Ud 2.5 - Upāsaka Sutta: The Lay Follower
Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Source: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.05.than.html
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Copyright: ©2012 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
License notice: The text of this page ("Upāsaka Sutta: The Lay Follower", by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of the license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions.
Attribution: ©2012 Thanissaro Bhikkhu. The text of this page ("Upāsaka Sutta: The Lay Follower", by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of the license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions. Transcribed from a file provided by the translator. Last revised for Access to Insight on 30 August 2012. How to cite this document (a suggested style): "Upāsaka Sutta: The Lay Follower" (Ud 2.5), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 August 2012, https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.05.than.html . Alternate format:
Changes: Presentation only: original HTML markup reflowed into plain text; wording, numbering and source repetitions retained. No repetitions expanded.
Completeness: ABBREVIATED. Every source-unit character is preserved, including introductions, notes and verse structure. Thanissaro's collection-level note explicitly states that repetitions were cut: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/about.html. This is evidence about the translation method, not an assertion that every individual unit contains an omission; no repetitions reconstructed.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. And on that occasion a certain lay follower from Icchānaṅgalaka had arrived in Sāvatthī on some business affairs. Having settled his affairs in Sāvatthī, he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, "At long last you have managed to come here."

 "For a long time, lord, have I wanted to come see the Blessed One, but being involved in one business affair after another, I have not been able to do so."

 Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

 How blissful it is, for one who has nothing who has mastered the Dhamma, is learned. See him suffering, one who has something, a person bound in body with people. 

 See also: Dhp 200, 221, 396, 421.