7.
The Second Discourse on Anāthapiṇḍika
1023.
At Sāvatthī.
Now at that time the householder Anāthapiṇḍika was sick, afflicted, severely ill.
Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika addressed a certain man -
"Come, my good man, go to where the Venerable Ānanda is;
having approached, in my name pay respect with your head at the Venerable Ānanda's feet -
'The householder Anāthapiṇḍika, venerable sir, is sick, afflicted, severely ill.
He pays respect with his head at the Venerable Ānanda's feet.'
And say this:
'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Venerable Ānanda would approach the dwelling of the householder Anāthapiṇḍika, out of compassion.'"
"Yes, venerable sir," that man replied to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika and approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he paid respect to the Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, that man said this to the Venerable Ānanda - "The householder Anāthapiṇḍika, venerable sir, is sick, afflicted, severely ill. He pays respect with his head at the Venerable Ānanda's feet. And he says thus - 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Venerable Ānanda would approach the dwelling of the householder Anāthapiṇḍika, out of compassion.'" The Venerable Ānanda consented by silence.
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, approached the dwelling of the householder Anāthapiṇḍika; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika - "Is it bearable for you, householder, is it endurable? Are unpleasant feelings receding, not advancing; is their receding evident, not their advancing?" "It is not bearable for me, venerable sir, not endurable. Excessive unpleasant feelings are advancing for me, not receding; their advancing is evident, not their receding."
"Householder, for an ignorant worldling endowed with four qualities there is fright, there is trepidation, there is fear of death pertaining to the future life. With which four? Here, householder, an ignorant worldling is endowed with distrust in the Buddha. When he regards that distrust in the Buddha within himself, there is fright, there is trepidation, there is fear of death pertaining to the future life.
"Furthermore, householder, an ignorant worldling is endowed with distrust in the Teaching. And when he regards that distrust in the Teaching within himself, there is fright, there is trepidation, there is fear of death pertaining to the future life.
"Furthermore, householder, an ignorant worldling is endowed with distrust in the Community. And when he regards that distrust in the Community within himself, there is fright, there is trepidation, there is fear of death pertaining to the future life.
"Furthermore, householder, an ignorant worldling is endowed with immorality. And when he regards that immorality within himself, there is fright, there is trepidation, there is fear of death pertaining to the future life. For an ignorant worldling endowed with these four qualities, householder, there is fright, there is trepidation, there is fear of death pertaining to the future life.
"For a learned noble disciple endowed with four qualities, householder, there is no fright, there is no trepidation, there is no fear of death pertaining to the future life. With which four? Here, householder, a learned noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha: 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One, etc. Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' And when he regards that unwavering confidence in the Buddha within himself, there is no fright, there is no trepidation, there is no fear of death pertaining to the future life.
"Furthermore, householder, a learned noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching: 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, etc. to be individually experienced by the wise.' And when he regards that unwavering confidence in the Teaching within himself, there is no fright, there is no trepidation, there is no fear of death pertaining to the future life.
"Furthermore, householder, a learned noble disciple is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community: 'The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising well, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' And when he regards that unwavering confidence in the Community within himself, there is no fright, there is no trepidation, there is no fear of death pertaining to the future life.
"Furthermore, householder, a learned noble disciple is endowed with morality pleasing to the noble ones, unbroken, etc. conducive to concentration. And when he regards that morality pleasing to the noble ones within himself, there is no fright, there is no trepidation, there is no fear of death pertaining to the future life. For a learned noble disciple endowed with these four qualities, householder, there is no fright, there is no trepidation, there is no fear of death pertaining to the future life."
"I am not afraid, venerable sir Ānanda. Why should I be afraid! For I, venerable sir, am endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha: 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One, etc. Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' Towards the Teaching... etc. I am endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community: 'The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising well, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' And these training rules suitable for laypeople, venerable sir, that have been taught by the Blessed One, I do not regard any of them as broken in myself." "It is a gain for you, householder, it is well gained for you, householder! The fruition of stream-entry has been declared by you, householder." The seventh.