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those bhikkhus indeed, having assented to that bhikkhu, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, having saluted the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus indeed, the Blessed One said this: "Is it true, bhikkhus, that you are quarrelsome, contentious, disputatious, that you dwell piercing each other with verbal spears? That you do not make each other understand, nor do you come to an understanding, nor do you make each other agree, nor do you come to an agreement?" "Yes, venerable sir." "What do you think, bhikkhus? At that time when you are quarrelsome, contentious, disputatious, dwelling piercing each other with verbal spears, is it then that your bodily action of loving-kindness is present towards your fellow practitioners, both openly and in private? Is your verbal action of loving-kindness present towards your fellow practitioners, both openly and in private? Is your mental action of loving-kindness present towards your fellow practitioners, both openly and in private?" “No, venerable sir.” “So then, monks, when you are quarreling, disputing, at odds, wounding each other with sharp words, at that time there is no loving-kindness in bodily action present for you towards your fellow practitioners, whether openly or secretly. Nor is there loving-kindness in verbal action… Nor is there loving-kindness in mental action present for you towards your fellow practitioners, whether openly or secretly. Then why, you foolish men, knowing what, seeing what, do you live quarreling, disputing, at odds, wounding each other with sharp words? You do not make each other understand, nor do you come to an understanding. You do not make each other reflect, nor do you come to a reflection. Indeed, this will be for your harm and suffering for a long time, you foolish men.” 492. Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: “There are these six qualities, monks, that are conducive to remembrance, to affection, to respect, to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. Which six? Here, monks, a monk has loving-kindness in bodily action present for him towards his fellow practitioners, whether openly or secretly. This quality too is conducive to remembrance, to affection, to respect, to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. “Furthermore, monks, a monk has loving-kindness in verbal action present for him towards his fellow practitioners, whether openly or secretly. This quality too is conducive to remembrance, to affection, to respect, to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. “Furthermore, monks, a monk has loving-kindness in mental action present for him towards his fellow practitioners, whether openly or secretly. This quality too is conducive to remembrance, to affection, to respect, to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. “Furthermore, monks, whatever gains a monk receives, righteously obtained, even if it is just the contents of his alms-bowl, he is not one who enjoys these gains without sharing them with virtuous fellow-celibates, sharing in their gains. This too is a memorable teaching, dear, reverent, conducive to fellowship, to non-contention, to harmony, to unity. Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, those virtues that are unbroken, unblemished, unspotted, unblotched, liberating, praised by the wise, untouched by craving, conducive to concentration— in such virtues, he dwells in common with fellow-celibates, openly and in secret. This too is a memorable teaching, dear, reverent, conducive to fellowship, to non-contention, to harmony, to unity. Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, that view which is noble, leading out, leading the one who practices it to the right destruction of suffering— in such a view, he dwells in common with fellow-celibates, openly and in secret. This too is a memorable teaching, dear, reverent, conducive to fellowship, to non-contention, to harmony, to unity. These, bhikkhus, are the six memorable teachings, dear, reverent, conducive to fellowship, to non-contention, to harmony, to unity. Of these six memorable teachings, bhikkhus, this is the foremost, this is the unifying, this is the binding— namely, that view which is noble, leading out, leading the one who practices it to the right destruction of suffering. Just as, bhikkhus, of a peaked house, this is the foremost, this is the unifying, this is the binding— namely, the peak; even so, bhikkhus, of these six memorable teachings, this is the foremost, this is the unifying, this is the binding— namely, that view which is noble, leading out, leading the one who practices it to the right destruction of suffering. 493. And how, bhikkhus, is that view noble, leading out, leading the one who practices it to the right destruction of suffering? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, thus reflects: ‘Is there within me any defilement, unabandoned, that which, by being overcome by it, my mind, overcome by it, would not know things as they are, would not see things as they are?’ If, monks, a bhikkhu is overcome by sensual desire, his mind is indeed overcome. If, monks, a bhikkhu is overcome by ill will, his mind is indeed overcome. If, monks, a bhikkhu is overcome by sloth and torpor, his mind is indeed overcome. If, monks, a bhikkhu is overcome by restlessness and remorse, his mind is indeed overcome. If, monks, a bhikkhu is overcome by doubt, his mind is indeed overcome. If, monks, a bhikkhu is engrossed in thoughts of this world, his mind is indeed overcome. If, monks, a bhikkhu is engrossed in thoughts of the next world, his mind is indeed overcome. If, monks, a bhikkhu is given to quarrels, given to disputes, given to contention, wounding one another with verbal darts, his mind is indeed overcome. He thus knows: ‘There is no such overcoming within me, not abandoned, by which, being overcome by it, my mind, overcome by it, would not know things as they are, would not see things as they are. My mind is well-directed for the awakening to the truths.’ This is his first knowledge attained, noble, supramundane, not shared by ordinary people. 494. ‘‘Furthermore, monks, the noble disciple thus reflects: ‘By cultivating, developing, and frequently practicing this view, do I gain personal tranquility? Do I gain personal nirvana?’ He thus knows: ‘By cultivating, developing, and frequently practicing this view, I do gain personal tranquility, I do gain personal nirvana.’ This is his second knowledge attained, noble, supramundane, not shared by ordinary people. 495. ‘‘Furthermore, monks, the noble disciple thus reflects: ‘With such a view as I am endowed, is there any other outside of this, any other Is there any recluse or brahmin endowed with such a view? He thus understands: ‘With such a view as I am endowed, there is no other recluse or brahmin outside of this, endowed with such a view.’ This is his third knowledge attained, noble, supramundane, not shared with ordinary people. 496. Again, bhikkhus, the noble disciple reflects thus: ‘With such a nature as a person endowed with right view possesses, I too am endowed with such a nature.’ And with what kind of nature, bhikkhus, is a person endowed with right view possessed? This is the nature, bhikkhus, of a person endowed with right view: ‘Even if he commits such an offense for which an emergence (from it) is known, he quickly reveals it, discloses it, makes it plain to the Teacher, or to the wise, or to his fellow practitioners; having revealed, disclosed, and made it plain, he undertakes future restraint.’ Just as, bhikkhus, a young, foolish infant, lying on its back, having touched a burning coal with its hand or foot, quickly withdraws it; even so, bhikkhus, this is the nature of a person endowed with right view: ‘Even if he commits such an offense for which an emergence (from it) is known, he quickly reveals it, discloses it, makes it plain to the Teacher, or to the wise, or to his fellow practitioners; having revealed, disclosed, and made it plain, he undertakes future restraint.’ He thus understands: ‘With such a nature as a person endowed with right view possesses, I too am endowed with such a nature.’ This is his fourth knowledge attained, noble, supramundane, not shared with ordinary people. 497. Again, bhikkhus, the noble disciple reflects thus: ‘With such a nature as a person endowed with right view possesses, I too am endowed with such a nature.’ is endowed. And with what kind of nature, bhikkhus, is a person endowed with right view endowed? This, bhikkhus, is the nature of a person endowed with right view – ‘Even though he is diligent in the various duties of his fellow practitioners, yet he has a keen desire for the training in higher virtue, for the training in higher mind, for the training in higher wisdom.’ Just as, bhikkhus, a cow with a young calf, while licking the post, also tends to her calf; Even so, bhikkhus, this is the nature of a person endowed with right view – ‘Even though he is diligent in the various duties of his fellow practitioners, yet he has a keen desire for the training in higher virtue, for the training in higher mind, for the training in higher wisdom.’ He understands thus: ‘With what kind of nature a person endowed with right view is endowed, I too am endowed with that kind of nature.’ This is his fifth knowledge attained, noble, supramundane, not shared with ordinary people. 498. Furthermore, bhikkhus, the noble disciple reflects thus – ‘With what kind of strength a person endowed with right view is endowed, I too am endowed with that kind of strength.’ And with what kind of strength, bhikkhus, is a person endowed with right view endowed? This, bhikkhus, is the strength of a person endowed with right view: that when the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata is being taught, he pays attention, applies his mind, brings his whole mind to bear, and listens to the Dhamma with an attentive ear. He understands thus: