Thinking, "There is the excessive lust of young men (Young men are full of lust)," the Elder gave the meditation subject of impurity/repulsiveness to him (the goldsmith's son) for the removal of lust.

---

Thinking there is overwhelming lust in young men, he gave to him the meditation subject of asubha (repulsiveness) to damp down/counter-balance his lust.

Therefore, having gone into the forest and striving for three months but unable to obtain as much as even the one-pointedness of mind, he came to the presence of the Elder again. When it has said by the Elder, "Friend, has the meditation subject been established by you?" he informed of what had happened.

---

So he went off in to the forest, while striving for three months, he could not acquire even the slightest bit of one-pointedness of mind (even the faintest ability to concentrate). It having been said by the Thera, "my friend, did your meditation object appear clear/manifest to you?" he told him what had happened.

Then, the Elder saying, "It is not proper to stop (striving) as long as the meditation subject has not been successful," and explained thoroughly that same meditation subject again, gave it (that same meditation subject) to him.

---

kammaṭṭhānaṃ na sampajjatīti vosānaṃ āpajjituṃ na vaṭṭati: "It is not correct to finish with your meditation object on the grounds that this meditation object is simply not working."

Then, the Elder again explained to him that same meditation subject with reason and simile.

---

And then the Thera told him that very same meditation object after providing it with reasons and similes.

Once again, he returned to explain the non-attainment/success of the meditation subject.

---

He came back yet again and told him of his failure of the meditation object.

"This bhikkhu is one who strives, not one who does not strive; he is one who is practising, not one who does not practise. However, I do not know his disposition. He will be one to be instructed by the Buddha."

The Elder brought him and approached the Teacher in the evening, informed everything that had happened, "Venerable Sir, this is my co-resident. This so-named meditation subject has been given by me to this (co-resident of mine) by this reason/means.

---

This bhikkhu is a winnerm, not a loser, he is on the path, not off the path. But I do not understand his disposition. He will be teacheable or trainable by the Buddha.", taking him and approaching the Teacher in the evening, he said, "venerable Sir, this is a novice of mine. This particular meditation object was given to him by me for this reason." and he told him everything that happened.

Then the Teacher said to him (the Elder), "This which is called the knowledge of inclination and underlying tendency (āsayānusayañāṇa) is the scope (visaya) only of the Buddhas who have attained omniscience after fulfilling perfections and causing the ten thousand world system to resound."

Adverting (the mind to inspect), "this who has gone forth comes from which family?" and knowing, "from the family of goldsmith", (the Teacher) while observing his past existences saw that his five hundred existences appeared successively in just the family of goldsmith.

Thinking, "The craft of goldsmith has been carried out by this young man for a long time, (thinking) 'I will make kaṇikāra flower, lotus flower, etc.', rolled out in just red-gold (??? rattasuvaṇṇameva samparivattitaṃ); therefore an impure and repulsive meditation subject is for suitable for him, only a pleasant/agreeable meditation subject is suitable for him."

"Sāriputta, today you shall see that this bhikkhu, who has become wearied/fatigued for four months after you have given the meditation subject, would attain Arahantship even just after the completion of the meal. You may go now."

Having dismissed the Elder, created a golden lotus the size of a wheel through psychic power and making as if water drops are dripping off (being released) from its leaves and hollow stalks, the Buddha gave (to the young monk and said, "Monk, take this lotus flower and place on a heap of sand at the edge of the monastery, sit down cross legged at a place facing it and perform the preliminary work (by taking note), 'red, red'."

---

This the knowledge of inclinations and tendency is the sphere of the Buddhas who have arrived at omniscience by fulfiling perfections making ten thousand world system resound." Adverting to the question "From which family did this young man go forth?", he realised it was from a goldsmith's family. Scrutinizing/watching/looking at his past births (attabhāva - a birth, common in commentary but not canon), he saw that he has been reborn for five hundred lives in sequence (paṭipāṭīya intr.) in the family of goldsmiths. This young man (instr.) performing the work of a goldsmith for a long time, thinking, "I shall make kaṇikāra flowers and lotus flowers, etc." covered over/gilded with red-gold (glittering gold). Therefore, it is unfitting a meditation object which is asubha and opposite to his character. "Sāriputta, after the meditation object has been given by you, you will see him attain Arahantship as soon as after meal today, this monk who toiled for four months after you have given him his meditation object."...

The mind of him who was simply taking the lotus from the hand of the Teacher became bright/clear. [The moment he received the lotus from the teacher's hand, his mind became bright and clear.]

---

The mind became tranquil as soon as he grasped the lotus from the teacher's hand.

That (lotus flower) turned black in colour just like the withering of a lotus flower crushed by hands.

---

Like a lotus which is squeezed by the hand, it became black coloured as it was withering away.

Emerging from jhāna, he observed that (lotus flower), "How come this lotus flower appears assailed by ageing? Even inanimate objects are being overcome by ageing thus, surely there is no other way for animate beings.

---

He getting up from jhāna, looked at it and thought, "How is this lotus seen to be struck by decay? ...