Udāna 60

Heartfelt Sayings 6.10

Arising

1 So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2 “Sir, so long as the Realized Ones, the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas do not arise in the world, the wanderers of other religions are honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But when the Realized Ones do arise in the world, the wanderers of other religions are no longer honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they do not receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. Now only the Buddha is honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.”

3 “That’s so true, Ānanda. So long as the Realized Ones do not arise in the world, the wanderers of other religions are honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And they receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But when the Realized Ones do arise in the world, the wanderers of other religions are no longer honored in this way. Now only the Realized One is honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And he receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And so does the mendicant Saṅgha.”

4 Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

5 “The glow-worm shines so long

as the beacon of the sun does not rise.

But when the dazzling sun has come up,

that light is erased and shines no more.

6 So too the sophists shine bright

so long as the Buddhas don’t arise in the world.

The sophists are not purified, nor are their disciples.

Having bad views, they are not freed from suffering.”