[2] Then it occurred to Soṇa Koḷivisa: "In whatever way I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, it is not easy for one dwelling in a house to live the holy life (brahmacariya) utterly perfect, utterly pure, polished like a conch shell. Suppose I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness." Then those eighty thousand village headmen, having delighted in and rejoiced at the Blessed One's words, rose from their seats, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on their right, and departed. Then, not long after the eighty thousand village headmen had departed, Soṇa Koḷivisa approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Soṇa Koḷivisa said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, in whatever way I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, it is not easy for one dwelling in a house to live the holy life utterly perfect, utterly pure, polished like a conch shell. I wish, venerable sir, to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness. May the Blessed One give me the going forth, venerable sir." And Soṇa Koḷivisa received the going forth (pabbajjā) in the presence of the Blessed One; he received the full ordination (upasampadā). And not long after his full ordination, the venerable Soṇa dwelt in the Sīta Grove. As he walked in meditation with energy (vīriya) aroused to excess, his feet broke open, and the walking-meditation path became smeared with blood, like a slaughterhouse for cattle.
Then, as the venerable Soṇa was alone in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind (citta): "Whatever disciples of the Blessed One dwell with energy aroused, I am one of them; and yet my mind is not liberated from the taints (āsava) through non-clinging. Now, wealth exists in my family; it is possible both to enjoy that wealth and to do meritorious deeds. Suppose I were to return to the lower life, enjoy wealth, and do meritorious deeds." Then the Blessed One, knowing with his own mind the reflection in the venerable Soṇa's mind, just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, vanished from Mount Gijjhakūṭa and appeared in the Sīta Grove. Then the Blessed One, walking on a tour of the lodgings together with many bhikkhus, approached the venerable Soṇa's walking-meditation path. The Blessed One saw the venerable Soṇa's walking-meditation path smeared with blood; having seen it, he addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, whose walking-meditation path is this, smeared with blood like a slaughterhouse for cattle?" "Venerable sir, as the venerable Soṇa walked in meditation with energy aroused to excess, his feet broke open; this walking-meditation path of his is smeared with blood like a slaughterhouse for cattle."
Then the Blessed One approached the venerable Soṇa's dwelling; having approached, he sat down on the seat made ready. The venerable Soṇa too, having paid homage to the Blessed One, sat down to one side. To the venerable Soṇa, sitting to one side, the Blessed One said this: "Soṇa, as you were alone in seclusion, did not this reflection arise in your mind: 'Whatever disciples of the Blessed One dwell with energy aroused, I am one of them; and yet my mind is not liberated from the taints through non-clinging. Now, wealth exists in my family; it is possible both to enjoy that wealth and to do meritorious deeds. Suppose I were to return to the lower life, enjoy wealth, and do meritorious deeds'?" "Yes, venerable sir." "What do you think, Soṇa? Formerly, when you were a householder, were you skilled in the sound of the strings of the lute (vīṇā)?" "Yes, venerable sir." "What do you think, Soṇa? When the strings of your lute were too tight, was your lute on that occasion tuneful, or fit for use?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "What do you think, Soṇa? When the strings of your lute were too loose, was your lute on that occasion tuneful, or fit for use?" "No indeed, venerable sir." "What do you think, Soṇa? When the strings of your lute were neither too tight nor too loose, but established at an even pitch, was your lute on that occasion tuneful, or fit for use?" "Yes, venerable sir." "Even so, Soṇa, energy aroused to excess leads to restlessness (uddhacca); energy that is too slack leads to laziness. Therefore, Soṇa, resolve upon evenness of energy, penetrate the evenness of the faculties (indriya), and take up the sign (nimitta) therein." "Yes, venerable sir," the venerable Soṇa replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having exhorted the venerable Soṇa with this exhortation, just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, vanished from the Sīta Grove, before the venerable Soṇa, and appeared on Mount Gijjhakūṭa.
Then, at a later time, the venerable Soṇa resolved upon evenness of energy, penetrated the evenness of the faculties, and took up the sign therein. Then the venerable Soṇa, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, before long realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, he dwelt therein. He knew: "Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this state of existence." And the venerable Soṇa became one of the arahants.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.