..續本文上一頁 I have gone forth. That Blessed One is my teacher and it is his Dhamma that I profess."

　　"What does the venerable one”s master teach, what does he proclaim

　　"

　　Questioned thus, the Elder Assaji thought to himself: "These wandering ascetics are opposed to the Buddha”s dispensation. I shall show him how profound this dispensation is." So he said: "I am but new to the training, friend. It is not long since I went forth from home, and I came but recently to this teaching and discipline. I cannot explain the Dhamma in detail to you."

　　The wanderer replied: "I am called Upatissa, friend. Please tell me according to your ability, be it much or little. It will be my task to penetrate its meaning by way of a hundred or a thousand methods." And he added:

　　"Be it little or much that you can tell,

　　the meaning only, please proclaim to me!

　　To know the meaning is my sole desire;

　　Of no avail to me are many words."

　　In response, the Elder Assaji uttered this stanza:

　　"Of all those things that from a cause arise,

　　Tathagata the cause thereof has told;

　　And how they cease to be, that too he tells,

　　This is the doctrine of the Great Recluse."[2]

　　Upon hearing the first two lines, Upatissa became established in the Path of stream-entry, and to the ending of the last two lines he already listened as a stream-winner.

　　When he become a stream-winner, and before he had achieved the higher attainments, he thought: "Here will the means of deliverance be found!" and he said to the Elder: "Do not enlarge upon this exposition of the Dhamma, venerable sir. This will suffice. But where does our Master live

　　"

　　"In the Bamboo Grove Monastery, wanderer."

　　"Then please go on ahead, venerable sir. I have a friend with whom I agreed that he who should reach the Deathless State first, should tell the other. I shall inform him, and together we shall follow on the road you went and shall come into the Master”s presence." Upatissa then prostrated himself at the Elder”s feet, saluted him and, taking the Elder”s leave, went back to the park of the Wandering Ascetics.

　　Kolita saw him approaching and thought: "Today my friend”s appearance is quite changed. Surely, he must have found the Deathless State!"

　　And when he asked him about it, Upatissa replied: "Yes, friend, the Deathless State has been found!" and he recited to him the stanza he had heard. At the end of the verse, Kolita was established in the Fruition of stream-entry and he asked: "Where, my dear, does the Master live

　　"

　　"I learned from our teacher, the Elder Assaji, that he lives at the Bamboo Grove Monastery."

　　"Then let us go, Upatissa, and see the Master," said Kolita.

　　But Sariputta was one who always respected his teacher, and therefore he said to his friend: "First, my dear, we shall go to our teacher, the Wanderer Sañjaya, and tell him that we have found the Deathless. If he can grasp it, he will penetrate to the Truth. And even if he does not he may, out of confidence in us, come with us to see the Master; and hearing the Buddha”s teaching, he will attain to the penetration of the Path and Fruition."

　　So both of them went to Sañjaya and said: "Oh, our teacher! What are you doing

　　 A Buddha has appeared in the world! Well proclaimed is his Teaching and in right conduct lives his community of monks. Let us go and see the Master of the Ten Powers!"

　　"What are you saying, my dear

　　" Sañjaya exclaimed. And refusing to go with them he spoke to them of the gain and fame they would enjoy if they would share his, the teacher”s, place.

　　But they said: "Oh, we should not mind always remaining in the state of pupils! But you, O teacher, you must know whether to go or not!"

　　Then Sañjaya thought: "If they know so much, they will not listen to what I say." And realizing that, he replied: "You may g…

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