ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 26.2

26.2

asked Venerable Śāriputra, “Lord Śāriputra, by what means can my virtue outshine Anāthapiṇḍada’s gift giving?”

“Householder, Anāthapiṇḍada’s merit is of great renown,” Venerable Śāriputra told him. “He can see treasures, whether they belong to someone or to no one, or whether they are in the water or on dry land, near or far. That’s why you can’t outshine him in giving. You could only outshine him by going forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One.”

No sooner had the householder heard this than he gave gifts, made merit, and went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One. Having gone forth, he cast away all afflictive emotions with diligence, practice, and effort, and manifested arhatship. As an arhat, free from the attachments of the three realms, his mind regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of his hands as like space itself. He became cool like wet sandalwood. His insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. He achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. He had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. He became an object of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods.

The householder Anāthapiṇḍada heard that such-and-such a householder had gone forth in the doctrine of the Buddha to outshine him, and that after going forth he had cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship. When he heard this, the householder Anāthapiṇḍada surged with joy. He went to see the monk, bowed down at his feet, and said, “By going forth you have outshone me.