法苑珠林 27.37

27.37

又雜寶藏經云。若人求道要在精誠相感。能獲道果。如往昔時有一女人。聰明智慧。深信三寶。常於僧次請二比丘。就舍供養。時有一老比丘。次到其舍。年耆根鈍素無知曉。時彼女人齋食已訖。求老比丘為我說法。獨敷一坐閉目靜默。時老比丘自知愚闇不知說法。趣其睡眠棄走還寺。然此女人至心思惟有為之法無常苦空不得自在。深心觀察即獲初果。既得果已。求老比丘欲報其恩。此老比丘審己無知棄他走避。倍更慚恥復棄藏避。而此女人苦求不已。方自出現。女人於時具論上來蒙得道果。故齎供養用報大恩。時老比丘以慚愧故。深自剋責即獲初果。是故行者應當至心。若至心者所求必獲。

Also, the Za baozang jing says: If a person seeks the Path, the essential lies in sincere dedication responding reciprocally, through which one can attain the fruit of the Path. As in past times, there was a woman, intelligent and wise, who deeply had faith in the Three Jewels. She regularly invited two bhikṣus according to the monastic roster to come to her home for offerings. At that time, an old bhikṣu's turn came to visit her house; he was elderly, dull of faculty, and had never possessed any knowledge. When the woman finished serving the meal, she asked the old bhikṣu, 'Please preach the Dharma for me.' She spread a seat for him alone, closed her eyes, and remained silent. The old bhikṣu, knowing his own ignorance and unable to preach the Dharma, took advantage of her slumber, abandoned her, and fled back to the monastery. However, this woman earnestly contemplated that conditioned phenomena are impermanent, suffering, empty, and devoid of autonomy; through deep observation, she immediately attained the first fruit. Having attained the fruit, she sought the old bhikṣu to repay his kindness. This old bhikṣu, knowing his own ignorance, had run away and hidden from her, feeling even more ashamed, and again hid himself away. But the woman sought him persistently without stopping, so he finally showed himself. The woman then fully explained how she had received and attained the fruit of the Path from what took place earlier, and had therefore brought offerings to repay his great kindness. Out of shame, the old bhikṣu deeply reproached himself and immediately attained the first fruit. Therefore, practitioners should be earnest; if one is earnest, whatever one seeks will surely be attained.