3. Righteousness and the claims of the world.
1. Once when the Lord was staying at Rajagraha in the Bamboo grove where the squirrels were fed, the reverend Sariputta was making an alms pilgrimage with a great train of almsmen among the Southern Hills'
2. On his way he met an almsman who had spent the rainy season at Rajagraha. After interchange of greetings of friendliness and civility, Sariputta enquired after the Master's health and was told he was well, as too was the Confraternity, and also the Brahmin Dhananjani of Tandula-pala Gate in Rajagraha concerning whose health too Sariputta had made enquiries.
3. ' And is the Brahmin, Dhananjani, zealous and earnest ? ' asked Sariputta further of the Almsman.
4. ' How could earnest zeal possibly dwell in Dhananjani ? ' replied theAlmsman. ' He uses the king to fleece the Brahmins and householders, and uses them to fleece the king. Also, his pious wife who came of a pious stock is dead now ; and he has taken to himself another wife who is not pious and comes of no pious stock.' 5. ' This is bad news, very bad news to hear of Dhananjani's lack of zeal,' said Sariputta. 'Perhaps, however, at some time and place I may meet him I should like to have a talk with him.'
6. After staying as. long as he wanted in the Southern Hills, Sariputta proceeded on his alms pilgrimage till he reached Rajagraha, where he took up his abode in the Bamboo Grove.
7. Early in the morning, bowl in hand and duly robed, he went into Rajagraha for alms, at a time when the Brahmin Dhananjani was out of the city seeing his cows milked in the byre.
8. On his return after his round and meal, Sariputta sought out the Brahmin. Seeing him coming, the Brahmin came to meet him with the remark that they had time for a draught of milk before meal-time.
9. Not so. Brahmin, I have had my meal today, and shall be resting under the shade of a tree during the noontide. Come to me there.
10. Dhananjani agreed and after his own meal joined Sariputta seating himself by him after friendly greetings.
11. Said Sariputta: "May I rest assured, Dhanan-jani, that zeal and earnestness and righteousness are yours ?
12. " How can that be, when I have to support my parents, my wife and family, and my slaves and serving folk and have to entertain my cquaintances and friends, my kith and kin, and guests, and have also to provide for my kinsfolk dead and gone, and for the deities, and for the king not to speak of supporting myself in meat and drink ? ' '
13. "What think you, Dhananjani? If we suppose a man who, for his parents' sake, has departed from righteousness and equity and is being hauled up would it avail him either to plead on his own behalf that it was for his parents' sake that he had departed from righteousness and equity and that therefore he should not be hauled up ? "
14. " No ; despite all appeals, the wardens would cast him into prison."
15. " Would it avail him either to plead on his own behalf, or to have his wife and family plead for him, that it was for their sake he had departed from righteousness and equity ? "
16. "No."
17. " Would it avail him if his slaves and serving folk pleaded for him ? "
18. "Not a whit"
19. " Or if his friends and acquaintances pleaded for him ? "
20. " Not a whit."
21. "Or if his kith and kin, or his guests pleaded for him ? "
22. " Not a whit."
23. " Or if his kinsfolk dead and gone, pleaded the claims of his deities, or his monarch's claims on him ? " 24. " Not a whit."
25. " Would it avail him to plead on his own behalf or to have others pleading for him that it was to support himself in meat and drink that he departed from righteousness and equity ? "
26. " No."
27. "What think you,Dhananjani? Which is the better man ? He that for the sake of his parents departs from righteousness and equity or he that no matter what happens to them walks in righteousness and equity ? "
28. "The latter," replied Dhananjani, "for to walk in righteousness and equity is better than to depart therefrom." 29. " Moreover, Dhananjani, there are other courses of action which are justified and righteous in themselves, whereby he can support his parents and yet avoid evildoing and walk uprightly. Now, does the same reasoning apply to the support of wife and family and everything else?"
30. " It does, Sariputta."
31. "Hereupon the Brahmin rejoicing in what the reverend Sariputta had said, thanked him, rose up and went his way."
1. Once when the Lord was staying at Rajagraha in the Bamboo grove where the squirrels were fed, the reverend Sariputta was making an alms pilgrimage with a great train of almsmen among the Southern Hills'
2. On his way he met an almsman who had spent the rainy season at Rajagraha. After interchange of greetings of friendliness and civility, Sariputta enquired after the Master's health and was told he was well, as too was the Confraternity, and also the Brahmin Dhananjani of Tandula-pala Gate in Rajagraha concerning whose health too Sariputta had made enquiries.
3. ' And is the Brahmin, Dhananjani, zealous and earnest ? ' asked Sariputta further of the Almsman.
4. ' How could earnest zeal possibly dwell in Dhananjani ? ' replied theAlmsman. ' He uses the king to fleece the Brahmins and householders, and uses them to fleece the king. Also, his pious wife who came of a pious stock is dead now ; and he has taken to himself another wife who is not pious and comes of no pious stock.' 5. ' This is bad news, very bad news to hear of Dhananjani's lack of zeal,' said Sariputta. 'Perhaps, however, at some time and place I may meet him I should like to have a talk with him.'
6. After staying as. long as he wanted in the Southern Hills, Sariputta proceeded on his alms pilgrimage till he reached Rajagraha, where he took up his abode in the Bamboo Grove.
7. Early in the morning, bowl in hand and duly robed, he went into Rajagraha for alms, at a time when the Brahmin Dhananjani was out of the city seeing his cows milked in the byre.
8. On his return after his round and meal, Sariputta sought out the Brahmin. Seeing him coming, the Brahmin came to meet him with the remark that they had time for a draught of milk before meal-time.
9. Not so. Brahmin, I have had my meal today, and shall be resting under the shade of a tree during the noontide. Come to me there.
10. Dhananjani agreed and after his own meal joined Sariputta seating himself by him after friendly greetings.
11. Said Sariputta: "May I rest assured, Dhanan-jani, that zeal and earnestness and righteousness are yours ?
12. " How can that be, when I have to support my parents, my wife and family, and my slaves and serving folk and have to entertain my cquaintances and friends, my kith and kin, and guests, and have also to provide for my kinsfolk dead and gone, and for the deities, and for the king not to speak of supporting myself in meat and drink ? ' '
13. "What think you, Dhananjani? If we suppose a man who, for his parents' sake, has departed from righteousness and equity and is being hauled up would it avail him either to plead on his own behalf that it was for his parents' sake that he had departed from righteousness and equity and that therefore he should not be hauled up ? "
14. " No ; despite all appeals, the wardens would cast him into prison."
15. " Would it avail him either to plead on his own behalf, or to have his wife and family plead for him, that it was for their sake he had departed from righteousness and equity ? "
16. "No."
17. " Would it avail him if his slaves and serving folk pleaded for him ? "
18. "Not a whit"
19. " Or if his friends and acquaintances pleaded for him ? "
20. " Not a whit."
21. "Or if his kith and kin, or his guests pleaded for him ? "
22. " Not a whit."
23. " Or if his kinsfolk dead and gone, pleaded the claims of his deities, or his monarch's claims on him ? " 24. " Not a whit."
25. " Would it avail him to plead on his own behalf or to have others pleading for him that it was to support himself in meat and drink that he departed from righteousness and equity ? "
26. " No."
27. "What think you,Dhananjani? Which is the better man ? He that for the sake of his parents departs from righteousness and equity or he that no matter what happens to them walks in righteousness and equity ? "
28. "The latter," replied Dhananjani, "for to walk in righteousness and equity is better than to depart therefrom." 29. " Moreover, Dhananjani, there are other courses of action which are justified and righteous in themselves, whereby he can support his parents and yet avoid evildoing and walk uprightly. Now, does the same reasoning apply to the support of wife and family and everything else?"
30. " It does, Sariputta."
31. "Hereupon the Brahmin rejoicing in what the reverend Sariputta had said, thanked him, rose up and went his way."
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