解夏經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the Veṇuvana Vihāra at Kalandaka, in the city of Rājagṛha, together with an assembly of five hundred bhikṣus, all of whom were Arhats. Their outflows were already exhausted, what was to be done had been done, they had cast off all burdens, had attained their own benefit, had completely destroyed the fetters of existence, and their minds were well liberated. Only one bhikṣu still remained at the stage of one in training. The World-Honored One had given him a prediction, causing him to see the Dharma and to attain the Dharma, that he would realize the perfect fruit.

At that time, the World-Honored One, having completed the rains retreat, when the time drew near to conclude the retreat on the day of the full moon, spread out his seat together with the assembly of bhikṣus and sat down. When the assembly had taken their seats, the Buddha addressed the assembly of bhikṣus, saying: "Now I have attained the tranquil and quiescent holy life. This is my final body; with unsurpassed bliss I have cut off all outflows. My disciples clearly know all dharmas and have penetrated them thoroughly. Therefore I now proclaim the Dharma for concluding the retreat. O assembly of bhikṣus, with regard to the actions of body, speech, and mind during this summer, is there anything you can find fault with?"

At that time the Venerable Śāriputra, having heard the Buddha speak, rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his knee touching the ground, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said: "World-Honored One, as the Buddha has taught, I have now attained the pure holy life, so much so that with regard to the actions of body, speech, and mind I am able to be at peace. We know that the actions of body, speech, and mind of the Buddha are without fault.

We bhikṣus now have no grievance whatsoever against the World-Honored One. Why is this so? Because my Buddha, the World-Honored One, is able to tame those who are difficult to tame; with those who do not cease, he skillfully causes them to cease; with those who are not at peace, he skillfully brings them to peace; and those who are not yet tranquil, he causes to attain tranquility.

The Tathāgata clearly understands the right path, skillfully expounds the right path, and reveals the right path, so that even we who delight in the Bodhi of the Śrāvaka—the Buddha skillfully teaches us, causing the Śrāvakas to practice in accordance with principle and to realize the holy fruit. Therefore we have nothing whatsoever to find fault with regarding the body, speech, and mind dharmas of the Buddha, the World-Honored One."

At that time the Venerable Śāriputra said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, now with regard to the Buddha, if there is anything unwholesome in my actions of body, speech, or mind, I humbly beg the Buddha to point it out and instruct me." The Buddha said: "Śāriputra! With regard to your actions of body, speech, and mind, I have nothing whatsoever to find fault with. Why is this so? Śāriputra!

You are fully endowed with discipline, with extensive learning, with few desires, with contentment, with the cutting off of all afflictions; you have aroused great diligence, abide securely in right mindfulness, and are fully endowed with all the wisdoms—guiding wisdom, learned wisdom, swift wisdom, sharp wisdom, wisdom of renunciation, wisdom of thorough penetration, vast pure wisdom, profound wisdom, unequaled wisdom, and the great jewel of great wisdom.

You cause those who have not yet seen the path to see it; those who are not yet tamed you cause to be tamed; to those who have not yet heard the Dharma you expound the Dharma so that they may hear; and those who have much anger and hatred you cause to rejoice; and you can expound the Dharma to the four assemblies without weariness. Just as the son of a Golden-Wheel King receives the Dharma of consecration upon the crown of the head, inheriting the royal throne and governing in accordance with the Dharma, so too is the Venerable Śāriputra: he is my son, who receives the Dharma of consecration upon the crown of the head and inherits the throne of the Dharma King.

The Venerable Śāriputra, just as I do, shall turn the unsurpassed wheel of the Dharma; just as I have exhausted all outflows and realized liberation. Therefore, with regard to the three actions of the Venerable Śāriputra, I now acknowledge that there is no fault."

At that time the Venerable Śāriputra, having heard that the Buddha had granted his acceptance, bowed his head in homage and gratitude, and again said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, since the Buddha has, for my sake, accepted my three kinds of action, now with regard to the five hundred bhikṣus in this assembly, if there should be anything unwholesome in their actions of body, speech, or mind, I humbly beg the World-Honored One likewise to accept them in the same way." The Buddha said to the Venerable Śāriputra: "The three kinds of action of the five hundred bhikṣus I also accept.

Why is this so? Because these five hundred bhikṣus are all Arhats; their outflows are already exhausted, what was to be done has been done, they have laid down all burdens, have attained their own benefit, have exhausted all the fetters, and their minds are well liberated. Among them there is only one bhikṣu who is presently at the stage of one in training, but to this bhikṣu I have already given a prediction: he has seen the Dharma and attained the Dharma, and he will realize the perfect fruit. Śāriputra!

Therefore, with regard to the three kinds of action of these five hundred bhikṣus, I am able to accept them all."

At that time the Venerable Śāriputra again said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, the three kinds of action of myself and of the five hundred bhikṣus have already been accepted by the Buddha. Now I have a doubt and so I ask once more; I humbly beg the Buddha, the World-Honored One, to discern it for me. World-Honored One, among these five hundred bhikṣus, how many have attained the Dharma of the Three Knowledges?

And how many bhikṣus have attained Liberation in Both Ways? And how many bhikṣus have attained Liberation by Wisdom?" The Buddha said to the Venerable Śāriputra: "Among these five hundred bhikṣus, ninety bhikṣus have attained the Dharma of the Three Knowledges, and ninety bhikṣus have attained Liberation in Both Ways. The remaining bhikṣus have all attained Liberation by Wisdom. Śāriputra!

Thus these bhikṣus have exhausted all afflictions and all abide in the truth."

At that time, within the assembly there was a venerable one named Vaṅgīśa who thought to himself: "Now I ought, before the Buddha and the assembly of bhikṣus, to use verses (gāthās) for the conclusion of the retreat in praise." At that time the Venerable Vaṅgīśa, having thought thus, rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his face toward the ground, joined his palms in reverence, and spoke these verses, saying:

On the fifteenth day, the retreat concludes.

The conduct of discipline is pure.

The assembly of five hundred bhikṣus

Have cut off all afflictions.

They have wholly exhausted the dharmas of outflow,

And have realized the holy fruit.

Pure within, tamed without,

Liberated and so departed from existence.

They have reached the utmost limit of birth-and-death;

What was to be done has been done.

They have wholly cut off, with nothing remaining,

Ignorance and self-conceit.

My Buddha is supreme;

He has cut off all the dharmas of wrong mindfulness,

And cut off the dharmas with outflows.

He skillfully removes the sickness and suffering of craving;

Craving is extinguished and arises no more.

The Great Lion has departed from grasping;

All terrors are ended.

My Buddha, the World-Honored One,

Is like the Golden-Wheel King

Surrounded by a thousand sons,

Skillfully governing the four continents,

Taming all the four seas.

Again he is like the victorious one,

The supreme tamer.

The Śrāvakas have attained the Three Knowledges,

And so depart from death likewise.

The disciples of the Buddha are also thus:

They realize cessation and arise no more.

Now I bow to the Dharma King,

The unsurpassed Great Sun-Honored One.

At that time the Venerable Vaṅgīśa, having spoken these gāthā verses, returned and sat back in his former place. Then the Venerable Śāriputra together with the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha proclaim the Dharma for concluding the retreat, their minds gave rise to joy and delight, they leapt forward, rejoiced and praised, and with faith received and respectfully practiced it.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SŪTRA ON CONCLUDING THE RAINS RETREAT