2:14 Dhammika

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('â', Conqueror.â Having consulted with you, having heard, he understood and, satisfied, (thought,) ),

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('â', Good.â And King Vessavaṃa Kuvera5 came, inquiring about the Dhamma. To him, too, you spoke when asked. And he too, having heard, was satisfied. And these sectarians, debaters by habit, whether ṅjīvakas or Nigaṃṭhas, donât overtake you in terms of discernment, as a person standing doesnât catch up with one going quickly. And these brahmans, debaters by habit, any elderly brahmans, and any others who consider themselves debaters, all depend on you for the meaning. For this Dhamma is subtle & blissful. This, Blessed One, well set-forth by you: We all want to hear it. Tell it to us, Excellent Awakened, when asked. All these monks are sitting together— and the lay followers, right there—to hear. Let them listen to the Dhamma awakened to by one who is stainless, as the devas listen to Vasavantâs6 well-spoken word." The Buddha: "Listen to me, monks. I will let you hear the Dhamma of polishing away. Live by it,7 all of you. May those who are thoughtful, seeing the purpose, partake of the duties proper for one gone forth. A monk should surely not wander at the wrong time. He should go for alms in the village at the right time. For attachments get attached to one going at the wrong time. Thatâs why they donât wander at the wrong time, the awakened. Sights, sounds, tastes, smells, & tactile sensations intoxicate beings. Subduing desire for these things, one should, at the right time, enter for alms. Having received alms in proper season, a monk, returning alone, should sit down in solitude. Pondering whatâs inside, his mind-state collected, he should not let his heart wander outside. If he should converse with a disciple, a monk, or anyone else, he should utter the exquisite Dhamma, and not divisive speech or disparagement of others. For some retaliate against arguments. We donât praise those of limited discernment. Attachments get attached on account of this & that, for they send their minds far away from there. Having heard the Dhamma taught by the One Well-Gone, the disciple of foremost discernment, having considered it, should resort to almsfood, a dwelling, a place to sit & lie down, and water for washing dust from his robe. So a monk should stay unsmeared by these things— almsfood, a dwelling, a place to sit & lie down, and water for washing dust from his robe— like a water-drop on a lotus. As for the householder protocol, I will tell you how-acting one becomes a good disciple, since the entire monk-practice canât be managed by those wealthy in property. Laying aside violence toward all living creatures, both the firm & unfirm in the world, one should not kill a living being, nor have it killed, nor condone killing by others. Then the disciple should avoid consciously (taking) whatâs not given, —anything, anywhere— should not have it taken nor condone its taking. He should avoid all (taking of) whatâs not given. The observant person should avoid uncelibate behavior like a pit of glowing embers. But if heâs incapable of celibate behavior, he should not transgress with the wife of another. When gone to an audience hall or assembly, or one-on-one, he should not tell a lie, nor have it told, nor condone its being told. He should avoid every untruth. Any householder who approves of this Dhamma should not take intoxicating drink, nor have others drink it, nor condone its being drunk, knowing that it ends in madness. For from intoxication, fools do evil things and get others, heedless, to do them. One should avoid this opening to demerit— madness, delusion—appealing to fools. One should not kill a living being, take whatâs not given, tell a lie, nor be a drinker. One should abstain from uncelibate behavior— sexual intercourse—should not eat at night, a meal at the wrong time, should not wear a garland or use scents, should sleep on a bed, on the ground, or on a mat, For this, they say, is the eightfold uposatha, proclaimed by the Awakened One who has gone to the end of suffering & stress. Then, having kept, well-accomplished, the eightfold uposatha on the fourteenth, fifteenth, & eighth of the fortnight,8 and on special days of the fortnight, with clear & confident mind, the observant person at dawn after the uposatha, confident, rejoicing, should share food & drink, as is proper, with the Saṃgha of monks. One should righteously support mother & father, should engage in righteous9 trade, One heedful in this householder protocol goes to the devas called Self-radiant." vv. 376–404 Notes 1. "All⦠the whole": two meanings of the lamp-word, sabba. 2. See Sn 2:13, note 3. 3. See Sn 2:12, note 2. 4. According to SnA, Erṅvaṃa was one of the devas dwelling in the heaven of the Thirty-three. An elephant in a previous life, he enjoyed taking on the form of a gigantic magical elephant (one of the meanings of "nṅga"), displaying many powers, for the entertainment of the other devas in that heaven. 5. One of the four Great Kings, ruling over the yakkhas. See DN 20 and DN 32. Neither Erṅvaṃaâs nor Kuveraâs visit to the Buddha is mentioned elsewhere in the Canon, although SnA insists that Kuveraâs took place soon after the events reported in AN 7:53, in which he conversed with the lay woman, Nandamṅtṅ. 6. An epithet of Sakka, king of the devas in the heaven of the Thirty-three. 7. Reading carṅtha with the Thai edition. The PTS and Sinhalese edition have dharṅtha, remember. 8. The fourteen- or fifteen-day lunar cycle. The fourteenth/fifteenth days correspond to the days of the new and full moon. The eighth day, to the half-moon. 9. Dhammika, a reference to the interlocutorâs name. See also: MN 66; MN 70; AN 3:71; AN 10:46 - --> - - - -