Venerable Subhuti

Then venerable Subhuti approached The Blessed One with bhikkhu Saddha, worshipped sat on a side and then The Blessed One said to venerable Subhuti: “Subhuti, what is the name of this bhikkhu?"

“Venerable sir, his name is Saddha, he is the son of the lay disciple Sudatta he has left home and become homeless out of faith"

“Subhuti, the bhikkhu Saddha, son of the lay disciple Sudatta, has he faith in the endeavours?"

“Venerable sir, this is the time! Well Gone One this is the time to teach the faith in the endeavours to the bhikkhu Saddha. Then I will know whether the bhikkhu Saddha has faith in the endeavours or not.

“Then Subhuti, listen, and attend carefully I will tell.

Here, Subhuti, the bhikkhu is virtuous restrained in the higher code of rules, seeing fear in the slightest fault ... re ... Subhuti, the bhikkhu being virtuous restrained in the higher code of rules seeing fear in the slightest fault, is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti, the bhikkhu becomes learned, bears the learning and accumulates the Teaching which is good at the beginning, middle and end, full of meanings in words and letters, declaring the complete and pure holy life. That Teaching he repeats and experiences with the mind and penetratingly sees it Subhuti, the bhikkhu being learned ... re ... and penetratingly seeing it, is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti, the bhikkhu becomes a spiritual friend a good friend and associate. Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti, the bhikkhu is suave, with gentle and kind ways, patiently accepting advice. Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti, the bhikkhu becomes not lazy, clever in whatever work small or large that has to be done for the co-associates in the holy life, discriminating ways and means to do them and get them done. Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti, the bhikkhu is attached to the Teaching, delighted in deep matters of the Teaching and Discipline and talks with delight about them. Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti the bhikkhu abides with aroused effort to dispel demeritorious things and to accumulate meritorious things, firm about meritorious things, with the main aim in mind. Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti, the bhikkhu becomes a quick and easy gainer for nothing of the four higher states of the mind, the pleasant abidings in this very life. Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti, the bhikkhu recollects the manifold previous births, such as one birth, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, a hundred thousand, innumerable forward world cycles of births, innumerable backward world cycles of births, innumerable forward and backward world cycles of births-'There I was of such name, clan, disposition, supports, experiencing such pleasant and unpleasant feelings and with such a life span. Disappearing from there was born there with such name ... re ... with such a life span. Disappearing from there is born here. Thus with all details the manifold previous births are recollected. Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours.

Again Subhuti with the purified heavenly eye, beyond human, sees beings disappearing and appearing in unexalted and exalted states, beautiful and ugly, in good and evil states. Sees beings born according to their actions -'These good beings endowed with bodily, verbal and mental misbehaviour, blaming noble ones, with wrong view and the wrong view of actions, after death are born in decrease, in a bad state, in loss in hell. As for these good beings endowed with bodily, verbal and mental good behaviour, not blaming noble ones, with right view and the right view of actions, after death are born in increase, in a good state, in gain in heaven. Thus with the heavenly eye purified beyond human sees beings born in unexalted and exalted states ... re ... born according to their actions.

Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours.

Again, Subhuti, the bhikkhu destroying desires and releasing the mind and released through wisdom, here and now by himself realizing abides. The bhikkhu destroying deisres, ... re ... by himself realizing abiding, Subhuti, this too is faith in the endeavours".

When this was said, venerable Subhuti said to The Blessed One: “Venerable sir, this faith in the endeavours are evident in this bhikkhu. I see them in himṭhus.

“Venerable sir, this bhikkhu is virtuous, restrained in the higher code of rules, abides seeing fear in the slightest fault.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu is learned, bearing and accumulating the Teaching good at the beginning, middle and end, full of meaning even in the letters and declaring the complete and pure holy life. He bears it, recites it verbally and penetrates it to straighten the view.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu is a spiritual friend, a companion with good friendship.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu is suave and patiently accepts advice.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu is not lazy, is clever in doing and getting done whatever small and large things that have to be done for the co-associates in the holy life.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu is fond of the Teaching and talks delightedly about the deep matters in the Teaching and the Discipline.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu abides with aroused effort ... re ... has not given up the main aim in meritorious things.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu is a quick and easy gainer for nothing of the four higher states of the mind, the pleasant abidings in this very life.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu recollects the manifold previous births, such as one birth, two births, ... re ... recollects the manifold previous births with all details.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu with the purified heavenly eye beyond human ... re ... knows beings born according to their actions.

Venerable sir, this bhikkhu having destroyed desires, ... re ... by himself realizing abides.

Venerable sir, faith in the endeavours declared by The Blessed One are evident in this bhikkhu. This bhikkhu too sees them in himself"

“Excellent! Subhuti, then you live with bhikkhu Saddha, and when you desire come and see the Thus Gone One with the bhikkhu Saddha.