10.
The Discourse on Visiting the Sick
352.
Now at that time the householder Citta was sick, afflicted, severely ill.
Then many park deities, forest deities, tree deities, and deities dwelling in medicinal plants, grasses, and forest trees, having come together and assembled, said this to the householder Citta -
"Make an aspiration, householder, that in the future you may be a wheel-turning monarch."
When this was said, the householder Citta said this to those park deities, forest deities, tree deities, and deities dwelling in medicinal plants, grasses, and forest trees - "That too is impermanent, that too is unstable, that too must be abandoned and departed from." When this was said, the friends and colleagues, relatives and blood-relations of the householder Citta said this to the householder Citta - "Establish mindfulness, master's son, do not ramble." "What am I saying that you speak to me thus - 'Establish mindfulness, master's son, do not ramble'?" "Thus indeed you, master's son, are saying - 'That too is impermanent, that too is unstable, that too must be abandoned and departed from.'" "Because indeed park deities, forest deities, tree deities, and deities dwelling in medicinal plants, grasses, and forest trees said thus to me - 'Make an aspiration, householder, that in the future you may be a wheel-turning monarch.' To them I say thus - 'That too is impermanent, etc. that too must be abandoned and departed from.'" "But what reason do those park deities, forest deities, tree deities, and deities dwelling in medicinal plants, grasses, and forest trees see that they said thus - 'Make an aspiration, householder, that in the future you may be a wheel-turning monarch'?" "Those park deities, forest deities, tree deities, and deities dwelling in medicinal plants, grasses, and forest trees think thus - 'This householder Citta is moral, of good character. If he makes an aspiration - "In the future may I be a wheel-turning monarch," this aspiration of his will succeed, because of its purity the mental aspiration of one who is moral succeeds; a righteous one sees righteous fruit.' Seeing this reason, those park deities, forest deities, tree deities, and deities dwelling in medicinal plants, grasses, and forest trees said thus - 'Make an aspiration, householder, that in the future you may be a wheel-turning monarch.' To them I say thus - 'That too is impermanent, that too is unstable, that too must be abandoned and departed from.'"
"Well then, master's son, exhort us too." "Therefore you should train thus - 'We will be endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha - 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One: the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' We will be endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching - 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the wise.' We will be endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community - 'The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising well, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising uprightly, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising by the true method, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising properly, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals; this Community of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' Whatever gift there is in the family, all that will be undivided with those who are moral and of good character' - thus indeed should you train." Then the householder Citta, having encouraged his friends and colleagues, relatives and blood-relations in the Buddha, the Teaching, the Community, and generosity, died. The tenth.