69(5)A Deity
.Then,when the night had advanced,a certain deity of stunning beauty,illuminating the entire Jeta's Grove,approached the Blessed One,
paid homage to him,stood to one side,
and said:
"Bhante,these six qualities lead to the non-decline of a bhikkhu.
What six?
Reverence for the Teacher,reverence for theDhamma,reverence for the Sangha,reverence for the training,being easy to correct,and good friendship.These six qualitieslead to the non-decline of a bhikkhu."
.This is what that deity said.
The Teacher agreed.
Then that deity,thinking,"The Teacher agrees with me,"paid homage to the Blessed One,circumambulated him keeping the right sidetoward him,and disappeared right there.[424]
Then,when the night had passed,the Blessed One addressed
the bhikkhus:
"Last night,bhikkhus,when the night had
advanced,a certain deity of stunning beauty,illuminating the
entire Jeta's Grove,approached me,
paid homage to me,stood
to one side,
and said:
Bhante,there are these six qualities that
lead to the non-decline of a bhikkhu.
What six?
Reverence for
the Teacher...and good friendship.These arethe six things that
lead to the non-decline of a bhikkhu.
This is what that deity
said.
Having said this,that deity paid homage to me,circumambulated me keeping the right side toward me,and disappeared
right there."
When this was said,the Venerable Sariputta said to the Blessed One:
"Bhante,I understand in detail the meaning of this statement that the Blessed One has spoken in brief to be as follows.
Here,Bhante,(1)a bhikkhu himself reveres the Teacher and speaks in praise of reverence for the Teacher;
he encourages other bhikkhus who do not revere the Teacher to develop reverence for the Teacher and,
at the proper time,genuinely and truthfully,he speaks praise of those bhikkhus who revere the Teacher.
(2)He himself reveres the Dhamma...(3)...reveres the Sangha...(4)...reveres the training...(5)...is easy to correct...(6)...has good friends and speaks in praise of good friendship;
he encourages other bhikkhus who do not have good friends to enter upon good friendship and,
at the proper time,genuinely and truthfully,he speaks praise of those bhikkhus who have good friends.
It is in such a way,Bhante,that I understand in detail the meaning of this statement that the Blessed One has spoken in brief."
[The Blessed One said:]"Good,good,Sariputta!
It is good that you understand in detail the meaning of this statement that I have spoken in brief in such a way.
"Here,Sāriputta,a bhikkhu himself reveres the Teacher[425]...[as above,in full]...
...
...
...
...
...he speaks praise of those bhikkhus who have good friends.
It is in such a way that the meaning of this statement that I spoke in brief should be understood in detail."