SA 911（九一一） 顶发

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha.

At that time, the village headman Maṇiśikhin came to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side. He said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! The other day, the king gathered the ministers and discussed, 'How do the śramaṇa disciples of the Śākya monks accept and keep gold, silver, and precious things for themselves? Is it pure or impure?' Some said, 'The śramaṇa disciples of the Śākya should accept and keep gold, silver, and precious things for themselves.' Others said, 'They should not accept and keep gold, silver, and precious things for themselves.' World-Honored One! Those who say that the śramaṇa disciples of the Śākya should accept and keep gold, silver, and precious things for themselves, do they hear it from the Buddha or do they speak it themselves? Those who speak like this, do they follow the Dharma or not? Do they speak truthfully or falsely? Will those who speak like this not fall into a place of blame?"

The Buddha told the village headman, "This is false speech, not true speech, not Dharma speech, not following speech, and falls into a place of blame. Why is that? Because the śramaṇa disciples of the Śākya accept and keep gold, silver, and precious things for themselves, it is impure. If they accept and keep gold, silver, and precious things for themselves, it is not the Dharma of śramaṇas, not the Dharma of the Śākya clan."

The village headman said to the Buddha, "How wonderful! World-Honored One! The śramaṇa disciples of the Śākya accepting and keeping gold, silver, and precious things for themselves is not the Dharma of śramaṇas, not the Dharma of the Śākya clan. This is true speech! World-Honored One! Those who speak like this increase the supreme and wonderful. I also say like this: 'The śramaṇa disciples of the Śākya should not accept and keep gold, silver, and precious things for themselves.'"

The Buddha told the village headman, "If the śramaṇa disciples of the Śākya accept and keep gold, silver, and precious things for themselves and it is pure, then the five desires and merits should all be pure!"

The village headman with a topknot of jewels, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully bowed and departed.

At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing that the village headman with a topknot of jewels had left, told Venerable Ānanda, "Call all the bhikṣus who are staying in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove to gather in the dining hall."

At that time, Venerable Ānanda accepted the Buddha's instruction and thoroughly announced, "Call all the bhikṣus who are staying in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove to gather in the dining hall." When the bhikṣus had gathered, he went to inform the World-Honored One, "The bhikṣus have already gathered in the dining hall. May the World-Honored One know the time!"

At that time, the World-Honored One went to the dining hall, took his seat before the assembly, and said to the bhikṣus, "Today, the village headman with a topknot of jewels came to see me and said, 'Recently, the king gathered the ministers and discussed this: "Do the śramaṇas, sons of Śākya, themselves accept gold, silver, and precious things? Is it pure or not?" Some said it is pure, some said it is not pure. Now I ask the World-Honored One, who said it is pure, did they hear it from the Buddha or did they speak falsely on their own?" ...' and so on, as above, in detail. The village headman with a topknot of jewels, having heard my explanation, rejoiced and followed in rejoicing. He bowed and left.

"Bhikṣus! The king and ministers gathered to discuss. That village headman with a topknot of jewels roared like a lion in the assembly, saying, 'The śramaṇas, sons of Śākya, should not themselves accept gold, silver, and precious things.' Bhikṣus! From today onwards, you should ask for wood when you need wood, ask for grass when you need grass, ask for a cart when you need a cart, ask for a worker when you need a worker. Do not accept gold, silver, and various precious things for yourselves!"

Having spoken this sūtra, the Buddha finished. The bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and received them.