{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn54/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn54","id":"suttacentral_mn54","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn54/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the A\u1e45guttar\u0101pans, near the town of theirs named \u0100pa\u1e47a. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered \u0100pa\u1e47a for alms. He wandered for alms in \u0100pa\u1e47a. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to a certain forest grove for the day\u2019s meditation. Having plunged deep into it, he sat at the root of a certain tree to meditate. Potaliya the householder also approached that forest grove while going for a walk. He was well dressed in sarong and cloak, with parasol and sandals. Having plunged deep into it, he went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he stood to one side, and the Buddha said to him, \u201cThere are seats, householder. Please sit if you wish.\u201d When he said this, Potaliya was angry and upset. Thinking, \u201cThe ascetic Gotama addresses me as \u2018householder\u2019!\u201d he stayed silent. For a second time \u2026 and a third time the Buddha said to him, \u201cThere are seats, householder. Please sit if you wish.\u201d When he said this, Potaliya was angry and upset. Thinking, \u201cThe ascetic Gotama addresses me as \u2018householder\u2019!\u201d he said to the Buddha, \u201cWorthy Gotama, it is neither proper nor appropriate for you to address me as \u2018householder\u2019.\u201d \u201cWell, householder, you have the features, attributes, and signs of a householder.\u201d \u201cWorthy Gotama, it\u2019s because I have turned down all work and cut off all business.\u201d \u201cHouseholder, in what way have you turned down all work and cut off all business?\u201d \u201cWorthy Gotama, all the money, grain, gold, and silver I used to have has been handed over to my children as their inheritance. And in this matter I do not advise or reprimand them, but live with nothing more than food and clothes. That\u2019s how I have turned down all work and cut off all business.\u201d \u201cThe cutting off of business as you describe it is one thing, householder, but the cutting off of business in the Noble One\u2019s training is quite different.\u201d \u201cBut what, sir, is cutting off of business in the Noble One\u2019s training? Sir, please teach me this.\u201d \u201cWell then, householder, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d said Potaliya. The Buddha said this: \u201cHouseholder, these eight things lead to the cutting off of business in the Noble One\u2019s training. What eight? Killing living creatures should be given up, relying on not killing living creatures. Stealing should be given up, relying on not stealing. Lying should be given up, relying on speaking the truth. Backbiting should be given up, relying on not backbiting. Greed and lust should be given up, relying on not being greedy and lustful. Blaming and insulting should be given up, relying on not blaming and not insulting. Anger and distress should be given up, relying on not being angry and distressed. Arrogance should be given up, relying on not being arrogant. These are the eight things\u2014stated in brief without being analyzed in detail\u2014that lead to the cutting off of business in the Noble One\u2019s training.\u201d \u201cSir, please teach me these eight things in detail out of sympathy.\u201d \u201cWell then, householder, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d said Potaliya. The Buddha said this: \u201c\u2018Killing living creatures should be given up, relying on not killing living creatures.\u2019 That\u2019s what I said, but why did I say it? It\u2019s when a noble disciple reflects: \u2018I am practicing to give up and cut off the fetters that might cause me to kill living creatures. But if I were to kill living creatures, because of that I would reprimand myself; sensible people, after examination, would criticize me; and when my body breaks up, after death, I could expect to be reborn in a bad place. And killing living creatures is itself a fetter and a hindrance. The distressing and feverish defilements that might arise because of killing living creatures do not occur in someone who does not kill living creatures.\u2019 \u2018Killing living creatures should be given up, relying on not killing living creatures.\u2019 That\u2019s what I said, and this is why I said it. \u2018Stealing \u2026 lying \u2026 backbiting \u2026 greed and lust \u2026 blaming and insulting \u2026 anger and distress \u2026 Arrogance should be given up, relying on not being arrogant.\u2019 That\u2019s what I said, but why did I say it? It\u2019s when a noble disciple reflects: \u2018I am practicing to give up and cut off the fetters that might cause me to be arrogant. But if I were to be arrogant, because of that I would reprimand myself; sensible people, after examination, would criticize me; and when my body breaks up, after death, I could expect to be reborn in a bad place. And arrogance is itself a fetter and a hindrance. The distressing and feverish defilements that might arise because of arrogance do not occur in someone who is not arrogant.\u2019 \u2018Arrogance should be given up by not being arrogant.\u2019 That\u2019s what I said, and this is why I said it. These are the eight things\u2014stated in brief and analyzed in detail\u2014that lead to the cutting off of business in the Noble One\u2019s training. But just this much does not constitute the cutting off of business in each and every respect in the Noble One\u2019s training.\u201d \u201cBut, sir, how is there the cutting off of business in each and every respect in the Noble One\u2019s training? Sir, please teach me this.\u201d \u201cWell then, householder, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d said Potaliya. The Buddha said this: 1. The Dangers of Sensual Pleasures \u201cHouseholder, suppose a dog weak with hunger was hanging around a butcher\u2019s shop. A deft butcher or their apprentice would toss them a skeleton scraped clean of flesh and smeared in blood. What do you think, householder? Gnawing on such a fleshless skeleton, would that dog still get rid of its hunger?\u201d \u201cNo, sir. Why not? Because that skeleton is scraped clean of flesh and smeared in blood. That dog will eventually get weary and frustrated.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, a noble disciple reflects: \u2018With the simile of a skeleton the Buddha said that sensual pleasures give little gratification and much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks.\u2019 Having truly seen this with right understanding, they shun equanimity based on diversity and develop only the equanimity based on unity, where all kinds of grasping to the worldly pleasures of the flesh cease without remainder. Suppose a vulture or a crow or a hawk was to grab a scrap of meat and fly away. Other vultures, crows, and hawks would keep chasing it, pecking and clawing. What do you think, householder? If that vulture, crow, or hawk doesn\u2019t quickly let go of that scrap of meat, wouldn\u2019t that result in death or deadly suffering for them?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u2026 \u201cSuppose a person carrying a blazing grass torch was to walk against the wind. What do you think, householder? If that person doesn\u2019t quickly let go of that blazing grass torch, wouldn\u2019t they burn their hands or arm or other major or minor limb, resulting in death or deadly suffering for them?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u2026 \u201cSuppose there was a pit of glowing coals deeper than a man\u2019s height, full of glowing coals that neither flamed nor smoked. Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn\u2019t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain. Two strong men would grab them by the arms and drag them toward the pit of glowing coals. What do you think, householder? Wouldn\u2019t that person writhe and struggle to and fro?\u201d \u201cYes, sir. Why is that? For that person knows: \u2018If I fall in that pit of glowing coals, that\u2019d result in my death or deadly pain.\u2019\u201d \u2026 \u201cSuppose a person was to see delightful parks, woods, meadows, and lotus ponds in a dream. But when they woke they couldn\u2019t see them at all. \u2026 Suppose a man had borrowed some goods\u2014a gentleman\u2019s carriage and fine jeweled earrings\u2014 and preceded and surrounded by these he proceeded through the middle of \u0100pa\u1e47a. When people saw him they\u2019d say: \u2018This must be a wealthy man! For that\u2019s how the wealthy enjoy their wealth.\u2019 But when the owners saw him, they\u2019d take back what was theirs. What do you think? Would that be enough for that man to get upset?\u201d \u201cYes, sir. Why is that? Because the owners took back what was theirs.\u201d \u2026 \u201cSuppose there was a dense forest grove not far from a town or village. And there was a tree laden with fruit, yet none of the fruit had fallen to the ground. And along came a person in need of fruit, wandering in search of fruit. Having plunged deep into that forest grove, they\u2019d see that tree laden with fruit. They\u2019d think: \u2018That tree is laden with fruit, yet none of the fruit has fallen to the ground. But I know how to climb a tree. Why don\u2019t I climb the tree, eat as much as I like, then fill my pouch?\u2019 And that\u2019s what they\u2019d do. And along would come a second person in need of fruit, wandering in search of fruit, carrying a sharp axe. Having plunged deep into that forest grove, they\u2019d see that tree laden with fruit. They\u2019d think: \u2018That tree is laden with fruit, yet none of the fruit has fallen to the ground. But I don\u2019t know how to climb a tree. Why don\u2019t I chop this tree down at the root, eat as much as I like, then fill my pouch?\u2019 And so they\u2019d chop the tree down at the root. What do you think, householder? If the first person, who climbed the tree, doesn\u2019t quickly come down, when that tree fell wouldn\u2019t they break their hand or arm or other major or minor limb, resulting in death or deadly suffering for them?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, a noble disciple reflects: \u2018With the simile of the fruit tree the Buddha said that sensual pleasures give little gratification and much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks.\u2019 Having truly seen this with right understanding, they shun equanimity based on diversity and develop only the equanimity based on unity, where all kinds of grasping to the worldly pleasures of the flesh cease without remainder. Relying on this supreme purity of mindfulness and equanimity, that noble disciple recollects their many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. \u2026 They recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. Relying on this supreme purity of mindfulness and equanimity, that noble disciple, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, sees sentient beings passing away and being reborn\u2014inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. \u2026 They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. Relying on this supreme purity of mindfulness and equanimity, that noble disciple realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. That\u2019s how there is the cutting off of business in each and every respect in the Noble One\u2019s training. What do you think, householder? Do you regard yourself as having cut off business in a way comparable to the cutting off of business in each and every respect in the Noble One\u2019s training?\u201d \u201cWho am I compared to one who has cut off business in each and every respect in the Noble One\u2019s training? I am far from that. Sir, I used to think that the wanderers following other religions were thoroughbreds, and I fed them and treated them accordingly, but they were not actually thoroughbreds. I thought that the mendicants were not thoroughbreds, and I fed them and treated them accordingly, but they actually were thoroughbreds. But now I shall understand that the wanderers following other religions are not actually thoroughbreds, and I will feed them and treat them accordingly. And I shall understand that the mendicants actually are thoroughbreds, and I will feed them and treat them accordingly. The Buddha has inspired me to have love, confidence, and respect for ascetics! Excellent, sir! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what\u2019s there, the Buddha has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha. From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.\u201d","title":"With Potaliya the Householder","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":2189}