ud8.6:0.1Heartfelt Sayings 8.6
ud8.6:0.2The Layfolk of Pāṭali Village
ud8.6:1.1So I have heard.
ud8.6:1.2At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Magadhans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at the village of Pāṭali.
ud8.6:1.3The lay followers of Pāṭali Village heard that he had arrived.
ud8.6:1.5So they went to see him, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
ud8.6:1.7“Sir, please consent to come to our guest house.”
ud8.6:1.8The Buddha consented with silence.
ud8.6:2.1Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, the lay followers of Pāṭali Village rose from their seats, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right. Then they went to the guest house, where they spread carpets all over, prepared seats, set up a water jar, and placed an oil lamp. Then they went back to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and told him of their preparations, saying:
ud8.6:2.3“Please, sir, come at your convenience.”
ud8.6:3.1In the morning, the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the guest house together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. Having washed his feet, he entered the guest house and sat against the central column facing east.
ud8.6:3.2The Saṅgha of mendicants also washed their feet, entered the guest house, and sat against the west wall facing east, with the Buddha right in front of them.
ud8.6:3.3The lay followers of Pāṭali Village also washed their feet, entered the guest house, and sat against the east wall facing west, with the Buddha right in front of them.
ud8.6:3.4Then the Buddha addressed them:
ud8.6:4.1“Householders, there are these five drawbacks for an unethical person because of their failure in ethics.
ud8.6:4.2What five?
ud8.6:4.3Firstly, an unethical person loses great wealth on account of negligence.
ud8.6:4.4This is the first drawback.
ud8.6:5.1Furthermore, an unethical person gets a bad reputation.
ud8.6:5.2This is the second drawback.
ud8.6:6.1Furthermore, an unethical person enters any kind of assembly unconfident and embarrassed, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.
ud8.6:6.2This is the third drawback.
ud8.6:7.1Furthermore, an unethical person feels lost when they die.
ud8.6:7.2This is the fourth drawback.
ud8.6:8.1Furthermore, an unethical person, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
ud8.6:8.2This is the fifth drawback.
ud8.6:8.3These are the five drawbacks for an unethical person because of their failure in ethics.
ud8.6:9.1There are these five benefits for an ethical person because of their accomplishment in ethics.
ud8.6:9.2What five?
ud8.6:9.3Firstly, an ethical person gains great wealth on account of diligence.
ud8.6:9.4This is the first benefit.
ud8.6:10.1Furthermore, an ethical person gets a good reputation.
ud8.6:10.2This is the second benefit.
ud8.6:11.1Furthermore, an ethical person enters any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.
ud8.6:11.2This is the third benefit.
ud8.6:12.1Furthermore, an ethical person dies not feeling lost.
ud8.6:12.2This is the fourth benefit.
ud8.6:13.1Furthermore, when an ethical person’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
ud8.6:13.2This is the fifth benefit.
ud8.6:13.3These are the five benefits for an ethical person because of their accomplishment in ethics.”
ud8.6:14.1The Buddha spent much of the night educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the lay followers of Pāṭali Village with a Dhamma talk. Then he sent them off,
ud8.6:14.2“The night is getting late, householders. Please go at your convenience.”
ud8.6:14.3And then the lay followers of Pāṭali Village approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. They got up from their seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right, before leaving.
ud8.6:14.4Soon after they left the Buddha entered a private cubicle.
ud8.6:15.1Now at that time the Magadhan ministers Sunidha and Vassakāra were building a citadel at Pāṭali Village to keep the Vajjis out.
ud8.6:15.2At that time thousands of deities were taking possession of building sites in Pāṭali Village.
ud8.6:15.3Illustrious rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by illustrious deities.
ud8.6:15.4Middling rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by middling deities.
ud8.6:15.5Lesser rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by lesser deities.
ud8.6:16.1With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, the Buddha saw those deities taking possession of building sites in Pāṭali Village,
ud8.6:16.2and the people building houses in accord with the station of the deities.
ud8.6:16.5The Buddha rose at the crack of dawn and addressed Ānanda,
ud8.6:17.1“Ānanda, who is building a citadel at Pāṭali Village?”
ud8.6:17.2“Sir, the Magadhan chief ministers Sunidha and Vassakāra are building a citadel to keep the Vajjis out.”
ud8.6:17.3“It’s as if they were building the citadel in consultation with the gods of the thirty-three.
ud8.6:17.5With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw those deities taking possession of building sites.
ud8.6:17.6Illustrious rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by illustrious deities.
ud8.6:17.7Middling rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by middling deities.
ud8.6:17.8Lesser rulers or royal chief ministers inclined to build houses at sites possessed by lesser deities.
ud8.6:17.9As far as the civilized region extends, as far as the trading zone extends, this will be the chief city: the Pāṭaliputta trade center.
ud8.6:17.10But Pāṭaliputta will face three threats:
ud8.6:17.11from fire, flood, and dissension.”
ud8.6:18.1Then the Magadhan ministers Sunidha and Vassakāra approached the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
ud8.6:18.2When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they stood to one side and said,
ud8.6:18.4“Would Worthy Gotama together with the mendicant Saṅgha please accept today’s meal from me?”
ud8.6:19.1Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, they went to their own guest house, where they had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared. Then they had the Buddha informed of the time, saying,
ud8.6:19.2“It’s time, worthy Gotama, the meal is ready.”
ud8.6:20.1Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to their guest house together with the mendicant Saṅgha, where he sat down on the seat spread out.
ud8.6:20.2Then Sunidha and Vassakāra served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with their own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.
ud8.6:21.1When the Buddha had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Sunidha and Vassakāra took a low seat and sat to one side.
ud8.6:21.2The Buddha expressed his appreciation with these verses:
ud8.6:22.1“In the place he makes his dwelling,
ud8.6:22.2having fed the astute
ud8.6:22.3and the virtuous here,
ud8.6:22.4the restrained spiritual practitioners,
ud8.6:23.1he should dedicate an offering
ud8.6:23.2to the deities there.
ud8.6:23.3Venerated, they venerate him;
ud8.6:23.4honored, they honor him.
ud8.6:24.1After that they have sympathy for him,
ud8.6:24.2like a mother for the child at her breast.
ud8.6:24.3A man beloved of the deities
ud8.6:24.4always sees nice things.”
ud8.6:25.1When the Buddha had expressed his appreciation to Sunidha and Vassakāra with these verses, he rose from his seat and left.
ud8.6:26.1Sunidha and Vassakāra followed behind the Buddha, thinking,
ud8.6:26.2“The gate through which the ascetic Gotama exits today shall be named the Gotama Gate.
ud8.6:26.3The ford at which he crosses the Ganges River shall be named the Gotama Ford.”
ud8.6:27.1Then the gate through which the Buddha exited was named the Gotama Gate.
ud8.6:27.2Then the Buddha came to the Ganges River.
ud8.6:27.3Now at that time the Ganges was full to the brim so a crow could drink from it.
ud8.6:27.4Wanting to cross from the near to the far shore, some people were seeking a boat, some a dinghy, while some were tying up a raft.
ud8.6:27.5But, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, the Buddha, together with the mendicant Saṅgha, vanished from the near shore and landed on the far shore.
ud8.6:28.1He saw all those humans wanting to cross over.
ud8.6:29.1Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
ud8.6:30.1“Those who cross a deluge or stream
ud8.6:30.2have built a bridge and left the marshes behind.
ud8.6:30.3While some people are still tying a raft,
ud8.6:30.4intelligent people have crossed over.”