Hoa Vo Uu (Buddha Dharma Education Association)
Venerable Shravasti Dhammika
The Buddha’s Words of Wisdom
Benares cloth has a beautiful colour, it is pleasant to touch, and is of great value. Even Benares cloth of middling quality or worn out Benares cloth is the same. People use worn out Benares cloth to wrap gems in, or they lay it up in a scented chest.
In the same way, if a beginner is virtuous and of lovely nature, this I call his beautiful colour. Those who follow him and keep his company, who pay dependence to him and come to share his views find it to their benefit and happiness for a long time. This is what I call his being pleasant to touch. Also, those who give him gifts find it to their great advantage. This I call his being of great worth.
And it is the same for a disciple of middling standing and an elder. Now suppose an elder is speaking to an assembly. As he speaks, they would say: “Silence, this elder is teaching Dhamma and discipline.” Thus, his words become a treasure to be laid up, just as people lay up Benares cloth in a scented chest. So, this is how you should train yourself: “We will be like Benares cloth, not like coarse cloth.”
