Dhammapada 2.3.p7

2.3.p7

Tasmiñca kāle mahāpanthako bhattuddesako ahosi. Jīvako komārabhacco bahuṃ mālāgandhavilepanaṃ ādāya attano ambavanaṃ gantvā satthāraṃ pūjetvā dhammaṃ sutvā uṭṭhāyāsanā dasabalaṃ vanditvā mahāpanthakaṃ upasaṅkamitvā, ‘‘kittakā, bhante, satthu santike bhikkhū’’ti pucchi. ‘‘Pañcamattāni bhikkhusatānī’’ti. ‘‘Sve, bhante, buddhappamukhāni pañca bhikkhusatāni ādāya amhākaṃ nivesane bhikkhaṃ gaṇhathā’’ti. ‘‘Upāsaka, cūḷapanthako nāma bhikkhu dandho aviruḷhidhammo, taṃ ṭhapetvā sesānaṃ nimantanaṃ sampaṭicchāmī’’ti thero āha. Taṃ sutvā cūḷapanthako cintesi – ‘‘thero ettakānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ nimantanaṃ sampaṭicchanto maṃ bāhiraṃ katvā sampaṭicchati, nissaṃsayaṃ mayhaṃ bhātikassa mayi cittaṃ bhinnaṃ bhavissati, kiṃ dāni mayhaṃ iminā sāsanena, gihī hutvā dānādīni puññāni karonto jīvissāmī’’ti? So punadivase pātova vibbhamituṃ pāyāsi.

Now at that time Jīvaka Komārabhacca, taking an abundant supply of garlands and of various kinds of perfumes, went to his own mango-grove, rendered honor to the Teacher, listened to the Law, and then rising from his seat and paying obeisance to the Teacher, approached Big Wayman, who was steward of the Order, and asked him, “Reverend Sir, how many monks are living with the Teacher?” “Five hundred.” “To-morrow, Reverend Sir, bring the five hundred monks presided over by the Buddha and take a meal in our house.” “The lay disciple Little Wayman is a dullard and has made no progress in the Law. I accept the invitation for all except him.”

When Little Wayman heard that, he thought to himself, “The Elder accepts an invitation for all these monks, but in accepting it, deliberately leaves me out. Beyond a doubt my brother’s affection for me is gone. Of what profit to me any longer is this religion? I will return to the life of a householder and spend my days giving alms and doing other works of merit.” So on the following day, very early in the morning, he set out with the intention of returning to the life of a householder. Very early in the morning also the Teacher surveyed the world, and seeing this incident, preceded Little Wayman to the gate and walked back and forth on the same road Little Wayman had taken.