82. （八二）支离弥梨经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Bamboo Grove, in the Kalandaka Park, in the city of Rājagṛha.

At that time, many bhikṣus, after the midday meal, gathered in the Dharma hall to discuss and resolve a dispute, namely, discussing this Dharma and Vinaya, this teaching of the Buddha. At that time, the bhikṣu Cīvaradhara was also in the assembly. Then, while the many bhikṣus were discussing this Dharma and Vinaya, this teaching of the Buddha, Cīvaradhara spoke in the middle of their discussion without waiting for the bhikṣus to finish speaking, and he did not ask the senior bhikṣus with respect or good observation.

At that time, the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila was in the assembly. Then, the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila said to the bhikṣu Cīvaradhara, "Noble one! You should know that when the many bhikṣus are discussing this Dharma and Vinaya, this teaching of the Buddha, do not speak in the middle of their discussion. When the bhikṣus have finished speaking, then you may speak. You should ask the senior bhikṣus with respect and good observation, do not ask the senior bhikṣus without respect or good observation.

At that time, the bhikṣu Cīvaradhara's close friends were also in the assembly. Then, the bhikṣu Cīvaradhara's close friends said to the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, "Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila! Do not criticize the bhikṣu Cīvaradhara too much. Why? The bhikṣu Cīvaradhara has many virtuous precepts and much learning, but he seems lazy and not arrogant. Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila! The bhikṣu Cīvaradhara is able to assist the bhikṣus in whatever they do.

Then, the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila said to the bhikṣu Cīvaradhara's close friends, "Noble ones! Those who do not know others' minds should not speak rashly, whether it is true or not. Why? There may be someone who is well-guarded and well-protected in the presence of the World-Honored One and the senior bhikṣus who are worthy of respect and reverence, but later, when away from the World-Honored One and the senior bhikṣus who are worthy of respect and reverence, they associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! It is like a cow that enters someone else's field. The field-keeper catches it, either tying it with a rope or putting it in a pen. Noble ones! If someone says that this cow will no longer enter someone else's field, is that a correct statement?"

"No, why? Because that cow, being tied with a rope, may break or untie it, or being blocked by a fence, may break through or jump out, and again enter someone else's field, no different from before."

Noble ones! There may be someone who is well-guarded and well-protected in the presence of the World-Honored One and the senior bhikṣus who are worthy of respect and reverence, but later, when away from the World-Honored One and the senior bhikṣus who are worthy of respect and reverence, they associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! This is called one kind of person.

"Furthermore, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the first dhyāna. Having attained the first dhyāna, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! It is like when it rains heavily, the ponds and lakes between villages are filled with water. If one had previously seen the sand, stones, grass, trees, insects, fish, turtles, frogs, and other aquatic creatures coming and going, moving and stopping, but later when the water is full, one no longer sees them. Noble ones! If someone were to say that in that pond or lake one would never again see the sand, stones, grass, trees, insects, fish, turtles, frogs, and other aquatic creatures coming and going, moving and stopping, would that be a correct statement?"

"No, why is that? The water in that pond or lake may be drunk by elephants, horses, camels, cows, donkeys, pigs, deer, buffaloes, or taken by people, blown by the wind and dried by the sun. If one had not seen the sand, stones, grass, trees, insects, fish, turtles, frogs, and other aquatic creatures coming and going, moving and stopping, but later when the water recedes, one sees them as before."

So it is, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the first dhyāna. Having attained the first dhyāna, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! This is called one person.

"Furthermore, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the second dhyāna. Having attained the second dhyāna, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! It is like when it rains heavily, the dust in the crossroads becomes mud. Noble ones! If someone were to say that the mud in the crossroads will never dry up and become dust again, would that be a correct statement?"

"No, why? Because in the crossroads, elephants, horses, camels, oxen, donkeys, pigs, deer, buffaloes, and people walk. The wind blows and the sun shines. The mud in the crossroads dries up and becomes dust again."

So it is, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the second dhyāna. Having attained the second dhyāna, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! This is called one person.

"Furthermore, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the third dhyāna. Having attained the third dhyāna, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! It is like a mountain spring or lake, clear and calm, not moving or agitated, without waves. Noble ones! If someone were to say that the mountain spring or lake will never move again, nor have waves, would that be a correct statement?"

"No, why is that? Because a strong wind may suddenly blow from the east, stirring up the lake water, causing waves. Similarly, a strong wind may suddenly blow from the south, west, or north, stirring up the lake water, causing waves."

So it is, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the third dhyāna. Having attained the third dhyāna, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! This is called one person.

"Furthermore, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the fourth dhyāna. Having attained the fourth dhyāna, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! It is like a householder or householder's son who has eaten exquisite food and is fully satisfied. If they were to say that they would never again wish to eat, would that be a correct statement?"

"No, why? That householder or householder's son, after a night of fasting, if they were to eat what they had not eaten before, they would still wish to eat it again."

So it is, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the fourth dhyāna. Having attained the fourth dhyāna, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! This is called one person.

"Furthermore, noble ones! There may be someone who attains the mind of the formless realm. Having attained the mind of the formless realm, they are content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, they often associate with laypeople, jest and boast, and engage in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, they give rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, their bodies and minds become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, they abandon the precepts and return to lay life. Noble ones! It is like a certain place where the sound of the chilioli-mīli insect is heard. In that place, either a king or a royal minister stays overnight. There are the sounds of elephants, horses, chariots, infantry, conches, drums, small drums, cymbals, dancing, singing, lutes, and eating. If they have previously heard the sound of the chilioli-mīli insect, they will no longer hear it. Noble ones! If someone says that in that place, one will never again hear the sound of the chilioli-mīli insect, is that a correct statement?"

"No, why? Because the king and the royal minister have passed the night and in the morning each returns to their own place. Because of hearing the sounds of elephants, horses, chariots, infantry, conches, drums, small drums, cymbals, dancing, singing, lutes, and eating, they do not hear the sound of the chilioli-mīli insect. When they have left, they hear it as before."

"So it is, noble ones! Having attained the mind of the formless realm, one is content to abide in it, no longer seeking what is not yet attained, not obtaining what is to be obtained, and not realizing what is to be realized. Later, one often associates with laypeople, jest and boast, and engages in various frivolous talk. Having associated with laypeople, jested and boasted, and engaged in various frivolous talk, one gives rise to desire. Having given rise to desire, one's body and mind become hot. Having become hot in body and mind, one abandons the precepts and returns to lay life. Noble ones! This is called one person."

At that time, the monk Chida Xiangzi soon afterwards abandoned the precepts and returned to lay life. The relatives and friends of the monk Chida Xiangzi, having heard that the monk Chida Xiangzi had abandoned the precepts and returned to lay life, went to Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila and said, "Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila! Do you know the mind of the monk Chida Xiangzi, or do you know it for other reasons? Why is that? Now the monk Chida Xiangzi has abandoned the precepts and returned to lay life."

Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila said to his relatives and friends, "Noble ones! This is exactly how it should be. Why is that? Because of not knowing and seeing the truth as it is. Why is that? Because of not knowing and seeing the truth as it is."

The Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila spoke thus. The monks, having heard the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila's words, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.