In those days, the Buddha was living in the city of Benares, in the deer park, at Isipatana forest. Then the lay follower Dhammadinna, together with five hundred lay followers, went to the Buddha, bowed respectfully, sat down to one side, and said to him,
“May the Buddha please advise and instruct us. It will be for our lasting welfare and happiness.”
“Dhammadinna, you should train like this, ‘From time to time we will learn and practice the discourses taught by the Buddha that are deep, profound, transcendent and deals with emptiness.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”
“Bhante, we live at home with our children, using sandalwood imported from Kāsi, wearing garlands, perfumes, and makeup, and accepting gold and money. It’s not easy for us to learn and practice the discourses from time to time taught by the Buddha that are deep, profound, transcendent and deals with emptiness. However, we keep the five precepts well. Bhante, please teach us a simple Dhamma lesson to be developed based on the practice of the five precepts.”
“Then, Dhammadinna, you should train like this, ‘We will have unshakable confidence in the Buddha… the Dhamma… the Saṅgha… and we will have the virtue loved by the noble ones… leading to concentration.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”
“Bhante, these four factors of stream-entry that were taught by the Buddha are found in us. We have unshakable confidence in the Buddha… the Dhamma… the Saṅgha… and we have the virtue loved by the noble ones… leading to concentration.”
“You’re fortunate, Dhammadinna, you are very fortunate! You have all declared that you have attained the fruit of stream-entry.”
