Hoa Vo Uu (Buddha Dharma Education Association)
Venerable Shravasti Dhammika
The Buddha’s Words of Wisdom
Then the female wanderer Sucimukhĩ came up to the Venerable Sãriputta and said: “O recluse, why do you eat looking downwards?”
“I do not eat looking downwards.”
“Then you eat looking up.”
“I do not eat looking up.”
“Then you eat looking at the four directions.”
“ I do not eat looking at the four directions.”
“Then you must eat looking at the points in between.”
“I do not eat looking at the points in between.”
“Then how do you eat?”
“Whatever recluses and Brãhmins get their living in such wrong ways as divination and other low arts, these are called those who eat looking down.
Whatever recluses and Brãhmins get their living in such wrong ways as astrology and other low arts, these are called those who eat looking up.
Whatever recluses and Brãhmins get their living in such wrong ways as sending messages and running errands, these are called those who eat looking in the four directions.
And whatever recluses and Brãhmins get their living in such wrong ways as palmistry and other low arts, these are called those eat looking at the points in between.
But I am the one who gets his living in none of these ways. Rightly do I seek my food and rightly do I eat my food once I have sought it.”
