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by cutting through the bark, by cutting through the sapwood— that is possible. Even so, Ananda, that path, that practice, for the abandoning of the five lower fetters— by approaching that path, that practice— will know or will see or will abandon the fetters – this is a possibility. Just as, Ananda, the river Ganges is full of water, brimful, enough for a crow to drink. Then a weak man might come, 'I will cross this river Ganges, cutting the current with my arms, and safely reach the other shore.' He would not be able to cross the river Ganges, cutting the current with his arms, and safely reach the other shore. In the same way, Ananda, for whosoever, when the Dhamma is taught for the cessation of the body, the mind does not leap forth, does not become confident, does not settle, does not become liberated; they are to be seen just like that weak man. Just as, Ananda, the river Ganges is full of water, brimful, enough for a crow to drink. Then a strong man might come, 'I will cross this river Ganges, cutting the current with my arms, and safely reach the other shore.' He would be able to cross the river Ganges, cutting the current with his arms, and safely reach the other shore. In the same way, Ananda, for whosoever, when the Dhamma is taught for the cessation of the body, the mind leaps forth, becomes confident, settles, becomes liberated; they are to be seen just like that strong man. 133. And what, Ananda, is the path, what is the practice for the abandoning of the five lower fetters? Here, Ananda, a monk, secluded from acquisitions, having abandoned unwholesome states, with the complete calming of bodily grossness, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, with initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, with rapture and pleasure, enters and abides in the first jhana. Whatever there is there, pertaining to form, pertaining to feeling, pertaining to perception, pertaining to fabrications, pertaining to consciousness, he regards those states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as an affliction, as an illness, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self. He turns his mind away from those states. Then, having turned his mind away from those states, he directs his mind towards the deathless element: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is to say, the calming of all fabrications, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ Standing there, he attains the destruction of the taints; if he does not attain the destruction of the taints, then, through that delight in Dhamma, through that joy in Dhamma, with the complete destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an apparitional rebirth, there he attains final Nibbāna, never to return from that world. This too, Ānanda, is a path, this is a practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters. Again, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, with the calming of applied thought and sustained thought… he enters and dwells in the second jhāna… the third jhāna… he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. Whatever there is there of form, of feeling, of perception, of fabrications, of consciousness… never to return from that world. This too, Ānanda, is a path, this is a practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters. Again, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending perceptions of form, by the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, by not attending to perceptions of diversity, (thinking) ‘space is infinite,’ he enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite space. Whatever there is there of feeling, of perception, of fabrications, of consciousness… never to return from that world. This too, Ānanda, is a path, this is a practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters. Again, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, by completely transcending the dimension of infinite space, (thinking) ‘consciousness is infinite,’ he enters and dwells in the dimension of infinite consciousness. Whatever there is there of feeling, of perception, of fabrications, of consciousness… never to return from that world. This too, Ānanda, is a path, this is a practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters. Again, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, by completely having transcended the sphere of infinite consciousness, he dwells having attained the sphere of nothingness, thinking, 'there is nothing.' Whatever there is there of feeling, of perception, of formations, of consciousness... ...he is one who will not return from that world. This too, Ananda, is a path, this is a practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters." "If this, venerable sir, is the path, this is the practice for the abandonment of the five lower fetters, then why is it that some bhikkhus are liberated by mind, and some bhikkhus are liberated by wisdom?" "Here, Ananda, I speak of the difference in faculties." The Blessed One said this. The venerable Ananda, delighted, rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Great Mālunkya Sutta is finished, the fourth. 5. The Bhaddāli Sutta 134. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling 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: "I, bhikkhus, eat a single-session meal. Eating a single-session meal, bhikkhus, I perceive freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness, strength, and comfortable dwelling. Come, you too, bhikkhus, eat a single-session meal. Eating a single-session meal, bhikkhus, you too will perceive freedom from illness, freedom from affliction, lightness, strength, and comfortable dwelling." When this was said, the venerable Bhaddāli said to the Blessed One: "I, venerable sir, am not able to eat a single-session meal. If I were to eat a single-session meal, venerable sir, there might be remorse, there might be regret for me." "Then, Bhaddāli, wherever you are invited, you may eat a portion and take out a portion and eat it. Even so, Bhaddāli, you may eat eating, you will subsist on one meal.” “Even so, venerable sir, I am not able to eat; for even if I eat in this way, venerable sir, there would be remorse for me, there would be regret.” Then, when the training rule was being laid down by the Blessed One, and the Sangha of bhikkhus was undertaking the training, Venerable Bhaddāli declared his lack of enthusiasm. Then, for that entire three-month period, Venerable Bhaddāli did not present himself before the Blessed One, as one who was not fully practicing the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation. 135. Now at that time, many bhikkhus were making a robe for the Blessed One – “When the Blessed One’s robe is finished, he will set out on a wandering tour after three months.” Then Venerable Bhaddāli approached those bhikkhus; having approached, he exchanged greetings with those bhikkhus. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Those bhikkhus said to Venerable Bhaddāli, as he was sitting to one side: “This, friend Bhaddāli, is the robe-making for the Blessed One. When the Blessed One’s robe is finished, he will set out on a wandering tour after three months. Come, friend Bhaddāli, properly attend to this fault, lest it become more difficult for you later.” “Yes, friends,” Venerable Bhaddāli replied to those bhikkhus, and then approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Venerable Bhaddāli, as he was sitting to one side, said to the Blessed One: “An offense has overtaken me, venerable sir, like a fool, like one deluded, like one unskillful, in that when the training rule was being laid down by the Blessed One, and the Sangha of bhikkhus was undertaking the training, I declared my lack of enthusiasm. May the Blessed One, venerable sir, accept this offense of mine as an offense, for future restraint.” “Indeed, Bhaddāli, an offense has overtaken you, like a fool, like one deluded, like one unskillful, in that when I laid down the training rule When the Sangha of bhikkhus was taught, when they undertook the training, you showed no zeal. And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern: ‘The Blessed One dwells in Sāvatthī. The Blessed One will know me: Bhaddāli, a bhikkhu, does not fully complete the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.’ And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern. And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern: ‘Many bhikkhus have come to Sāvatthī for the Rains. They too will know me: Bhaddāli, a bhikkhu, does not fully complete the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.’ And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern. And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern: ‘Many bhikkhunīs have come to Sāvatthī for the Rains. They too will know me: Bhaddāli, a bhikkhu, does not fully complete the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.’ And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern. And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern: ‘Many laymen dwell in Sāvatthī. They too will know me: Bhaddāli, a bhikkhu, does not fully complete the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.’ And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern. And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern: ‘Many laywomen dwell in Sāvatthī. They too will know me: Bhaddāli, a bhikkhu, does not fully complete the training in the Teacher’s Dispensation.’ And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern. And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern: ‘Many ascetics and brahmins of other sects have come to Sāvatthī for the Rains. They too will know me: Bhaddāli, a bhikkhu, a disciple of the ascetic Gotama, a certain elder bhikkhu, does not fully complete the training in the Dispensation.’ And this occasion, Bhaddāli, you did not discern. An offense, Venerable Sir, has overcome me, as a fool, as one deluded, as one unskillful.