SA 1032（一〇三二） 给孤独

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, Venerable Śāriputra heard that the elder Anāthapiṇḍada was suffering from illness. Having heard this, he said to Venerable Ānanda, "Do you know that the elder Anāthapiṇḍada is suffering from illness? We should go and visit him together." Venerable Ānanda silently agreed.

At that time, Venerable Śāriputra and Venerable Ānanda went together to the house of the elder Anāthapiṇḍada. The elder saw Venerable Śāriputra from afar, supported his bed to rise...and explained the three kinds of feelings in detail, as in the Cāma Sutra, saying, "The bodily sufferings increase and do not diminish."

Venerable Śāriputra said to the elder, "You should study thus: 'Do not be attached to the eyes, do not give rise to craving and perception based on the eye realm; do not be attached to the ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, do not be attached to them, do not give rise to craving and perception based on the mind realm. Do not be attached to form, do not give rise to craving and perception based on the form realm; do not be attached to sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas, do not give rise to craving and perception based on the dharma realm. Do not be attached to the earth element, do not give rise to craving and perception based on the earth element; do not be attached to the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements, do not give rise to craving and perception based on the consciousness element. Do not be attached to the form aggregate, do not give rise to craving and perception based on the form aggregate; do not be attached to the feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness aggregates, do not give rise to craving and perception based on the consciousness aggregate.'"

At that time, the elder Anāthapiṇḍada sighed and shed tears. Venerable Ānanda said to the elder, "Are you now timid and inferior?"

The elder said to Ānanda, "I am not timid and inferior. I reflect on myself, since I have served the Buddha for over twenty years, I have never heard Venerable Śāriputra speak such profound and wonderful Dharma as I have heard now."

Venerable Śāriputra said to the elder, "I too have never spoken such Dharma to the elders for a long time."

The elder said to Venerable Śāriputra, "There are lay householders with superior faith, mindfulness, and joy, who, not hearing the profound Dharma, become discouraged. Excellent! Venerable Śāriputra! Please speak the profound and wonderful Dharma for the lay householders out of compassion! Venerable Śāriputra! Please accept this meal." Venerable Śāriputra and the others silently accepted the invitation.

He then prepared various pure and delicious foods and respectfully made offerings. After the meal, he further spoke various teachings to the elder, showing, teaching, illuminating, and delighting him. Having shown, taught, illuminated, and delighted him, he then rose from his seat and departed.