Arahats Are Noble
The Story of Venerable Sariputta
Chapter 7: The Arahats • Verse 6
The Story of Venerable Sariputta
Chapter 7: The Arahats • Verse 6
There is no more worldly existence for the wise one who, like the earth, resents nothing, who is firm as a high pillar and as pure as a deep pool free from mud.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to the Chief Disciple Sariputta and a young monk.
At the end of one rainy season, Venerable Sariputta took leave of the Buddha to go on an alms-pilgrimage and set out with his followers. Many other monks came to see him off, and as he dismissed them he greeted by personal and family name all those who were known by such names.
One monk who was not known by any such name wished that the elder would greet him by name too, but in the great crowd Sariputta did not notice him. The monk felt slighted and at once bore a grudge against him.
On top of that, the hem of Sariputta's robe happened to brush against the monk, which deepened his resentment.
As soon as Sariputta had passed beyond the monastery gate, the monk went to the Buddha and claimed that Sariputta, thinking himself the Chief Disciple, had struck him a blow that nearly injured his ear, and then set off without even asking his pardon. The Buddha had Sariputta summoned.
Sariputta came, saluted the Buddha, and sat respectfully to one side. When the Buddha asked him about the incident, instead of simply denying that he had struck the monk, he described his own virtues.
As Sariputta spoke, the slanderous monk was overcome with remorse. He fell at the Buddha's feet, admitted that he had lied, and confessed his fault.
The Buddha told Sariputta to pardon this deluded man, lest his head split into seven pieces. Sariputta crouched before the monk, raised his joined hands in reverence, and said that he freely pardoned him, and asked the monk to pardon him too if he had offended him in any way.
The monks marvelled at Sariputta's goodness: he held no anger or hatred toward this lying monk, but instead knelt before him and asked his pardon.
Hearing this, the Buddha said that it was impossible for Sariputta and those like him to hold anger or hatred. Sariputta's mind was like the great earth, like a threshold, like a pool of still water.
The Story of Venerable Sariputta
Chapter 7: The Arahats • Verse 6
There is no more worldly existence for the wise one who, like the earth, resents nothing, who is firm as a high pillar and as pure as a deep pool free from mud.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to the Chief Disciple Sariputta and a young monk.
At the end of one rainy season, Venerable Sariputta took leave of the Buddha to go on an alms-pilgrimage and set out with his followers. Many other monks came to see him off, and as he dismissed them he greeted by personal and family name all those who were known by such names.
One monk who was not known by any such name wished that the elder would greet him by name too, but in the great crowd Sariputta did not notice him. The monk felt slighted and at once bore a grudge against him.
On top of that, the hem of Sariputta's robe happened to brush against the monk, which deepened his resentment.
As soon as Sariputta had passed beyond the monastery gate, the monk went to the Buddha and claimed that Sariputta, thinking himself the Chief Disciple, had struck him a blow that nearly injured his ear, and then set off without even asking his pardon. The Buddha had Sariputta summoned.
Sariputta came, saluted the Buddha, and sat respectfully to one side. When the Buddha asked him about the incident, instead of simply denying that he had struck the monk, he described his own virtues.
As Sariputta spoke, the slanderous monk was overcome with remorse. He fell at the Buddha's feet, admitted that he had lied, and confessed his fault.
The Buddha told Sariputta to pardon this deluded man, lest his head split into seven pieces. Sariputta crouched before the monk, raised his joined hands in reverence, and said that he freely pardoned him, and asked the monk to pardon him too if he had offended him in any way.
The monks marvelled at Sariputta's goodness: he held no anger or hatred toward this lying monk, but instead knelt before him and asked his pardon.
Hearing this, the Buddha said that it was impossible for Sariputta and those like him to hold anger or hatred. Sariputta's mind was like the great earth, like a threshold, like a pool of still water.