Mahavogga 6.37

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Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

MAHAVAGGA

SIXTH KHANDHAKA(ON MEDICAMENTS)

Chapter-37.

1. Now the Lord Buddha, when he had stayed at Kusinara as long as he thought fit, went on, on his pilgrimage to Atuma, with a great company of the Bhikkhus, with two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus. And at that time there was dwelling at Atuma a certain man, who had entered the Order in his old age, and who had previously been a barber. He had two sons, handsome, skilled in discourse, able, fully educated in all the arts which belonged to the barbers' craft handed down to them by their teachers.

2. Now this dotard heard the news: 'The Lord Buddha, they say, is coming to Atuma with

a great company of the Bhikkhus, with two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus.' Then that dotard spoke thus to his sons: 'They say the Lord Buddha is coming, my children, to Atuma with a great company of Bhikkhus, with two hundred and fifty Bhikkhus. Go, therefore, my children, and taking your barbers' lad with you, collect in quart pots from house to house, salt, and oil, and rice, and meal. And we will prepare congey for the Lord Buddha when he has arrived.'

3. Very good, Father, said they, and (did so). And when people saw those young men, of pleasing appearance, and skilful in discourse, so acting, then even those who were not willing to be led into joining in the act were led to join in it; and being so led, they gave abundantly. So the young men collected a great quantity of salt, and oil; and rice, and meal.

4. And the Lord Buddha in due course arrived in his journey at Atuma; and there at Atuma the Lord Buddha stayed at the Threshing floor. And that dotard, when the night was far spent, had much congey made ready, and offered it to the Lord Buddha, saying, 'May the Lord Buddha accept the congey at my hands.'

Now the Tathagatas sometimes ask about what they know; sometimes they do not ask about what they know. They understand the right time when to ask, and they understand the right time when not to ask. The Tathagatas put questions full of sense, not void of sense: to what is void of sense, the bridge is pulled down for the Tathagatas. For two purposes the Great Buddhas put questions to the Bhikkhus--when they intend to preach the Truth, and when they intend to institute a rule of conduct to their disciples. And the Lord Buddha spoke thus to that dotard, 'From where, O Bhikkhu, is this congey?'

Then that dotard informed the Lord Buddha of the whole matter.

5. The Great Buddha rebuked him, saying, 'This is improper, O foolish one, not according to rule, unsuitable, unworthy of a Samana(monk), unbecoming, and ought not to be done. How can you, O foolish one, having gone forth (from the world into the Order), instigate others to do what is unlawful. This will not conduce, O foolish one, to the conversion of the unconverted.'

And when he had rebuked him, and had delivered a dhamma discourse, he addressed the Bhikkhus, and said: 'One who has gone forth ought not, O Bhikkhus, to instigate others to an unlawful act. Whosoever does so, is guilty of a dukkata. And one, O Bhikkhus, who has formerly been a barber is not to keep a barber's boy. Whosoever does so, is guilty of a dukkata.'