144. （一四四）算数目揵连经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Shravasti, staying at the Deer Park Hall of the Mother of the Deer.

At that time, the brahman mathematician Maudgalyayana was strolling around in the middle of the day and went to where the Buddha was. They exchanged greetings and sat to one side. He said, "Gautama! I wish to ask something. Please listen before I speak."

The World Honored One said, "Maudgalyayana! Ask whatever you wish. Do not hesitate."

The mathematician Maudgalyayana then asked, "Gautama! This Deer Park Hall was gradually built and completed. Gautama! This Deer Park Hall was first ascended by one step, then two, three, four. Gautama! Thus this Deer Park Hall was gradually ascended. Gautama! This elephant trainer also gradually trained and completed it, namely by using hooks. Gautama! This horse trainer also gradually trained and completed it, namely by using reins. Gautama! This kshatriya also gradually attained completion, namely by taking up a bow and arrow. Gautama! These Brahmins also gradually attained completion, namely by studying the scriptures. Gautama! We study mathematics and make a living through mathematics. We also gradually attained completion. If there are disciples, whether male or female, we first teach them to count one, two, three, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, gradually up to the highest. Gautama! Thus we study mathematics and make a living through mathematics, gradually attaining completion. śramaṇa Gautama! In this Dharma and Vinaya, how is it gradually accomplished?"

The World Honored One said, "Maudgalyayana! If there is right teaching that is gradually accomplished, then it is accomplished. Maudgalyayana! In my Dharma and Vinaya, it is called right teaching. Why is that? Maudgalyayana! In this Dharma and Vinaya, I gradually accomplished it. Maudgalyayana! If a young bhikkhu first comes to study the path and enters the Dharma and Vinaya, the Tathāgata first teaches him: 'Bhikkhu! You have come. Guard the body and life with purity, guard speech and mind with purity.' Maudgalyayana! If a bhikkhu guards the body and life with purity, and guards speech and mind with purity, the Tathāgata further teaches him: 'Bhikkhu! You have come. Observe the internal body as body, up to observe perception, mind, and dharmas as dharmas.' Maudgalyayana! If a bhikkhu observes the internal body as body, up to observes perception, mind, and dharmas as dharmas, the Tathāgata further teaches him: 'Bhikkhu! You have come. Observe the internal body as body, do not think thoughts associated with desire, up to observe perception, mind, and dharmas as dharmas, do not think thoughts associated with unwholesome dharmas.'

Maudgalyayana! If a bhikkhu observes the internal body as body, does not think thoughts associated with desire, up to observes perception, mind, and dharmas as dharmas, does not think thoughts associated with unwholesome dharmas, the Tathāgata further teaches him: 'Bhikkhu! You have come. Guard the sense faculties, always remember to close them, be mindful and clearly understand, guard the mind with mindfulness and attain accomplishment, always arouse right knowledge. If the eye sees forms, do not grasp their characteristics, do not savor forms, because of anger and dispute, guard the eye faculty. Do not give rise to greed, sorrow, evil and unwholesome dharmas in the mind, heading towards them, guard the eye faculty. In this way, the ear, nose, tongue, body, if the mind knows dharmas, do not grasp their characteristics, do not savor dharmas, because of anger and dispute, guard the mind faculty. Do not give rise to greed, sorrow, evil and unwholesome dharmas in the mind, heading towards them, guard the mind faculty.'

Maudgalyayana! If a bhikkhu guards the sense faculties, always remembers to close them, is mindful and clearly understands, guards the mind with mindfulness and attains accomplishment, always arouses right knowledge. If the eye sees forms, does not grasp their characteristics, does not savor forms, because of anger and dispute, guards the eye faculty. Does not give rise to greed, sorrow, evil and unwholesome dharmas in the mind, heading towards them, guards the eye faculty. In this way, the ear, nose, tongue, body, if the mind knows dharmas, does not grasp their characteristics, does not savor dharmas, because of anger and dispute, guards the mind faculty. Does not give rise to greed, sorrow, evil and unwholesome dharmas in the mind, heading towards them, guards the mind faculty. The Tathāgata further teaches him: 'Bhikkhu! You have come. Know right and wrong when going out and coming in, observe and discern well, bending, stretching, bowing, and raising the head, deportment and appearance, well wearing the saṃghāṭī robe and other robes and carrying the alms bowl, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, sleeping, waking, speaking, and being silent, all know them well.'

Maudgalyayana! If a bhikkhu knows right and wrong when going out and coming in, observes and discerns well, bends, stretches, bows, and raises the head, deportment and appearance, well wears the saṃghāṭī robe and other robes and carries the alms bowl, walks, stands, sits, lies down, sleeps, wakes, speaks, and is silent, all knows them well, the Tathāgata further teaches him: 'Bhikkhu! You have come. Dwell alone in seclusion, in a place without affairs, or go to a place under a tree, an empty and quiet place, a mountain cave, a stone chamber, an open space, or a pile of straw, or go to a forest, or dwell in a charnel ground. You have already gone to a place without affairs, or to a place under a tree, an empty and quiet place, spread out a sitting mat, cross your legs, straighten your body and mind, and be mindful, not facing towards, cut off greed and craving, and have no disputes in the mind. Seeing others' wealth and living necessities, do not give rise to greed and craving, wishing to obtain them for yourself. You should purify your mind from greed and craving. In this way, for anger, drowsiness, agitation, doubt, and confusion, there is no hesitation about wholesome dharmas. You should purify your mind from doubt and confusion. You should cut off these five hindrances, defilements of the mind, and weakness of wisdom. Free from desire and evil and unwholesome dharmas, attain the fourth dhyāna and abide in accomplishment.' Maudgalyayana! If a bhikkhu is free from desire and evil and unwholesome dharmas, attains the fourth dhyāna and abides in accomplishment, Maudgalyayana! The Tathāgata has much benefit for the younger bhikkhus, namely, instructing and admonishing them. Maudgalyayana! If there are bhikkhus who are elders, superiors, and long-practiced in the holy life, the Tathāgata further teaches them, namely, the ultimate completion of all taints.

Sāṅkhya Maudgalyāyana then asked again: "Ascetic Gotama! Do all disciples who are instructed and admonished in this way attain ultimate knowledge and necessarily attain parinirvāṇa?"

The World-Honored One replied: "Maudgalyayana! It is not always so. Some attain it, while others do not."

Sāṅkhya Maudgalyāyana then asked again: "Gautama! What are the causes and conditions for nirvāṇa and the path to nirvāṇa? śramaṇa Gautama is the present guide. Some bhikṣus are instructed and admonished in this way, and attain ultimate nirvāṇa, while others do not."

The World-Honored One said: "Maudgalyāyana! I will ask you in return. Answer as you see fit. Maudgalyāyana! What do you think? Do you know the location of Rājagṛha and are familiar with the road there?"

Sāṅkhya Maudgalyāyana replied: "Yes, I know the location of Rājagṛha and am familiar with the road there."

The World-Honored One asked: "Maudgalyāyana! If someone comes and wants to see the king, to go to Rājagṛha. That person asks you: 'I want to see the king, to go to Rājagṛha. Sāṅkhya Maudgalyāyana knows the location of Rājagṛha and is familiar with the road. Can you show me the way?' You tell that person: 'From here, go east to that village. From that village, go to that town. In this way, go to Rājagṛha. If there are good gardens and forests outside Rājagṛha, with level ground, pavilions, ponds, various flower trees, long flowing rivers, and clear springs, you will see and know them all.' Having heard your words and received your instructions, that person goes east from here. Before long, they leave the right path and return by the wrong path. If there are good gardens and forests outside Rājagṛha, with level ground, pavilions, ponds, various flower trees, long flowing rivers, and clear springs, they will not see or know them all.

Again, someone comes and wants to see the king, to go to Rājagṛha. That person asks you: 'I want to see the king, to go to Rājagṛha. Sāṅkhya Maudgalyāyana knows the location of Rājagṛha and is familiar with the road. Can you show me the way?' You tell that person: 'From here, go east to that village. From that village, go to that town. In this way, go to Rājagṛha. If there are good gardens and forests outside Rājagṛha, with level ground, pavilions, ponds, various flower trees, long flowing rivers, and clear springs, you will see and know them all.' Having heard your words and received your instructions, that person immediately goes east from here to that village. From that village, they reach that town. In this way, they go to Rājagṛha. If there are good gardens and forests outside Rājagṛha, with level ground, pavilions, ponds, various flower trees, long flowing rivers, and clear springs, they see and know them all.

"Maudgalyāyana! What are the causes and conditions for the existence of Rājagṛha and the path to Rājagṛha? You are the present guide. The first person follows your instructions, but before long, they leave the level path and return by the wrong path. If there are good gardens and forests outside Rājagṛha, with level ground, pavilions, ponds, various flower trees, long flowing rivers, and clear springs, do they not see or know them all? The second person follows your instructions and gradually reaches Rājagṛha by the level path. If there are good gardens and forests outside Rājagṛha, with level ground, pavilions, ponds, various flower trees, long flowing rivers, and clear springs, do they see and know them all?"

Sāṅkhya Maudgalyāyana replied: "Gautama! I have nothing to do with the existence of Rājagṛha and the path to Rājagṛha. I am the present guide. The first person does not follow my instructions, leaves the level path, and returns by the wrong path. If there are good gardens and forests outside Rājagṛha, with level ground, pavilions, ponds, various flower trees, long flowing rivers, and clear springs, do they not see or know them all? The second person follows my instructions and gradually reaches Rājagṛha by the level path. If there are good gardens and forests outside Rājagṛha, with level ground, pavilions, ponds, various flower trees, long flowing rivers, and clear springs, do they see and know them all?"

The World-Honored One said: "So it is, Maudgalyāyana! I also have nothing to do with nirvāṇa and the path to nirvāṇa. I am the guide. I instruct and admonish the bhikṣus in this way, and some attain ultimate nirvāṇa, while others do not. Maudgalyāyana! Each bhikṣu follows his own practice. At that time, the World-Honored One then predicted their practice, namely, the ultimate exhaustion of defilements."

Sāṅkhya Maudgalyāyana said: "Gautama! I have understood. Gautama! I have understood. Gautama! It is like a good piece of land with a śāla forest. There is a śāla forest keeper there, who is diligent and not lazy. He digs up the roots of the śāla trees in a timely manner, fills in the high places and levels the low places, fertilizes and irrigates them, not missing the right time. If any weeds grow on the edges, he pulls them all out and discards them. If there are any crooked and unstraight trees, he trims them all. If there are any very good straight trees, he then protects them, digging around them in a timely manner, fertilizing and irrigating them, not missing the right time. In this way, the good piece of land and śāla forest become more luxuriant and beautiful. Gautama! It is like a person who is flattering, deceitful, extremely unreliable, without faith, lazy, without mindfulness, without concentration, with bad wisdom, with a deranged mind, with scattered faculties, who holds the precepts loosely, and does not widely practice the duties of an ascetic. Gautama! Such a person cannot be associated with. Why? Gautama! Such a person defiles the pure practice. Gautama! If there is a person who is not flattering, not deceitful, reliable, faithful, diligent, not lazy, mindful, concentrated, and also wise, who is extremely respectful of the precepts, and widely practices the duties of an ascetic. Gautama! Such a person can be associated with. Why? Gautama! Such a person is pure in the practice.

Gautama! It is like the fragrance of various roots, where the fragrance of agarwood is the best. Why? Gautama! Because agarwood is the best among the fragrances of various roots. Gautama! It is like the fragrance of various śāla trees, where the fragrance of red sandalwood is the best. Why? Gautama! Because red sandalwood is the best among the fragrances of various śāla trees. Gautama! It is like the flowers of various water plants, where the blue lotus flower is the best. Why? Gautama! Because the blue lotus flower is the best among the flowers of various water plants. Gautama! It is like the flowers of various land plants, where the sumana flower is the best. Why? Gautama! Because the sumana flower is the best among the flowers of various land plants. Gautama! It is like the various debaters in the world, where the Śramaṇa Gautama is the best. Why? Because the Śramaṇa Gautama is able to subdue all non-Buddhist debaters. World-Honored One! I now take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and the Saṃgha of bhikṣus. I only wish that the World-Honored One would accept me as a lay follower. From this day forth, until the end of my life, I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and the Saṃgha of bhikṣus.

The Buddha spoke thus. Sāṅkhya Maudgalyāyana and the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and received them with respect.