法苑珠林 17.42

17.42

如雜寶藏經云。昔有一女人。聰明智慧深信三寶。常於僧次請二比丘就舍供養。後時便有一老比丘。次到其舍。年老根昧素無知曉。齋食訖已女人至心求請說法。敷坐頭前閉目靜坐。比丘自知不解說法。趣其泯眼棄走還寺。然此女人至心思惟有為之法無常苦空不得自在。深心觀察。即時獲得須陀洹果。既得果已向寺求覓欲報其恩。然此比丘自審無知。棄他逃走。倍生慚恥。轉復藏避。而此女人苦求不已。方自出現。女人見已具說蒙得道果因緣。齎供報恩。老比丘聞甚大慚愧。深自剋責亦復獲得須陀洹果。是故行者應當至心精誠求法。若至心者所求必獲。

As the Saṃyuktaratnapiṭaka-sūtra states: In the past, there was a woman who was clever and wise, and had deep faith in the Three Jewels. In the regular monastic rota, she would constantly invite two monks to her house to receive offerings. Later, an elderly monk happened to arrive at her house in his turn. Advanced in years and dull in faculties, he was ordinarily devoid of knowledge. When the midday meal was finished, the woman sincerely requested him to preach the Dharma, spreading a seat before him and sitting quietly with closed eyes. The monk, knowing himself that he did not understand how to preach the Dharma, took advantage of her closed eyes to flee back to the monastery. However, this woman sincerely contemplated that conditioned dharmas are impermanent, suffering, empty, and devoid of autonomy. Observing this deeply in her mind, she immediately attained the fruit of a srotāpanna. Having attained the fruit, she went toward the monastery to seek him out, wishing to repay his kindness. But this monk, judging himself to be ignorant and ashamed of having abandoned her and fled, felt doubled shame and hid away even further. Yet this woman sought him earnestly without ceasing, until he finally showed himself. Seeing him, the woman related in full the circumstances of her attaining the fruit of the way, and presented offerings to repay his kindness. Hearing this, the elderly monk felt great shame, rebuked himself deeply, and also attained the fruit of a srotāpanna. Therefore, practitioners should seek the Dharma with sincere and dedicated minds; if one is sincere, what one seeks will surely be attained.