“Once upon a time, mendicants, there was a Teacher named Sunetta. He was a religious founder and was free of desire for sensual pleasures. “Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sunetto nāma satthā ahosi titthakaro kāmesu vītarāgo. He had many hundreds of disciples. Sunettassa kho pana, bhikkhave, satthuno anekāni sāvakasatāni ahesuṁ. He taught them the path to rebirth in the company of Divinity. Sunetto satthā sāvakānaṁ brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desesi. Those lacking confidence in Sunetta were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, sunettassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa cittāni nappasādesuṁ te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjiṁsu. Those full of confidence in Sunetta were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, sunettassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa cittāni pasādesuṁ te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjiṁsu.

Once upon a time there was a teacher named Mūgapakkha … Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, mūgapakkho nāma satthā ahosi …pe… Aranemi … aranemi nāma satthā ahosi …pe… Kuddālaka … kuddālako nāma satthā ahosi …pe… Hatthipāla … hatthipālo nāma satthā ahosi …pe… Jotipāla … jotipālo nāma satthā ahosi …pe… Araka. He was a religious founder and was free of desire for sensual pleasures. arako nāma satthā ahosi titthakaro kāmesu vītarāgo. He had many hundreds of disciples. Arakassa kho pana, bhikkhave, satthuno anekāni sāvakasatāni ahesuṁ. He taught them the way to rebirth in the company of Divinity. Arako nāma satthā sāvakānaṁ brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desesi. Those lacking confidence in Araka were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, arakassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa cittāni nappasādesuṁ, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjiṁsu. Those full of confidence in Araka were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, arakassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa cittāni pasādesuṁ, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjiṁsu.

What do you think, mendicants? Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, If someone with malicious intent were to abuse and insult these seven teachers with their hundreds of followers, would they not brim with much wickedness?” yo ime satta satthāre titthakare kāmesu vītarāge anekasataparivāre sasāvakasaṅghe paduṭṭhacitto akkoseyya paribhāseyya, bahuṁ so apuññaṁ pasaveyyā”ti?

“Yes, sir.” “Evaṁ, bhante”.

“They would indeed. “Yo, bhikkhave, ime satta satthāre titthakare kāmesu vītarāge anekasataparivāre sasāvakasaṅghe paduṭṭhacitto akkoseyya paribhāseyya, bahuṁ so apuññaṁ pasaveyya. But someone who abuses and insults a single individual accomplished in view with malicious intent brims even more with wickedness. Yo ekaṁ diṭṭhisampannaṁ puggalaṁ paduṭṭhacitto akkosati paribhāsati, ayaṁ tato bahutaraṁ apuññaṁ pasavati. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? I say that any injury done by those outside of the Buddhist community does not compare with what is done to one’s own spiritual companions. Nāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ito bahiddhā evarūpiṁ khantiṁ vadāmi yathāmaṁ sabrahmacārīsu.

So you should train like this: Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘We will have no malicious intent for our spiritual companions.’ ‘na no sabrahmacārīsu cittāni paduṭṭhāni bhavissantī’ti. That’s how you should train.” Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Navamaṁ.