“Then again when I was in the capital citadel of Kāsi, a sister and seven brothers were born in a learned family.
I was the first-born of them all, furnishing with pure conscience. Seeing rebirth as fearful, I longed for renunciation.
Sent for by my mother and father, my friends with one mind invited me to enjoy sensual pleasures, saying: ‘Maintain the family lineage.’
The words they said about the ways a householder can find happiness, were hard for me to hear, like a heated ploughshare.
When I turned down their proposal, they asked me what I wished for: ‘My dear, what is it that you wish, since you do not long for sensual pleasures?’
I spoke to my beneficiaries, wanting what is best. ‘I wish not for the householder’s state, I long for renunciation.’
Hearing my words, they told my mother and father. My parents said this: ‘Sirs, let all of us go forth!’
So both my mother and father, sister and seven brothers, discarding countless riches, entered the great forest.”
The Conduct of the Lotus-eaters
Cp 24 · Bhisacariya
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- CariyāpiṭakaThe collection containing this text
- The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
- Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
- The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting
About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0
This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.
Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.
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