The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [275]
“Yes, venerable sir,” they replied.
3. Then, as the Blessed One was wandering by stages in the Kāsi country, he eventually arrived at a Kāsi town called Kīṭāgiri. There he lived in this Kāsi town, Kīṭāgiri.
4. Now on that occasion the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka were residing at Kīṭāgiri.697 Then a number of bhikkhus went and told them: “Friends, the Blessed One and the Sangha of bhikkhus now abstain from eating at night. By so doing, they are free from illness and affliction, and they enjoy health, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Come, friends, abstain from eating at night. By so doing, you too will be free from illness and affliction, and you will enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding.” [474] When this was said, the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka told those bhikkhus: “Friends, we eat in the evening, in the morning, and in the day outside the proper time. By so doing, we are free from illness and affliction, and we enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Why should we abandon [a benefit] visible here and now to pursue [a benefit to be achieved] at a future time? We shall eat in the evening, in the morning, and in the day outside the proper time.”
5. Since the bhikkhus were unable to convince the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka, they went to the Blessed One. After paying homage to him, they sat down at one side and told him all that had occurred, adding: “Venerable sir, since we were unable to convince the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka, we have reported this matter to the Blessed One.”
6. Then the Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu thus: “Come, bhikkhu, tell the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka in my name that the Teacher calls them.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” he replied, and he went to the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka and told them: “The Teacher calls you, friends.”
“Yes, friend,” they replied, and they went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, sat down at one side. The Blessed One then said: “Bhikkhus, is it true that when a number of bhikkhus went and told you: ‘Friends, the Blessed One and the Sangha now abstain from eating at night…Come, friends, abstain from eating at night [475]…,’ you told those bhikkhus: ‘Friends, we eat in the evening…Why should we abandon [a benefit] visible here and now to pursue [a benefit to be achieved] at a future time? We shall eat in the evening, in the morning, and in the day outside the proper time’?”—“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Bhikkhus, have you known me to teach the Dhamma in such a way as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences, whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase’?”698—“No, venerable sir.”
7. “Bhikkhus, have you not known me to teach the Dhamma in such a way as this: ‘Here, when someone feels a certain kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish; but when someone feels another kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase.699 Here, when someone feels a certain kind of painful feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish; but when someone feels another kind of painful feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase. Here, when someone feels a certain kind of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish; but when someone feels another kind of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase’?”—“Yes, venerable sir.”
8. “Good, bhikkhus.700 And if it were unknown by me, unseen, unfound, unrealised, uncontacted by