9.
The Discourse on the Monuments of the Teaching
364. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Medāḷupa, a market town of the Sakyans. Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala had arrived at Nagaraka on some business. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala addressed Dīgha Kārāyana - "Harness, my dear Kārāyana, the finest vehicles; let us go to the pleasure ground to see the beautiful grounds." "Yes, Sire," Dīgha Kārāyana replied to King Pasenadi of Kosala, and having had the finest vehicles harnessed, he announced to King Pasenadi of Kosala - "The finest vehicles have been harnessed for you, Sire. Now do as you think fit." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having ascended the finest vehicle, departed from Nagaraka with the finest vehicles with great royal pomp. He set out towards the monastery. Having gone by vehicle as far as the ground was passable for vehicles, he descended from the vehicle and entered the monastery on foot. King Pasenadi of Kosala, walking up and down for leg exercise in the monastery, wandering about, saw tree-roots that were pleasing, inspiring, with little sound, with little noise, having an atmosphere of solitude, suitable for human seclusion, suitable for retreat. Having seen them, mindfulness arose in him concerning the Blessed One - "These are those tree-roots that are pleasing, inspiring, with little sound, with little noise, having an atmosphere of solitude, suitable for human seclusion, suitable for retreat, where we used to attend upon that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself."
365. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala addressed Dīgha Kārāyana - "These, my dear Kārāyana, are those tree-roots that are pleasing, inspiring, with little sound, with little noise, having an atmosphere of solitude, suitable for human seclusion, suitable for retreat, where we used to attend upon that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself. Where now, my dear Kārāyana, is that Blessed One dwelling, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself?" "There is, great king, a market town of the Sakyans named Medāḷupa. There that Blessed One is dwelling now, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself." "But how far, my dear Kārāyana, is the market town of the Sakyans named Medāḷupa from Nagaraka?" "Not far, great king; three yojanas; it is possible to go there with the remainder of the day." "If so, my dear Kārāyana, harness the finest vehicles; we shall go to see that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself." "Yes, Sire," Dīgha Kārāyana replied to King Pasenadi of Kosala, and having had the finest vehicles harnessed, he announced to King Pasenadi of Kosala - "The finest vehicles have been harnessed for you, Sire. Now do as you think fit." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having ascended the finest vehicle, set out from Nagaraka with the finest vehicles towards the market town of the Sakyans named Medāḷupa. With that very remainder of the day he arrived at the market town of the Sakyans named Medāḷupa. He set out towards the monastery. Having gone by vehicle as far as the ground was passable for vehicles, he descended from the vehicle and entered the monastery on foot.
366. Now at that time several monks were walking up and down in the open air. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached those monks; having approached, he said this to those monks - "Where, venerable sir, is that Blessed One dwelling now, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself? For we wish to see that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself." "This, great king, is the dwelling with its door closed. Approach it quietly, without hurrying enter the veranda, clear your throat and knock on the door-bolt. The Blessed One will open the door for you." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala right there gave his sword and turban to Dīgha Kārāyana. Then this occurred to Dīgha Kārāyana - "The king is now seeking privacy; I must stay right here." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached quietly that dwelling with its door closed, and without hurrying entered the veranda, cleared his throat and knocked on the door-bolt. The Blessed One opened the door. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having entered the dwelling, having fallen at the Blessed One's feet with his head, kissed the Blessed One's feet with his mouth and massaged them with his hands, and announced his name - "I am King Pasenadi of Kosala, venerable sir; I am King Pasenadi of Kosala, venerable sir."
367. "But what reason do you, great king, see that you perform such supreme respect towards this body, that you have shown a gift of friendship?" "There is indeed for me, venerable sir, an inference from the teaching regarding the Blessed One - 'The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.' Here, venerable sir, I see some ascetics and brahmins living the holy life with a set limit for ten years, for twenty years, for thirty years, for forty years. They, at a later time, well-bathed, well-anointed, with trimmed hair and beard, endowed and furnished with the five types of sensual pleasure, indulge themselves. But here, venerable sir, I see monks living the holy life that is complete and pure for as long as life lasts, limited with the end of life. But I do not perceive outside of this another holy life so complete and pure. This too is for me, venerable sir, an inference from the teaching regarding the Blessed One - 'The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.'
368. "Furthermore, venerable sir, kings quarrel with kings, those of the warrior caste quarrel with those of the warrior caste, brahmins quarrel with brahmins, householders quarrel with householders, a mother quarrels with her son, a son quarrels with his mother, a father quarrels with his son, a son quarrels with his father, a brother quarrels with his sister, a sister quarrels with her brother, a friend quarrels with his friend. But here, venerable sir, I see monks dwelling in unity, being joyful, without contention, blended like milk and water, regarding one another with eyes of affection. But I, venerable sir, do not perceive outside of this another assembly so united. This too is for me, venerable sir, an inference from the teaching regarding the Blessed One - 'The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.'
369. "Furthermore, venerable sir, I walk about and wander from park to park, from pleasure grove to pleasure grove. There I see some ascetics and brahmins who are lean, miserable, ugly, pale and sallow, with veins showing all over their bodies, not, methinks, capturing the eye of people for seeing. Then, venerable sir, this occurred to me: 'Surely these venerable ones either live the holy life without delight, or they have some evil deed done that is concealed; for thus these venerable ones are lean, miserable, ugly, pale and sallow, with veins showing all over their bodies, not, methinks, capturing the eye of people for seeing.' Having approached them, I speak thus - 'Why indeed are you venerable ones lean, miserable, ugly, pale and sallow, with veins showing all over your bodies, not, methinks, capturing the eye of people for seeing?' They said thus: 'It is a family disease, great king.' But here, venerable sir, I see monks who are joyful and elated, exultant and exuberant, delighting in their state, with faculties satisfied, living at ease, subdued, living on what is given by others, dwelling with a mind become like a deer. Then, venerable sir, this occurred to me: 'Surely these venerable ones know a lofty distinction from before to after in that Blessed One's Dispensation; for thus these venerable ones are joyful and elated, exultant and exuberant, delighting in their state, with faculties satisfied, living at ease, subdued, living on what is given by others, dwelling with a mind become like a deer.' This too is for me, venerable sir, an inference from the teaching regarding the Blessed One - 'The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.'
370. "Furthermore, venerable sir, I am a king of the warrior caste, anointed on the head; I am able to execute those who deserve execution, to fine those who deserve fining, to banish those who deserve banishment. Yet, venerable sir, when I am seated in judgment, they interrupt my discussion now and then. I am not able to say: 'Do not, sirs, interrupt my discussion now and then while I am seated in judgment; let the sirs wait for the end of my discussion.' Yet, venerable sir, they interrupt my discussion now and then. But here, venerable sir, I see monks; at the time when the Blessed One teaches the Teaching to an assembly of many hundreds, at that time there is indeed not among the Blessed One's disciples any sound of sneezing or sound of coughing. Once in the past, venerable sir, the Blessed One was teaching the Teaching to an assembly of many hundreds. Therein a certain disciple of the Blessed One coughed. A certain fellow in the holy life nudged him with his knee - 'Let the venerable one be quiet, let not the venerable one make a sound; our Teacher, the Blessed One, is teaching the Teaching.' Then, venerable sir, this occurred to me: 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! Without rod indeed, friend, without sword, thus well-disciplined will this assembly be!' But I, venerable sir, do not perceive outside of this another assembly so well-disciplined. This too is for me, venerable sir, an inference from the teaching regarding the Blessed One - 'The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.'
371. "Furthermore, venerable sir, I see here certain wise nobles, subtle, experienced in controversy, like hair-splitters. They wander about, methinks, demolishing wrong views with their wisdom. They hear - 'Indeed, friend, the ascetic Gotama will come to such and such a village or market town.' They construct a question - 'Having approached the ascetic Gotama, we will ask this question. If thus asked he answers thus, we will refute him thus; and if thus asked he answers thus, we will refute him thus.' They hear - 'Indeed, friend, the ascetic Gotama has come to such and such a village or market town.' They approach the Blessed One. The Blessed One instructs, encourages, inspires, and gladdens them with a talk on the Teaching. Having been instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a talk on the Teaching, they do not even ask the Blessed One a question, how then will they refute him? Surely they become disciples of the Blessed One. This too is for me, venerable sir, an inference from the teaching regarding the Blessed One - 'The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.'
372. "Furthermore, venerable sir, I see here certain wise brahmins... etc. wise householders... etc. wise ascetics, subtle, experienced in controversy, like hair-splitters. They wander about, methinks, demolishing wrong views with their wisdom. They hear - 'Indeed, friend, the ascetic Gotama will come to such and such a village or market town.' They construct a question - 'Having approached the ascetic Gotama, we will ask this question. If thus asked he answers thus, we will refute him thus; and if thus asked he answers thus, we will refute him thus.' They hear - 'Indeed, friend, the ascetic Gotama has come to such and such a village or market town.' They approach the Blessed One. The Blessed One instructs, encourages, inspires, and gladdens them with a talk on the Teaching. Having been instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a talk on the Teaching, they do not even ask the Blessed One a question, how then will they refute him? Surely they request permission from the Blessed One himself for the going forth from home into homelessness. The Blessed One gives them the going forth. Having thus gone forth, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, before long - that unsurpassed final goal of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness - in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge themselves, having attained, they dwell. They said thus: 'Indeed, friend, we were nearly lost; indeed, friend, we were nearly destroyed.' For formerly, not being ascetics, we claimed to be ascetics, not being brahmins, we claimed to be brahmins, not being Worthy Ones, we claimed to be Worthy Ones. 'Now indeed we are ascetics, now indeed we are brahmins, now indeed we are Worthy Ones.' This too is for me, venerable sir, an inference from the teaching regarding the Blessed One - 'The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.'
373. "Furthermore, venerable sir, these carpenters Isidatta and Purāṇa eat my food and use my vehicles, I am the giver of their livelihood, the bringer of their fame; and yet they do not show such humbleness to me as they do to the Blessed One. Once in the past, venerable sir, while I was marching out with the army, testing these carpenters Isidatta and Purāṇa, I took up residence in a certain confined public rest-house. Then, venerable sir, these carpenters Isidatta and Purāṇa, having spent much of the night in talk on the Teaching, lay down with their heads towards where the Blessed One was, making me at their feet. Then, venerable sir, this occurred to me: 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! These carpenters Isidatta and Purāṇa eat my food and use my vehicles, I am the giver of their livelihood, the bringer of their fame; and yet they do not show such humbleness to me as they do to the Blessed One. Surely these venerable ones know a lofty distinction from before to after in that Blessed One's Dispensation.' This too is for me, venerable sir, an inference from the teaching regarding the Blessed One - 'The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well.'
374. "Furthermore, venerable sir, the Blessed One too is of the warrior caste, I too am of the warrior caste; the Blessed One too is a Kosalan, I too am a Kosalan; the Blessed One too is eighty years old, I too am eighty years old. Since, venerable sir, the Blessed One too is of the warrior caste and I too am of the warrior caste, the Blessed One too is a Kosalan and I too am a Kosalan, the Blessed One too is eighty years old and I too am eighty years old; for this very reason I am worthy, venerable sir, to perform supreme respect towards the Blessed One, to show a gift of friendship. Well then, venerable sir, we will now go; we have much to do, we have many duties." "Now do as you think fit, great king." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and departed. Then the Blessed One, not long after King Pasenadi of Kosala had departed, addressed the monks: "This King Pasenadi of Kosala, monks, having spoken these monuments of the Teaching, rose from his seat and departed. Learn, monks, the monuments of the Teaching; master thoroughly, monks, the monuments of the Teaching; remember, monks, the monuments of the Teaching. The monuments of the Teaching, monks, are connected with benefit, they are fundamentals of the holy life."
This is what the Blessed One said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on the Shrine of the Teaching is concluded as ninth.