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the venerable Soṇa replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, having exhorted the venerable Soṇa with this advice— just as a strong man might extend a flexed arm, or flex an extended arm— vanished from before the venerable Soṇa in Sītavana and reappeared on Gijjhakūṭa mountain. Then the venerable Soṇa, after some time, established an evenness of energy, and penetrated the evenness of the faculties, and there took up the sign. Then the venerable Soṇa, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, resolute, not long afterwards— for the sake of which sons of good families rightly go forth from home to homelessness— that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life he himself realized by direct knowledge in this very life, and entering upon it, he dwelt therein. He directly knew: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’ And the venerable Soṇa became one of the Arahants. 244. Then it occurred to the venerable Soṇa, having attained Arahantship: “What if I were to declare my knowledge in the presence of the Blessed One?” Then the venerable Soṇa approached the Blessed One, and having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Soṇa said to the Blessed One: A – That monk, venerable sir, an Arahant, with defilements destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what was to be done, laid down the burden, attained his own goal, with the fetters of existence utterly destroyed, rightly liberated through perfect knowledge, he is inclined towards six things: he is inclined towards renunciation, he is inclined towards seclusion, he is inclined towards non-affliction, he is inclined towards the destruction of clinging, he is inclined towards the destruction of craving, he is inclined towards non-delusion. But it might be, venerable sir, that some venerable one might think thus: ‘Surely this venerable one is inclined towards renunciation merely by relying on faith,’ but, venerable sir, it should not be seen thus. A monk with defilements destroyed, venerable sir, who has lived the holy life, done what was to be done, not seeing anything more to be done for himself, nor any accumulation of what has been done, through the destruction of lust, being free from lust, he is inclined towards renunciation; through the destruction of hatred, being free from hatred, he is inclined towards renunciation; through the destruction of delusion, being free from delusion, he is inclined towards renunciation. But it might be, venerable sir, that some venerable one might think thus: ‘Surely this venerable one is inclined towards seclusion, desiring gain, honor, and fame,’ but, venerable sir, it should not be seen thus. A monk with defilements destroyed, venerable sir, who has lived the holy life, done what was to be done, not seeing anything more to be done for himself, nor any accumulation of what has been done, through the destruction of lust, being free from lust, he is inclined towards seclusion; through the destruction of hatred, being free from hatred, he is inclined towards seclusion; through the destruction of delusion, being free from delusion, he is inclined towards seclusion. But it might be, venerable sir, that some venerable one might think thus: ‘Surely this venerable one is inclined towards non-affliction, holding to the essence of rules and observances,’ but, venerable sir, it should not be seen thus. A monk with defilements destroyed, venerable sir, who has lived the holy life, done what was to be done, not seeing anything more to be done for himself, nor any accumulation of what has been done, through the destruction of lust, being free from lust, he is inclined towards non-affliction; through the destruction of hatred, being free from hatred, he is inclined towards non-affliction; kha from the destruction of delusion, being free from delusion, he is intent on non-affliction. “From the destruction of passion, being free from passion, he is intent on the destruction of clinging. From the destruction of hatred, being free from hatred, he is intent on the destruction of clinging. From the destruction of delusion, being free from delusion, he is intent on the destruction of clinging. “From the destruction of passion, being free from passion, he is intent on the destruction of craving. From the destruction of hatred, being free from hatred, he is intent on the destruction of craving. From the destruction of delusion, being free from delusion, he is intent on the destruction of craving. “From the destruction of passion, being free from passion, he is intent on non-delusion. From the destruction of hatred, being free from hatred, he is intent on non-delusion. From the destruction of delusion, being free from delusion, he is intent on non-delusion. “Thus, venerable sir, even if very strong visible forms come into the range of the eye for a bhikkhu whose mind is rightly liberated, they do not overwhelm his mind. His mind remains unmixed, steadfast, attaining imperturbability, and he sees their passing away. Even if very strong sounds perceptible by the ear… even if very strong smells perceptible by the nose… even if very strong tastes perceptible by the tongue… even if very strong tactile sensations perceptible by the body… even if very strong mental phenomena come into the range of the mind, they do not overwhelm his mind; his mind remains unmixed, steadfast, attaining imperturbability, and he sees their passing away. Just as, venerable sir, a solid mountain, without cracks or holes, a single mass, even if a strong wind and rain should come from the eastern direction, it would not shake, nor tremble, nor be agitated; even if a strong wind and rain should come from the western direction… even if from the northern direction… even if from the southern direction a strong wind and rain should come, it would not shake, nor tremble, nor be agitated. Even so, venerable sir, even if very strong visible forms come into the range of the eye for a bhikkhu whose mind is rightly liberated, they do not overwhelm his mind; his mind remains unmixed, steadfast, attaining imperturbability, and he sees their passing away. Even if very strong sounds perceptible by the ear Forms cognizable by the eye… sounds cognizable by the ear… smells cognizable by the nose… tastes cognizable by the tongue… tangibles cognizable by the body… mind-objects cognizable by the mind come into the range of the mind, but do not overwhelm his mind; his mind remains unmixed, steady, attained to imperturbability, and he sees their passing away. For one intent on renunciation, and on the seclusion of the mind; For one intent on non-affliction, and on the destruction of clinging. For one intent on the destruction of craving, and on the non-delusion of the mind; Having seen the arising of the sense-bases, the mind is rightly liberated. For that bhikkhu, rightly liberated, with a tranquil mind; There is no accumulation of what has been done, and nothing further to be done is found. Just as a solid rock, is not stirred by the wind; So too, forms, tastes, sounds, smells, and contacts, all of them. Desirable and undesirable things, do not perturb such a one; His mind is steady, liberated, and he sees their passing away. The story of Soṇa Koḷivisa is finished. 148. The prohibition of double-layered sandals, etc. 245. Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus – “Thus, bhikkhus, noble sons declare their attainment, and the meaning is stated, and the self is not brought forward. But here, some foolish men, I think, declare their attainment with a laugh, and they later fall into trouble.” Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Soṇa – “You, Soṇa, are delicate. I allow you, Soṇa, a single-layered sandal.” “Indeed, venerable sir, I went forth from home to homelessness, abandoning eighty cartloads of gold and a seven-elephant army. If, venerable sir, I were to use a single-layered sandal, people would say of me: ‘Soṇa Koḷivisa went forth from home to homelessness, abandoning eighty cartloads of gold and a seven-elephant army. Now he is attached to single-layered sandals.’ If the Blessed One allows it for the community of bhikkhus, I too will use it; if the Blessed One does not allow it for the community of bhikkhus, I too will not use it.” Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, having given a Dhamma talk, addressed the bhikkhus: “I allow, bhikkhus, a single-layered sandal. Bhikkhus, a double sandal should not be worn. A triple sandal should not be worn. A sandal with many layers should not be worn. Whoever wears one, there is an offense of wrong-doing.” The prohibition of double and other sandals is finished. 149. Prohibition of all-blue and so on At that time, the group of six bhikkhus were wearing all-blue sandals… …they were wearing all-yellow sandals… …they were wearing all-red sandals… …they were wearing all-madder-red sandals… …they were wearing all-black sandals… …they were wearing sandals dyed entirely with great dye… …they were wearing sandals dyed entirely with great name-dye. People complained, grumbled, and criticized, “Just like laypeople who indulge in sensual pleasures!” They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Bhikkhus, an all-blue sandal should not be worn… …an all-yellow sandal should not be worn, an all-red sandal should not be worn, an all-madder-red sandal should not be worn, an all-black sandal should not be worn, a sandal dyed entirely with great dye should not be worn, a sandal dyed entirely with great name-dye should not be worn. Whoever wears one, there is an offense of wrong-doing.” At that time, the group of six bhikkhus were wearing sandals with blue straps, they were wearing sandals with yellow straps, they were wearing sandals with red straps, they were wearing sandals with madder-red straps, they were wearing sandals with black straps,