45.2 （二）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Śiśiravana Garden, together with a great assembly of five hundred bhikṣus.

At that time, Venerable Śāriputra and Venerable Maudgalyāyana, having completed their summer retreat, were traveling through the human realm with five hundred bhikṣus. They gradually arrived at Śākala Village. At that time, the traveling bhikṣus and the resident bhikṣus each addressed each other, exchanging greetings, and their voices were loud. At that time, the World-Honored One heard the loud voices of the bhikṣus and said to Ānanda, "Whose voices are these in the garden, so loud as if the sound of breaking wood and stones?"

Ānanda said to the Buddha, "Now Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana have come here with five hundred bhikṣus. The newly arrived bhikṣus and the long-term residents are greeting each other, so there is this sound."

The Buddha told Ānanda, "Quickly send Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana to leave this place."

At that time, Ānanda, having received the instruction, immediately went to the place of the bhikṣus Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, and said to them, "The World-Honored One has instructed that you should quickly leave from here and not stay here."

Śāriputra replied, "Yes, I will accept your instruction."

At that time, Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana left the garden with five hundred bhikṣus and set out on the road.

At that time, the Śākya clansmen heard that the bhikṣus Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana had been sent by the World-Honored One, and they went to where the bhikṣus Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana were. They bowed their heads at their feet and said to Śāriputra, "Noble ones! Where do you wish to go?"

Śāriputra replied, "We were sent by the Tathāgata to each seek a place of peace."

At that time, the Śākyas said to Śāriputra, "Virtuous ones, please wait a moment. We will go to the Tathāgata to repent."

At that time, the Śākyas went to where the World-Honored One was, bowed their heads at his feet, sat to one side, and said to the World-Honored One, "We only wish that the World-Honored One would forgive the faults of the bhikṣus who have come from afar. We only wish that the World-Honored One would instruct them in a timely manner. Among the bhikṣus who have come from afar, there are those who are newly practicing the path and have newly entered the Dharma. They have not yet seen the World-Honored One's countenance and have minds of regret, just like luxuriant seedlings that do not receive moisture and cannot grow. Now these bhikṣus are also like this. If they do not see the Tathāgata and leave, they may have minds of regret."

At that time, the Brahma King knew what was in the Tathāgata's mind. In the time it takes for a strong man to bend and stretch his arm, he disappeared from the Brahma Heaven and came to where the Tathāgata was. He bowed his head at the Tathāgata's feet and stood to one side. At that time, the Brahma King said to the World-Honored One, "I only wish that the World-Honored One would forgive the faults committed by the newly arrived bhikṣus and instruct them in a timely manner! Among them, there may be bhikṣus who have not yet reached the ultimate, and they will then give rise to thoughts of regret. If they do not see the Tathāgata's appearance, they will have thoughts of change and return to their original occupations. It is like a newborn calf that loses its mother and is sorrowful and does not eat. It is the same for newly practicing bhikṣus. If they do not see the Tathāgata, they will then be far removed from this true teaching."

At that time, the World-Honored One accepted the advice of the Śākya clan and the analogy of the calf of the Brahma Heaven King. At that time, the World-Honored One looked at Ānanda, who then thought: "The Tathāgata has accepted the advice of the people and the gods." At that time, Ānanda went to the bhikṣus Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana and said to them: "The Tathāgata wishes to meet with the saṃgha of bhikṣus. The gods and people have all presented this matter."

At that time, Śāriputra said to the bhikṣus, "You should each put away your robes and alms bowls and go together to where the World-Honored One is. The Tathāgata has already accepted our repentance."

At that time, Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, together with five hundred bhikṣus, went to where the World-Honored One was, bowed their heads at his feet, and sat to one side.

At that time, the Buddha asked Śāriputra, "What do you think of the monks I sent out earlier?"

Śāriputra said, "Just now the Tathāgata sent away the assembly of monks. I thought to myself, 'The Tathāgata likes to wander in solitude, to dwell alone in the unconditioned, and does not enjoy being in the midst of noise. That is why he sent away the assembly of sages.'"

The Buddha said to Śāriputra, "What thoughts arose in you later? Whose burden was the noble assembly at that time?""

Śāriputra said to the Buddha, "At that time, World-Honored One, I also had this thought: 'I should also wander in solitude and seclusion, not dwelling in the midst of the bustling city.'"

The Buddha told Shariputra, "Do not speak like this, do not give rise to this thought, saying, 'I should be in a secluded place.' Are not the present burdens of the noble assembly not based on Shariputra and Maudgalyayana?"

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Mahāmaudgalyāyana, "I have sent all the monks. What do you think?"

Maudgalyāyana said to the Buddha, "When the Tathāgata sent the saṅgha away, I thought, 'The Tathāgata wants to be alone in the unconditioned, that's why he sent the noble saṅgha away.'"

The Buddha said to Maudgalyāyana, "What thoughts arose in you again later?"

Maudgalyāyana said to the Buddha, "Now the Tathāgata has sent the holy assembly. We should return to collect them and not let them disperse."

The Buddha said to Maudgalyāyana, "Excellent! Maudgalyāyana! As you have said, the foremost among the assembly is only the two of us. From now on, Maudgalyāyana should teach and instruct the newly ordained monks, causing them to dwell in peace for a long time, without falling back into birth and death. If a monk accomplishes nine things, he will not grow in the present life. What are the nine? Associating with bad friends, not attending to what should be attended to, always delighting in wandering, always having chronic illnesses, hoarding wealth, greedily clinging to robes and bowls, being empty and deluded with a distracted mind, not being concentrated, lacking wisdom and insight, not understanding the meaning, and not accepting instruction according to the time. These are called, Maudgalyāyana, if a monk accomplishes these nine things, he will not grow and benefit in the present life.

"If there are bhikṣus who can accomplish nine things, they will accomplish something. What are the nine? Associating with good friends, practicing the true Dharma without being attached to wrong deeds, always wandering alone without enjoying worldly affairs, having few illnesses and afflictions, also not accumulating many possessions, not being attached to robes and alms bowls, diligently practicing without a distracted mind, understanding the meaning upon hearing it without further accepting it, listening to the Dharma at the right time without being satiated. These are called, Maudgalyāyana, if there are bhikṣus who accomplish these nine dharmas, they will greatly benefit in this present life. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, you should diligently teach and instruct the bhikṣus, so that they may attain the state of non-conditioning for a long time."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

"Always remember to awaken yourself, Do not be attached to what is not the Dharma. The practice should be the right practice, To be liberated from the difficulties of birth and death. By doing this, one attains this; By doing this, one attains this merit. Sentient beings wander for a long time, Cutting off old age, sickness, and death. By accomplishing and not practicing again, And again creating non-practice, Such a person who indulges in this way, Attains the practice of having outflows. If one diligently applies the mind, And always keeps it in mind, Teaching and admonishing each other in turn, One then becomes a person without outflows."

"Therefore, Mokōren! You should teach the bhikṣus like this and remember to practice accordingly."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke the most wonderful Dharma to the bhikṣus, causing them to give rise to joyful minds. At that time, the bhikṣus, having heard the Dharma, more than sixty bhikṣus among the assembly attained the exhaustion of outflows and liberated minds.

At that time, the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully received and practiced it.