Pastors, Good and Bad

[1][pts][upal] THUS have I heard:

Once when the Lord was staying at among the Vajjians at Ukka-cela on the banks of the Ganges, the Lord addressed the Almsmen, saying:

Almsmen!

Lord, said they in answer.

Then the Lord spoke these words:

In bygone days
an incompetent herdsman of Magadha,
in autumn when it was the very last month of the rainy season,
without considering either the hither or the further shore of the Ganges,
started - from where there was no ford at all -
to drive his cattle across to the Videha side.

Huddled together in midstream,
they came there to trouble and disaster, -
all because of this incompetence of the herdsman.

It is just the same with any recluses and brahmins
who are wrong about this world and the hereafter,
wrong about what is and what is not the realm of Māra,
wrong about what is and what is not the realm of [160] Death; -
all who imagine they ought to hearken to,
and trust in,
such recluses and brahmins,
will long suffer and smart for it.

In bygone days,
a competent herdsman of Magadha,
in autumn when it was the very last month of the rainy season,
after due scrutiny of both the hither and the further shores of the Ganges,
started - from where there was a ford -
to drive his cattle across to the Videha side.

First of all he drove over the bulls,
the sires and leaders of the herd,
who crossed the stream to the further shore in safety.

Next he drove over the sturdy steers and cows,
who also crossed the stream to the further shore in safety.

Then he drove over the half-grown bull-calves
and heifers,
who also crossed the stream to the further shore in safety.

Then he drove over the weaker calves,
who also crossed the stream to the further shore in safety.

In those bygone days
there was a tiny new-born bull-calf,
which, helped along by the lowing of its mother,
also crossed the stream to the further shore in safety.

And why?

Because that competent herdsman of Magadha
had carefully considered both banks
before he drove his herd across the stream of the Ganges.

It is just the same with any recluses or brahmins
who are right about this world
and about the hereafter,
right about what is and what is not the realm of Māra,
right about what is and what is not the realm of Death; -
all who imagine they ought to hearken to,
and trust in,
these recluses and brahmins,
will long enjoy weal and welfare.

Just as those bulls,
sires and leaders of the herd,
crossed the stream of the Ganges to the further shore in safety,
so too those Almsmen who are Arahats,
in whom the Cankers are no more,
who have greatly lived,
whose task is done,
who have cast off their burthens,
who have won their weal,
and who, fettered no more to existence,
have by utter knowledge won Deliverance, -
these have crossed the stream of Māra
to the further shore in safety.

Just too as those sturdy steers and cows
crossed the stream of the Ganges in [l6l] safety,
so also those Almsmen who,
having destroyed the Five Fetters of this world,
will be translated hereafter
to realms from which they will never be reborn to earth, -
these too will cross the stream of Māra
to the further shore in safety.

Just too as the half-grown bull-calves
and heifers
crossed the stream of the Ganges
to the further shore in safety,
so also those Almsmen who,
having destroyed the Three Fetters
and having reduced passion,
hate
and folly
to a minimum,
will return but once more to this world
and then will make an end of Ill; -
these too will cross the stream of Māra
to the further shore in safety.

Just too as those weaker calves
crossed the stream of the Ganges
to the further shore in safety,
so also those Almsmen who,
having destroyed the Three Fetters
and entered the stream,
will escape all future states of misery,
possess an assured future,
and are destined to win Enlightenment; -
these too will cross the stream of Māra
to the further shore in safety.

Just too as that tiny new-born bull-calf,
helped along by the lowing of its mother,
crossed the stream of the Ganges
to the further shore in safety,
so also those Almsmen who live in accord with the Doctrine
and trust therein, -
these too will cross the stream of Māra
to the further shore in safety.

It is I, Almsmen,
who am right about this world
and about the hereafter,
it is I who am right about what is and what is not the realm of Māra,
it is I who am right about what is and what is not the realm of Death.

All who imagine they ought to hearken to,
and trust in, me,
will long enjoy weal and welfare.

Thus spoke the Lord;
and when the Blessed One had thus spoken
he went on, as the Master, to say this:

This world and worlds beyond, where Māra reigns
and where Death comes not, - this I knew andpreached;
in utter knowledge and Enlightenment,
I oped Nirvana's door of deathless peace.
At last o'er Māra's stream, death's roots uptorn,
- rejoice! rejoice! Nirvana's peace is won!

Majjhima Nikāya 1. Mūla-Paṇṇāsa 4. Mahā Yamaka Vagga

Sacred Books of the Buddhists Volume V Dialogues of the Buddha Part IV

Further Dialogues of the Buddha Volume I

Sutta 34

Cūḷa Go-Pālaka Suttaɱ

Pastors, Good and Bad

Majjhima Nikāya
1. Mūla-Paṇṇāsa
4. Mahā Yamaka Vagga

Sacred Books of the Buddhists
Volume V
Dialogues of the Buddha
Part IV

Further Dialogues of the Buddha
Volume I