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a monk does not resort to any divine host He practices the holy life with this aspiration: ‘By this virtue, or by this vow, or by this austerity, or by this holy life, I shall become a deva, or one of the devas.’ But, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu who does not practice the holy life with the aspiration for any divine realm – ‘By this virtue, or by this vow, or by this austerity, or by this holy life, I shall become a deva, or one of the devas’ – his mind inclines to ardour, to application, to persistence, to exertion. When his mind inclines to ardour, to application, to persistence, to exertion, then this fifth mental fetter of his is well cut off. These five mental fetters of his are well cut off. Bhikkhus, for any bhikkhu whose five mental barrennesses are abandoned, whose five mental fetters are well cut off, it is possible that he will attain growth, increase, and abundance in this Dhamma and Discipline. This is the case. He develops the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration due to desire and volitional formations of exertion. He develops the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration due to energy and volitional formations of exertion. He develops the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration due to mind and volitional formations of exertion. He develops the basis for spiritual power endowed with concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of exertion. Exertion itself is the fifth. That bhikkhu, bhikkhus, thus endowed with fifteen aspects of exertion, is capable of disenchantment, capable of full enlightenment, capable of attaining the unsurpassed security from bondage. Just as, bhikkhus, a hen’s eggs, be they eight or ten or twelve. They are well sat upon by the hen, well incubated, well nurtured. Even if that hen does not have such a wish: ‘Oh, may these chicks break through the eggshell with their claw-tips or beaks, and emerge safely!’ Yet, those chicks are capable of breaking through the eggshell with their claw-tips or beaks, and emerging safely. Even so, monks, a monk endowed with these fifteen qualities of exertion is capable of disenchantment, capable of awakening, capable of attaining the unsurpassed security from bondage. This the Blessed One said. Delighted, those monks rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Cetokhila Sutta, the sixth, is finished. 7. The Forest Thicket Sutta 190. Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There the Blessed One addressed the monks – "Monks!" "Venerable sir," those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this – "I will teach you, monks, the discourse on the forest thicket. Listen to it, attend carefully, I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this – 191. "Here, monks, a monk dwells relying on a certain forest thicket. While he dwells relying on that forest thicket, mindfulness, not established, does not become established, his uncomposed mind does not become composed, his unexhausted defilements do not go to exhaustion, and he does not attain the unsurpassed security from bondage, which he has not yet attained. And those requisites for life that should be acquired by a renunciant – robes, almsfood, lodging, medicine for the sick – these come with difficulty. Then, monks, that monk should reflect thus: 'I dwell relying on this forest thicket. While I dwell relying on this forest thicket, mindfulness, not established, does not become established for me, my uncomposed mind does not become composed, my unexhausted defilements do not go to exhaustion, and I do not attain the unsurpassed security from bondage, which I have not yet attained. And those requisites for life that should be acquired by a renunciant – robes, almsfood, lodging, medicine for the sick – these come with difficulty.' Therefore, monks, that bhikkhu should depart from that forest grove by night or by day, he should not remain there. 192. "Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells relying on a certain forest grove. As he dwells relying on that forest grove, mindfulness that is not established does not become established, the mind that is not concentrated does not become concentrated, the defilements that are not exhausted do not go to exhaustion, and the unexcelled security from bondage that is not attained he does not attain. But these requisites of life that should be acquired by one gone forth— robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick— these are acquired without difficulty. Then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should reflect thus: 'I dwell relying on this forest grove. As I dwell relying on this forest grove, mindfulness that is not established does not become established, the mind that is not concentrated does not become concentrated, the defilements that are not exhausted do not go to exhaustion, and the unexcelled security from bondage that is not attained I do not attain. But these requisites of life that should be acquired by one gone forth— robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick— these are acquired without difficulty. But I did not go forth from home to homelessness for the sake of robes, nor for the sake of almsfood... nor for the sake of lodging... nor for the sake of medicinal requisites for the sick did I go forth from home to homelessness. Yet, as I dwell relying on this forest grove, mindfulness that is not established does not become established, the mind that is not concentrated does not become concentrated, the defilements that are not exhausted do not go to exhaustion, and the unexcelled security from bondage that is not attained I do not attain.' Then, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should depart from that forest grove even with his requisites, he should not remain there. 193. "Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells relying on a certain forest grove. As he dwells relying on that forest grove, mindfulness not established becomes established, the mind not concentrated becomes concentrated, defilements not exhausted go to exhaustion, and the unexcelled security from bondage, not yet attained, is attained. And these requisites for life that should be obtained by a renunciant – robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine for the sick – these are obtained with difficulty. Therefore, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should reflect thus: ‘I live dependent on this forest wilderness. As I live dependent on this forest wilderness, mindfulness not established becomes established, the mind not concentrated becomes concentrated, defilements not exhausted go to exhaustion, and the unexcelled security from bondage, not yet attained, I attain. And these requisites for life that should be obtained by a renunciant – robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine for the sick – these are obtained with difficulty. But I did not go forth from home to homelessness for the sake of robes, nor for the sake of almsfood did I go forth from home to homelessness, nor for the sake of lodging did I go forth from home to homelessness, nor for the sake of medicine for the sick did I go forth from home to homelessness. Yet, as I live dependent on this forest wilderness, mindfulness not established becomes established, the mind not concentrated becomes concentrated, defilements not exhausted go to exhaustion, and the unexcelled security from bondage, not yet attained, I attain.’ Therefore, bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should remain in that forest wilderness, he should not depart. 194. Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu lives dependent on a certain forest wilderness. As he lives dependent on that forest wilderness, mindfulness not established becomes established, the mind not concentrated becomes concentrated, defilements not exhausted go to exhaustion, and the unexcelled security from bondage, not yet attained, is attained. And these requisites for life that should be obtained by a renunciant – robes, almsfood, lodging, and sick- Medicines and requisites for the sick – they are easily obtained. Therefore, monks, a bhikkhu should reflect thus: ‘I live relying on this forest grove. While I live relying on this forest grove, mindfulness that was not present arises, the uncomposed mind becomes composed, the unexhausted taints go to exhaustion, and I attain the unexcelled security from bondage that I had not yet attained. And those requisites for life that a renunciant must obtain – robes, almsfood, lodging, medicines and requisites for the sick – they are easily obtained.’ Therefore, monks, that bhikkhu should dwell in that forest grove for as long as he lives, and should not depart. 195. Here, monks, a bhikkhu lives relying on a certain village… …on a certain town… …on a certain city… …on a certain country… …on a certain person. While he lives relying on that person, mindfulness that was not present does not arise, the uncomposed mind does not become composed, the unexhausted taints do not go to exhaustion, and he does not attain the unexcelled security from bondage that he had not yet attained. And those requisites for life that a renunciant must obtain – robes, almsfood, lodging, medicines and requisites for the sick – they are obtained with difficulty. Therefore, monks, a bhikkhu should reflect thus: ‘I live relying on this person. While I live relying on this person, mindfulness that was not present does not arise, the uncomposed mind does not become composed, the unexhausted taints do not go to exhaustion, and I do not attain the unexcelled security from bondage that I had not yet attained. And those requisites for life that a renunciant must obtain – robes, almsfood, lodging, and requisites for the sick… requisites for the sick, medicines – these are obtained with difficulty. Therefore, monks, that monk, in the night or in the day, should leave that person without asking, he should not be followed. 196. Here, monks, a monk dwells dependent on a certain person. While he dwells dependent on that person,