{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn65/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn65","id":"suttacentral_mn65","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn65/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near S\u0101vatth\u012b in Jeta\u2019s Grove, An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika\u2019s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, \u201cMendicants!\u201d \u201cVenerable sir,\u201d they replied. The Buddha said this: \u201cMendicants, I eat my food in one sitting per day. Doing so, I find that I\u2019m healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably. You too should eat your food in one sitting per day. Doing so, you\u2019ll find that you\u2019re healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.\u201d When he said this, Venerable Bhadd\u0101li said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, I\u2019m not going to attempt to eat my food in one sitting per day. For when eating once a day I might feel remorse and regret.\u201d \u201cWell then, Bhadd\u0101li, eat one part of the meal in the place where you\u2019re invited, and bring the rest back to eat. Eating this way, too, you will sustain yourself.\u201d \u201cSir, I\u2019m not going to attempt to eat that way, either. For when eating that way I might also feel remorse and regret.\u201d Then, as this rule was being laid down by the Buddha and the Sa\u1e45gha was undertaking it, Bhadd\u0101li announced he would not attempt to keep it. Then for the whole of that three months Bhadd\u0101li would not see the Buddha face to face, as happens when someone doesn\u2019t fulfill the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. At that time several mendicants were making a robe for the Buddha, thinking that when his robe was finished and the three months of the rains residence had passed the Buddha would set out wandering. Then Bhadd\u0101li went up to those mendicants, and exchanged greetings with them. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side. The mendicants said to Bhadd\u0101li, \u201cReverend Bhadd\u0101li, this robe is being made for the Buddha. When it\u2019s finished and the three months of the rains residence have passed the Buddha will set out wandering. Come on, Bhadd\u0101li, learn your lesson. Don\u2019t make it hard for yourself later on.\u201d \u201cYes, reverends,\u201d Bhadd\u0101li replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, \u201cI made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of me that, as this rule was being laid down by the Buddha and the Sa\u1e45gha was undertaking it, I announced I would not attempt to keep it. Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I will restrain myself in future.\u201d \u201cIndeed, Bhadd\u0101li, you made a mistake. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of you that, as this rule was being laid down by the Buddha and the Sa\u1e45gha was undertaking it, you announced you would not attempt to keep it. And you didn\u2019t realize this situation: \u2018The Buddha is staying in S\u0101vatth\u012b, and he\u2019ll know me as the mendicant named Bhadd\u0101li who doesn\u2019t fulfill the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions.\u2019 And you didn\u2019t realize this situation: \u2018Several monks have commenced the rains retreat in S\u0101vatth\u012b \u2026 several nuns have commenced the rains retreat in S\u0101vatth\u012b \u2026 several laymen reside in S\u0101vatth\u012b \u2026 several laywomen reside in S\u0101vatth\u012b, and they\u2019ll know me as the mendicant named Bhadd\u0101li who doesn\u2019t fulfill the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. \u2026 Several ascetics and brahmins who follow various other religions have commenced the rains retreat in S\u0101vatth\u012b, and they\u2019ll know me as the mendicant named Bhadd\u0101li, one of the senior disciples of Gotama, who doesn\u2019t fulfill the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions.\u2019 You also didn\u2019t realize this situation.\u201d \u201cI made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of me that, as this rule was being laid down by the Buddha and the Sa\u1e45gha was undertaking it, I announced I would not attempt to keep it. Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I will restrain myself in future.\u201d \u201cIndeed, Bhadd\u0101li, you made a mistake. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of you that, as this rule was being laid down by the Buddha and the Sa\u1e45gha was undertaking it, you announced you would not attempt to keep it. What do you think, Bhadd\u0101li? Suppose I was to say this to a mendicant who is freed both ways: \u2018Please, mendicant, be a bridge for me to cross over the mud.\u2019 Would they cross over themselves, or struggle to get out of it, or just say no?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, Bhadd\u0101li? Suppose I was to say the same thing to a mendicant who is freed by wisdom, or a direct witness, or attained to view, or freed by faith, or a follower of teachings, or a follower by faith: \u2018Please, mendicant, be a bridge for me to cross over the mud.\u2019 Would they cross over themselves, or struggle to get out of it, or just say no?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, Bhadd\u0101li? At that time were you freed both ways, freed by wisdom, a direct witness, attained to view, freed by faith, a follower of teachings, or a follower by faith?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWeren\u2019t you vacuous, hollow, and mistaken?\u201d \u201cYes, sir. I made a mistake \u2026 Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I will restrain myself in future.\u201d \u201cIndeed, Bhadd\u0101li, you made a mistake. \u2026 But since you have recognized your mistake for what it is, and have dealt with it properly, I accept it. For it is growth in the training of the Noble One to recognize a mistake for what it is, deal with it properly, and commit to restraint in the future. Bhadd\u0101li, take a mendicant who doesn\u2019t fulfill the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. They think, \u2018Why don\u2019t I frequent a secluded lodging\u2014a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. Hopefully I\u2019ll realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.\u2019 So they frequent a secluded lodging. While they\u2019re living withdrawn, they\u2019re reprimanded by the Teacher, by sensible spiritual companions after examination, by deities, and by themselves. Being reprimanded in this way, they don\u2019t realize any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Why is that? Because that\u2019s how it is when someone doesn\u2019t fulfill the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. But take a mendicant who does fulfill the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. They think, \u2018Why don\u2019t I frequent a secluded lodging\u2014a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. Hopefully I\u2019ll realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.\u2019 They frequent a secluded lodging\u2014a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. While they\u2019re living withdrawn, they\u2019re not reprimanded by the Teacher, by sensible spiritual companions after examination, by deities, or by themselves. Not being reprimanded in this way, they realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. Why is that? Because that\u2019s what happens when someone fulfills the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a mendicant enters and remains in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. Why is that? Because that\u2019s what happens when someone fulfills the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. Furthermore, with the fading away of rapture, a mendicant enters and remains in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, \u2018Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.\u2019 Why is that? Because that\u2019s what happens when someone fulfills the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. Furthermore, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, a mendicant enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. Why is that? Because that\u2019s what happens when someone fulfills the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward recollection of past lives. They recollect 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. Why is that? Because that\u2019s what happens when someone fulfills the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn\u2014inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: \u2018These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. \u2026 they\u2019re reborn in the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. \u2026 they\u2019re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.\u2019 And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman \u2026 they understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. Why is that? Because that\u2019s what happens when someone fulfills the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. They truly understand: \u2018This is suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the origin of suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the cessation of suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering\u2019. They truly understand: \u2018These are defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the origin of defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the cessation of defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements\u2019. Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When they\u2019re freed, they know they\u2019re freed. They understand: \u2018Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.\u2019 Why is that? Because that\u2019s what happens when someone fulfills the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions.\u201d When he said this, Venerable Bhadd\u0101li said to the Buddha, \u201cWhat is the cause, sir, what is the reason why they punish some monk, repeatedly pressuring him? And what is the cause, what is the reason why they don\u2019t similarly punish another monk, repeatedly pressuring him?\u201d \u201cTake a monk who is a frequent offender with many offenses. When admonished by the monks, he dodges the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points. He displays annoyance, hate, and bitterness. He doesn\u2019t proceed properly, he doesn\u2019t fall in line, he doesn\u2019t proceed to get past it, and he doesn\u2019t say: \u2018I\u2019ll do what pleases the Sa\u1e45gha.\u2019 In such a case, the monks say: \u2018Reverends, this monk is a frequent offender, with many offenses. When admonished by the monks, he dodges the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points. He displays annoyance, hate, and bitterness. He doesn\u2019t proceed properly, he doesn\u2019t fall in line, he doesn\u2019t proceed to get past it, and he doesn\u2019t say: \u201cI\u2019ll do what pleases the Sa\u1e45gha.\u201d It\u2019d be good for the venerables to examine this monk in such a way that this disciplinary issue is not quickly settled.\u2019 And that\u2019s what they do. Take some other monk who is a frequent offender with many offenses. When admonished by the monks, he doesn\u2019t dodge the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points. He doesn\u2019t display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. He proceeds properly, he falls in line, he proceeds to get past it, and he says: \u2018I\u2019ll do what pleases the Sa\u1e45gha.\u2019 In such a case, the monks say: \u2018Reverends, this monk is a frequent offender, with many offenses. When admonished by the monks, he doesn\u2019t dodge the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points. He doesn\u2019t display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. He proceeds properly, he falls in line, he proceeds to get past it, and he says: \u201cI\u2019ll do what pleases the Sa\u1e45gha.\u201d It\u2019d be good for the venerables to examine this monk in such a way that this disciplinary issue is quickly settled.\u2019 And that\u2019s what they do. Take some other monk who is an occasional offender without many offenses. When admonished by the monks, he dodges the issue \u2026 In such a case, the monks say: \u2018Reverends, this monk is an occasional offender without many offenses. When admonished by the monks, he dodges the issue \u2026 It\u2019d be good for the venerables to examine this monk in such a way that this disciplinary issue is not quickly settled.\u2019 And that\u2019s what they do. Take some other monk who is an occasional offender without many offenses. When admonished by the monks, he doesn\u2019t dodge the issue \u2026 In such a case, the monks say: \u2018Reverends, this monk is an occasional offender without many offenses. When admonished by the monks, he doesn\u2019t dodge the issue \u2026 It\u2019d be good for the venerables to examine this monk in such a way that this disciplinary issue is quickly settled.\u2019 And that\u2019s what they do. Take some other monk who gets by with mere faith and fondness. In such a case, the monks say: \u2018Reverends, this monk gets by with mere faith and fondness. Suppose we punish him, repeatedly pressuring him\u2014 no, let him not lose what little faith and fondness he has!\u2019 Suppose there was a person with one eye. Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would protect that one eye: \u2018Let them not lose the one eye that they have!\u2019 In the same way, some monk gets by with mere faith and fondness. In such a case, the monks say: \u2018Reverends, this monk gets by with mere faith and fondness. Suppose we punish him, repeatedly pressuring him\u2014 no, let him not lose what little faith and love he has!\u2019 This is the cause, this is the reason why they punish some monk, repeatedly pressuring him. And this is the cause, this is the reason why they don\u2019t similarly punish another monk, repeatedly pressuring him.\u201d \u201cWhat is the cause, sir, what is the reason why there used to be fewer training rules but more enlightened mendicants? And what is the cause, what is the reason why these days there are more training rules and fewer enlightened mendicants?\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s how it is, Bhadd\u0101li. When sentient beings are in decline and the true teaching is disappearing there are more training rules and fewer enlightened mendicants. The Teacher does not lay down training rules for disciples as long as certain defiling influences have not appeared in the Sa\u1e45gha. But when such defiling influences appear in the Sa\u1e45gha, the Teacher lays down training rules for disciples to protect against them. And they don\u2019t appear until the Sa\u1e45gha has attained a great size, an abundance of material support and fame, learning, and seniority. But when the Sa\u1e45gha has attained these things, then such defiling influences appear in the Sa\u1e45gha, and the Teacher lays down training rules for disciples to protect against them. There were only a few of you there at the time when I taught the exposition on the simile of the thoroughbred colt. Do you remember that, Bhadd\u0101li?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cWhat do you believe the reason for that is?\u201d \u201cSir, it\u2019s surely because for a long time now I haven\u2019t fulfilled the training according to the Teacher\u2019s instructions.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not the only reason, Bhadd\u0101li. Rather, for a long time I have encompassed your mind and known: \u2018While I\u2019m teaching, this futile man doesn\u2019t pay attention, apply the mind, concentrate wholeheartedly, or actively listen to the teaching.\u2019 Still, Bhadd\u0101li, I shall teach the exposition on the simile of the thoroughbred colt. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d Bhadd\u0101li replied. The Buddha said this: \u201cSuppose a deft horse trainer were to obtain a fine thoroughbred. First of all he\u2019d make it get used to wearing the bit. Because it has not done this before, it still resorts to some twists, ducks, and dodges. But with regular and gradual practice its bad behavior is extinguished. When it has done this, the horse trainer next makes it get used to wearing the harness. Because it has not done this before, it still resorts to some twists, ducks, and dodges. But with regular and gradual practice its bad behavior is extinguished. When it has done this, the horse trainer next makes it get used to walking in procession, circling, prancing, galloping, charging, the protocols and customs of court, and in the very best speed, fleetness, and camaraderie. Because it has not done this before, it still resorts to some twists, ducks, and dodges. But with regular and gradual practice its bad behavior is extinguished. When it has done this, the horse trainer next rewards it with a grooming and a rub down. A fine royal thoroughbred with these ten factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and reckoned as a factor of kingship. In the same way, a mendicant with ten qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. What ten? It\u2019s when a mendicant has an adept\u2019s right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. A mendicant with these ten qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Bhadd\u0101li approved what the Buddha said.","title":"With Bhadd\u0101li","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":3101}