The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [144]
5. When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Revata thus: “Friend Revata, the venerable Ānanda has spoken according to his own inspiration. 358 Now we ask the venerable Revata: Friend Revata, the Gosinga Sāla-tree 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 Revata, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu delights in solitary meditation and takes delight in solitary meditation; he is devoted to internal serenity of mind, does not neglect meditation, possesses insight, and dwells in empty huts.359 That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
6. When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Anuruddha thus: “Friend Anuruddha, the venerable Revata has spoken according to his own inspiration. Now we ask the venerable Anuruddha: Friend Anuruddha, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful…What kind of bhikkhu, friend Anuruddha, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu surveys a thousand worlds. Just as a man with good sight, when he has ascended to the upper palace chamber, might survey a thousand wheel-rims, so too, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, a bhikkhu surveys a thousand worlds .360 That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
7. When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Mahā Kassapa thus: “Friend Kassapa, the venerable Anuruddha has spoken according to his own inspiration. Now we ask the venerable Mahā Kassapa: Friend Kassapa, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful…What kind of bhikkhu, friend Kassapa, [214] could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu is a forest dweller himself and speaks in praise of forest dwelling; he is an almsfood eater himself and speaks in praise of eating almsfood; he is a refuse-rag wearer himself and speaks in praise of wearing refuse-rag robes; he is a triple-robe wearer himself and speaks in praise of wearing the triple robe;361 he has few wishes himself and speaks in praise of fewness of wishes; he is content himself and speaks in praise of contentment; he is secluded himself and speaks in praise of seclusion; he is aloof from society himself and speaks in praise of aloofness from society; he is energetic himself and speaks in praise of arousing energy; he has attained to virtue himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of virtue; he has attained to concentration himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of concentration; he has attained to wisdom himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of wisdom; he has attained to deliverance himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of deliverance; he has attained to the knowledge and vision of deliverance himself and speaks in praise of the attainment of the knowledge and vision of deliverance. That kind of bhikkhu could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood.”
8. When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta addressed the venerable Mahā Moggallāna thus: “Friend Moggallāna, the venerable Mahā Kassapa has spoken according to his own inspiration. Now we ask the venerable Mahā Moggallāna: Friend Moggallāna, the Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood is delightful…What kind of bhikkhu, friend Moggallāna, could illuminate this Gosinga Sāla-tree Wood?”
“Here, friend Sāriputta, two bhikkhus engage in a talk on the higher Dhamma362 and they question each other, and each being questioned by the other