When I Speak Following the Will of Others

"What are those (sutras) which I spoke following the will of others? The rich man, Patala, came to me and said: 'Oh Gautama! Do you know a phantom or not? Someone who knows phantoms is a great phantom. If not, such a person is not All-Knower'.

I said, 'Oh rich man! How can you call someone who knows a phantom a phantom'?

The rich man said: 'Well spoken, well spoken! Someone who knows a phantom is a phantom'.

The Buddha said: 'Oh rich man! There was a candala in the state of King Prasenajit in Sravasti, whose name was Baspacandala. Have you heard of him or not '?

The rich man said: 'I've known him for a long time already.’

The Buddha said: 'If you have known him for a long time, might it be that you are a candala?’

The rich man said: 'I've known him for a long time already, but this body of mine cannot be that of a candala'.

‘Oh rich man! Now you know that although you know a candala, you're not a candala. How could I be a phantom because I know a phantom? Oh rich man! I truly know a phantom, someone who acts as a phantom, the rewards of a phantom, and the skills of a phantom. I know the killing, the killer, the karmic retribution of killing, and the emancipation from killing. I also know twisted views of life, the people of twisted views, the karmic retribution of twisted views, and the emancipation from twisted views. Oh rich man! Should you call someone who is not a phantom a phantom, and someone who does not hold twisted views of life one who is possessed of twisted views of life, you will gain innumerable sins.’

The rich man said: 'Oh Gautama! If things are as you say, I shall earn a great sin. I shall now give you all that I possess. Please be good enough for King Prasenajit not be informed of this."

The Buddha said: ‘It may be not that the causal relations of this sin necessarily will prevent you from losing your wealth. However, as a result of this, you will fall into the three unfortunate realms.’

On hearing mention of the unfortunate realms, the rich man became frightened and said to the Buddha: ‘Oh Holy One! I have now lost my head and committed a great sin. You, Holy One, are the All-Knower! You should know how to become emancipated. How do I escape from the worlds of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals'?

I then spoke to him about the Four Truths. The rich man, on hearing this, attained the fruition of Srotapanna. Repentance has sprung, and he begged forgiveness from the Buddha: 'I was an ignorant. I said that the Buddha was a phantom, despite the fact that you are not. From this day forward, I will take refuge in the Three Treasures.’

The Buddha said, 'Well spoken, well spoken, Oh rich man!’

The case is so. This is speaking in response to the will of others."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 41 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 2.

when I speak following the will of others.mp3