{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an8.25/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an8.25","id":"suttacentral_an8.25","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an8.25/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Then Mah\u0101n\u0101ma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: \u201cSir, how is a lay follower defined?\u201d \u201cMah\u0101n\u0101ma, when you\u2019ve gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Sa\u1e45gha, you\u2019re considered to be a lay follower.\u201d \u201cBut how is an ethical lay follower defined?\u201d \u201cWhen a lay follower doesn\u2019t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor, they\u2019re considered to be an ethical lay follower.\u201d \u201cBut how do we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit themselves, not others?\u201d \u201cA lay follower is accomplished in faith, but doesn\u2019t encourage others to do the same. They\u2019re accomplished in ethical conduct, but don\u2019t encourage others to do the same. They\u2019re accomplished in generosity, but don\u2019t encourage others to do the same. They like to see the mendicants, but don\u2019t encourage others to do the same. They like to hear the true teaching, but don\u2019t encourage others to do the same. They readily memorize the teachings they\u2019ve heard, but don\u2019t encourage others to do the same. They examine the meaning of the teachings they\u2019ve memorized, but don\u2019t encourage others to do the same. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching, but they don\u2019t encourage others to do the same. That\u2019s how we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit themselves, not others.\u201d \u201cBut how do we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit both themselves and others?\u201d \u201cA lay follower is accomplished in faith and encourages others to do the same. They\u2019re accomplished in ethical conduct and encourage others to do the same. They\u2019re accomplished in generosity and encourage others to do the same. They like to see the mendicants and encourage others to do the same. They like to hear the true teaching and encourage others to do the same. They readily memorize the teachings they\u2019ve heard and encourage others to do the same. They examine the meaning of the teachings they\u2019ve memorized and encourage others to do the same. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching and they encourage others to do the same. That\u2019s how we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit both themselves and others.\u201d","title":"With Mah\u0101n\u0101ma","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":406}