The Long Āgama Sūtra 15.11

15.11

「善宿言：『世尊！不能隨時教我，我父祕術，世尊盡知，悋不教我。』佛言：『善宿！我頗曾言：汝於我法中修梵行者，教汝父術耶？汝頗復言：教我父術者，當於佛所修梵行耶？』答曰：『不也。』『是故，善宿！我先無此言，汝亦無言，今者何故作此語耶？云何，善宿！汝謂如來能說汝父祕術，為不能說耶？所可說法，能得出要，盡苦際不耶？』善宿報言：『如來能說父之祕術，非為不能；說法出要，能盡苦際，非為不能。』佛告善宿：『若我能說汝父祕術，亦能說法出要離苦，汝於我法中復欲何求？』又告善宿：『汝先於毗舍離跋闍土地，無數方便，稱歎如來，稱歎正法，稱歎眾僧。譬如有人八種稱歎彼清涼池，使人好樂：一冷，二輕，三柔，四清，五甘，六無垢，七飲無饜，八便身。汝亦如是，於毘舍離跋闍土，稱歎如來，稱歎正法，稱歎眾僧，使人信樂。善宿！當知今汝退者，世間當復有言：善宿比丘多有知識，又是世尊所親，亦是世尊弟子，不能盡形淨修梵行，捨戒就俗處，卑陋行。』梵志！當知我時備語，不順我教，捨戒就俗。

“‘Sunakṣatra said, ‘Bhagavān, you aren’t able to teach me the mystery of my father at the appropriate time. The Bhagavān fully knows it, but he holds back and doesn’t teach it to me.’

“‘I said, ‘Sunakṣatra, did I say before, “If you practice the religious life under my teaching, I will teach you the mystery of your father?” Did you say, “Teach me the mystery of my father, and I will practice the religious life under the Buddha.”’

“He answered, ‘No.’

“‘Therefore, Sunakṣatra, I said none of these things before, and you said none of them. Why are you saying this now? How is it, Sunakṣatra? Do you think the Tathāgata can teach you the mystery of your father, or can’t he? Can one use the Dharma he teaches to escape and reach the end of suffering?’

“Sunakṣatra replied, ‘The Tathāgata can teach me the mystery of my father. It’s not that he can’t. One can use his Dharma to escape and reach the end of suffering. It’s not that they can’t.’

“I asked Sunakṣatra, ‘If I can teach you the mystery of your father, and one can use the Dharma I teach to escape from suffering, then what more do you seek from my teaching?’

“I also told Sunakṣatra, ‘Back at Vaiśālī in the land of the Vṛji, you praised the Tathāgata, the correct Dharma, and the Saṅgha in countless ways. It was like someone praising the eight ways that a clear pool delights people: “It’s cool, light, gentle, clear, sweet, and clean. One can drink it without tire, and it refreshes the body.’ You were likewise. At Vaiśālī in the land of the Vṛji, you praised the Tathāgata, the correct Dharma, and the Saṅgha, which made people feel confident about them.

“Sunakṣatra, you should know that now you’ve reversed yourself, the world will again say, ‘The monk Sunakṣatra has many friends. He’s close to the Bhagavān, and he’s the Bhagavān’s disciple, but he can’t purely practice the religious life his entire life. He’ll abandon the precepts and return to the lay life and inferior practices.’”

“Wanderer, you should know that after I had this talk with him, he didn’t follow my instruction. He abandoned the precepts and returned to the lay life.