佛為年少比丘說正事經

Thus have I heard.

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the summer retreat at the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, among the assembly there were many elder śrāvaka venerables who dwelt on either side of the World-Honored One, in caves and beneath the roots of trees, observing the rains retreat.

At that time, an assembly comprising many young bhikṣus came to the place where the Buddha was. Bowing their heads to the Buddha's feet, they withdrew and sat to one side. For the sake of the young bhikṣus, the Buddha spoke many discourses of Dharma—instructing, exhorting, illuminating, and gladdening them.[2] Having instructed, exhorted, illuminated, and gladdened them, He abided in silence. When the young bhikṣus had heard the Buddha expound the Dharma, they rejoiced with delight; rising from their seats, they paid homage and withdrew.

The young bhikṣus went to the place of the elder bhikṣus.[3] Paying homage at the feet of the elders, they sat to one side. Then the elder bhikṣus gave rise to this thought: "We ought to receive these young bhikṣus—whether one receiving one, or one receiving two, three, or many." Having thought thus, they then received them—whether one receiving one, or receiving two, three, or many; and some of the elders received as many as sixty.

At that time it was the fifteenth day. During the poṣadha, the World-Honored One spread out a seat before the great assembly and sat. Then the World-Honored One surveyed the bhikṣus and said to the bhikṣus: "Excellent! Excellent! I now rejoice that the bhikṣus have practiced right deeds. Therefore, bhikṣus! You must be diligent and energetic."

At this time in the country of Śrāvastī, when the month of Kārttika[4] had ended, the bhikṣus who dwelt in the various villages and hamlets[5] heard: "The World-Honored One observed the retreat in the country of Śrāvastī; the month of Kārttika has now ended, the robes have been sewn and completed, and, donning their robes and carrying their bowls, He is journeying among the people of the country of Śrāvastī." Those bhikṣus gradually traveled to the country of Śrāvastī. Having put away their robes and bowls and washed their feet, they came to the place where the World-Honored One was. Bowing their heads to His feet, they then withdrew and sat to one side.

At that time, for the sake of the bhikṣus from among the people, the World-Honored One expounded various Dharma—instructing, exhorting, illuminating, and gladdening them; then He fell silent.

At that time, the bhikṣus from among the people, having heard the Buddha expound the Dharma, rejoiced and were glad; rising from their seats, they paid homage and departed. They went to the place of the elder bhikṣus. Bowing their heads to their feet, they then withdrew and sat to one side. Then the elders gave rise to this thought: "We ought to receive these bhikṣus from among the people—whether one receiving one, or two, three, or even many—and so they straightway received them." Whether one receiving one, or two, three, or some receiving sixty—those elder bhikṣus received the bhikṣus from among the people, instructing them in the precepts and the Dharma, serving as exemplary models, skillfully understanding the proper sequence, from beginning to end.

At that time it was the fifteenth day. During the poṣadha, the World-Honored One spread out a seat before the great assembly and sat. Surveying the bhikṣus, He said to the bhikṣus: "Excellent!

Excellent! Bhikṣus, I rejoice that you have done right deeds. Bhikṣus!

The Buddhas of the past likewise had assemblies of bhikṣus who did right deeds, just as this assembly does today. The Buddhas of the future will have great assemblies who likewise will be just as exists today, doing right deeds just as the great assembly does this very day. Why is this so?

Because today, in this assembly, among the elder bhikṣus there are those who have attained the first dhyāna, the second dhyāna, the third dhyāna, the fourth dhyāna; loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; the sphere of boundless space, the sphere of boundless consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, abiding in them completely. There are bhikṣus who, having exhausted the three fetters,[6] have attained the fruit of Stream-entry (Srotāpanna), not falling into evil realms, with the Dharma assured, headed toward the supreme Bodhi;[7] they will yet be born among gods and humans seven times,[8] then make an end of suffering.

There are bhikṣus who, having exhausted the three fetters and diminished greed, hatred, and delusion, have attained the fruit of Once-returning (Sakṛdāgāmin). There are bhikṣus who, having exhausted the five lower fetters,[9] have attained the fruit of Non-returning (Anāgāmin), born to attain parinirvāṇa[10] there, never again returning to this world. There are bhikṣus who have attained the realm of immeasurable supernormal powers: the divine ear, the knowledge of others' minds, the knowledge of former lives, the knowledge of the death and rebirth of beings, and the knowledge of the extinction of the outflows.

There are bhikṣus who cultivate the contemplation of impurity in order to cut off greed and desire, who cultivate the mind of loving-kindness and compassion in order to cut off hatred and anger, who cultivate the contemplation of impermanence in order to cut off conceit, and who cultivate mindfulness of ānāpāna[11] in order to cut off the various thoughts and conceptions.[12] How does a bhikṣu cultivate mindfulness of ānāpāna in order to cut off thoughts and conceptions?

Such a bhikṣu, dwelling in dependence upon a village or hamlet, and so on up to contemplating cessation in the out-breath, truly and clearly knows the contemplation of cessation in the out-breath. This is called cultivating mindfulness of ānāpāna in order to cut off the various thoughts and conceptions."

When the Buddha had finished speaking this sūtra, the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha said, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

The Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha to the Young Bhikṣus on the Practice of Right Deeds