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of evil nature, impure... One whose conduct is like a thorn, whose deeds are hidden, not a recluse, but claiming to be a recluse, not a celibate, but claiming to be a celibate, inwardly rotten, oozing, born of filth. The Saṅgha does not live with him. Quickly it gathers and expels him. Even if he is seated in the midst of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, yet he is far from the Saṅgha, and the Saṅgha from him. This, bhikkhus, is the third wonderful and amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which, seeing again and again, bhikkhus delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, bhikkhus, whatever great rivers there are, namely – Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, Mahī, when they reach the great ocean, they abandon their former names and lineages, and are reckoned simply as the great ocean. Even so, bhikkhus, these four castes – Khattiyas, Brāhmaṇas, Vessas, Suddas. Having gone forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, they abandon their former names and lineages, and are reckoned simply as recluses, sons of the Sakyan. That these four castes, bhikkhus, Khattiyas, Brāhmaṇas, Vessas, Suddas, having gone forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, abandon their former names and lineages, and are reckoned simply as recluses, sons of the Sakyan – this, bhikkhus, is the fourth wonderful and amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which, seeing again and again, bhikkhus delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, bhikkhus, whatever rivers in the world flow into the great ocean, and whatever streams fall from the sky, by that the great ocean is not perceived as either diminished or full. Even so, bhikkhus, even if many bhikkhus attain final Nibbāna in the Nibbāna-element without remainder, by that the Nibbāna-element is not perceived as either diminished or full. That even if many bhikkhus attain final Nibbāna in the Nibbāna-element without remainder, by that the Nibbāna-element is not diminished. or appears full— this, bhikkhus, is the fifth wonderful, amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which bhikkhus, seeing again and again, delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, bhikkhus, the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, even so, bhikkhus, this Dhamma and Discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation. That this Dhamma and Discipline, bhikkhus, has one taste, the taste of liberation— this, bhikkhus, is the sixth wonderful, amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which bhikkhus, seeing again and again, delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, bhikkhus, the great ocean is rich in many jewels, of various jewels, therein are these jewels: pearl, gem, lapis lazuli, conch, rock, coral, silver, gold, ruby, cat's eye; even so, bhikkhus, this Dhamma and Discipline is rich in many jewels, of various jewels. Therein are these jewels: the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path. That this Dhamma and Discipline, bhikkhus, is rich in many jewels, of various jewels, therein are these jewels: the four foundations of mindfulness... the Noble Eightfold Path— this, bhikkhus, is the seventh wonderful, amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which bhikkhus, seeing again and again, delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, bhikkhus, the great ocean is the abode of mighty beings, therein are these beings: timi, timingala, timitimingala, asuras, nagas, gandhabbas, there are in the great ocean beings a hundred leagues in size, beings two hundred leagues in size, beings three hundred leagues in size, beings four hundred leagues in size, beings five hundred leagues in size; even so, bhikkhus, this Dhamma and Discipline is the abode of mighty beings. Therein are these beings: the stream-enterer, one practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry; the once-returner, one entered on the realization of the fruit of once-returning; a non-returner, one entered on the realization of the fruit of non-returning; an Arahant, one entered on the realization of the fruit of Arahantship. And also, monks, this Dhamma-Vinaya is an abode for great beings, there are these beings: a stream-enterer, one entered on the realization of the fruit of stream-entry... an Arahant, one entered on the realization of the fruit of Arahantship – this, monks, is the eighth wonderful, astonishing quality in this Dhamma-Vinaya, which, seeing again and again, monks delight in this Dhamma-Vinaya. "These, monks, are the eight wonderful, astonishing qualities in this Dhamma-Vinaya, which, seeing again and again, monks delight in this Dhamma-Vinaya." Then the Blessed One, understanding this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: It rains down on the covered, It does not rain on the uncovered; Therefore, uncover what is covered, Then it will not rain on it. 4. Worthy of hearing the Pātimokkha Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "From now on, monks, I will not perform the Uposatha, nor recite the Pātimokkha. You yourselves, monks, from now on should perform the Uposatha, and recite the Pātimokkha. It is not proper, monks, it is not possible for a Tathāgata to perform the Uposatha or recite the Pātimokkha in an impure assembly. And, monks, the Pātimokkha should not be heard by one who has committed an offense. Whoever hears it, commits an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, that for one who has committed an offense and hears the Pātimokkha, his Pātimokkha should be suspended. And thus, monks, it should be suspended. On that Uposatha day, whether the fourteenth or fifteenth, when that person is present, it should be declared in the midst of the Saṅgha: 'May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, hear me. Such-and-such a person has committed an offense, I suspend his Pātimokkha, the Pātimokkha should not be recited in his presence.' is the suspension of the Pātimokkha." Now at that time, the group of six bhikkhus, thinking, "No one knows us," listened to the Pātimokkha while having committed offenses. The elder bhikkhus, knowing the minds of others, informed the bhikkhus: "So-and-so and so-and-so, friends, the group of six bhikkhus, thinking, 'No one knows us,' listen to the Pātimokkha while having committed offenses." The group of six bhikkhus heard: "Indeed, the elder bhikkhus, knowing the minds of others, inform the bhikkhus about us: 'So-and-so and so-and-so, friends, the group of six bhikkhus, thinking, 'No one knows us,' listen to the Pātimokkha while having committed offenses.'" They—before the virtuous bhikkhus suspend the Pātimokkha for us—prematurely suspended the Pātimokkha for pure bhikkhus, for those who had committed no offense, without cause, without reason. Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes... complained, murmured, and criticized: "How can the group of six bhikkhus suspend the Pātimokkha for pure bhikkhus, for those who had committed no offense, without cause, without reason!" Then those bhikkhus reported the matter to the Blessed One... "Is it true, bhikkhus, that the group of six bhikkhus suspend the Pātimokkha for pure bhikkhus, for those who had committed no offense, without cause, without reason?" "It is true, Blessed One."... Having rebuked them... having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, the Pātimokkha should not be suspended for pure bhikkhus, for those who have committed no offense, without cause, without reason. Whoever suspends it incurs an offense of wrong-doing." 5. Suspension of the Pātimokkha, Right and Wrong 387. "Bhikkhus, there is one wrong suspension of the Pātimokkha, and one right; there is one suspension of the Pātimokkha, two wrong; suspensions of the Pātimokkha, two right; three wrong suspensions of the Pātimokkha, three right; four wrong suspensions of the Pātimokkha, four right; five wrong suspensions of the Pātimokkha suspensions, five righteous ones; six unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions, six righteous ones; seven unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions, seven righteous ones; eight unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions, eight righteous ones; nine unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions, nine righteous ones; ten unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions, ten righteous ones. "What is one unrighteous Pātimokkha suspension? One suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a baseless moral transgression – this is one unrighteous Pātimokkha suspension. What is one righteous Pātimokkha suspension? One suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a well-founded moral transgression – this is one righteous Pātimokkha suspension. "What are two unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions? One suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a baseless moral transgression, one suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a baseless conduct transgression – these are two unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions. What are two righteous Pātimokkha suspensions? One suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a well-founded moral transgression, one suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a well-founded conduct transgression – these are two righteous Pātimokkha suspensions. "What are three unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions? One suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a baseless moral transgression, one suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a baseless conduct transgression, one suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a baseless view transgression – these are three unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions. What are three righteous Pātimokkha suspensions? One suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a well-founded moral transgression, one suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a well-founded conduct transgression, one suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a well-founded view transgression – these are three righteous Pātimokkha suspensions. "What are four unrighteous Pātimokkha suspensions? One suspends the Pātimokkha on account of a baseless moral transgression,