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that unsurpassed conclusion of the holy life – you will, in this very life, by your own direct knowledge, realize and abide in it.’ A third time, O prince, the group of five monks said to me: ‘Even by that conduct, friend Gotama, by that practice, by that difficult asceticism, you did not attain a superhuman state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision; but how will you now, being given to abundance, having fallen away from exertion, turned to abundance, attain a superhuman state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision?’ When this was said, O prince, I said to the group of five monks: ‘Do you recall, monks, that I have ever before spoken in such a way?’ ‘No, venerable sir.’ ‘Monks, the Tathāgata is an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One. Lend your ear, monks. The Deathless has been attained. I instruct, I teach the Dhamma. By practicing as instructed, before long – for the sake of which young men rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed conclusion of the holy life – you will, in this very life, by your own direct knowledge, realize and abide in it.’ I was able, O prince, to convince the group of five monks. And two of them, O prince, bh I advise the monks. Three monks go for alms. What the three monks bring back after going for alms, with that the group of six lives. And then, Prince, I advise the monks, two monks go for alms. What the two monks bring back after going for alms, with that the group of six lives. 343. “Then, Prince, the group of five monks, being thus advised by me, being thus instructed by me, before long – for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life – having realized it for themselves with direct knowledge in this very life, they entered upon and dwelled in it.” When this was said, Prince Bodhi said to the Blessed One: “How long, Venerable Sir, would it take for a monk, having obtained the Tathāgata as a guide, to realize for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, and enter upon and dwell in that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life, for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness?” “In that case, Prince, I will question you about this in return. As it seems fit to you, so you should answer it. What do you think, Prince? Are you skilled in the art of elephant-riding, of holding the goad?” “Yes, Venerable Sir, I am skilled in the art of elephant-riding, of holding the goad.” “What do you think, Prince? Suppose a man were to come here, saying: ‘Prince Bodhi knows the art of elephant-riding, of holding the goad; I will learn the art of elephant-riding, of holding the goad from him.’ If he were faithless, he would not attain what is to be attained by faith. If he were sickly, he would not attain what is to be attained by good health. If he were deceitful and fraudulent, he would not attain what is to be attained by being honest and not fraudulent. If he were lazy, what is to be attained by What is to be attained by one with aroused energy, that he would not attain. And he would be unwise; what is to be attained by one who is wise, that he would not attain. What do you think, prince, would that person learn the skill of elephant-riding and hook-wielding from you? Even if endowed with just one of these qualities, venerable sir, that person would not learn the skill of elephant-riding and hook-wielding from me, how much less with all five! 344. "What do you think, prince, if a person were to come here thinking: 'Prince Bodhi knows the skill of elephant-riding and hook-wielding; I will learn that skill from him.' And he would be faithful; what is to be attained by one who is faithful, that he would attain. And he would be free from illness; what is to be attained by one free from illness, that he would attain. And he would be honest and guileless; what is to be attained by one who is honest and guileless, that he would attain. And he would have aroused energy; what is to be attained by one with aroused energy, that he would attain. And he would be wise; what is to be attained by one who is wise, that he would attain. What do you think, prince, would that person learn the skill of elephant-riding and hook-wielding from you? Even if endowed with just one of these qualities, venerable sir, that person would learn the skill of elephant-riding and hook-wielding from me, how much less with all five! Just so, prince, there are these five factors for exertion. Which five? Here, prince, a monk is faithful; he has faith in the Tathāgata's enlightenment: 'Indeed, that Blessed One is an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, endowed with knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the worlds, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.' He is free from illness, free from affliction, possessing a balanced digestion, neither too cold nor too hot, but moderate, suitable for exertion. He is honest, without deceit, revealing himself as he truly is. devoted in the Teacher, or in the wise, or in fellow practitioners; he dwells with aroused energy for the abandoning of unwholesome states, for the acquiring of wholesome states; resolute, firm in effort, not having laid down the burden in wholesome states; he is wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading to the right destruction of suffering. These, indeed, O prince, are the five factors for exertion. 345. "A monk, O prince, endowed with these five factors of exertion, having obtained the Tathāgata as a guide – for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed conclusion of the holy life – would dwell having attained it, having directly known and realized it by himself in this very life, for seven years. Let alone, O prince, seven years. A monk endowed with these five factors of exertion, having obtained the Tathāgata as a guide – for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed conclusion of the holy life – would dwell having attained it, having directly known and realized it by himself in this very life, for six years… five years… four years… three years… two years… one year. Let alone, O prince, one year. A monk endowed with these five factors of exertion, having obtained the Tathāgata as a guide – for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed conclusion of the holy life – would dwell having attained it, having directly known and realized it by himself in this very life, for seven months. Let alone, O prince, seven months. A monk endowed with these five factors of exertion, having obtained the Tathāgata as a guide – for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed conclusion of the holy life – would dwell having attained it, having directly known and realized it by himself in this very life, for six months… five months…" Four months… three months… two months… one month… half a month. Let it be, prince, half a month. A monk endowed with these five factors of striving, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide— for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life— having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, might dwell having attained it for seven days and nights. Let it be, prince, seven days and nights. A monk endowed with these five factors of striving, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide— for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life— having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, might dwell having attained it for six days and nights… five days and nights… four days and nights… three days and nights… two days and nights… one day and night. Let it be, prince, one day and night. A monk endowed with these five factors of striving, obtaining the Tathāgata as his guide, if instructed in the evening, will attain distinction in the morning; if instructed in the morning, will attain distinction in the evening. When this was said, Prince Bodhi spoke to the Blessed One: “Oh, the Buddha! Oh, the Dhamma! Oh, the well-proclaimed nature of the Dhamma! To think that if instructed in the evening, one will attain distinction in the morning; if instructed in the morning, one will attain distinction in the evening!” 346. When this was said, the young man Sañjikāputta said to Prince Bodhi: “But this Venerable Bodhi says, ‘Oh, the Buddha! Oh, the Dhamma! Oh, the well-proclaimed nature of the Dhamma!’ And yet he does not go for refuge to that Venerable Gotama, nor to the Dhamma, nor to the Sangha of monks!” “Do not speak thus, friend Sañjikāputta; Do not speak thus, friend Sañjikāputta. This is in my presence, friend Sañjikāputta, by my venerable…” I heard it, received it directly.” “Once, friend Sañjikāputta, the Blessed One was dwelling in Kosambī, at Ghositārāma. Then my aunt Kucchimatī approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she sat down to one side. Seated to one side, my aunt said to the Blessed One: ‘This child, venerable sir, whether male or female, who is in my womb, goes for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember him as a lay follower, from today forth, for as long as life lasts, gone for refuge.’ Once, friend Sañjikāputta, the Blessed One was dwelling right here among the Bhaggas, on Susumāragira, in the Bhesakaḷāvana deer park. Then my nurse carried me on her hip and approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she stood to one side. Standing to one side, my nurse said to the Blessed One: ‘This Prince Bodhi, venerable sir, goes for refuge to the Blessed One,