ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 31.18

31.18

performed a miracle that caused the boat to return back from the crevasse to shore of its own accord. After the merchants had returned to shore, they eventually made their way to Śrāvastī, where they unloaded their wares. After that they went to see the Blessed One. They touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, kissed them, and said, “Look at the difficult task the Blessed One has done for us! He has saved our precious lives.” And they sat before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma.

The Blessed One directly apprehended their thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperaments, capacities, and natures, and taught them the Dharma accordingly. Hearing it, the captain and the rest of the five hundred merchants destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where they sat.

Having seen the truths, they rose from their seats, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested the Blessed One, “Lord, if permitted we wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete our novitiates, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, we too wish to practice the holy life.”

With the words “Come, join me, monks!” the Blessed One led them to go forth as novices, conferred on them full ordination, and instructed them. They cast away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, and manifested arhatship. As arhats, free from the attachments of the three realms, their minds regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of their hands as like space itself. They became cool like wet sandalwood. Their insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. They achieved the insights,