29 （二九）露遮经

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was traveling in the human realm of Kosala, together with a great assembly of 1,250 bhikṣus, and arrived at the Śiśiravana forest north of the brāhmaṇa village of Brāhmaṇabaṭu, where he stayed.

At that time, there was a brāhmaṇa named Rucīka who lived in the Brāhmaṇabaṭu village. The village was prosperous and the people were flourishing. King Prasenajit granted this village to the brāhmaṇa as a share of the merit. This brāhmaṇa's parents for seven generations were genuine and not disparaged by others. He was proficient in reciting the three Vedas and was able to distinguish various scriptures. He was also skilled in the methods of divining auspicious and inauspicious omens, and in the ritual procedures of sacrifice. He heard that the śramaṇa Gautama, the son of the Śākya clan, had renounced the householder's life, attained enlightenment, and was traveling in the human realm of Kosala, arriving at the Śiśiravana forest. He had a great reputation that spread throughout the world. He was a Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, endowed with the ten titles. Among the assemblies of gods, humans, Māra, Māra's followers, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas, he personally attained realization and taught the Dharma to others, with the good in the beginning, middle, and end, complete in meaning and taste, and pure in the practice of the holy life. "Such a true person should be visited and seen. I should now go and meet him."

At that time, the brāhmaṇa left the village and went to the Śiśiravana forest, where he approached the World-Honored One. After exchanging greetings, he sat to one side. The Buddha taught him the Dharma, showing, teaching, benefiting, and delighting him. Having heard the Dharma, the brāhmaṇa said to the Buddha, "I only wish that the World-Honored One and the great assembly would accept my invitation for tomorrow." At that time, the World-Honored One silently accepted the invitation.

Seeing the Buddha's silent acceptance, the brāhmaṇa rose from his seat, circumambulated the Buddha, and left. Not far from the Buddha, he gave rise to evil views, saying, "The śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas know many good dharmas and have attained many realizations. They should not teach others. They should just know for themselves and not teach others. It is like someone who destroys an old prison and builds a new one. This is greed for evil and unwholesome dharmas.

At that time, the brāhmaṇa returned to the Brāhmaṇa Forest and prepared various kinds of delicious food and drink that very night. When the time came, he said to the barber, "Please go to the Śiśiravana forest and tell the śramaṇa Gautama, 'The time has come. Please know it is time.'"

The barber accepted the instruction and went to where the Buddha was. He bowed at the Buddha's feet and said, "The time has come. Please know it is time."

At that time, the World-Honored One put on his robe, took his alms bowl, and together with his disciples of 1,250 people, went to the Brāhmaṇa Forest.

The barber attended the World-Honored One, bared his right arm, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and said to the Buddha, "The Brāhmaṇa Rucīka, not far from the Buddha, gave rise to evil views, saying, 'Among the śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, those who know many good dharmas and have many realizations should not explain them to others. They should just know for themselves and not explain them to others. It is like a person who destroys an old prison and builds a new one. This is greed, evil, and unwholesome.' I only wish that the World-Honored One would remove his evil views."

The Buddha told the barber, "This is a small matter, easy to transform."

At that time, the World-Honored One arrived at the Brāhmaṇa's house, took his seat, and the Brāhmaṇa personally served various delicious foods to the Buddha and the Sangha. After the meal, the Buddha and the Sangha put away their bowls, washed their hands, and the Brāhmaṇa took a small bench and sat in front of the Buddha. The Buddha said to Rucīka, "Yesterday, not far from me, you gave rise to evil views, saying, 'Among the śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, those who know many good dharmas and have many realizations should not explain them to others. They should just know for themselves and not explain them to others. It is like a person who destroys an old prison and builds a new one. This is greed, evil, and unwholesome.' Did you really say this?"

Rucīka said, "Yes, it is true."

The Buddha told Rucīka, "Do not give rise to such evil views again. Why is that? There are three teachers in the world who can admonish themselves. What are the three? First, shaving the beard and hair, wearing the three Dharma robes, leaving home to cultivate the path, and in this present life being able to eliminate afflictions, and also being able to increase and attain the Dharma of the superior person. But in this present life not being able to eliminate afflictions, and not attaining the Dharma of the superior person, one's own practice not yet accomplished, yet explaining the Dharma to disciples. Those disciples do not respectfully serve and support. Moreover, relying on and dwelling together. Rucīka! Those disciples say to the teacher, 'The teacher now shaves the beard and hair, wears the three Dharma robes, leaves home to cultivate the path, and in this present life can eliminate various afflictions, and attain the superior person's supreme Dharma. But now in this present life cannot eliminate afflictions, and does not attain the superior person's supreme Dharma. One's own practice not yet accomplished, yet explaining the Dharma to disciples, causing the disciples to no longer respectfully serve and support, but only relying on and dwelling together.'"

The Buddha said, "Rucīka! It is like a person who destroys an old prison and builds a new one. This is called greedily indulging in evil dharmas. This is the first teacher who can admonish himself. This is the wise and holy precepts, the precepts of the Vinaya, the precepts of propriety, and the precepts of time."

Again, he told Rucīka, "The second teacher is one who shaves the beard and hair, wears the three Dharma robes, leaves home to cultivate the path, and in this present life can eliminate various afflictions, but cannot increase and attain the Dharma of the superior person. But in this present life cannot eliminate various afflictions, although having attained a little of the superior person's supreme Dharma, one's own practice not yet accomplished, yet explaining the Dharma to disciples. Those disciples do not respectfully serve and support. Moreover, relying on and dwelling together. Rucīka! Those disciples say to the teacher, 'The teacher now shaves the beard and hair, wears the three Dharma robes, leaves home to cultivate the path, and in this present life can eliminate various afflictions, and attain the superior person's supreme Dharma. But now in this present life cannot eliminate various afflictions, although having attained a little of the superior person's supreme Dharma, one's own benefit not yet accomplished, yet explaining the Dharma to disciples, causing the disciples to no longer respectfully serve and support, but only relying on and dwelling together.'"

The Buddha said, "Rucīka! It is like a person walking behind someone, touching their back with their hand. This is called greedily indulging in evil dharmas. This is the second teacher who can admonish himself. This is the wise and holy precepts, the precepts of the Vinaya, the precepts of propriety, and the precepts of time."

Again, he told Rucīka, "The third teacher is one who shaves the beard and hair, wears the three Dharma robes, leaves home to cultivate the path, and in this present life can eliminate afflictions, and can also increase and attain the Dharma of the superior person. But in this present life cannot eliminate various afflictions, although having attained a little of the superior person's supreme Dharma, one's own benefit not yet accomplished, yet explaining the Dharma to disciples. Those disciples respectfully serve and support. Relying on and dwelling together. Rucīka! Those disciples say to the teacher, 'The teacher now shaves the beard and hair, wears the three Dharma robes, leaves home to cultivate the path, and in this present life can eliminate various afflictions, and attain a little of the superior person's supreme Dharma. But now in this present life cannot eliminate various afflictions, although having attained a little of the superior person's supreme Dharma, one's own benefit not yet accomplished, yet explaining the Dharma to disciples, causing the disciples to respectfully serve and support, dwelling together.'"

The Buddha said, "Rucīka! It is like a person abandoning their own crops and weeding someone else's field. This is called greedily indulging in evil dharmas. This is the third teacher who can admonish himself. This is the wise and holy precepts, the precepts of the Vinaya, the precepts of propriety, and the precepts of time. Rucīka! There is one World-Honored One who does not exist in the world and cannot be shaken. What is that one? If the Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One appears in the world, and attains the three insights, eliminates ignorance, gives rise to the light of wisdom, removes all darkness, and emits the great light of the Dharma, namely the knowledge and vision of the exhaustion of taints. Why is this? It is because of diligent effort, single-minded mindfulness, the attainment of dwelling alone in seclusion. Rucīka! This is the first World-Honored One who does not exist in the world and cannot be shaken. Rucīka! There are four fruits of the śramaṇa. What are the four? They are the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of arahantship. Rucīka! How is it? If someone hears the Dharma and should attain these four fruits of the śramaṇa, if someone were to stop them, saying, 'Do not explain the Dharma,' and they followed that person's words, would that person hear the Dharma and attain the fruits?"

He replied, "They would not attain it."

He further asked, "If they do not attain the fruits, can they be reborn in the heavens?"

He replied, "They would not attain it."

He further asked, "Is it a good or bad mind to obstruct their Dharma teaching, causing them not to attain the fruits and not to be reborn in the heavens?"

He replied, "It is not good."

He further asked, "Does an unwholesome mind lead to a good or an evil destination?"

He replied, "It leads to an evil destination."

"Ruciga, suppose someone tells King Prasenajit, 'The king should use all the wealth in his kingdom for himself and not give it to others.' What do you think, Ruciga? If one follows that person's words, will it cut off the provisions for others?"

He replied, "It will cut off."

He asked again, "Cutting off others' provisions, is it a good or bad mind?"

He replied, "It is a bad mind."

He asked again, "With a bad mind, will one be reborn in a good realm or fall into an evil path?"

He replied, "One will fall into an evil path."

"Rucā, it is the same. If someone hears the Dharma and should attain the four fruits of the śramaṇa, if someone says, 'Do not teach the Dharma,' and if one follows their words, will that person hear the Dharma and attain the fruits?"

He replied, "They will not attain it."

He further asked, "If they do not attain the fruits, will they be reborn in the heavens?"

He replied, "They will not be reborn in the heavens."

He further asked, "When one obstructs others from teaching the Dharma, causing them not to attain the fruits of the path and not to be reborn in the heavens, is that a good or an evil mind?"

He replied, "It is not good."

He further asked, "Those with an unwholesome mind, will they be reborn in a good realm or fall into an evil path?"

He replied, "They will fall into an evil path."

"Luocha, if someone tells you, 'The wealth and property of the village of Paravati belongs to you, Luocha. Use it yourself, do not give it to others. Why give it to others?' What do you think, Luocha? If you follow their words, will you cut off the offerings to others?"

He replied, "It will be cut off."

He asked again, "Teaching others to cut off the offerings of others, is this a good or a bad mind?"

He replied, "It is not good."

He asked again, "Those with an unwholesome mind, do they go to a good realm or fall into an evil path?"

He replied, "They fall into an evil path."

"Rucā, it is the same. If someone hears the Dharma and should attain the four fruits of the śramaṇa, if someone says, 'Do not teach the Dharma,' and if one follows their words, will that person hear the Dharma and attain the fruits?"

He replied, "They will not attain it."

He further asked, "If they do not attain the fruits, will they be reborn in the heavens?"

He replied, "They will not be reborn in the heavens."

He further asked, "Is it a good or bad mind to obstruct their Dharma teaching, causing them not to attain the fruits and not to be reborn in the heavens?"

He replied, "It is not good."

He further asked, "Does an unwholesome mind lead to a good realm or a bad realm?"

He replied, "It leads to a bad realm."

At that time, the brāhman Rucā said to the Buddha, "I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Saṃgha. Please allow me to be an upāsaka in the true Dharma. From now on, for as long as I live, I will not kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, deceive, or drink alcohol."

After the Buddha had spoken the Dharma, the brāhman Rucā, having heard what the Buddha had said, joyfully received and practiced it.