ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 24.2

24.2

name will be Son of Grasping.” They reared young Son of Grasping on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids.

When the brahmins’ sons had grown, they were sent to school. Both perfected the study of letters and became educated in all the scriptures. When Śāriputra Upatiṣya was sixteen years of age, being educated in the Aindra school of Sanskrit grammar, he used the scriptures to defeat all his opponents in debate.

One day he went to live in a forest devoted to austerities. He went forth and lived among the mendicant monks known as the parivrājaka. When the Buddha came to the world, the brahmins Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana both went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. The Blessed One commended the former as foremost among those of profound wisdom and the latter as foremost among those with miraculous powers.

The young brahmin Son of Grasping became a hero in the king’s court. He constantly visited the royal palace, and because he was a wise person, King Bimbisāra appointed him chief minister and awarded him a great salary, since worldly people wish for wealth.

The time came for him to marry, so he took a wife and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. He increased the wealth of their household and kept it all. He accepted money from the brahmins and householders in Rājagṛha on behalf of the king, and he accepted money from the king on behalf of the brahmins and householders.

One day, Śāriputra saw the time had come to tame Son of Grasping. In the morning he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he went to the place where Son of Grasping’s house stood. At that time, the brahmin Son of Grasping