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4. The Chapter on Settlement 1. Settlement in the Presence 185. At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time the group of six bhikkhus were performing acts against bhikkhus who were not present— admonition, subjection, banishment, reconciliation, and suspension. Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes... they complained, they grumbled, they spread it around: "How can the group of six bhikkhus perform acts against bhikkhus who are not present— admonition, subjection, banishment, reconciliation, and suspension!" Then those bhikkhus reported the matter to the Blessed One... "Is it true, bhikkhus, that the group of six bhikkhus perform acts against bhikkhus who are not present— admonition, subjection, banishment, reconciliation, or suspension?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "Bhikkhus, it is not suitable for those foolish men, it is not proper, it is not fitting, it is not the way of a recluse, it is not allowable, it is not to be done. How can those foolish men, bhikkhus, perform acts against bhikkhus who are not present— admonition, subjection, banishment, reconciliation, and suspension! This, bhikkhus, is not for the conversion of the unconverted... Having rebuked them... Having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, an act should not be performed against bhikkhus who are not present— whether admonition, or subjection, or banishment, or reconciliation, or suspension. Whoever performs it, incurs an offense of wrong-doing." 186. A person who speaks against the Dhamma, many who speak against the Dhamma, a Saṅgha that speaks against the Dhamma. A person who speaks according to the Dhamma, many who speak according to the Dhamma, a Saṅgha that speaks according to the Dhamma. The Nine of the Dark Side 187. A person who speaks against the Dhamma makes a person who speaks according to the Dhamma understand, reflect, consider, reconsider, show, re-show... shows – “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And if this dispute is settled, it is settled by unrighteousness, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. A person who speaks unrighteousness makes many who speak righteousness understand, agree, see, examine, shows and repeatedly shows – “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And if this dispute is settled, it is settled by unrighteousness, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. A person who speaks unrighteousness makes the Sangha who speaks righteousness understand, agree, see, examine, shows and repeatedly shows – “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And if this dispute is settled, it is settled by unrighteousness, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. Many who speak unrighteousness make a person who speaks righteousness understand, agree, see, examine, show and repeatedly show – “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And if this dispute is settled, it is settled by unrighteousness, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. Many who speak unrighteousness make many who speak righteousness understand, agree, see, examine, show and repeatedly show – “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And if this dispute is settled, it is settled by unrighteousness, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. Many who speak unrighteousness make the Sangha who speaks righteousness understand, agree, see, examine, show and repeatedly show – “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And if this dispute is settled, it is settled by unrighteousness, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. The Sangha who speaks unrighteousness to the one who speaks righteousness... An unrighteous person makes an unrighteous person understand, reflect, see, observe, shows him, makes him see again— “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation, take this, approve this.” If this dispute is settled, it is settled unrighteously, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. An unrighteous Sangha makes many righteous ones understand, reflect, see, observe, shows them, makes them see again— “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation, take this, approve this.” If this dispute is settled, it is settled unrighteously, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. An unrighteous Sangha makes a righteous Sangha understand, reflect, see, observe, shows them, makes them see again— “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation, take this, approve this.” If this dispute is settled, it is settled unrighteously, by a semblance of settlement in the presence. The nine-fold dark side is finished. The nine-fold bright side A righteous person makes an unrighteous person understand, reflect, see, observe, shows him, makes him see again— “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation, take this, approve this.” If this dispute is settled, it is settled righteously, by settlement in the presence. A righteous person makes many unrighteous ones understand, reflect, see, observe, shows them, makes them see again— “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation, take this, approve this.” If this dispute is settled, it is settled righteously, by settlement in the presence. A righteous person makes an unrighteous Sangha understand, reflect, see, observe, shows them, makes them see again— “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation, take this, approve this.” If this dispute is settled, it is settled righteously, by settlement in the presence. Many righteous speakers make an unrighteous person understand, make him consider, make him observe, make him scrutinize, show him, explain to him: “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And thus this dispute is settled, it is settled by Dhamma, by the discipline of presence. Many righteous speakers make many unrighteous ones understand, make them consider, make them observe, make them scrutinize, show them, explain to them: “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And thus this dispute is settled, it is settled by Dhamma, by the discipline of presence. Many righteous speakers make an unrighteous Saṅgha understand, make it consider, make it observe, make it scrutinize, show it, explain to it: “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And thus this dispute is settled, it is settled by Dhamma, by the discipline of presence. A righteous Saṅgha makes an unrighteous person understand, makes him consider, makes him observe, makes him scrutinize, shows him, explains to him: “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And thus this dispute is settled, it is settled by Dhamma, by the discipline of presence. A righteous Saṅgha makes many unrighteous ones understand, makes them consider, makes them observe, makes them scrutinize, shows them, explains to them: “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And thus this dispute is settled, it is settled by Dhamma, by the discipline of presence. A righteous Saṅgha makes an unrighteous Saṅgha understand, makes it consider, makes it observe, makes it scrutinize, shows it, explains to it: “This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s teaching. Take this, approve this.” And thus this dispute is settled, it is settled by Dhamma, by the discipline of presence. The Ninth of the Bright Fortnight is finished. 2. Mindfulness The Method 189. [This story is from Pārā. 380 onwards] At that time, the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding Place. At that time, the Venerable Dabba the Mallaputta, at seven years of age, had realized arahantship. Whatever a disciple could attain, all that he had attained. There was nothing further for him to do, nor any accumulation of what had been done. Then, to the Venerable Dabba the Mallaputta, while he was alone and in seclusion, this thought arose in his mind: "I have, at seven years of age, realized arahantship. Whatever a disciple could attain, all that I have attained. There is nothing further for me to do, nor any accumulation of what has been done. What service, then, could I render to the Saṅgha?" Then, to the Venerable Dabba the Mallaputta, this thought occurred: "What if I were to arrange lodgings for the Saṅgha and assign meals?" Then, the Venerable Dabba the Mallaputta, having risen from his seclusion in the evening, approached the Blessed One. Having approached and saluted the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Dabba the Mallaputta said to the Blessed One: "Here, Bhante, while I was alone and in seclusion, this thought arose in my mind: 'I have, at seven years of age, realized arahantship. Whatever a disciple could attain, all that I have attained. There is nothing further for me to do, nor any accumulation of what had been done. What service, then, could I render to the Saṅgha?' Then, Bhante, this thought occurred to me: 'What if I were to arrange lodgings for the Saṅgha and assign meals?' I wish, Bhante, to arrange lodgings for the Saṅgha and to assign meals." "Good, good, Dabba. Therefore, Dabba, arrange lodgings for the Saṅgha and assign meals." 'Yes, Venerable Sir,' the venerable Dabba the Mallian's son replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One,