English
those monks said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, the Blessed One gave a brief statement, then without elaborating on its meaning, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling – ‘Monks, from whatever source the proliferation of perceptions and notions assail a person. If there is nothing to delight in, to speak of, or to cling to. That is the end of the underlying tendencies of lust… and there these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.’ Venerable sir, after the Blessed One had not long departed, it occurred to us: ‘Friends, the Blessed One gave a brief statement, then without elaborating on its meaning, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling – He entered the monastery from his seat – "From whatever source, monk, the conceits of mental proliferation assail a person. If there is nothing here to be delighted in, to be spoken of, to be clung to, this is the end of the latent tendency to lust, this is the end of the latent tendency to aversion, this is the end of the latent tendency to views, this is the end of the latent tendency to doubt, this is the end of the latent tendency to conceit, this is the end of the latent tendency to craving for existence, this is the end of the latent tendency to ignorance, this is the end of taking up rods, taking up weapons, quarrels, disputes, arguments, 'you-you' accusations, slander, and false speech. Here, these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder." "Who, then, could expound in detail the meaning of this brief statement uttered by the Blessed One, the meaning of this unanalyzed statement?" Then, venerable sir, it occurred to us: "Indeed, this Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by discerning fellow practitioners. And Venerable Mahākaccāna is capable of expounding in detail the meaning of this brief statement uttered by the Blessed One, the meaning of this unanalyzed statement. Let us approach Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached him, let us question Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter." Then, venerable sir, we approached Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached him, we questioned Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter. And to us, venerable sir, Venerable Mahākaccāna expounded the meaning with these modes, with these terms, with these phrases. "Wise, monks, is Mahākaccāna; greatly discerning, monks, is Mahākaccāna. Even if you, monks, were to question me about this matter, I too would explain it exactly as Mahākaccāna has explained it. That is indeed its meaning. And thus should you remember it." When this was said, Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: "Just as, venerable sir, a man overcome by hunger and weakness, a lump of honey... would obtain it. Wherever he might taste it, he would obtain the sweet, unadulterated taste. Just so, Venerable Sir, a bhikkhu who is skilled in the mind, wherever he might examine the meaning of this discourse with wisdom, he would obtain satisfaction, he would obtain mental clarity. What is the name, Venerable Sir, of this discourse?” “Therefore, Ānanda, you should remember this discourse as the Discourse on the Honey-ball.” This is what the Blessed One said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. The Honey-ball Discourse, the eighth, is finished. 9. The Discourse on Two Kinds of Thoughts 206. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable Sir!” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Before my enlightenment, bhikkhus, while I was still a Bodhisatta, not yet fully enlightened, it occurred to me: ‘What if I were to divide my thoughts into two divisions and dwell?’ So, bhikkhus, I made one division of the thought of sensual desire, the thought of ill-will, and the thought of harm. I made the second division of the thought of renunciation, the thought of non-ill-will, and the thought of non-harm. 207. “As I, bhikkhus, was dwelling thus, diligent, ardent, resolute, a thought of sensual desire arose in me. I understood it thus: ‘This thought of sensual desire has arisen in me. And it leads to my own affliction, to the affliction of others, to the affliction of both, it obstructs wisdom, is an ally of distress, and does not lead to Nibbāna.’ As I reflected, bhikkhus, ‘It leads to my own affliction,’ it subsided. As I reflected, bhikkhus, ‘It leads to the affliction of others,’ it goes to disappearance. 'It leads to harm for both'— also for me, bhikkhus, reflecting thus, it goes to disappearance. 'It obstructs wisdom, is on the side of vexation, does not lead to Nibbāna'— also for me, bhikkhus, reflecting thus, it goes to disappearance. So indeed I, bhikkhus, whatever sensual thought arose, I abandoned it, I dispelled it, I made an end of it. 208. While I, bhikkhus, was dwelling thus heedful, ardent, resolute, a thought of ill-will arose... ...a thought of harm arose. I understood thus: 'This thought of harm has arisen in me. And it leads to harm for myself, it leads to harm for others, it leads to harm for both, it obstructs wisdom, is on the side of vexation, does not lead to Nibbāna.' 'It leads to harm for myself'— also for me, bhikkhus, reflecting thus, it goes to disappearance. 'It leads to harm for others'— also for me, bhikkhus, reflecting thus, it goes to disappearance. 'It leads to harm for both'— also for me, bhikkhus, reflecting thus, it goes to disappearance. 'It obstructs wisdom, is on the side of vexation, does not lead to Nibbāna'— also for me, bhikkhus, reflecting thus, it goes to disappearance. So indeed I, bhikkhus, whatever thought of harm arose, I abandoned it, I dispelled it, I made an end of it. Whatever, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu frequently thinks about and frequently ponders, to that extent his mind inclines. If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu frequently thinks about and frequently ponders sensual thoughts, having abandoned thoughts of renunciation, having made sensual thoughts abundant, his mind inclines to sensual thoughts. If, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu frequently thinks about ill-will... ...if, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu frequently thinks about and frequently ponders thoughts of harm, having abandoned thoughts of harmlessness, He made thoughts of harm abundant; his mind inclined to thoughts of harm. Just as, monks, in the last month of the rainy season, in autumn, when the crops are crowded, a cowherd would guard his cows. He would strike those cows here and there with a stick, beat them back, restrain them, keep them in check. For what reason? For that reason, monks, he sees slaughter or bondage or loss or blame. Even so, monks, I saw the danger, the degradation, the defilement of unwholesome states; the benefit, the side of purification in renunciation, in wholesome states. 209. While I, monks, was dwelling thus, diligent, ardent, resolute, a thought of renunciation arose. I understood it thus: ‘This thought of renunciation has arisen in me. And it does not lead to my own harm, nor to the harm of others, nor to the harm of both; it is conducive to the growth of wisdom, free from vexation, conducive to Nibbāna.’ Even if I, monks, were to ponder and reflect on it by night, I would not see any danger arising from it. Even if I, monks, were to ponder and reflect on it by day, I would not see any danger arising from it. Even if I, monks, were to ponder and reflect on it day and night, I would not see any danger arising from it. But, my body would become weary from pondering and reflecting on it for too long. When the body is weary, the mind would become agitated. When the mind is agitated, it is far from concentration. So I, monks, settled my mind internally, calmed it, made it one-pointed, concentrated it. For what reason? ‘Lest my mind become agitated.’ 210. While I, monks, was dwelling thus, diligent, ardent, resolute, a thought of non-ill-will arose… …a thought of non-harm arose. o. So thus I understand: 'This thought of non-harming has arisen in me. And it leads not to my own affliction, nor to the affliction of others, nor to the affliction of both. It is conducive to the growth of wisdom, free from vexation, leading to Nibbāna.' If I were to ponder and reflect on it, monks, even at night, I would not see any fear arising from it. If I were to ponder and reflect on it, monks, even by day, I would not see any fear arising from it. If I were to ponder and reflect on it, monks, even day and night, I would not see any fear arising from it. But if I were to ponder and reflect too long, my body would grow weary. When the body is weary, the mind would be disturbed. When the mind is disturbed, it is far from concentration. So I, monks, settle my mind internally, calm it, make it one-pointed, and concentrate it. For what reason? 'Lest my mind be disturbed.' Whatever a monk frequently thinks and reflects upon, monks, that way his mind inclines. If a monk, monks, frequently thinks and reflects upon the thought of renunciation, he abandons the thought of sensual desire, and makes the thought of renunciation abundant. His mind inclines to that thought of renunciation. If a monk, monks, frequently thinks and reflects upon the thought of non-ill-will… If a monk, monks, frequently thinks and reflects upon the thought of non-harming, he abandons the thought of harming, and makes the thought of non-harming abundant. His mind inclines to that thought of non-harming. Just as, monks, in the last month of the hot season, when all the crops are gathered in the village, a cowherd watches over his cows. Whether he is under a tree or in the open, his only concern is: 'These are the cows.' Even so, monks, my only concern was: 'These are the states.' 211. My energy, monks, was aroused and unflagging, my mindfulness was established. I was unconfused, my body was tranquil, not agitated, my mind was concentrated, unified. So I, bhikkhus, quite secluded from sensual pleasures,