128. （一二八）优婆塞经

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, the householder Anāthapiṇḍada, together with a group of five hundred great upāsakas, went to where Venerable Śāriputra, bowed their heads at his feet, and sat to one side. The five hundred upāsakas also bowed their heads and sat to one side. After the householder Anāthapiṇḍada and the five hundred upāsakas had sat to one side, Venerable Śāriputra expounded the Dharma for them, inspiring and uplifting them, bringing them to a state of joy. Having used immeasurable skillful means to expound the Dharma for them, inspiring and uplifting them, bringing them to a state of joy, he immediately rose from his seat and went to where the Buddha was. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet and sat to one side. Not long after Venerable Śāriputra had left, the householder Anāthapiṇḍada and the five hundred upāsakas also went to where the Buddha was, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side.

When Venerable Śāriputra and the assembly were seated, the World-Honored One said, "Śāriputra! If you know that the white-robed noble disciples well protect the five practices and attain the four higher states of mind, they will dwell in the present bliss, easily and without difficulty. Śāriputra! You should know that the noble disciples have exhausted hell, animal realms, hungry ghosts, and all evil destinies. They have attained the stream-entry, do not fall into evil ways, are definitely heading for right awakening, will experience seven existences at most, and after seven transmigrations between heaven and human realms, they will reach the end of suffering.

Śāriputra! How do the white-robed noble disciples well protect the five practices? The white-robed noble disciples abandon killing, cut off killing, discard weapons, have a sense of shame and conscience, have a compassionate mind, and benefit all beings, even down to insects. They purify their minds from killing. The white-robed noble disciples well protect this first practice.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! The white-robed noble disciples abandon taking what is not given, cut off taking what is not given, take only what is given, delight in taking what is given, always love to give, rejoice in giving without stinginess, do not expect rewards, are not covered by stealing, and always protect themselves. They purify their minds from taking what is not given. The white-robed noble disciples well protect this second practice.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! The white-robed noble disciples abandon sexual misconduct, cut off sexual misconduct. They may be protected by their father, mother, both parents, brothers, sisters, their parents-in-law, relatives, or clan members. They do not violate such women who are married to others, who are subject to punishment and fear, or who are engaged by name, debt, or flower garlands. They purify their minds from sexual misconduct. The white-robed noble disciples well protect this third practice.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! The white-robed noble disciples abandon false speech, cut off false speech. They speak truthfully, delight in truth, abide in truth without wavering, are trustworthy, and do not deceive the world. They purify their minds from false speech. The white-robed noble disciples well protect this fourth practice.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! The white-robed noble disciples abandon alcohol, cut off alcohol. They purify their minds from drinking alcohol. The white-robed noble disciples well protect this fifth practice.

Śāriputra! How do the white-robed noble disciples attain the four higher states of mind, dwell in happiness in the present life, and find it easy and not difficult? The white-robed noble disciples recollect the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the one with perfect knowledge and conduct, the Sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassed guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. Having recollected the Tathāgata in this way, any evil desires are immediately extinguished, and any unwholesome, defiled, sorrowful, and distressed thoughts in the mind are also extinguished. The white-robed noble disciples take the Tathāgata as an object of meditation, and their minds become peaceful and joyful. Any evil desires are immediately extinguished, and any unwholesome, defiled, sorrowful, and distressed thoughts in the mind are also extinguished. The white-robed noble disciples attain the first higher state of mind, dwell in happiness in the present life, and find it easy and not difficult.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! The white-robed noble disciples recollect the Dharma, the well-proclaimed Dharma by the World-Honored One, which is to be personally experienced by the wise, not to be grasped at, leading to peace, leading to direct knowledge, leading to enlightenment, leading to nirvāṇa. Having contemplated, awakened, known, and recollected the Dharma in this way, any evil desires are immediately extinguished, and any unwholesome, defiled, sorrowful, and distressed thoughts in the mind are also extinguished. The white-robed noble disciples take the Dharma as an object of meditation, and their minds become peaceful and joyful. Any evil desires are immediately extinguished, and any unwholesome, defiled, sorrowful, and distressed thoughts in the mind are also extinguished. The white-robed noble disciples attain this second higher state of mind.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! The white-robed noble disciples recollect the Saṅgha, the noble Saṅgha of the Tathāgata, which is well-gone, rightly-gone, Dharma-gone, Dharma-following, and rightly-practicing. That Saṅgha truly has Arhats, those who are on the path to arahantship, those who are Non-returners, those who are on the path to Non-returning, those who are Once-returners, those who are on the path to Once-returning, and those who are Stream-enterers, those who are on the path to Stream-entry. This is called the four pairs, the eight types. That is to say, the Saṅgha of the Tathāgata is accomplished in morality, accomplished in concentration, accomplished in wisdom, accomplished in liberation, accomplished in the knowledge and vision of liberation, worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of salutations, an unsurpassed field of merit in the world. Having recollected the Saṅgha in this way, any evil desires are immediately extinguished, and any unwholesome, defiled, sorrowful, and distressed thoughts in the mind are also extinguished. The white-robed noble disciples take the Saṅgha as an object of meditation, and their minds become peaceful and joyful. Any evil desires are immediately extinguished, and any unwholesome, defiled, sorrowful, and distressed thoughts in the mind are also extinguished. The white-robed noble disciples attain this third higher state of mind.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! The white-robed noble disciples recollect their own morality, which is unbroken, unholed, unspotted, unblemished, liberating, praised by the wise, and conducive to concentration. Having recollected their own morality in this way, any evil desires are immediately extinguished, and any unwholesome, defiled, sorrowful, and distressed thoughts in the mind are also extinguished. The white-robed noble disciples take their own morality as an object of meditation, and their minds become peaceful and joyful. Any evil desires are immediately extinguished, and any unwholesome, defiled, sorrowful, and distressed thoughts in the mind are also extinguished. The white-robed noble disciples attain this fourth higher state of mind.

"Śāriputra! If you know that the white-robed noble disciples, who practice these five methods well and attain these four higher states of mind, can easily attain the state of happiness in the present life, then Śāriputra! You should declare that the white-robed noble disciples have exhausted hell, animal births, the realm of hungry ghosts, and all evil destinies. They have attained the state of stream-entry, not falling into evil ways, definitely progressing towards right awakening, experiencing a maximum of seven existences, going back and forth between the heavens and the human realm seven times, and thereby reaching the end of suffering." Thereupon, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

The wise ones, dwelling in the householder's life, see the
terrors of hell, and because of upholding the holy Dharma
they remove all evil. They do not kill living beings
knowing and able to abandon them. They speak the truth
and not falsely, and do not steal others' wealth. Content
with their own wives, they do not enjoy others' wives
They abandon drinking alcohol, the root of confusion and madness
They always contemplate the right enlightenment and the good dharmas
They contemplate the aggregates and the body, and from this
they attain joy. Wishing to practice giving, they should expect
its blessings. First give to those with calm minds, and
thus the results will be fulfilled. I now speak of
calm mind. Śāriputra, listen well. Whether black, white, red, or
yellow, or variegated and lovely colors, cattle and various pigeons
wherever they are born, the good ox is in front
With fully developed physical strength, they go and come swiftly
and well. Take what they are capable of, do not
regard their color as wrong. Thus, in this human world
wherever one is born, whether a kṣatriya, brāhman, householder, or
artisan, wherever they are born, the elder who upholds pure
precepts, the world-renouncer, the well-gone one, gives great fruit. The
ignorant, without knowledge, without wisdom, without hearing, gives little fruit
without light, without illumination. If there is light to illuminate
the wise disciples of the Buddha, those who have faith
and turn towards the well-gone one, the faculties are born
and well established. They are born in a good place
going to the homes of the virtuous, and finally attain
nirvāṇa. Thus, each has its causes and conditions.

The Buddha spoke thus. The Venerable Śāriputra and the bhikṣus, the householder Anāthapiṇḍada and the five hundred upāsakas, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced them.