{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an8.26/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an8.26","id":"suttacentral_an8.26","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an8.26/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying near R\u0101jagaha in J\u012bvaka\u2019s Mango Grove. Then J\u012bvaka Kom\u0101rabhacca went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, \u201cSir, how is a lay follower defined?\u201d \u201cJ\u012bvaka, 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 \u2026 they\u2019re accomplished in generosity \u2026 they like to see the mendicants \u2026 they like to hear the true teaching \u2026 they memorize the teachings \u2026 they examine the meaning \u2026 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 J\u012bvaka","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":348}