Thus have I heard - At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now, at that time, a certain newly ordained bhikkhu was approaching families excessively.

The bhikkhus said to him: "Venerable, do not approach families excessively."

But when the bhikkhu was advised by the other bhikkhus, he said this: "These elder bhikkhus think they can approach families, so why shouldn't I?"

Then several bhikkhus went to the Blessed One. After approaching and paying homage to him, they sat down to one side. Once seated, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, here a certain newly ordained bhikkhu is approaching families excessively. The bhikkhus said to him, 'Venerable, do not approach families excessively.' But when advised by the bhikkhus, he said, 'These elder bhikkhus think they can approach families, so why shouldn't I?'"

"Bhikkhus, once in the past, in a forest region, there was a great lake, with bull elephants dwelling in its vicinity. Those elephants would plunge into the lake, pluck out lotus stalks with their trunks, thoroughly wash them to remove all mud, and then chew and swallow them clean. This gave them with both beauty and strength, and on that account, they did not encounter death or deadly suffering.

Bhikkhus, following the example of those bull elephants, the young immature elephants would also plunge into the lake and pluck out lotus stalks with their trunks, but without thoroughly washing them to remove the mud. They would eat them dirty and without properly chewing. This brought them neither beauty nor strength, and on that account, they encountered death or deadly suffering.

In the same way, bhikkhus, here the elder bhikkhus, after dressing in the morning, and taking bowl and robe, enter a village or town for alms. There, they speak on the Dhamma. The laypeople show their confidence to them. They use their acquisitions without being tied to them, without being fixated on them, not blindly absorbed in them, seeing the danger in them and understanding the escape. This provides them with both beauty and strength, and on that account, they do not encounter death or deadly suffering.

Bhikkhus, the newly ordained bhikkhus, following the example of the elder bhikkhus, after dressing in the morning, and taking bowl and robe, enter a village or town for alms. There, they speak on the Dhamma. The laypeople show their confidence to them. But they use their acquisitions while being tied to them, fixated on them, blindly absorbed in them, not seeing the danger in them and not understanding the escape. This brings them neither beauty nor strength, and on that account, they encounter death or deadly suffering.

Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: 'We will use our acquisitions without being tied to them, without being fixated on them, not blindly absorbed in them, seeing the danger in them and understanding the escape.' Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves."