ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 25.21

25.21

“O monks, what do you think? Those who were the two married persons then and went forth in the teaching of Buddha Kāśyapa are none other than these two married persons who have gone forth now. The acts of going forth, giving gifts and making merit, practicing pure conduct all their lives, and saying that prayer at the time of their deaths ripened such that wherever they were born, it was into families of great means, prosperity, and wealth, and that they pleased me and did not displease me, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.”

Latecomers to the Dharma: Two Stories

The First “Latecomer” Story

When the Blessed One was in the garden of Prince Jeta in Śrāvastī, Anāthapiṇḍada commissioned the construction of a monastery complete in every respect. He offered it to the Blessed One and the rest of saṅgha of monks, and began to give gifts and make merit.

At that time there was another householder in Śrāvastī who thought, “How can I outshine the householder Anāthapiṇḍada in gift giving?” Then he thought, “Aha! If I venture out onto the great ocean to Ratnadvīpa and complete my voyage, upon my return I shall be able to outshine the householder Anāthapiṇḍada’s gift giving.”

So he ventured out onto the great ocean to Ratnadvīpa, completed his voyage, and returned to Śrāvastī. Upon his return he began to give gifts and make merit, but he was still unable to outshine the householder Anāthapiṇḍada.

One day the householder