The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [99]
8. “Therefore, bhikkhus, abandon what is unwholesome and devote yourselves to wholesome states, for that is how you will come to growth, increase, and fulfilment in this Dhamma and Discipline. Suppose there were a big sāla-tree grove near a village or town, and it was choked with castor-oil weeds, and some man would appear desiring its good, welfare, and protection. He would cut down and throw out the crooked saplings that robbed the sap, and he would clean up the interior of the grove and tend the straight well-formed saplings, so that the sāla-tree grove later on would come to growth, increase, and fulfilment. So too, bhikkhus, abandon what is unwholesome and devote yourselves to wholesome states, [125] for that is how you will come to growth, increase, and fulfilment in this Dhamma and Discipline.
9. “Formerly, bhikkhus, in this same Sāvatthī there was a housewife named Vedehikā. And a good report about Mistress Vedehikā had spread thus: ‘MistressVedehikā is gentle, Mistress Vedehikā is meek, Mistress Vedehikā is peaceful.’ Now Mistress Vedehikā had a maid named Kālī, who was clever, nimble, and neat in her work. The maid Kālī thought: ‘A good report about my lady has spread thus: “Mistress Vedehikā is gentle, Mistress Vedehikā is meek, Mistress Vedehikā is peaceful.” How is it now, while she does not show anger, is it nevertheless actually present in her or is it absent? Or else is it just because my work is neat that my lady shows no anger though it is actually present in her? Suppose I test my lady.’
“So the maid Kālī got up late. Then Mistress Vedehikā said: ‘Hey, Kālī!′—′What is it, madam?’—‘What is the matter that you get up so late?’—‘Nothing is the matter, madam.’—‘Nothing is the matter, you wicked girl, yet you get up so late!’ and she was angry and displeased, and she scowled. Then the maid Kālī thought: ‘The fact is that while my lady does not show anger, it is actually present in her, not absent; and it is just because my work is neat that my lady shows no anger though it is actually present in her, not absent. Suppose I test my lady a little more.’
“So the maid Kālī got up later in the day. Then Mistress Vedehikā said: ‘Hey, Kālī!′—′What is it, madam?’—‘What is the matter that you get up later in the day?’—‘Nothing is the matter, madam.’—‘Nothing is the matter, you wicked girl, yet you get up later in the day!’ and she was angry and displeased, and she spoke words of displeasure. Then the maid Kālī thought: ‘The fact is that while my lady does not show anger, it is actually present in her, not absent; and it is just because my work is neat that my lady shows no anger though it is actually present in her, not absent. Suppose I test my lady a little more.’
“So the maid Kālī got up still later in the day. Then Mistress Vedehikā [126] said: ‘Hey, Kālī!′—′What is it, madam?’—‘What is the matter that you get up still later in the day?’—‘Nothing is the matter, madam.’—‘Nothing is the matter, you wicked girl, yet you get up still later in the day!’ and she was angry and displeased, and she took a rolling-pin, gave her a blow on the head, and cut her head.
“Then the maid Kālī, with blood running from her cut head, denounced her mistress to the neighbours: ‘See, ladies, the gentle lady’s work! See, ladies, the meek lady’s work! See, ladies, the peaceful lady’s work! How can she become angry and displeased with her only maid for getting up late? How can she take a rolling-pin, give her a blow on the head, and cut her head?’ Then later on a bad report about Mistress Vedehikā spread thus: ‘Mistress Vedehikā is rough, Mistress Vedehikā is violent, Mistress Vedehikā is merciless.’
10. “So too, bhikkhus, some bhikkhu is extremely gentle, extremely meek, extremely peaceful, so long as disagreeable courses of speech do not touch him. But it is when disagreeable courses of speech touch him that it can be understood whether