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the air-body, happiness, suffering, and life as the seventh— these seven bodies are unmade, unmade in kind, uncreated, uncreating, barren, standing firm like a pillar, like a fixed post. They do not move, they do not change, they do not harm each other, they are not capable of each other's happiness, or suffering, or happiness and suffering. There is no killer or one who causes to kill, no hearer or one who causes to hear, no knower or one who causes to know. Even if one cuts off a head with a sharp weapon, no one deprives anyone of life; the weapon merely passes through the interval between the seven bodies. 175. "Thus, Venerable Sir, when I asked Pakudha Kaccāyana about the fruit of recluseship visible here and now, he answered with something else. Just as, Venerable Sir, if one were asked about a mango, one would answer about a breadfruit; or if asked about a breadfruit, one would answer about a mango; even so, Venerable Sir, when I asked Pakudha Kaccāyana about the fruit of recluseship visible here and now, he answered with something else. Then, Venerable Sir, it occurred to me: 'How could someone like me think it proper to disparage a recluse or brahmin dwelling in my realm?' So, Venerable Sir, I neither approved nor disapproved of Pakudha Kaccāyana's words. Without approving or disapproving, displeased, without uttering a displeased word, but holding onto that word, not rejecting it, I rose from my seat and departed. The Doctrine of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta 176. "On one occasion, Venerable Sir, I approached Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta. Having approached, I exchanged greetings with Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, I sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Sir, I said to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: 'Just as, good Aggivessana, these various sense bases… and so on… Is it possible, good Aggivessana, right here, in this very life, to declare a visible fruit of recluseship? 177. ‘‘When this was said, venerable sir, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta said to me: ‘Here, great king, a Nigaṇṭha is restrained by the fourfold restraint. And how, great king, is a Nigaṇṭha restrained by the fourfold restraint? Here, great king, a Nigaṇṭha is completely restrained from all water, and completely bound by all water, and completely purified by all water, and completely pervaded by all water. This is how, great king, a Nigaṇṭha is restrained by the fourfold restraint. When, great king, a Nigaṇṭha is thus restrained by the fourfold restraint; this, great king, is called a Nigaṇṭha who has gone to the self, and has exerted the self, and has established the self.’ 178. ‘‘Thus, venerable sir, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, when asked about a visible fruit of recluseship, explained the fourfold restraint. Just as, venerable sir, if asked about a mango, one might explain a breadfruit, or if asked about a breadfruit, one might explain a mango; even so, venerable sir, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, when asked about a visible fruit of recluseship, explained the fourfold restraint. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: ‘How could one like me think to disparage a recluse or brahmin dwelling in my realm?’ So I, venerable sir, neither approved nor disapproved of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta’s words. Without approving, without disapproving, displeased, without uttering a displeased word, without accepting that speech, without rejecting it, I rose from my seat and departed. The doctrine of Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta 179. ‘‘One time, venerable sir, I approached Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta; having approached, I exchanged greetings with Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, I sat down to one side. Seated to one side, venerable sir, I said to Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta: ‘Just as these, venerable sir, O Sañcaya, various crafts… Is it possible, good Sañcaya, to declare a visible fruit of recluseship in this very life? 180. When this was said, venerable sir, Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta said this to me: 'If you ask me, "Is there another world?" and if I held, "There is another world," then I would declare to you, "There is another world." It is not so for me, it is not thus for me, it is not otherwise for me, it is not not for me, it is not not-not for me. There is no other world… There is and is not another world… There neither is nor is not another world… There are spontaneously arisen beings… There are no spontaneously arisen beings… There are and are not spontaneously arisen beings… There neither are nor are not spontaneously arisen beings… There is fruit and result of good and bad deeds… There is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds… There is and is not fruit and result of good and bad deeds… There neither is nor is not fruit and result of good and bad deeds… If you ask me, "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death?" and if I held, "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death," then I would declare to you, "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death." It is not so for me, it is not thus for me, it is not otherwise for me, it is not not for me, it is not not-not for me.' 181. Thus, venerable sir, when I asked Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta about a visible fruit of recluseship, he gave an evasive answer. Just as, venerable sir, if one were asked about a mango, one would declare a breadfruit; or if asked about a breadfruit, one would declare a mango; even so, venerable sir, when I asked Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta about a visible fruit of recluseship, he gave an evasive answer. Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: 'This recluse…' To Brahmins, he is utterly foolish, utterly deluded. How indeed, when asked about the visible fruit of recluseship, could he give an evasive answer? Then, venerable sir, it occurred to me: 'How indeed could one like me think to disparage a recluse or a Brahmin dwelling in my realm?' So then, venerable sir, I neither approved nor disapproved of the words of Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta. Without approving, without disapproving, displeased, without uttering words of displeasure, without accepting that speech, without rejecting it, I rose from my seat and departed. The First Visible Fruit of Recluseship 182. "So I, venerable sir, ask the Blessed One: 'Just as, venerable sir, these various crafts, such as: elephant-riders, horse-riders, charioteers, archers, standard-bearers, marshals, provision-givers, fierce warriors, royal princes, valiant fighters, great warriors, heroes, leather-clad warriors, slave-sons, cooks, barbers, bath attendants, chefs, garland-makers, dyers, weavers, basket-makers, potters, accountants, seal-makers, and whatever other such various crafts there may be, they live by the visible fruit of their craft in this very life; they delight and nourish themselves with it, they delight and nourish their parents, they delight and nourish their wives and children, they delight and nourish their friends and associates, and they establish offerings for recluses and brahmins, leading to higher states, with happy results, conducive to heaven. Is it possible for me, venerable sir, to declare in the same way a visible fruit of recluseship in this very life?'" 183. "'It is possible, great king. Therefore, great king, I will question you in return about this. As you deem fit, so you should answer it. What do you think, great king? Suppose you had a man here, a slave, a worker, who rises before you, lies down after you, who listens for your commands, who acts pleasingly, who speaks kindly, who looks to your face. To him it would occur: 'It is wonderful, indeed, it is amazing...'" Oh, indeed, sirs, such is the course of merits, such is the result of merits. This King Ajātasattu, son of Videhī, is a human being; I too am a human being. This King Ajātasattu, son of Videhī, enjoys himself endowed and complete with the five strands of sensual pleasure, like a god, I think. But I am his slave, a worker, rising before him, lying down after him, doing what he asks, acting pleasingly, speaking kindly, watching his face. Oh, if only I too could perform such merits! What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and go forth from home into homelessness? So, at a later time, he would shave off his hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and go forth from home into homelessness. Having thus gone forth, he would dwell restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, content with the utmost of food and clothing, delighting in solitude. If your men were to report to you thus: 'May it please Your Majesty to know, that man who was your slave, your worker, rising before you, lying down after you, doing what you asked, acting pleasingly, speaking kindly, watching your face; he, Your Majesty, has shaved off his hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and gone forth from home into homelessness. Having thus gone forth, he dwells restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, content with the utmost of food and clothing, delighting in solitude.' Would you then say this: 'Let that man come to me, sirs, and again be my slave, my worker, rising before me, lying down after me, doing what I ask, acting pleasingly, speaking kindly, watching my face'? 'No, indeed, Venerable Sir. Rather, we ourselves would salute him, would rise for him, would invite him to a seat, would invite him to accept robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick, and would arrange for him lawful guard, protection, and security.' 'What do you think, great king, if... then, is there a fruit of recluseship, visible here and now, or not?” “Indeed, Reverend Sir, when it is like this, there is a fruit of recluseship, visible here and now.” “This, great king, is the first fruit of recluseship, visible here and now, that I have declared to you.” Second Visible Fruit of Recluseship “Is it possible, Reverend Sir, to declare another fruit of recluseship, visible here and now, in the same way?” “It is possible, great king.