The Jar

[275] [186]

Thus have I heard:

The Exalted One was once staying near Savatthī at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

At this time both the venerable ones Sāriputta and Mahā-Moggallāna were staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove at the Suirrels' Feeding-ground in the same cell.¹

Now the venerable Sāriputta rising at eventide from meditation went to the venerable Mahā-Moggallāna and exchanged kind and friendly greetings with him.

Seated by his side the venerable Sāriputta said thus: —

'Very serene, friend, Moggallāna, are you looking, very pure and clear is your complexion.

Has the venerable Mahā-Moggallāna spent to-day in peace?'²

'I spent to-day, friend, in the exercise of sense,³ moreover I had pious converse.'

'With whom did the venerable Mahā-Moggallāna hold pious converse?'

'With the Exalted One, friend.'

'Far away, friend, the Exalted One now stays at Savatthī, at Jeta Grove in the Anāthapiṇḍika Park. What then? Did the venerable Mahā-Moggallāna go by will-power to the Exalted one, or was it the other way about?'

'I neither went by will-power to the Exalted One, friend, nor did the Exalted One come by will-power to me.

Nevertheless even as with him, so also with me the deva-sight and the deva-hearing are made clear.'⁴

'What kind of pious converse did the Exalted One hold with the venerable Mahā-Moggallāna?'

'As to that, friend, I asked the Exalted One:

"We say, lord, [this one] is of consummate energy,⁵ [that one] is of consummate energy; in what way is a man so?

And the Exalted One said to me this: —

"It is herein, Moggallāna, that a brother practises consummate energy: —

'Verily let skin and sinews and bones wilt in my body,
let flesh and blood dry up,
or ever there be halting of energy
till I have won
that which by a man's strength,
by man's energy,
by man's progress
may be won!'⁶ —

— thus Moggallāna, does one become of consummate energy."

It was just thus that I had pious converse with the Exalted One.'

'As if a little mound of gravel were set up alongside of Himālaya, lord of the hills, friend, even so are we when set up alongside of the venerable Mahā-Moggallāna. Verily may he, so gifted, so wonderful abide here for an aeon if he so desire!'

'As if a little pinch of salt were set up alongside of a big jar of salt, friend, even so are we when set up alongside of the venerable Sāriputta.

Verily hath the Exalted One praised, commended, extolled the venerable Sāriputta in divers ways.

Even as Sāriputta was supreme
In insight, morals, and self-mastery,
So may the brother who hath won the goal
Rank even with the highest of them all.⁷

Thus verily did these two great souls give cheer one to the other in that they spoke well, in that they talked well.

¹ Ekavihāre.

² Santena vihārena.

³ O'ārikena vihārena: lit. in a material or gross sense, as compared, presumably, with purely mental exercise. He was exercising clairvoyance and clairaudience, and the objects thereof are 'gross.' Comy.

⁴ The thera wondering where the Master was just then, developed the light and saw him, with deva-sight, seated in his 'Fragrant Chamber,' and heard him. Comy.

⁵ Āraddhaviriyo.

⁶ Cf. above, p.24.

⁷ Above, i, 80. The verses are there ascribed to Anāthapiṇḍika, on his revisiting his park, his gift to the Order, as a deva after his passing over.

II. The Nidana Book 21. The Kindred Sayings about Brethren

Sutta 3

Ghaṭo

The Jar

II. The Nidana Book
21. The Kindred Sayings about Brethren