SA 254（二五四） 二十亿耳

Thus have I heard:

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

At that time, Venerable Vīradatta was staying on Vulture Peak Mountain, always diligently cultivating the factors of enlightenment.

At that time, Venerable Vīradatta was alone in quiet meditation, and he had this thought: "Among the disciples of the World-Honored One who diligently practice the teachings, I am one of them. However, I have not yet exhausted all afflictions. I am a noble son from a wealthy family with abundant wealth and treasures. I should now return to enjoy the five desires and widely practice giving and making merit."

At that time, the World-Honored One knew the thoughts in Vīradatta's mind and told a bhikṣu, "You should now go to Vīradatta and tell him, 'The World-Honored One calls you.'"

That bhikṣu, having received the Buddha's instruction, went to Vīradatta and said, "The World-Honored One calls you."

Vīradatta, hearing the bhikṣu call the World-Honored One, went to where the World-Honored One was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and stood to one side.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Vīradatta, "You truly were alone in quiet meditation, thinking, 'The World-Honored One diligently studies and practices among the śrāvakas, and I am among them, but now I have not yet attained the liberation of exhausting the taints. I am a noble son of a famous clan, and I also have much wealth. Should I return to lay life, enjoy the five desires, and widely give and make merit?'"

At that time, Vīradatta thought, "The World-Honored One already knows my mind." He was startled and his hair stood on end. He said to the Buddha, "It is true, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha said to Vīradatta, "I now ask you, answer me as you wish. Vīradatta, when you were a layperson, were you good at playing the zither?"

He replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

He further asked, "What do you think? When you play the zither, if you tighten the strings, can you produce a subtle and harmonious sound?"

He replied, "No, World-Honored One!"

He further asked, "What if you loosen the strings, can you produce a subtle and harmonious sound?"

He replied, "No, World-Honored One!"

He further asked, "How can one tune the strings of a zither neither too loose nor too tight, and then produce a wonderful and harmonious sound?"

He replied, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha told Vīradatta, "If one exerts too much, it increases agitation and remorse. If one exerts too little, it causes laziness. Therefore, you should practice equally, without attachment, carelessness, or grasping at characteristics."

At that time, Venerable Vīradatta, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and followed it. He bowed and departed.

At that time, Venerable Vīradatta always remembered the Buddha's teaching on the analogy of playing the lute. He meditated in solitude and tranquility, as explained above, until his defilements were exhausted, his mind was liberated, and he attained arahantship.

At that time, Venerable Vīradatta attained arahantship and experienced the joy and bliss of inner liberation. He thought, "I should now go to pay my respects to the World-Honored One."

At that time, Venerable Vīradatta went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, sat to one side, and said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! In the World-Honored One's Dharma, I attained arahantship, exhausted all afflictions, accomplished what was to be done, cast off the heavy burden, attained my own benefit, exhausted all bonds, and attained liberation of mind through right wisdom. At that time, I was liberated from six things. What are the six? Liberation from desire, liberation from anger, liberation from distance, liberation from the exhaustion of craving, liberation from grasping, and liberation from undistracted mindfulness.

World-Honored One! If one relies on a small amount of faith and says one is liberated from desire, this is not appropriate; the exhaustion of greed, anger, and delusion is truly liberation from desire.

If someone relies on a small amount of upholding precepts and says they have attained liberation from anger, this is also not appropriate; the exhaustion of greed, anger, and delusion is truly liberation from anger.

If someone relies on practicing for the sake of offerings and distance and says they have attained liberation through distance, this is also not appropriate; the exhaustion of greed, anger, and delusion is truly liberation through distance.

The exhaustion of greed, anger, and delusion is also called liberation from desire, liberation from grasping, and liberation from forgetfulness and distraction. Thus, World-Honored One! If bhikṣus have not attained arahantship and have not exhausted all afflictions, they will not attain liberation from these six sense bases.

If a bhikṣu is still in training, has not attained the supreme bliss of nirvāṇa, and his mind is directed towards practice, at that time he accomplishes the precepts of training, accomplishes the faculties of training, and later attains the exhaustion of afflictions, the liberation of the mind free from taints, and knows for himself that he will not be reborn again. At that time he attains the precepts of no more training and the faculties of no more training. It is like a young child lying on his back, at that time he accomplishes the faculties of a child. Later, as he gradually grows, he accomplishes the faculties of an adult. It is the same for one who is still in training. He has not attained the supreme bliss, and so on, up to accomplishing the precepts of no more training and the faculties of no more training.

If the eye consciousness cognizes form, it cannot obstruct the liberation of the mind and wisdom. Because the mind is firmly established, one internally cultivates immeasurable good liberation, observing arising and ceasing, up to impermanence. The ear consciousness and sounds, the nose consciousness and smells, the tongue consciousness and tastes, the body consciousness and tactile objects, and the mind consciousness and dharmas cannot obstruct the liberation of the mind and wisdom. Because the mind is firmly established, one internally cultivates immeasurable good liberation, observing arising and ceasing. It is like a village near a large stone mountain, uncut, unbroken, and unpierced, completely solid. Even if winds from the four directions blow, they cannot move it or penetrate it. The one without taints is also like this. The eye consciousness cognizes form, up to the mind consciousness cognizes dharmas, they cannot obstruct the liberation of the mind and wisdom. Because the mind is firmly established, one internally cultivates immeasurable good liberation, observing arising and ceasing.

Then Vīradatta spoke a verse again:

The mind is liberated from desire, and also from anger, and is far
removed from the mind. The mind is liberated from desire, and there is
no remainder of craving. The mind is liberated from grasping, and the mind
does not forget mindfulness. Understanding the arising of the sense bases, the mind
is liberated there. The mind of the one whose mind is liberated, the
bhikṣu rests his mind. What is to be done is done, and what
is to be done is not done. Like a great stone mountain, the
four winds cannot move it. Form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and the good
and bad of dharmas, the six sense bases always confront, but cannot move
the mind. The mind always abides firmly, contemplating the arising and ceasing of dharmas.

When Venerable Vīradatta spoke this Dharma, the great teacher was delighted. The many learned Brahmins and practitioners, hearing what Venerable Vīradatta said, were all greatly delighted. At that time, Venerable Vīradatta heard the Buddha speak the Dharma, was delighted and rejoiced, paid homage and departed.

At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing that Vīradatta had left not long ago, told the bhikṣus: "One who is liberated by the good mind should be recorded and spoken of like this, just as Vīradatta recorded and spoke of with wisdom, not elevating oneself or belittling others, but speaking of the meaning correctly; not like one with excessive pride, who does not understand the meaning but praises oneself as having attained the Dharma beyond human beings, bringing about one's own harm and diminution."