SA 1140（一一四〇） 佛为根本

Thus have I heard:

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

At that time, the Venerable Mahākāśyapa was staying in the Deer Park Lecture Hall in the Eastern Garden of Śrāvastī. In the afternoon, he emerged from meditation and went to where the Buddha was. He bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet and sat to one side.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Mahākāśyapa, "You should teach and instruct the bhikṣus. Why is that? I always teach and instruct the bhikṣus, and you should do the same."

The Venerable Mahākāśyapa said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! It is difficult to teach and instruct the bhikṣus now. Some bhikṣus, upon hearing the Dharma, are impatient and displeased."

The Buddha said to Mahākāśyapa, "What is the reason for your statement?"

Mahākāśyapa said to the Buddha, "The World-Honored One is the root of the Dharma, the eye of the Dharma, and the reliance of the Dharma. I only wish that the World-Honored One would teach the Dharma for the bhikṣus. Having heard it, the bhikṣus will accept and uphold it."

The Buddha said to Kāśyapa, "Listen carefully and think well. I will explain it for you."

The Buddha told Kāśyapa, "In the past, the bhikṣus who practiced in the wilderness praised the practice of the wilderness to the bhikṣus who practiced in the wilderness, praised the merits of begging for food to the bhikṣus who begged for food, praised the merits of wearing rags to the bhikṣus who wore rags. If there were bhikṣus who were content with few desires, practiced detachment, diligently applied themselves, were mindful and concentrated, had wisdom and exhausted the taints, and had attained realization through their own bodies, they would praise and extol their practices. Kāśyapa! If one praises the practice of the wilderness to those who practice in the wilderness, and praises the attainment of realization through one's own body to those who have exhausted the taints, if one sees such people, one should speak with them, comfort them, and welcome them, asking, 'What is your name? Who is your teacher?' One should give up one's seat and invite them to sit, praising their virtue and goodness, according to the Dharma and their characteristics. There is the meaning of a śramaṇa, there is the desire of a śramaṇa. When praising in this way, if those who live and travel together with them, they will then certainly follow their practices. Before long, they will also have the same views and desires."

The Buddha told Kāśyapa, "If a young bhikṣu sees a bhikṣu who practices in the wilderness coming, he should praise the practice of the wilderness to him, and praise the attainment of realization through one's own body to him who has exhausted the taints. That young bhikṣu should rise to greet him, pay respect and bow to him, and ask after his well-being. If those who live and travel together with him, they will soon attain their own benefit and advantage. If one pays respect in this way, one will attain peace and benefit for a long time."

The Buddha told Kāśyapa, "Today, if a bhikṣu sees someone coming who is greatly virtuous and can inspire offerings of robes, food, bedding, and medicine, he should speak with them, pay respect and ask after their well-being, praising them as they arrive, asking their name and who their teacher is. He should praise their merit and virtue, saying they can inspire great benefits, robes, food, bedding, and medicine. If those who live and travel together with the venerable one, they will also be abundantly provided with robes, food, bedding, and medicine. If a young bhikṣu sees someone coming who is greatly wise and virtuous, and can inspire offerings of robes, food, bedding, and medicine, he should quickly rise to greet them, pay respect and ask after their well-being, praising them as they arrive, saying they are greatly wise and virtuous, and can inspire great benefits, robes, food, bedding, and medicine. Kāśyapa! Such a young bhikṣu will for a long time not attain what is beneficial and will suffer harm.

"Thus, Kāśyapa! These bhikṣus are afflicted by the state of a śramaṇa, they are submerged in the brahmacarya, they are greatly obscured by evil and unwholesome dharmas, and afflicted by afflictions. They will repeatedly experience existence, burn with birth and death, and in the future will experience the results of suffering, birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, and distress. Therefore, Kāśyapa! You should train thus: 'For the sake of the practice of the wilderness, praise and extol the practice of the wilderness, the wearing of rags, begging for food, few desires, contentment, practicing seclusion, diligent effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, right wisdom, and the realization of the exhaustion of the taints through one's own body.' You should train thus."

Having spoken this sūtra, the World-Honored One, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the one with perfect knowledge and conduct, the Sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassed guide who tames beings, the teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Bhagavān, having spoken this, the Venerable Mahākā