Jīvakasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati jīvakambavane. Atha kho jīvako komārabhacco yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jīvako komārabhacco bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, upāsako hotī”ti? “Yato kho, jīvaka, buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti; ettāvatā kho, jīvaka, upāsako hotī”ti.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in Jīvaka’s Mango Grove. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, how is a lay follower defined?” “Jīvaka, when you’ve gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, you’re considered to be a lay follower.”

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako sīlavā hotī”ti? “Yato kho, jīvaka, upāsako pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti …pe… surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti; ettāvatā kho, jīvaka, upāsako sīlavā hotī”ti.

“But how is an ethical lay follower defined?” “When a lay follower doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor, they’re considered to be an ethical lay follower.”

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāyā”ti? “Yato kho, jīvaka, upāsako attanāva saddhāsampanno hoti, no paraṁ saddhāsampadāya samādapeti …pe… attanāva atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti, no paraṁ dhammānudhammappaṭipattiyā samādapeti. Ettāvatā kho, jīvaka, upāsako attahitāya paṭipanno hoti, no parahitāyā”ti.

“But how do we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit themselves, not others?” “A lay follower is accomplished in faith, but doesn’t encourage others to do the same. They’re accomplished in ethical conduct … they’re accomplished in generosity … they like to see the mendicants … they like to hear the true teaching … they memorize the teachings … they examine the meaning … Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching, but they don’t encourage others to do the same. That’s how we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit themselves, not others.”

“Kittāvatā pana, bhante, upāsako attahitāya ca paṭipanno hoti parahitāya cā”ti? “Yato kho, jīvaka, upāsako attanā ca saddhāsampanno hoti, parañca saddhāsampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca sīlasampanno hoti, parañca sīlasampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca cāgasampanno hoti, parañca cāgasampadāya samādapeti; attanā ca bhikkhūnaṁ dassanakāmo hoti, parañca bhikkhūnaṁ dassane samādapeti; attanā ca saddhammaṁ sotukāmo hoti, parañca saddhammassavane samādapeti; attanā ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ dhāraṇajātiko hoti, parañca dhammadhāraṇāya samādapeti; attanā ca sutānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthūpaparikkhitā hoti, parañca atthūpaparikkhāya samādapeti; attanā ca atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno hoti, parañca dhammānudhammappaṭipattiyā samādapeti. Ettāvatā kho, jīvaka, upāsako attahitāya ca paṭipanno hoti parahitāya cā”ti. Chaṭṭhaṁ.

“But how do we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit both themselves and others?” “A lay follower is accomplished in faith and encourages others to do the same. They’re accomplished in ethical conduct and encourage others to do the same. They’re accomplished in generosity and encourage others to do the same. They like to see the mendicants and encourage others to do the same. They like to hear the true teaching and encourage others to do the same. They readily memorize the teachings they’ve heard and encourage others to do the same. They examine the meaning of the teachings they’ve memorized and encourage others to do the same. Understanding the meaning and the teaching, they practice in line with the teaching and they encourage others to do the same. That’s how we define a lay follower who is practicing to benefit both themselves and others.”