2.
The Discourse on Migasālā
44.
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, approached the dwelling of the female lay follower Migasālā;
having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat.
Then the female lay follower Migasālā approached the Venerable Ānanda;
having approached, he paid respect to the Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the female lay follower Migasālā said this to the Venerable Ānanda -
"How is it, Venerable Ānanda, that this Teaching expounded by the Blessed One is to be understood, where indeed a practitioner of the holy life and one who is not a practitioner of the holy life will both have the same destination in the future life? My father, venerable sir, Purāṇa, was a practitioner of the holy life, living far from, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice. He died and was declared by the Blessed One to be a once-returner, reborn in the Tusita realm. My uncle, venerable sir, Isidatta, was not a practitioner of the holy life, but was content with his own wife. He too died and was declared by the Blessed One to have attained once-returning, reborn in the Tusita realm. How is it, Venerable Ānanda, that this Teaching expounded by the Blessed One is to be understood, where indeed a practitioner of the holy life and one who is not a practitioner of the holy life will both have the same destination in the future life?" "Thus indeed, sister, this has been declared by the Blessed One."
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having received almsfood at the dwelling of the female lay follower Migasālā, rose from his seat and departed. Then the Venerable Ānanda, 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 Ānanda said this to the Blessed One -
"Here I, venerable sir, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking my bowl and robe, approached the dwelling of the female lay follower Migasālā; having approached, I sat down on the prepared seat. Then, venerable sir, the female lay follower Migasālā approached me; having approached, he paid respect to me and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, venerable sir, the female lay follower Migasālā said this to me - 'How is it, Venerable Ānanda, that this Teaching expounded by the Blessed One is to be understood, where indeed a practitioner of the holy life and one who is not a practitioner of the holy life will both have the same destination in the future life? My father, venerable sir, Purāṇa, was a practitioner of the holy life, living far from, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice. He died and was declared by the Blessed One to have attained once-returning, reborn in the Tusita realm. My uncle, venerable sir, Isidatta, was not a practitioner of the holy life, but was content with his own wife. He too died and was declared by the Blessed One to have attained once-returning, reborn in the Tusita realm. How is it, Venerable Ānanda, that this Teaching expounded by the Blessed One is to be understood, where indeed a practitioner of the holy life and one who is not a practitioner of the holy life will both have the same destination in the future life?' When this was said, I, venerable sir, said this to the female lay follower Migasālā - 'Thus indeed, sister, this has been declared by the Blessed One.'"
"And who, Ānanda, is the female lay follower Migasālā, foolish, inexperienced, a mere woman with a woman's perception, and who are those with knowledge of the higher and lower faculties of persons? There are, Ānanda, these six persons existing and found in the world.
"Which six? Here, Ānanda, a certain person is gentle and pleasant to live with, and his fellow monks in the holy life delight in living together with him. For him, what should be done by hearing has not been done, what should be done by great learning has not been done, what should be penetrated by view has not been penetrated, and he does not obtain even temporary liberation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, goes to decline, not to distinction; he is one going to decline, not one going to distinction.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person is gentle and pleasant to live with, and his fellow monks in the holy life delight in living together with him. For him, what should be done by hearing has been done, what should be done by great learning has been done, what should be penetrated by view has been penetrated, and he obtains temporary liberation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, goes to distinction, not to decline; he is one going to distinction, not one going to decline.
"Therein, Ānanda, those who measure by measure judge - 'This one has the same qualities, that one has the same qualities; why is one of them inferior and one superior?' That indeed, Ānanda, is for their harm and suffering for a long time.
"Therein, Ānanda, that person who is gentle and pleasant to live with, whose fellow monks in the holy life delight in living together with him, for whom what should be done by hearing has been done, what should be done by great learning has been done, what should be penetrated by view has been penetrated, and who obtains temporary liberation - This person, Ānanda, is more excellent and more sublime than that former person. What is the reason for this? The stream of the Teaching carries this person along, Ānanda; who could know that difference except for the Truth-finder! Therefore, Ānanda, do not be ones who measure by measure regarding persons; do not take the measure of persons. One who takes the measure of persons is injured, Ānanda. Either I, Ānanda, should take the measure of persons, or one who is like me.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person has overcome wrath and conceit, yet from time to time states of greed arise in him. For him, what should be done by hearing has not been done, what should be done by great learning has not been done, what should be penetrated by view has not been penetrated, and he does not obtain even temporary liberation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, goes to decline, not to distinction; he is one going to decline, not one going to distinction.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person has overcome wrath and conceit, yet from time to time states of greed arise in him. For him, what should be done by hearing has been done, etc. not one going to decline.
"Therein, Ānanda, those who measure by measure judge, etc. or one who is like me.
"Here, Ānanda, a certain person has overcome wrath and conceit, yet from time to time verbal activities arise in him. For him, what should be done by hearing has not been done, etc. and he does not obtain even temporary liberation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, goes to decline, not to distinction; he is one going to decline, not one going to distinction.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person has attained wrath and conceit, and from time to time verbal activities arise in him. For him, what should be done by hearing has been done, what should be done by great learning has been done, what should be penetrated by view has been penetrated, and he obtains temporary liberation. He, upon the body's collapse at death, goes to distinction, not to decline; he is one going to distinction, not one going to decline.
"Therein, Ānanda, those who measure by measure judge - 'This one has just these qualities, that one too has just these qualities. Why is one of them inferior and one superior?' That indeed, Ānanda, is for their harm and suffering for a long time.
"Therein, Ānanda, as to that person who has attained wrath and conceit, and from time to time verbal activities arise in him, for him what should be heard has been heard, what should be done through great learning has been done, what should be penetrated by view has been penetrated, and he obtains temporary liberation. This person, Ānanda, is more excellent and more sublime than that former person. What is the reason for this? The stream of the Teaching, Ānanda, carries this person along. Who could know that difference except the Truth-finder! Therefore, Ānanda, do not be ones who measure by measure regarding persons; do not take the measure of persons. One who takes the measure of persons is injured, Ānanda. Either I, Ānanda, should take the measure of persons, or one who is like me.
"And who is the female lay follower Migasālā - foolish, inexperienced, a mere woman with a woman's perception - and who are those with knowledge of the higher and lower faculties of persons! These, Ānanda, are the six persons existing and found in the world.
"If, Ānanda, Isidatta had been endowed with such morality as Purāṇa was endowed with, then Purāṇa would not have known even Isidatta's destination. And if, Ānanda, Purāṇa had been endowed with such wisdom as Isidatta was endowed with, then Isidatta would not have known even Purāṇa's destination. Thus, Ānanda, these two persons were each deficient in one factor." The second.