4.
The Discourse to Bhāradvāja
127.
On one occasion the Venerable Piṇḍolabhāradvāja was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park.
Then King Udena approached the Venerable Piṇḍolabhāradvāja;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Piṇḍolabhāradvāja.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, King Udena said this to the Venerable Piṇḍolabhāradvāja -
"What indeed, dear Bhāradvāja, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these young monks, youths with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life, ones who have not played in sensual pleasures, live the holy life that is complete and pure for as long as life lasts, and continue the course?"
"This was said, great king, by that Blessed One, who knows and sees, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One -
'Come, monks, establish the thought of a mother towards those who are like mothers, establish the thought of a sister towards those who are like sisters, establish the thought of a daughter towards those who are like daughters.'
This, great king, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these young monks, youths with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life, ones who have not played in sensual pleasures, live the holy life that is complete and pure for as long as life lasts, and continue the course."
"The mind is fickle, dear Bhāradvāja. Sometimes states of greed arise even towards those who are like mothers, states of greed arise even towards those who are like sisters, states of greed arise even towards those who are like daughters. Is there indeed, dear Bhāradvāja, another cause, another condition, by which these young monks, youths with black hair, etc. and continue the course?"
"This was said, great king, by that Blessed One, who knows and sees, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One - 'Come, monks, review this very body, upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the top of the hair, bounded by the skin, as full of many kinds of impurity - There are in this body head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, spittle, snot, synovic fluid, urine.' This too, great king, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these young monks, youths with black hair, etc. and continue the course." "For those monks, dear Bhāradvāja, who have developed body, developed morality, developed mind, developed wisdom, that is easy to do. But for those monks, dear Bhāradvāja, who have not developed body, not developed morality, not developed mind, not developed wisdom, that is difficult to do. Sometimes, dear Bhāradvāja, thinking 'I will attend to it as foul,' it comes as beautiful. Is there indeed, dear Bhāradvāja, another cause, another condition, by which these young monks, youths with black hair, etc. and continue the course?"
"This was said, great king, by that Blessed One, who knows and sees, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One - 'Come, monks, dwell with guarded doors in the sense faculties. Having seen a form with the eye, do not be ones who grasp at signs, nor ones who grasp at features. Since, if you were to dwell with the eye-faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon you, proceed to restrain it. Guard the eye-faculty; commit to restraint of the eye-faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear. Etc. Having smelled an odour with the nose. Having tasted a flavour with the tongue. having touched a tangible object with the body... Having cognised a mental object with the mind, do not be ones who grasp at signs, nor ones who grasp at features. Since, if you were to dwell with the mind faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon you, proceed to restrain it. Guard the mind faculty; commit to restraint of the mind faculty.' This too, great king, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these young monks, youths with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life, ones who have not played in sensual pleasures, live the holy life that is complete and pure for as long as life lasts, and continue the course."
"It is wonderful, my dear Bhāradvāja; it is marvellous, my dear Bhāradvāja! How well spoken is this, my dear Bhāradvāja, by that Blessed One, who knows and sees, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. This indeed, my dear Bhāradvāja, is the cause, this is the condition by which these young monks, youths with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the first stage of life, ones who have not played in sensual pleasures, live the holy life that is complete and pure for as long as life lasts, and continue it for a long time." I too, my dear Bhāradvāja, at the time when I enter the inner palace with body unguarded, with speech unguarded, with mind unguarded, with mindfulness not established, with faculties unrestrained, at that time states of greed very much overcome me. But when I, my dear Bhāradvāja, at the time when I enter the inner palace with body guarded, with speech guarded, with mind guarded, with mindfulness established, with faculties restrained, states of greed do not overcome me in that way at that time. Excellent, my dear Bhāradvāja; excellent, my dear Bhāradvāja! Just as, my dear Bhāradvāja, 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 Venerable Bhāradvāja in many ways. Thus I, my dear Bhāradvāja, go for refuge to that Blessed One, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May the Venerable Bhāradvāja remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life." The fourth.