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having encompassed my mind with your mind – 'Such is the virtue of the Blessed One, such is his Dhamma, such his wisdom, such his abiding, such his liberation'?" "No, venerable sir." "And yet, Sāriputta, you have no knowledge of the minds of the arahants, fully enlightened Buddhas, of the past, future, and present. Then why, Sāriputta, was this magnificent, bull-like utterance spoken by you, a definite stand taken, a lion's roar uttered – 'Thus confident am I, venerable sir, in the Blessed One; nor has there been, nor will there be, nor is there now, any other recluse or brahmin more fully enlightened than the Blessed One, as regards awakening'?" "Indeed, venerable sir, I do not have knowledge of the minds of the arahants, fully enlightened Buddhas, of the past, future, and present, but the sequence of the Dhamma is known to me. Just as, venerable sir, a king's border city A city with strong ramparts, with strong walls and arched gateways, with one gate. There should be a doorkeeper, wise, skilled, intelligent, keeping out strangers, letting in acquaintances. He, walking along the patrol path all around that city, would not see a crack in the wall or a hole in the wall, not even a cat's exit-hole. He would think thus: ‘Indeed, whatever gross creatures enter or leave this city, all of them, through this very gate, enter or leave.’ Just so, Venerable Sir, this Dhamma-sequence is known to me: ‘Venerable Sir, those who were Arahants, Perfectly Self-Awakened Ones, in the past, all those Blessed Ones, having abandoned the five hindrances, defilements of the mind, weakening of wisdom, with minds well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having truly developed the seven factors of awakening, fully awakened to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. And those, Venerable Sir, who will be Arahants, Perfectly Self-Awakened Ones, in the future, all those Blessed Ones, having abandoned the five hindrances, defilements of the mind, weakening of wisdom, with minds well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having truly developed the seven factors of awakening, will fully awaken to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. And the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, is now an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, having abandoned the five hindrances, defilements of the mind, weakening of wisdom, with mind well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having truly developed the seven factors of awakening, has fully awakened to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.’ There, indeed, the Blessed One, dwelling in Nāḷandā, in Pāvārika's Mango Grove, often gave this Dhamma talk to the bhikkhus: ‘‘Such is morality, such is concentration, such is wisdom. Concentration imbued with morality is of great fruit, of great benefit. Wisdom imbued with concentration is of great fruit, of great benefit. The mind imbued with wisdom is rightly liberated from the taints. namely— the outflow of sensuality, the outflow of existence, the outflow of ignorance. The Dangers of Immorality 148. Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Nāḷandā as long as he wished, addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Come, Ānanda, let us go to Pāṭaligāma.” “Yes, Bhante,” replied Venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with a large community of monks, arrived at Pāṭaligāma. The lay followers of Pāṭaligāma heard: “Indeed, the Blessed One has arrived at Pāṭaligāma.” Then the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma said to the Blessed One: “May the Blessed One, Bhante, accept our invitation to the rest-house.” The Blessed One accepted by his silence. Then the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma, understanding the Blessed One’s acceptance, rose from their seats, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and went to the rest-house; having gone there, they spread out the entire rest-house with coverings, arranged seats, set up a water jar, lit an oil lamp, and then approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they stood to one side. Standing to one side, the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma said to the Blessed One: “The rest-house, Bhante, is entirely covered with coverings, seats are arranged, a water jar is set up, an oil lamp is lit; now, Bhante, let the Blessed One do as he deems fit.” Then the Blessed One, in the evening, having put on his lower robe and taken his bowl and outer robe, went with the community of monks to the rest-house; having gone there, he washed his feet and entered the rest-house. entered the assembly hall, leaned against the middle pillar, and sat facing east. The community of bhikkhus also washed their feet, entered the assembly hall, leaned against the western wall, and sat facing east, with the Blessed One in front of them. The lay followers of Pāṭaligāma also washed their feet, entered the assembly hall, leaned against the eastern wall, and sat facing west, with the Blessed One in front of them. 149. Then the Blessed One addressed the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma: "Householders, there are these five disadvantages for one who is immoral, for one who has failed in virtue. Which five? Here, householders, an immoral person, one who has failed in virtue, through heedlessness, incurs great loss of wealth. This is the first disadvantage for one who is immoral, for one who has failed in virtue. "Furthermore, householders, for an immoral person, one who has failed in virtue, a bad reputation arises. This is the second disadvantage for one who is immoral, for one who has failed in virtue. "Furthermore, householders, an immoral person, one who has failed in virtue, whatever assembly he approaches— whether an assembly of khattiyas, or an assembly of brahmins, or an assembly of householders, or an assembly of recluses— he approaches without confidence, confused. This is the third disadvantage for one who is immoral, for one who has failed in virtue. "Furthermore, householders, an immoral person, one who has failed in virtue, dies bewildered. This is the fourth disadvantage for one who is immoral, for one who has failed in virtue. "Furthermore, householders, an immoral person, one who has failed in virtue, after the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. This is the fifth disadvantage for one who is immoral, for one who has failed in virtue. These, householders, are the five disadvantages for one who is immoral, for one who has failed in virtue. Benefits of Virtue 150. "Householders, there are these five advantages for one who is virtuous, for one who is accomplished in virtue. Which five? Here, householders, a virtuous person, one accomplished in virtue, through heedfulness, acquires a great mass of wealth. This is the first advantage for one who is virtuous, for one who is accomplished in virtue. to the perfection of virtue. Again, householders, for one who is virtuous, endowed with virtue, a good reputation arises. This is the second benefit for one who is virtuous, to the perfection of virtue. Again, householders, one who is virtuous, endowed with virtue, whatever assembly he approaches— whether an assembly of khattiyas, or an assembly of brahmins, or an assembly of householders, or an assembly of recluses— he approaches with confidence, unperplexed. This is the third benefit for one who is virtuous, to the perfection of virtue. Again, householders, one who is virtuous, endowed with virtue, dies unconfused. This is the fourth benefit for one who is virtuous, to the perfection of virtue. Again, householders, one who is virtuous, endowed with virtue, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. This is the fifth benefit for one who is virtuous, to the perfection of virtue. These, householders, are the five benefits for one who is virtuous, to the perfection of virtue. Then the Blessed One, having instructed, incited, inspired, and gladdened the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma with a Dhamma talk for much of the night, dismissed them, saying: “The night is far advanced, householders; do now what you think is fitting.” “Yes, venerable sir,” the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma replied to the Blessed One. Then, rising from their seats, they saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him respectfully, and departed. Then the Blessed One, not long after the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma had departed, entered an empty dwelling. The Fortification of Pāṭaliputta Now at that time, Sunidha and Vassakāra, the chief ministers of Magadha, were fortifying a city at Pāṭaligāma to ward off the Vajjians. At that time, many deities, by the thousands, were taking possession of sites in Pāṭaligāma. Wherever powerful deities took possession of sites, there the minds of powerful kings and royal chief ministers to build dwellings. In whatever place the middling deities take up their abode, the minds of middling kings and royal ministers there are inclined to build dwellings. In whatever place the lowly deities take up their abode, the minds of lowly kings and royal ministers there are inclined to build dwellings. Then the Blessed One with the divine eye, purified and surpassing human, saw those deities by the thousands taking up their abode in Pāṭaligāma. Then the Blessed One, rising in the last watch of the night, addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Who, Ānanda, are building a city in Pāṭaligāma?” “Sunidha and Vassakāra, Bhante, the Magadhan ministers, are building a city in Pāṭaligāma to ward off the Vajjians.” “Just as, Ānanda, after consulting with the Tāvatiṃsa devas, even so, Ānanda, Sunidha and Vassakāra, the Magadhan ministers, are building a city in Pāṭaligāma to ward off the Vajjians. Here, Ānanda, I saw with the divine eye, purified and surpassing human, many deities by the thousands taking up their abode in Pāṭaligāma.