The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [338]
The Blessed One looked at the venerable Ānanda. [93] The venerable Ānanda said to Prince Bodhi: “Prince, let the cloth be removed. The Blessed One will not step on a strip of cloth; the Tathāgata has regard for future generations.”818
8. So Prince Bodhi had the cloth removed, and he had seats prepared in the upper apartments of the Kokanada Palace. The Blessed One and the Sangha of bhikkhus ascended the Kokanada Palace and sat down on the seats that had been prepared.
9. Then, with his own hands, Prince Bodhi served and satisfied the Sangha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with the various kinds of good food. When the Blessed One had eaten and had put his bowl aside, Prince Bodhi took a low seat, sat down at one side, and said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, we have thought thus: ‘Pleasure is not to be gained through pleasure; pleasure is to be gained through pain.’”819
10. “Prince, before my enlightenment, while I was still only an unenlightened Bodhisatta, I too thought thus: ‘Pleasure is not to be gained through pleasure; pleasure is to be gained through pain.’
11–14. “Later, prince, while still young, a black-haired young man endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life… (as Sutta 26, §§15–17)...And I sat down there thinking: ‘This will serve for striving.’
15–42. “Now three similes occurred to me spontaneously, never heard before...(as Sutta 36, §§17–44, but in the present sutta in §§18–23—corresponding to §§20–25 of Sutta 36—the sentence “But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain” does not occur; and in the present sutta in §§37, 39 and 42—corresponding to §§39, 41, and 44 of Sutta 36—the sentence “But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain” does not occur)...as happens in one who abides diligent, ardent, and resolute.
43–53. “I considered: ‘This Dhamma that I have attained is profound’... (as Sutta 26, §§19–29) [94]...and the six of us lived on what those two bhikkhus brought back from their almsround.
54. “Then the bhikkhus of the group of five, not long after being thus taught and instructed by me, by realising for themselves with direct knowledge, here and now entered upon and abided in that supreme goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness.”
55. When this was said, Prince Bodhi said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, when a bhikkhu finds the Tathāgata to discipline him, how long is it until by realising for himself with direct knowledge, he here and now enters upon and abides in that supreme goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness?”
“As to that, prince, I shall ask you a question in return. Answer it as you choose. What do you think, prince? Are you skilled in the art of wielding a goad while riding an elephant?”
“Yes, venerable sir, I am.”
56. “What do you think, prince? Suppose a man came here thinking: ‘Prince Bodhi knows the art of wielding a goad while riding an elephant; I shall train in that art under him.’ If he had no faith, he could not achieve what can be achieved by one who has faith; if he had much illness, he could not achieve what can be achieved by one who is free from illness; if he was fraudulent and deceitful, he could not achieve what can be achieved by one who is honest and sincere; if he was lazy, he could not achieve what can be achieved by one who is energetic; if he was not wise, he could not achieve what can be achieved by one who is wise. What do you think, prince? Could that man train under you in the art of wielding a goad while riding an elephant?”
“Venerable sir, even if he had one of those deficiencies, he could not train under me, so what of the five?”
57. “What do you think, prince? Suppose a man came here thinking: [95] ‘Prince Bodhi knows the art of wielding a goad while riding an elephant; I shall