[210] 6. There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus … the Venerable Sāriputta said this: "Friends, a person, too, should be understood in two ways: as one to be associated with and one not to be associated with. A robe (cīvara), too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be used and one not to be used. Almsfood (piṇḍapāta), too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as that to be used and that not to be used. A lodging (senāsana), too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be used and one not to be used. A village or town, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be resorted to and one not to be resorted to. A district of the countryside (janapadapadesa), too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be resorted to and one not to be resorted to.
"'A person, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be associated with and one not to be associated with' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Herein, when one knows of a person: 'When I associate with this person, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline; and the requisites of life that are to be procured by one gone forth — robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick — come to me with difficulty; and the goal of the ascetic life for the sake of which I went forth from the household life into homelessness does not reach fulfillment by development' — then, friends, that person, having appraised him, should depart from that other person at any part of the night or part of the day without taking leave; he should not follow him. Herein, when one knows of a person: 'When I associate with this person, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline; but the requisites of life that are to be procured by one gone forth — robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick — come to me with little difficulty; yet the goal of the ascetic life for the sake of which I went forth from the household life into homelessness does not reach fulfillment by development' — then, friends, that person, having appraised him, should depart from that other person without taking leave; he should not follow him. Herein, when one knows of a person: 'When I associate with this person, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase; and the requisites of life that are to be procured by one gone forth — robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick — come to me with difficulty; but the goal of the ascetic life for the sake of which I went forth from the household life into homelessness reaches fulfillment by development' — then, friends, that person, having appraised him, should follow that other person; he should not depart. Herein, when one knows of a person: 'When I associate with this person, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase; and the requisites of life that are to be procured by one gone forth — robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick — come to me with little difficulty; and the goal of the ascetic life for the sake of which I went forth from the household life into homelessness reaches fulfillment by development' — then, friends, that person should follow that other person for as long as life lasts; he should not depart from him even when being dismissed. 'A person, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be associated with and one not to be associated with' — it was with reference to this that this was said.
"'A robe, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be used and one not to be used' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Herein, when one knows of a robe: 'When I use this robe, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline' — such a robe should not be used. Herein, when one knows of a robe: 'When I use this robe, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase' — such a robe should be used. 'A robe, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be used and one not to be used' — it was with reference to this that this was said.
"'Almsfood, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as that to be used and that not to be used' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Herein, when one knows of almsfood: 'When I use this almsfood, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline' — such almsfood should not be used. Herein, when one knows of almsfood: 'When I use this almsfood, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase' — such almsfood should be used. 'Almsfood, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as that to be used and that not to be used' — it was with reference to this that this was said.
"'A lodging, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be used and one not to be used' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Herein, when one knows of a lodging: 'When I use this lodging, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline' — such a lodging should not be used. Herein, when one knows of a lodging: 'When I use this lodging, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase' — such a lodging should be used. 'A lodging, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be used and one not to be used' — it was with reference to this that this was said.
"'A village or town, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be resorted to and one not to be resorted to' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Herein, when one knows of a village or town: 'When I resort to this village or town, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline' — such a village or town should not be resorted to. Herein, when one knows of a village or town: 'When I resort to this village or town, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase' — such a village or town should be resorted to. 'A village or town, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be resorted to and one not to be resorted to' — it was with reference to this that this was said.
"'A district of the countryside, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be resorted to and one not to be resorted to' — so it was said. And with reference to what was this said? Herein, when one knows of a district of the countryside: 'When I resort to this district of the countryside, unwholesome states increase and wholesome states decline' — such a district of the countryside should not be resorted to. Herein, when one knows of a district of the countryside: 'When I resort to this district of the countryside, unwholesome states decline and wholesome states increase' — such a district of the countryside should be resorted to. 'A district of the countryside, too, friends, should be understood in two ways: as one to be resorted to and one not to be resorted to' — it was with reference to this that this was said."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.