The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [125]
42. “Again, by completely surmounting the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the cessation of perception and feeling. And his taints are destroyed by his seeing with wisdom. This bhikkhu is said to have blindfolded Māra, to have become invisible to the Evil One by depriving Māra’s eye of its opportunity, and to have crossed beyond attachment to the world.318 He walks confidently, stands confidently, sits confidently, lies down confidently. Why is that? Because he is out of the Evil One’s range.”
That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta
The Shorter Discourse on the Simile
of the Elephant’s Footprint
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD.319 On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.
2. Now on that occasion the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi was driving out of Sāvatthī in the middle of the day in an all-white chariot drawn by white mares. He saw the wanderer Pilotika coming in the distance and asked him: “Now where is Master Vacchāyana coming from in the middle of the day?”320
“Sir, I am coming from the presence of the recluse Gotama.”
“What does Master Vacchāyana think of the recluse Gotama’s lucidity of wisdom? He is wise, is he not?”
“Sir, who am I to know the recluse Gotama’s lucidity of wisdom? One would surely have to be his equal to know the recluse Gotama’s lucidity of wisdom.”
“Master Vacchāyana praises the recluse Gotama with high praise indeed.”
“Sir, who am I to praise the recluse Gotama? The recluse Gotama is praised by the praised as best among gods and humans.”
“What reasons does Master Vacchāyana see that he has such firm confidence in the recluse Gotama?”
3. “Sir, suppose a wise elephant woodsman were to enter an elephant wood and were to see in the elephant wood [176] a big elephant’s footprint, long in extent and broad across. He would come to the conclusion: ‘Indeed, this is a big bull elephant.’ So too, when I saw four footprints of the recluse Gotama, I came to the conclusion: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha is practising the good way.’ What are the four?
4. “Sir, I have seen here certain learned nobles who were clever, knowledgeable about the doctrines of others, as sharp as hairsplitting marksmen; they wander about, as it were, demolishing the views of others with their sharp wits. When they hear: ‘The recluse Gotama will visit such and such a village or town,’ they formulate a question thus: ‘We will go to the recluse Gotama and ask him this question. If he is asked like this, he will answer like this, and so we will refute his doctrine in this way; and if he is asked like that, he will answer like that, and so we will refute his doctrine in that way.’
“They hear: ‘The recluse Gotama has come to visit such and such a village or town.’ They go to the recluse Gotama, and the recluse Gotama instructs, urges, rouses, and gladdens them with a talk on the Dhamma. After they have been instructed, urged, roused, and gladdened by the recluse Gotama with a talk on the Dhamma, they do not so much as ask him the question, so how should they refute his doctrine? In actual fact, they become his disciples. When I saw this first footprint of the recluse Gotama, I came to the conclusion: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha is practising the good way.’
5. “Again, I have seen certain learned brahmins who were clever…In actual fact, they too become his disciples. When I saw this second footprint of the recluse Gotama, I came to the conclusion: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened…’
6. “Again, I have seen certain learned householders who were clever…[177]…In actual fact, they too become his