增壹阿含經

XIX. THE CHAPTER ON ENCOURAGEMENT AND ENTREATY

1. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Magadha, beneath the Bodhi tree at the Place of Enlightenment.

At that time, the World-Honored One had not long attained the Way, when this thought arose in Him:

"Now I have attained a Dharma exceedingly profound, hard to understand and hard to discern, difficult to comprehend, impossible to reason out. The cessation of conceptual proliferation through wisdom is subtle and wondrous; it is a knowing that can distinguish the meaning of the principle. To cultivate it without weariness brings about joy. If I were to expound this wondrous Dharma to others, and they did not believe and accept it, nor practice it accordingly, then I would have toiled in vain and even suffered loss. Now I should remain silent—why should I expound the Dharma?"

At that time, the Brahmā god, in the heaven of Brahmā, knew that the Tathāgata was thinking thus. As swiftly as a strong man bends or stretches his arm, he vanished from the heaven of Brahmā and arrived at the place of the World-Honored One, bowed down, and stood to one side. Brahmā addressed the World-Honored One:

"This world of Jambudvīpa will surely come to ruin, and the Eye of the Three Realms will be lost. The Tathāgata, the Perfectly Worthy, the Fully and Rightly Enlightened One, has appeared in the world and should set forth the jewel of the Dharma. Yet now He does not set forth the flavor of the Dharma.

I humbly entreat the Tathāgata to expound the profound Dharma far and wide for the sake of all sentient beings. Moreover, the sentient beings here have roots that are easy to liberate. If they do not get to hear it, they will utterly lose the Dharma-eye.

Here You ought, for the sake of the Dharma, to hand it down and transmit it. It is like the utpala lotus, the kumuda flower, and the puṇḍarīka flower: though they have emerged from the earth, they have not yet emerged from the water and have not yet unfolded and blossomed. At that time, those flowers gradually wish to bloom but have not yet emerged from the water; or sometimes such flowers have already emerged above the surface of the water; or sometimes such flowers are not soaked by the water.

So too is it with these sentient beings: because of birth, aging, sickness, and death, pressed by what they behold, their faculties have already ripened. Thus, if they do not get to hear the Dharma, they will perish—is this not suffering? Now is precisely the right time.

I humbly entreat the World-Honored One to expound the Dharma for their sake."

At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing the thought in Brahmā's mind, and out of compassion for all sentient beings, spoke this verse:

Brahmā then thought: "The Tathāgata will surely expound the profound and wondrous Dharma for the sake of sentient beings." Thereupon he rejoiced with boundless gladness, bowed to the Buddha, and returned to the heavens.

At that time, Brahmā, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

2. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Vārāṇasī, in the Deer Park where the sages dwelt.

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus:

"There are these two things which one who studies the Way ought not to draw near. What are the two things? They are: indulgence in the dharma of desire and pleasure—this is a base and common practice; and again, this is the source of a hundred kinds of suffering and affliction. These are the two things that one who studies the Way ought not to draw near. Thus, having abandoned these two things, I myself possess the supreme essential Way, and have accomplished Right Enlightenment, whereby the eye is born, knowledge is born, the mind comes to cessation, the various spiritual powers are obtained, the fruit of the śramaṇa is accomplished, and Nirvāṇa is reached.

"What is the supreme essential Way by which Right Enlightenment is accomplished, causing the eye to be born, knowledge to be born, the mind to come to cessation, the various spiritual powers to be obtained, the fruit of the śramaṇa to be accomplished, and Nirvāṇa to be reached? It is these Eightfold factors of the Way, namely: Right View, Right Knowledge, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Means, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.

This is called that by which the eye is born, knowledge is born, the mind comes to cessation, the various spiritual powers are obtained, the fruit of the śramaṇa is accomplished, and Nirvāṇa is reached. Thus, bhikṣus, you should learn to abandon the two things above and to cultivate the supreme essential Way. Thus, bhikṣus, you should learn this."

At that time the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

3. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika.

At that time Śakra, Lord of the Devas, came to the place of the World-Honored One, bowed down, stood to one side, and addressed Him:

"How does a bhikṣu cut off craving and desire, attain liberation of mind, reach the place of ultimate peace and security, free from all calamities, and be revered by gods and humans?"

The World-Honored One said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas:

"Herein, Kauśika, if bhikṣus hear this Dharma of emptiness and understand that there is nothing whatsoever to be had, then they come to understand clearly all dharmas, knowing them as they truly are; and bodily they discern the dharmas of suffering and pleasure. If there be a dharma of neither suffering nor pleasure, then concerning this body they contemplate that all is impermanent, all returning to emptiness. Having contemplated this change of that which is neither suffering nor pleasure, they give rise to no conception; because there is no conception, there is no fear; being without fear, they reach Parinirvāṇa.

Birth and death are ended, the holy life is established, what had to be done has been done, and there is no further receiving of a body—thus they know it as it truly is. This, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, is how a bhikṣu cuts off craving and desire, attains liberation of mind, and so reaches the place of ultimate peace and security, free from calamity, and is revered by gods and humans."

At that time Śakra, Lord of the Devas, bowed down to the World-Honored One, circumambulated Him three times, and withdrew.

At that very moment, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, not far from the World-Honored One, was sitting cross-legged with body upright and mind upright, fixing his mindfulness before him. The Venerable Maudgalyāyana thought: "Just now, did Śakra ask about this matter having gained the trace of the Way, or did he ask about its meaning without having gained the trace of the Way? Now I should put it to the test."

At that time the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, by means of his spiritual power, as swiftly as a man bends or stretches his arm, arrived at the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Then Śakra, Lord of the Devas, seeing Mahāmaudgalyāyana approaching from afar, immediately rose to welcome him and said:

"Welcome, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana! It has been long since the Venerable came here! I greatly wish to discuss the meaning of the Dharma with the Venerable. Please, Venerable, be seated here."

Maudgalyāyana asked Śakra, Lord of the Devas:

"The World-Honored One expounded for you the Dharma of cutting off craving and desire; I should like to hear it. How fortunate that the time is right—please expound it to me."

Śakra, Lord of the Devas, said:

"Now I am preoccupied with the affairs of the devas—sometimes matters of my own, sometimes matters of the devas. Whatever I hear, I straightway forget. Venerable Maudgalyāyana, long ago I did battle with the asuras. Right when we fought, the devas were victorious and the asuras had to retreat. At that time I too personally engaged in combat, and then led the devas back to the heavenly palace, and sat in the Hall of Supreme Victory. Because we won the battle, it is called the Hall of Supreme Victory; the avenues form rows, and the borders meet one another. At the head of each avenue there are seven hundred storied pavilions, and upon each pavilion there are seven jade maidens, and each jade maiden has seven attendants. I invite the Venerable Maudgalyāyana to go there and behold it."

At that time Śakra, Lord of the Devas, together with the Deva-king Vaiśravaṇa, followed behind the Venerable Maudgalyāyana to the Hall of Supreme Victory. Śakra, Lord of the Devas, and the Deva-king Vaiśravaṇa addressed Mahāmaudgalyāyana:

"This is the Hall of Supreme Victory; the Venerable may roam about and behold it all."

Maudgalyāyana said to the Deva-king:

"This place is exceedingly subtle and wondrous; it is all because in a former life you created merit and virtue that you have attained this naturally precious hall. It is just as there are a few places of delight in the human realm, each place delightful in itself, no different from the heavenly palaces—all attained because in a former life merit was created."

At that time the jade maidens surrounding Śakra, Lord of the Devas, all fled and scattered, just as at places of taboo in the human realm, and they were all filled with shame. At this time Śakra, Lord of the Devas, together with the jade maidens, were likewise so: seeing from afar Mahāmaudgalyāyana approaching, they all fled and scattered. Mahāmaudgalyāyana then thought: "This Śakra, Lord of the Devas, is exceedingly heedless in mind; I must cause him to feel fear."

At that time, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana pressed down upon the earth with the toe of his right foot. That palace shook in six ways. Śakra, Lord of the Devas, and the Deva-king Vaiśravaṇa were both terrified at heart, the hair on their bodies standing on end, and they thought: "This Mahāmaudgalyāyana has great spiritual power, that he can make this palace quake six times—how exceedingly strange, truly something that has never been before."

Mahāmaudgalyāyana thought: "Now this Śakra, Lord of the Devas, is already terrified; I should ask him the profound meaning."

"How is it, Kauśika? The Tathāgata expounded the sūtra on removing craving and desire; now is precisely the time—please relate it again to me."

Śakra, Lord of the Devas, replied:

"Venerable Maudgalyāyana! Some time ago I went to the place of the World-Honored One, bowed down, and stood to one side. Then I addressed the World-Honored One:

"'How does a bhikṣu cut off craving and desire, attain liberation of mind, reach the place of ultimate unconditioned state, free from calamity and suffering, and be revered by gods and humans?'

"The World-Honored One then said to me:

"'Herein, Kauśika! When bhikṣus have heard the Dharma, they no longer have any place of attachment, nor do they cling to form, but understand fully that all dharmas have nothing whatsoever to be had. Having known all dharmas—whether suffering, or pleasure, or neither suffering nor pleasure—they contemplate clearly their impermanence, their utter cessation without remainder, yet without annihilation.

Having contemplated thus, they no longer cling, no longer give rise to worldly conceptions, and have no further fear; being without fear, they straightway reach Parinirvāṇa. Birth and death are ended, the holy life is established, what had to be done has been done, and there is no further receiving of a body—thus they know it as it truly is. This, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, is how a bhikṣu cuts off desire, attains liberation of mind, and so reaches the place of the ultimate unconditioned state, free from calamity and suffering, and is revered by gods and humans.'

"At that time, having heard these words, I bowed down to the World-Honored One, circumambulated Him three times, and withdrew, returning to the realm of the devas."

Then the Venerable Maudgalyāyana set forth the profound words of the Dharma in full, discerning them completely for Śakra, Lord of the Devas, and Vaiśravaṇa. Having expounded the Dharma in full, as swiftly as a strong man bends or stretches his arm, Maudgalyāyana vanished from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and arrived at the city of Śrāvastī, the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika. He came to the place of the World-Honored One, bowed down, and sat to one side.

At that time Maudgalyāyana, while still seated upon his seat, addressed the World-Honored One:

"The Tathāgata earlier expounded for Śakra, Lord of the Devas, the Dharma of removing craving and desire. I humbly entreat the World-Honored One to expound it for me."

The World-Honored One said to Maudgalyāyana:

"You should know that Śakra, Lord of the Devas, came to My place, bowed down, and stood to one side. Śakra, Lord of the Devas, asked Me this meaning:

"'World-Honored One, how does a bhikṣu cut off craving and desire and attain liberation of mind?' I said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas:

"'Kauśika! If there be a bhikṣu who understands that all dharmas are empty, have nothing whatsoever to be had, and have no place of attachment, and understands fully that all dharmas have nothing whatsoever to be had—having known all dharmas to be impermanent, utterly ceasing without remainder, yet without annihilation; having contemplated thus, he no longer has any place of attachment, gives rise to no worldly conception, and has no further fear. Being without fear, he straightway reaches Parinirvāṇa. Birth and death are ended, the holy life is established, what had to be done has been done, and there is no further receiving of a body—thus he knows it as it truly is. This, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, is how a bhikṣu cuts off desire and attains liberation of mind.'

"At that time, that Śakra, Lord of the Devas, then rose from his seat, bowed down at My feet, and withdrew to the realm of the devas."

At that time, the Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

4. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika.

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus:

"There are these two persons in the world who, if they see the rumbling of thunder and the flashing of lightning, do not harbor fear in their hearts. What are the two persons? They are the lion, king of beasts, and the arhat who has exhausted the outflows. These, bhikṣus, are the two persons in the world who, if they see the rumbling of thunder and the flashing of lightning, do not harbor terror in their hearts. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should study to be like the arhat who has exhausted the outflows. Thus, bhikṣus, you should learn this!"

At that time the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

5. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika.

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus:

"There are these two dharmas that cause a person to be without wisdom. What are the two dharmas? They are: to be unwilling to inquire of those who surpass oneself; and to be greedy only for sleep and rest, having no intention of diligence. These, bhikṣus, are the two dharmas that cause a person to be without wisdom.

"Again, there are two dharmas that cause a person to attain wisdom. What are the two dharmas? They are: to delight in inquiring after the meaning from others; and not to be greedy for sleep and rest, having the intention of diligence. These, bhikṣus, are the two dharmas that cause a person to have wisdom; you should learn to keep far from evil dharmas. Thus, bhikṣus, you should learn this!"

At that time the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

6. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika.

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus:

"There are these two dharmas that cause a person to be poor and lowly, not gaining wealth. What are the two dharmas? If, when one sees others giving in charity, one forbids and restrains it; and again, one is oneself unwilling to give in charity. These, bhikṣus, are the two dharmas that cause a person to be poor and lowly, without wealth and treasure. Bhikṣus, again there are two dharmas that cause a person to be wealthy and noble. What are the two dharmas? If, when one sees others giving things to people, one rejoices and helps them; and one oneself also delights in giving in charity. These, bhikṣus, are the two dharmas that cause a person to be wealthy and noble. Thus, bhikṣus, you should learn to give in charity, and do not have a greedy mind!"

At that time the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

7. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika.

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus:

"There are two dharmas that cause a person to be born into a poor and lowly household. What are the two dharmas? To be unfilial to one's father and mother and to one's teachers and elders, and also not to serve those who surpass oneself. These, bhikṣus, are the two dharmas that cause a person to be born into a poor and lowly household.

"Bhikṣus, again there are two dharmas that cause a person to be born into a noble clan. What are the two dharmas? To reverence one's father and mother, one's brothers, and one's kin, and to take the wealth of one's own household and give it in charity. These, bhikṣus, are the two dharmas that cause one to be born into a noble clan. Thus, bhikṣus, you should learn this!"

At that time the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

8. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika.

At that time, a daughter of a brāhmaṇa named Suśīmā came to the place of the Venerable Kauṣṭhila; having arrived, she bowed down and sat to one side.

That Suśīmā, daughter of the brāhmaṇa, addressed Kauṣṭhila:

"Udraka Rāmaputra and Ārāḍa Kālāma, within this profound Dharma, never received the teaching, and each came to the end of his life. The World-Honored One gave prediction concerning these two persons: one was born in the Sphere of Nothingness, and one in the Sphere of Neither-Perception-nor-Non-Perception. When the lifespan of these two is exhausted, they will again come to the end of their lives: one will become a king in a border region, harming the populace beyond all reckoning; one will become a wicked fox with wings, from which no flying, walking, or running beast can escape.

After these two persons come to the end of their lives, they will again be born in the hells. Yet the World-Honored One did not give prediction as to when they would reach the end of the limit of suffering. Why did the World-Honored One not give prediction that they would reach the end of the limit of suffering?"

At that time the Venerable Kauṣṭhila said to Suśīmā:

"The reason the World-Honored One did not speak of it is that there was no one who asked about this meaning. Therefore the World-Honored One did not give prediction as to when those persons would reach the end of the limit of suffering."

Suśīmā said:

"Here the World-Honored One has entered Nirvāṇa, and so I cannot ask. If He were still in the world, I would go and ask about this meaning. As it is now, may the Venerable Kauṣṭhila tell me: when will those persons reach the end of the limit of suffering?"

At that time the Venerable Kauṣṭhila spoke this verse:

At that time Suśīmā then spoke this verse:

The Venerable Kauṣṭhila again spoke this verse:

At that time the Venerable expounded the essentials of the Dharma in full for Suśīmā; she then gave rise to a joyful mind, rose from her seat, bowed down, and withdrew.

Suśīmā, having heard what the Venerable Kauṣṭhila said, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

9. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Venerable Mahākātyāyana was traveling to the country of Vana, at the bank of a deep pond, together with an assembly of five hundred great bhikṣus.

At that time the renown of the Venerable Kātyāyana spread throughout the four directions. The elder brāhmaṇa Gandha was wandering and teaching here. Then the brāhmaṇa heard that the Venerable Kātyāyana, together with five hundred bhikṣus, was wandering and teaching beside this pond, and thought: "The Venerable elder is fully endowed with merit and virtue; now I may go and pay my respects to the Venerable."

At that time the brāhmaṇa Uttara-varṇa brought five hundred disciples to the place of the Venerable Kātyāyana; having greeted one another, they sat to one side. Then that brāhmaṇa asked the Venerable Kātyāyana:

"This Kātyāyana here does not act in accord with the law of the Dharma. He is a young bhikṣu, yet he is unwilling to pay homage to the highly virtuous brāhmaṇas among us elders."

The Venerable Kātyāyana said:

"Brāhmaṇa, you should know that the Tathāgata, the Perfectly Worthy, the Fully and Rightly Enlightened One, has spoken of these two stations. What are the two stations? One is the station of old age, the other the station of youthful vigor."

The brāhmaṇa asked:

"What is the station of old age? What is the station of youthful vigor?"

Kātyāyana replied:

"Even, brāhmaṇa, a person aged eighty or ninety, who cannot put a stop to lust and desire and who commits various evil deeds—this person, brāhmaṇa, though he may be called old, is nevertheless in the station of youthful vigor."

The brāhmaṇa asked:

"What is one who is of youthful age yet stands in the station of old age?"

Kātyāyana replied:

"Brāhmaṇa, if there be a bhikṣu of twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years of age, and that person does not habituate himself to lust and desire, nor does he commit evil deeds—this, brāhmaṇa, is one who is youthful yet stands in the station of old age."

The brāhmaṇa asked:

"In this great assembly, is there a single bhikṣu who does not practice lust and desire, who does not commit evil deeds?"

Kātyāyana replied:

"In this great assembly there is not a single bhikṣu who habituates himself to desire or commits evil."

The brāhmaṇa then rose from his seat, bowed to the bhikṣus, and said:

"Now you who are young in years stand in the station of old age, while I who am old in years stand in the station of youth."

At that time that brāhmaṇa came to the place of the Venerable Kātyāyana, bowed down, and made this declaration of himself:

"Now I take refuge in the Venerable Kātyāyana and in the Saṅgha of bhikṣus, and all my life I will not kill living beings."

The Venerable Kātyāyana said:

"Now you should not take refuge in me. You ought to turn toward that in which I take refuge."

The brāhmaṇa asked:

"In whom does the Venerable Kātyāyana take refuge?"

The Venerable Kātyāyana then knelt, facing the place where the Tathāgata had entered Nirvāṇa, and said:

"There is one of the Śākya clan who went forth and studied the Way; in Him I ever take refuge. That one is precisely my Teacher."

The brāhmaṇa said:

"Where now is the śramaṇa Gautama? I wish to meet Him."

The Venerable Kātyāyana said:

"That Tathāgata has already entered Nirvāṇa."

The brāhmaṇa said:

"If the Tathāgata were in the world, I would travel a hundred thousand yojanas to go and pay my respects. Although that Tathāgata has entered Nirvāṇa, now once more I take refuge in Him, paying homage together to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, and all my life I will no longer kill living beings."

At that time the brāhmaṇa Uttara-varṇa, having heard what the Venerable Kātyāyana said, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

10. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika.

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus:

"There are two persons who appear in the world who are very hard to meet. What are the two persons? They are: one who is able to expound the Dharma, who appears in the world and is very hard to meet; and one who is able to hear the Dharma, receive and uphold it, and practice it accordingly, who is very hard to meet. These, bhikṣus, are the two persons who appear in the world who are very hard to meet. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should learn to expound the Dharma, and you should learn to hear the Dharma. Thus, bhikṣus, you should learn this."

At that time the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.

11. Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was traveling through the country of Magadha together with an assembly of five hundred great bhikṣus, and gradually came to the city of Vaiśālī. At that time, drawing near to the north of Vaiśālī, He was in the garden of the woman Āmrapālī.

At that time, the woman Āmrapālī heard that the World-Honored One had come to the garden together with five hundred great bhikṣus, and so, riding in a jeweled carriage (with a canopy spread above it), she went out of the city of Vaiśālī. Arriving at the head of a narrow lane, she herself alighted from the carriage and came to the place of the World-Honored One. At that time the World-Honored One, seeing her approaching from afar, addressed the bhikṣus:

"Let all of you be wholly attentive, and do not give rise to wrong thoughts."

She came to the place of the World-Honored One, bowed down, and sat to one side. At that time the World-Honored One expounded the most wondrous Dharma for her. Having expounded the most wondrous Dharma, she addressed the Buddha:

"I humbly entreat the World-Honored One to accept my invitation, together with the Saṅgha of bhikṣus."

The World-Honored One silently accepted her invitation. Seeing that the World-Honored One had accepted by His silence, she then rose from her seat, bowed down, took her leave, and returned.

At that time the men and women, old and young, of the city of Vaiśālī heard that the World-Honored One was in the garden of Āmrapālī together with five hundred great bhikṣus. In the city there were five hundred young men who rode in various kinds of jeweled carriages: among them, some rode white carriages with white horses, with white garments, parasols, and banners, and white attendants; some rode red carriages with red horses, with red garments, parasols, and banners, and red attendants; some rode blue carriages with blue horses, with blue garments, parasols, and banners, and blue attendants; or rode yellow carriages with yellow horses, with yellow garments, parasols, and banners, and yellow attendants.

Their dignified bearing and adornment were like the manner of kings, as they went out of the city of Vaiśālī toward the place of the World-Honored One. While still at some distance, midway upon the road they met that woman driving an ox-carriage back toward the city. The young men asked her:

"You are a woman, who ought to feel shame. Why do you drive an ox and run your carriage into the city?"

The woman replied:

"Sirs, you should know that tomorrow I am inviting the Buddha and the Saṅgha of bhikṣus, and that is why I am driving the carriage."

The young men said:

"We too wish to invite the Buddha and the Saṅgha of bhikṣus to take a meal. Now we will give you two thousand taels of pure gold; let the engagement of tomorrow be yielded to us for the offering of food."

The woman replied:

"It cannot be, it cannot be, young sirs! I will not consent!"

The young men again said:

"We will give you two thousand taels, three thousand, four thousand, five thousand, up to a hundred thousand taels of gold—will you consent or not consent to yield to us, that tomorrow we may invite the Buddha and the Saṅgha of bhikṣus to take a meal?"

The woman replied:

"I will not consent. For the World-Honored One has always said: 'There are two expectations from which people of the world cannot keep apart. What are the two? They are the longing for gain and for life itself.' Who can guarantee me until tomorrow? I have already invited the Tathāgata first; now I shall make full provision."

The young men raised their hands:

"We, so many people as we are, are no match for this woman."

Having said this, each of them parted and went their way. Then the young men came to the place of the World-Honored One, bowed down, and stood to one side. At that time the World-Honored One, seeing the young men arrive, addressed the bhikṣus:

"Bhikṣus, behold these young men, majestic and valiant, their attire as when Śakra goes forth to roam—behold, they look the same, no different."

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the young men:

"There are two things in the world that truly cannot be had. What are the two? A person who repays kindness; and a person who, having received even a small favor, never forgets it—how much more a great one. These, young men, are the two things that are very hard to come by. Young men, you should know this: bear in mind to repay kindness, and never forget even a small favor—how much more a great kindness."

The World-Honored One then spoke this verse:

To know gratitude and repay kindness,
Ever to remember the one who taught and guided you—
The wise person reveres and attends upon such a one,
And his fame resounds throughout gods and humans.

Thus, young men, you should learn this.

The World-Honored One expounded the subtle and wondrous Dharma in full for the young men. Having heard it, each of them rose from his seat, bowed down, and withdrew.

During that night, the woman set out all manner of fine and savory food and drink, and spread out the seating mats. Early in the morning she then came and addressed the Buddha:

"The hour has come; now is precisely the time. I humbly entreat the World-Honored One to condescend to come to my house."

At that time the World-Honored One put on His robe, took up His bowl, and together with the bhikṣus surrounding Him before and behind, went to the woman's house in the city of Vaiśālī.

When the woman saw that the World-Honored One had taken His seat, she then with her own hands offered food to the Buddha and the Saṅgha of bhikṣus. When the Buddha and the Saṅgha of bhikṣus had finished their meal and washed their hands, she went and fetched pure clean water again, and then took a small chair inlaid with gold, came before the World-Honored One, and sat down. She addressed the World-Honored One:

"This garden of Āmrapālī I wish to offer up to the Tathāgata and the Saṅgha of bhikṣus, so that the Saṅgha of the future, the past, and the present may take rest here. May the World-Honored One accept this garden."

At that time the World-Honored One accepted this garden for her sake. The World-Honored One then spoke these words of benediction:

At that time the World-Honored One, having spoken these words of acknowledgment, then rose and departed. The woman, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.