123. （一二三）沙门二十亿经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga was also traveling in Śrāvastī, staying in the Dark Forest. He diligently practiced the path, studying and not sleeping at night. Then, Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga, while peacefully dwelling alone, sitting in meditation, had this thought: "If there is a disciple of the World-Honored One who diligently studies the true Dharma and Vinaya, I am the foremost. However, my mind is not liberated from the defilements. My parents' home is extremely wealthy and prosperous. I have much money and wealth. Should I now abandon the precepts, give up the path, and practice giving and cultivating merit?"

At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga's thoughts with his mind-reading knowledge, told a bhikṣu, "Go to him and call Śramaṇa Vītarāga."

The bhikṣu said, "Yes," and immediately rose from his seat, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him three times, and left. He went to Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga and said, "The World-Honored One calls you!"

Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga, having heard the bhikṣu's words, went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side. The World-Honored One said, "Śramaṇa! You truly were peacefully dwelling alone, sitting in meditation, contemplating, and thinking, 'If there are disciples of the World-Honored One who diligently study the true Dharma and Vinaya, I am the foremost, but my mind is not liberated from the contaminants. My parents' family is extremely wealthy and has much money and property. Should I now abandon the precepts, give up the path, and practice giving and cultivating various meritorious deeds?'"

At that time, Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga was ashamed and embarrassed, and had no fear. "The World-Honored One knows what I am thinking." He joined his palms towards the Buddha and said, "It is true."

The World-Honored One said, "Śramaṇa! I now ask you, answer as you see fit. What do you think? When you were at home, you were skilled in playing the zither. Did the zither follow the melody, or did the melody follow the zither?"

Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga said, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One further asked, "What do you think? If the strings of the zither are too tight, is there a harmonious sound that is pleasing and delightful?"

The śramaṇa replied, "No, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One further asked, "What do you think? If the strings of the zither are too loose, is there a harmonious sound that is pleasing and delightful?"

The śramaṇa replied, "No, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One further asked, "What do you think? If the strings of the zither are neither too tight nor too loose, but just right, is there a harmonious sound that is pleasing and delightful?"

The śramaṇa replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The World-Honored One said, "So it is, śramaṇa! Excessive diligence makes the mind agitated, while insufficient diligence makes it lazy. Therefore, you should discern the right time and observe these characteristics, without being negligent."

At that time, Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga heard what the Buddha said, accepted it well, and upheld it well. He then rose from his seat, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him three times, and departed. He received the Buddha's teaching on the parable of the lute and dwelt in seclusion, alone, without negligence, practicing diligently. Having dwelt in seclusion, alone, without negligence, and practicing diligently, he, a noble son, shaved off his hair and beard, donned the saffron robes, left home out of true faith, and went forth to practice the path. Having completed the unsurpassed holy life, he knew and realized for himself in this very life, attained, and dwelled in it. He knew as it really is: "Birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this mundane state." Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga, having known the Dharma, attained arahantship. At that time, Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga, having attained arahantship, thought: "Now is the time. Should I go to where the World-Honored One is and declare my attainment of ultimate knowledge?"

Then Venerable Śramaṇa Vītarāga went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at his feet, sat to one side, and said, "World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu attains non-attachment, exhausts the contaminants, establishes the holy life, accomplishes what was to be done, discards the heavy burden, unties the fetters, and personally attains the good meaning, right knowledge, and right liberation, he delights in these six states at that time. He delights in non-desire, delights in seclusion, delights in non-conflict, delights in the exhaustion of craving, delights in the exhaustion of feeling, and delights in an unmoving mind. World-Honored One! Some may think: 'This virtuous one delights in non-desire because of relying on faith.' One should not view it like this. It is the exhaustion of desire, anger, and delusion that is delighting in non-desire. World-Honored One! Some may think: 'This virtuous one delights in seclusion because of seeking gain, praise, and offerings.' One should not view it like this. It is the exhaustion of desire, anger, and delusion that is delighting in seclusion. World-Honored One! Some may think: 'This virtuous one delights in non-conflict because of relying on precepts.' One should not view it like this. It is the exhaustion of desire, anger, and delusion that is delighting in non-conflict, delighting in the exhaustion of craving, delighting in the exhaustion of feeling, and delighting in an unmoving mind. World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu attains non-attachment, exhausts the contaminants, establishes the holy life, accomplishes what was to be done, discards the heavy burden, unties the fetters, and personally attains the good meaning, right knowledge, and right liberation, he delights in these six states at that time.

World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu is still learning and seeks the unsurpassed peace and bliss of nirvāṇa, he accomplishes the faculties and precepts of learning at that time. Later, when his contaminants are exhausted, he attains the uncontaminated, liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom, and personally knows and realizes for himself in this very life, attains, and dwells in it. He knows as it really is: "Birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this mundane state." He accomplishes the faculties and precepts of the non-learner at that time. World-Honored One! It is like a young child. At that time, he accomplishes the faculties and precepts of a child. Later, when he has fully mastered the faculties of learning, he accomplishes the faculties and precepts of learning at that time.

So it is, World-Honored One! If a bhikṣu is still learning and seeks the unsurpassed peace and bliss of nirvāṇa, he accomplishes the faculties and precepts of learning at that time. Later, when his contaminants are exhausted, he attains the uncontaminated, liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom, and personally knows and realizes for himself in this very life, attains, and dwells in it. He knows as it really is: "Birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this mundane state." He accomplishes the faculties and precepts of the non-learner at that time. If there are visible forms that can be known by the eye and come into contact with the eye, they cannot cause him to lose this liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom. His mind abides internally, well restrained and guarded, observing the arising and ceasing of phenomena. If there are sounds that can be known by the ear, smells that can be known by the nose, tastes that can be known by the tongue, tangibles that can be known by the body, and dharmas that can be known by the mind and come into contact with the mind, they cannot cause him to lose this liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom. His mind abides internally, well restrained and guarded, observing the arising and ceasing of phenomena.

World-Honored One! It is like a large rock mountain not far from a village, unbroken, uncracked, not brittle, firmly standing, solid and compact. If a great wind and rain come from the east, it cannot be shaken, moved, or displaced. The wind from the east does not move to the south. If a great wind and rain come from the south, it cannot be shaken, moved, or displaced. The wind from the south does not move to the west. If a great wind and rain come from the west, it cannot be shaken, moved, or displaced. The wind from the west does not move to the north. If a great wind and rain come from the north, it cannot be shaken, moved, or displaced. The wind from the north does not move to the other directions. In the same way, if there are visible forms that can be known by the eye and come into contact with the eye, they cannot cause him to lose this liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom. His mind abides internally, well restrained and guarded, observing the arising and ceasing of phenomena. If there are sounds that can be known by the ear, smells that can be known by the nose, tastes that can be known by the tongue, tangibles that can be known by the body, and dharmas that can be known by the mind and come into contact with the mind, they cannot cause him to lose this liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom. His mind abides internally, well restrained and guarded, observing the arising and ceasing of phenomena.

Then the Venerable Śramaṇa Vītivṛtta spoke this verse:

He delights in being free from desire, his mind abides in
seclusion, he rejoices in being free from disputes, and delights in
the end of suffering. He also delights in the end of
suffering, his mind does not move, and he knows it as
it truly is, thus his mind is liberated. Having attained mental
liberation, the monk ceases the faculties, having done, he does not
observe, and does not seek to do. Like a stone mountain
the wind cannot move it, so it is with forms, sounds
smells, tastes, and tangibles. The dharmas of what is loved and
what is not loved cannot move the mind.

The Venerable Śramaṇa Vītivṛtta, having spoken about attaining ultimate knowledge in front of the Buddha, then rose from his seat, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him three times, and departed.

At that time, not long after the Venerable Śramaṇa Vītivṛtta had left, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "Noble sons! You should come before me and speak about attaining ultimate knowledge like the Venerable Śramaṇa Vītivṛtta came before me and spoke about attaining ultimate knowledge, without praising oneself or belittling others, speaking about the meaning and the present Dharma according to the circumstances; do not be like those who are deluded and bound by excessive pride, coming before me and speaking about attaining ultimate knowledge, but not attaining the meaning, only causing great trouble. The Venerable Śramaṇa Vītivṛtta came before me and spoke about attaining ultimate knowledge, without praising himself or belittling others, speaking about the meaning and the present Dharma according to the circumstances."

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and upheld them.