So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Now at that time Venerable Mahākaccāna was staying in the land of the Avantis near Kuraraghara on Steep Mountain. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahākaccāno avantīsu viharati kuraraghare pavatte pabbate. And the layman Soṇa of the Sharp Ears was Mahākaccāna’s attendant. Tena kho pana samayena soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo āyasmato mahākaccānassa upaṭṭhāko hoti.

Then as Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, Atha kho soṇassa upāsakassa kuṭikaṇṇassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “As I understand Master Mahākaccāna’s teachings, it’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. “yathā yathā kho ayyo mahākaccāno dhammaṁ deseti nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?” Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan”ti.

Then Soṇa went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then he said, Atha kho soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘yathā yathā kho ayyo mahākaccāno dhammaṁ deseti nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti. “May Master Mahākaccāna please give me the going forth!” Pabbājetu maṁ, bhante, ayyo mahākaccāno”ti.

When this was said, Mahākaccāna said to him, Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā mahākaccāno soṇaṁ upāsakaṁ kuṭikaṇṇaṁ etadavoca: “It’s hard to lead the spiritual life as long as you live, eating in one part of the day and sleeping alone. “dukkaraṁ kho, soṇa, yāvajīvaṁ ekabhattaṁ ekaseyyaṁ brahmacariyaṁ. Come now, Soṇa, while remaining a layperson just as you are, devote yourself to the instructions of the Buddhas, leading the spiritual life at suitable times, eating in one part of the day and sleeping alone.” Iṅgha tvaṁ, soṇa, tattheva āgārikabhūto samāno buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ anuyuñja kālayuttaṁ ekabhattaṁ ekaseyyaṁ brahmacariyan”ti. Then Soṇa’s aspiration to go forth died down. Atha kho soṇassa upāsakassa kuṭikaṇṇassa yo ahosi pabbajjābhisaṅkhāro so paṭipassambhi.

For a second time, while in private retreat the thought came to Soṇa that he should go forth, but the outcome was the same. Dutiyampi kho …pe… dutiyampi kho āyasmā mahākaccāno soṇaṁ upāsakaṁ kuṭikaṇṇaṁ etadavoca: “dukkaraṁ kho, soṇa, yāvajīvaṁ ekabhattaṁ ekaseyyaṁ brahmacariyaṁ. Iṅgha tvaṁ, soṇa, tattheva āgārikabhūto samāno buddhānaṁ sāsanaṁ anuyuñja kālayuttaṁ ekabhattaṁ ekaseyyaṁ brahmacariyan”ti. Dutiyampi kho soṇassa upāsakassa kuṭikaṇṇassa yo ahosi pabbajjābhisaṅkhāro so paṭipassambhi.

For a third time, as Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, Tatiyampi kho soṇassa upāsakassa kuṭikaṇṇassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “As I understand Master Mahākaccāna’s teachings, it’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. “yathā yathā kho ayyo mahākaccāno dhammaṁ deseti nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from lay life to homelessness?” Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan”ti. For a third time, Soṇa went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then he said, Tatiyampi kho soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho soṇo upāsako kuṭikaṇṇo āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘yathā yathā kho ayyo mahākaccāno dhammaṁ deseti nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti. “May Master Mahākaccāna please give me the going forth!” Pabbājetu maṁ, bhante, ayyo mahākaccāno”ti.

Then Mahākaccāna gave Soṇa the going forth. Atha kho āyasmā mahākaccāno soṇaṁ upāsakaṁ kuṭikaṇṇaṁ pabbājesi. Now at that time the southern region, including Avanti, was short of monks. Tena kho pana samayena avantidakkhiṇāpatho appabhikkhuko hoti. It took three years and much struggle and difficulty before Venerable Mahākaccāyana was able to assemble from here and there a Sangha consisting of ten monks and give Venerable Soṇa the full ordination. Atha kho āyasmā mahākaccāno tiṇṇaṁ vassānaṁ accayena kicchena kasirena tato tato dasavaggaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātetvā āyasmantaṁ soṇaṁ upasampādesi.

Then as Venerable Soṇa was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, Atha kho āyasmato soṇassa vassaṁvuṭṭhassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “I have not personally seen the Buddha. I have only heard reports that “na kho me so bhagavā sammukhā diṭṭho, api ca sutoyeva me: that Blessed One is like this or like that. ‘so bhagavā īdiso ca īdiso cā’ti. If my mentor allows, I should go to see that Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.” Sace maṁ upajjhāyo anujāneyya, gaccheyyāhaṁ taṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhan”ti.

Then in the late afternoon, Soṇa came out of retreat, went up to Mahākaccāna, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what he was thinking. Then Mahākaccāna said, Atha kho āyasmā soṇo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā soṇo āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca:

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: ‘na kho me so bhagavā sammukhā diṭṭho, api ca sutoyeva me—so bhagavā īdiso ca īdiso cā’ti. Sace maṁ upajjhāyo anujāneyya, gaccheyyāhaṁ taṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhan”ti. (…)

“Good, good, Soṇa! “Sādhu sādhu, soṇa; Go to see the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. gaccha tvaṁ, soṇa, taṁ bhagavantaṁ dassanāya arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ. You will see that Blessed One who is impressive and inspiring, with peaceful faculties and heart, attained to the highest self-control and serenity, like an elephant with tamed, guarded, and controlled faculties. Dakkhissasi tvaṁ, soṇa, taṁ bhagavantaṁ pāsādikaṁ pasādanīyaṁ santindriyaṁ santamānasaṁ uttamadamathasamathamanuppattaṁ dantaṁ guttaṁ yatindriyaṁ nāgaṁ. On seeing him, in my name bow with your head to his feet. Ask him if he is healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably, saying, Disvāna mama vacanena bhagavato pāde sirasā vandāhi, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ puccha: ‘Sir, my mentor Venerable Mahākaccāna bows with his head to your feet. He asks if you are healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.’” ‘upajjhāyo me, bhante, āyasmā mahākaccāno bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchatī’”ti.

Saying, “Yes, sir,” Soṇa welcomed and agreed with Mahākaccāna’s words. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled Mahākaccāna, keeping him on his right. Then he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Sāvatthī. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā soṇo āyasmato mahākaccānassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena sāvatthi tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Eventually he came to Sāvatthī and Jeta’s Grove. He went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena sāvatthi jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Soṇa said to the Buddha, Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā soṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, my mentor Venerable Mahākaccāna bows with his head to your feet. He asks if you are healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.” “upajjhāyo me, bhante, āyasmā mahākaccāno bhagavato pāde sirasā vandati, appābādhaṁ appātaṅkaṁ lahuṭṭhānaṁ balaṁ phāsuvihāraṁ pucchatī”ti.

“I hope you’re keeping well, mendicant; I hope you’re all right. And I hope you have arrived from your journey unwearied, having had no trouble getting almsfood.” “Kacci, bhikkhu, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyaṁ, kaccisi appakilamathena addhānaṁ āgato, na ca piṇḍakena kilantosī”ti? “I’m keeping well, Blessed One; I’m all right. And I have arrived from my journey unwearied, having had no trouble getting almsfood.” “Khamanīyaṁ, bhagavā, yāpanīyaṁ, bhagavā, appakilamathena cāhaṁ, bhante, addhānaṁ āgato, na ca piṇḍakena kilantomhī”ti.

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda, Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “Prepare lodgings for this visiting mendicant.” “imassānanda, āgantukassa bhikkhuno senāsanaṁ paññāpehī”ti. Then Venerable Ānanda thought, Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi: “When the Buddha orders me “yassa kho maṁ bhagavā āṇāpeti: to prepare lodgings for a specific mendicant, he wishes to stay in the same dwelling with that mendicant. The Buddha wishes to stay together with Venerable Soṇa.” ‘imassānanda, āgantukassa bhikkhuno senāsanaṁ paññāpehī’ti, icchati bhagavā tena bhikkhunā saddhiṁ ekavihāre vatthuṁ, icchati bhagavā āyasmatā soṇena saddhiṁ ekavihāre vatthun”ti. He prepared lodgings for Soṇa in the same dwelling where the Buddha was staying. Yasmiṁ vihāre bhagavā viharati, tasmiṁ vihāre āyasmato soṇassa senāsanaṁ paññāpesi.

The Buddha spent much of the night sitting meditation in the open. Then he got up from his seat, washed his feet and entered the dwelling. Atha kho bhagavā bahudeva rattiṁ abbhokāse nisajjāya vītināmetvā pāde pakkhāletvā vihāraṁ pāvisi. Venerable Soṇa did the same. Āyasmāpi kho soṇo bahudeva rattiṁ abbhokāse nisajjāya vītināmetvā pāde pakkhāletvā vihāraṁ pāvisi. Then the Buddha rose at the crack of dawn and addressed Soṇa, Atha kho bhagavā rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya āyasmantaṁ soṇaṁ ajjhesi: “Speak some Dhamma, mendicant, as you feel inspired.” “paṭibhātu taṁ, bhikkhu, dhammo bhāsitun”ti.

“Yes, sir,” replied Soṇa. He intoned all sixteen discourses in the Chapter of the Eights. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā soṇo bhagavato paṭissutvā soḷasa aṭṭhakavaggikāni sabbāneva sarena abhaṇi. When Soṇa finished his intoning, the Buddha applauded, saying, Atha kho bhagavā āyasmato soṇassa sarabhaññapariyosāne abbhanumodi: “Good, good, mendicant! You have learned the sixteen discourses of the Chapter of the Eights well, you have applied the mind and remembered it well. You are a good speaker, with a polished, clear, and articulate voice that expresses the meaning. “sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu, suggahitāni te, bhikkhu, soḷasa aṭṭhakavaggikāni sumanasikatāni sūpadhāritāni, kalyāṇiyāsi vācāya samannāgato vissaṭṭhāya anelagaḷāya atthassa viññāpaniyā. How many rains have you been ordained, mendicant?” Kati vassosi tvaṁ, bhikkhū”ti? “I have one rains, Blessed One.” “Ekavasso ahaṁ, bhagavā”ti. “But why did it take you so long to make it?” “Kissa pana tvaṁ, bhikkhu, evaṁ ciraṁ akāsī”ti? “Sir, I have long seen the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, “Ciraṁ diṭṭho me, bhante, kāmesu ādīnavo; yet living in a house is cramped, with many duties and much to do.” api ca sambādho gharāvāso bahukicco bahukaraṇīyo”ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Seeing the danger of the world, “Disvā ādīnavaṁ loke, I understood the truth without attachments. ñatvā dhammaṁ nirūpadhiṁ; The Noble One does not delight in evil, Ariyo na ramatī pāpe, the Pure One does not delight in evil.” pāpe na ramatī sucī”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.