Dhammapada 4.7.p4

4.7.p4

Athekadivasaṃ satthā theraṃ pucchi – ‘‘kimānanda, upāsikā dhammaṃ pariyāpuṇantī’’ti? ‘‘Āma, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Kā sakkaccaṃ gaṇhātī’’ti? ‘‘Mallikā, bhante, sakkaccaṃ gaṇhāti, sakkaccaṃ sajjhāyati, sakkaccaṃ uddesaṃ paṭicchāpetuṃ sakkoti. Tumhākaṃ pana ñātidhītā neva sakkaccaṃ gaṇhāti, na sajjhāyati, na uddesaṃ paṭicchāpetuṃ sakkotī’’ti. Satthā therassa vacanaṃ sutvā, ‘‘ānanda, mayā kathitadhammo nāma sakkaccamasuṇantassa aggaṇhantassa asajjhāyantassa adesentassa vaṇṇasampannaṃ agandhakapupphaṃ viya aphalo hoti, sakkaccaṃ pana savanādīni karontassa mahapphalo hoti mahānisaṃso’’ti vatvā imā dve gāthā abhāsi –

One day the Teacher asked the Elder Ānanda, “Ānanda, are your female lay disciples mastering the Law?” “Yes, Reverend Sir.” “Which one learns thoroughly?” “Reverend Sir, Mallikā learns thoroughly, rehearses faithfully, and can understand thoroughly the instruction she receives. But your kinswoman does not learn thoroughly, nor does she rehearse faithfully, nor can she understand thoroughly the instruction she receives.” When the Teacher heard the Elder’s reply, he said, “Ānanda, as for the Law I have preached, to one who is not faithful in hearing, learning, rehearsing, and preaching it, it is profitless, like a flower that possesses color but lacks perfume. But to one who is faithful in hearing, learning, rehearsing, and preaching the Law, it returns abundant fruit and manifold blessings." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanzas,