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which, seeing again and again, they might delight in. There are no such audible sounds there which, hearing again and again, they might delight in. There are no such smellable odors there which, smelling again and again, they might delight in. There are no such tasteable flavors there which, tasting again and again, they might delight in. There are no such touchable tangibles there which, touching again and again, they might delight in. These, friends, are our signs, these are our reasons, by which we say this: 'Surely, those sirs are either free from passion, or are practicing for the removal of passion; are either free from hatred, or are practicing for the removal of hatred; are either free from delusion, or are practicing for the removal of delusion.'" When thus questioned, householders, you should answer those other ascetics and wanderers thus. Thus spoken. Then, the householder brahmins of Nagaravinda said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, good Gotama! Excellent, good Gotama! Just as, good Gotama, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or show the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms; even so has the Dhamma been made clear by the good Gotama in many ways. We go for refuge to the good Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May the good Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge from this day forth as long as life lasts.” The Nagaravindeyya Sutta, the eighth, is finished. 9. The Discourse on the Purity of Alms-gathering Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Sāriputta rose from his seclusion and approached the Blessed One. Having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. As the Venerable Sāriputta sat to one side, the Blessed One said to him: “Your faculties are clear, Sāriputta, your complexion is pure and bright. With what dwelling, Sāriputta, do you mostly dwell now?” “I mostly dwell now, venerable sir, with the dwelling of emptiness.” “Good, good, Sāriputta! Indeed, Sāriputta, you mostly dwell now with the dwelling of a great man. This, Sāriputta, is the dwelling of a great man, namely, emptiness. Therefore, Sāriputta, if a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I mostly dwell with the dwelling of emptiness,’ then, Sāriputta, that bhikkhu should reflect thus: ‘On what path did I enter the village for alms, in what area did I wander for alms, on what path did I return from the village after alms? Was there any desire or Lust or hate or delusion or even mental aversion? If, Sāriputta, a monk reflecting thus knows: ‘By which path I entered the village for alms, in which place I wandered for alms, by which path I returned from the village after alms, there is in me, regarding forms cognizable by the eye, desire or lust or hate or delusion or even mental aversion,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the abandoning of those very evil, unwholesome states. But if, Sāriputta, a monk reflecting thus knows: ‘By which path I entered the village for alms, in which place I wandered for alms, by which path I returned from the village after alms, there is not in me, regarding forms cognizable by the eye, desire or lust or hate or delusion or even mental aversion,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell in that very joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 439. And further, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: ‘By which path I entered the village for alms, in which place I wandered for alms, by which path I returned from the village after alms, is there in me, regarding sounds cognizable by the ear… …scents cognizable by the nose… …tastes cognizable by the tongue… …tangibles cognizable by the body… …mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, desire or lust or hate or delusion or even mental aversion?’ If, Sāriputta, a monk reflecting thus knows: ‘By which path I entered the village for alms, in which place I wandered for alms, by which path I returned from the village after alms, there is in me, regarding mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, desire or lust or hate or delusion or even mental aversion,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the abandoning of those very evil, unwholesome states. But if, Sāriputta, a monk reflecting thus… He knows: "By which path I entered the village for alms, and in which place I walked for alms, and by which path I returned from the village after alms, there is for me no desire, no lust, no hatred, no delusion, no mental aversion even, concerning mind-cognizable phenomena there." Then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell in that same joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 440. Furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: "Are the five sense pleasures abandoned in me?" If, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: "The five sense pleasures are not abandoned in me," then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the abandonment of the five sense pleasures. But if, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: "The five sense pleasures are abandoned in me," then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell in that same joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 441. Furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: "Are the five hindrances abandoned in me?" If, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: "The five hindrances are not abandoned in me," then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the abandonment of the five hindrances. But if, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: "The five hindrances are abandoned in me," then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell in that same joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 442. Furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: "Are the five aggregates of clinging fully understood by me?" If, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: "The five aggregates of clinging are not fully understood by me," then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the full understanding of the five aggregates of clinging. But if, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: "P 'My five aggregates of clinging are fully understood,' then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell in that same joy and delight, training day and night in wholesome states. 443. "Furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: 'Have my four foundations of mindfulness been developed?' If, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: 'My four foundations of mindfulness have not been developed,' then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the development of the four foundations of mindfulness. But if, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: 'My four foundations of mindfulness have been developed,' then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell in that same joy and delight, training day and night in wholesome states. 444. "Furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: 'Have my four right exertions been developed?' If, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: 'My four right exertions have not been developed,' then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the development of the four right exertions. But if, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: 'My four right exertions have been developed,' then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell in that same joy and delight, training day and night in wholesome states. 445. "Furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: 'Have my four bases of psychic power been developed?' If, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: 'My four bases of psychic power have not been developed,' then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the development of the four bases of psychic power. But if, Sāriputta, the monk, reflecting, knows thus: 'My four bases of psychic power have been developed,' then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell in that same joy and delight, training day and night in wholesome states. 446. "Furthermore, Indeed, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: ‘Have my five faculties been developed?’ If, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, knows thus: ‘My five faculties have not been developed,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the development of the five faculties. But if, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, knows thus: ‘My five faculties have been developed,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should abide in that same joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 447. Again, furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: ‘Have my five powers been developed?’ If, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, knows thus: ‘My five powers have not been developed,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the development of the five powers. But if, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, knows thus: ‘My five powers have been developed,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should abide in that same joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 448. Again, furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: ‘Have my seven factors of awakening been developed?’ If, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, knows thus: ‘My seven factors of awakening have not been developed,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive for the development of the seven factors of awakening. But if, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, knows thus: ‘My seven factors of awakening have been developed,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should abide in that same joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 449. Again, furthermore, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: ‘Has my Noble Eightfold Path been developed?’ If, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, knows thus: ‘My Noble Eightfold Path has not been developed,’ then, Sāriputta, Therefore, a monk should strive to develop the noble eightfold path. But if, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, thus knows: ‘The noble eightfold path is developed by me,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell with that same joy and gladness, training day and night