Kamabhu (1)

At one time, the Venerable Kamabhu was dwelling in Macchikasanda, in Ambakavana (the Plum-Mango Grove).

Then, there where the Venerable Kamabhu was, there Citta, the householder, approached. Having approached and having saluted the Venerable Kamabhu, he sat to one side. Having sat to one side, the Venerable Kamabhu then said this to Citta, the householder:

"This was said, householder:

'With faultless part, adorned in white, the one-way chariot rolls on: 'See it coming, undisturbed, with flow cut off, unbound.' "How, then, householder, should the detailed or expanded meaning of this condensed statement be seen?"

"Was this, Venerable One, spoken by the Lord Buddha?"

"Just so, householder."

"So then, Venerable One, please wait a moment while I look at its meaning."

And then, Citta the householder, having been silent for a moment, said this to the Venerable Kamabhu:

"'Faultless part': now this, Venerable One, is a metaphorical expression for the virtues.

"'Adorned in white': this, Venerable One, is a metaphorical expression for liberation.

"'Going one way': this, Venerable One, is a metaphorical expression for mindfulness.

"'Rolls on': this, Venerable One, is a metaphorical expression for advancing and retreating.

"'Chariot': this, Venerable One, is a metaphorical expression for this body of four great elements, produced from mother and father, accumulated out of boiled rice and grain, subject to erosion, abrasion, dissolution and disintegration.

"Lust, indeed, Venerable One, is disturbance, hatred is disturbance, delusion is disturbance. For a monk with poisonous mental influences destroyed, these are abandoned, broken at the root, like a palm made groundless, with sprouts annihilated, such that, thereafter, they have no arising. Because of that, a monk with poisonous mental influences destroyed is called 'one who is undisturbed'.

"'The one who is coming': this, Venerable One, is a metaphorical expression for the arahant.

"'Flow': this, Venerable One, is a metaphorical expression for craving. For a monk with poisonous mental influences destroyed, this is abandoned, broken at the root, like a palm made groundless, with sprouts annihilated, such that, thereafter, it has no arising. Because of that, a monk with poisonous mental influences destroyed is called 'one with flow cut off'.

"Lust, indeed, Venerable One, is bondage, hatred is bondage, delusion is bondage. For a monk with poisonous mental influences destroyed, these are abandoned, broken at the root, like a palm made groundless, with sprouts annihilated, such that, thereafter, they have no arising. Because of that, a monk with poisonous mental influences destroyed is called 'one who is unbound'.

"Thus, indeed, Venerable One, is that which was said by the Lord Buddha:

'With faultless part, adorned in white,

the one-way chariot rolls on:

'See it coming, undisturbed,

with flow cut off, unbound.'

"Of this condensed statement, Venerable One, spoken by the Lord Buddha, thus do I understand the detailed or expanded meaning."

"It is understood by you, householder, it is well-understood by you; for your wisdom-eye proceeds methodically through the profound word of the Buddha."