180.(10)Gavesī
On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on tour among the Kosalans together with a large Sangha of bhikkhus.
Then,while traveling along the highway,the Blessed One saw a large sal-tree grove in a certain place.
He left the highway,entered the sal-tree grove,
and smiled when he reached a certain place.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Ananda:
"Why did the Blessed One smile?
Tathāgatas do not smile without a reason."
Then the Venerable Ananda [215]said to the Biessed One:
"Why,Bhante,did the Blessed One smile?
Tathāgatas do not smile without a reason."
"In the past,Ananda,in this place there was an affluent,prosperous,well-populated city,one teeming with people.
Now the Blessed One,the Arahant,the Perfectly Enlightened One Kassapa lived in dependence on that city.
The Blessed One Kassapa had a lay follower named Gavesi who had not fulfilled virtuous behavior.
And Gavesī taught and guided five hundred lay followers who had not fulfilled virtuous behaviour.
(1)"Then,Ananda,it occurred to Gavesi:
I am the benefactor,the leader,and the guide of these five hundred lay followers,yet neither I myself nor these five hundred lay followers have fulfilled virtuous behavior.
Thus we are on the same level,and I am not the least bit better.
Let me surpass them.'
"Then Gavesī approached the five hundred lay followers
and said to them:
'From today on,you should consider me to be one fulfilling virtuous behavior.'
Then it occurred to those five hundred lay followers:
'Master Gavesī is our benefactor,leader,and guide.
Now Master Gavesi will fulfill virtuous behavior.
Why shouldn't we do so too?'
"Then those five hundred lay followers approached Gavesī
and said to him:
'From today onward let Master Gavesī consider us to be fulfilling virtuous behavior:'
(2)"Then,Ananda,it occurred to the lay follower Gavesi:
'I am the benefactor,leader,and guide of these five hundred layfollowers.Now I am fulfilling virtuous behavior,and so too are these five hundred lay followers.
[216]Thus we are on the same level,and I am not the least bit better.
Let me surpass them.'
"Then Gavesi approached the five hundred lay followers
and said to them:
'From today on,you should consider me to be celibate,living apart,abstaining from sexual intercourse,the common person's practice.'
Then it occurred to those five hundred lay followers:
'Master Gavesī is our benefactor,leader,and guide.
Now Master Gavesī will be celibate,living apart,abstaining from sexual intercourse,the common person's practice.
Why shouldn't we do so too?'
"Then those five hundred lay followers approached Gavesi
and said to him:
'From today onward let Master Gavesī consider us to be celibate,living apart,abstaining from sexual intercourse,the common person's practice.'
(3)"Then,Ananda,it occurred to the lay follower Gavesī:
'I am the benefactor,leader,and guide of these five hundred lay followers.
Now I am fulfilling virtuous behavior,
and so too are these five hundred lay followers.
I am celibate,living apart,abstaining from sexual intercourse,the common person's practice,
and so too are these five hundred lay followers.
Thus we are on the same level,and I am not the least bit better.
Let me surpass them.'
“Then Gavesī approached the five hundred lay followers
and said to them:
'From today on,you should consider me to be eating once a day,refraining from a night meal,abstaining from eating outside the proper time.'
Then it occurred to those five hundred lay followers:
'Master Gavesi is our benefactor,leader,and guide.
Now Master Gavesī eats once a day,refraining from a night meal,abstaining from eating outside the proper time.
Why shouldn't we do so too?'
"Then those five hundred lay followers approached Gavesi
and [217]said to him:
'From today onward let Master Gavesī consider us to be eating once a day,refraining from a night meal,abstaining from eating outside the proper time.'
(4)"Then,Ananda,it occurred to the lay follower Gavesi:
'I am thebenefactor,leader,and guide of these five hundred lay followers.
Now I am fulfilling virtuous behavior,
and so too are these,five hundred lay followers.
I am celibate,living apart,abstaining from sexual intercourse,the common person's practice,
and so too are these five hundred lay followers.
I eat once a day,refraining from a night meal,abstaining from eating outside the proper time,
and so too do these five hundred lay followers.
Thus we are on the same level,and I am not the least bit better.
Let me surpass them.'
"Then Gavesī approached the Blessed One,the Arahant,the Perfectly Enlightened One Kassapa,
and said to him:
'Bhante,may I obtain the going forth and full ordination under the Blessed One?'
The lay follower Gavesī obtained the going forth and full ordination under the Blessed One,the Arahant,the Perfectly Enlightened One Kassapa.
Soon after his full ordination,dwelling alone,withdrawn,heedful,ardent,and resolute,thebhikkhu Gavesī realized for himself with direct knowledge,in this very life,that unsurpassed consummation of the spiritual life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness,and having entered upon it,he dwelled in it.
He directly knew:'Destroyed is birth,the spiritual life has been lived,what had to be done has been done,there is no more coming back to any state of being.'
And the bhikkhu Gavesi became one of the arahants.
"Then,Ananda,it occurred to those five hundred lay followers:
'Master Gavesī is our benefactor,leader,and guide.
Now Master Gavesi,having shaved off his hair and beard and put on ochre robes,has gone forth from the household life into homelessness.
Why shouldn't we do so too?'
"Then those five hundred lay followers approached the Blessed One,the Arahant,the Perfectly Enlightened One Kassapa,
[218]and said to him:
'Bhante,may we obtain the going forth and full ordination under the Blessed One?'
Then those five hundred lay followers obtained the going forth and full ordination under the Blessed One,the Arahant,the Perfectly Enlightened One Kassapa.
(5)"Then,Ananda,it occurred to the bhikkhu Gavesi:
I obtain at will,without trouble or difficulty,the unsurpassed bliss of liberation.
Oh,that these five hundred bhikkhus could obtain at will,without trouble or difficulty,the unsurpassed bliss of liberation!'
Then,Ananda,dwelling each alone,withdrawn,heedful,ardent,and resolute,in no long time those five hun-dred bhikkhus realized for themselves with direct knowledge,in this very life,that unsurpassed consummation of the spiritual life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from thehousehold life into homelessness,and having entered upon it,they dwelled in it.
They directly knew:'Destroyed is birth,the spiritual life has been lived,what had to be done has been done,there is no more coming back to any state of being.'
"Thus,Ananda,those five hundred bhikkhus headed by Gavesī,striving in successively higher and more sublime ways,realized the unsurpassed bliss of liberation.
Here and just below I read with Ce anuttaran vimuttisukham.Be and Ee have anuttaram vimuttim.
Therefore,Ananda,you should train yourselves thus:
'Striving in successively higher and more sublime ways,we will realize the unsurpassed bliss of liberation.'
Thus,Ananda,should you train yourselves."[219]