SA 347（三四七） 须深

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was staying at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha. The king, ministers, brahmins, elders, householders, and other worldly people all respected, revered, and made offerings to the Buddha and the assembly of śrāvakas, who received abundant offerings of robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicine. They did not respect, revere, or make offerings to the various heterodox paths in terms of robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicine.

At that time, many non-Buddhist paths gathered in the hall and discussed: "In the past, we were always respected, revered, and made offerings to by the king, ministers, elders, householders, and others in terms of robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicine. Now, all that has been cut off. They only respect, revere, and make offerings to the śramaṇa Gautama and his assembly of śrāvakas in terms of robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicine. Now, who among us has wisdom and strength, who is able to secretly go to the assembly of the śramaṇa Gautama, become a monk, hear his teachings, return and explain them in detail, so that we can again use those teachings to transform the kings, ministers, elders, and householders of the countries, causing them to believe and enjoy them, so that we can again receive offerings as before?"

Then someone said: "There is a young man named Subhadra who is intelligent and wise. He is capable of secretly going to the assembly of the śramaṇa Gautama, becoming a monk, hearing his teachings, and returning to explain them in detail."

At that time, the non-Buddhists went to Subhadra and said: "Today, our great assembly gathered in the hall and discussed: 'In the past, we were respected, revered, and made offerings to by the kings, ministers, elders, householders, and others in the world in terms of robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicine. Now, all that has been cut off. The kings, ministers, elders, householders, and others in the world all respect, revere, and make offerings to the śramaṇa Gautama and his assembly of śrāvakas. Who among us is intelligent and wise, who is capable of secretly going to the assembly of the śramaṇa Gautama, becoming a monk, hearing his teachings, returning and explaining them in detail, transforming the kings, ministers, elders, householders, and others in the world, causing us to be respected, revered, and made offerings to again?' Among them, some said: 'Only Subhadra is intelligent and wise. He is capable of secretly going to the Dharma of Gautama, becoming a monk, hearing his teachings, being able to uphold them all, and returning to explain them in detail.' Therefore, we have come here to invite you. You should go.

At that time, Subhadra silently accepted the invitation and went to the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha.

At that time, many bhikṣus were walking in the open air outside their dwellings. Then Subhadra went to the many bhikṣus and said: "Venerable ones! Can I now go forth and receive full ordination in the true Dharma to practice the holy life?"

At that time, the many bhikṣus brought Subhadra to where the World-Honored One was, bowed their heads at his feet, and withdrew to one side. They said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! This non-Buddhist Subhadra now wishes to go forth and receive full ordination in the true Dharma to practice the holy life."

At that time, the World-Honored One knew the thoughts in the mind of the non-Buddhist Subhadra. He told the bhikṣus: "You should ordain that non-Buddhist Subhadra and let him go forth." At that time, the bhikṣus wished to ordain Subhadra.

After half a month of going forth, a bhikṣu said to Subhadra: "Subhadra should know, our births and deaths are already exhausted, the holy life is already established, what was to be done is already done, we know for ourselves that we will not accept future rebirths."

At that time, Subhadra said to the bhikṣu: "Venerable one! How is it that one who has studied to be free from desires and evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, has joy and happiness born of separation, and is fully endowed with the first dhyāna, without giving rise to any taints, and is well liberated in mind?"

The bhikṣu replied: "No, Subhadra!"

He further asked: "How is it that one who is free from initial and sustained thought, with inner purity and one-pointed mind, without initial and sustained thought, has joy and happiness born of concentration, is fully endowed with the second dhyāna, without giving rise to any taints, and is well liberated in mind?"

The bhikṣu replied: "No, Subhadra!"

He further asked: "How is it that the Venerable One, free from joy, dwells in equanimity with right mindfulness and right knowledge, experiencing physical and mental bliss, as described by the sages, fully endowed with the third dhyāna, without giving rise to any taints, and is well liberated in mind?"

He replied: "No, Subhadra!"

He further asked: "How is it that the Venerable One, free from suffering and cessation of pleasure, with joy and sorrow already cut off, dwells in equanimity, with pure mindfulness and one-pointed mind, fully endowed with the fourth dhyāna, without giving rise to any taints, and is well liberated in mind?"

He replied: "No, Subhadra!"

He further asked: "If one again gives rise to form and formless states, and dwells in full possession of the body's realization of tranquility and liberation, without giving rise to any taints, is one well liberated in mind?"

He replied: "No, Subhadra!"

Subhadra further asked: "How is it that the Venerable's words are inconsistent, contradicting each other before and after? How can one not attain dhyāna concentration and yet still make predictions?"

The bhikṣu replied: "I am one liberated by wisdom."

Having said this, many bhikṣus rose from their seats and left.

At that time, Subhūti, knowing that the many bhikṣus had left, had this thought: "The words of these Venerables are inconsistent, contradictory before and after, saying they do not attain right concentration, yet they also declare that they know for themselves." Having had this thought, he went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, stood to one side, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! Those many bhikṣus declared in front of me: 'Our births are exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and we know for ourselves that we will not undergo further rebirth.' I then asked those Venerables: 'Have you attained liberation from desire and evil and unwholesome dharmas, up to personally realizing it with the body, not giving rise to the taints, and having well liberated minds?' They replied to me: 'No, Subhūti!' I then asked: 'Your words are inconsistent, contradictory before and after, saying you do not enter right concentration, yet you also declare that you know for yourselves.' They replied to me: 'We are liberated by wisdom.' Having said this, they each rose from their seats and left. I now ask the World-Honored One: 'How is it that their words are inconsistent, contradictory before and after, they do not attain right concentration, yet they also say that they know for themselves?'"

The Buddha told Subhūti: "They first know the abiding of the Dharma, and later know nirvāṇa. Those good sons, in a solitary place, diligently contemplate, practice the Dharma of non-negligence, are free from the view of self, do not give rise to the taints, and have well liberated minds."

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "I do not know now what it means to first know the abiding of the Dharma and later know nirvāṇa. Those good sons, in a solitary place, diligently contemplate, practice the Dharma of non-negligence, are free from the view of self, do not give rise to the taints, and have well liberated minds."

The Buddha told Subhūti: "I do not ask whether you know or do not know. First know the abiding of the Dharma, and later know nirvāṇa. Those good sons, in a solitary place, diligently contemplate, practice the Dharma of non-negligence, are free from the view of self, and have well liberated minds."

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "I only wish that the World-Honored One would teach the Dharma for me, enabling me to know the wisdom of abiding in the Dharma and to see the wisdom of abiding in the Dharma."

The Buddha said to Subhūti: "I now ask you, answer me as you wish. Subhūti! What do you think? Is there old age and death because of birth, and is there old age and death apart from birth?"

Subhūti replied: "Yes, World-Honored One!"

"Because of birth, there is old age and death, and there is old age and death apart from birth. In the same way, because of birth, there is existence, grasping, craving, feeling, contact, the six sense bases, name and form, consciousness, formations, and ignorance. Because of ignorance, there are formations, and are there formations apart from ignorance?"

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "Yes, World-Honored One! Because of ignorance, there are formations, and are there formations apart from ignorance?"

The Buddha said to Subhūti: "Because of no birth, there is no old age and death, and is there no old age and death apart from the cessation of birth?"

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "Yes, World-Honored One! Because of no birth, there is no old age and death, and is there no old age and death apart from the cessation of birth?"

"Is it like this, up to because of no ignorance, there are no formations, and is there no cessation of formations apart from the cessation of ignorance?"

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "Yes, World-Honored One! Because of no ignorance, there are no formations, and is there no cessation of formations apart from the cessation of ignorance?"

The Buddha told Subhūti: "If one knows and sees in this way, is there detachment from desire and evil and unwholesome dharmas, up to personally realizing and abiding in them?"

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "No, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha told Subhūti: "This is called first knowing the abiding of dharmas, and then knowing nirvāṇa. Those good sons, in a solitary and quiet place, diligently contemplate and abide without negligence, free from the view of self, not giving rise to the taints, their minds well liberated."

Having spoken this sūtra, the Venerable Subhūti was free from dust and defilements, and attained the purity of the Dharma eye.

At that time, Subhūti saw the Dharma, attained the Dharma, realized the Dharma, crossed over doubts, did not rely on others' faith, did not rely on others' crossing over, and attained fearlessness in the true Dharma. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! I now repent. I secretly left home in the true Dharma. Therefore, I repent."

The Buddha said to Subhūti: "How did you secretly leave home in the true Dharma?"

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! Many non-Buddhists came to me and said: 'Subhūti, you should know that we were previously respected and offered by kings, ministers, elders, householders, and other worldly people, but now it has been cut off. We all now offer to the śramaṇa Gautama and his great assembly of disciples. You should secretly go to the śramaṇa Gautama and his assembly of disciples to leave home and receive the Dharma. Having obtained their Dharma, come back and proclaim it. We will then use that heard Dharma to teach and transform the world, causing them to respect and offer as before.' Therefore, World-Honored One! I secretly left home in the true Dharma and Vinaya. Today I repent. I only pray that the World-Honored One will allow me to repent out of compassion."

The Buddha said to Subhūti: "I accept your repentance. You should fully explain: 'I was foolish, unskillful, and ignorant in the past. I secretly left home in the true Dharma and Vinaya. Today I repent. I see my own faults and know my own faults. In the future, I will accomplish the precepts, increase my merits, and never regress.' Why is this? Because ordinary people who have faults, see them themselves, know them themselves, and repent, will accomplish the precepts, increase their merits, and never regress in the future."

The Buddha said to Subhūti: "Now I will give an analogy. The wise understand through analogies. It is like a king having a guard who captures thieves, binds them, and brings them to the king, saying: 'Great King! This person is a thief. Please punish him.' The king says: 'Take the criminal away, bind his hands behind his back, proclaim his evil deeds throughout the country, and then take him outside the city to the place of execution, and pierce his body with a hundred spears.' The executioner receives the king's order, takes the criminal, binds his hands behind his back, proclaims his evil deeds throughout the city, and takes him outside the city to the place of execution, and pierces his body with a hundred spears. At noon, the king asks: 'Is the criminal still alive?' The minister says: 'He is still alive.' The king again orders the minister: 'Pierce him with another hundred spears.' At dusk, he is pierced with another hundred spears, but he still does not die."

The Buddha said to Subhūti: "The king punished that criminal by piercing him with three hundred spears. Was there any part of his body that was not pierced, like the palm of a hand?"

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "No, World-Honored One!"

He further asked Subhūti: "At that time, did the criminal who was pierced with three hundred spears suffer extreme pain?"

Subhūti said to the Buddha: "Extremely painful, World-Honored One! If pierced with one spear, the pain is unbearable, how could it be bearable with three hundred spears?"

The Buddha told Subhūti: "This is still bearable. If one secretly becomes a monk in the true Dharma and Vinaya, steals the Dharma, and expounds it to others, the pain they will suffer will be many times worse than that."

When the Buddha spoke this Dharma, the non-Buddhist Subhūti attained the destruction of the taints and understood. After the Buddha spoke this sūtra, the Venerable Subhūti, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and upheld them.