English
'Indeed, my mind-release of equanimity has been developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, and well-commenced. Yet, lust still overwhelms my mind.' He should be told: 'Do not say that! Venerable sir, do not speak thus, do not misrepresent the Blessed One. It is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not speak thus. This, friend, is an impossible situation, an impossibility, that with the mind-release of equanimity developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, and well-commenced, lust would still overwhelm one's mind. Such a thing is not found. This, friend, is the escape from lust, namely, the mind-release of equanimity. Here, friend, if a monk were to say this: 'Indeed, my signless mind-release has been developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, and well-commenced. Yet, my consciousness still follows after signs.' He should be told: 'Do not say that! Venerable sir, do not speak thus, do not misrepresent the Blessed One. It is not good This is an accusation against the Blessed One, for the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, it cannot be, that for one who has developed the signless liberation of mind, made it much of, made it a vehicle, made it a basis, established it, familiarized himself with it, and properly undertaken it, his consciousness would then follow signs. This is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from all signs, namely, the signless liberation of mind. Here, friend, a monk might say: ‘The thought “I am” has vanished for me, I do not perceive “I am this,” yet the dart of doubt and perplexity still grips my mind.’ He should be told: ‘Do not speak thus, venerable sir, do not speak thus, do not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to accuse the Blessed One, the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, it cannot be, that for one for whom the thought ‘I am’ has vanished, who does not perceive ‘I am this,’ the dart of doubt and perplexity would still grip his mind. This is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from the dart of doubt and perplexity, namely, the uprooting of the conceit ‘I am’.’ 327. Six unsurpassed things – unsurpassed in sight, unsurpassed in hearing, unsurpassed in gain, unsurpassed in training, unsurpassed in service, unsurpassed in recollection. Six objects of recollection – recollection of the Buddha, recollection of the Dhamma, recollection of the Saṅgha, recollection of virtue, recollection of generosity, recollection of devas. 328. Six continuous abidings. Here, friend, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is neither pleased nor displeased; he abides in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending. Having heard a sound with the ear... (and similarly for nose, tongue, body) having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is neither pleased nor displeased; he abides in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending. 329. Six kinds of birth. Here, friend, some individual, being born dark, produces dark kamma. Here, p Here, friends, some born dark attains a bright state. Here, friends, some born dark attains Nibbāna, neither dark nor bright. Here, friends, some born bright attains a bright state. Here, friends, some born bright attains a dark state. Here, friends, some born bright attains Nibbāna, neither dark nor bright. Six perceptions leading to penetration: Perception of impermanence in the impermanent, Perception of suffering in suffering, Perception of non-self, Perception of abandoning, Perception of dispassion, Perception of cessation. These, friends, are six teachings well-proclaimed by that Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One; therein all should chant together... for the welfare, for the benefit, for the happiness of gods and humans. The Seven There are, friends, seven teachings well-proclaimed by that Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One; therein all should chant together... for the welfare, for the benefit, for the happiness of gods and humans. Which seven? Seven noble treasures: The treasure of faith, The treasure of virtue, The treasure of moral shame, The treasure of moral dread, The treasure of learning, The treasure of generosity, The treasure of wisdom. Seven factors of awakening: The awakening factor of mindfulness, The awakening factor of investigation of states, The awakening factor of energy, The awakening factor of rapture, The awakening factor of tranquility, The awakening factor of concentration, The awakening factor of equanimity. Seven requisites for concentration: Right view, Right intention, Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness. Seven ignoble qualities: Here, friends, a monk is faithless, is shameless, is without moral dread, is of little learning, is lazy, is unmindful, is unwise. Seven noble qualities: Here, friends, a monk is faithful, is endowed with moral shame, is endowed with moral dread, is of much learning, is energetic, is mindful, is wise. It comes to be. “Seven qualities of a good person – Here, friend, a bhikkhu knows the Dhamma, knows the meaning, knows himself, knows moderation, knows the time, knows the assembly, knows the individuals. 331. “Seven grounds for instruction. Here, friend, a bhikkhu has keen desire in undertaking training, and unceasing affection for undertaking training in the future. He has keen desire in investigating the Dhamma, and unceasing affection for investigating the Dhamma in the future. He has keen desire in subduing desires, and unceasing affection for subduing desires in the future. He has keen desire in seclusion, and unceasing affection for seclusion in the future. He has keen desire in arousing energy, and unceasing affection for arousing energy in the future. He has keen desire in mindfulness and discretion, and unceasing affection for mindfulness and discretion in the future. He has keen desire in penetrating views, and unceasing affection for penetrating views in the future. “Seven perceptions – perception of impermanence, perception of non-self, perception of unattractiveness, perception of danger, perception of abandoning, perception of dispassion, perception of cessation. “Seven powers – power of faith, power of energy, power of shame, power of dread, power of mindfulness, power of concentration, power of wisdom. 332. “Seven stations of consciousness. There are, friend, beings with diverse bodies and diverse perceptions, such as humans, some devas, and some in the lower realms. This is the first station of consciousness. There are, friend, beings with diverse bodies and unified perceptions, such as the Brahmas, first reborn. This is the second station of consciousness. There are, friend, beings with unified bodies and diverse perceptions, such as the Abhassara devas. This is the third station of consciousness. There are, friend, beings with unified bodies and unified perceptions, such as the Subhakiṇha devas. This is the fourth station of consciousness. There are, friend, beings who, by completely transcending perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, (thinking) ‘space is infinite,’ attain the sphere of infinite space. This is the fifth station of consciousness. There are, friend, beings who, by completely transcending the sphere of infinite space, having transcended 'infinite consciousness', they reach the sphere of infinite consciousness. This is the sixth station of consciousness. Friends, there are beings who, having wholly transcended the sphere of infinite consciousness, reach the sphere of nothingness, thinking 'there is nothing'. This is the seventh station of consciousness. Seven persons worthy of offerings: one liberated in both ways, one liberated by wisdom, one who is a body-witness, one attained to view, one liberated by faith, one who follows the Dhamma, one who follows by faith. Seven latent tendencies: the latent tendency to sensual passion, the latent tendency to aversion, the latent tendency to views, the latent tendency to doubt, the latent tendency to conceit, the latent tendency to passion for existence, the latent tendency to ignorance. Seven fetters: the fetter of attachment, the fetter of aversion, the fetter of views, the fetter of doubt, the fetter of conceit, the fetter of passion for existence, the fetter of ignorance. Seven ways of settling legal questions: for the settling and appeasing of arisen legal questions: a verdict in the presence (of the parties) should be given, a verdict of mindfulness should be given, a verdict of blamelessness should be given, a decision by acknowledgement should be made, a decision by majority, a decision for the accused's depravity, a covering over with grass. These seven things, friends, were well-expounded by the Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One; there, all should chant together... for the good, for the welfare, for the happiness of gods and humans. The second recitation section is finished. The Eights Friends, there are eight things well-expounded by the Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One; there, all should chant together... for the good, for the welfare, for the happiness of gods and humans. Which eight? Eight wrongnesses: wrong view, wrong intention, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration. Eight rightnesses: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. Eight persons worthy of offerings: the stream-enterer, one practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry, entered the stream; the once-returner,