SA-2 17（一七）

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was staying in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha. At that time, a bhikṣu went to the river before dawn, folded his robes and placed them in one place, entered the river to bathe, and stood on the riverbank with his body exposed, drying it in the sunlight. A deity emitted a light that illuminated the riverbank and said to the bhikṣu, "You have not been ordained for long. You are young and have good hair. Why do you not enjoy the five desires? It is not the right time to go forth." The bhikṣu replied, "My going forth now is the right time, and I have attained what is not the right time." The deity said to the śramaṇa, "How is it that going forth is the right time, and attaining what is not the right time?" The śramaṇa replied, "The World-Honored Buddha said that the five desires are the right time, and the Buddha's teachings are not the right time. The pleasures of the five desires have very little taste, but their troubles are abundant, and they are the source of worries. In the teachings of our Buddha, one can attain realization in this very life without any troubles. Whatever one does, one does not consider the time or day. By planting a few small causes, one can attain great rewards."

The deity asked again, "How does the Buddha say that the five desires are the right time, and how does he say that the Buddha's teachings are not the right time?" The bhikṣu replied, "I am still young, and I have not been ordained for long. My studies are still shallow. How can I proclaim the profound meaning of the Tathāgata? The Bhagavān is now near the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove. You can go there yourself and ask about your doubts." The deity replied, "Now the Buddha is surrounded by deities of great majesty. I am weak and cannot see him. You should go and inform the World-Honored One on my behalf. If the Tathāgata is compassionate and allows it, I will go there and ask about my doubts." The bhikṣu replied, "If you can go, I will inform the World-Honored One on your behalf." The deity replied again, "I will follow you to where the World-Honored One is.

At that time, the bhikṣu went to where the Buddha was. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, stood to one side, and fully informed the World-Honored One of the deity's questions. At that time, the World-Honored One spoke a verse, saying:

The arising of name and form is considered to be truly existent
Know that such a person is on the path to death. If
one understands that name and form are originally empty and without nature
this is called respecting the Buddha and permanently leaving all realms of existence.

The Buddha asked the deity, "Do you understand yet?" The deity replied, "I do not understand, World-Honored One!" The Buddha spoke another verse,

Superior pride, equal pride, and inferior pride - those who
have these three kinds of pride can have disputes. Eliminating
these three kinds of pride is called the immovable thought.

The Buddha asked the deity, "Do you understand yet?" The deity replied to the Buddha, "I do not understand, World-Honored One!" The Buddha spoke another verse,

Cutting off desire and form, eliminating the three kinds of
pride; not touching on desires, eliminating anger and hatred; uprooting
the roots of poison, all thoughts and wishes exhausted. If
one can do this, one will cross the ocean of
birth and death.

The deity said to the Buddha, "I now understand."

The bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully received and practiced it.