The Medium Discourses

Chapter 5: Related to Cultivation

50. Veneration (2)

1. Thus I have heard:[1] One time, the Buddha traveled to the country of Śrāvastī and stayed at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove.

2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “A monk should pay respect to, observe well, and pay homage to others of the religious practice. Suppose a monk hasn’t paid respect to, well observed, or paid homage to others of the religious practice. There’s no way he’ll be well behaved. Not being well behaved, there’s no way he’ll possess learning. Not being learned, he won’t guard his faculties … guard the precepts … have no regrets … gladness … joy … calmness … happiness … samādhi … true seeing and true knowing … disenchantment … lack of desire … liberation. Not possessing liberation, there’s no way he’ll possess nirvāṇa.

3. “Suppose a monk has paid respect to, well observed, and paid homage to others of the religious practice. It’s possible for him to be well behaved. Being well behaved, it’s possible for him to possess learning. Being learned, he’ll guard his faculties … guarding the precepts … have no regrets … gladness … joy … calmness … happiness … samādhi … true seeing and true knowing … disenchantment … lack of desire … liberation. Possessing liberation, it’s possible for him to possess nirvāṇa.”

4. The Buddha spoke thus. Those monks who had heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.

Notes

1. For the source text, cf. T26.1.487a15-b1. A close Pali parallel to this sūtra is AN 5.22, but it includes the full list from AN 11.1-4. [Back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 28 March 2024