Difference between revisions of "Aids to Awakening"
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<poem> | <poem> | ||
− | Then Ven. Assaji, arising early in the morning, taking his robe and bowl, entered Rajagaha for alms: gracious in the way he approached and departed, looked forward and behind, drew in and stretched out his arm; his eyes downcast, his every movement consummate. [[Sariputta]] the wanderer saw Ven. Assaji going for alms in Rajagaha: gracious... his eyes downcast, his every movement consummate. On seeing him, the [[Thought]] occurred to him: "Surely, of those in this [[World]] who are [[Arahants]] or have entered the path to arahantship, this is one. What if I were to approach him and question him: 'On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Of whose [[Dhamma]] do you approve?'" | + | Then Ven. Assaji, arising early in the morning, taking his robe and bowl, entered [[Rajagaha]] for [[alms]]: gracious in the way he approached and departed, looked forward and behind, drew in and stretched out his arm; his [[eyes]] downcast, his every movement consummate. [[Sariputta]] the wanderer saw Ven. Assaji going for [[alms]] in [[Rajagaha]]: gracious... his [[eyes]] downcast, his every movement consummate. On [[seeing]] him, the [[Thought]] occurred to him: "Surely, of those in this [[World]] who are [[Arahants]] or have entered the [[path]] to [[arahantship]], this is one. What if I were to approach him and question him: 'On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your [[teacher]]? Of whose [[Dhamma]] do you approve?'" |
− | But then the [[Thought]] occurred to [[Sariputta]] the wanderer: "This is the wrong time to question him. He is going for alms in the town. What if I were to follow behind this [[Monk]] who has found the path for those who seek it?" | + | But then the [[Thought]] occurred to [[Sariputta]] the wanderer: "This is the wrong [[time]] to question him. He is going for [[alms]] in the town. What if I were to follow behind this [[Monk]] who has found the [[path]] for those who seek it?" |
− | Then Ven. Assaji, having gone for alms in Rajagaha, left, taking the alms he had received. [[Sariputta]] the wanderer approached him and, on arrival, having exchanged friendly [[Greetings]] and courtesies, stood to one side. As he stood there he said, "Your faculties are bright, my friend, your complexion pure and clear. On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Of whose [[Dhamma]] do you approve?" | + | Then Ven. Assaji, having gone for [[alms]] in [[Rajagaha]], left, taking the [[alms]] he had received. [[Sariputta]] the wanderer approached him and, on arrival, having exchanged friendly [[Greetings]] and courtesies, stood to one side. As he stood there he said, "Your [[faculties]] are bright, my friend, your complexion [[pure]] and clear. On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your [[teacher]]? Of whose [[Dhamma]] do you approve?" |
− | "There is, my friend, the Great Contemplative, a son of the Sakyans, gone forth from a Sakyan family. I have gone forth on account of that Blessed One. That Blessed One is my teacher. It is of that Blessed One's [[Dhamma]] that I approve." | + | "There is, my friend, the Great Contemplative, a son of the [[Sakyans]], gone forth from a [[Sakyan]] family. I have gone forth on account of that [[Blessed One]]. That [[Blessed One]] is my [[teacher]]. It is of that Blessed One's [[Dhamma]] that I approve." |
− | "But what is your teacher's teaching? What does he proclaim?" | + | "But what is your teacher's [[teaching]]? What does he proclaim?" |
− | "I am new, my friend, not long gone forth, only recently come to this [[Doctrine]] and discipline. I cannot explain the [[Doctrine]] in detail, but I can give you the gist in brief." | + | "I am new, my friend, not long gone forth, only recently come to this [[Doctrine]] and [[discipline]]. I cannot explain the [[Doctrine]] in detail, but I can give you the gist in brief." |
[[File:1258102.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | [[File:1258102.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | ||
Then [[Sariputta]] the wanderer spoke thus to the Ven. Assaji: | Then [[Sariputta]] the wanderer spoke thus to the Ven. Assaji: | ||
− | Speak a little or a lot, but tell me just the gist. The gist is what I want. What use is a lot of rhetoric? | + | Speak a little or a lot, but tell me just the gist. The gist is what I want. What use is a lot of [[rhetoric]]? |
Then Ven. Assaji gave this [[Dhamma]] exposition to [[Sariputta]] the Wanderer: | Then Ven. Assaji gave this [[Dhamma]] exposition to [[Sariputta]] the Wanderer: | ||
− | Whatever phenomena arise from cause: their cause & their cessation. Such is the teaching of the [[Tathagata]], the Great Contemplative. | + | Whatever [[phenomena]] arise from [[cause]]: their [[cause]] & their [[cessation]]. Such is the [[teaching]] of the [[Tathagata]], the Great Contemplative. |
− | Then to [[Sariputta]] the Wanderer, as he heard this [[Dhamma]] exposition, there arose the dustless, stainless [[Dhamma]] eye: Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation. | + | Then to [[Sariputta]] the Wanderer, as he [[heard]] this [[Dhamma]] exposition, there arose the dustless, stainless [[Dhamma]] [[eye]]: Whatever is [[subject]] to origination is all [[subject]] to [[cessation]]. |
— Mv 1.23.5 | — Mv 1.23.5 | ||
− | Then Mahapajapati Gotami [the first nun, and the Buddha's foster mother] approached the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down, stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said, "It would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the [[Dhamma]] in brief so that I, having heard the [[Dhamma]], might dwell alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute." | + | Then [[Mahapajapati Gotami]] [the first [[nun]], and the [[Buddha's]] foster mother] approached the [[Blessed One]] and on arrival, having [[bowed]] down, stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said, "It would be good if the [[Blessed One]] would teach me the [[Dhamma]] in brief so that I, having [[heard]] the [[Dhamma]], might dwell alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute." |
− | "...Gotami, the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to dispassion, not to passion; to being unfettered and not to being fettered; to self-effacement and not to self-aggrandizement; to modesty and not to ambition; to [[Contentment]] and not to discontent; to seclusion and not to entanglement; to the arousing of persistence and not to [[Laziness]]; to being unburdensome and not to being burdensome': You may definitely hold, 'This is the [[Dhamma]], this is the [[Vinaya]], this is the Teacher's instruction.'" | + | "...[[Gotami]], the qualities of which you may [[know]], 'These qualities lead to dispassion, not to [[passion]]; to [[being]] unfettered and not to [[being]] fettered; to self-effacement and not to self-aggrandizement; to modesty and not to [[ambition]]; to [[Contentment]] and not to discontent; to {{Wiki|seclusion}} and not to entanglement; to the arousing of persistence and not to [[Laziness]]; to [[being]] unburdensome and not to [[being]] burdensome': You may definitely hold, 'This is the [[Dhamma]], this is the [[Vinaya]], this is the Teacher's instruction.'" |
− | [According to the commentaries, Mahapajapati Gotami gained arahantship soon after receiving this instruction.] | + | [According to the commentaries, [[Mahapajapati Gotami]] gained [[arahantship]] soon after receiving this instruction.] |
</poem> | </poem> | ||
{{R}} | {{R}} |
Revision as of 02:12, 4 September 2013
Then Ven. Assaji, arising early in the morning, taking his robe and bowl, entered Rajagaha for alms: gracious in the way he approached and departed, looked forward and behind, drew in and stretched out his arm; his eyes downcast, his every movement consummate. Sariputta the wanderer saw Ven. Assaji going for alms in Rajagaha: gracious... his eyes downcast, his every movement consummate. On seeing him, the Thought occurred to him: "Surely, of those in this World who are Arahants or have entered the path to arahantship, this is one. What if I were to approach him and question him: 'On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Of whose Dhamma do you approve?'"
But then the Thought occurred to Sariputta the wanderer: "This is the wrong time to question him. He is going for alms in the town. What if I were to follow behind this Monk who has found the path for those who seek it?"
Then Ven. Assaji, having gone for alms in Rajagaha, left, taking the alms he had received. Sariputta the wanderer approached him and, on arrival, having exchanged friendly Greetings and courtesies, stood to one side. As he stood there he said, "Your faculties are bright, my friend, your complexion pure and clear. On whose account have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Of whose Dhamma do you approve?"
"There is, my friend, the Great Contemplative, a son of the Sakyans, gone forth from a Sakyan family. I have gone forth on account of that Blessed One. That Blessed One is my teacher. It is of that Blessed One's Dhamma that I approve."
"But what is your teacher's teaching? What does he proclaim?"
"I am new, my friend, not long gone forth, only recently come to this Doctrine and discipline. I cannot explain the Doctrine in detail, but I can give you the gist in brief."
Then Sariputta the wanderer spoke thus to the Ven. Assaji:
Speak a little or a lot, but tell me just the gist. The gist is what I want. What use is a lot of rhetoric?
Then Ven. Assaji gave this Dhamma exposition to Sariputta the Wanderer:
Whatever phenomena arise from cause: their cause & their cessation. Such is the teaching of the Tathagata, the Great Contemplative.
Then to Sariputta the Wanderer, as he heard this Dhamma exposition, there arose the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye: Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.
— Mv 1.23.5
Then Mahapajapati Gotami [the first nun, and the Buddha's foster mother] approached the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down, stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said, "It would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief so that I, having heard the Dhamma, might dwell alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, and resolute."
"...Gotami, the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to dispassion, not to passion; to being unfettered and not to being fettered; to self-effacement and not to self-aggrandizement; to modesty and not to ambition; to Contentment and not to discontent; to seclusion and not to entanglement; to the arousing of persistence and not to Laziness; to being unburdensome and not to being burdensome': You may definitely hold, 'This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher's instruction.'"
[According to the commentaries, Mahapajapati Gotami gained arahantship soon after receiving this instruction.]