Dhammapada 7.6.p3

7.6.p3

Tasmiṃ khaṇe mahāmoggallānatthero ca ānandatthero ca cintesuṃ – ‘‘amhākaṃ aggajeṭṭhabhātarā imassa bhikkhuno apahaṭabhāvaṃ satthā no na jānāti, sīhanādaṃ pana nadāpetukāmo bhavissatīti parisaṃ sannipātāpessāmā’’ti. Te kuñcikahatthā pariveṇadvārāni vivaritvā ‘‘abhikkamathāyasmanto, abhikkamathāyasmanto, idānāyasmā sāriputto bhagavato sammukhā sīhanādaṃ nadissatī’’ti (a. ni. 9.11) mahābhikkhusaṅghaṃ sannipātesuṃ. Theropi āgantvā satthāraṃ vanditvā nisīdi. Atha naṃ satthā tamatthaṃ pucchi. Thero ‘‘nāyaṃ bhikkhu mayā pahaṭo’’ti avatvāva attano guṇakathaṃ kathento ‘‘yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṃ sabrahmacāriṃ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṃ pakkameyyā’’ti vatvā ‘‘seyyathāpi, bhante, pathaviyaṃ sucimpi nikkhipanti, asucimpi nikkhipantī’’tiādinā nayena attano pathavīsamacittatañca āpotejovāyo rajoharaṇacaṇḍālakumārakausabhachinnavisāṇasamacittatañca ahikuṇapādīhi viya attano kāyena aṭṭiyanañca medakathālikā viya attano kāyapariharaṇañca pakāsesi. Imāhi ca pana navahi upamāhi there attano guṇe kathente navasupi ṭhānesu udakapariyantaṃ katvā mahāpathavī kampi. Rajoharaṇacaṇḍālakumārakamedakathāliko pamānaṃ pana āharaṇakāle puthujjanā bhikkhū assūni sandhāretuṃ nāsakkhiṃsu, khīṇāsavānaṃ dhammasaṃvego udapādi.

Elder Sāriputta came with the rest, saluted the Teacher, and sat down respectfully on one side. When the Teacher questioned him about the incident, the Elder, instead of saying, “I did not strike that monk,” recited his own virtues. Said he, “Reverend Sir, in case any monk has not meditated on the body, he should here find a companion-monk and forsaking him not, go forth on pilgrimage.” Then he said, “Reverend Sir, it is as when they cast on the earth what is clean and then cast on the earth what is unclean.” He compared his own tranquillity of mind to that of the earth, to that of the severed horns of a bull, to that of a Caṇḍāla youth, to water, fire, wind, removal of impurity; he compared the oppression he suffered through his own body to the oppression of snakes and corpses; he compared the maintenance of his own body to that of protuberances of fat. As the Elder described his own virtues in terms of these nine similes, the great earth shook, nine times in succession, to its ocean boundary. As he employed the similes of the removal of impurity, the Caṇḍāla youth, and the protuberances of fat, those monks who had not yet attained the Fruit of Conversion were unable to restrain their tears; while those who had attained Arahatship were filled with religious emotion. As the Elder recited his own virtues, remorse pervaded the whole body of the monk who had unjustly slandered him. And straightway he fell at the feet of the Exalted One, admitted that he was guilty of slander, and confessed his fault. The Teacher addressing the Elder, said, “Sāriputta, pardon this deluded man, lest his head split into seven pieces.” Thereupon the Elder crouched before the monk, and extending his clasped hands in an attitude of reverence, said to him, “Reverend Sir, I freely pardon this Venerable monk. Let this Venerable monk also pardon me if I have in any way offended against him.” Thereupon the monks said, “Behold, brethren, the surpassing goodness of the Elder! He cherishes neither anger nor hatred against this lying, slanderous monk. Instead, he crouches before him, extends his hands in an attitude of reverence, and asks his pardon.” When the Teacher heard the talk of the monks, he said, “Monks, what are you talking about?” When they told him, he said, “Monks, it is impossible for Sāriputta and his like to cherish anger or hatred. Sāriputta’s mind is like the great earth, like a threshold, like a pool of still water.” So saying, he joined the connection, and preaching the Law, pronounced the following Stanza,