SA 573（五七三） 阿鲁毗迦

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was staying in the mango grove. At that time, there was an Ājīvaka non-Buddhist who was a close friend of the elder Jīvaka's family. He came to visit Jīvaka and exchanged greetings and pleasantries. He then stood to one side,

Jīvaka asked the Ājīvaka non-Buddhist, "How long have you been a renunciant?"

He replied, "Elder, it has been over twenty years since I became a renunciant."

Jīvaka asked, "After over twenty years of being a renunciant, have you attained the Dharma beyond the human realm, realized the truth, and attained peace and happiness?"

He replied, "Elder, although I have been a renunciant for over twenty years, I have not attained the Dharma beyond the human realm, realized the truth, and attained peace and happiness. I only wander naked, pulling out my hair, begging for food, and sleeping on the ground."

Jīvaka said, "This is not the Dharma and Vinaya of the Buddha. This is a bad understanding, not the path of renunciation, not the realization of equality, not a place of praise, not a basis for reliance. It is meaningless to be a renunciant for over twenty years, wandering naked, pulling out hair, begging for food, wandering among humans, and sleeping in ashes and dirt."

Ājīvaka asked Jīvaka, "How long have you been a disciple of the śramaṇa Gautama?"

Jīvaka replied, "It has been over twenty years since I became a disciple of the World-Honored One."

He further asked Jīvaka, "Having been a disciple of the śramaṇa Gautama for over twenty years, have you attained any superhuman qualities, any supreme and ultimate knowledge and insight?"

Jīvaka replied, "You should know that Jīvaka will no longer be reborn through the womb, will not increase in the charnel ground, and will not arise from blood and breath. As the World-Honored One has said, I do not see a single lower fetter that is not severed. If a single fetter is not severed, one will be reborn in this world again."

When this was said, Aṅgulimāla lamented and wept, wiping his face with his robe. He said to Jīvaka, "What should I do now?"

Jīvaka replied, "If you can go forth in the true Dharma and Vinaya, I will provide you with robes, alms bowl, and necessities for the body."

Aṅgulimāla pondered for a moment and said to Jīvaka, "I now rejoice. Show me what to do."

At that time, Jīvaka took Aṅgulimāla to the elders, bowed at the feet of the elders, and sat to one side. He said to the elder monks, "Venerables! This Aṅgulimāla is a close friend of my ancestors. He now seeks to go forth as a monk. I hope the elders will ordain him. I will provide him with robes, alms bowl, and necessities."

The elders then ordained him, shaved his head and beard, and had him put on the saffron robes. After going forth, he thought, "The reason good sons shave their heads and beards, put on saffron robes, go forth, progress in learning the path, and cultivate pure conduct..." and attained arahantship.