49.6 （六）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at the Karanda Bamboo Grove in the city of Rajagriha, together with a great assembly of five hundred bhikshus.

At that time, in the city of Rajagriha, there was a brahman named Shila who was proficient in all arts and the records of the scriptures of non-Buddhist teachings. He was well-versed in astronomy and geography and also taught five hundred brahman youths. There was also a non-Buddhist scholar named Shini in that city who was widely knowledgeable and was loved and respected by King Bimbisara, who provided him with offerings and necessities according to the season.

At that time, the Tathāgata's fame spread far and wide. He was the Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the Secular World, Unsurpassed Person, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Gods and Men, Buddha, Blessed One, who had liberated countless beings and appeared in the world. At that time, the brahman Shini had this thought: "The Tathāgata's name is very difficult to hear. Now I wish to go and inquire, pay respects, and make offerings." At that time, the brahman Shini went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side. At that time, the brahman said to the World-Honored One, "Shakyamuni Gautama! What is your family name? "

The Buddha told the brahman, "My family name is kshatriya."

The brahman asked, "All Brahmins have this discussion: 'Our family name is the most noble, there is none greater.' Some say, 'The family name is white.' Some say, 'The family name is black.' Brahmins claim to be born from Brahma. Now, Shakyamuni Gautama! What do you wish to discuss and say? "

The Buddha told him, "Brahmin, you should know that in marriage, one should seek a noble and distinguished family. However, in my true Dharma, there are no names of high and low, right and wrong."

The brahman again said, "How is it, Gautama! Only when one is born in a pure place can the Dharma be purified?"

The Buddha told the brahman, "Do you use the Dharma to purify the place of birth?"

The brahman said again, "The various Brahmins each have this discussion: 'Our surname is the most noble, there is none who surpasses.' Some say, 'The surname is white.' Some say, 'The surname is black.' The Brahmins themselves claim to be born from Brahma."

The Buddha told the brahman, "If a Kshatriya woman marries into a Brahmin family and gives birth to a son, from which surname would he be?"

The brahman replied, "He would be called a Brahmin. Because of the father's form, this child is born."

The Buddha told the brahman, "If a Brahmin woman marries into a Kshatriya family and gives birth to a son, from which surname would he be?"

The brahman replied, "That person would be of the Kshatriya caste. Because of the father's remains, this child is born."

The Buddha told the brahman, "Think carefully before answering me. What you said before and after are not consistent. How is it, brahman! If a donkey gives birth to a foal after a horse, would you call it a horse or a donkey?"

The brahman replied, "Such a creature would be called a donkey-horse. Because of the donkey's remains, this foal is born."

The Buddha told the brahman, "Think carefully before answering me. What you said before and after are not consistent. What you said before was that if a kshatriya girl marries into a brahman family and gives birth to a child, it is called a brahman caste. Now you say that if a donkey follows a horse and gives birth to a foal, it is called a donkey-horse. Isn't this contradicting your previous statement? Moreover, brahman! If a horse follows a donkey and gives birth to a foal, what would you call it?"

The brahman replied, "It would be called a horse-donkey."

The Buddha said to him, "How is it, brahman! Is there any difference between a horse-donkey and a donkey-horse? If someone says a bushel of treasure and someone else says a bushel of treasure, are these two meanings different?"

The brahman replied, "This is one meaning. The reason is that treasure one and one treasure have the same meaning."

The Buddha said to the brahman, "How is it that horse-donkey and donkey-horse are not one meaning?"

The brahman replied, "Now, Shakyamuni! Although you have these words, the Brahmins still claim, 'Our family is the most noble, there is none who surpasses us.'"

The Buddha said to the brahman, "You first praised its mother and then again praised its father. If both the father and mother are of the Brahmin caste, and later give birth to two sons, then among them, one son has many skills and is knowledgeable in all matters, while the second son knows nothing. At that time, which one would the parents respect? Would they respect the wise one or the ignorant one?"

The brahman replied, "The parents should respect the one with high virtue and wisdom, not the one without wisdom. The reason is that this son now knows nothing that is not understood and nothing that is not familiar. It is right to respect this son, not the son without wisdom."

The Buddha said to the brahman, "If those two sons, the wise one, then again gives rise to the intention to commit the ten unwholesome dharmas of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; while the unintelligent son guards the body, speech, and mind, and does not violate any of the ten wholesome dharmas. Which one would their parents respect?"

The brahman replied, "The parents should respect the one who practices the ten wholesome dharmas. Should they also respect the one who practices unwholesome dharmas?"

The Buddha said to the brahman, "You first praised his extensive learning, and later praised his precepts. How is it, brahman? If there are two sons, one son's father is upright, but the mother is not upright; the other son's father is not upright, but the mother is upright. If the son's mother is upright, but the father is not upright, he is well-versed in all matters and has extensive knowledge of the scriptures and arts. The second son's father is upright, but the mother is not upright, he is not well-versed, but upholds the ten wholesome dharmas. Which one would their parents respect? Should they respect the one whose mother is pure, but the father is impure? Or should they respect the one whose father is pure, but the mother is impure?"

The brahman replied, "They should respect the son whose mother is pure. The reason is that he knows the scriptures and is well-versed in various arts. As for the second son whose father is pure, but the mother is impure, although he upholds the precepts, he lacks wisdom. Where will he end up? Where there is hearing, there are precepts."

The Buddha said to the brahman, "You previously praised the father's purity, not the mother's purity; now you again praise the mother's purity, not the father's purity. You first praised the virtue of hearing, then the precepts; you again praise the precepts, then the hearing. How is it, brahman? If those two brahman sons, one son is well-versed and extensively learned, and upholds the ten wholesome dharmas; the other son has wisdom and practices the ten unwholesome dharmas. Which one should their parents respect?"

The brahman replied, "They should respect the son whose father is pure, but the mother is impure. The reason is that he has extensively studied the scriptures, understands various skills, and is born from a pure father. He practices the ten wholesome dharmas without violating them. He is fully endowed with all the virtues."

The Buddha said to him, "You originally spoke of his surname, then his learning, not his surname; then you again spoke of his precepts, not his learning, then you again spoke of his learning, not his precepts. Now you praise your parents' learning and precepts. Isn't this contradictory to your previous words?"

The brahman said to the Buddha, "Shakyamuni! Although you have these words, the Brahmins themselves claim, 'Our surname is the most noble and there is none greater than it.'"

The World Honored One said, "In marriages, one discusses surnames. But in my Dharma, there is no such meaning. Have you ever heard of people from border countries, distant lands, or other border regions?"

The brahman replied, "Yes, I have heard of these people."

The World Honored One said, "The people in those lands have two surnames. What are the two? One is human, the other is slave. These two surnames are also not fixed."

He asked again, "How are they not fixed?"

The World Honored One said, "Sometimes they are humans, later becoming slaves; sometimes they are slaves, later becoming humans. However, all sentient beings are of the same kind, without any differences. Moreover, Brahmin! When the world is destroyed, everything is empty. At that time, mountains, rivers, stone walls, and plants are all burned up, and people also die. When the world is about to be formed again, there are no sun, moon, or years. At that time, the gods from the Heaven of Light Sound come here. At that time, the merit and virtue of the gods from the Heaven of Light Sound gradually ends, and they lose their radiance. They look at each other and give rise to lustful thoughts. Those with excessive lustful thoughts become women, and those with less lustful thoughts become men. They engage in sexual intercourse and form embryos. For this reason, there are people for the first time, and the four castes are born and spread throughout the world. You should know this by this method, that all people come from the kshatriya caste."

At that time, the Brahmin said to the World Honored One, "Stop, Gautama! It is like a hunchback finding relief, a blind person finding eyesight, and a dark person finding light. The Shakyamuni Gautama is also like this, speaking the Dharma to me with countless skillful means. I now take refuge in the Shakyamuni Gautama. Please teach me the Dharma and allow me to become a lay devotee."

At that time, the Brahmin again said to the World Honored One, "I only wish that the Tathāgata would accept my invitation and come to my house with the assembly of bhikshus."

At that time, the World Honored One silently accepted the invitation. The Brahmin, seeing the Buddha silently accept the invitation, immediately rose from his seat, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and then left. Returning home, he prepared food and drink, arranged seats, sprinkled scented water on the ground, and said aloud, "The Tathāgata will sit here."

At that time, the Brahmin Sela, together with five hundred disciples, went to the house of the Brahmin Sini. Seeing the fine seats arranged in the house, he asked the Brahmin Sini, "Are you now going to marry off your son or daughter? Or are you inviting King Bimbisara of Magadha?"

The Brahmin Sini replied, "I am not inviting King Bimbisara, nor is there any marriage. I now wish to establish great merit and virtue."

The Brahmin Sela asked, "I wish to hear your intention. What merit and virtue do you wish to give?"

At that time, the Brahmin Sini bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and addressed the World-Honored One, stating his name. "Sela, you should know that a son of the Sakya clan has left home to study the path and has attained supreme true and equal enlightenment. I now invite the Buddha and the Sangha of monks, and that is why I have prepared various seats."

At that time, the Brahmin Sela said to the Brahmin Sini, "Do you now speak of the Buddha?"

He replied, "I now speak of the Buddha."

He asked again, "How wonderful! How extraordinary! Now I hear the sound of the Buddha. Where is the Tathāgata? I wish to see him."

Śrīmitra replied, "He is now staying in the Bamboo Grove outside Rājagṛha, together with five hundred disciples, enjoying each other's company. If you wish to go see him, it is time."

The brāhmaṇa then led his five hundred disciples to where the Buddha was. Upon arriving, they greeted each other and sat to one side. At that time, the brāhmaṇa Śrīmitra had this thought: "The śramaṇa Gautama is handsome, with a golden-colored body. In our scriptures, it is also said: 'When a Tathāgata appears in the world, it is truly unfathomable, like the udumbara flower appearing from time to time. If one achieves the thirty-two marks and eighty minor marks, one will go to two places: if one stays at home, one will become a wheel-turning sage king, endowed with the seven treasures; if one leaves home to study the path, one will surely attain the unsurpassed path and become the benefactor of the three realms.' I now wish to observe the Buddha's thirty-two marks." At that time, the brāhmaṇa only saw thirty marks, but did not see two marks, giving rise to doubt and hesitation, not seeing the broad and long tongue or the hidden male organ.

At that time, the brāhmaṇa Śrīmitra then asked in verse:

I have heard of the thirty-two marks of a great person, but
now I do not see two of the marks. Where are they?
The hidden male organ is very difficult to describe. Does one have
a broad and long tongue that can lick the ears and cover
the face? Please extend your broad and long tongue to remove my
doubts and let me see it, forever free from the net of
doubts and bonds.

Chapter 49: Herding Cattle

At that time, the World-Honored One extended his tongue, licked his ears left and right, and then retracted it. At that time, the World-Honored One entered samadhi, causing the brahman to see the hidden male organ.

At that time, the brahman saw the Buddha's thirty-two marks and eighty minor marks, and was overjoyed, unable to contain himself. Then the brahman Shrāmaṇya said to the Buddha, "I am now a brahman, a śramaṇa, and a kṣatriya. However, śramaṇas and brahmans all follow the same path, seeking the same liberation. May the śramaṇa listen. Can we attain the same path?"

The Buddha told the brahman, "You have this view."

The brahman replied, "I have this view."

The Buddha told the brahman, "You should arouse your mind towards one liberation, namely right view."

The brahman said to the Buddha, "Right view is one liberation, are there any other liberations?"

The World-Honored One said, "Brahman! There are other liberations that can attain the realm of nirvana. There are eight of them, namely right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. These, brahman, are the eightfold path that leads to nirvana."

At that time, the brahman said to the Buddha, "Are there any sentient beings who know these eightfold paths?"

The World-Honored One said, "Not just a hundred thousand. Brahman, you should know that countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings know these eightfold paths."

The brahman said to the Buddha, "Are there any sentient beings who do not understand these eightfold paths?"

The World-Honored One said, "There are sentient beings who do not understand these, not just one person."

The brahman said to the Buddha, "Are there any sentient beings who do not attain this Dharma?"

The Buddha told him, "There are sentient beings who do not attain the path. There are eleven such people. What are the eleven? Namely, deceitfulness, harsh speech, being difficult to admonish, being unfaithful, having a nature of hatred, harming parents, killing arhats, severing wholesome roots and wholesome deeds, turning to evil, conceiving of a self, and giving rise to evil thoughts towards the Tathāgata. These, brahman, are the eleven people who cannot attain these eight kinds of paths."

When the Buddha spoke of these eight kinds of paths, at that time the brahman's defilements were all exhausted and he attained the purity of the Dharma eye.

At that time, the brahman Śrāmaṇya told his five hundred disciples, "Each of you should recite and practice what you like. I wish to cultivate the holy life under the Tathāgata."

The disciples said, "We also wish to leave home and study the path."

At that time, the brahman and his five hundred disciples each knelt for a long time and said to the World-Honored One, "We only wish that the World-Honored One would allow us to leave home and study the path."

The Buddha said to the brahman, "Welcome, bhikṣus! Cultivate pure conduct in the Tathāgata's presence, gradually ending the root of suffering."

When the Tathāgata spoke these words, the five hundred brāhmanas immediately became śramaṇas. At that time, the World-Honored One gradually spoke subtle discussions with the five hundred, namely: discussions on giving, discussions on precepts, discussions on rebirth in heaven, the impure thoughts of desire, and the joy of liberation. Just as the Buddhas of the past always taught the Dharma: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. At that time, the World-Honored One extensively spoke to the people. At that time, the five hundred people completely extinguished their afflictions and attained the Dharma of the noble ones.

At that time, the brahman Śībi again said, "The time has come. May the World-Honored One please deign to come."

At that time, the World-Honored One told the five hundred bhikṣus, including Śrāmaṇya, "Each of you should put on your robes and take your alms bowls."

Surrounded by a thousand bhikṣus, he went to the city where the brāhmaṇa Śībi was. He took his seat. At that time, the brāhmaṇa Śībi saw that the five hundred brāhmaṇas had all become śramaṇas. He said to them, "Excellent! The essential path is nothing more than this."

At that time, the bhikṣu Śrāmaṇya spoke this verse to Śībi:

There is no other Dharma that can surpass this essential one
Such a comparison is excellent, and there is nothing better than this.

At that time, the brāhman Śībi addressed the World-Honored One, saying: "May the World-Honored One please wait a moment! I will prepare food and drink right away."

The World-Honored One said: "The food and drink you have prepared, just offer it in a timely manner. Do not fear it will not be enough."

At that time, the brāhman Śībi was overjoyed beyond measure. He personally served the food and made offerings to the Buddha and the bhikṣus. At that time, after the World-Honored One had finished his meal and removed the dishes, he scattered various kinds of flowers over the Buddha and the bhikṣus. He then addressed the Buddha, saying: "May the World-Honored One, together with the men, women, and children, all seek to become upāsakas."

At that time, the brāhman's wife was pregnant. The woman addressed the Buddha, saying: "I am pregnant. I do not know whether it is a boy or a girl. I also take refuge in the Tathāgata and wish to become an upāsikā."

At that time, the Tathāgata expounded the subtle Dharma to the great assembly. He then spoke this verse while seated:

Excellent indeed is this karmic retribution, the wishes will surely be fulfilled
Gradually reaching the place of peace and tranquility, forever free from worries
and troubles. After death, one will be reborn in the heavens. Even
if the Māra gods try to make those who accumulate merit fall
into sin, they will also seek the wisdom of the sages and
saints, to end the root of suffering and be forever free from
the eight difficulties.

At that time, the World-Honored One, having spoken this verse, immediately rose from his seat and departed.

At that time, the brahman Śībi heard what the Buddha said and joyfully accepted it.