49.3 （三）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, the Buddha was surrounded by countless beings, expounding the Dharma. At that time, Śāriputra was walking with many bhikṣus. Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, Aniruddha, Revata, Kātyāyana, Pūrṇa, Upāli, Subhūti, Rāhula, and Ānanda Bhikṣu were each enjoying themselves with many bhikṣus. Devadatta was also walking with many bhikṣus.

At that time, the World Honored One saw that the disciples with supernatural powers were each walking with their own groups. At that time, the World Honored One told the bhikṣus: "The faculties, dispositions, and natures of people are each similar. The good are together with the good, and the evil are together with the evil. It is like milk being compatible with milk, and butter being compatible with butter. Excrement and urine are each compatible with each other. It is the same with this. The roots and practices of sentient beings are each compatible with each other. The good are compatible with the good, and the evil are compatible with the evil. Have you ever seen bhikṣu Śāriputra walking with the bhikṣus?"

The bhikṣus said to the Buddha: "Yes, we have seen it."

The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "These people are all wise ones."

He further told the bhikṣus: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Maudgalyāyana leading the bhikṣus in walking meditation?"

The bhikṣus said to the Buddha: "Yes, we have seen it."

The Buddha told them: "These bhikṣus are all practitioners of supernatural powers."

He further asked: "Did you see Kāśyapa leading the bhikṣus in walking meditation?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, we saw it."

The Buddha told them: "These noble ones are all practitioners of the eleven dhuta ascetic practices."

He asked again: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Aniruddha?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, we have seen him."

The Buddha told them: "These wise ones are all foremost in the divine eye."

He further asked: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Liuyue?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, we have seen him."

The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "These people are all practitioners of samādhi."

He further asked: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Kātyāyana?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, we have seen him."

The Buddha told them: "These noble ones are all those who discern the meaning of the Dharma."

He further asked: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Pūrṇa?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, we have seen him."

The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "These virtuous ones are all Dharma teachers."

He further asked: "Have you seen Upāli leading the bhikṣus in walking meditation?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, we have seen it."

The Buddha told them: "These people are all those who uphold the precepts and Vinaya."

He further asked: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Subhūti?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, we have seen him."

The Buddha told them: "These great people are all foremost in understanding emptiness."

He further asked: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Rāhula?"

The bhikṣus said to the Buddha: "Yes, we have seen him."

The Buddha told them: "These virtuous ones are all those who are complete in the precepts."

He further asked: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Ānanda?"

The bhikṣus said to the Buddha: "Yes, we have seen him."

The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "These wise ones are all foremost in learning and do not forget what they have received."

He further asked: "Have you seen the bhikṣu Devadatta leading people in walking meditation?"

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, we have seen it."

The Buddha told them: "These people are the worst offenders, without any roots of goodness."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

Do not associate with bad friends, or engage with fools. Associate
with good friends, and interact with the wise. If a person
is originally without evil, but associates with evil people, later they
will surely become evil, and their bad reputation will spread throughout the world.

At that time, more than thirty disciples of Devadatta, having heard the World-Honored One speak this verse, abandoned Devadatta and came to where the Buddha was. They bowed their heads at his feet, sought to change their grave offenses, and also said to the World-Honored One, "We were foolish and deluded, not recognizing truth and falsehood. We abandoned good friends and associated with bad friends. We only pray that the World-Honored One will see our repentance and forgive us. We will not commit offenses again in the future."

The Buddha told the bhikṣus, "I allow you to repent and change your past ways. Cultivate and improve in the future. Do not commit offenses again." At that time, Devadatta's disciples accepted the World-Honored One's teachings and admonitions. In a quiet place, they contemplated the profound meaning and practiced the Dharma to restrain themselves. The reason why sons of noble families shave their heads and beards, leave home, and study the path is to cultivate the unsurpassed holy life. At that time, all the bhikṣus attained arahantship.

"Bhikṣus, you should know that the roots of sentient beings all arise from their own kind. The evil associate with the evil, and the good associate with the good. The roots of sentient beings in the past and future are also like this, associating with their own kind. It is like purity associating with purity, and impurity associating with impurity. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should learn to associate with purity; purity is to be apart from impurity. Thus, bhikṣus, you should train in this way."

At that time, the bhikṣus heard what the Buddha said and joyfully received and practiced it.