English
if this venerable one, when questioned on those peaceful liberations that transcend forms, the formless attainments, cannot answer?’ — they will say of him. Therefore, a forest-dwelling monk should apply himself to those peaceful liberations that transcend forms, the formless attainments. "Friends, a forest-dwelling monk should apply himself to the superhuman states. Friends, there will be those who question a forest-dwelling monk on the superhuman states. If, friends, a forest-dwelling monk, when questioned on the superhuman states, cannot answer, they will say of him: ‘What good is this venerable forest-dweller's solitary dwelling in the forest, if this venerable one does not know the goal for which he went forth?’ — they will say of him. Therefore, a forest-dwelling monk should apply himself to the superhuman states." When this was said, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna ... He said to Sāriputta: "Friend Sāriputta, should these qualities be undertaken and practiced only by a forest-dwelling bhikkhu, or also by one dwelling near a village?" "Friend Moggallāna, these qualities should be undertaken and practiced even by a forest-dwelling bhikkhu, how much more so by one dwelling near a village." The Goliyānisutta, the ninth, is ended. 10. The Kīṭāgiri Sutta 174. Thus have I heard – On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering in the Kāsī country with a large community of bhikkhus. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, I eat only at one time of day. By eating only at one time of day, bhikkhus, I experience little illness, little affliction, lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Come, bhikkhus, you too eat only at one time of day. By eating only at one time of day, bhikkhus, you too will experience little illness, little affliction, lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding." "Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. Then, wandering by stages through the Kāsī country, the Blessed One arrived at a Kāsī town named Kīṭāgiri. There the Blessed One stayed in the Kāsī town of Kīṭāgiri. 175. Now at that time, bhikkhus named Assaji and Punabbasu were residents of Kīṭāgiri. Then a number of bhikkhus approached the bhikkhus Assaji and Punabbasu; having approached, they said to the bhikkhus Assaji and Punabbasu: "Friends, the Blessed One eats only at one time of day, and so does the community of bhikkhus. By eating only at one time of day, friends, they experience little illness, little affliction, lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Come, friends, you too eat only at one time of day. By eating only at one time of day, friends, you too will experience little illness..." and you will experience freedom from affliction, lightness of body, strength, and comfortable living." When this was said, the monks Assaji and Punabbasu said to those monks: "Friends, we eat in the evening, in the morning, at midday, and at the wrong time. Eating thus, in the evening, in the morning, at midday, and at the wrong time, we experience freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of body, strength, and comfortable living. Why should we give up what is seen and pursue what is timely? We will eat in the evening, in the morning, at midday, and at the wrong time." When those monks were unable to convince the monks Assaji and Punabbasu, they approached the Blessed One; having approached, and paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those monks said to the Blessed One: "Here, Venerable Sir, we approached the monks Assaji and Punabbasu; having approached, we said to the monks Assaji and Punabbasu: 'Friends, the Blessed One eats apart from night food, and so does the community of monks; And friends, eating apart from night food, they experience freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of body, strength, and comfortable living. Come, friends, you too eat apart from night food. And friends, you too, eating apart from night food, will experience freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of body, strength, and comfortable living.' When this was said, Venerable Sir, the monks Assaji and Punabbasu said to us: 'Friends, we eat in the evening, in the morning, at midday, and at the wrong time. Eating thus, in the evening, in the morning, at midday, and at the wrong time, we experience freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness of body, strength, and comfortable living. Why should we give up what is seen and pursue what is timely? We will eat in the evening, in the morning, at midday, and at the wrong time.' When we, Venerable Sir, were unable to convince Assaji and Punab to convince the monks, then we will report this matter to the Blessed One. 176. Then indeed the Blessed One addressed a certain monk: "Come, monk, in my name invite the monks Assaji and Punabbasu: 'The Teacher invites the venerable ones.'" "Yes, venerable sir," that monk indeed, having assented to the Blessed One, approached where the monks Assaji and Punabbasu were; having approached, he said this to the monks Assaji and Punabbasu: "The Teacher invites the venerable ones." "Yes, friend," the monks Assaji and Punabbasu indeed, having assented to that monk, approached where the Blessed One was; having approached, having saluted the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. To the monks Assaji and Punabbasu, indeed, sitting to one side, the Blessed One said this: "Is it true, monks, that many monks approached you and said this: 'The Blessed One, friends, eats apart from night food, and so does the community of monks. And indeed, friends, eating apart from night food, they experience freedom from illness, and freedom from affliction, and lightness of body, and strength, and comfortable living. Come, you too, friends, eat apart from night food. And indeed, friends, you too, eating apart from night food, will experience freedom from illness, and freedom from affliction, and lightness of body, and strength, and comfortable living.' When this was said, is it true, monks, that you said this to those monks: 'We indeed, friends, eat in the evening, and in the morning, and during the day, and at the wrong time. We, therefore, eating in the evening, and in the morning, and during the day, and at the wrong time, experience freedom from illness, and freedom from affliction, and lightness of body, and strength, and comfortable living. We, therefore, why should we abandon what is directly visible and pursue what is (only) for the future? We will eat in the evening, and in the morning, and during the day, and at the wrong time.'" "Yes, venerable sir." 177. "Do you, monks, understand the Dhamma taught by me in this way: whatever this person... A person experiences pleasure or pain or neither-pain-nor-pleasure. Do his unwholesome states decline, and wholesome states increase? "No, venerable sir." "Do you not, monks, understand the Dhamma taught by me thus: for some, experiencing such a pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase, wholesome states decline; but for others, experiencing such a pleasant feeling, unwholesome states decline, wholesome states increase; for some, experiencing such a painful feeling, unwholesome states increase, wholesome states decline; but for others, experiencing such a painful feeling, unwholesome states decline, wholesome states increase; for some, experiencing such a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase, wholesome states decline; but for others, experiencing such a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, unwholesome states decline, wholesome states increase?" "Yes, venerable sir." 178. "Good, monks! If this, monks, had been unknown to me, unseen, ununderstood, unverified, unexperienced by wisdom – 'for some, experiencing such a pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase, wholesome states decline,' then I, not knowing this, would say, 'Abandon such a pleasant feeling;' would that, monks, be appropriate for me?" "No, venerable sir." "But because this, monks, has been known by me, seen, understood, verified, experienced by wisdom – 'for some, experiencing such a pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase, wholesome states decline,' therefore I say, 'Abandon such a pleasant feeling.' If this, monks, had been unknown to me, unseen, ununderstood, unverified, unexperienced by wisdom – 'for some... for someone experiencing such a pleasant feeling, unwholesome states decline, wholesome states increase. If I, not knowing this, were to say, ‘Dwell having attained such a pleasant feeling;’ would that be fitting for me, monks?” “No, indeed, Blessed One.” “But because, monks, this has been known by me, seen, understood, realized, touched with wisdom – that for someone experiencing such a pleasant feeling, unwholesome states decline, wholesome states increase, therefore I say, ‘Dwell having attained such a pleasant feeling.’” 179. “And if, monks, this were unknown to me, unseen, ununderstood, unrealized, untouched with wisdom – that for someone experiencing such a painful feeling, unwholesome states increase, wholesome states decline, if I, not knowing this, were to say, ‘Abandon such a painful feeling;’ would that be fitting for me, monks?” “No, indeed, Blessed One.” “But because, monks, this has been known by me, seen, understood, realized, touched with wisdom – that for someone experiencing such a painful feeling, unwholesome states increase, wholesome states decline, therefore I say, ‘Abandon such a painful feeling.’ And if, monks, this were unknown to me, unseen, ununderstood, unrealized, untouched with wisdom – that for someone experiencing such a painful feeling, unwholesome states decline, wholesome states increase, if I, not knowing this, were to say, ‘Dwell having attained such a painful feeling;’ would that be fitting for me, monks?” “No, indeed, Blessed One.” “But because, monks, this has been known by me, seen, understood, realized, touched with wisdom –