A Sympathetic Mendicant (AN5.235)

Numbered Discourses 5.235

24. A Resident Mendicant

A Sympathetic Mendicant

“Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities shows sympathy to the lay people.

What five?

They encourage them in higher ethics.

They equip them to see the truth of the teachings.

When they are sick, they go to them and prompt their mindfulness, saying:

‘Establish your mindfulness, good fellows, in what is worthy.’

When a large mendicant Saṅgha is arriving with mendicants from abroad, they go to the lay people and announce:

‘A large mendicant Saṅgha is arriving with mendicants from abroad. Make merit! Now is the time to make merit!’

And they eat whatever food they give them, coarse or fine, not wasting a gift given in faith.

A resident mendicant with these five qualities shows sympathy to the lay people.”