4.
The First Discourse on the Simile of the Log of Wood
241.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī on the bank of the river Ganges.
The Blessed One saw a great log of wood being swept along by the stream of the river Ganges.
Having seen them, he addressed the monks -
"Do you see, monks, that great log of wood being swept along by the stream of the river Ganges?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"If, monks, that log of wood does not approach the near shore, does not approach the far shore, does not sink in the middle, does not get stranded on dry ground, is not seized by humans, is not seized by non-human spirits, is not seized by a whirlpool, does not become rotten inside;
thus indeed, monks, that log of wood will be slanting towards the ocean, sloping towards the ocean, inclining towards the ocean.
What is the reason for this?
The stream of the river Ganges, monks, slants towards the ocean, slopes towards the ocean, inclines towards the ocean.
"So too, monks, if you too do not approach the near shore, do not approach the far shore; do not sink in the middle, do not get stranded on dry ground, are not seized by humans, are not seized by non-human spirits, are not seized by a whirlpool, do not become rotten inside; thus you, monks, will be slanting towards Nibbāna, sloping towards Nibbāna, inclining towards Nibbāna. What is the reason for this? Right view, monks, slants towards Nibbāna, slopes towards Nibbāna, inclines towards Nibbāna." When this was said, a certain monk said this to the Blessed One - "What indeed, venerable sir, is the near shore, what is the far shore, what is sinking in the middle, what is getting stranded on dry ground, what is being seized by humans, what is being seized by non-human spirits, what is being seized by a whirlpool, what is the state of being rotten inside?"
"'The near shore', monk, this is a designation for the six internal sense bases. 'The far shore', monk, this is a designation for the six external sense bases. 'Sinking in the middle', monk, this is a designation for delight and lust. 'Getting stranded on dry ground', monk, this is a designation for the conceit 'I am'.
"And what, monk, is being seized by humans? Here, monk, one dwells in company with laypeople, rejoicing together, sharing another's sorrow, happy when they are happy, unhappy when they are unhappy, when duties to be done have arisen he himself commits to exertion in them. This is called, monk, being seized by humans.
"And what, monk, is being seized by non-human spirits? Here, monk, a certain one lives the holy life having aspired to a certain order of gods - 'By this morality or by this ascetic practice or by this austerity or by this holy life I shall become a god or an inferior deity.' This is called, monk, being seized by non-human spirits. 'Being seized by a whirlpool', monk, this is a designation for these five kinds of sensual pleasure.
"And what, monk, is the state of being rotten inside? Here, monk, a certain one is immoral, of bad character, of impure and suspicious conduct, of concealed actions, not a recluse though claiming to be a recluse, not a practitioner of the holy life though claiming to be a practitioner of the holy life, rotten inside, filled with desire, rubbish-born. This is called, monk, 'the state of being rotten inside.'"
Now at that time Nanda the cowherd was standing not far from the Blessed One. Then Nanda the cowherd said this to the Blessed One - "I, venerable sir, will not approach the near shore, will not approach the far shore, will not sink in the middle, will not be stranded on dry ground, no human seizure will seize me, no non-human seizure will seize me, no whirlpool seizure will seize me, I will not become inwardly rotten. May I, venerable sir, receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination." "Well then, Nanda, hand over the cattle to the owners." "The cattle, venerable sir, will go by themselves, longing for their calves." "Hand over the cattle to the owners, Nanda." Then Nanda the cowherd, having handed over the cattle to the owners, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he said this to the Blessed One - "The cattle have been handed over to the owners, venerable sir. May I, venerable sir, receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination." Then Nanda the cowherd received the going forth under the Blessed One, he received the full ordination. And not long after being fully ordained, the Venerable Nanda, dwelling alone, withdrawn ... And the Venerable Nanda became one of the Worthy Ones. The fourth.