1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion a certain newly ordained bhikkhu was approaching families excessively. The other bhikkhus told him: "The venerable one should not approach families excessively," but when he was being admonished by them he said: "These elder bhikkhus think they can approach families, so why can’t I?"

2Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, sn.ii.269 and reported this matter to the Blessed One.

3The Blessed One said:"Bhikkhus, once in the past there was a great lake in a forest, with bull elephants dwelling in its vicinity. [n.371] The elephant simile is also at Vin II 120, used in relation to Devadatta. Those elephants would plunge into the lake, pull up lotus stalks with their trunks, and, having washed them thoroughly, would chew them and swallow them free from mud. This increased their beauty and strength, and on that account they did not meet death or deadly suffering.

"Their young offspring, emulating those great bull elephants, would plunge into the lake and pull up lotus stalks with their trunks, but without washing them thoroughly, without chewing them, they would swallow them along with the mud. This did not increase their beauty and strength, and on that account they met death or deadly suffering.

4"So too, bhikkhus, here the elder bhikkhus dress in the morning and, taking bowl and robe, enter a village or town for alms. There they speak on the Dhamma, and the laypeople show their confidence to them. [n.372] Pasannākāraṁ karonti. Spk: They give the four requisites. See n. 275. They use their gains without being tied to them, uninfatuated with them, not blindly absorbed in them, seeing the danger in them and understanding the escape. This increases their beauty and strength, and on that account they do not meet death or deadly suffering.

"The newly ordained bhikkhus, emulating the elder bhikkhus, dress in the morning and, taking bowl and robe, enter a village or town for alms. There they speak on the Dhamma, and the laypeople show their confidence to them. sn.ii.270 They use their gains while being tied to them, infatuated with them, blindly absorbed in them, not seeing the danger in them and not understanding the escape. This does not increase their beauty and strength, and on that account they meet death or deadly suffering. [n.373] See the following sutta for an explanation.

"Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will use our gains without being tied to them, uninfatuated with them, not blindly absorbed in them, seeing the danger in them and understanding the escape.’ Thus should you train yourselves."

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññataro navo bhikkhu ativelaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamati. Tamenaṁ bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu: "māyasmā ativelaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamī"ti. So bhikkhu bhikkhūhi vuccamāno evamāha: "ime hi nāma therā bhikkhū kulāni upasaṅkamitabbaṁ maññissanti, kimaṅgaṁ panāhan"ti?

2Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "idha, bhante, aññataro navo bhikkhu ativelaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamati. Tamenaṁ bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu: ‘māyasmā ativelaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamī’ti. So bhikkhu bhikkhūhi vuccamāno evamāha: ‘ime hi nāma therā bhikkhū kulāni upasaṅkamitabbaṁ maññissanti, kimaṅgaṁ panāhan’"ti.

3"Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, araññāyatane mahāsarasī. Taṁ nāgā upanissāya vihāranti. Te taṁ sarasiṁ ogāhetvā soṇḍāya bhisamuḷālaṁ abbuhetvā suvikkhālitaṁ vikkhāletvā akaddamaṁ saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharanti. Tesaṁ taṁ vaṇṇāya ceva hoti balāya ca, na ca tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchanti maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

Tesaṁyeva kho pana, bhikkhave, mahānāgānaṁ anusikkhamānā taruṇā bhiṅkacchāpā taṁ sarasiṁ ogāhetvā soṇḍāya bhisamuḷālaṁ abbuhetvā na suvikkhālitaṁ vikkhāletvā sakaddamaṁ asaṅkhāditvā ajjhoharanti. Tesaṁ taṁ neva vaṇṇāya hoti na balāya. Tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchanti maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

4Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idha therā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisanti. Te tattha dhammaṁ bhāsanti. Tesaṁ gihī pasannākāraṁ karonti. Te taṁ lābhaṁ agadhitā amucchitā anajjhopannā ādīnavadassāvino nissaraṇapaññā paribhuñjanti. Tesaṁ taṁ vaṇṇāya ceva hoti balāya ca, na ca tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchanti maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

Tesaṁyeva kho pana, bhikkhave, therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anusikkhamānā navā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisanti. Te tattha dhammaṁ bhāsanti. Tesaṁ gihī pasannākāraṁ karonti. Te taṁ lābhaṁ gadhitā mucchitā ajjhopannā anādīnavadassāvino anissaraṇapaññā paribhuñjanti. Tesaṁ taṁ neva vaṇṇāya hoti na balāya, te tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchanti maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘agadhitā amucchitā anajjhopannā ādīnavadassāvino nissaraṇapaññā taṁ lābhaṁ paribhuñjissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.

Navamaṁ.