Re: searching for sutta

Sumana,
**
It is very true that one can't simply look at somebody's lifestyle to
determine their level of cultivation, as the transformation is internal
-- deeper than outwardly visible.

Compare these 2 individuals :
1.
an affluent man who rides a chariot while constantly being aware of its
anicca nature and simply walks away unattached and unaffected when it breaks
down.

2.
a man living as a recluse but during the night keeps feeling around for his
begging bowl to see if it's still around or stolen.

Surely the former is better cultivated.

The test is not what you own or don't own or whether you have
physically relinquished worldly belongings or not. The test is whether you
have truly dropped attachment...and mind you...attachment can come in by the
back door...you could be attached to your relinquishment !
____________________________________________________

On 6/30/07, Sumana <paulocuana@...> wrote:

> Can someone help with this? Ajahn Thaniya made a
> reference to a certain sutta in the current issue of
> "Inquiring Mind":
>
> "There's a fascinating sutta about two great friends
> who are "once-returners". One lives a household life,
> rides around in a carriage, has a wife. The other is
> celi-
> bate and lives quite an austere life. When the
> daughter
> of the celibate disciple challenges the Buddha about
> whether her father's friend who is married and lives
> the life of householder can truly be as far along the
> path as her renunciate father, the Buddha really tells
> her off. What I take from this is that one can't
> simply
> look at somebody's lifestyle to determine their level
> of
> cultivation."
>
> It does sound fascinating to me.
> Any ideas?
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Best Wishes,
> Paul Cooney
>
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