{"collection":"Khuddaka Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_ud4.8/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_ud4.8","id":"suttacentral_ud4.8","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/ud4.8/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Khuddaka 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. Now at that time the Buddha was honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha was also honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they received robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But the wanderers who followed other religions were not honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they didn\u2019t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. Then those wanderers who followed other religions, unable to bear the esteem of the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha, approached the female wanderer Sundar\u012b and said, \u201cSister, are you able to do something for the welfare of your kin?\u201d \u201cWhat can I do, masters? How can I help? I\u2019d even give my life for the welfare of my kin.\u201d \u201cWell then, sister, frequently visit Jeta\u2019s Grove.\u201d \u201cYes, masters,\u201d she replied, and did as they asked. When those wanderers knew that Sundar\u012b had been clearly seen by many people frequently visiting Jeta\u2019s Grove, they killed her and dumped her in the ditch around Jeta\u2019s Grove. Then they went to see King Pasenadi of Kosala and said to him, \u201cGreat king, we cannot find the female wanderer Sundar\u012b.\u201d \u201cBut where do you suspect she is?\u201d \u201cAt Jeta\u2019s Grove, Great King.\u201d \u201cWell then, search Jeta\u2019s Grove.\u201d So the wanderers searched Jeta\u2019s Grove. They pulled her body up from the ditch where they had dumped it, and lifted it on a bier. Having entered S\u0101vatth\u012b, they went from street to street and from square to square, complaining to people: \u201cSee the deed of the ascetics who follow the Sakyan! Shameless are these ascetics who follow the Sakyan, immoral and wicked. They are liars and unchaste. Sure, they claim to be of principled and moral conduct, to be chaste, truthful, ethical, and of good character. But they have no asceticism, no spirituality. Asceticism and spirituality are lost to them! Where is their asceticism, where their spirituality? They have abandoned asceticism and spirituality! How on earth can a man, having done a man\u2019s business, kill a woman!\u201d Then at that time when the people of S\u0101vatth\u012b saw the mendicants they abused and insulted them with rude, harsh words: \u201cShameless are these ascetics who follow the Sakyan, immoral, wicked. They are liars and unchaste. Sure, they claim to be of principled and moral conduct, to be chaste, truthful, ethical, and of good character. But they have no asceticism, no spirituality. Asceticism and spirituality are lost to them! Where is their asceticism, where their spirituality? They have abandoned asceticism and spirituality! How on earth can a man, having done a man\u2019s business, kill a woman!\u201d Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered S\u0101vatth\u012b for alms. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening. \u201cThat rumor, mendicants, won\u2019t last long. It will only be seven days, then it will vanish. So you may respond to those critics with this verse: A liar goes to hell, as does one who denies what they did. Both are equal in the hereafter, those men of base deeds.\u201d The mendicants memorized that verse in the Buddha\u2019s presence, then used it to respond to those critics. People thought, \u201cThese ascetics who follow the Sakyan didn\u2019t do it, it was not done by them, they swear it.\u201d That rumor didn\u2019t last long. It was seven days, then it vanished. Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, sir, it\u2019s amazing! How well said this was by the Buddha: \u2018That rumor, mendicants, won\u2019t last long. It will only be seven days, then it will vanish.\u2019 That rumor has vanished, sir.\u201d Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: \u201cPeople out of control stab with words, like they stab a tusker in battle with darts. When they hear a harsh word spoken, a mendicant should endure with no anger in heart.\u201d","title":"With Sundar\u012b","tradition":"Khuddaka Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":703}