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when you should have asked the Blessed One himself about this matter, as the Blessed One would have explained it to you." you should remember it thus.” “Indeed, friend Kaccāna, the Blessed One knows what is to be known, sees what is to be seen. He is eye-become, knowledge-become, Dhamma-become, Brahma-become. He is the speaker, the proclaimer, the bringer of meaning, the giver of the deathless, the master of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. And this was the time for us to question the Blessed One himself about this matter; as the Blessed One would explain it to us, so would we remember it. But Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by discerning fellow practitioners; and Venerable Mahākaccāna is able to elaborate in detail the meaning of this brief statement given by the Blessed One, the meaning of what was not analyzed in detail. May Venerable Mahākaccāna elaborate, without reluctance.” “Then, friends, listen, pay close attention; I shall speak.” “Yes, friend,” those bhikkhus replied to Venerable Mahākaccāna. Venerable Mahākaccāna said this: “That brief statement, friends, which the Blessed One gave, without elaborating on its meaning in detail, and then rose from his seat and entered his dwelling – ‘One should not pursue the past… … That indeed is called a Bhaddekaratta by the peaceful sage.’ Of this brief statement, friends, given by the Blessed One, the meaning of which was not elaborated in detail, I understand the meaning in detail thus: 282. “And how, friends, does one pursue the past? ‘My eye was thus in the past, thus were forms’ – there, consciousness is bound by desire and lust; because consciousness is bound by desire and lust, one delights in that; delighting in that, one pursues the past. ‘My ear was thus in the past, thus were sounds’… ‘My nose was thus in the past, thus were odors’… ‘My tongue was thus in the past, thus were flavors’… ‘My body was thus in the past, thus were tactile objects’… ‘My mind was thus If in the past, 'these are mental objects'— there consciousness is bound by desire and lust. Because consciousness is bound by desire and lust, it delights in that. Delighting in that, it follows after the past. Thus, friend, one follows after the past. And how, friend, does one not follow after the past? If, 'my eye was in the past,' 'these were forms'— there consciousness is not bound by desire and lust. Because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in that. Not delighting in that, it does not follow after the past. If, 'my ear was in the past,' 'these were sounds'— there consciousness is not bound by desire and lust. Because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in that. Not delighting in that, it does not follow after the past. If, 'my nose was in the past,' 'these were smells'— there consciousness is not bound by desire and lust. Because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in that. Not delighting in that, it does not follow after the past. If, 'my tongue was in the past,' 'these were tastes'— there consciousness is not bound by desire and lust. Because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in that. Not delighting in that, it does not follow after the past. If, 'my body was in the past,' 'these were tactile objects'— there consciousness is not bound by desire and lust. Because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in that. Not delighting in that, it does not follow after the past. If, 'my mind was in the past,' 'these were mental objects'— there consciousness is not bound by desire and lust. Because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in that. Not delighting in that, it does not follow after the past. Thus, friend, one does not follow after the past. 283. And how, friend, does one anticipate the future? If, 'my eye might be in the future,' 'these might be forms'— one directs the mind to the acquisition of what is not yet acquired. Due to the mind's direction, one delights in that. Delighting in that, one anticipates the future. If, 'my ear might be in the future,' 'these might be sounds'— one directs the mind to the acquisition of what is not yet acquired. Due to the mind's direction, one delights in that. Delighting in that, one anticipates the future. If, 'my nose might be in the future,' 'these might be smells'— one directs the mind to the acquisition of what is not yet acquired. Due to the mind's direction, one delights in that. Delighting in that, one anticipates the future. If, 'my tongue might be in the future,' 'these might be tastes'— one directs the mind to the acquisition of what is not yet acquired. Due to the mind's direction, one delights in that. Delighting in that, one anticipates the future. If, 'my body might be in the future,' 'these might be tactile objects'— one directs the mind to the acquisition of what is not yet acquired. Due to the mind's direction, one delights in that. Delighting in that, one anticipates the future. If, 'my mind might be in the future,' 'these might be mental objects'— one directs the mind to the acquisition of what is not yet acquired. Due to the mind's direction, one delights in that. Delighting in that, one anticipates the future. Thus, friend, one anticipates the future. And how, friend, does one not anticipate the future? If, 'my eye might be in the future,' 'these might be forms'— a For what is not gained, he does not direct his mind to gain it. Due to the mind's non-direction, he does not delight in it. Not delighting in it, he does not long for the future. "May my ear be thus in the future," for sounds. ... "May my nose be thus in the future," for smells. "May my tongue be thus in the future," for tastes. "May my body be thus in the future," for tactile objects. "May my mind be thus in the future," for mental phenomena. For what is not gained, he does not direct his mind to gain it. Due to the mind's non-direction, he does not delight in it. Not delighting in it, he does not long for the future. Thus, friends, he does not long for the future. 284. And how, friends, is one entangled in present phenomena? Whatever eye, friends, and whatever forms— both are present. If, in that present, consciousness is bound by desire and lust, due to consciousness being bound by desire and lust, he delights in it. Delighting in it, he is entangled in present phenomena. Whatever ear, friends, and whatever sounds... Whatever nose, friends, and whatever smells... Whatever tongue, friends, and whatever tastes... Whatever body, friends, and whatever tactile objects... Whatever mind, friends, and whatever mental phenomena— both are present. If, in that present, consciousness is bound by desire and lust, due to consciousness being bound by desire and lust, he delights in it. Delighting in it, he is entangled in present phenomena. Thus, friends, he is entangled in present phenomena. And how, friends, is one not entangled in present phenomena? Whatever eye, friends, and whatever forms— both are present. If, in that present, consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, due to consciousness not being bound by desire and lust, he does not delight in it. Not delighting in it, he is not entangled in present phenomena. Whatever ear, friends, and whatever sounds... Whatever nose, friends, and whatever smells... blind... And, friends, the tongue and tastes... And, friends, the body and touches... And, friends, the mind and mental phenomena – both of these are present. If, in that which is present, consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, because consciousness is not bound by desire and lust, it does not delight in it. Not delighting in it, it is not entangled in present phenomena – thus, friends, one is not entangled in present phenomena. 285. "That which, friends, the Blessed One briefly stated as a summary, and then, without elaborating on the meaning, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling – 'One should not pursue the past... That, indeed, is called the best single night, the peaceful sage declares.' "Of this brief summary stated by the Blessed One, without the meaning being elaborated, I, friends, understand the meaning in this way, in detail. And if you, venerable sirs, wish, you may approach the Blessed One himself and question him about this matter, and you should remember it as the Blessed One explains it to you." Then those monks, having rejoiced in and approved of the venerable Mahākaccāna's words, rose from their seats and went to the Blessed One. Having approached, they bowed to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those monks said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, that which the Blessed One briefly stated as a summary, and then, without elaborating on the meaning, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling – 'One should not pursue the past... That, indeed, is called the best single night, the peaceful sage declares.' "Venerable sir, after the Blessed One had not long departed, this occurred to us: 'Friends, the Blessed One briefly stated this summary, and then, without elaborating on the meaning, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling – 'One should not pursue the past, nor anticipate the future; That which is past is abandoned, and the future is not yet attained. 'And whoever sees the present phenomenon, there there he discerns; Unshaken, unperturbed, that, the wise one should cultivate. “Today is the task of ardor, who knows death tomorrow? For there is no truce for us with that great army, Death. “Thus living, ardent, day and night unwearied; That one, indeed, is called a ‘Bhaddekaratta’ by the peaceful sages.” “‘Who, indeed, might elaborate in detail the meaning of this brief statement, this brief teaching, given by the Blessed One, the meaning of which has not been elaborated in detail?