The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [143]
22. [The Blessed One said:] “So it is, Dīgha, so it is! And if the clan from which those three clansmen went forth from the home life into homelessness should remember them with confident heart, that would lead to the welfare and happiness of that clan for a long time. And if the retinue of the clan from which those three clansmen went forth [211]…the village from which they went forth…the town from which they went forth…the city from which they went forth…the country from which those three clansmen went forth from the home life into homelessness should remember them with confident heart, that would lead to the welfare and happiness of that country for a long time. If all nobles should remember those three clansmen with confident heart, that would lead to the welfare and happiness of the nobles for a long time. If all brahmins…all merchants…all workers should remember those three clansmen with confident heart, that would lead to the welfare and happiness of the workers for a long time. If the world with its gods, its Māras, and its Brahmās, this generation with its recluses and brahmins, its princes and its people, should remember those three clansmen with confident heart, that would lead to the welfare and happiness of the world for a long time. See, Dīgha, how those three clansmen are practising for the welfare and happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare and happiness of gods and humans.”
That is what the Blessed One said. The spirit Dīgha Parajana was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Mahāgosinga Sutta
The Greater Discourse in Gosinga
[212] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living in the Park of the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood together with a number of very well-known elder disciples—the venerable Sāriputta, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna, the venerable Mahā Kassapa, the venerable Anuruddha, the venerable Revata, the venerable Ānanda, and other very well known elder disciples.
2. Then, when it was evening, the venerable Mahā Moggallāna rose from meditation, went to the venerable Mahā Kassapa, and said to him: “Friend Kassapa, let us go to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma.”—“Yes, friend,” the venerable Mahā Kassapa replied. Then the venerable Mahā Moggallāna, the venerable Mahā Kassapa, and the venerable Anuruddha went to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma.
3. The venerable Ānanda saw them going to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma. Thereupon he went to the venerable Revata and said to him: “Friend Revata, those true men are going to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma. Let us also go to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma.”—“Yes, friend,” the venerable Revata to replied.to Then the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda went to the venerable Sāriputta to listen to the Dhamma.
4. The venerable Sāriputta saw the venerable Revata and the venerable Ānanda coming in the distance and said to the venerable Ānanda: “Let the venerable Ānanda come, welcome to the venerable Ānanda, the Blessed One’s attendant, who is always in the Blessed One’s presence. Friend Ānanda, the Gosinga Sālatree Wood is delightful, the night is moonlit, the sāla trees are all in blossom, and heavenly scents seem to be floating in the air. What kind of bhikkhu, friend Ānanda, could illuminate the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend [213] Sāriputta, a bhikkhu has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and consolidates what he has learned. Such teachings as are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, and which affirm a