2.7. Consideration (T1670B2.7)

“Revered Sir, of those who are not reborn, is it due to their whole-hearted consideration of saddharma and virtue?”

“Your Majesty, by whole-hearted consideration of saddharma, virtue, wisdom and other good qualities, one will not be reborn.”

“As for the whole-hearted consideration of saddharma and wisdom, are the meanings of the two terms the same?”

“Certainly not, their meanings are quite different.”

The king said, “Do the oxen, horses and the six kinds of domestic animals, have wisdom or not?”

“Oxen and horses, the six kinds of domestic animals have wisdom, but their minds are different. Have you, your majesty, ever seen the reaper? With their left hands, they grasp the barley into a bunch, and taking the sickles into their right hands, they cut the barley with it. Wise men cut off their lustful craving, just like cutting off the barley.”

“Excellent, Nāgasena.”

Nāgasena Bhikṣu Sūtra, translated by Venerable Guang Xing. Buddha’s Light Edition English Sutra Translation Series, 2008. This publication is part of translation program of the Woodenfish Project.

The full text, with detailed notes, textual and historical discussion, and comparison between Pali and Chinese texts, is available for download in two separate files, Translation and Notes.

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Used with kind permission of Buddha’s Light Publishing.

This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Bhikkhu Sujato.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.