Suppose my disciples were loyal to me because I’m secluded and I praise seclusion. Well, there are disciples of mine who live in the wilderness, in remote lodgings. Having ventured deep into remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest, they live there, coming down to the midst of the Saṅgha each fortnight for the recitation of the monastic code.
But sometimes I live crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples.
‘Pavivitto samaṇo gotamo, pavivekassa ca vaṇṇavādī’ti, iti ce maṁ, udāyi, sāvakā sakkareyyuṁ garuṁ kareyyuṁ māneyyuṁ pūjeyyuṁ, sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyuṁ. Ye te, udāyi, mama sāvakā āraññakā pantasenāsanā araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni ajjhogāhetvā viharanti te anvaddhamāsaṁ saṅghamajjhe osaranti pātimokkhuddesāya, na maṁ te iminā dhammena sakkareyyuṁ garuṁ kareyyuṁ māneyyuṁ pūjeyyuṁ, sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyuṁ.
So if it were the case that my disciples are loyal to me because I’m secluded and praise seclusion, then those disciples who live in the wilderness would not be loyal to me.
So, Udāyī, it’s not because of these five qualities that my disciples honor, respect, revere, and venerate me; and honoring and respecting me, they remain loyal to me.