At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in Kosambi on the bank of the river Ganges.
The Blessed One saw a big log of wood being carried along by the current of the river Ganges. Having seen this, he addressed the bhikkhus: “Do you see, bhikkhus, that big log of wood being carried along by the current of the river Ganges?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“If, bhikkhus, that log of wood does not veer towards the near shore, does not veer towards the far shore, does not sink in mid-stream, does not get cast up on high ground, does not get caught by humans, does not get caught by non-humans, does not get sucked in by a whirlpool, and does not become inwardly rotten—then, bhikkhus, that log of wood will incline towards the ocean, slope towards the ocean, and lead towards the ocean. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, the current of the river Ganges itself inclines toward the ocean, slopes toward the ocean, and leads toward the ocean.
In the same way, bhikkhus, if you do not veer towards the near shore, do not veer towards the far shore, do not sink in mid-stream, do not get cast up on high ground, do get caught by humans, do net get caught by non-humans, do not get sucked in by a whirlpool, and do not become inwardly rotten—then, bhikkhus, you will incline towards |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|, slope towards Nibbāna, and lead towards Nibbāna. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, |right view::view that is in line with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [sammādiṭṭhi]| itself inclines toward Nibbāna, slopes toward Nibbāna, and leads toward Nibbāna.”
When this was said, a certain bhikkhu addressed the Blessed One:
“Venerable Sir, what is the near shore? What is the far shore? What is sinking mid-stream? What is getting cast up on high ground? What is getting caught by humans? What is getting caught by non-humans? What is being sucked in by a whirlpool? And what is inward rottenness?”
“‘The near shore,’ bhikkhu, is a designation for the |six internal sense bases::the six internal sense faculties—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—that enable sensory experience [cha + ajjhattika + āyatana]|.
‘The far shore,’ bhikkhu, is a designation for the |six external sense bases::the six external sense objects—forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and mental objects—that correspond to the six internal sense bases and serve as their respective fields of experience [cha + bāhira + āyatana]|.
‘Sinking mid-stream,’ bhikkhu, is a designation for |delight::pleasure, enjoyment, relish [nandi]| and |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]|.
‘Getting cast up on high ground,’ bhikkhu, is a designation for the |conceit ‘I am.’::egotism, self-conceit, self comparison [asmimāna]|
And what, bhikkhu, is getting caught by humans? Here, a certain person lives closely associated with householders, sharing in their joys and sorrows, being happy when they are happy and miserable when they are miserable, and he involves himself in their affairs and duties. This, bhikkhu, is called getting caught by humans.
And what, bhikkhu, is getting caught by non-humans? Here, a certain person lives the spiritual life with the aspiration [to be reborn] into a certain order of Gods, thinking: ‘By this virtue or observance or asceticism or spiritual life, I will become one of the Gods.’ This, bhikkhu, is called getting caught by non-humans.
‘Getting sucked in by a whirlpool,’ bhikkhu, is a designation for the five cords of sensual pleasure.
And what, bhikkhu, is inward rottenness? Here, a certain person is |unprincipled::without regard for ethical conduct [dussīla]|, |endowed with harmful qualities::one who has had a long association of harmful mental qualities - of negligence, laziness, having many wishes, irrational application of mind, lack of situational awareness, having bad friends, pursuing bad habits [pāpadhamma]|, of impure and suspicious behavior, who is underhanded in business, no ascetic but claiming to be one, not celibate but pretending to be celibate, rotten inside, oozing with lust, and filthy. This, bhikkhu, is called inward rottenness.”
Now on that occasion, the cowherd Nanda was standing near the Blessed One. He then said to the Blessed One:
“Venerable Sir, I will not veer towards the near shore, I will not veer towards the far shore, I will not sink in mid-stream, I will not get cast up on high ground, I will not get caught by humans, I will not get caught by non-humans, I will not get sucked in by a whirlpool, I will not become inwardly rotten. May I receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the higher ordination.”
“In that case, Nanda, return the cows to their owners.”
“The cows will go back on their own accord, venerable sir, out of longing for the calves.”
“Return the cows to their owners, Nanda.”
Then the cowherd Nanda, having returned the cows to their owners, went to where the Blessed One was. Having drawn near, he said: “The cows have been returned to their owners, venerable sir. May I receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the higher ordination.”
Then the cowherd Nanda received the going forth under the Blessed One, and he received the higher ordination. And soon, not long after his higher ordination, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, with continuous effort, and resolutely, soon realized with direct knowing in this very life, for the purpose of which sons of good families rightly go forth from the household life to the homeless life, the unsurpassed culmination of the spiritual life, and having personally attained it, he dwelled in it.
He understood: ”Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.” And the cowherd Nanda became one among the |arahants::a worthy one, a fully awakened being, epithet of the Buddha [arahant]|.