then, Ānanda, this occurred to the lay follower Gavesī: 'I am very helpful to these five hundred lay followers, a forerunner, an instigator, and I fulfil the moral precepts, and these five hundred lay followers too fulfil the moral precepts. Thus this is exactly equal, there is nothing exceeding; come, let me exceed!'
Then, Ānanda, the lay follower Gavesī approached those five hundred lay followers; having approached, he said this to those five hundred lay followers: "From this day forth, venerables, remember me as one leading the holy life, keeping far away, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice." Then, Ānanda, this occurred to those five hundred lay followers: 'The noble Gavesī has been very helpful to us, a forerunner, an instigator. If the noble Gavesī will lead the holy life, keeping far away, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice, far less then we!" Then, Ānanda, those five hundred lay followers approached the lay follower Gavesī; having approached, they said this to the lay follower Gavesī: "From this day forth, let the noble Gavesī remember these five hundred lay followers too as ones leading the holy life, keeping far away, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice." Then, Ānanda, this occurred to the lay follower Gavesī: "I am indeed very helpful to these five hundred lay followers, a forerunner, an instigator. And I am one who fulfils the moral precepts. These five hundred lay followers too are ones who fulfil the moral precepts. And I am one leading the holy life, keeping far away, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice. These five hundred lay followers too are ones leading the holy life, keeping far away, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice. Thus this is exactly equal, there is nothing exceeding; come, let me exceed.'
Then, Ānanda, the lay follower Gavesī approached those five hundred lay followers; having approached, he said this to those five hundred lay followers: "From this day forth, venerables, remember me as one eating one meal a day, abstaining from eating at night, abstaining from eating at the improper time." Then, Ānanda, this occurred to those five hundred lay followers: "The noble Gavesī is indeed very helpful, a forerunner, an instigator. If the noble Gavesī will eat one meal a day, abstaining from eating at night, abstaining from eating at the improper time, far less then we!" Then, Ānanda, those five hundred lay followers approached the lay follower Gavesī; having approached, they said this to the lay follower Gavesī: "From this day forth, let the noble Gavesī remember these five hundred lay followers too as ones eating one meal a day, abstaining from eating at night, abstaining from eating at the improper time." Then, Ānanda, this occurred to the lay follower Gavesī: "I am indeed very helpful to these five hundred lay followers, a forerunner, an instigator. And I am one who fulfils the moral precepts. These five hundred lay followers too are ones who fulfil the moral precepts. And I am one leading the holy life, keeping far away, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice. These five hundred lay followers too are ones leading the holy life, keeping far away, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice. And I am one eating one meal a day, abstaining from eating at night, abstaining from eating at the improper time. These five hundred lay followers too are ones eating one meal a day, abstaining from eating at night, abstaining from eating at the improper time. Thus this is exactly equal, there is nothing exceeding; come, let me exceed.'
"Then, Ānanda, the lay follower Gavesī approached the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; having approached, he said this to the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One - 'May I, venerable sir, receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination.' Then, Ānanda, the lay follower Gavesī received the going forth under the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, he received the full ordination. Not long after being fully ordained, Ānanda, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the monk Gavesī soon realised for himself, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being." And the monk Gavesī, Ānanda, became one of the Worthy Ones.
"Then, Ānanda, this occurred to those five hundred lay followers - 'The noble Gavesī has been very helpful to us, a forerunner, an instigator. If even the noble Gavesī will go forth from home into homelessness, having shaved off his hair and beard, having put on ochre robes, far less then we!' far less then we!" Then, Ānanda, those five hundred lay followers approached the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; having approached, they said this to the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One - 'May we, venerable sir, receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may we receive the full ordination.' Then those five hundred lay followers, Ānanda, received the going forth under the Blessed One Kassapa, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, they received the full ordination.
"Then, Ānanda, this occurred to the monk Gavesī - 'I am one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, this unsurpassed bliss of liberation. Oh, may these five hundred monks too be ones who obtain at will, obtain without difficulty, obtain without trouble, this unsurpassed bliss of liberation!' Then, Ānanda, dwelling withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, those five hundred monks soon realised for themselves, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, they dwelt in it. They directly knew: 'Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.'"
"Thus indeed, Ānanda, those five hundred monks, with Gavesī as their chief, striving progressively higher and higher, progressively more sublime and more sublime, realised the unsurpassed liberation. Therefore, Ānanda, you should train thus - 'Striving progressively higher and higher, progressively more sublime and more sublime, we will realise the unsurpassed liberation.' Thus indeed, Ānanda, should you train." The tenth.