WhatSentientBeingstobeEnlightened?

KingMilindaaskedVenerableNàgasena:

VenerableNàgasena,Allsentientbeingswhobelongtothesixrealmswiththepurefaith,workhardandpracticewellinBuddhism,havechancetobeenlightened?

-Somecan,somecan’t.

-Whichofthemisunabletobeenlightened,couldyoupleasetellme?

-Oking,thereare15kindofbeingsthatcan’tgetenlightenment.Theyare:

Animals,

Kinaras(beingswithanimal-bodyandman-head),

Dragons,

Hungrydemons

Humanbeingwithwrongview,

Childrenunder7yearsold,

Killing-fatherperson,

Killing-motherperson,

Killing-arahantperson,

Bleeding-Buddhaperson,

Dividing-sanghaperson.

Beingafakemonkoraheretic

Notgettingpenaltyforcommittingthe4pārājikasashavingsexualintercourse.

Onebelongstohomosexual.

Onehastwosexorgans.

These15sentientbeingswillbeunabletoenterthesaintstream(attainthenoblefruits)althoughtheyhavepurefaith,hardpracticewithvipasanaandsamatha.

KingMilinaapproves:

-YesVenerable,Ihavenodoubtbutonlyalittleinquiry!

-Oking,pleasegoon.

-Venerable,atthepointofsix,underseven-yearchildcan’tattainNirvana,Idon’tunderstandthispoint.Ithinktheunderseven-yearchildwithverypuremindsuchasnowrongview;noattachment;nocontainingsexualdesirenotion;sogreed,hatred,ignorance;nojealousy,noself-conceitorholdinganydefilement.Holdingsuchverygoodfactors,whycan’ttheyenterthesaint-streamifkeepinghardworkDharma?

-Oking,withthenormalstrengthofhumanbeing,cantheymovetheMountSumeru?

-Absolutelynot

-Why?

-MtSumeru’sweightisexceedinglythehumanability.

Itisjustsamewhenyouapplytounderstandthepointofnumbersix,king.TheDharmafruitissogreatandtranscendenttohumanknowledge.Theunderseven-yearchildwiththeyoungbody,youngknowledgeandthoughttogetherwithnotenoughwiseinfaithandimmaturemindthenhowcantheypracticeandpenetratethefullwisdom?

-Oh,Igotit.

-Supposingcanadropofwatermaketheearthwet,king?

-Ofcourseitcan’t.

-Whynot?

-Theearthistoobigforthewater-droptodo.

Thenyoutotallycanunderstandinthecaseofthelittlechild.ThelandofDharmafruitisvastbutallthewisdom,knowledgeandfaithofanunderseven-yearchildareverytinyandimpossibletocomprehend.

-Yes,venerable!

-Anotherexample,supposeapersonwantstolightthewholeworldwithalamp,isheabletodoit?

-Impossible,venerable.

-Whyimpossible?

-Thelightareaofalampislimitedincomparisontothewholeworld.

-It’ssamewhenwetrytostuffthesmallwisdomofalittlechildintotheenlightenedworldofthenobleone.

-Igotit,venerable

Justonemoreexample,doyouknowtheKini,akindofworm,livingbycarvethebodyofSàlìrice.DoesKinieatanelephantwith4minhigh,king?

-Definitelynot

-Why?

-Thewormisunabletodothis.

-Theseareallabilitiesofanunderseven-yearchild,heisincapabletofulfillthenoblefruit,king.

-Verythanksforexplanation,Venerable.