8.
Third Discourse on Exhortation
151.
At Rājagaha in the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
Then the Venerable Mahākassapa approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
To the Venerable Mahākassapa seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Exhort the monks, Kassapa;
give a talk on the Teaching to the monks, Kassapa.
Either I, Kassapa, should exhort the monks or you;
either I should give a talk on the Teaching to the monks or you."
"Venerable sir, the monks nowadays are difficult to admonish, endowed with qualities that make them difficult to admonish, impatient, not receiving instruction respectfully." "Because, Kassapa, formerly the elder monks were forest-dwellers and spoke in praise of being forest-dwellers, were almsfood eaters and spoke in praise of being almsfood eaters, were wearers of rag-robes and spoke in praise of being wearers of rag-robes, were three-robe wearers and spoke in praise of being three-robe wearers, were of few wishes and spoke in praise of fewness of wishes, were content and spoke in praise of contentment, were secluded and spoke in praise of solitude, were aloof from society and spoke in praise of aloofness from society, were putting forth strenuous energy and spoke in praise of arousal of energy.
"Therein, whatever monk was a forest-dweller and spoke in praise of being a forest-dweller, an almsfood eater and spoke in praise of being an almsfood eater, a wearer of rag-robes and spoke in praise of being a wearer of rag-robes, a three-robe wearer and spoke in praise of being a three-robe wearer, of few wishes and spoke in praise of fewness of wishes, content and spoke in praise of contentment, secluded and spoke in praise of solitude, aloof from society and spoke in praise of aloofness from society, putting forth strenuous energy and spoke in praise of arousal of energy, him the elder monks invited with a seat - 'Come, monk, what is this monk's name, this monk is indeed good, this monk is indeed eager to train; come, monk, sit down on this seat.'
"Therein, Kassapa, for the new monks it was thus - 'Whoever indeed is a monk who is a forest-dweller and speaks in praise of being a forest-dweller, an almsfood eater and... etc. a wearer of rag-robes and... a three-robe wearer and... of few wishes and... content and... secluded and... aloof from society and... putting forth strenuous energy and speaks in praise of arousal of energy, him the elder monks invite with a seat - come, monk, what is this monk's name, this monk is indeed good, this monk is indeed eager to train; come, monk, sit down on this seat.' They proceed towards that state; that is for their welfare and happiness for a long time.
"But now, Kassapa, the elder monks are neither forest-dwellers nor speak in praise of being forest-dwellers, are neither almsfood eaters nor speak in praise of being almsfood eaters, are neither wearers of rag-robes nor speak in praise of being wearers of rag-robes, are neither three-robe wearers nor speak in praise of being three-robe wearers, are neither of few wishes nor speak in praise of fewness of wishes, are neither content nor speak in praise of contentment, are neither secluded nor speak in praise of solitude, are neither aloof from society nor speak in praise of aloofness from society, are neither putting forth strenuous energy nor speak in praise of arousal of energy.
"Therein, whatever monk is well-known, famous, an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick, him the elder monks invite with a seat - 'Come, monk, what is this monk's name, this monk is indeed good, this monk is indeed fond of his fellow monks in the holy life; come, monk, sit down on this seat.'
"Therein, Kassapa, for the new monks it was thus - 'Whoever indeed is a monk who is well-known, famous, an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick, the elder monks invite him with a seat - Come, monk, what is the name of this monk, this monk is indeed good, this monk indeed desires fellow practitioners of the holy life; come, monk, sit down on this seat.' They proceed towards that state. That is for their harm and suffering for a long time. If anyone, Kassapa, speaking rightly would say - 'The practitioners of the holy life are troubled by misfortune for those living the holy life, the practitioners of the holy life are overcome by the longing of those living the holy life' - now, Kassapa, one speaking rightly would say - 'The practitioners of the holy life are troubled by misfortune for those living the holy life, the practitioners of the holy life are overcome by the longing of those living the holy life.'" The eighth.