57) “Our Nigrodha Kappa Thero lived this noble ascetic life with a meaning. Did his goal come true? Did he perform the death in the
extinction of existence element? Or did he die with defilements? We are wil ing to know.”
58) “(The Blessed One) For a long time in this world made up of name-form; he had the flood of desire. He eliminated that desire. He transcended from the world that has death and birth, forever.”
59) “I became clear after hearing those words of yours, O great sage!
What I asked from the Blessed One was never empty. The greatest rishi never did deceive me.”
60) “That ascetic is a disciple of the Lord Buddha who does what he says. Only by wisdom, he broke the deceptive net of defilements.”
61) “The Blessed One saw every root of the Nigrodha Kappa Thero. In fact, he was able to cross the kingdom of Mara which is extremely hard to cross.”
62) “O great man, I worship You, the god of gods. I also pay homage to the Nigrodha Kappa thero who is like a tusker king, a son of the Lord Buddha, a son born from the heart of the Lord Buddha, a great warrior.”
63) “I can compose beautiful poems. I used to be intoxicated about it.
So I walked from vil age to vil age and from city to city. It was on that journey that I saw the Blessed Lord Buddha who transcended from everything.”
64) “Then Lord Buddha preached the nature to me too. I was very impressed with that Dharma. In fact, we got these triple gems for our own good.”
65) “I heard the great words of the Master. Learned about aggregates, elements, faculties. I too joined the organization of Lord Buddha.”
66) “Many men and women fol ow the advice of the Lord Buddha. In fact, it is for the good of many that Omniscient Buddhas come into the world.”
67) “If those monks and nuns who had entered into the path of Nirvana had attained the timeless Nirvana, then the Lord Buddha certainly have attained that supreme Buddhahood enlightenment for the sake of healing their minds.”
68) “The Lord Buddha, who was born of the sun dynasty, preached these four noble truths to the world with a great compassion.”
69) “Grief is an Aryan truth. The occurrence of grief is also an Aryan truth. The transcendence of grief is also an Aryan truth. The noble eight-fold path is also an Aryan Truth.”
70) “That is how the Aryan truth of Dharma is shown. I saw that same truth equal y as showed. Obtained that noble subtle meaning. The advice of Lord Buddha was completed.”
71) “I came to the end of six distinctive intel igences. The divine ear was cleansed. Also obtained three sciences. Came to the psychic powers. Also clever in knowing what others think.”
72) “It is a very good thing that I entered this organization of Lord Buddha. I came to know this Dharma in detail from the Lord Buddha himself. I too realized that subtle nature.” These are the stanzas uttered by The Reverend Arahant Monk Vangisa. 2500 years ago. (Note: These stanzas were uttered by him on various occasions of his life.) Sabbasava Sutra:
Sabbasava Sutra – Al the Fermentations. (defilements, cankers, sins)
I have heard that on one occasion the Omniscient Buddha was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Baron Anathapindika’s monastery. There he addressed the monks: “Monks!”
“Yes, lord,” the monks replied.
The Blessed One said, “Monks, the ending of the fermentations is for the one who knows & sees, I tel you, not for one who does not know
& does not see.
For the one who knows what & sees what? Appropriate attention & inappropriate attention. When a monk attends inappropriately, unarisen fermentations arise, and arisen fermentations increase.
When a monk attends appropriately, unarisen fermentations do not arise, and arisen fermentations are abandoned.
There are fermentations to be abandoned by seeing, There are fermentations to be abandoned by restraining, There are fermentations to be abandoned by considering, There are fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating, There are fermentations to be abandoned by avoiding, There are fermentations to be abandoned by dispel ing, and There are fermentations to be abandoned by meditating.”
(1) “And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by seeing?
There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mil person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not wel -versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not wel -versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — does not discern what ideas are fit for attention or what ideas are unfit for attention. This being so, he does not attend to ideas fit for attention and attends (instead) to ideas unfit for attention.”
“And what are the ideas unfit for attention that he attends to?
Whatever ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen fermentation of sensuality arises in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality increases; the unarisen fermentation of becoming arises in him, and arisen fermentation of becoming increases; the unarisen fermentation of ignorance arises in him, and the arisen fermentation of ignorance increases. These are the ideas unfit for attention that he attends to.”
“And what are the ideas fit for attention that he does not attend to?
Whatever ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen fermentation of sensuality does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality is abandoned; the unarisen fermentation of becoming does not arise in him, and arisen fermentation of becoming is abandoned; the unarisen fermentation of ignorance does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of ignorance is abandoned. These are the ideas fit for attention that he does not attend to. Through his attending to ideas unfit for attention and through his not attending to ideas fit for attention, both unarisen fermentations arise in him, and arisen fermentations increase.”
“This is how he attends inappropriately: ‘Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? Who was I in the past? How was I in the past? Having been who, who was I in the past? Shal I be in the future? Shal I not be in the future? Who shal I be in the future? How shal I be in the future?
Having been what, who shal I be in the future?’ Or else he is inwardly perplexed about the immediate present: ‘Am I existing? Am I not?
Who am I? How did I become such a person? Where have these being come from? Where wil these beings go?’”
“As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of the 6 kinds of views arises in him: The view ‘I exist’ arises in him as true (according to the
eternalism) and establishes. Or the view ‘I do not exist’ arises in him as true (according to the nihilism, nothingness, annihilationism) and establishes. Or taking Perception aggregate as I, the view ‘Me who is Perception aggregate know the other aggregates which are my soul/self’ arises in him as true and establishes. Or taking Perception group as I, the view ‘Me who is Perception aggregate know the other aggregates which are not my self’ arises in him as true and establishes.
Or the view ‘Me who is none-self perception aggregate know other 4
aggregates which are my self’ arises in him as true and establishes. Or else there becomes a view like this to him. That is; “If a certain self of mine acts, knows the results of karmas such as pleasureful sensations and painful sensations, that I, can be manipulated according to my wil , that my self is eternal, that my soul is permanent, that my self never changes. I do not change.” Monks, this is cal ed a thicket of views, a forest of views, the desert of philosophies, the dangerous thorn of philosophies, a fetter of views. Bound by the fetter of views, the uninstructed ordinary person is not freed from birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair. Monks, I tel you, he wil not be freed from al woes.”
“The wel -instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has regard for noble ones, is wel -versed & disciplined in their Dhamma; who has regard for men of integrity, is wel -versed & disciplined in their Dhamma — discerns what ideas are fit for attention and what ideas are unfit for attention. This being so, he does not attend to ideas unfit for attention and attends (instead) to ideas fit for attention.”
“And what are the ideas unfit for attention that he does not attend to?
Whatever ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen fermentation of sensuality arises in him, and the arisen fermentation
of sensuality increases; the unarisen fermentation of becoming arises in him, and arisen fermentation of becoming increases; the unarisen fermentation of ignorance arises in him, and the arisen fermentation of ignorance increases. These are the ideas unfit for attention that he does not attend to.”
“And what are the ideas fit for attention that he does attend to?
Whatever ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen fermentation of sensuality does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of sensuality is abandoned; the unarisen fermentation of becoming does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of becoming is abandoned; the unarisen fermentation of ignorance does not arise in him, and the arisen fermentation of ignorance is abandoned. These are the ideas fit for attention that he does attend to.
Through his not attending to ideas unfit for attention and through his attending to ideas fit for attention, unarisen fermentations do not arise in him, and arisen fermentations are abandoned.”
“He thinks appropriately; This is the woe. . This is the origination of woe. . This is the cessation of woe. . This is the way leading to the cessation of woe. As he attends appropriately in this way, three fetters are abandoned in him, which are: identity-view, doubt, and grasping of wrong views & wrong practices. These are cal ed the fermentations to be abandoned by seeing.”
(2) “And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by restraining?
There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, dwel s restrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty. The fermentations, vexation, suffering or trouble that would arise if he were to dwel unrestrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty do not arise for him when he dwel s restrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty.”
“Reflecting appropriately, he dwel s restrained with the restraint of the ear-faculty. .”
“Reflecting appropriately, he dwel s restrained with the restraint of the nose-faculty. .”
“Reflecting appropriately, he dwel s restrained with the restraint of the tongue-faculty. .”
“Reflecting appropriately, he dwel s restrained with the restraint of the body-faculty. .”
“Reflecting appropriately, he dwel s restrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty. The fermentations, vexation, suffering or trouble that would arise if he were to dwel unrestrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty do not arise for him when he dwel s restrained with the restraint of the mind-faculty. These are cal ed the fermentations to be abandoned by restraining.”
(3) “And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by considering?
There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, uses the robe simply to counteract cold, to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles; simply for the purpose of covering the parts of the body that cause shame.”
“Reflecting appropriately, he uses alms-food, not playful y, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification; but simply for the survival & continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, thinking, ‘Thus wil I destroy old feelings (of hunger) and not create new feelings (from overeating). I wil maintain myself, be blameless, & live in comfort.’”
“Reflecting appropriately, he uses lodging simply to counteract cold, to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind,
sun, & reptiles; simply for protection from the inclemencies of weather and for the enjoyment of seclusion.”
“Reflecting appropriately, he uses medicinal requisites that are used for curing the sick simply to counteract any pains of il ness that have arisen and for maximum freedom from disease.”
“The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not to use these things (in this way) do not arise for him when he uses them (in this way). These are cal ed the fermentations to be abandoned by considering.”
(4) “And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating?
There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, endures. He tolerates cold, heat, hunger, & thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles; il -spoken, unwelcome words & bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, & menacing to life. The fermentations, vexation, suffering or trouble that would arise if he were not to tolerate these things do not arise for him when he tolerates them.
These are cal ed the fermentations to be abandoned by tolerating.”
(5)“And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by avoiding?
There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, avoids a wild elephant, a wild horse, a wild bul , a wild dog, a snake, a stump, a bramble patch, a chasm, a cliff, a cesspool, an open sewer. Reflecting appropriately, he avoids sitting in the sorts of unsuitable seats, wandering to the sorts of unsuitable habitats, and associating with the sorts of bad friends that would make his knowledgeable friends in the holy life suspect him of evil conduct. The fermentations, vexation, suffering or fever that would arise if he were not to avoid these things do not arise for him when he avoids them. These are cal ed the fermentations to be abandoned by avoiding.”
(6) “And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by destroying?
There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality. He abandons it, dispels it, & wipes it out of existence.”
“Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of il wil . .”
“Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of cruelty. .”
“Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate arisen evil, unskil ful mental qualities. He abandons them, dispels them, & wipes them out of existence. The effluents, vexation, suffering or fever that would arise if he were not to dispel these things do not arise for him when he dispels them. These are cal ed the fermentations to be abandoned by dispel ing.”
(7) “And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by meditating?
There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, develops mindfulness as a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion. .
dispassion. . cessation, resulting in letting go. He develops analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening. . persistence as a factor for Awakening. . rapture as a factor for Awakening. . serenity as a factor for Awakening. . concentration as a factor for Awakening. . equanimity as a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion. . dispassion. .
cessation, resulting in letting go. The fermentations, vexation, suffering or fever that would arise if he were not to develop these qualities do not arise for him when he develops them. These are cal ed the fermentations to be abandoned by meditating.”
“When a monk’s fermentations that should be abandoned by seeing have been abandoned by seeing, his fermentations that should be
abandoned by restraining have been abandoned by restraining, his fermentations that should be abandoned by considering have been abandoned by considering, his fermentations that should be abandoned by tolerating have been abandoned by tolerating, his fermentations that should be abandoned by avoiding have been abandoned by avoiding, his fermentations that should be abandoned by dispel ing have been abandoned by dispel ing, his fermentations that should be abandoned by meditating have been abandoned by meditating, then he is cal ed a monk who dwel s restrained with the restraint of al the fermentations. He has severed craving, thrown off the fetters, and — through the right penetration of conceit — has made an end of suffering & woe.”
That is what the Buddha said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One’s words. [End of this sutta]
Sallekha Sutra:
Sal ekha Sutra: The Discourse on Effacement.
Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, the baron Anathapindika’s monastery.
Then one evening the venerable Maha-Cunda rose from meditative seclusion and went to the Blessed One. Having paid homage to him, he sat down at one side and spoke thus to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, there are these various views that arise in the world concerning self-doctrines or world-doctrines. Does the abandoning and discarding of such views come about in a monk who is only at the beginning of his (meditative) reflections?”
“Cunda, as to those several views that arise in the world concerning self-doctrines and world-doctrines, if (the object) in which these views
arise, in which they underlie and become active, is seen with right wisdom as it actual y is, thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’— then the abandoning of these views, their discarding, takes place in him (who thus sees).”
The Eight Attainments:
“It may be, Cunda, that some monk, detached from sense-objects, detached from unsalutary ideas, enters into the first absorption that is born of detachment, accompanied by thought- conception and discursive thinking, and fil ed with rapture and joy, and he then might think: ‘I am abiding in effacement.’ But in the Noble One’s discipline it is not these (attainments) that are cal ed ‘effacement’; in the Noble One’s discipline they are cal ed ‘abidings in ease here and now.’”
“It may be that after the stil ing of thought conception and discursive thinking, he gains the inner tranquil ity and harmony of the second absorption that is free of thought-conception and discursive thinking, born of concentration and fil ed with rapture and joy; and he then might think: ‘I am abiding in effacement.’ But in the Noble One’s discipline it is not these (attainments) that are cal ed ‘effacement’; in the Noble One’s discipline they are cal ed ‘abidings in ease here and now.’”
“It may be that after the fading away of rapture, the monk dwel s in equanimity, mindful and clearly aware, and he experiences a happiness in his body of which the Noble Ones say: ‘Happily lives he who dwel s in equanimity and is mindful!’ — that third absorption he wins; and he then might think: ‘I am abiding in effacement.’ But in the Noble One’s discipline it is not these (attainments) that are cal ed
‘effacement’; in the Noble One’s discipline they are cal ed ‘abidings in ease here and now.’”
“It may be that with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, he enters upon and abides in the fourth absorption, which is beyond pleasure and pain and has purity of mindfulness due to equanimity; and he then might think: ‘I am abiding in effacement.’ But in the Noble One’s discipline it is not these (attainments) that are cal ed ‘effacement’; in the Noble One’s discipline they are cal ed ‘abidings in ease here and now.’”
“It may be that, with the entire transcending of perceptions of corporeality, with the disappearance of perceptions of sense-response,’ with non-attention to perceptions of variety, thinking:
‘Space is infinite,’ some monk enters upon and abides in the sphere of infinite space; and he then might think: ‘I am abiding in effacement.’
But in the Noble One’s discipline it is not these (attainments) that are cal ed ‘effacement’; in the Noble One’s discipline they are cal ed
‘peaceful abidings.’”
“It may be that by entirely transcending the sphere of infinite space, thinking: ‘Consciousness is infinite,’ some monk enters and abides in the sphere of infinite consciousness; and he then might think: ‘I am abiding in effacement.’ But in the Noble One’s discipline it is not these (attainments) that are cal ed ‘effacement’; in the Noble One’s discipline they are cal ed ‘peaceful abidings.’”
“It may be that by entirely transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, some monk enters and abides in the sphere of nothingness; and he then might think: I am abiding in effacement.’ But in the Noble One’s discipline it is not these (attainments) that are cal ed ‘effacement’; in the Noble One’s discipline they are cal ed
‘peaceful abidings.’”
“It may be that, by entirely transcending the sphere of nothingness, some monk enters and abides in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-
non-perception; and he then might think: ‘I am abiding in effacement.’
But in the Noble One’s discipline it is not these (attainments) that are cal ed ‘effacement’; in the Noble one’s discipline they are cal ed
‘peaceful abidings.’”
Effacement:
“But herein, Cunda, effacement should be practiced by you: (1) Others wil be harmful; we shal not be harmful here — thus effacement can be done.
(2) Others wil kil living beings; we shal abstain from kil ing living beings here — thus effacement can be done.
(3) Others wil take what is not given; we shal abstain from taking what is not given here — thus effacement can be done.
(4) Others wil be unchaste; we shal be chaste here — thus effacement can be done.
(5) Others wil speak falsehood; we shal abstain from false speech here — thus effacement can be done.
(6) Others wil speak maliciously; we shal abstain from malicious speech here — thus effacement can be done.
(7) Others wil speak harshly; we shal abstain from harsh speech here
— thus effacement can be done.
(8) Others wil gossip; we shal abstain from gossip here — thus effacement can be done.
(9) Others wil be covetous; we shal not be covetous here — thus effacement can be done.
(10) Others wil have thoughts of il wil ; we shal not have thoughts of il wil here — thus effacement can be done.
(11) Others wil have wrong views; we shal have right view here —
thus effacement can be done.
(12) Others wil have wrong intention; we shal have right intention here — thus effacement can be done.
(13) Others wil use wrong speech; we shal use right speech here —
thus effacement can be done.
(14) Others wil commit wrong actions; we shal do right actions here
— thus effacement can be done.
(15) Others wil have wrong livelihood; we shal have right livelihood here — thus effacement can be done.
(16) Others wil make wrong effort; we shal make right effort here —
thus effacement can be done.
(17) Others wil have wrong mindfulness; we shal have right mindfulness here — thus effacement can be done.
(18) Others wil have wrong concentration; we shal have right concentration here — thus effacement can be done.
(19) Others wil have wrong knowledge; we shal have right knowledge here — thus effacement can be done.
(20) Others wil have wrong deliverance; we shal have right deliverance here — thus effacement can be done.
(21) Others wil be overcome by sloth and torpor; we shal be free from sloth and torpor here — thus effacement can be done.
(22) Others wil be agitated; we shal be unagitated here — thus effacement can be done.
(23) Others wil be doubting; we shal be free from doubt here — thus effacement can be done.
(24) Others wil be angry; we shal not be angry here — thus effacement can be done.
(25) Others wil be hostile; we shal not be hostile here — thus effacement can be done.
(26) Others wil denigrate; we shal not denigrate here — thus effacement can be done.
(27) Others wil be domineering; we shal not be domineering here —
thus effacement can be done.
(28) Others wil be envious; we shal not be envious here — thus effacement can be done.
(29) Others wil be jealous; we shal not be jealous here — thus effacement can be done.
(30) Others wil be fraudulent; we shal not be fraudulent here — thus effacement can be done.
(31) Others wil be hypocrites; we shal not be hypocrites here — thus effacement can be done.
(32) Others wil be obstinate; we shal not be obstinate here — thus effacement can be done.
(33) Others wil be arrogant; we shal not be arrogant here — thus effacement can be done.
(34) Others wil be difficult to admonish; we shal be easy to admonish here — thus effacement can be done.
(35) Others wil have bad friends; we shal have noble friends here —
thus effacement can be done.
(36) Others wil be negligent; we shal be heedful here — thus effacement can be done.
(37) Others wil be faithless; we shal be faithful here — thus effacement can be done.
(38) Others wil be shameless; we shal be shameful here — thus effacement can be done.
(39) Others wil be without conscience; we shal have conscience here
— thus effacement can be done.
(40) Others wil have no learning; we shal be learned here — thus effacement can be done.
(41) Others wil be idle; we shal be energetic here — thus effacement can be done.
(42) Others wil be lacking in mindfulness; we shal be established in mindfulness here — thus effacement can be done.
(43) Others wil be without wisdom; we shal be endowed with wisdom
— thus effacement can be done.
(44) Others wil misapprehend according to their individual views, hold on to them tenaciously and not easily discard them;[18] we shal not misapprehend according to individual views nor hold on to them tenaciously, but shal discard them with ease — thus effacement can be done.”
The Arising of Thought:
“Cunda, I say that even the arising of a thought concerned with salutary things [and ideas] is of great importance, not to speak of bodily acts and words conforming [to such thought]. Therefore, Cunda: (1) The thought should be produced: ‘Others wil be harmful; we shal not be harmful here.’
(2) The thought should be produced: ‘Others wil kil living beings; we shal abstain from kil ing living beings here.’
(3)-(43). .
(44) The thought should be produced: ‘Others wil misapprehend according to their individual views, hold on to them tenaciously and not easily discard them; we shal not misapprehend according to individual views nor hold on to them tenaciously, but shal discard them with ease.’”
Avoidance:
“Suppose, Cunda, there were an uneven road and another even road by which to avoid it; and suppose there were an uneven ford and another even ford by which to avoid it. So too: (1) A person given to harmfulness has non-harming by which to avoid it.
(2) A person given to kil ing living beings has abstention from kil ing by which to avoid it.
(3) A person given to taking what is not given has abstention from taking what is not given by which to avoid it.
(4) A person given to unchastity has chastity by which to avoid it.
(5) A person given to false speech has abstention from false speech by which to avoid it.
(6) A person given to malicious speech has abstention from malicious speech by which to avoid it.
(7) A person given to harsh speech has abstention from harsh speech by which to avoid it.
(8) A person given to gossip has abstention from gossip by which to avoid it.
(9) A person given to covetousness has non-covetousness by which to avoid it.
(10) A person given to thoughts of il wil has non-il wil by which to avoid it.
(11) A person given to wrong view has right view by which to avoid it.
(12) A person given to wrong intention has right intention by which to avoid it.
(13) A person given to wrong speech has right speech by which to avoid it.
(14) A person given to wrong action has right action by which to avoid it.
(15) A person given to wrong livelihood has right livelihood by which to avoid it.
(16) A person given to wrong effort has right effort by which to avoid it.
(17) A person given to wrong mindfulness has right mindfulness by which to avoid it.
(18) A person given to wrong concentration has right concentration by which to avoid it.
(19) A person given to wrong knowledge has right knowledge by which to avoid it.
(20) A person given to wrong deliverance has right deliverance by which to avoid it.
(21) A person overcome by sloth and torpor has freedom from sloth and torpor by which to avoid it.
(22) A person given to agitation has non-agitation by which to avoid it.
(23) A person given to doubting has freedom from doubt by which to avoid it.
(24) A person given to anger has freedom from anger by which to avoid it.
(25) A person given to hostility has freedom from hostility by which to avoid it.
(26) A person given to denigrating has non-denigrating by which to avoid it.
(27) A person given to domineering has non-domineering by which to avoid it.
(28) A person given to envy has non-envy by which to avoid it.
(29) A person given to jealousy has non-jealousy by which to avoid it.
(30) A person given to fraud has non-fraud by which to avoid it.
(31) A person given to hypocrisy has non-hypocrisy by which to avoid it.
(32) A person given to obstinacy has non-obstinacy by which to avoid it.
(33) A person given to arrogance has non-arrogance by which to avoid it.
(34) A person difficult to admonish has amenability by which to avoid it.
(35) A person given to making bad friends has making good friends by which to avoid it.
(36) A person given to negligence has heedfulness by which to avoid it.
(37) A person given to faithlessness has faith by which to avoid it.
(38) A person given to shamelessness has shame by which to avoid it.
(39) A person without conscience has conscience by which to avoid it.
(40) A person without learning has acquisition of great learning by which to avoid it.
(41) A person given to idleness has energetic endeavor by which to avoid it.
(42) A person without mindfulness has the establishment of mindfulness by which to avoid it.
(43) A person without wisdom has wisdom by which to avoid it.
(44) A person given to misapprehending according to his individual views, to holding on to them tenaciously and not discarding them easily, has non-misapprehension of individual views, non-holding on tenaciously and ease in discarding by which to avoid it.”
The Way Upward:
“Cunda, as al unsalutary states lead downward and al salutary states lead upward, even so, Cunda:
(1) A person given to harmfulness has harmlessness to lead him upward.
(2) A person given to kil ing living beings has abstention from kil ing to lead him upwards.
(3)-(43). .
(44) A person given to misapprehending according to his individual views, to holding on to them tenaciously and not discarding them easily, has non-misapprehension of individual views, non-holding on tenaciously and ease in discarding to lead him upward.”
Quenching:
“Cunda, it is impossible that one who is himself sunk in the mire should pul out another who is sunk in the mire. But it is possible, Cunda, that one not sunk in the mire himself should pul out another who is sunk in the mire.”
“It is not possible, Cunda, that one who is himself not restrained, not disciplined and not quenched [as to his passions], should make others restrained and disciplined, should make them attain to the ful quenching [of passions]. But it is possible, Cunda, that one who is himself restrained, disciplined and ful y quenched [as to his passions]
should make others restrained and disciplined, should make them attain to the ful quenching [of passions]. Even so, Cunda: (1) A person given to harmfulness has harmlessness by which to attain to the ful quenching [of it].
(2) A person given to kil ing living beings has abstention from kil ing by which to attain to the ful quenching [of it].
(3)-(43). .
(44) A person given to misapprehending according to his individual views, to holding on to them tenaciously and not discarding them easily, has non-misapprehension of individual views, non-holding on tenaciously and ease in discarding by which to attain the quenching [of them].”
Conclusion:
“Thus, Cunda, I have shown to you the instruction on effacement, I have shown to you the instruction on thought’s arising, I have shown to you the instruction on avoidance, I have shown to you the instruction on the way upward, I have shown to you the instruction on quenching.”
“What can be done for his disciples by a Master who seeks their welfare and has compassion and pity on them, that I have done for you, Cunda. There are these roots of trees, there are empty places.
Meditate, Cunda, do not delay, lest you later regret it. ‘This is my message to you.”
Thus spoke the Blessed One. Satisfied, the venerable Cunda rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. (The concluding verse added by the ‘Monks of the First Council)
[End of this sutta]
Maha Assapura Sutra:
Maha Assapura sutra – the sermon did in the Assapura vil age.
1) I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One, was in Assapura vil age in the Anga country. Then the lord Buddha addressed the monks. “Yes lord” monks replied as thus. Lord Buddha then preached this sermon.
2) Monks, people recognize you as “ascetics, ascetics”. You also should reply to them when they ask who are you as “we are ascetics”. Monks when you say like that; you too should be disciplined as “If there are certain natures that make one an ascetic, that makes one a brahmin, we should be wel established in those natures. Then our asceticism is true. Our reply also becomes a reality. Also if we use someone’s robes, foods, temples, medicines; those their givings to us wil yield them great results. Our this ascetic life wil not be empty. We wil have good results. We wil have progress.”
3) Monks, what are the natures that make one an ascetic, that makes one a real brahmin?
4) Monks, you should discipline yourselves as “we wil establish ourselves in shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins”.
5) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. That is enough. We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life. There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
6) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? Monks, you should discipline yourselves as “our bodily actions are clean. Clear. Spotless and without holes. Because of that clean bodily actions, we wil not show ourselves as high and disrespect others as low”.
7) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. Our bodily actions are also clean. Clear. Spotless and without holes. Also because of that clean bodily actions, we do not show ourselves as high and disrespect others as low. That is enough.
We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life. There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
8) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? Monks, you should discipline yourselves as “our verbal actions are clean. Clear. Spotless and without holes. Because of that clean verbal actions, we wil not think ourselves as high and consider others as low by arrogance”.
9) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. Our bodily actions are also clean. Our verbal actions are also clean. Clear. Spotless and without holes. Because of that clean verbal actions, we do not think of ourselves as high and consider others as low by arrogance. That is enough. We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life. There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
10) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? Monks, you should discipline yourselves as “our mental actions are clean. Clear. Spotless and without holes. Because of that clean mental actions, we wil not consider ourselves as high and consider others as low”.
11) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. Our bodily actions are also clean. Our verbal actions are also clean. Our mental actions are also clean. Clear. Spotless and without holes. Because of that clean mental actions, we do not consider ourselves as high and consider others as low. That is enough.
We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life. There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
12) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? Monks, you should discipline yourselves as “our correct livelihood virtue is clean. Clear. Spotless and without holes.
Because of that clean correct livelihood virtue, we wil not consider ourselves as high and consider others as low by arrogance”.
13) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. Our bodily actions are also clean. Our verbal actions are also clean. Our mental actions are also clean. Our correct livelihood virtue is also clean. Clear. Spotless and without holes. Because of that clean correct livelihood virtue, we do not consider ourselves as high and consider others as low by arrogance. That is enough. We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life. There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
14) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? Monks, you should discipline yourselves as
“should establish wel in sense organs virtue. Wil not take signs when sees forms by the eye. Wil not remember the figure of forms when sees by the eye. The one who does not protect the eye is attacked by childish fermentations. Hence wil discipline the eye. Wil protect the eye. Wil not take signs when hears sounds by the ear… Wil not take signs when feels fragrances by the nose. . Wil not take signs when feels tastes by the tongue. . Wil not take signs when feels touches by the body… Wil not take signs when thinks thoughts by the mind. Wil
not remember the figures of useless thoughts (related to 5 dark covers of mind) when thinks by the mind. The one who does not protect the mind is attacked by childish defilements. Hence wil discipline the mind.
Wil protect the mind.”
15) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. Our bodily actions are also clean. Our verbal actions are also clean. Our mental actions are also clean. Our correct livelihood virtue is also clean. We are established in the sense organs virtue too.
That is enough. We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life.
There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
16) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? Monks, you should discipline yourselves as “we wil take food knowing the correct proportion. We wil only use food knowing by wisdom. That is; not eating for the enjoyment, not for becoming a strong man like a fighter, not to build the body, not to make the body beautiful, not to play games, not to feed the love for tastes. But only for living, only as a help for the ascetic life, only to destroy the hunger, only to obtain the necessary strength. Without letting rigidity and torpor to overcome us.”
17) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. Our bodily actions are also clean. Our verbal actions are also clean. Our mental actions are also clean. Our correct livelihood virtue is also clean. We are established in the sense organs virtue too.
Also, we take food knowing the correct proportion. That is enough. We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life. There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
18) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? Monks, you should discipline yourselves as “we wil clear the mind from 5 dark covers in the daytime by walking meditations and sitting meditations. And also we wil clear the mind from 5 dark covers in the first part of nighttime by walking meditations and sitting meditations. Also, resolving to wake up as soon as possible, keeping the left leg on the right leg, sleeping on the right side of the body, as a lion sleeps, and after sleeping in the middle part of the night, we wil clear the mind from 5 dark covers in the final part of night time by walking meditations and sitting meditations.”
19) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. Our bodily actions are also clean. Our verbal actions are also clean. Our mental actions are also clean. Our correct livelihood virtue is also clean. We are established in the sense organs virtue too.
Also, we take food knowing the correct proportion. And also we are practicing meditations without sleeping. (less sleep) That is enough.
We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life. There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
20) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? Monks, you should discipline yourselves as “we wil establish ourselves in the sanity of concentration meditations and wisdom meditations. When going forth, when coming back, when looking directions, when stretch hands or legs, when using the begging bowl and robes, when eating; we wil stay in sanity. When go to the toilet, when walking, when standing, when sitting, when laying, when
awake, when talk, when silent; we wil do al these actions staying in sanity.”
21) Monks, you may think “we have shame for doing sins and fear for doing sins. Our bodily actions are also clean. Our verbal actions are also clean. Our mental actions are also clean. Our correct livelihood virtue is also clean. We are established in the sense organs virtue too.
We take food knowing the correct proportion. We are practicing meditations without sleeping. And also we are established ourselves in the sanity of concentration meditations and wisdom meditations. That is enough. We did the asceticism. We got the results of ascetic life.
There is nothing more to do.” You may come to satisfaction in just that.
22) Monks, I tel you, I inform you; having more other things to do, may you not destroy your ascetic life by thinking that we have already obtained the results of the ascetic life. Monks, what other things do you have to complete? That ascetic should associate with secluded depopulated silent places. What are they? Forests, roots of trees, mountains, rock caves, cemeteries, groups of trees deep inside forests, open grounds, grass grounds, places that dumped hay. Then after he taking the meal, sitting in the meditation posture, he erects his upper body, and keeps the sanity to the meditation. He stays abandoning love in mind that is craving. He stays abandoning anger in mind that is hatred. He lives having mercy to al creatures. Abandoning drowsiness and laziness; he lives in the recognition of light. Without uneasiness (distraction) and repentance; he stays in a calm mind. Also, he has no uncertainty in Dharma. (explaining 5 dark covers of mind) 23) Monks, just like a man invests on a business by borrowing a loan, and if his business becomes successful, if pays the old loan completely, and also if stil there remains some money to feed his wife and children, he thinks like this “in the past, I did a business by borrowing a loan. My
actions became successful. If I took any loan, I could repay it completely. Yet I have some other money to feed my wife and children.” He becomes happy due to free of debt. He comes to joy.
24) Monks, just like a sick man, having many pains, having become dangerously sick, if he doesn’t have an appetite for food also, if his body is also weak but later becomes healthy and gets back the appetite for food, body strength; he thinks like this “I had a dangerous sickness before, I was in much pain, I was very sick, I could not even eat foods, my body also became weak. But now I am healthy. Also, I have my food appetite now. I have a good body strength also.” He becomes happy due to free from the sickness. He comes to joy.
25) Monks, just like a man caught in prison later becomes free from that prison and also if his wealth is stil existing intact, he thinks like this “I was inside the prison before. Now I am free from the prison.
Also, my wealth remain intact.” He becomes happy due to being free from the prison. He comes to joy.
26) Monks, just like a man who is subordinate to someone else, a servant that cannot go anywhere according to his wil , but later if he becomes a free man, if he becomes not a servant of anyone, if he receives the ability to do according to his wish, he thinks like this “I was a man subordinate to someone else before. I could not do anything according to my wil . I could not move anywhere according to my wish.
I was a servant. But now I can do whatever I want. I am not a servant anymore. I am a free man.” He becomes happy due to freedom. He comes to joy.
27) Monks, just like in a situation where a man has to move on a long desert road with a large amount of wealth, later without any trouble if he passed that desert, he thinks like this “I had to move through a long desert road with a large amount of wealth before. But now I have
passed the dangerous desert safely with my wealth.” He becomes happy due to coming to the fearless land. He comes to joy.
28) Monks, like this, an ascetic should see correctly the 5 dark covers that are stil in his mind as a debt, as a sickness, as a prison, as being a servant, as moving on a long desert road. Monks, an ascetic should see correctly the 5 dark covers that have vanished from his mind as a debtlessness, as a good health, as a freedom from the prison, as becoming a free man, as a fearless land.
Attaining 4 form trances:
29) That ascetic, abandoning the 5 dark covers of mind which are defilements, which are the causes for weakening the intel igence, having separated himself from lust, having separated himself from demeritorious states, attains to the 1st form plane meditative level that has initial application of thought, sustained application of thought, bliss and pleasure. He wets his entire body from the bliss and pleasure that occurred from solitude. He wets everywhere, touches from everywhere. There is no place in his body that is not touched by the bliss and pleasure that occurred from solitude. Monks, as a bathing man or a servant of a bathing man, by putting in a vessel some bathing powder and mixing it with water again and again, then making bathing powder bal s, those bal s are wel mixed with water inside and outside and they stay huddled, without flowing water, without breaking. Just like that, that ascetic wets his entire body from the bliss and pleasure that occurred from solitude. He wets everywhere, touches from everywhere.
30) Monks, furthermore, that ascetic calming down the initial application of thought and sustained application of thought, making more purity in consciousness element, fil ed with bliss and pleasure, attains to the 2nd form plane meditative level that occurs from the
concentration without initial application of thought and sustained application of thought. He wets his entire body from the bliss and pleasure that occurred from the concentration without initial application of thought and sustained application of thought. He wets everywhere, touches from everywhere. There is no place in his body that is not touched by the bliss and pleasure that occurred from the concentration without initial application of thought and sustained application of thought. Monks, there is a pool completely fil ed with cold water. It has no paths from the east, west, north, and south to receive water. Rain also does not provide water to this pool. But from this pool’s springs, comes up water and the pool itself is fil ed with water without an effort. And it completely fil s the pool. There is no place in the pool that was not touched by the cold water of the pool.
Just like that, that ascetic wets his entire body from the bliss and pleasure that occurred from the concentration without initial application of thought and sustained application of thought. He wets everywhere, touches from everywhere.
31) Monks, furthermore, that ascetic dwel s without clinging to the bliss. With sanity, he dwel s in pleasure. In this world, if noble men say for some trance as “non-clinging to the bliss, with sanity, with pleasure”; he attains to that 3rd form plane meditative level. He wets his entire body from the pleasure without bliss. He wets everywhere, touches from everywhere. There is no place in his body that is not touched by the pleasure without bliss. Monks, if in some water lily flower pond, or in a white lotus pond, or in a red lotus pond, if a certain water lily flower or a white lotus flower or a red lotus flower becomes from the water, develops inside the water, without coming outside from the water if grows staying in the water; that flower from root to the top is wetted by the water. Completely covered by the
water. Water touches al parts of that flower. There is no part in that flower that is not touched by the cold water of that pond. Just like that, that ascetic wets his entire body from the pleasure without bliss. He wets everywhere, touches from everywhere.
32) Monks, furthermore, that ascetic by removing bodily pleasures and woes, by removing mental happiness and sorrow, having sanity begotten from the equanimity which is free from both grief and pleasure; attains to that 4th form plane meditative level. He pervades extremely pure consciousness element in his body. There is no place in his body that is not touched by the extremely pure consciousness element. Monks, just like a man completely covers himself including his head with a bright white cloth, then just as there is no place in his body that is not touched by that bright white cloth; that ascetic pervades extremely pure consciousness element in al his body.
Seeing past lives:
33) And now when the consciousness element is pure, extremely pure, supreme, without defilements, very soft, able to do anything at wil , steady, not shaking; that ascetic bends his mind to the distinctive intel igence of seeing past lives. He sees his various past lives. How?
One life, 2 lives, 3 lives, 4 lives, 5 lives, 10 lives, 20 lives, 30 lives, 40
lives, 50 lives, 100 lives, 1000 lives, 100000 lives, many destroying (galaxies) kalpas, many creating (galaxies) kalpas, many destroying and creating kalpa times; “in such a place I was such a person, I had such a name. My clan was such. My body color was such. I ate such foods. I felt such pleasures and woes. I died like this. Dying there, I was born in such another world. There my name was such. My family was such. My body color was such. I ate such foods. I felt such pleasures and griefs.
And I died like that. And I by dying there, was born in another world
again” like that he sees his past lives. Monks, just like a man who goes from his vil age to another vil age and then to some another vil age and after some time returns to his home vil age thinks “I went to that vil age from my vil age. There I stayed like this. There I sat like that. I spoke like that. I became silent like that. Also, I went to another vil age from that vil age. There I stayed like this. There I sat like that. I spoke like that. I became silent like that. After moving a long distance, I came back to my home vil age”. Monks, just like that, that ascetic checks his past lives.
Seeing by divine eye:
34) And, furthermore, now when the consciousness element is pure, extremely pure, supreme, without defilements, very soft, able to do anything at wil , steady, not shaking; that ascetic bends his mind to the distinctive intel igence of divine eye. He sees by the divine eye which surpasses human vision; fine beings, gross beings, beautiful beings, ugly beings, and various other creatures. He sees creatures in heaven worlds and hel worlds. He sees creatures born according to their own karmas. How? “these creatures certainly did bodily sins, verbal sins, mental sins. Disrespected supreme noble men. Had wrong views about the nature. Did karmas related to wrong visions. And after death, they were born in these none-pleasureful, hel worlds which have states of woe. These creatures certainly did bodily merits, verbal merits, mental merits. Honored supreme noble men. Had correct views about the nature. Did karmas related to right visions. And after death, they were born in these pleasureful, heaven worlds which have states of bliss”.
Like this, he sees by the god’s eye which surpasses human vision; fine beings, gross beings, beautiful beings, ugly beings, and various other creatures. Monks, just as if there are 2 houses with 2 doors and in the
middle of those 2 houses if a man that has eyes is standing, he sees al humans that walk into those 2 houses and who come outside. Monks, just like that, that ascetic checks by the divine eye which surpasses human vision; fine beings, gross beings, beautiful beings, ugly beings, and various other creatures. He sees creatures in good worlds and bad worlds.
Ending al cankers:
35) And, furthermore, now when the consciousness element is pure, extremely pure, supreme, without defilements, very soft, able to do anything at wil , steady, not shaking; that ascetic bends his mind to the distinctive intel igence of destroying al defilements. He knows ‘this is the woe’ according to reality. He knows ‘this is the cause for the creation of woe’ according to reality. He knows ‘this is the cessation of woe’ according to reality. He knows ‘this is the correct path leading to the cessation of woe’ according to reality. He knows the truth as it is.
Knowing like this, seeing like this; his consciousness element is freed from al the sensual defilements. His consciousness element is freed from al the defilements related to the existence. His consciousness element is freed from al the defilements related to the ignorance. And when he got the supreme liberation there becomes a distinctive intel igence in his consciousness element as “liberated”. Destroyed the reincarnation process. Came to the end of ascetic life. Did what should be done. Wil never be born again. He wil know as thus. Monks, if there is a clean, unshaking, clear water fil ed pool on a top of a mountain, if a man who has eyes is sitting on the embankment; he can see clearly moving or not moving oysters, stones, packs of fishes. He then thinks “This pool is clean. Unshaking. Has very clear water. In this pool there are moving or not moving oysters, stones, packs of fishes”.
Just like this, monks, that ascetic knows ‘this is the woe’ according to true nature. He knows ‘this is the cause for the creation of woe’
according to true nature. He knows ‘this is the cessation of woe’
according to true nature. He knows ‘this is the accurate path leading to the cessation of woe’ according to true nature. He knows the truth as it is. Knowing like this, seeing like this; his consciousness element is freed from al the sensual fermentations. His consciousness element is freed from al the fermentations related to the existence. His consciousness element is freed from al the fermentations related to the ignorance. And when he got the supreme liberation there becomes a distinctive intel igence in his consciousness element as “liberated”.
Destroyed the reincarnation process. Came to the end of ascetic life.
Did what should be done. Wil never be born again. He wil know as thus.
36) Monks, this ascetic is an Ascetic, this ascetic is the true Brahmin, the Nahathaka, the Vedagu, the Soththiya, the Arya, the Arhant.
37) Monks, how does an ascetic become an ascetic? He calms down childish sinful demeritorious natures that make the consciousness element impure, that creates reincarnation process again and again, that gives various troubles, that gives painful sensations as results, that causes birth decaying and death. Monks, this is how an ascetic becomes an ascetic.
38) Monks, how does an ascetic become a brahmin? He abandons childish sinful demeritorious natures that make the consciousness element impure, that creates reincarnation process again and again, that gives various troubles, that gives painful sensations as results, that causes birth decaying and death. Monks, this is how an ascetic becomes a brahmin.
39) Monks, how does an ascetic become the Nahathaka? He washes away al childish sinful demeritorious natures that make the consciousness element impure, that creates reincarnation process again and again, that gives various troubles, that gives painful sensations as results, that causes birth decaying and death. Monks, this is how an ascetic becomes the Nahathaka.
40) Monks, how does an ascetic become the Vedagu? He ful y realizes by penetrating al childish sinful demeritorious natures that makes the consciousness element impure, that creates reincarnation process again and again, that gives various troubles, that gives painful sensations as results, that causes birth decaying and death. Monks, this is how an ascetic becomes the Vedagu.
41) Monks, how does an ascetic become the Soththiya? He vanishes al childish sinful demeritorious natures that make the consciousness element impure, that creates reincarnation process again and again, that gives various troubles, that gives painful sensations as results, that causes birth decaying and death. Monks, this is how an ascetic becomes the Soththiya.
42) Monks, how does an ascetic become the Arya? He removes from a long distance childish sinful demeritorious natures that makes the consciousness element impure, that creates reincarnation process again and again, that gives various troubles, that gives painful sensations as results, that causes birth decaying and death. Monks, this is how an ascetic becomes the Arya.
43) Monks, how does an ascetic become the Arhant? He, without a remainder, ful y removes from a long distance al the childish sinful demeritorious natures that make the consciousness element impure, that creates reincarnation process again and again, that gives various
troubles, that gives painful sensations as results, that causes birth decaying and death. Monks, this is how an ascetic becomes the Arhant.
Lord Buddha preached this sermon. The monks happily accepted the Dharma. (End of this sutta)
Anagata-bhayani Sutta:
Anagata-bhayani Sutta: The Discourse on Future Dangers.
“Monks, these five future dangers are just enough, when considered, for a monk — heedful, ardent, and resolute — to live for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as- yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. Which five?”
“There is the case where a monk reminds himself of this: At present I am young, black-haired, endowed with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life. The time wil come, though, when this body is beset by old age. When one is overcome with old age and decay, it is not easy to pay attention to the Buddha’s teachings. It is not easy to reside in isolated forest or wilderness dwel ings. Before this unwelcome, disagreeable, displeasing thing happens, let me first make an effort for the attaining of the as- yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized, so that —
endowed with that Dhamma — I wil live in peace even when old.”
“This is the first future danger that is just enough, when considered, for a monk — heedful, ardent, and resolute — to live for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as- yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.”
“Furthermore, the monk reminds himself of this: At present I am free from il ness and discomfort, endowed with good digestion: not too
cold, not too hot, of medium strength and tolerance. The time wil come, though, when this body is beset with il ness. When one is overcome with il ness, it is not easy to pay attention to the Buddha’s teachings. It is not easy to reside in isolated forest or wilderness dwel ings. Before this unwelcome, disagreeable, displeasing thing happens, let me first make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized, so that — endowed with that Dhamma — I wil live in peace even when il .”
“This is the second future danger that is just enough, when considered, for a monk — heedful, ardent, and resolute — to live for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as- yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.”
“Furthermore, the monk reminds himself of this: At present food is plentiful, alms are easy to come by. It is easy to maintain oneself by gleanings and patronage. The time wil come, though, when there is famine: Food is scarce, alms are hard to come by, and it is not easy to maintain oneself by gleanings and patronage. When there is famine, people wil congregate where food is plentiful. There they wil live packed and crowded together. When one is living packed and crowded together, it is not easy to pay attention to the Buddha’s teachings. It is not easy to reside in isolated forest or wilderness dwel ings. Before this unwelcome, disagreeable, displeasing thing happens, let me first make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized, so that —
endowed with that Dhamma — I wil live in peace even when there is famine.”
“This is the third future danger that is just enough, when considered, for a monk — heedful, ardent, and resolute — to live for the attaining
of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as- yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.”
“Furthermore, the monk reminds himself of this: At present people are in harmony, on friendly terms, without quarreling, like milk mixed with water, viewing one another with eyes of affection. The time wil come, though, when there is danger and an invasion of savage tribes. Taking power, they wil surround the countryside. When there is danger, people wil congregate where it is safe. There they wil live packed and crowded together. When one is living packed and crowded together, it is not easy to pay attention to the Buddha’s teachings. It is not easy to reside in isolated forest or wilderness dwel ings. Before this unwelcome, disagreeable, displeasing thing happens, let me first make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized, so that —
endowed with that Dhamma — I wil live in peace even when there is danger.”
“This is the fourth future danger that is just enough, when considered, for a monk — heedful, ardent, and resolute — to live for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as- yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.”
“Furthermore, the monk reminds himself of this: At present the Sangha — in harmony, on friendly terms, without quarreling — lives in comfort with a single recitation. The time wil come, though, when the Sangha splits. When the Sangha is split, it is not easy to pay attention to the Buddha’s teachings. It is not easy to reside in isolated forest or wilderness dwel ings. Before this unwelcome, disagreeable, displeasing thing happens, let me first make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization
of the as-yet- unrealized, so that — endowed with that Dhamma — I wil live in peace even when the Sangha is split.”
“This is the fifth future danger that is just enough, when considered, for a monk — heedful, ardent, and resolute — to live for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as- yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.”
“These are the five future dangers that are just enough, when considered, for a monk — heedful, ardent, and resolute — to live for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as- yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized.” [End of this sutta]
Vajjiputta Sutta:
Vaj iputta Sutta – The Vaj ian Monk.
On one occasion the Omniscient One was living in Vesālī, in the Great Wood. Then a certain Vaj ian monk approached him and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Omniscient One, “Lord, this recitation of more than 150
training rules comes every fortnight. I cannot train in reference to them.”
“Monk, can you train in reference to the three trainings: the training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in heightened discernment?”
“Yes, lord, I can train in reference to the three trainings: the training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in heightened discernment.”
“Then train in reference to those three trainings: the training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in
heightened discernment. As you train in heightened virtue, heightened mind, & heightened discernment, your passion, aversion, & delusion —
when trained in heightened virtue, heightened mind, & heightened discernment — wil be abandoned. You — with the abandoning of passion, the abandoning of aversion, the abandoning of delusion —
wil not do anything unskil ful or engage in any evil.”
Later on, that monk trained in reference to heightened virtue, heightened mind, & heightened discernment. His passion, aversion, & delusion — when trained in heightened virtue (not doing verbal and bodily sins), heightened mind (practicing a concentration meditation),
& heightened discernment (practicing a wisdom meditation); were abandoned. He — with the abandoning of passion, the abandoning of aversion, the abandoning of delusion — did not do anything unskil ful or engage in any evil. (He became an Arhant) [End of this sutta]
Sikkha Sutta:
Sikkha Sutta: Trainings
“There are these three trainings. Which three? The training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in heightened discernment.”
“And what is the training in heightened virtue? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwel s restrained in accordance with the Pāṭimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest fault. This is cal ed the training in heightened virtue.”
“And what is the training in heightened mind? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskil ful (mental) qualities — enters & remains in the first form trance: rapture
& pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stil ing of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second (trance) jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third trance, of which the Noble Ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth form trance: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is cal ed the training in heightened mind.”
“And what is the training in heightened discernment? There is the case where a monk discerns as it actual y is that ‘This is the woe. . This is the origination of woe. . This is the cessation of woe. . This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of woe.’ This is cal ed the training in heightened discernment.”
“These are the three trainings.” [End of this sutta]
Yoga Sutta:
Yoga Sutta: Yokes. (unifications, bindings, conjunctions, joinings) Buddha the most merciful addressed the monks.
“Monks, there are these four yokes. Which four? The yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, the yoke of views, & the yoke of ignorance.”
“And what is the yoke of sensuality? There is the case where a certain person does not discern, as it actual y is present, the origination, the
passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from sensuality.
When he does not discern, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from sensuality, then — with regard to sensual objects — he is obsessed with sensual passion, sensual delight, sensual attraction, sensual infatuation, sensual thirst, sensual fever, sensual fascination, sensual craving. This is the yoke of sensuality.”
“And how is there the yoke of becoming? There is the case where a certain person does not discern, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from becoming. When he does not discern, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from becoming, then — with regard to states of becoming — he is obsessed with becoming-passion, becoming-delight, becoming-attraction, becoming-infatuation, becoming-thirst, becoming-fever, becoming-fascination, becoming-craving. This is the yoke of sensuality
& the yoke of becoming.”
“And how is there the yoke of views? There is the case where a certain person does not discern, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views.
When he does not discern, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views, then — with regard to views — he is obsessed with view-passion, view-delight, view- attraction, view-infatuation, view-thirst, view-fever, view- fascination, view-craving. This is the yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, & the yoke of views.”
“And how is there the yoke of ignorance? There is the case where a certain person does not discern, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape
from the six sense media. When he does not discern, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from the six sense media, then — with regard to ignorance concerning the six sense media — he is obsessed with not-knowing.
This is the yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, the yoke of views,
& the yoke of ignorance.”
“Conjoined with evil, unskil ful mental qualities — defiling, leading to further becoming, unhappy, resulting in suffering & stress, and in future birth, aging, & death — one is said not to be at rest from the yoke.”
“These are the four yokes.”
“Now, there are these four unyokings. Which four? Unyoking from sensuality, unyoking from becoming, unyoking from views, & unyoking from ignorance.”
“And what is unyoking from sensuality? There is the case where a certain person discerns, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from sensuality.
When he discerns, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from sensuality, then —
with regard to sensual objects — he is not obsessed with sensual passion, sensual delight, sensual attraction, sensual infatuation, sensual thirst, sensual fever, sensual fascination, sensual craving. This is unyoking from sensuality.”
“And how is there unyoking from becoming? There is the case where a certain person discerns, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, and the escape from becoming. When he discerns, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, and the escape from
becoming, then — with regard to states of becoming — he is not obsessed with becoming- passion, becoming-delight, becoming-attraction, becoming- infatuation, becoming-thirst, becoming-fever, becoming- fascination, becoming-craving. This is unyoking from sensuality & unyoking from becoming.”
“And how is there unyoking from views? There is the case where a certain person discerns, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views.
When he discerns, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views, then — with regard to views — he is not obsessed with view-passion, view-delight, view-attraction, view-infatuation, view-thirst, view-fever, view-fascination, view-craving. This is unyoking from sensuality, unyoking from becoming, & unyoking from views.”
“And how is there unyoking from ignorance? There is the case where a certain person discerns, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, & the escape from the six sense media. When he discerns, as it actual y is present, the origination, the passing away, the al ure, the drawbacks, and the escape from the six sense media, then — with regard to ignorance concerning the six sense media — he is not obsessed with not-knowing.
This is unyoking from sensuality, unyoking from becoming, unyoking from views, & unyoking from ignorance.”
“Disjoined from evil, unskil ful mental qualities — defiling, leading to further becoming, unhappy, resulting in suffering & stress, and in future birth, aging, & death — one is said to be at rest from the yoke.”
“These are the four unyokings.” [End of this sutta]
Patisallana Sutta:
Patisal ana Sutta – The “Discourse on Solitude”.
Thus spoke the Buddha the Supreme Rishi:
1) Monks, stay in the solitude. Have the wil ingness for the isolation.
Practice concentration always. Always stay in the trance. Practice insight meditations always. Practice meditations in secluded places.
Monks, he who stays in solitude, have the wil ingness for the isolation, practices concentration always, stays in the trance always, practices insight meditations always, practices meditations in secluded places; gets either the Arhantship in this present life or the state of non-returning in this present life.
2) If someone has a calm mind, if has the insight, if has the sanity, if practices trances, if is hopeless in sense organ pleasuring objects, if analyses the true nature of five groups of clinging, 3) Such a person, he who is not late, he who sees the dangers in becoming late, he who has a pacified mind; is not a person that decline.
He is near the Nirvana. [End of this sutta]
Aṭṭhakanāgara Sutta:
Aṭṭhakanāgara Sutta – To the Man from Aṭṭhakanagara city.
I have heard that on one occasion Venerable Ānanda thero was staying near Vesālī city at Veḷuvagāmaka. Now on that occasion Dasama the householder from Aṭṭhakanagara city had arrived at Pāṭaliputta on some business. Then he went to a certain monk at Kukkaṭa Monastery and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the monk, “Where is Ven. Ānanda staying now?
I’d like to see him.”
“Householder, the Ven. Ānanda is staying near Vesālī at Veḷuvagāmaka.”
Then Dasama the householder from Aṭṭhakanagara, on completing his business at Pāṭaliputta, went to Ven. Ānanda at Veḷuvagāmaka near Vesālī. On arrival, having bowed down to him, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Ānanda: “Venerable sir, is there a single quality declared by the Blessed One—the one who knows, the one who sees, worthy & rightly self-awakened—where the unreleased mind of a monk who dwel s there heedful, ardent, & resolute becomes released, or his unended effluents go to their total ending, or he attains the unexcel ed security from the yoke that he had not attained before?”
“Yes, householder, there is.…”
“And what is that one quality, venerable sir…?”
“There is the case, householder, where a monk, quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskil ful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born from seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He reflects on this and discerns, ‘This first jhāna is fabricated & intended. Now whatever is fabricated & intended is inconstant & subject to cessation.’ Staying right there, he reaches the ending of the effluents. Or, if not, then—through this very Dhamma-passion, this Dhamma-delight, and from the total wasting away of the five lower fetters (self-identification views, grasping at habits & practices, uncertainty, sensual passion, and irritation)— he is due to arise spontaneously (in the Pure Abodes), there to be total y unbound, never again to return from that world.”
“This, householder, is a single quality declared by the Blessed One—
the one who knows, the one who sees, worthy & rightly self-
awakened—where the unreleased mind of a monk who dwel s there heedful, ardent, & resolute becomes released, or his unended effluents go to their total ending, or he attains the unexcel ed security from the yoke that he had not attained before.”
(Similarly with the second, third, and fourth Trances.)
“Then again, a monk keeps pervading the first direction (the east) with an awareness imbued with goodwil , likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, & al around, everywhere, in its entirety, he keeps pervading the al - encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with goodwil —abundant, expansive, unlimited, without hostility, without il wil . He reflects on this and discerns, ‘This awareness- release through goodwil is fabricated & intended. Now whatever is fabricated & intended is inconstant & subject to cessation.’
Staying right there, he reaches the ending of the effluents. Or, if not, then—through this very Dhamma-passion, this Dhamma- delight, and from the total wasting away of the five lower fetters—he is due to arise spontaneously (in the Pure Abodes), there to be total y unbound, never again to return from that world.”
“This too, householder, is a single quality declared by the Blessed One—the one who knows, the one who sees, worthy & rightly self-awakened—where the unreleased mind of a monk who dwel s there heedful, ardent, & resolute becomes released, or his unended effluents go to their total ending, or he attains the unexcel ed security from the yoke that he had not attained before.”
(Similarly with awareness-release through compassion, through empathetic joy, & through equanimity.)
“Then again, a monk—with the complete transcending of perceptions of (physical) form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance,
and not attending to perceptions of multiplicity, (perceiving,) ‘Infinite space’—enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space.
He reflects on this and discerns, ‘This attainment of the infinitude of space is fabricated & intended. Now whatever is fabricated & intended is inconstant & subject to cessation.’ Staying right there, he reaches the ending of the effluents. Or, if not, then—through this very Dhamma- passion, this Dhamma-delight, and from the total wasting away of the five lower fetters—he is due to arise spontaneously (in the Pure Abodes), there to be total y unbound, never again to return from that world.”
“This too, householder, is a single quality declared by the Blessed One—the one who knows, the one who sees, worthy & rightly self-awakened—where the unreleased mind of a monk who dwel s there heedful, ardent, & resolute becomes released, or his unended effluents go to their total ending, or he attains the unexcel ed security from the yoke that he had not attained before.”
(Similarly with the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness and the dimension of nothingness.)
When this was said, Dasama the householder from Aṭṭhakanagara said to Ven. Ānanda, “Venerable Ānanda, just as if a man seeking a single opening onto treasure were al at once to come upon eleven openings onto treasure, in the same way I— seeking a single doorway to the deathless—have al at once come to hear of eleven doorways to the deathless. And just as if a man whose house had eleven doors could take himself to safety by means of any one of those doors, in the same way I can take myself to safety by means of any one of these eleven doors to the deathless. Venerable sir, when sectarians search for a teacher’s fee for their teachers, why shouldn’t I pay homage to Ven.
Ānanda?”
So Dasama the householder from Aṭṭhakanagara city, having assembled the Saṅgha of monks from Vesālī city and Pāṭaliputta city, with his own hands served & satisfied them with refined staple & non-staple foods. He presented a pair of cloths to each monk, and a triple robe to Venerable Ānanda. And for Ven. Ānanda he had a dwel ing built worth five hundred (kahāpanas) gold coins. [End of this sutta]
Nimitta Sutta:
Nimitta Sutta – Themes. (Other name is Samugatta Sutta.) Thus spoke the Buddha the Highest Rishi:
1) “A monk intent on heightened mind should attend periodical y to three themes: He should attend periodical y to the theme of concentration; he should attend periodical y to the theme of uplifted energy; he should attend periodical y to the theme of equanimity. If the monk intent on heightened mind were to attend solely to the theme of concentration, it is possible that his mind would tend to laziness. If he were to attend solely to the theme of uplifted energy, it is possible that his mind would tend to restlessness. If he were to attend solely to the theme of equanimity, it is possible that his mind would not be rightly concentrated for the ending of the fermentations.
But when he attends periodical y to the theme of concentration, attends periodical y to the theme of uplifted energy, attends periodical y to the theme of equanimity, his mind is pliant, mal eable, luminous, & not brittle. It is rightly centered for the stopping of the fermentations.”
2) “Just as if a goldsmith or goldsmith’s apprentice were to set up a smelter. Having set up the smelter, he would fire the receptacle.
Having fired the receptacle, he would take hold of some gold with his
tongs and place it in the receptacle. Periodical y he would blow on it, periodical y sprinkle it with water, periodical y examine it closely. If he were solely to blow on it, it is possible that the gold would burn up. If he were solely to sprinkle it with water, it is possible that the gold would grow cold. If he were solely to examine it closely, it is possible that the gold would not come to ful perfection. But when he periodical y blows on it, periodical y sprinkles it with water, periodical y examines it closely, the gold becomes pliant, mal eable, & luminous. It is not brittle, and is ready to be worked. Then whatever sort of ornament he has in mind — whether a belt, an earring, a necklace, or a gold chain — the gold would serve his purpose.”
3) “In the same way, a monk intent on heightened mind should attend periodical y to three themes: he should attend periodical y to the theme of concentration; he should attend periodical y to the theme of uplifted energy; he should attend periodical y to the theme of equanimity. If the monk intent on heightened mind were to attend solely to the theme of concentration, it is possible that his mind would tend to laziness. If he were to attend solely to the theme of uplifted energy, it is possible that his mind would tend to restlessness. If he were to attend solely to the theme of equanimity, it is possible that his mind would not be rightly centered for the stopping of the fermentations. But when he attends periodical y to the theme of concentration, attends periodical y to the theme of uplifted energy, attends periodical y to the theme of equanimity, his mind is pliant, mal eable, luminous, and not brittle. It is rightly centered for the stopping of the fermentations.”
4) “And then whichever of the higher intel igences he turns his mind to know & realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.”
Psychic powers:
5) “If he wants, he wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through wal s, ramparts, and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting crosslegged he flies through the air like a winged bird.
With his hand he touches and strokes even the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.”
Divine Ear:
6) “If he wants, he hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human — both kinds of sounds: divine and human, whether near or far. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.”
Knowing others’ thoughts:
7) “If he wants, he knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion.
He discerns a restricted mind as a restricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind. He discerns an enlarged mind as an enlarged mind, and an unenlarged mind as an unenlarged mind. He discerns an excel ed mind [one that is not at the most excel ent level] as an excel ed mind, and an unexcel ed mind as an unexcel ed mind. He discerns a concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an
unconcentrated mind as an unconcentrated mind. He discerns a released mind as a released mind, and an unreleased mind as an unreleased mind. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.”
Seeing past lives:
8) “If he wants, he recol ects his manifold past lives (lit: previous homes), i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion, [recol ecting], ‘There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance.
Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.’ Thus he remembers his manifold past lives in their modes and details. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.”
God’s eye:
9) “If he wants, he sees — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: ‘These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech, and mind, who reviled the noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hel . But these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, and mind, who did not revile the noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions
under the influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.’ Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — he sees beings passing away and reappearing, and he discerns how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their kamma. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.”
10) “If he wants, then through the ending of the mental fermentations, he remains in the fermentation-free awareness- release and discernment-release, having known and made them manifest for himself right in the here and now. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.” [End of this sutta]
Aparihani Sutta:
Aparihani Sutta – No Fal ing Away.
Thus spoke the Buddha the Highest Rishi:
1) “Endowed with four qualities, a monk is incapable of fal ing away and is right in the presence of Unbinding. Which four?”
2) “There is the case where a monk is consummate in virtue, guards the doors to his sense faculties, knows moderation in eating, & is devoted to wakefulness.”
3) “And how is a monk consummate in virtue? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwel s restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults. This is how a monk is consummate in virtue.”
4) “And how does a monk guard the doors to his sense faculties? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, does not grasp at any theme or variations by which — if he were to dwel without restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskil ful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint.
He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye.”
“On hearing a sound with the ear. .”
“On smel ing an aroma with the nose. .”
“On tasting a flavor with the tongue. .”
“On feeling a tactile sensation with the body. .”
“On cognizing an idea with the intel ect, he does not grasp at any theme or variations by which — if he were to dwel without restraint over the faculty of the intel ect — evil, unskil ful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the intel ect. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the intel ect. This is how a monk guards the doors to his sense faculties.”
5) “And how does a monk know moderation in eating? There is the case where a monk, considering it appropriately, takes his food not playful y, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification, but simply for the survival & continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, thinking, ‘I wil destroy old feelings [of hunger] & not create new feelings [from overeating]. Thus I wil maintain myself, be blameless, & live in comfort.’ This is how a monk knows moderation in eating.”
6) “And how is a monk devoted to wakefulness? There is the case where a monk during the day, sitting & pacing back & forth, cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. During the first watch of the night, sitting & pacing back & forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. During the second watch of the night, reclining on his right side, he takes up the lion’s posture, one foot placed on top of the other, mindful, alert, with his mind set on getting up [either as soon as he awakens or at a particular time]. During the last watch of the night, sitting & pacing back & forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. This is how a monk is devoted to wakefulness.”
7) “Endowed with these four qualities, a monk is incapable of fal ing away and is right in the presence of Unbinding.” [End of this sutta]
Samaññaphala Sutta:
Samaññaphala Sutta – The Fruits of the Contemplative Life. (This sutta explains benefits of an ascetic life) 1) I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Rajagaha, in Jivaka Komarabhacca’s mango grove, with a large community of monks — 1,250 monks in al . Now at that time — it being the observance day, the ful -moon night of the water-lily season, the fourth month of the rains — King Ajatashatru of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, was sitting on the roof terrace of his royal palace surrounded by his ministers. Then he felt inspired to exclaim: “How wonderful is this moonlit night! How beautiful. . How lovely. . How inspiring. . How auspicious is this moonlit night! What brahman or contemplative should we visit tonight who might enlighten and bring peace to our mind?”
2) When this was said, one of the ministers said to the king: “Your majesty, there is Purana Kassapa, the leader of a community, the leader of a group, the teacher of a group, honored and famous, esteemed as holy by the mass of people. He is aged, long gone forth, advanced in years, in the last phase of life. Your majesty should visit him. Perhaps, if you visited him, he would enlighten and bring peace to your mind.”
3) When this was said, the king remained silent. Then another minister said to the king: “Your majesty, there is Makkhali Gosala. . Your majesty, there is Ajita Kesakambalin. . Your majesty, there is Pakudha Kaccayana. . Your majesty, there is Sañjaya Belatthaputta. . Your majesty, there is Nigantha Nataputta, the leader of a community, the leader of a group, the teacher of a group, honored and famous, esteemed as holy by the mass of people. He is aged, long gone forth, advanced in years, in the last phase of life. Your majesty should visit him. Perhaps, if you visited him, he would enlighten and bring peace to your mind.”
4) When this was said, the king remained silent. Al this time Jivaka Komarabhacca was sitting silently not far from the king. So the king said to him, “Friend Jivaka, why are you silent?”
5) “Your majesty, there is the Blessed One, worthy and rightly self-awakened, staying in my mango grove with a large community of monks — 1,250 monks in al . Concerning this Blessed One, this admirable report has been spread: ‘Surely, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear knowing and conduct, wel -gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcel ed trainer of tamable people, teacher of beings human and divine, awakened, blessed.’ Your majesty should visit him. Perhaps, if you visited him, he would enlighten and bring peace to your mind.”
6) “Then in that case, friend Jivaka, have the riding elephants prepared.”
7) Having replied, “As you say, your majesty,” having had five hundred female elephants prepared as wel as the king’s personal royal tusker, Jivaka announced to the king: “Your majesty, your riding elephants are prepared. Do what you think it is now time to do.”
8) Then the king, having had five hundred of his best queens mounted on the five hundred female elephants — one on each — and having mounted his own personal tusker, set out from the capital in ful royal state, with attendants carrying torches, headed for Jivaka Komarabhacca’s mango grove. But when the king was not far from the mango grove, he was gripped with fear, trepidation, his hair standing on end. Fearful, agitated, his hair standing on end, he said to Jivaka Komarabhacca: “Friend Jivaka, you aren’t deceiving me, are you? You aren’t betraying me, are you? You aren’t turning me over to my enemies, are you? How can there be such a large community of monks
— 1,250 in al — with no sound of sneezing, no sound of coughing, no voices at al ?”
“Don’t be afraid, great king. Don’t be afraid. I’m not deceiving you or betraying you or turning you over to your enemies. Go forward, great king, go forward! Those are lamps burning in the pavilion hal .”
9) Then the king, going as far on his tusker as the ground would permit, dismounted and approached the door of the pavilion on foot. On arrival, he asked Jivaka: “Where, friend Jivaka, is the Blessed One?”
“That is the Blessed One, great king, sitting against the middle pil ar, facing east, surrounded by the community of monks.”
10) Then the king approached the Blessed One and, on reaching him, stood to one side. As he was standing there — surveying the
community of monks sitting in absolute silence, as calm as a lake — he felt inspired to exclaim: “May my son, Prince Udayibhadda, enjoy the same peace that this community of monks now enjoys!”
11) (The Blessed One said:) “Have you come, great king, together with your affections?”
12) “Lord, my son, Prince Udayibhadda, is very dear to me. May he enjoy the same peace that this community of monks now enjoys!”
Then, bowing down to the Blessed One, and saluting the community of monks with his hands palm-to-palm over his heart, he sat to one side.
As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: “I would like to ask the Blessed One about a certain issue, if he would give me the opportunity to explain my question.”
13) “Ask, great king, whatever you like.”
The King’s Question:
14) “Lord, there are these common craftsmen: elephant-trainers, horse-trainers, charioteers, archers, standard bearers, camp marshals, supply corps officers, high royal officers, commandos, military heroes, armor-clad warriors, leather-clad warriors, domestic slaves, confectioners, barbers, bath attendants, cooks, garland-makers, laundrymen, weavers, basket-makers, potters, calculators, accountants, and any other common craftsmen of a similar sort. They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now. They give pleasure and refreshment to themselves, to their parents, wives, and children, to their friends and col eagues. They put in place an excel ent presentation of offerings to brahmans and contemplatives, leading to heaven, resulting in happiness, conducive to a heavenly rebirth. Is it possible, lord, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?”
“Do you remember, great king, ever having asked this question of other brahmans and contemplatives?”
“Yes, I do.”
“If it isn’t troublesome for you, how did they answer?”
“No, it’s not troublesome for me wherever the Blessed One — or someone like the Blessed One — is sitting.”
“Then speak, great king.”
Non-action philosophy:
15) “Once, lord, I approached Purana Kassapa and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, I sat to one side. As I was sitting there I asked him: ‘Venerable Kassapa, there are these common craftsmen. . They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now. . Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?’” “When this was said, Purana Kassapa said to me, ‘Great king, in acting or getting others to act, in mutilating or getting others to mutilate, in torturing or getting others to torture, in inflicting sorrow or in getting others to inflict sorrow, in tormenting or getting others to torment, in intimidating or getting others to intimidate, in taking life, taking what is not given, breaking into houses, plundering wealth, committing burglary, ambushing highways, committing adultery, speaking falsehood — one does no evil.
If with a razor-edged disk one were to turn al the living beings on this earth to a single heap of flesh, a single pile of flesh, there would be no evil from that cause, no coming of evil. Even if one were to go along the right bank of the Ganges, kil ing and getting others to kil , mutilating and getting others to mutilate, torturing and getting others to torture, there would be no evil from that cause, no coming of evil.
Even if one were to go along the left bank of the Ganges, giving and getting others to give, making sacrifices and getting others to make sacrifices, there would be no merit from that cause, no coming of merit. Through generosity, self-control, restraint, and truthful speech there is no merit from that cause, no coming of merit.’”
16) “Thus, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Purana Kassapa answered with non-action. Just as if a person, when asked about a mango, were to answer with a breadfruit; or, when asked about a breadfruit, were to answer with a mango: In the same way, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Purana Kassapa answered with non-action. The thought occurred to me: ‘How can anyone like me think of disparaging a brahmin or contemplative living in his realm?’ Yet I neither delighted in Purana Kassapa’s words nor did I protest against them. Neither delighting nor protesting, I was dissatisfied. Without expressing dissatisfaction, without accepting his teaching, without adopting it, I got up from my seat and left.”
Purification through Wandering-on philosophy: 17) “Another time I approached Makkhali Gosala and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, I sat to one side. As I was sitting there I asked him: ‘Venerable Gosala, there are these common craftsmen. . They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now. . Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?’”
18) “When this was said, Makkhali Gosala said to me, ‘Great king, there is no cause, no requisite condition, for the defilement of beings.
Beings are defiled without cause, without requisite condition. There is no cause, no requisite condition, for the purification of beings. Beings
are purified without cause, without requisite condition. There is nothing self-caused, nothing other- caused, nothing human-caused.
There is no strength, no effort, no human energy, no human endeavor.
Al living beings, al life, al beings, al souls are powerless, devoid of strength, devoid of effort. Subject to the changes of fate, serendipity, and nature, they are sensitive to pleasure and pain in the six great classes of birth.”
19) “’There are 1,406,600 principle modes of origin. There are 500
kinds of kamma, five kinds, and three kinds; ful kamma and half kamma. There are 62 pathways, 62 sub-eons, six great classes of birth, eight classes of men, 4,900 modes of livelihood, 4,900 kinds of wanderers, 4,900 Naga-abodes, 2,000 faculties, 3,000 hel s, 36 dust-realms, seven spheres of percipient beings, seven spheres of non-percipient beings, seven kinds of jointed plants, seven kinds of devas, seven kinds of human beings, seven kinds of demons, seven great lakes, seven major knots, seven minor knots, 700 major precipices, 700
minor precipices, 700 major dreams, 700 minor dreams, 84,000 great aeons. Having transmigrated and wandered on through these, the wise and the foolish alike wil put an end to pain.”
20) “’Though one might think, “Through this morality, this practice, this austerity, or this holy life I wil ripen unripened kamma and eliminate ripened kamma whenever touched by it” — that is impossible. Pleasure and pain are measured out, the wandering- on is fixed in its limits. There is no shortening or lengthening, no accelerating or decelerating. Just as a bal of string, when thrown, comes to its end simply by unwinding, in the same way, having transmigrated and wandered on, the wise and the foolish alike wil put an end to pain.’”
21) “Thus, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Makkhali Gosala answered with purification through wandering-on. Just as if a person, when asked about a mango, were to answer with a breadfruit; or, when asked about a breadfruit, were to answer with a mango. In the same way, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Makkhali Gosala answered with purification through wandering-on. The thought occurred to me: ‘How can anyone like me think of disparaging a brahmin or contemplative living in his realm?’ Yet I neither delighted in Makkhali Gosala’s words nor did I protest against them. Neither delighting nor protesting, I was dissatisfied. Without expressing dissatisfaction, without accepting his teaching, without adopting it, I got up from my seat and left.”
Annihilation philosophy:
22) “Another time I approached Ajita Kesakambalin and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, I sat to one side. As I was sitting there I asked him: ‘Venerable Ajita, there are these common craftsmen. . They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now. . Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?’”
23) “When this was said, Ajita Kesakambalin said to me, ‘Great king, there is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly and practicing rightly, proclaim this world and the next after having directly known and realized it for themselves. A person is a composite of four primary elements. At death, the earth (in the body) returns to and merges with the (external) earth-substance. The fire returns to and merges with the
external fire-substance. The liquid returns to and merges with the external liquid- substance. The wind returns to and merges with the external wind-substance. The sense-faculties scatter into space. Four men, with the bier as the fifth, carry the corpse. Its eulogies are sounded only as far as the charnel ground. The bones turn pigeon-colored. The offerings end in ashes. Generosity is taught by idiots. The words of those who speak of existence after death are false, empty chatter. With the break-up of the body, the wise and the foolish alike are annihilated, destroyed. They do not exist after death.’”
24) “Thus, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Ajita Kesakambalin answered with annihilation. Just as if a person, when asked about a mango, were to answer with a breadfruit; or, when asked about a breadfruit, were to answer with a mango. In the same way, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Ajita Kesakambalin answered with annihilation. The thought occurred to me: ‘How can anyone like me think of disparaging a brahmin or contemplative living in his realm?’ Yet I neither delighted in Ajita Kesakambalin’s words nor did I protest against them. Neither delighting nor protesting, I was dissatisfied. Without expressing dissatisfaction, without accepting his teaching, without adopting it, I got up from my seat and left.”
Non-relatedness philosophy:
25) “Another time I approached Pakudha Kaccayana and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, I sat to one side. As I was sitting there I asked him: ‘Venerable Kaccayana, there are these common craftsmen. . They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now. . Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?’”
26) “When this was said, Pakudha Kaccayana said to me, ‘Great king, there are these seven substances — unmade, irreducible, uncreated, without a creator, barren, stable as a mountain-peak, standing firm like a pil ar — that do not alter, do not change, do not interfere with one another, are incapable of causing one another pleasure, pain, or both pleasure and pain. Which seven? The earth-substance, the liquid-substance, the fire-substance, the wind-substance, pleasure, pain, and the soul as the seventh. These are the seven substances — unmade, irreducible, uncreated, without a creator, barren, stable as a mountain-peak, standing firm like a pil ar — that do not alter, do not change, do not interfere with one another, and are incapable of causing one another pleasure, pain, or both pleasure and pain.”
27) “’And among them there is no kil er nor one who causes kil ing, no hearer nor one who causes hearing, no cognizer nor one who causes cognition. When one cuts off [another person’s] head, there is no one taking anyone’s life. It is simply between the seven substances that the sword passes.’”
28) “Thus, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Pakudha Kaccayana answered with non-relatedness.
Just as if a person, when asked about a mango, were to answer with a breadfruit; or, when asked about a breadfruit, were to answer with a mango. In the same way, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Pakudha Kaccayana answered with non-relatedness. The thought occurred to me: ‘How can anyone like me think of disparaging a brahmin or contemplative living in his realm?’ Yet I neither delighted in Pakudha Kaccayana’s words nor did I protest against them. Neither delighting nor protesting, I was dissatisfied. Without expressing dissatisfaction, without accepting his teaching, without adopting it, I got up from my seat and left.”
Fourfold Restraint philosophy:
29) “Another time I approached Nigantha Nataputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, I sat to one side. As I was sitting there I asked him: ‘Venerable Aggivessana, there are these common craftsmen. .
They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now. . Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?’”
30) “When this was said, Nigantha Nataputta said to me, ‘Great king, there is the case where the Nigantha — the knotless one — is restrained with the fourfold restraint. And how is the Nigantha restrained with the fourfold restraint? There is the case where the Nigantha is obstructed by al waters, conjoined with al waters, cleansed with al waters, suffused with al waters. This is how the Nigantha is restrained with the fourfold restraint. When the Nigantha
— a knotless one — is restrained with such a fourfold restraint, he is said to be a Knotless One (Nigantha), a son of Nata (Nataputta), with his self perfected, his self control ed, his self established.’”
31) “Thus, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Nigantha Nataputta answered with fourfold restraint.
Just as if a person, when asked about a mango, were to answer with a breadfruit; or, when asked about a breadfruit, were to answer with a mango: In the same way, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Nigantha Nataputta answered with fourfold restraint. The thought occurred to me: ‘How can anyone like me think of disparaging a brahmin or contemplative living in his realm?’ Yet I neither delighted in Nigantha Nataputta’s words nor did I protest against them. Neither delighting nor protesting, I was dissatisfied. Without expressing dissatisfaction, without accepting his teaching, without adopting it, I got up from my seat and left.”
Evasion philosophy:
32) “Another time I approached Sañjaya Belatthaputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, I sat to one side. As I was sitting there I asked him: ‘Venerable Sañjaya, there are these common craftsmen. . They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now. . Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?’”
33) “When this was said, Sañjaya Belatthaputta said to me, ‘If you ask me if there exists another world [after death], if I thought that there exists another world, would I declare that to you? I don’t think so. I don’t think in that way. I don’t think otherwise. I don’t think not. I don’t think not not. If you asked me if there isn’t another world. . both is and isn’t. . neither is nor isn’t. . if there are beings who transmigrate. . if there aren’t. . both are and aren’t. . neither are nor aren’t. . if the Tathagata exists after death. . doesn’t. . both. . neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death, would I declare that to you? I don’t think so. I don’t think in that way. I don’t think otherwise. I don’t think not. I don’t think not not.’”
34) “Thus, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Sañjaya Belatthaputta answered with evasion. Just as if a person, when asked about a mango, were to answer with a breadfruit; or, when asked about a breadfruit, were to answer with a mango: In the same way, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Sañjaya Belatthaputta answered with evasion. The thought occurred to me: ‘This — among these brahmin and contemplatives — is the most foolish and confused of al . How can he, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, answer with evasion?’ Stil the thought occurred to me: ‘How can anyone like me think of disparaging a brahmin or
contemplative living in his realm?’ Yet I neither delighted in Sañjaya Belatthaputta’s words nor did I protest against them. Neither delighting nor protesting, I was dissatisfied. Without expressing dissatisfaction, without accepting his teaching, without adopting it, I got up from my seat and left.”
First Visible Fruit of the Ascetic Life:
35) “So, lord, I ask the Blessed One as wel : There are these common craftsmen: elephant-trainers, horse-trainers, charioteers, archers, standard bearers, camp marshals, supply corps officers, high royal officers, commandos, military heroes, armor-clad warriors, leather-clad warriors, domestic slaves, confectioners, barbers, bath attendants, cooks, garland-makers, laundrymen, weavers, basket-makers, potters, calculators, accountants, and any other common craftsmen of a similar sort. They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now.
They give pleasure and refreshment to themselves, to their parents, wives, and children, to their friends and col eagues. They put in place an excel ent presentation of offerings to brahmans and contemplatives, leading to heaven, resulting in happiness, conducive to a heavenly rebirth. Is it possible, lord, to point out a similar fruit of the ascetic life, visible in the here and now?”
36) “Yes, it is, great king. But first, with regard to that, I wil ask you a counter-question. Answer however you please. Suppose there were a man of yours: your slave, your workman, rising in the morning before you, going to bed in the evening only after you, doing whatever you order, always acting to please you, speaking politely to you, always watching for the look on your face. The thought would occur to him:
‘Isn’t it amazing? Isn’t it astounding? — the destination, the results, of meritorious deeds. For this King Ajatasattu is a human being, and I, too, am a human being, yet King Ajatasattu enjoys himself supplied and replete with the five strings of sensuality — like a deva, as it were —
while I am his slave, his workman. . always watching for the look on his face. I, too, should do meritorious deeds. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?’”
37) “So after some time he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness.
Having thus gone forth he lives restrained in body, speech, and mind, content with the simplest food and shelter, delighting in solitude. Then suppose one of your men were to inform you: ‘You should know, your majesty, that that man of yours — your slave, your workman. . always watching for the look on your face. . has gone forth from the household life into homelessness. . content with the simplest food and shelter, delighting in solitude.’ Would you, thus informed, say, ‘Bring that man back to me. Make him again be my slave, my workman. .
always watching for the look on my face!’?”
38) “Not at al , lord. Rather, I am the one who should bow down to him, rise up out of respect for him, invite him to a seat, invite him to accept gifts of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick.
And I would provide him with righteous safety, defense, and protection.”
“So what do you think, great king. With that being the case, is there a visible fruit of the contemplative life, or is there not?”
“Yes, lord. With that being the case, there certainly is a visible fruit of the contemplative life.”
“This, great king, is the first fruit of the ascetic life, visible in the here and now, that I point out to you.”
Second Visible Fruit of the Ascetic Life:
39) “But is it possible, lord, to point out yet another fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?”
40) “Yes, it is, great king. But first, with regard to that, I wil ask you a counter-question. Answer however you please. Suppose there were a man of yours: a farmer, a householder, a taxpayer swel ing the royal treasury. The thought would occur to him: ‘Isn’t it amazing? Isn’t it astounding? — the destination, the results, of meritorious deeds! For this King Ajatasattu is a human being, and I, too, am a human being, yet King Ajatasattu enjoys himself supplied and replete with the five strings of sensuality — like a deva, as it were — while I am a farmer, a householder, a taxpayer swel ing the royal treasury. I, too, should do meritorious deeds. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?’”
41) “So after some time he abandons his mass of wealth, large or smal ; leaves his circle of relatives, large or smal ; shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness. Having thus gone forth he lives restrained in body, speech, and mind, content with the simplest food and shelter, delighting in solitude. Then suppose one of your men were to inform you: ‘You should know, your majesty, that that man of yours — the farmer, the householder, the taxpayer swel ing the royal treasury. . has gone forth from the household life into homelessness. . content with the simplest food and shelter, delighting in solitude.’ Would you, thus informed, say, ‘Bring that man back to me. Make him again be a farmer, a householder, a taxpayer swel ing the royal treasury!’?”
42) “Not at al , lord. Rather, I am the one who should bow down to him, rise up out of respect for him, invite him to a seat, invite him to accept
gifts of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick.
And I would provide him with righteous safety, defense, and protection.”
“So what do you think, great king. With that being the case, is there a visible fruit of the ascetic life, or is there not?”
“Yes, lord. With that being the case, there certainly is a visible fruit of the contemplative life.”
43) “This, great king, is the second fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now, that I point out to you.”
Higher Fruits of the Ascetic Life:
44) “But is it possible, lord, to point out yet another fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?”
45) “Yes, it is, great king. Listen and pay close attention. I wil speak.”
“There is the case, great king, where an Omniscient Buddha appears in the world, worthy and rightly self-awakened. He teaches the Dharma admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its end.
He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars and in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure.”
46) “A householder or householder’s son, hearing the Dharma, gains conviction in the Omniscient Buddha and reflects: ‘Household life is confining, a dusty path. The life gone forth is like the open air. It is not easy living at home to practice the holy life total y perfect, total y pure, like a polished shel . What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?’”
47) “So after some time he abandons his mass of wealth, large or smal ; leaves his circle of relatives, large or smal ; shaves off his hair and
beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness.”
48) “When he has thus gone forth, he lives restrained by the rules of the monastic code, seeing danger in the slightest faults. Consummate in his virtue, he guards the doors of his senses, is possessed of mindfulness and alertness, and is content.”
The Lesser Section on Virtue:
49) “And how is an ascetic consummate in virtue? Abandoning the taking of life, he abstains from the taking of life. He dwel s with his rod laid down, his knife laid down, scrupulous, merciful, compassionate for the welfare of al living beings. This is part of his virtue.”
50) “Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given. He takes only what is given, accepts only what is given, lives not by stealth but by means of a self that has become pure. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
“Abandoning uncelibacy, he lives a celibate life, aloof, refraining from the sexual act that is the vil ager’s way. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
“Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech. He speaks the truth, holds to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world.
This, too, is part of his virtue.”
51) “Abandoning divisive speech he abstains from divisive speech.
What he has heard here he does not tel there to break those people apart from these people here. What he has heard there he does not tel here to break these people apart from those people there. Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
“Abandoning abusive speech, he abstains from abusive speech. He speaks words that are soothing to the ear, that are affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing and pleasing to people at large. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
52) “Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dharma, and the discipline path. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
“He abstains from damaging seed and plant life.”
“He eats only once a day, refraining from the evening meal and from food at the wrong time of day.”
“He abstains from dancing, singing, instrumental music, and from watching shows.”
“He abstains from wearing garlands and from beautifying himself with scents and cosmetics.”
“He abstains from high and luxurious beds and seats.”
“He abstains from accepting gold, silver and money.”
53) “He abstains from accepting uncooked grain. . raw meat. . women and girls. . male and female slaves. . goats and sheep. . fowl and pigs. .
elephants, cattle, steeds, and mares. . fields and property.”
“He abstains from running messages. . from buying and sel ing. . from dealing with false scales, false metals, and false measures. . from bribery, deception, and fraud.”
“He abstains from mutilating, executing, imprisoning, highway robbery, plunder, and violence.”
“This, too, is part of his virtue.”
The Intermediate Section on Virtue:
54) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to damaging seed and plant life such as these —
plants propagated from roots, stems, joints, buddings, and seeds — he abstains from damaging seed and plant life such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
55) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to consuming stored-up goods such as these —
stored-up food, stored-up drinks, stored-up clothing, stored-up vehicles, stored-up bedding, stored-up scents, and stored-up meat —
he abstains from consuming stored-up goods such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
56) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to watching shows such as these — dancing, singing, instrumental music, plays, bal ad recitations, hand-clapping, cymbals and drums, magic lantern scenes, acrobatic and conjuring tricks, elephant fights, horse fights, buffalo fights, bul fights, goat fights, ram fights, cock fights, quail fights; fighting with staves, boxing, wrestling, war-games, rol cal s, battle arrays, and regimental reviews
— he abstains from watching shows such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
57) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to heedless and idle games such as these —
eight-row chess, ten-row chess, chess in the air, hopscotch, spil ikins, dice, stick games, hand-pictures, bal -games, blowing through toy pipes, playing with toy plows, turning somersaults, playing with toy windmil s, toy measures, toy chariots, toy bows, guessing letters drawn in the air,
guessing thoughts, mimicking deformities — he abstains from heedless and idle games such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
58) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to high and luxurious furnishings such as these —
over-sized couches, couches adorned with carved animals, long-haired coverlets, multi-colored patchwork coverlets, white woolen coverlets, woolen coverlets embroidered with flowers or animal figures, stuffed quilts, coverlets with fringe, silk coverlets embroidered with gems; large woolen carpets; elephant, horse, and chariot rugs, antelope-hide rugs, deer-hide rugs; couches with awnings, couches with red cushions for the head and feet — he abstains from using high and luxurious furnishings such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
59) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to scents, cosmetics, and means of beautification such as these — rubbing powders into the body, massaging with oils, bathing in perfumed water, kneading the limbs, using mirrors, ointments, garlands, scents, creams, face- powders, mascara, bracelets, head-bands, decorated walking sticks, ornamented water-bottles, swords, fancy sunshades, decorated sandals, turbans, gems, yak-tail whisks, long-fringed white robes — he abstains from using scents, cosmetics, and means of beautification such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
60) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to talking about lowly topics such as these —
talking about kings, robbers, ministers of state; armies, alarms, and battles; food and drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, and scents; relatives; vehicles; vil ages, towns, cities, the countryside; women and heroes; the gossip of the street and the wel ; tales of the dead; tales of diversity [philosophical discussions of the past and future], the
creation of the world and of the sea, and talk of whether things exist or not — he abstains from talking about lowly topics such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
61) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to debates such as these — ‘You understand this doctrine and discipline? I’m the one who understands this doctrine and discipline. How could you understand this doctrine and discipline?
You’re practicing wrongly. I’m practicing rightly. I’m being consistent.
You’re not. What should be said first you said last. What should be said last you said first. What you took so long to think out has been refuted.
Your doctrine has been overthrown. You’re defeated. Go and try to salvage your doctrine; extricate yourself if you can!’ — he abstains from debates such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
62) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to running messages and errands for people such as these — kings, ministers of state, noble warriors, brahmins, householders, or youths (who say), ‘Go here, go there, take this there, fetch that here’ — he abstains from running messages and errands for people such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
63) “Whereas some brahmins and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, engage in scheming, persuading, hinting, belittling, and pursuing gain with gain, he abstains from forms of scheming and persuading (improper ways of trying to gain material support from donors) such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
The Great Section on Virtue:
64) “Whereas some contemplatives & brahmins, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such “animal” arts as: reading marks on the limbs (e.g., palmistry); reading omens and signs; interpreting celestial events (fal ing stars, comets); interpreting
dreams; reading features of the body (e.g., phrenology); reading marks on cloth gnawed by mice; offering fire oblations, oblations from a ladle, oblations of husks, rice powder, rice grains, ghee, and oil; offering oblations from the mouth; offering blood-sacrifices; making predictions based on the fingertips; geomancy; making predictions for state officials; laying demons in a cemetery; placing spel s on spirits; earth-skil s [divining water and gems etc]; snake-skil s, poison-skil s, scorpion- skil s, rat-skil s, bird-skil s, crow-skil s; predicting life spans; giving protective charms; casting horoscopes — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from “animal” arts such as these.”
65) “Whereas some contemplatives & brahmins, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such “animal” arts as: determining lucky and unlucky gems, staffs, garments, swords, arrows, bows, and other weapons; women, men, boys, girls, male slaves, female slaves; elephants, horses, buffaloes, bul s, cows, goats, rams, fowl, quails, lizards, rabbits, tortoises, and other animals — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from “animal” arts such as these.”
66) “Whereas some contemplatives & brahmins, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such “animal” arts as (forecasting): the rulers wil march forth; the rulers wil not march forth; our rulers wil attack, and their rulers wil retreat; their rulers wil attack, and our rulers wil retreat; there wil be triumph for our rulers and defeat for their rulers; there wil be triumph for their rulers and defeat for our rulers; thus there wil be triumph this one, defeat for that one — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from “animal” arts such as these.”
67) “Whereas some contemplatives & brahmins, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such “animal” arts as (forecasting): there wil be a lunar eclipse; there wil be a solar
eclipse; there wil be an occultation of [a conjunction of the moon or a planet with] an asterism; the sun and moon wil be favorable; the sun and moon wil be unfavorable; the asterisms wil be favorable; the asterisms wil be unfavorable; there wil be a meteor shower; there wil be a flickering light on the horizon (an aurora?); there wil be an earthquake; there wil be thunder coming from dry clouds; there wil be a rising, a setting, a darkening, a brightening of the sun, moon, and asterisms; such wil be the result of the lunar eclipse . . the rising, setting, darkening, brightening of the sun, moon, and asterisms — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from “animal” arts such as these.”
68) “Whereas some contemplatives & brahmins, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such “animal” arts as (forecasting): there wil be abundant rain; there wil be a drought; there wil be plenty; there wil be famine; there wil be rest and security; there wil be danger; there wil be disease; there wil be freedom from disease; or they earn their living by accounting, counting, calculation, composing poetry, or teaching hedonistic arts and doctrines (lokāyata – related to worldly things) — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from “animal” arts such as these.”
69) “Whereas some contemplatives & brahmins, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such “animal” arts as: calculating auspicious dates for marriages — both those in which the bride is brought home and those in which she is sent out; calculating auspicious dates for betrothals and divorces; for col ecting debts or making investments and loans; reciting charms to make people attractive or unattractive; curing women who have undergone miscarriages or abortions; reciting spel s to bind a man’s tongue, to paralyze his jaws, to make him lose control over his hands, or to bring on deafness; getting oracular answers to questions addressed to a spirit in a mirror, in a young girl, or to a spirit medium; worshipping the
sun, worshipping the Great Brahmā, bringing forth flames from the mouth, invoking the goddess of luck — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from “animal” arts such as these.”
70) “Whereas some contemplatives & brahmins, living off food given in faith, maintain themselves by wrong livelihood, by such “animal” arts as: promising gifts to deities in return for favors; fulfil ing such promises; demonology; reciting spel s in earth houses (see earth skil s, above); inducing virility and impotence; preparing sites for construction; consecrating sites for construction; giving ceremonial mouthwashes and ceremonial baths; offering sacrificial fires; administering emetics, purges, purges from above, purges from below, head-purges; ear-oil, eye-drops, treatments through the nose, ointments, and counter- ointments; practicing eye-surgery [or: extractive surgery], general surgery, pediatrics; administering root-medicines and binding medicinal herbs — he abstains from wrong livelihood, from “animal” arts such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.”
71) “A monk thus consummate in virtue sees no danger anywhere from his restraint through virtue. Just as a head-anointed noble warrior king who has defeated his enemies sees no danger anywhere from his enemies, in the same way the monk thus consummate in virtue sees no danger anywhere from his restraint through virtue.
Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, he is inwardly sensitive to the pleasure of being blameless. This is how a monk is consummate in virtue.”
Sense Restraint:
72) “And how does an ascetic guard the doors of his senses? On seeing a form with the eye, he does not grasp at any theme or details by which — if he were to dwel without restraint over the faculty of the
eye — evil, unskil ful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. On hearing a sound with the ear. . On smel ing an odor with the nose. . On tasting a flavor with the tongue. . On touching a tactile sensation with the body. . On cognizing an idea with the intel ect, he does not grasp at any theme or details by which — if he were to dwel without restraint over the faculty of the intel ect — evil, unskil ful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. Endowed with this noble restraint over the sense faculties, he is inwardly sensitive to the pleasure of being blameless. This is how a monk guards the doors of his senses.”
Mindfulness & Alertness:
73) “And how is a monk possessed of mindfulness and alertness?
When going forward and returning, he acts with alertness. When looking toward and looking away. . when bending and extending his limbs. . when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe, and his bowl. .
when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting. . when urinating and defecating. . when walking, standing, sitting, fal ing asleep, waking up, talking, and remaining silent, he acts with alertness. This is how a monk is possessed of mindfulness and alertness.”
Contentedness:
74) “And how is a monk content? Just as a bird, wherever it goes, flies with its wings as its only burden; so too is he content with a set of robes to provide for his body and almsfood to provide for his hunger.
Wherever he goes, he takes only his barest necessities along. This is how a monk is content.”
Abandoning the Hindrances:
75) “Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, this noble restraint over the sense faculties, this noble mindfulness and alertness, and this noble contentment, he seeks out a secluded dwel ing: a forest, the
shade of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hil side cave, a charnel ground, a jungle grove, the open air, a heap of straw. After his meal, returning from his alms round, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body erect, and brings mindfulness to the fore.”
76) “Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwel s with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness. Abandoning il wil and anger, he dwel s with an awareness devoid of il wil , sympathetic with the welfare of al living beings. He cleanses his mind of il wil and anger. Abandoning sloth and drowsiness, he dwel s with an awareness devoid of sloth and drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth and drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness and anxiety, he dwel s undisturbed, his mind inwardly stil ed. He cleanses his mind of restlessness and anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwel s having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skil ful mental qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty.”
77) “Suppose that a man, taking a loan, invests it in his business affairs.
His business affairs succeed. He repays his old debts and there is extra left over for maintaining his wife. The thought would occur to him,
‘Before, taking a loan, I invested it in my business affairs. Now my business affairs have succeeded. I have repaid my old debts and there is extra left over for maintaining my wife.’ Because of that he would experience joy and happiness.”
78) “Now suppose that a man fal s sick — in pain and seriously il . He does not enjoy his meals, and there is no strength in his body. As time passes, he eventual y recovers from that sickness. He enjoys his meals and there is strength in his body. The thought would occur to him,
‘Before, I was sick. . Now I am recovered from that sickness. I enjoy my