The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [352]
“Great King, those who speak thus do not say what has been said by me, but misrepresent me with what is untrue and contrary to fact.”
6. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala addressed General Viḍūḍabha: “General, who introduced this story into the palace?” “It was Sañjaya, sire, the brahmin of the Ākāsa clan.”
7. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala told a man: “Come, good man, in my name tell Sañjaya, the brahmin of the Ākāsa clan: ‘Venerable sir, King Pasenadi of Kosala calls you.’”
“Yes, sire,” the man replied. He went to Sañjaya, the brahmin of the Ākāsa clan, and told him: “Venerable sir, King Pasenadi of Kosala calls you.”
8. Meanwhile King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, could something else have been said by the Blessed One referring to that, and the person understood it wrongly? In what way does the Blessed One recall making that utterance?”
“I recall having actually made the utterance in this way, great king: ‘There is no recluse or brahmin who knows all, who sees all, simultaneously; that is not possible.’”846
“What the Blessed One has said appears reasonable, what the Blessed One has said appears to be supported by reason: ‘There is no recluse or brahmin [128] who knows all, who sees all, simultaneously; that is not possible.’”
9. “There are these four castes, venerable sir: the nobles, the brahmins, the merchants, and the workers. Is there any distinction or difference among them?”
“There are these four castes, great king: the nobles, the brahmins, the merchants, and the workers. Two of them, that is, the nobles and the brahmins, are held to be superior since men pay homage to them, rise up for them, and accord them reverential salutation and polite services.”
10. “Venerable sir, I was not asking about this present life; I was asking about the life to come.847 There are these four castes, venerable sir: the nobles, the brahmins, the merchants, and the workers. Is there any distinction or difference among them?”
“Great king, there are these five factors of striving.848 What five? Here a bhikkhu has faith, he places his faith in the Tathāgata’s enlightenment thus: ‘The Blessed One is accomplished, fully enlightened, perfect in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of worlds, incomparable leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened, blessed.’ Then he is free from illness and affliction, possessing a good digestion that is neither too cool nor too warm but medium and able to bear the strain of striving. Then he is honest and sincere, and shows himself as he actually is to his teacher and his companions in the holy life. Then he is energetic in abandoning unwholesome states and in undertaking wholesome states, steadfast, launching his effort with firmness and persevering in cultivating wholesome states. Then he is wise; he possesses wisdom regarding rise and disappearance that is noble and penetrative and leads to the complete destruction of suffering. These are the five factors of striving.
“There are these four castes, great king: the nobles, the brahmins, the merchants, and the workers. Now if they possessed these five factors of striving, it would lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time.”
11. “Venerable sir, there are these four castes: the nobles, the brahmins, the merchants, [129] and the workers. Now if they possessed these five factors of striving, would there be any difference among them here in that respect?”
“Here, great king, I say that the difference among them would lie