[215] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Then the Venerable Sārīputta approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sārīputta said this to the Blessed One: "Bhante, I have completed the rains residence at Sāvatthī. I wish, Bhante, to set out on a tour of the countryside." "You may go, Sārīputta, at whatever time you think fit." Then the Venerable Sārīputta rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping his right side toward him, and departed.
Then, not long after the Venerable Sārīputta had departed, a certain bhikkhu said this to the Blessed One: "Bhante, the Venerable Sārīputta struck against me and, without apologizing, has set out on tour." Then the Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu: "Come, bhikkhu, summon Sārīputta in my name: 'Friend Sārīputta, the Teacher summons you.'" "Yes, Bhante," that bhikkhu replied to the Blessed One, and he approached the Venerable Sārīputta; having approached, he said this to the Venerable Sārīputta: "Friend Sārīputta, the Teacher summons you." "Yes, friend," the Venerable Sārīputta replied to that bhikkhu. Now on that occasion the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and the Venerable Ānanda, taking a key, went around the dwellings, [announcing]: "Come forth, venerables! Come forth, venerables! Now the Venerable Sārīputta will roar his lion's roar in the presence of the Blessed One!"
Then the Venerable Sārīputta approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. As the Venerable Sārīputta sat to one side, the Blessed One said this to him: "Sārīputta, a certain fellow in the holy life here has raised a complaint against you: 'Bhante, the Venerable Sārīputta struck against me and, without apologizing, has set out on tour.'"
"Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body (kāyagatā sati) is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing. Just as, Bhante, they throw down upon the earth what is clean and they throw down what is unclean; they throw down excrement, they throw down urine, they throw down spittle, they throw down pus, they throw down blood, yet the earth is not repelled, humiliated, or disgusted by that—even so, Bhante, I dwell with a mind (citta) like the earth: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing.
"Just as, Bhante, they wash in water what is clean and they wash what is unclean; they wash away excrement, urine, spittle, pus, and blood, yet the water is not repelled, humiliated, or disgusted by that—even so, Bhante, I dwell with a mind like water: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing.
"Just as, Bhante, fire burns what is clean and burns what is unclean; it burns excrement, urine, spittle, pus, and blood, yet the fire is not repelled, humiliated, or disgusted by that—even so, Bhante, I dwell with a mind like fire: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing.
"Just as, Bhante, the wind blows upon what is clean and blows upon what is unclean; it blows upon excrement, urine, spittle, pus, and blood, yet the wind is not repelled, humiliated, or disgusted by that—even so, Bhante, I dwell with a mind like the wind: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing.
"Just as, Bhante, a dust-cloth wipes up what is clean and wipes up what is unclean; it wipes up excrement, urine, spittle, pus, and blood, yet the dust-cloth is not repelled, humiliated, or disgusted by that—even so, Bhante, I dwell with a mind like a dust-cloth: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing.
"Just as, Bhante, an outcaste (caṇḍāla) boy or an outcaste girl, basket in hand and clad in rags, entering a village or town, enters having established a humble mind—even so, Bhante, I dwell with a mind like that of an outcaste boy: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing.
"Just as, Bhante, a bull with its horns cut off, gentle, well tamed, well trained, wandering from street to street and from crossroads to crossroads, harms nothing with foot or horn—even so, Bhante, I dwell with a mind like that of a bull with its horns cut off: abundant, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing.
"Just as, Bhante, a woman or a man, young, youthful, and fond of adornment, would be repelled, humiliated, and disgusted by the carcass of a snake or the carcass of a dog hung around the neck—even so, Bhante, I am repelled, humiliated, and disgusted by this putrid body. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing.
"Just as, Bhante, a person might carry around a bowl of liquid fat, riddled with holes great and small, oozing and dripping—even so, Bhante, I carry around this body, riddled with holes great and small, oozing and dripping. Bhante, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body is not established with regard to the body might indeed, having struck against a fellow in the holy life here, set out on tour without apologizing."
Then that bhikkhu rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, prostrated with his head at the feet of the Blessed One, and said this to the Blessed One: "Bhante, a transgression overcame me, in that—so foolish, so confused, so unskillful was I—I slandered the Venerable Sārīputta with what is baseless, empty, false, and untrue. Bhante, may the Blessed One accept my transgression as a transgression, for the sake of restraint in the future." "Surely, bhikkhu, a transgression overcame you, in that—so foolish, so confused, so unskillful were you—you slandered Sārīputta with what is baseless, empty, false, and untrue. But since you, bhikkhu, having seen your transgression as a transgression, make amends in accordance with the Dhamma, we accept it of you. For this is growth in the discipline of the Noble One: that one, having seen a transgression as a transgression, makes amends in accordance with the Dhamma and undertakes restraint for the future." Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Sārīputta: "Pardon this hollow man, Sārīputta, before his head splits into seven pieces right on the spot." "I pardon that venerable one, Bhante, if that venerable one says this to me; and let that venerable one also pardon me."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.