Verses on Dhamma 5.11.p3

5.11.p3

Nevāsiko tassa taṃ sakkāraṃ kayiramānaṃ adhivāsetuṃ nāsakkhi. Athassa so sāyaṃ therassa nipannaṭṭhānaṃ gantvā catūhākārehi theraṃ akkosi, ‘‘āvuso, āgantuka kuṭumbikassa te gehe bhattaṃ bhuñjanato varataraṃ mīḷhaṃ khādituṃ, kuṭumbikena ānītanhāpitena kesohārāpanato varataraṃ tālaṭṭhikena kese luñcāpetuṃ. Kuṭumbikena dinnasāṭakanivāsanato varataraṃ naggena vicarituṃ, kuṭumbikena ābhatamañcake nipajjanato varataraṃ bhūmiyaṃ nipajjitu’’nti. Theropi ‘‘mā esa bālo maṃ nissāya nassī’’ti nimantanaṃ anādiyitvā pātova uṭṭhāya yathāsukhaṃ agamāsi. Nevāsikopi pātova vihāre kattabbavattaṃ katvā bhikkhācāravelāya ‘‘idānipi āgantuko niddāyati, ghaṇḍikasaddena pabujjheyyā’’ti saññāya nakhapiṭṭheneva ghaṇḍiṃ paharitvā gāmaṃ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Kuṭumbikopi sakkāraṃ katvā therānaṃ āgamanamaggaṃ olokento nevāsikaṃ disvā, ‘‘bhante, thero kuhi’’nti pucchi. Atha naṃ nevāsiko ‘‘mā, āvuso, kiñci avaca, tuyhaṃ kulūpako hiyyo, tava nikkhantavelāya ovarakaṃ pavisitvā niddaṃ okkanto pātova uṭṭhāya mama vihārasammajjanasaddampi pānīyaghaṭaparibhojanīyaghaṭesu udakasiñcanasaddampi ghaṇḍikasaddampi karontassa na jānātī’’ti āha. Kuṭumbiko cintesi – ‘‘tādisāya iriyāpathasampattiyā samannāgatassa me ayyassa yāva imamhā kālā niddāyanaṃ nāma natthi, maṃ pana tassa sakkāraṃ karontaṃ disvā addhā iminā bhadantena kiñci vuttaṃ bhavissatī’’ti. So attano paṇḍitabhāvena taṃ sakkaccaṃ bhojetvā tassa pattaṃ sādhukaṃ dhovitvā nānaggarasabhojanassa pūretvā, ‘‘bhante, sace me ayyaṃ passeyyātha, imamassa piṇḍapātaṃ dadeyyāthā’’ti āha.

The resident monk could endure no longer the attentions bestowed by the layman on the visiting monk. So in the evening he went to the place where the Elder lay, and reviled him by uttering the four

kinds of insults: "Brother visitor, you might better eat excrement than eat food in the layman's house. You might better tear out your hair with a Palmyra comb than allow your hair to be cut by a barber brought hither by the layman. You might better go naked than wear as an undergarment a robe given you by the layman. You might better lie on the ground than lie on a bed brought you by the layman." Thought the visiting Elder, "May this foolish fellow not be destroyed because of me!" Paying no attention to the insults of the resident monk, he arose early in the morning and went whithersoever he wished.

The resident monk also arose early in the morning, and performed the customary duties about his residence. When it was time for him to set out on his round for alms, thinking to himself, "The visiting Elder is undoubtedly asleep now, and will awaken at the sound of the bell," he struck the bell with the outer surface of his finger nail. Having so done, he entered the village. After preparing offerings of food, the layman watched for the two Elders to come. Seeing the resident monk, he asked, "Reverend Sir, where is the visiting Elder?" The resident monk replied, "Brother, what say you? The Elder who came to your house yesterday went into an inner room as soon as you departed, and fell asleep. Although I rose very early, he pays no attention either to the noise of my sweeping the residence, or to the sound of the washing of the jars for water for drinking and for refreshment, or to the stroke of the bell."

Thought the layman to himself, "It is incredible that my noble Elder, a monk so perfect in deportment, should sleep until this time of day. It must be that the Venerable Elder resident in my household, observing my attentions to him, said something to him." Accordingly, wise man that he was, the layman reverently served the resident monk with food; and having so done, washed his bowl carefully, filled it with food flavored with the choicest gravies, and said to him, "Reverend Sir, should you happen to see my noble Elder, be good enough to give him this food." The monk took the bowl and thought to himself, "If the Elder eats such food as this, he will take such a liking to this spot that he will never leave it." So as he went along the road, he threw away that food. When he reached the Elder's place of residence, he looked for him there, but failed to find him.