[288] 17. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then, in the evening, the Blessed One emerged from seclusion and approached the attendance hall; having approached, he sat down on the seat that had been prepared. The Venerable Sāriputta too, in the evening, emerged from seclusion and approached the attendance hall; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna too, the Venerable Mahākassapa too, the Venerable Mahākaccāna too, the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika too, the Venerable Mahācunda too, the Venerable Mahākappina too, the Venerable Anuruddha too, the Venerable Revata too, and the Venerable Ānanda too, in the evening, emerged from seclusion and approached the attendance hall; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Then the Blessed One, having passed much of the night seated, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling. Those venerable ones too, not long after the Blessed One had departed, rose from their seats and went each to his own dwelling. But those bhikkhus there who were new, not long gone forth, recently come to this Dhamma and Discipline, slept there, snoring, until the sun rose. The Blessed One, with the divine eye (dibbacakkhu), purified and surpassing the human, saw those bhikkhus sleeping, snoring, until the sun rose. Having seen them, he approached the attendance hall; having approached, he sat down on the seat that had been prepared. Seated, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Where now, bhikkhus, is Sāriputta? Where is Moggallāna? Where is Mahākassapa? Where is Mahākaccāna? Where is Mahākoṭṭhika? Where is Mahācunda? Where is Mahākappina? Where is Anuruddha? Where is Revata? Where is Ānanda? Where, bhikkhus, have those elder disciples gone?"
"Those venerable ones, venerable sir, not long after the Blessed One had departed, rose from their seats and went each to his own dwelling."
"So then, bhikkhus—are you elders? You, new bhikkhus, slept snoring until the sun rose! What do you think, bhikkhus? Have you ever seen or heard of an anointed khattiya king who, dwelling devoted as much as he likes to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of lounging on his side, and the pleasure of sleep, exercising kingship all his life, is dear and agreeable to the people of the country?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Good, bhikkhus. I too, bhikkhus, have neither seen nor heard of an anointed khattiya king who, dwelling devoted as much as he likes to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of lounging on his side, and the pleasure of sleep, exercising kingship all his life, is dear and agreeable to the people of the country. What do you think, bhikkhus? Have you ever seen or heard of an official of the realm, one holding office by paternal inheritance, a general, a village headman, or a guild-master who, dwelling devoted as much as he likes to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of lounging on his side, and the pleasure of sleep, exercising guild-mastership all his life, is dear and agreeable to the guild?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Good, bhikkhus. I too, bhikkhus, have neither seen nor heard of a guild-master who, dwelling devoted as much as he likes to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of lounging on his side, and the pleasure of sleep, exercising guild-mastership all his life, is dear and agreeable to the guild. What do you think, bhikkhus? Have you ever seen or heard of an ascetic or a brahmin who, devoted as much as he likes to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of lounging on his side, and the pleasure of sleep—unguarded in the doors of the sense faculties, knowing no moderation in eating, not devoted to wakefulness, without insight into wholesome dhammas, not devoted in the earlier and later parts of the night to the practice of developing the qualities conducive to awakening (bodhipakkhiyā dhammā)—dwells having entered upon the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, realized for himself by direct knowledge in this very life through the destruction of the taints (āsava)?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Good, bhikkhus. I too, bhikkhus, have neither seen nor heard of an ascetic or a brahmin who, devoted as much as he likes to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of lounging on his side, and the pleasure of sleep—unguarded in the doors of the sense faculties, knowing no moderation in eating, not devoted to wakefulness, without insight into wholesome dhammas, not devoted in the earlier and later parts of the night to the practice of developing the qualities conducive to awakening—dwells having entered upon the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, realized for himself by direct knowledge in this very life through the destruction of the taints. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: 'We will be guarded in the doors of the sense faculties, moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness, possessed of insight into wholesome dhammas; we will dwell devoted in the earlier and later parts of the night to the practice of developing the qualities conducive to awakening.' Thus indeed, bhikkhus, should you train yourselves."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.