{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn89/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn89","id":"suttacentral_mn89","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn89/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 Sakyans, near the Sakyan town named Meda\u1e37umpa. Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala had arrived at Townsville on some business. Then he addressed D\u012bgha K\u0101r\u0101yana, \u201cMy good K\u0101r\u0101yana, harness the finest chariots. We will go to a park and see the scenery.\u201d \u201cYes, Your Majesty,\u201d replied D\u012bgha K\u0101r\u0101yana. He harnessed the chariots and informed the king, \u201cYour Majesty, the finest chariots are harnessed. Please go at your convenience.\u201d Then King Pasenadi mounted a fine carriage and, along with other fine carriages, set out in full royal pomp from Townsville, heading for the park grounds. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and entered the park on foot. As he was going for a walk in the park he saw roots of trees that were impressive and inspiring, quiet and still, far from the madding crowd, remote from human settlements, and fit for retreat. The sight reminded him right away of the Buddha: \u201cThese roots of trees, so impressive and inspiring, are like those where we used to pay homage to the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.\u201d He addressed D\u012bgha K\u0101r\u0101yana, \u201cThese roots of trees, so impressive and inspiring, are like those where we used to pay homage to the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. My good K\u0101r\u0101yana, where is that Buddha at present?\u201d \u201cGreat king, there is a Sakyan town named Meda\u1e37umpa. That\u2019s where the Buddha is now staying.\u201d \u201cBut how far away is that town?\u201d \u201cNot far, Great King, it\u2019s three leagues. We can get there while it\u2019s still light.\u201d \u201cWell then, harness the chariots, and we shall go to see the Buddha.\u201d \u201cYes, Your Majesty,\u201d replied D\u012bgha K\u0101r\u0101yana. He harnessed the chariots and informed the king, \u201cYour Majesty, the finest chariots are harnessed. Please go at your convenience.\u201d Then King Pasenadi mounted a fine carriage and, along with other fine carriages, set out from Townsville to Meda\u1e37umpa. He reached the town while it was still light and headed for the monastery grounds. He went by carriage as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and entered the monastery on foot. At that time several mendicants were walking mindfully in the open air. King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to them and said, \u201cSirs, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha? For I want to see him.\u201d \u201cGreat king, that\u2019s his dwelling, with the door closed. Approach it quietly, without hurrying; go onto the porch, clear your throat, and knock on the door-panel. The Buddha will open the door.\u201d The king right away presented his sword and turban to D\u012bgha K\u0101r\u0101yana, who thought, \u201cNow the king seeks privacy. I should wait here.\u201d Then the king approached the Buddha\u2019s dwelling, cleared his throat and knocked on the door-panel, and the Buddha opened the door. King Pasenadi entered the dwelling, and bowed with his head to the Buddha\u2019s feet, caressing them and covering them with kisses, and pronounced his name: \u201cSir, I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala! I am Pasenadi, king of Kosala!\u201d \u201cBut, Great King, for what reason do you demonstrate such utmost deference for this body, conveying your manifest love?\u201d \u201cSir, I infer about the Buddha from the teaching: \u2018The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Sa\u1e45gha is practicing well.\u2019 It happens, sir, that I see some ascetics and brahmins leading the spiritual life only for a limited period: ten, twenty, thirty, or forty years. Some time later\u2014nicely bathed and anointed, with hair and beard dressed\u2014they amuse themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. But here I see the mendicants leading the spiritual life entirely full and pure as long as they live, to their last breath. I don\u2019t see any other spiritual life elsewhere so full and pure. That\u2019s why I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: \u2018The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Sa\u1e45gha is practicing well.\u2019 Furthermore, kings fight with kings, aristocrats fight with aristocrats, brahmins fight with brahmins, householders fight with householders. A mother fights with her child, child with mother, father with child, and child with father. Brother fights with brother, brother with sister, sister with brother, and friend fights with friend. But here I see the mendicants living in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, blending like milk and water, and regarding each other with kindly eyes. I don\u2019t see any other assembly elsewhere so harmonious. So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: \u2018The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Sa\u1e45gha is practicing well.\u2019 Furthermore, I have walked and wandered from monastery to monastery and from park to park. There I\u2019ve seen some ascetics and brahmins who are thin, haggard, pale, and veiny\u2014hardly a captivating sight for people, you\u2019d think. It occurred to me: \u2018Clearly these venerables lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, or they\u2019re hiding some bad deed they\u2019ve done. That\u2019s why they\u2019re thin, haggard, pale, and veiny\u2014hardly a captivating sight for people, you\u2019d think.\u2019 I went up to them and said: \u2018Venerables, why are you so thin, haggard, pale, and veiny\u2014hardly a captivating sight for people, you\u2019d think?\u2019 They say: \u2018We have jaundice, Great King.\u2019 But here I see mendicants always smiling and joyful, obviously happy, with cheerful faces, living relaxed, unruffled, surviving on charity, their hearts free as a wild deer. It occurred to me: \u2018Clearly these venerables have realized a higher distinction in the Buddha\u2019s instructions than they had before. That\u2019s why these venerables are always smiling and joyful, obviously happy, with cheerful faces, living relaxed, unruffled, surviving on charity, their hearts free as a wild deer.\u2019 So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: \u2018The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Sa\u1e45gha is practicing well.\u2019 Furthermore, as an anointed aristocratic king I am able to execute, fine, or banish those who are guilty. Yet when I\u2019m sitting in court they interrupt me. And I can\u2019t get them to stop interrupting me and wait until I\u2019ve finished speaking. But here I see the mendicants while the Buddha is teaching an assembly of many hundreds, and there is no sound of his disciples coughing or clearing their throats. Once it so happened that the Buddha was teaching an assembly of many hundreds. Then one of his disciples cleared their throat. And one of their spiritual companions nudged them with their knee, to indicate: \u2018Hush, venerable, don\u2019t make a sound! Our teacher, the Blessed One, is teaching!\u2019 It occurred to me: \u2018Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing, how an assembly can be so well trained without rod or sword!\u2019 I don\u2019t see any other assembly elsewhere so well trained. So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: \u2018The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Sa\u1e45gha is practicing well.\u2019 Furthermore, I\u2019ve seen some astute aristocrats who are subtle, accomplished in the doctrines of others, hair-splitters. You\u2019d think they live to demolish convictions with their intellect. They hear: \u2018So, gentlemen, that ascetic Gotama will come down to such-and-such village or town.\u2019 They formulate a question, thinking: \u2018We\u2019ll approach the ascetic Gotama and ask him this question. If he answers like this, we\u2019ll refute him like that; and if he answers like that, we\u2019ll refute him like this.\u2019 When they hear that he has come down they approach him. The Buddha educates, encourages, fires up, and inspires them with a Dhamma talk. They don\u2019t even get around to asking their question to the Buddha, so how could they refute his answer? Invariably, they become his disciples. So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: \u2018The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Sa\u1e45gha is practicing well.\u2019 Furthermore, I see some astute brahmins \u2026 some astute householders \u2026 some astute ascetics who are subtle, accomplished in the doctrines of others, hair-splitters. \u2026 They don\u2019t even get around to asking their question to the Buddha, so how could they refute his answer? Invariably, they ask the Buddha for the chance to go forth. And he gives them the going-forth. Soon after going forth, living withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, they realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. They live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. They say: \u2018We were almost lost! We almost perished! For we used to claim that we were ascetics, brahmins, and perfected ones, but we were none of these things. But now we really are ascetics, brahmins, and perfected ones!\u2019 So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: \u2018The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Sa\u1e45gha is practicing well.\u2019 Furthermore, these chamberlains Isidatta and Pur\u0101\u1e47a share my meals and my carriages. I give them a livelihood and bring them renown. And yet they don\u2019t show me the same level of deference that they show to the Buddha. Once it so happened that while I was leading a military campaign and testing Isidatta and Pur\u0101\u1e47a I took up residence in a cramped house. They spent much of the night discussing the teaching, then they lay down with their heads toward where the Buddha was and their feet toward me. It occurred to me: \u2018Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! These chamberlains Isidatta and Pur\u0101\u1e47a share my meals and my carriages. I give them a livelihood and bring them renown. And yet they don\u2019t show me the same level of deference that they show to the Buddha. Clearly these venerables have realized a higher distinction in the Buddha\u2019s instructions than they had before.\u2019 So I infer this about the Buddha from the teaching: \u2018The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Sa\u1e45gha is practicing well.\u2019 Furthermore, the Buddha is an aristocrat, and so am I. The Buddha is Kosalan, and so am I. The Buddha is eighty years old, and so am I. Since this is so, it\u2019s proper for me to act with such utmost deference for the Buddha and convey my manifest love. Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.\u201d \u201cPlease, Great King, go at your convenience.\u201d Then King Pasenadi rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Soon after the king had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants: \u201cMendicants, before he got up and left, King Pasenadi spoke shrines to the teaching. Learn these shrines to the teaching! Memorize these shrines to the teaching! Remember these shrines to the teaching! These shrines to the teaching are beneficial and relate to the fundamentals of the spiritual life.\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.","title":"Shrines to the Teaching","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1852}