Dighanikaya 34.351_14

34.351_14

(Ka) asokarājā hi nigrodhasāmaṇerassa ‘‘appamādo amatapada’’nti gāthaṃ sutvā eva ‘‘tiṭṭha, tāta, mayhaṃ tayā tepiṭakaṃ buddhavacanaṃ kathita’’nti sāmaṇere pasīditvā caturāsītivihārasahassāni kāresi. Iti thāmasampannena bhikkhunā appamādassa bahūpakāratā tīhi piṭakehi dīpetvā kathetabbā. Yaṃkiñci suttaṃ vā gāthaṃ vā appamādadīpanatthaṃ āharanto ‘‘aṭṭhāne ṭhatvā āharasi, atitthena pakkhando’’ti na vattabbo. Dhammakathikassevettha thāmo ca balañca pamāṇaṃ.

For King Asoka, upon merely hearing from the novice Nigrodha the verse, “Diligence is the path to the Deathless,” had faith in the novice, saying: “Wait, dear boy, you have recited the three-basket Word of the Buddha to me,” and had eighty-four thousand monasteries built. Thus a bhikkhu endowed with capability should explain and speak of the great helpfulness of diligence through the three Baskets. Bringing forward whatever sutta or verse to illustrate diligence, one should not say to him: “You are bringing this in an inappropriate place; you have plunged in away from the ford.” In this matter, only the capability and strength of the Dhamma preacher is the measure.