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I, 49, 2. ADMISSION TO THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS.
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49. 1. At that time there was in Râgagaha a company of seventeen boys, friends of each other; young Upâli? was first among them. Now Upâli's father and mother thought: 'How will Upâli after our death live a life of ease and without pain?' Then Upâli's father and mother said to themselves : 'If Upâli could learn writing, he would after our death live a life of ease and without pain.' But then Upâli's father and mother thought again: 'If U pâli learns writing, his fingers will become sore. But if Upâli could learn arithmetic, he would after our death live a life of ease and without pain.'
2. But then Upâli's father and mother thought again: 'If U pâli learns arithmetic, his breast will become diseased? But if U pâli could learn moneychanging 3, he would after our death live a life of ease and comfort, and without pain.' But then Upâli's father and mother said to themselves : 'If U pâli learns money-changing, his eyes will suffer. Now here are the Sakyaputtiya Samanas, who keep commodious precepts and live a commodious life; they have good meals and lie down on beds protected from the wind. If U pâli could be ordained with the
1 This Upâli is different from the famous Upali who belonged to the chief disciples of Buddha; the latter came not from Râgagaha, but from the Sakya country.
* Buddhaghosa: 'He who learns arithmetic, must think much; therefore his breast will become diseased.'
* We prefer this translation of rûpa to translating it by 'painting,' on account of Buddhaghosa's note: He who learns the rûpa-sutta must turn over and over many kârshâpanas and look at them.'
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| SR No. | 007674 |
| Book Title | Dhammapada |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Max Muller |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1881 |
| Total Pages | 2540 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 45 MB |