The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [260]
26. “But here some bhikkhu is a chance offender without many offences. When he is corrected by the bhikkhus, he does not prevaricate…(repeat rest of §24)…And the bhikkhus examine that bhikkhu in such a way that the litigation against him is settled quickly.
27. “Here some bhikkhu progresses by a measure of faith and love.666 In this case bhikkhus consider thus: ‘Friends, this bhikkhu progresses by a measure of faith and love. Let him not lose that measure of faith and love, as he may if we take action against him by repeatedly admonishing him.’ Suppose a man had only one eye; then his friends and companions, his kinsmen and relatives, would guard his eye, thinking: ‘Let him not lose his one eye.’ So too, some bhikkhu progresses by a measure of faith and love…‘Let him not lose that measure of faith and love, as he may if we take action against him by repeatedly admonishing him.’
28. “This is the cause, this is the reason, why they take action against some bhikkhu here by repeatedly admonishing him; this is the cause, this is the reason, why they do not take such action against some bhikkhu here by repeatedly admonishing him.”
29. “Venerable sir, what is the cause, what is the reason, why there were previously [445] fewer training rules and more bhikkhus became established in final knowledge? What is the cause, what is the reason, why there are now more training rules and fewer bhikkhus become established in final knowledge?”
30. “That is how it is, Bhaddāli. When beings are deteriorating and the true Dhamma is disappearing, then there are more training rules and fewer bhikkhus become established in final knowledge. The Teacher does not make known the training rule for disciples until certain things that are the basis for taints become manifest here in the Sangha;667 but when certain things that are the basis for taints become manifest here in the Sangha, then the Teacher makes known the training rule for disciples in order to ward off those things that are the basis for taints.
31. “Those things that are the basis for taints do not become manifest here in the Sangha until the Sangha has reached greatness; but when the Sangha has reached greatness, then those things that are the basis for taints become manifest here in the Sangha, and then the Teacher makes known the training rule for disciples in order to ward off those things that are the basis for taints. Those things that are the basis for taints do not become manifest here in the Sangha until the Sangha has reached the acme of worldly gain…the acme of fame…great learning…long-standing renown; but when the Sangha has reached long-standing renown, then those things that are the basis for taints become manifest here in the Sangha, and then the Teacher makes known the training rule for disciples in order to ward off those things that are the basis for taints.
32. “There were few of you, Bhaddāli, when I taught an exposition of the Dhamma through the simile of the young thoroughbred colt. Do you remember that, Bhaddāli?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“To what reason do you attribute that?”
“Venerable sir, I have long been one who did not fulfil the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.”
“That is not the only cause or the only reason. But rather, by encompassing your mind with my mind, I have long known you thus: ‘When I am teaching the Dhamma, this misguided man does not heed it, does not give it attention, does not engage it with all his mind, does not hear the Dhamma with eager ears.’ Still, Bhaddāli, I will teach you an exposition of the Dhamma through the simile of the young thoroughbred colt. Listen and attend closely [446] to what I shall say.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” the venerable Bhaddāli replied.
The Blessed One said this:
33. “Bhaddāli, suppose a clever horse-trainer obtains a fine thoroughbred colt. He first makes