Verses on Dhamma 5.15.p27

5.15.p27

Bhikkhūnaṃ dhammasabhāyaṃ kathā udapādi – ‘‘aho vata vanavāsītissasāmaṇero dukkaraṃ karoti, paṭisandhiggahaṇato paṭṭhāyassa ñātakā sattasu maṅgalesu pañcannaṃ bhikkhusatānaṃ appodakamadhupāyasameva adaṃsu, pabbajitakāle antovihāre buddhappamukhassa bhikkhusaṅghassa satta divasāni appodakamadhupāyasameva adaṃsu. Pabbajitvā aṭṭhame divase antogāmaṃ pavisanto dvīheva divasehi sāṭakasahassena saddhiṃ piṇḍapātasahassaṃ labhi, punekadivasaṃ kambalasahassaṃ labhi. Itissa idha vasanakāle mahālābhasakkāro uppajji, idāni evarūpaṃ lābhasakkāraṃ chaḍḍetvā araññaṃ pavisitvā missakāhārena yāpeti, dukkarakārako vata tissasāmaṇero’’ti. Satthā āgantvā, ‘‘kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā’’ti pucchitvā ‘‘imāya nāmā’’ti vutte ‘‘āma, bhikkhave, lābhūpanisā nāmesā aññā, nibbānagāminī paṭipadā aññā. ‘Evaṃ lābhaṃ labhissāmī’ti hi āraññikādidhutaṅgasamādānavasena lābhūpanisaṃ rakkhantassa bhikkhuno cattāro apāyā vivaṭadvārā eva tiṭṭhanti, nibbānagāminiyā pana paṭipadāya uppannaṃ lābhasakkāraṃ pahāya araññaṃ pavisitvā ghaṭento vāyamanto arahattaṃ gaṇhātī’’ti anusandhiṃ ghaṭetvā dhammaṃ desento imaṃ gāthamāha –

The Teacher came in and asked them, "Monks, what is it that you are sitting here now talking about?" They told him. "Yes, monks," he replied, "there is one road which leads to gain, another which leads to Nibbāna. The doors of the four states of punishment stand open to the monk, who, thinking to acquire gain, takes upon himself the forest life and the other Pure Practices and clings to that which brings him gain. But he who walks upon the road that leads to Nibbāna, rejects the gain and honor he might have, enters the forest, and by struggling and striving wins Arahatship." And joining the connection, he instructed them in the Law by pronouncing the following Stanza,