![[info icon]](./../../../img/question_16.gif "Summary: A busy layperson finally pays a visit to the Buddha.")
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.
©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 http://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, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.05.than.html .
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