28.



Once upon a time the Exalted One was in residence at Rajagaha, at Veluvana, at Kalandakanivapa.

Now at that time Venerable Vakkali was in residence at the abode of a potter, afflicted with sickness, afflicted with pain, severely ill. And Venerable Vakkali addressed his attendants: "Come you, brethren, approach the Exalted One; having approached, in my name reverence with the head the feet of the Exalted One, saying: 'Reverend Sir, the monk Vakkali is afflicted with sickness, afflicted with pain, severely ill; he reverences with the head the feet of the Exalted One.' And say this further: 'It were well, Reverend Sir,' says he, 'were the Exalted One, out of compassion, to approach the monk Vakkali.'"

"Yes, brother," said those monks to Venerable Vakkali. And in obedience to his command they approached the Exalted One. And having approached, they saluted the Exalted One and sat down on one side. And sitting there on one side, those monks said this to the Exalted One: "Reverend Sir, the monk Vakkali is afflicted with sickness, afflicted with pain, severely ill; he reverences with the head the feet of the Exalted One. And he commands us to say this further: 'It were well, Reverend Sir,' says he, 'were the Exalted One, out of compassion, to approach the monk Vakkali.'

'The Exalted One gave consent by remaining silent.

Now the Exalted One put on under-garment, took bowl and robe, and approached Venerable Vakkali. Venerable Vakkali saw the Exalted One approaching from afar. Seeing, he quaked in his bed. Now the Exalted One said this to Venerable Vakkali: "Enough, Vakkali! Quake not in your bed! Seats are at hand, already prepared; there will I sit down." The Exalted One sat down on a seat already prepared. Having sat down, the Exalted One said this to Venerable Vakkali:

"I trust, Vakkali, that life is endurable, that you can support life. I trust that sensations of pain are retreating, not attacking; that a retreat for good and all is apparent, no attack."

"Not for me, Reverend Sir, is life endurable; I cannot support life. Severe sensations of pain attack me, do not retreat; an attack for good and all is apparent, no retreat."

"I trust, Vakkali, that you entertain no restlessness at all, no querulousness at all."

"On the contrary, Reverend Sir, I entertain no little restlessness, no little querulousness."

"I trust, Vakkali, that in your case the Self has no fault to find with Morality."

"No indeed, Reverend Sir, in my case the Self has no fault to find with Morality."

"If in your case, Vakkali, as you say, the Self has no fault to find with Morality, then why this restlessness of yours? why this querulousness of yours?"

"For a long time, Reverend Sir, I have desired to approach the Exalted One to look upon him; but I have not sufficient strength in my body to approach the Exalted One to look upon him."

"Enough, Vakkali! What is the use of your looking upon this foul body? Whoever, Vakkali, sees the Truth, sees Me. Whoever sees Me, sees the Truth. For, Vakkali, seeing the Truth, one sees Me; seeing Me, one sees the Truth."