English
Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. In the Middle Collection The Middle Fifty Discourses 1. The Householder Chapter 1. The Discourse to Kandaraka 1. Thus have I heard – On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling in Campā, on the bank of the Gaggara Lake, together with a large community of bhikkhus. Then indeed Pessa, the elephant-trainer's son, and Kandaraka, the wanderer, approached the Blessed One; having approached, Pessa, the elephant-trainer's son, having saluted the Blessed One, sat down to one side. But Kandaraka, the wanderer, exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, Kandaraka, the wanderer, having surveyed the silent, silent community of bhikkhus, said this to the Blessed One: ‘‘It is wonderful, good Gotama! It is amazing, good Gotama! How well this community of bhikkhus has been led by the good Gotama! Even those, good Gotama, who were in the past, Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones, those Blessed Ones led the community of bhikkhus just to this extent, just as now the community of bhikkhus is well led by the good Gotama. Even those, good Gotama, who will be in the future, Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones, those Blessed Ones will lead the community of bhikkhus just to this extent, just as now the community of bhikkhus is well led by the good Gotama.’’ 2. ‘‘It is so, Kandaraka, it is so, Kandaraka. Even those, Kandaraka, who were in the past, Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones, those Blessed Ones led the community of bhikkhus just to this extent, just as now the community of bhikkhus is well led by me. Even those, Kandaraka, who will be in the future, Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones, those Blessed Ones will lead the community of bhikkhus just to this extent, just as now... Indeed, by me, the monastic Sangha has been well-guided. "Indeed, Kandaraka, there are monks in this monastic Sangha who are Arahants, whose defilements are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, who have done what had to be done, who have laid down the burden, who have attained their own true goal, whose fetters of existence are utterly destroyed, who are liberated through perfect knowledge. Indeed, Kandaraka, there are monks in this monastic Sangha who are trainees, of continuous virtue, of continuous practice, wise, of wise practice; they dwell with their minds well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness. In which four? Here, Kandaraka, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. He dwells contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. He dwells contemplating mental qualities in mental qualities, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world." When this was said, Pessa, the elephant-trainer's son, said to the Blessed One: "Wonderful, Venerable Sir! Amazing, Venerable Sir! How well-expounded by the Blessed One are these four foundations of mindfulness for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and displeasure, for the attainment of the right method, for the realization of Nibbāna. Indeed, Venerable Sir, we too, lay followers in white clothes, from time to time, dwell with our minds well-established in these four foundations of mindfulness. Here, Venerable Sir, we dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. We dwell contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. We dwell contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. We dwell contemplating mental qualities in mental qualities, ardent, clearly comprehending mindful, removing covetousness and distress in the world. It is wonderful, Venerable Sir, it is amazing, Venerable Sir! To what extent, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One knows the welfare and harm of beings in such a dense crowd of people, in such a defiled crowd of people, in such a deceitful crowd of people! Dense, Venerable Sir, are humans; shallow, Venerable Sir, are animals. For I, Venerable Sir, am able to train a tamed elephant. Within the time it takes to go to Campā and return, it will reveal all its deceits, its cunning, its crookedness, its deviousness. But as for our servants, Venerable Sir, or workers, or laborers, they act differently with their bodies, they speak differently with their words, and their minds are different. It is wonderful, Venerable Sir, it is amazing, Venerable Sir! To what extent, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One knows the welfare and harm of beings in such a dense crowd of people, in such a defiled crowd of people, in such a deceitful crowd of people! Dense, Venerable Sir, are humans; shallow, Venerable Sir, are animals. 4. “So it is, Pessa, so it is, Pessa. Dense, Pessa, are humans; shallow, Pessa, are animals. These four, Pessa, are individuals existing, found in the world. Which four? Here, Pessa, a certain individual is one who torments himself, devoted to the practice of self-mortification; here, Pessa, a certain individual is one who torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others; here, Pessa, a certain individual is one who torments himself, devoted to the practice of self-mortification, and torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others; here, Pessa, a certain individual neither torments himself, nor is devoted to the practice of self-mortification, nor torments others, nor is devoted to the practice of tormenting others. He, neither tormenting himself nor tormenting others, is, in this very life, extinguished, cooled, become cool, experiencing happiness, dwelling with a mind that has become divine. Of these four individuals, Pessa, Among persons, which person pleases your mind? "This person, venerable sir, who torments himself, devoted to the practice of self-torment, this person does not please my mind. And this person, venerable sir, who torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others, this person also does not please my mind. And this person, venerable sir, who torments himself, devoted to the practice of self-torment, and torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others, this person also does not please my mind. But this person, venerable sir, who neither torments himself, nor is devoted to the practice of self-torment, nor torments others, nor is devoted to the practice of tormenting others, he, not tormenting himself, not tormenting others, in this very life is cooled, extinguished, become cool, experiencing happiness, dwelling with a divine self – this very person pleases my mind." "Why then, Pessa, do these three persons not please your mind?" "This person, venerable sir, who torments himself, devoted to the practice of self-torment, he heats and torments himself, who desires happiness and recoils from suffering – by this, this person does not please my mind. And this person, venerable sir, who torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others, he heats and torments others, who desire happiness and recoils from suffering – by this, this person does not please my mind. And this person, venerable sir, who torments himself, devoted to the practice of self-torment, and torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others, he heats and torments himself and others, who desire happiness and recoil from suffering – by this, this person does not please my mind. But this person, venerable sir, who neither torments himself, nor is devoted to the practice of self-torment, nor torments others, nor is devoted to the practice of tormenting others, he, not tormenting himself, not tormenting others, in this very life is cooled, extinguished, become cool, experiencing happiness, dwelling with a divine self..." dwells. He does not torment himself nor does he torture others, who desire happiness and recoil from suffering. By this, this person pleases my mind. Come now, Venerable Sir, let us depart; we have much to do, we have many duties.” “Do as you deem fit, Pessa.” Then Pessa, the elephant-trainer’s son, having rejoiced in and approved of the Blessed One’s words, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One, and keeping him on his right, departed. 6. Then, soon after Pessa, the elephant-trainer’s son, had departed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Wise, bhikkhus, is Pessa, the elephant-trainer’s son; greatly discerning, bhikkhus, is Pessa, the elephant-trainer’s son. If, bhikkhus, Pessa, the elephant-trainer’s son, had remained seated for a moment, until I had explained these four types of persons in detail, he would have been greatly benefited. Nevertheless, bhikkhus, even with this much, Pessa, the elephant-trainer’s son, has been greatly benefited.” “Now is the time, Blessed One, now is the time, Sugata, for the Blessed One to explain these four types of persons in detail. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.” “In that case, bhikkhus, listen, pay close attention, I shall speak.” “Yes, Venerable Sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: 7. “And what kind of person, bhikkhus, is devoted to the practice of tormenting himself and torturing himself? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is naked, of loose conduct, licking his hands, not accepting ‘come, sir,’ not accepting ‘stay, sir’;