217. （二一七）八城经

I have heard thus:

At one time, not long after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, many eminent and virtuous bhikṣus were dwelling in the Chicken Grove in the city of Vārāṇasī.

At that time, the tenth householder from the eight cities brought many fine goods to the city of Vārāṇasī to trade. There, the tenth householder from the eight cities quickly sold his many fine goods, making a great profit. Joyful and elated, he left the city of Vārāṇasī and went to the Chicken Grove, where many eminent and virtuous bhikṣus were dwelling. He bowed his head at their feet, sat to one side, and the eminent and virtuous bhikṣus taught him the Dharma, inspiring and uplifting him, bringing him to a state of joy. Having taught him the Dharma with immeasurable skillful means, inspiring and uplifting him, bringing him to a state of joy, they remained silent.

At that time, the eminent bhikṣus taught him the Dharma, inspiring and uplifting him, bringing him to a state of joy. Then the tenth householder from the eight cities said, "Venerable ones, where is Venerable Ānanda now? I wish to go and see him."

The eminent bhikṣus replied, "Householder, Venerable Ānanda is now at the high pavilion by the Monkey River in Vaiśālī. If you wish to see him, go there."

At that time, the tenth householder from the eight cities immediately rose from his seat, bowed his head at the feet of the eminent bhikṣus, circumambulated them three times, and departed. He went to where Venerable Ānanda was, bowed his head at his feet, sat to one side, and said, "Venerable Ānanda, I wish to ask something. May I ask?"

Venerable Ānanda said, "Householder, ask as you wish. I shall think about it after hearing."

The householder asked, "Venerable Ānanda, the World-Honored One, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, who has accomplished the wisdom eye and sees the ultimate truth, has he ever spoken of a single Dharma, such that if a noble disciple abides in it, the taints are completely exhausted without remainder, and they attain mental liberation?"

Venerable Ānanda replied, "Yes."

The householder asked, "Venerable Ānanda, the World-Honored One, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, who has accomplished the wisdom eye and sees the ultimate truth, how does he speak of a single Dharma, such that if a noble disciple abides in it, the taints are completely exhausted without remainder, and they attain mental liberation?"

Venerable Ānanda replied, "Householder, the well-learned noble disciple, having separated from desire, separated from evil and unwholesome states, attains and abides in the fourth dhyāna. They observe the Dharma according to the Dharma based on that state. If they abide in that state and attain the exhaustion of the taints, it is possible. If they abide in that state and do not attain the exhaustion of the taints, they may desire, love, delight in, and be at peace with that Dharma, and joyfully cut off the five lower fetters, be reborn there, and attain parinirvāṇa, attaining the non-retrogressive state, never returning to this world.

Furthermore, householder, the well-learned noble disciple, with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, dwells pervading one direction, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth direction, and also the four intermediate directions, above, and below, all around, everywhere. With a mind imbued with loving-kindness, free from enmity and ill-will, without rivalry or dispute, as vast and exalted as the sky, without enmity and ill-will, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without enmity and ill-will. He observes the Dharma according to the Dharma based on that state. If he abides in that state and attains the exhaustion of the taints, it is possible. If he abides in that state and does not attain the exhaustion of the taints, he may desire, love, delight in, and be at peace with that Dharma, and joyfully cut off the five lower fetters, be reborn there, and attain parinirvāṇa, attaining the non-retrogressive state, never returning to this world.

Furthermore, householder, the well-learned noble disciple, having transcended all perceptions of form, and so on, up to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, dwells having accomplished it. They observe the Dharma according to the Dharma based on that state. If they abide in that state and attain the exhaustion of the taints, it is possible. If they abide in that state and do not attain the exhaustion of the taints, they may desire, love, delight in, and be at peace with that Dharma, and joyfully cut off the five lower fetters, be reborn there, and attain parinirvāṇa, attaining the non-retrogressive state, never returning to this world.

Then the tenth householder of Aṭṭhaka rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and with palms together he said to Venerable Ānanda: "Venerable Ānanda, it is wonderful, it is marvelous! I asked Venerable Ānanda about one gateway to the deathless, but Venerable Ānanda has explained to me twelve gateways to the deathless. Now these twelve gateways to the deathless will certainly lead to safety and deliverance according to the basis. Venerable Ānanda, it is like a large house not far from a village, with twelve doors. If someone were to enter that house for a purpose, and another person were to come and not seek the welfare and benefit of that person, not seeking safety, and were to set fire to that house, Venerable Ānanda, that person would certainly be able to escape through any of these twelve doors, and find safety. In the same way, I asked Venerable Ānanda about one gateway to the deathless, but Venerable Ānanda has explained to me twelve gateways to the deathless. Now these twelve gateways to the deathless will certainly lead to safety and deliverance according to the basis. Venerable Ānanda, even in the teachings of the brahmins and contemplatives, where they speak of unwholesome teachings and practices, they still honor their teachers. How much more so should I not honor my great teacher, Venerable Ānanda?"

Then the tenth householder of Aṭṭhaka, during the night, prepared a pure, fine, abundant meal of food to eat and digest. Having prepared the meal, in the morning he set out seats and invited the Saṅgha of the Chicken Grove and the Saṅgha of Vesālī to gather in one place. He personally served water for washing, and then with a pure, fine, abundant meal of food to eat and digest, he personally served and satisfied them. After they had finished eating and put away the bowls, he served water for washing. Having finished, he offered five hundred items to buy a house and separately gave it to Venerable Ānanda. Venerable Ānanda accepted it and gave it to the Saṅgha of the four directions.

Venerable Ānanda spoke thus. The tenth householder of Aṭṭhaka, having heard what Venerable Ānanda said, was delighted and remembered it well.