88. （八八）求法经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Kusumapura, together with a great assembly of bhikṣus. He went to the Śiṣyagandha forest north of the five śāla trees, together with the renowned, venerable, and senior great disciples, namely Venerable Śāriputra, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Venerable Mahākāśyapa, Venerable Mahākātyāyana, Venerable Aniruddha, Venerable Revata, Venerable Ānanda, and other such renowned, venerable, and senior great disciples. They were all staying near the Buddha's leaf hut in the five śāla trees.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus, saying, "You should seek the Dharma, not seek food and drink. Why is that? It is because I have compassion for my disciples and want them to seek the Dharma, not seek food and drink. If you seek food and drink, not seek the Dharma, then you will be evil, and I will have no renown. If you seek the Dharma, not seek food and drink, then you will be good, and I will have renown.

How do the disciples rely on the Buddha to seek food and drink, not seek the Dharma? After I have eaten my fill, if there is leftover food, later two bhikṣus come, hungry and weak. I tell them, 'I have eaten my fill, if there is leftover food, you may take and eat it. If you do not take it, I will take it and pour it on the clean ground, or pour it into insect-free water.' The first bhikṣu then thinks, 'The World-Honored One has eaten his fill, if there is leftover food, if I do not take it, the World-Honored One will definitely take it and pour it on the clean ground, or pour it into insect-free water. I might as well take it and eat it.' He then takes and eats it.

After that bhikṣu takes that food, although he is happy and at ease for a day and night, that bhikṣu cannot please the Buddha because of taking that food. Why is that? Because that bhikṣu cannot be content with little, cannot know satisfaction, cannot be easy to support, cannot be easy to fill, cannot know the time, cannot know moderation, cannot be diligent, cannot sit in meditation, cannot practice purity, cannot be far removed, cannot have single-minded concentration, cannot be diligent, and cannot attain nirvāṇa. Therefore, that bhikṣu cannot please the Buddha because of taking that food. This is called the disciples relying on the Buddha to seek food and drink, not seeking the Dharma.

The second bhikṣu then thinks, 'The World-Honored One has eaten his fill, if there is leftover food, if I do not take it, the World-Honored One will definitely take it and pour it on the clean ground, or pour it into insect-free water. The World-Honored One also said that the worst food is leftover food. I might as well not take this food.' Having thought this, he then does not take it.

After that bhikṣu does not take that food, although he is miserable and uncomfortable for a day and night, that bhikṣu can please the Buddha because of not taking that food. Why is that? Because that bhikṣu can be content with little, can know satisfaction, can be easy to support, can be easy to fill, can know the time, can know moderation, can be diligent, can sit in meditation, can practice purity, can be far removed, can have single-minded concentration, can be diligent, and can attain nirvāṇa. Therefore, that bhikṣu can please the Buddha because of not taking that food. This is called the disciples relying on the Buddha to seek the Dharma, not seeking food and drink.

Then the World-Honored One told the disciples, "If in a Dharma and Vinaya, the honored teacher likes to dwell in seclusion, but the upper disciples do not like to dwell in seclusion, then that Dharma and Vinaya does not benefit many people, many people do not find happiness, it is not for the sake of compassion for the world, nor is it for the sake of gods and humans seeking meaning and benefit, seeking peace and happiness. If in a Dharma and Vinaya, the honored teacher likes to dwell in seclusion, but the middle and lower disciples do not like to dwell in seclusion, then that Dharma and Vinaya does not benefit many people, many people do not find happiness, it is not for the sake of compassion for the world, nor is it for the sake of gods and humans seeking meaning and benefit, seeking peace and happiness. If in a Dharma and Vinaya, the honored teacher likes to dwell in seclusion, and the upper disciples also like to dwell in seclusion, then that Dharma and Vinaya benefits many people, many people find happiness, it is for the sake of compassion for the world, and it is for the sake of gods and humans seeking meaning and benefit, seeking peace and happiness. If in a Dharma and Vinaya, the honored teacher likes to dwell in seclusion, and the middle and lower disciples also like to dwell in seclusion, then that Dharma and Vinaya benefits many people, many people find happiness, it is for the sake of compassion for the world, and it is for the sake of gods and humans seeking meaning and benefit, seeking peace and happiness."

At that time, Venerable Sariputra was also in the assembly. Then the World-Honored One said, "Sariputra! You should teach the Dharma according to the Dharma for the monks. I have a backache now and wish to rest a little."

Venerable Sariputra accepted the Buddha's instruction, saying, "Yes, World-Honored One!" Then the World-Honored One spread out his upper robe four times on the bed, folded his saṃghāṭī robe as a pillow, lay on his right side, placed one foot on the other, contemplated the light, with right mindfulness and right knowledge, always mindful of rising.

At that time, Venerable Sariputra addressed the monks, saying, "Virtuous ones! You should know that the World-Honored One has just spoken the Dharma in brief. If in a Dharma and Vinaya, the honored teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, but the superior disciples do not delight in dwelling in seclusion, then that Dharma and Vinaya do not benefit many people, many people do not find happiness, it is not for the sake of compassion for the world, nor is it for the sake of seeking benefit and happiness for gods and humans. If in a Dharma and Vinaya, the honored teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, but the middling and inferior disciples do not delight in dwelling in seclusion, then that Dharma and Vinaya do not benefit many people, many people do not find happiness, it is not for the sake of compassion for the world, nor is it for the sake of seeking benefit and happiness for gods and humans. If in a Dharma and Vinaya, the honored teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, and the superior disciples also delight in dwelling in seclusion, then that Dharma and Vinaya benefits many people, many people find happiness, it is for the sake of compassion for the world, and it is for the sake of seeking benefit and happiness for gods and humans. If in a Dharma and Vinaya, the honored teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, and the middling and inferior disciples also delight in dwelling in seclusion, then that Dharma and Vinaya benefits many people, many people find happiness, it is for the sake of compassion for the world, and it is for the sake of seeking benefit and happiness for gods and humans. But the World-Honored One has spoken this Dharma in brief. How do you understand the meaning? How do you extensively explain it?"

At that time, some monks in the assembly said, "Venerable Sariputra! If the elders and superiors themselves say, 'I have attained ultimate knowledge, my births are exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done is done, I will not be reborn again, knowing it as it really is,' then the Brahma-faring ones, hearing that monk say, 'I have attained ultimate knowledge,' will be delighted.

Again, some monks said, "Venerable Sariputra! If the middling and inferior disciples seek the unsurpassed nirvana, the Brahma-faring ones, seeing their practice, will be delighted. Thus, that monk speaks this meaning, which cannot be the intention of Venerable Sariputra.

Venerable Sariputra said to those monks, "Virtuous ones! Listen to me speaking for you. Virtuous ones! If in a Dharma and Vinaya where the teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, the superior disciples do not delight in dwelling in seclusion, then the superior disciples have three things to be criticized. What are the three? The teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, but the superior disciples do not learn to abandon it. The superior disciples are criticized for this. If the teacher speaks of dharmas to be abandoned, the superior disciples do not abandon those dharmas. The superior disciples are criticized for this. The attainments to be realized, the superior disciples abandon the means. The superior disciples are criticized for this. If in a Dharma and Vinaya where the teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, the superior disciples do not delight in dwelling in seclusion, then the superior disciples have these three things to be criticized. Virtuous ones! If in a Dharma and Vinaya where the teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, the middling and inferior disciples do not delight in dwelling in seclusion, then the middling and inferior disciples have three things to be criticized. What are the three? The teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, but the middling and inferior disciples do not learn to abandon it. The middling and inferior disciples are criticized for this. If the teacher speaks of dharmas to be abandoned, the middling and inferior disciples do not abandon those dharmas. The middling and inferior disciples are criticized for this. The attainments to be realized, the middling and inferior disciples abandon the means. The middling and inferior disciples are criticized for this. If in a Dharma and Vinaya where the teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, the middling and inferior disciples do not delight in dwelling in seclusion, then the middling and inferior disciples have these three things to be criticized.

"Virtuous ones! If in a Dharma and Vinaya where the teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, the superior disciples also delight in dwelling in seclusion, then the superior disciples have three things to be praised. What are the three? The teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, and the superior disciples also learn to abandon it. The superior disciples are praised for this. If the teacher speaks of dharmas to be abandoned, the superior disciples then abandon those dharmas. The superior disciples are praised for this. The attainments to be realized, the superior disciples diligently study and do not abandon the means. The superior disciples are praised for this. If in a Dharma and Vinaya where the teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, the superior disciples also delight in dwelling in seclusion, then the superior disciples have these three things to be praised. Virtuous ones! If in a Dharma and Vinaya where the teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, the middling and inferior disciples also delight in dwelling in seclusion, then the middling and inferior disciples have three things to be praised. What are the three? The teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, and the middling and inferior disciples also learn to abandon it. The middling and inferior disciples are praised for this. If the teacher speaks of dharmas to be abandoned, the middling and inferior disciples then abandon those dharmas. The middling and inferior disciples are praised for this. The attainments to be realized, the middling and inferior disciples diligently study and do not abandon the means. The middling and inferior disciples are praised for this. If in a Dharma and Vinaya where the teacher delights in dwelling in seclusion, the middling and inferior disciples also delight in dwelling in seclusion, then the middling and inferior disciples have these three things to be praised."

Venerable Sariputra further said to the monks, "Virtuous ones! There is a middle way that can attain mental stillness, attain concentration and happiness, accord with the Dharma and the next Dharma, attain the supernormal powers and awakening, and also attain nirvana. Virtuous ones! What is the middle way that can attain mental stillness, attain concentration and happiness, accord with the Dharma and the next Dharma, attain the supernormal powers and awakening, and also attain nirvana? Virtuous ones! Desire is evil, and evil thoughts of desire are also evil. One should cut off thoughts of desire and also cut off evil thoughts of desire. Likewise, anger, resentment, stinginess, jealousy, deceit, flattery, shamelessness, lack of conscience, pride, conceit, arrogance, negligence, arrogance, and hatred. Virtuous ones! Greed is also evil, and attachment is also evil. One should cut off greed and also cut off attachment. Virtuous ones! This is called the middle way that can attain mental stillness, attain concentration and happiness, accord with the Dharma and the next Dharma, attain the supernormal powers and awakening, and also attain nirvana.

"Virtuous ones! There is also a middle way that can attain mental stillness, attain concentration and happiness, accord with the Dharma and the next Dharma, attain the supernormal powers and awakening, and also attain nirvana. Virtuous ones! What is the middle way that can attain mental stillness, attain concentration and happiness, accord with the Dharma and the next Dharma, attain the supernormal powers and awakening, and also attain nirvana? It refers to the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. These are the eight. Virtuous ones! This is called the middle way that can attain mental stillness, attain concentration and happiness, accord with the Dharma and the next Dharma, attain the supernormal powers and awakening, and also attain nirvana."

Then the World-Honored One's illness was immediately cured and he felt at ease. He got up from his bed, sat cross-legged, and praised Venerable Sariputra, saying, "Excellent! Excellent! Sariputra has taught the Dharma to the monks according to the Dharma. Sariputra! You should continue to teach the Dharma to the monks according to the Dharma. Sariputra! You should often teach the Dharma to the monks according to the Dharma."

At that time, the World-Honored One told the monks, "You should all together accept the Dharma according to the Dharma, recite and uphold it. Why is that? This Dharma according to the Dharma has the Dharma and the meaning, is the basis for the holy life, leads to the supernormal powers and awakening, and also leads to nirvana. For those noble sons who shave their heads and beards, put on the saffron robes, leave home out of true faith, become homeless, and study the path, this Dharma according to the Dharma should be well received and upheld."

The Buddha spoke thus. Venerable Sariputra and the monks, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and upheld them.