132. Herein, the virtue of those not fully admitted to the Order should be understood as virtue consisting in limited purification, because it is limited by the number [of training precepts, that is, five or eight or ten.
That of those fully admitted to the Order is [describable] thus:
Nine thousand millions, and a hundred
And eighty millions then as well,
And fifty plus a hundred thousand,
And thirty-six again to swell.
The total restraint disciplines:
These rules the Enlightened One explains
Told under heads for filling out,
Which the Discipline restraint contains.
So although limited in number, it should yet be understood as virtue consisting in unlimited purification, since it is undertaken without reserve and has no obvious limit such as gain, fame, relatives, limbs or life. Like the virtue of the
Elder Mahá Tissa the Mango-eater who lived at Cìragumba (see §122 above).
133. For that venerable one never abandoned the following good man’s recollection:
“Wealth for a sound limb’s sake should be renounced,
And one who guards his life gives up his limbs;
And wealth and limbs and life, each one of these,
A man gives up who practices the Dhamma.”
And he never transgressed a training precept even when his life was in the balance, and in this way he reached Arahantship with that same virtue of unlimited purification as his support while he was being carried on a lay devotee’s back. According to as it is said:
“Nor your mother nor your father
Nor your relatives and kin
Have done as much as this for you
Because you are possessed of virtue.”
So, stirred with urgency, and wisely
Comprehending with insight,
While carried on his helper’s back
He reached the goal of Arahantship.”
134. The magnanimous ordinary man’s virtue, which from the time of admission to the Order is devoid even of the stain of a [wrong] thought because of its extreme purity, like a gem of purest water, like well-refined gold, becomes the proximate cause for Arahantship itself, which is why it is called consisting of fulfilled purification; like that of the lders Sangharakkhita the Great and Sangharakkhita the Nephew.
135. The Elder Saògharakkhita the Great (Mahá Saògharakkhita), aged over sixty, was lying, it seems, on his deathbed. The Order of Bhikkhus questioned him about attainment of the supramundane state. The elder said: “I have no supramundane state.” Then the young bhikkhu who was attending on him said: “Venerable sir, people have come as much as twelve leagues, thinking that you have reached Nibbána. It will be a disappointment for many if you die as an ordinary man.” “Friend, thinking to see the Blessed One Metteyya, I did not try for insight. [48] So
help me to sit up and give me the chance.” He helped the elder to sit up and went out. As he went out the elder reached Arahantship and he gave a sign by snapping his fingers. The Order assembled and said to him: “Venerable sir, you have done a difficult thing in achieving the supramundane state in the hour of death.” “That was
not difficult, friends. But rather I will tell you what is difficult. Friends, I see no action done [by me] without mindfulness and unknowingly since the time I went forth.” His nephew also reached Arahantship in the same way at the age of fifty years.
136. “Now, if a man has little learning
And he is careless of his virtue,
They censure him on both accounts
For lack of virtue and of learning.
“But if he is of little learning
Yet he is careful of his virtue,
They praise him for his virtue, so
It is as though he too had learning.
“And if he is of ample learning
Yet he is careless of his virtue,
They blame him for his virtue, so
It is as though he had no learning.
“But if he is of ample learning
And he is careful of his virtue,
They give him praise on both accounts
For virtue and as well for learning.
“The Buddha’s pupil of much learning
Who keeps the Law with understanding—
A jewel of Jambu River gold37
Who is here fit to censure him?
Deities praise him [constantly],
By Brahmá also is he praised (A II 7)
137. What should be understood as virtue consisting in purification not adhered to is trainers’ virtue, because it is not adhered to by [false] view, and ordinary men’s virtue when not adhered to by greed. Like the virtue of the Elder Tissa the Landowner’s Son (Kuþumbiyaputta-Tissa-thera). Wanting to become established in Arahantship in dependence on such virtue, this venerable one told his enemies:
I broke the bones of both my legs
To give the pledge you asked from me.
I am revolted and ashamed
At death accompanied by greed.
“And after I had thought on this,
And wisely then applied insight,
When the sun rose and shone on me,
I had become an Arahant” (M-a I 233).
By Bhikkhu Ñānamoli