群牛譬經

Thus indeed have I heard: At one time, the Bhagavān was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, in the city of Śrāvastī.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus: "It is like a herd of oxen, gentle in disposition, who always seek out places with tender grass and clear streams to feed and drink. Then a donkey saw this and thought: 'This herd of oxen is gentle in disposition; they always seek out places with tender grass and clear streams to feed and drink. Now I too should imitate them, seeking out places with tender grass and clear streams to feed and to drink.'

Having thought thus, that donkey mingled in among the herd of oxen, and with its forelegs pawed at the earth, harassing that herd of oxen. The donkey also imitated the lowing of the herd of oxen, yet it could not change the sound of its own voice. One day it cried out loudly: 'I too am an ox! I too am an ox.' That herd of oxen discovered the donkey, gored it to death with their horns, and then departed."

So it is here as well! If there is any bhikṣu who does not diligently cultivate the various Dharmas, then that one is not a śramaṇa yet considers himself a śramaṇa; does not cultivate the holy life yet says he cultivates the holy life. That one is also not learned, yet holds wrong views; in coming and going, passing to and fro, bowing down and looking up, sitting and lying down, he is in every case lacking in dignified deportment; he does not know how to don the robe or carry the bowl; he does not receive offerings of cloth, blankets, food and drink, beds, bedding, or medicine to treat illness.

That bhikṣu sees that there is some bhikṣu who diligently cultivates the various wholesome Dharmas, who among the ranks of the śramaṇas accomplishes the conduct of a śramaṇa, cultivates the various holy practices, is widely learned and has heard much, cultivates the various wholesome Dharmas, and in coming and going, passing to and fro, bowing down and looking up, sitting and lying down, is in every case complete in dignified deportment; who dons the robe and carries the bowl without losing the rules of ceremony and decorum; who receives offerings of cloth, blankets, food and drink, beds, bedding, and medicine to cure illness.

Then that bhikṣu of evil conduct thought: 'Within this assembly there are many bhikṣus who are diligent, who cultivate the various wholesome Dharmas, who among the ranks of the śramaṇas accomplish the conduct of a śramaṇa, who in the holy life accomplish the holy life, and in coming and going, passing to and fro, bowing down and looking up, sitting and lying down are in every case complete in dignified deportment; who don the robe and carry the bowl without losing the rules of ceremony and decorum; who receive offerings of cloth, blankets, food and drink, beds, bedding, and medicine to cure illness.'

At that time, that evil bhikṣu, who cultivated the various evil Dharmas, who had no śramaṇa's conduct yet said he was a śramaṇa, who had no holy life yet said he cultivated the holy life, who was of little learning and held the various evil views … mingled in among that assembly of many diligent bhikṣus, and likewise wished to imitate their dignified deportment and rules of decorum … likewise coming and going, passing to and fro, bowing down and looking up, sitting and lying down in every case complete in dignified deportment;

donning the robe and carrying the bowl without losing the rules of ceremony and decorum … just like those diligent bhikṣus who cultivate the various wholesome Dharmas, who in coming and going, passing to and fro, bowing down and looking up, sitting and lying down are in every case complete in dignified deportment; who don the robe and carry the bowl without losing the rules of ceremony and decorum, and he declared of himself: 'I am a śramaṇa!

I am a śramaṇa!'

Then that assembly of bhikṣus all knew that this bhikṣu was not diligent yet said he was diligent, was not a śramaṇa yet claimed to be a śramaṇa, did not cultivate the holy life yet claimed to cultivate the holy life, was not widely learned, and moreover held the various wrong views. Those bhikṣus then drove that bhikṣu out of the dwelling place and said: 'Be quick to depart from here; do not stay within my assembly!' It was just like the herd of oxen, gentle in disposition, who drove that donkey out of the herd.

For this reason, bhikṣus, if there is any bhikṣu who does not cultivate the conduct of a śramaṇa, who does not cultivate the conduct of a brāhmaṇa, then you should keep far away from such ones. The śramaṇas who have wholesome conduct and the brāhmaṇas who have wholesome conduct you should skillfully recite and uphold. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should train yourselves thus!

When the bhikṣus had heard the Buddha teach in this way, they joyfully practiced in accordance with it.