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by Baksheesh the Madman
Thus have I heard. Once
while seated in a cool grove near the City of Rajgir with Ananda, and
beholding the shining city peopled with the people of Rajgir, the World-Honoured
One spake thus:
"Ananda, this City of Rajgir has much wealth, if I am not correct."
"Yea, World-Honored One, much wealth indeed," replied Ananda.
"Ananda," asked the World-Honoured One, "are there many monks in the
Sangha?"
"Yea, World-Honored One,” replied Ananda, "there are very many monks in
the Sangha, as many as the inhabitants of a small city."
"Ananda," asked the World-Honoured One, "do these very many monks in the
Sangha need such things as robes, sandals, food and shelter?"
"Yea, World-Honoured One," replied Ananda, "all of the monks in the Sangha
require robes, sandals, food and shelter."
The World-Honoured One asked further, "Ananda, is much wealth required to
care for the needs of the Sangha?"
Ananda answered, "Yea, World-Honored One, much wealth is needed to care
for the needs of a Sangha that numbers as many monks as there are
inhabitants in a small city."
The World-Honoured One asked further, "Ananda, have you spoken to the
wealthy men of Rajgir, those skilled in crafts, in the making and
distribution of valuable goods, in the creating of every pleasant and
costly thing, concerning the needs of the Sangha? Have you spoken to those
merchants blessed with the golden touch of Indra, who turn poverty to
riches at the touch of their hand, to help them rise to greater merit and
splendor by donating their riches to the Sangha?"
Then Ananda leaned forward to the World-Honoured One, smiling in a pleased
fashion, and in lowered voice said, "World-Honoured One, indeed have I
done these things. I have arranged the affairs of the Sangha so that the
merchants of Rajgir, in order to ascend in closeness to your World-Honoured
Presence, must compete in generosity to increase in merit. Thus have I
induced the wealthy people of Rajgir to care for the needs of the Sangha."
The World-Honoured One asked further, "Ananda, is this the reason why you
have on this day a more beautiful robe than the other members of the
Sangha, is this why your sandals have a most pleasing style of
workmanship, and your skin is delightfully scented?"
"Yea, World-Honoured One," replied Ananda, "rightly have you ascertained
the source of these things, for from the greater abundance I have brought
to the Sangha by my skill in handling the men of Rajgir, I have taken a
small amount to purchase those robes and sandals and scented oils which I
require in order to be fit for the company of the men of Rajgir, whose
customs, as you have observed, are notable for their refinement."
"Ananda," asked the World-Honoured One then, "are you known as the World-Honoured
One?"
"No," replied Ananda, revealing his right shoulder and inclining his head
to the ground to show his respect, "World-Honoured One, only you are known
as the World-Honoured One. I am known as the Bikkhu Ananda."
"Am I rightly known, Ananda, as the World-Honoured One?" asked the World-Honoured
One.
"Yea," replied Ananda, "you are rightly called the World-Honoured, for all
the world honours you, and rightly you are called the One, for you alone
receive this recognition."
"Verily," replied the World-Honoured One to Ananda, "you speak rightly. I
am the World-Honoured One, and you are not, because the World-Honoured One
would not have done as you have done with the merchants of Rajgir, and one
who does as you have done with the merchants of Rajgir would not be called
the World-Honoured One, for he would not be honoured by all the world. Do
you know, Ananda, why this is so?"
"No, World-Honoured One," replied Ananda, "I do not know why the act of
providing for the needs of the entire Sangha could not be honoured by all
the world."
"The reason, Ananda," replied the World-Honoured One, "why this act could
not be honoured by all the world is because the merchants competing for
merit would thereby be moved to jealousy, and others who have no means of
acquiring such merit, would be moved to further jealousy, and therefore
conduct such as yours with the merchants of Rajgir cannot conduce to
universal honour. Do you perceive, Ananda, that this is so?”
“World-Honoured One,” replied Ananda, “I was only trying to help the
Sangha to propagate the Dharma, relieving some of us who handle the
administrative work from the burden of daily begging.”
“Ananda,” replied the World-Honoured One, “Before you became Bikkhu Ananda,
were you a beggar?”
“No,” replied Ananda, “I was not a beggar, World-Honoured One, I was
wealthy like yourself.”
“Ananda,” continued the World-Honoured One, “Do you wish to be wealthy
again?”
“No,” replied Ananda, “I wish to be a Bikkhu and to follow your World-Honoured
Self.”
“Then,” replied the World-Honoured One, “You must give up this notion that
begging is to obtain wealth. Begging is to obtain poverty, not wealth. Do
you understand, Ananda?”
“Yea, World-Honoured One, I understand.” Ananda then rose respectfully on
one knee and supplicated before asking, “And now, World-Honoured One, may
I respectfully take my leave?”
“Where are you going, Ananda?” replied the World-Honoured One.
“Oh,” replied Ananda, “No place special, I just have to cancel a party.”
Thus have I heard.
Baksheesh the Madman
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