Verses on Dhamma 26.9.p2

26.9.p2

So kirāyasmā assajittherassa santike dhammaṃ sutvā sotāpattiphalaṃ pattakālato paṭṭhāya ‘‘yassaṃ disāyaṃ thero vasatī’’ti suṇāti, tato añjaliṃ paggayha tatova sīsaṃ katvā nipajjati. Bhikkhū ‘‘micchādiṭṭhiko sāriputto, ajjāpi disā namassamāno vicaratī’’ti tamatthaṃ tathāgatassa ārocesuṃ. Satthā theraṃ pakkosāpetvā ‘‘saccaṃ kira tvaṃ, sāriputta, disā namassanto vicarasī’’ti pucchitvā, ‘‘bhante, mama disā namassanabhāvaṃ vā anamassanabhāvaṃ vā tumheva jānāthā’’ti vutte ‘‘na, bhikkhave, sāriputto disā namassati, assajittherassa pana santikā dhammaṃ sutvā sotāpattiphalaṃ pattatāya attano ācariyaṃ namassati. Yañhi ācariyaṃ nissāya bhikkhu dhammaṃ vijānāti, tena so brāhmaṇena aggi viya sakkaccaṃ namassitabboyevā’’ti vatvā dhammaṃ desento imaṃ gāthamāha –

This Venerable Elder, we are told, first heard the Law from the lips of Elder Assaji; and from the day when he attained the Fruit of Conversion, in whatever quarter he heard that Elder Assaji was residing, in that direction he would extend his clasped hands in an attitude of reverent supplication, in that direction he would turn his head when he lay down to sleep. The monks said to each other, "Elder Sāriputta holds false views; on this very day he is going about doing reverence to the cardinal points," and reported the matter to the Tathāgata.

The Teacher caused the Elder to be summoned before him and asked him, "Sāriputta, is the report true that you are going about doing reverence to the cardinal points?" "Reverend Sir, you know me, and you know of yourself whether or not I am going about doing reverence to the cardinal points." Then said the Teacher, "Monks, Sāriputta is not doing reverence to the cardinal points. The fact is that he first heard the Law from the lips of Elder Assaji, and that from the day when he attained the Fruit of Conversion, he has reverenced his own teacher. For a monk should reverence the teacher through whom he has learned the Law with the same degree of reverence with which a Brahman reverences the sacred fire." So saying, he preached the Law, pronouncing the following Stanza,