BOOK IV.   FLOWERS, PUPPHA VAGGA

IV. 1. THE SOIL OF THE HEART ^

Who shall overcome this earth? This religious instruction was given
by the Teacher while he was in residence at Savatthi with reference to
five hundred monks who spent their time talking about the soil.   [333]

One evening, it appears, these monks returned to Jetavana after
a journey through the country with the Teacher, and assembling in
the Hall of State, began to talk about the various kinds of soil they
had seen in going from one village to another, such as even and uneven,
abounding in mud, abounding in gravel, black clay, red clay. The
Teacher approached and asked them, "Monks, what is it that you are
sitting here now talking about?" "Reverend Sir," they replied,
"we were talking about the different kinds of soil we saw in the places
we visited." "Monks," said the Teacher, "this is the outer soil. It
behooves you rather to cleanse the inner soil of the heart." So saying,
he pronounced the two following Stanzas,

44.  Who shall overcome this earth, and this World of Yama, and the World of the

Gods.f^
Who shall pluck the well-taught Words of Truth, even as a good man plucks a
flower?  [334]

45.  The disciple shall overcome this earth, and this World of Yama, and the World of

the Gods.
The disciple shall pluck the well-taught Words of Truth, even as a good man
plucks a flower.

IV. 2. A MONK ATTAINS ARAHATSHIP ^

He who knows that this body is like foam. This religious instruc¬
tion was given by the Teacher while in residence at Savatthi with
reference to a certain monk who meditated on a mirage.   [336]

This monk, we are told, obtained a Subject of Meditation from the
Teacher and entered the forest for the purpose of practicing meditation.

1 Text: N i. 333-335.                ^ Cf. story xiii. 3.   Text: N i. 335-337.