1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, you should approach families like the moon—sn.ii.198 drawing back the body and mind, always acting like newcomers, without impudence towards families. [n.272] Spk: "As the moon, gliding across the sky, does not form intimacy, affection, or attachment with anyone, nor give rise to fondness, longing, and obsession, yet remains dear and agreeable to the multitude, so you too should not form intimacy, etc., with anyone; then, by doing so, you will approach families like the moon, dear and agreeable to the multitude. Further, as the moon dispels darkness and emits light, so you will dispel the darkness of defilements and emit the light of knowledge."
Spk explains apakassa as an absolutive, equivalent to apakassitvā and glossed apanetvā, "having pulled away." A bhikkhu draws back the body when he lives in a forest abode (rather than a village temple) and draws back the mind when he refrains from sensual thoughts and other harmful mental states. Just as a man looking down an old well, a precipice, or a steep riverbank would draw back the body and mind, so too, bhikkhus, should you approach families.

2"Bhikkhus, Kassapa approaches families like the moon—drawing back the body and mind, always acting like a newcomer, without impudence towards families. What do you think, bhikkhus, what kind of bhikkhu is worthy to approach families?"

"Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, take recourse in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One would clear up the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the bhikkhus will remember it."

3Then the Blessed One waved his hand in space [n.273] Spk: This is a unique phrase (asambhinnapada) in the Word of the Buddha preserved in the Tipiṭaka. Spk-pṭ: For nowhere else has this phrase, "The Blessed One waved his hand in space," been recorded. and said: "Bhikkhus, just as this hand does not get caught in space, is not held fast by it, is not bound by it, so when a bhikkhu approaches families his mind does not get caught, held fast, and bound amidst families, thinking: ‘May those desiring gains acquire gains, may those desiring merits make merits!’ [n.274] This is a self-serving thought. The bhikkhu wants to see the bhikkhus receive offerings and the lay followers "make merit" by offering gifts to them. The bhikkhu who is elated over the gains of others has the virtue of altruistic joy (muditā); he does not become envious when others are chosen to receive gifts rather than himself. He is as elated and happy over the gains of others as he is over his own gains. Such a bhikkhu is worthy to approach families.

4"Bhikkhus, when Kassapa approaches families his mind does not get caught, held fast, or bound amidst families, thinking: ‘May those desiring gains acquire gains, may those desiring merits make merits!’ He is as elated and happy over the gains of others as he is over his own gains. sn.ii.199

5"What do you think, bhikkhus, how is a bhikkhu's teaching of the Dhamma impure, and how is his teaching of the Dhamma pure?"

"Venerable sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One … ."

"Then listen and attend closely, bhikkhus, I will speak."

"Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

6"A bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma to others with the thought: ‘Oh, may they listen to the Dhamma from me! Having listened, may they gain confidence in the Dhamma! Being confident, may they show their confidence to me!’ [n.275] Pasannākāraṁ kareyyuṁ. This idiom also occurs below at SN20.9 (II 269,24, 33) and at MN III 131,30–31 and III 144,18–19. A pasannākāraṁ (lit. "a mode of the confident") is a gift given as an expression of appreciation. The hiatus in Ee should be closed up. Spk: "May they give the requisites, a robe and so forth!" Such a bhikkhu's teaching of the Dhamma is impure.

7"But a bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma to others with the thought: ‘The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. Oh, may they listen to the Dhamma from me! Having listened, may they understand the Dhamma! Having understood, may they practise accordingly!’ Thus he teaches the Dhamma to others because of the intrinsic excellence of the Dhamma; he teaches the Dhamma to others from compassion and sympathy, out of tender concern. [n.276] Kāruññaṁ paṭicca anudayaṁ paṭicca anukampāṁ upādāya. I generally translate both karuṇā (of which kāruññaṁ is a cognate) and anukampā as "compassion." This is usually successful as the two seldom occur together, but the present passage is a rare exception; thus I use "tender concern" as a makeshift for anukampā. Spk glosses anudaya with rakkhaṇabhāva (the protective state) and anukampā with muducittatā (tender-heartedness), and says that both terms are synonymous with kāruññaṁ. In the next paragraph, where the same statement is applied to Kassapa, Ee has omitted a line (at II 200,3), apparently by oversight: … paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti; kāruññaṁ paṭicca. … Such a bhikkhu's teaching of the Dhamma is pure.

8"Bhikkhus, Kassapa teaches the Dhamma to others with the thought: ‘The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One … . Oh, sn.ii.200 may they listen to the Dhamma from me! Having listened, may they understand the Dhamma! Having understood, may they practise accordingly!’ He teaches the Dhamma to others because of the intrinsic excellence of the Dhamma; he teaches the Dhamma to others from compassion and sympathy, out of tender concern.

"Bhikkhus, I will exhort you by the example of Kassapa or one who is similar to Kassapa. Being exhorted, you should practise accordingly."

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "Candūpamā, bhikkhave, kulāni upasaṅkamatha – apakasseva kāyaṁ, apakassa cittaṁ, niccanavakā kulesu appagabbhā. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso jarudapānaṁ vā olokeyya pabbatavisamaṁ vā nadīviduggaṁ vā – apakasseva kāyaṁ, apakassa cittaṁ; evameva kho, bhikkhave, candūpamā kulāni upasaṅkamatha – apakasseva kāyaṁ, apakassa cittaṁ, niccanavakā kulesu appagabbhā.

2Kassapo, bhikkhave, candūpamo kulāni upasaṅkamati – apakasseva kāyaṁ, apakassa cittaṁ, niccanavako kulesu appagabbho. Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, kathaṁrūpo bhikkhu arahati kulāni upasaṅkamitun"ti?

"Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī"ti.

3Atha kho bhagavā ākāse pāṇiṁ cālesi. "Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ ākāse pāṇi na sajjati na gayhati na bajjhati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno kulāni upasaṅkamato kulesu cittaṁ na sajjati na gayhati na bajjhati: ‘labhantu lābhakāmā, puññakāmā karontu puññānī’ti; yathāsakena lābhena attamano hoti sumano, evaṁ paresaṁ lābhena attamano hoti sumano; evarūpo kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahati kulāni upasaṅkamituṁ.

4Kassapassa, bhikkhave, kulāni upasaṅkamato kulesu cittaṁ na sajjati na gayhati na bajjhati: ‘labhantu lābhakāmā, puññakāmā karontu puññānī’ti; yathāsakena lābhena attamano hoti sumano; evaṁ paresaṁ lābhena attamano hoti sumano.

5Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, kathaṁrūpassa bhikkhuno aparisuddhā dhammadesanā hoti, kathaṁrūpassa bhikkhuno parisuddhā dhammadesanā hotī"ti?

"Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī"ti.

"Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.

"Evaṁ, bhante"ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

6"Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁcitto paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘aho vata me dhammaṁ suṇeyyuṁ, sutvā ca pana dhammaṁ pasīdeyyuṁ, pasannā ca me pasannākāraṁ kareyyun’ti; evarūpassa kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno aparisuddhā dhammadesanā hoti.

7Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁcitto paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhīti. Aho vata me dhammaṁ suṇeyyuṁ, sutvā ca pana dhammaṁ ājāneyyuṁ, ājānitvā ca pana tathattāya paṭipajjeyyun’ti. Iti dhammasudhammataṁ paṭicca paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti, kāruññaṁ paṭicca anuddayaṁ paṭicca anukampāṁ upādāya paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti. Evarūpassa kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno parisuddhā dhammadesanā hoti.

8Kassapo, bhikkhave, evaṁcitto paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhīti. Aho vata me dhammaṁ suṇeyyuṁ, sutvā ca pana dhammaṁ ājāneyyuṁ, ājānitvā ca pana tathattāya paṭipajjeyyun’ti. Iti dhammasudhammataṁ paṭicca paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti, kāruññaṁ paṭicca anuddayaṁ paṭicca anukampāṁ upādāya paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti.

Kassapena vā hi vo, bhikkhave, ovadissāmi yo vā panassa kassapasadiso, ovaditehi ca pana vo tathattāya paṭipajjitabban"ti.

Tatiyaṁ.