Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
IV. Devatā Vagga
The Book of the Sixes
The Devas
Kimbila Suttaṃ
Sutta 40
The Venerable Kimbila
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1]Thus have I said:
Once, when the Exalted One dwelt at Kimbilā in Bamboo Grove,[1]
the venerable Kimbila visited [240] him and, after saluting,
sat down at one side.
So seated, the venerable Kimbila[2] said to the Exalted One:
'Lord, what reason is there,
what cause,
whereby, when the Tathāgata has passed away,
Saddhamma shall not endure?'
■
'Consider, Kimbila, monk, nun and lay-disciple, man and woman,
how, when the Tathāgata has passed away,
they may dwell without reverence, without respect for the Master;
without reverence, without respect for Dhamma;
without reverence, without respect for the Order;
without reverence, without respect for the training;
without reverence, without respect for zeal;
without reverence, without respect for goodwill.
This, Kimbila, is a reason,
this a cause,
whereby, when the Tathāgata has passed away,
Saddhamma shall not endure.'
§
'But what reason is there, lord,
what cause,
whereby, when the Tathāgata has passed away,
Saddhamma shall endure?
■
'Kimbila, let monk and nun, lay-disciple, man and woman,
live with reverence and respect for the Master,
with reverence and respect for the Dhamma,
with reverence and respect for the Order,
with reverence and respect for the training,
with reverence and respect for zeal
and with reverence and respect for good-will;
and it shall be a reason,
a cause,
whereby, when the Tathāgata has passed away,
Saddhamma shall endure.'
[1] So text; Comy. and S.e. Nicula; cf. S. v, 322.
[2] A Sakyan who joined the Order with Ānanda (Vin. ii, 182); he was presumably much exercised over this matter, for cf. V, § 201 (A. iii, 247 [AN 5.201]) and A. iv, 84. [AN 7.56] Cf. also K.S. ii, 152; v, 151.
