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acknowledges what is truly an acceptable explanation... in this way, he is purified in that respect. 69. Furthermore, Nigrodha, a recluse is free from anger and resentment. In that a recluse, Nigrodha, is free from anger and resentment, in this way, he is purified in that respect. Furthermore, Nigrodha, a recluse is not envious, not begrudging. Furthermore, Nigrodha, a recluse is not jealous, not stingy. Furthermore, Nigrodha, a recluse is not deceitful, not fraudulent. Furthermore, Nigrodha, a recluse is not stubborn, not arrogant. Furthermore, Nigrodha, a recluse is not evil-wishing, not subject to evil desires. Furthermore, Nigrodha, a recluse is not of wrong view, not endowed with an extreme view. Furthermore, Nigrodha, a recluse does not cling to his own views, is not stubbornly attached, but readily relinquishes. In that, Nigrodha, a recluse does not cling to his own views, is not stubbornly attached, but readily relinquishes, in this way, he is purified in that respect. "What do you think, Nigrodha? If this is so, is the ascetic practice of aversion purified or unpurified?" "Certainly, Venerable Sir, if this is so, the ascetic practice of aversion is purified, not unpurified, it has reached the peak and the essence." "No, Nigrodha, by this much, the ascetic practice of aversion has not reached the peak and the essence; rather, it has reached the stage of the outer skin." Discourse on Reaching the Purified Skin 70. "But to what extent, Venerable Sir, does the ascetic practice of aversion reach the peak and the essence? It would be good, Venerable Sir, if the Blessed One would lead me to the peak, to the essence of the ascetic practice of aversion." "Here, Nigrodha, a recluse is restrained by the fourfold restraint. And how, Nigrodha, is a recluse restrained by the fourfold restraint? Here, Nigrodha, a recluse..." He does not destroy life, nor does he cause others to destroy life, nor does he approve of those who destroy life. He does not take what is not given, nor does he cause others to take what is not given, nor does he approve of those who take what is not given. He does not speak falsely, nor does he cause others to speak falsely, nor does he approve of those who speak falsely. He does not desire what is not developed, nor does he cause others to desire what is not developed, nor does he approve of those who desire what is not developed. Thus, Nigrodha, is an ascetic restrained by the fourfold restraint. When, Nigrodha, an ascetic is restrained by the fourfold restraint, this is his asceticism. He progresses, he does not regress. He resorts to a secluded dwelling: a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, an open space, a heap of straw. After his meal, having returned from his alms round, he sits down, folding his legs crosswise, setting his body erect, and establishing mindfulness in front of him. He abandons covetousness for the world; he dwells with a mind free from covetousness, purifying his mind from covetousness. He abandons ill will and malice; he dwells with a mind free from ill will, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings, purifying his mind from ill will and malice. He abandons sloth and torpor; he dwells free from sloth and torpor, perceiving light, mindful and clearly comprehending, purifying his mind from sloth and torpor. He abandons restlessness and remorse; he dwells unagitated, with his mind inwardly peaceful, purifying his mind from restlessness and remorse. He abandons doubt; he dwells having overcome doubt, without perplexity regarding wholesome states, purifying his mind from doubt. Having abandoned these five hindrances, these defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, he dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness. So too the second. So too the third. So too the fourth. Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness... lives pervading one direction with a mind accompanied by loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without enmity, without ill-will. With a mind accompanied by compassion… With a mind accompanied by appreciative joy… With a mind accompanied by equanimity, he lives pervading one direction. Likewise the second. Likewise the third. Likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world, he lives pervading with a mind accompanied by equanimity, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without enmity, without ill-will. “What do you think, Nigrodha? If this is so, is the ascetic practice of self-mortification purified or unpurified?” “Indeed, venerable sir, if this is so, the ascetic practice of self-mortification is purified, not unpurified, and it has reached the highest, it has reached the essence.” “Not yet, Nigrodha, by this much has the ascetic practice of self-mortification reached the highest or reached the essence; rather, it has reached the bark.” The Discourse on Reaching the Pure Heartwood “But to what extent, venerable sir, has the ascetic practice of self-mortification reached the highest and reached the essence? It would be good for me, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would lead me to the highest of ascetic practice, would lead me to the essence.” “Here, Nigrodha, an ascetic is restrained by the fourfold restraint. And how, Nigrodha, is an ascetic restrained by the fourfold restraint?… When, Nigrodha, an ascetic is restrained by the fourfold restraint, that is his asceticism. He strives forward, he does not turn back. He resorts to a secluded dwelling… He, having abandoned these five hindrances, the defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, lives pervading with a mind accompanied by loving-kindness… with a mind accompanied by compassion… with a mind accompanied by appreciative joy… with a mind accompanied by equanimity, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without enmity, without ill-will. He recollects his manifold past lives, such as: one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, who fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many eons of contraction, many eons of expansion, many eons of contraction and expansion – 'There I was, of such a name, of such a clan, of such a color, eating such food, experiencing such pleasure and pain, having such a lifespan. Having passed away from there, I arose yonder. There I was, of such a name, of such a clan, of such a color, eating such food, experiencing such pleasure and pain, having such a lifespan. Having passed away from there, I arose here.' Thus he recollects his manifold past existences, with their modes and details. "What do you think, Nigrodha? If this is so, is asceticism and self-mortification pure or impure?" "Certainly, Venerable Sir, if this is so, asceticism and self-mortification are pure, not impure. They have reached the summit, reached the essence." "No, Nigrodha, by this much, asceticism and self-mortification do not reach the summit or the essence; rather, they reach only the husk." The Discourse on Purity, Reaching the Summit, Reaching the Essence 73. "But to what extent, Venerable Sir, do asceticism and self-mortification reach the summit and the essence? It would be good, Venerable Sir, if the Blessed One would lead me to the summit, to the essence of asceticism and self-mortification." "Here, Nigrodha, an ascetic is restrained by the fourfold restraint. And how, Nigrodha, is an ascetic restrained by the fourfold restraint? ... When, Nigrodha, an ascetic is restrained by the fourfold restraint, this is for his asceticism. He strives forward, he does not turn back to what is inferior. He resorts to a secluded dwelling ... Having abandoned these five hindrances, the defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, he dwells pervading with a mind imbued with loving-kindness ... with a mind imbued with equanimity, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. He recollects his manifold past existences. Such as – one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births ... thus with their modes and details, his manifold past existences... He recollects his past abodes. He, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing human, sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands them according to their deeds – 'Indeed, these good sirs, these beings, endowed with misconduct of body, endowed with misconduct of speech, endowed with misconduct of mind, revilers of the Noble Ones, holding wrong views, undertaking actions based on wrong views. They, at the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. Or again, these good sirs, these beings, endowed with good conduct of body, endowed with good conduct of speech, endowed with good conduct of mind, not revilers of the Noble Ones, holding right views, undertaking actions based on right views. They, at the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.' Thus, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands them according to their deeds. "What do you think, Nigrodha, if this is so, is asceticism and self-mortification purified or unpurified?" "Certainly, venerable sir, if this is so, asceticism and self-mortification is purified, not unpurified, it has reached its peak and its essence." "To this extent, Nigrodha, asceticism and self-mortification reaches its peak and its essence. Thus, Nigrodha, what you said to me – 'What, venerable sir, is that teaching of the Blessed One, by which the Blessed One trains his disciples, by which the disciples, trained by the Blessed One,