The Value of Stream-Entry : หน้า 48/114

"Dear son, you will remember that I persuaded you to take upon yourself the Uposatha precepts and to go to the monastery by promising to give you a thousand pieces of money; here are your thousand pieces of money." When Kala saw the thousand pieces of money presented to him in the very presence of the Teacher, he was greatly embarrassed and said, "I do not care for the money.""Take the money, dear son," said the father. But the son refused to touch it. Then his father saluted the Teacher and said, "Reverend sir; today the demeanor of my son pleases me." "How is that, great treasurer?" "The day before yesterday I sent him to the monastery, saying to him, 'I will give you a hundred pieces of money.' Yesterday he refused to eat because I did not give him the money; but today, when I give him the money, he refuses to touch it." The Teacher replied, "It is even so, great treasurer. Today, in attaining the fruit of stream-entry your son has attained that which surpasses the attainment of a Universal Monarch, the attainment of the world of the gods, the attainment of the world of Brahma." So saying, he pronounced the following stanza: pathavya ekarajjëna, sgassa gamanëna va, sabblå ka dhipaccëna, sôtapatitphalam yaram Better than sole sovereignty over the earth, Better than going to heaven, Better than lordship over all worlds Is the fruit of entering the stream. - Dhp 178 46 Millionaire Heirs