The Bamboo
Vaṃsaṅgapañha (Mil 7.2 7)
‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the bamboo which you say he ought to take, which is it?,
‘Just, O king, as the bamboo, whithersoever the gale blows, to that quarter does it bend accordingly, pursuing no other way of its own; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, conduct himself in accordance with the ninefold teaching of the Master, the word of the Buddha, the Blessed One, and stedfastly keeping to all things lawful and blameless, he should seek after the qualities of the Samaṇaship itself. This, O king, is the one quality of the bamboo he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by Rāhula, the Elder:
“In accord always with Buddha’s ninefold word
And steadfast in all lawful, blameless acts,
I have passed beyond rebirth in evil states.”’
‘Just, O king, as the bamboo, whithersoever the gale blows, to that quarter does it bend accordingly, pursuing no other way of its own; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, conduct himself in accordance with the ninefold teaching of the Master, the word of the Buddha, the Blessed One, and stedfastly keeping to all things lawful and blameless, he should seek after the qualities of the Samaṇaship itself. This, O king, is the one quality of the bamboo he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by Rāhula, the Elder:
“In accord always with Buddha’s ninefold word
And steadfast in all lawful, blameless acts,
I have passed beyond rebirth in evil states.”’
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