ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 24.6

24.6

Venerable Śāriputra led the brahmin Son of Grasping to abide in the fundamental precepts of the holy life, then rose from his seat and departed.

Venerable Śāriputra traveled to the mountain forests in the south, where there lived another monk who had traveled from the Kalandakanivāsa, in Bamboo Grove, to those mountain forests in the south. That monk saw Venerable Śāriputra in the distance, and approached Venerable Śāriputra. Upon his arrival he touched his head to Venerable Śāriputra’s feet and took a seat at one side. Once the monk had taken a seat at one side, Venerable Śāriputra asked him, “Monk, whence have you just come?”

“Venerable Śāriputra,” the monk replied, “I have just come from the Kalandakanivāsa, in Bamboo Grove.”

“Do you know the brahmin Son of Grasping?” asked Śāriputra.

“Yes, Venerable Śāriputra, I do,” he replied. “He was a friend, Venerable Śāriputra, while you yet lived at home.”

Śāriputra then inquired, “Has Venerable Son of Grasping met with any harm? Does he despair? Is he happy? Is he free of illness, healthy, and strong? Is he living in Rājagṛha? Does he like to see his teacher? Does he enjoy listening to the Dharma?”

“Venerable Śāriputra,” answered the monk, “the brahmin Son of Grasping likes to see his teacher and enjoys listening to the Dharma. However, he met with some harm, and now he suffers. He has fallen ill, and from this illness he may die.”

Venerable Śāriputra donned his Dharma robes and went to the brahmin Son of Grasping’s house. There the brahmin Son of Grasping saw Venerable Śāriputra from a distance, and upon seeing him, tried to rise from his seat. When Venerable Śāriputra saw the brahmin Son of Grasping trying to rise from his seat, he said to him, “Son of Grasping, there is another seat for me to sit on. Please, don’t get up.”