4th May

124. The Lord asked Asibandhakaputta, a follower of Nigantha Nātaputta: “What doctrine does Nigantha Nātaputta teach his disciples?”

“Lord, Nātaputta teaches that whoever kills, steals, commits sexual misconduct or lies goes to hell. According to how one habitually acts, one goes to one’s destiny.”

“But if you say that as one acts habitually one goes to one’s destiny, then according to Nātaputta’s teaching, no one would go to hell. What do you think about this? If a man say, kills by day or night or from time to time, which time is the most habitual to him? When he kills or when he is not killing?”

“Well, Lord, the time when he is not killing is most habitual to him.”

“Now, say a teacher proclaims a doctrine such as this and a follower has faith in such a teacher. That follower would think: ‘My teacher says that whoever kills, steals, commits sexual misconduct or lies goes to hell. Now I have done these things so I will go to hell.’ And so, holding this view, not giving it up, thinking about it, ruminating over it, he does go to hell. But say a Tathāgata appears in the world. He censures, strongly censures, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying, saying: ‘Abstain from these things.’ Then say a follower has faith in such a teacher, that follower would think: ‘The Lord in many ways censures, strongly censures, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying, saying: Abstain from these things. Now I have done such things. That is not well done, it is not good. Moreover, I may be remorseful when I remember that such deeds cannot be undone.’ Thinking in this way, he abandons such deeds. In this way he goes beyond evil deeds. By abandoning killing, he abstains from killing, by abandoning stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, backbiting, harsh speech, and idle chatter he abstains from all these things. By abandoning greed, he becomes generous, by abandoning hatred he becomes kind, and by abandoning wrong view he becomes one with perfect view. This noble disciple, freed from greed and hatred, not bewildered but mindful and concentrated, abides suffusing the four quarters of the world, above, below, across, everywhere, all beings, the whole world with a mind filled with love and compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity that is widespread, grown great. Just as a strong conch blower with but little effort gives notice to the four quarters, in the same way, nothing whatsoever is left out of that love and compassion, that sympathetic joy and equanimity.”

S.IV,317 (SN 42.8)