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Mara finds a foothold in him. Māra finds an opening in him, Māra finds a foothold in him. Just as, bhikkhus, a dry, rotten piece of wood, placed on dry ground, far from water; then a man comes, taking an upper fire-stick— ‘I will produce fire, I will make heat appear.’ What do you think, bhikkhus, would that man, taking that dry, rotten piece of wood and the upper fire-stick, rubbing them together, produce fire, make heat appear?” “Yes, venerable sir.” “Even so, bhikkhus, for whosoever has not developed, has not cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra finds an opening in him, Māra finds a foothold in him. Just as, bhikkhus, an empty, hollow water-pot placed on a stand; then a man comes, carrying a load of water. What do you think, bhikkhus, would that man find a place to pour the water?” “Yes, venerable sir.” “Even so, bhikkhus, for whosoever has not developed, has not cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra finds an opening in him, Māra finds a foothold in him.” 157. “For whosoever, bhikkhus, has developed, has cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra finds no opening in him, Māra finds no foothold in him. Just as, bhikkhus, a man might throw a light ball of thread onto a solid, hardwood door-panel. What do you think, bhikkhus, would that man find an opening for that light ball of thread on that solid, hardwood door-panel?” “No, venerable sir.” “Even so, bhikkhus, for whosoever has developed, has cultivated mindfulness of the body, Māra finds no opening in him, Māra finds no foothold in him. Just as, bhikkhus, a wet, sappy piece of wood, placed on dry ground, far from water; then a man comes, taking an upper fire-stick— ‘I will produce fire, I will make heat appear.’ What do you think, monks, would that man, taking that wet, sappy upper fire-stick, rubbing it, produce fire, make heat appear? No, venerable sir. Even so, monks, for whosoever has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, Mara finds no entry for him, Mara finds no foothold for him. Just as, monks, a water-pot full of water, brimful, crow-drinkable, placed on a stand; then a man might come, carrying a burden of water. What do you think, monks, would that man find a place to pour his water? No, venerable sir. Even so, monks, for whosoever has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, Mara finds no entry for him, Mara finds no foothold for him. 158. Whosoever, monks, has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, to whatever state realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for direct knowledge, there and there he attains the ability to witness, when the occasion is present. Just as, monks, a water-pot full of water, brimful, crow-drinkable, placed on a stand. If a strong man were to tip it from whatever side, would water come out? Yes, venerable sir. Even so, monks, whosoever has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, to whatever state realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for direct knowledge, there and there he attains the ability to witness, when the occasion is present. Just as, monks, on level ground there might be a square pond, with embankments, full of water, brimful, crow-drinkable. If a strong man were to release the embankment from whatever side, would water come out? Yes, venerable sir. Even so, monks, whosoever has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, to whatever... He inclines his mind to the dharma to be realized by direct knowledge, for its realization by direct knowledge; in each and every case he attains the capacity to be a witness in each and every sphere. Just as, monks, on good ground at a crossroads, a thoroughbred chariot might be yoked and standing, with the goad at rest; a skilled trainer, a tamer of horses, having mounted it, having taken the reins with his left hand, having taken the goad with his right hand, might drive it wherever he wishes, and bring it back wherever he wishes; even so, monks, whoever has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, for whatever dharma to be realized by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for its realization by direct knowledge, in each and every case he attains the capacity to be a witness in each and every sphere. 159. For mindfulness of the body, monks, when it is cultivated, developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken, ten benefits may be expected. He is able to endure discontent and content, and discontent does not overcome him; he dwells having overcome arisen discontent. He is able to endure fear and terror, and fear and terror do not overcome him; he dwells having overcome arisen fear and terror. He is tolerant of cold, heat, hunger, thirst, of contact with gnats, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping things, of ill-spoken, ill-approached words; he is of a nature to endure arisen bodily feelings that are painful, sharp, severe, acute, disagreeable, unpleasant, and life-threatening. Of the four jhānas, which are of the higher mind, a pleasant dwelling in this very life, he is a gainer at will, without difficulty, without trouble. He experiences various kinds of supernormal power. Being one, he becomes many; being many, he becomes one; he appears... (etc.) ... even to the Brahma world he exercises mastery with his body. With the divine ear element... with purified, surpassing human, he hears both sounds, divine and human, those far and near… He comprehends with his mind, the minds of other beings, other persons. He knows a mind with passion as ‘a mind with passion,’ a mind without passion… a mind with aversion… a mind without aversion… a mind with delusion… a mind without delusion… a constricted mind… a distracted mind… an exalted mind… an unexalted mind… a surpassable mind… an unsurpassable mind… a concentrated mind… an unconcentrated mind… a liberated mind… an unliberated mind as ‘an unliberated mind.’ He recollects his manifold past lives, that is to say, one birth, two births… Thus, with their aspects and details, he recollects his manifold past lives. With the divine eye, purified and surpassing human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, he understands beings according to their karma. Through the destruction of the taints, he enters and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life. “For one, monks, who cultivates, develops, makes much of, makes a vehicle of, makes a basis of, establishes, familiarizes himself with, and properly undertakes mindfulness of the body, these ten benefits are to be expected.” This is what the Blessed One said. The monks, delighted, rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. The Discourse on Mindfulness of the Body, the ninth, is finished. 10. The Discourse on Rebirth by Volition Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks, “Monks!” “Venerable sir,” they replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “I will teach you, monks, rebirth by volition, Listen to that, attend carefully; I will speak." "Yes, Venerable Sir," those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: 161. "Here, monks, a monk is endowed with faith, is endowed with virtue, is endowed with learning, is endowed with generosity, is endowed with wisdom. It occurs to him thus: 'Oh, may I, with the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn into the company of wealthy Khattiyas.' He directs that mind, he resolves on that mind, he develops that mind. His volitional formations and abidings, thus developed, thus made much of, conduce to rebirth there. This, monks, is the path, this is the practice, that conduces to rebirth there. 162. "Furthermore, monks, a monk is endowed with faith, is endowed with virtue, is endowed with learning, is endowed with generosity, is endowed with wisdom. It occurs to him thus: 'Oh, may I, with the breaking up of the body, after death, be reborn into the company of wealthy Brahmins... or wealthy householders.' He directs that mind, he resolves on that mind, he develops that mind. His volitional formations and abidings, thus developed, thus made much of, conduce to rebirth there. This, monks, is the path, this is the practice, that conduces to rebirth there. 163. "Furthermore, monks, a monk is endowed with faith, is endowed with virtue, is endowed with learning, is endowed with generosity, is endowed with wisdom. He hears: 'The Devas of the Four Great Kings are long-lived, beautiful, and abound in happiness.' He... Thus it occurs to him: 'Oh, may I, after the body's breaking up, after death, be reborn into the companionship of the Devas of the Four Great Kings!' He directs his mind to that, he resolves his mind on that, he cultivates his mind towards that. His volitional formations and his ways of living, thus cultivated, thus made much of, lead to rebirth there. This, monks, is the path, this is the way that leads to rebirth there. 164. Again, further, monks, a bhikkhu is endowed with faith, is endowed with virtue, is endowed with learning, is endowed with generosity, is endowed with wisdom. He has heard: 'The Tāvatiṃsa devas... etc.... the Yāma devas... the Tusita devas... the Nimmānaratī devas... the Paranimmitavasavattī devas are long-lived, beautiful, and abound in happiness.' Thus it occurs to him: 'Oh, may I, after the body's breaking up, after death, be reborn into the companionship of the Paranimmitavasavattī devas!' He directs his mind to that, he resolves his mind on that, he cultivates his mind towards that. His volitional formations and his ways of living, thus cultivated, thus made much of, lead to rebirth there. This, monks, is the path, this is the way that leads to rebirth there. 165. Again, further, monks, a bhikkhu is endowed with faith, is endowed with virtue,