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in wholesome states. 450. Again, further, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: ‘Are calm and insight developed by me?’ If, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, thus knows: ‘Calm and insight are not developed by me,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive to develop calm and insight. But if, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, thus knows: ‘Calm and insight are developed by me,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell with that same joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 451. Again, further, Sāriputta, a monk should reflect thus: ‘Are knowledge and liberation realized by me?’ If, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, thus knows: ‘Knowledge and liberation are not realized by me,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should strive to realize knowledge and liberation. But if, Sāriputta, a monk, reflecting, thus knows: ‘Knowledge and liberation are realized by me,’ then, Sāriputta, that monk should dwell with that same joy and gladness, training day and night in wholesome states. 452. Whatever ascetics or brahmins, Sāriputta, in the past, purified their almsfood, all of them, reflecting again and again in this very way, purified their almsfood. And whatever ascetics or brahmins, Sāriputta, in the future, will purify their almsfood, all of them, reflecting again and again in this very way, will purify their almsfood. And whatever, Sāriputta, Now, whatever ascetics or brahmins purify their almsfood, all of them reflecting again and again, purify their almsfood in this very way. Therefore, Sāriputta, you should train yourselves thus: 'Reflecting again and again, we will purify our almsfood.' Thus, Sāriputta, you should train yourselves. This is what the Blessed One said. Venerable Sāriputta, delighted, rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Discourse on the Purity of Almsfood, the ninth, is finished. 10. The Discourse on the Development of the Faculties Thus have I heard: On one occasion, the Blessed One was staying in Gajaṅgalā, in the Suveḷuva Grove. Then, Uttara the student, a disciple of Pārāsiriya, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and amiable talk, he sat down to one side. As Uttara the student, a disciple of Pārāsiriya, was sitting to one side, the Blessed One said to him: "Does the brahmin Pārāsiriya, Uttara, teach his disciples the development of the faculties?" "Yes, Venerable Gotama, the brahmin Pārāsiriya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties." "And how, Uttara, does the brahmin Pārāsiriya teach his disciples the development of the faculties?" "Here, Venerable Gotama, one does not see forms with the eye, one does not hear sounds with the ear. That is how, Venerable Gotama, the brahmin Pārāsiriya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties." "If that is the case, Uttara, then a blind person would be one whose faculties are developed, a deaf person would be one whose faculties are developed, according to the words of the brahmin Pārāsiriya. For a blind person, Uttara, does not see forms with the eye, and a deaf person does not hear sounds with the ear." When this was said, Uttara the student, a disciple of Pārāsiriya, became silent, dismayed, with shoulders drooping, head down, lost in thought, unable to respond. His shoulders slumped, his face downcast, brooding, speechless, he sat. Then the Blessed One, perceiving the young man Uttara, disciple of Pārāsiva, silent, dismayed, with slumped shoulders, downcast face, brooding, and speechless, addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Otherwise, Ānanda, the brahmin Pārāsiva teaches his disciples the development of the faculties. And otherwise, Ānanda, is the unsurpassed development of the faculties in the Noble Discipline." "It is time, Blessed One, it is time, Fortunate One, for the Blessed One to teach the unsurpassed development of the faculties in the Noble Discipline. Having heard from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it." "Therefore, Ānanda, listen, attend carefully; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: 454. "And how, Ānanda, is there the unsurpassed development of the faculties in the Noble Discipline? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, there arises what is pleasing, there arises what is displeasing, there arises what is both pleasing and displeasing. He understands thus: 'This pleasing, this displeasing, this pleasing and displeasing that has arisen in me, that is conditioned, coarse, dependently arisen. This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely – equanimity.' For him, that arisen pleasing, arisen displeasing, arisen pleasing and displeasing ceases; equanimity becomes established. Just as, Ānanda, a man with eyes might open his eyes or close his eyes; even so, Ānanda, for whosoever so swiftly, so quickly, so easily, the arisen pleasing, arisen displeasing, arisen pleasing and displeasing ceases, and equanimity becomes established – this, Ānanda, is called the unsurpassed development of the faculties in the Noble Discipline concerning forms cognizable by the eye. 455. "Furthermore, Ānanda, a bhikkhu, having heard a sound with the ear, there arises what is pleasing, there arises what is displeasing, there arises what is both pleasing and displeasing. He understands thus: 'This... This agreeable [feeling] has arisen for me, a disagreeable [feeling] has arisen, an agreeable-disagreeable [feeling] has arisen. And that indeed is conditioned, gross, dependently arisen. This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely – equanimity. For him, that arisen agreeable [feeling], that arisen disagreeable [feeling], that arisen agreeable-disagreeable [feeling] ceases; equanimity remains. Just as, Ananda, a strong man might snap his fingers with little effort; even so, Ananda, for whosoever, so quickly, so swiftly, with so little effort, the arisen agreeable [feeling], the arisen disagreeable [feeling], the arisen agreeable-disagreeable [feeling] ceases, equanimity remains – this, Ananda, is called, in the Noble One's discipline, the unsurpassed development of the faculties regarding sounds cognizable by the ear. Furthermore, Ananda, a monk, having smelled a smell with the nose, an agreeable [feeling] arises, a disagreeable [feeling] arises, an agreeable-disagreeable [feeling] arises. He thus understands: ‘This agreeable [feeling] has arisen for me, a disagreeable [feeling] has arisen, an agreeable-disagreeable [feeling] has arisen. And that indeed is conditioned, gross, dependently arisen. This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely – equanimity.’ For him, that arisen agreeable [feeling], that arisen disagreeable [feeling], that arisen agreeable-disagreeable [feeling] ceases; equanimity remains. Just as, Ananda, drops of water roll off a slightly sloped lotus leaf, they do not remain; even so, Ananda, for whosoever, so quickly, so swiftly, with so little effort, the arisen agreeable [feeling], the arisen disagreeable [feeling], the arisen agreeable-disagreeable [feeling] ceases, equanimity remains – this, Ananda, is called, in the Noble One's discipline, the unsurpassed development of the faculties regarding smells cognizable by the nose. Furthermore, Ananda, a monk, having tasted a taste with the tongue, an agreeable [feeling] arises, a disagreeable [feeling] arises... Having experienced, there arises pleasant, there arises unpleasant, there arises pleasant-unpleasant-neutral. He thus understands: ‘This pleasant has arisen in me, unpleasant has arisen, pleasant-unpleasant-neutral has arisen. And that is conditioned, gross, dependently arisen. This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely – equanimity.’ For him, that arisen pleasant, that arisen unpleasant, that arisen pleasant-unpleasant-neutral ceases; equanimity stands firm. Just as, Ananda, a strong man having gathered a ball of spittle on the tip of his tongue, would easily spit it out; even so, Ananda, for whosoever so quickly, so swiftly, so easily the arisen pleasant, the arisen unpleasant, the arisen pleasant-unpleasant-neutral ceases, equanimity stands firm – this, Ananda, is called in the Noble Discipline the unsurpassed development of the faculties in tastes cognizable by the tongue. 458. Furthermore, Ananda, a monk, having touched a tangible with the body, there arises pleasant, there arises unpleasant, there arises pleasant-unpleasant-neutral. He thus understands: ‘This pleasant has arisen in me, unpleasant has arisen, pleasant-unpleasant-neutral has arisen. And that is conditioned, gross, dependently arisen. This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely – equanimity.’ For him, that arisen pleasant, that arisen unpleasant, that arisen pleasant-unpleasant-neutral ceases; equanimity stands firm. Just as, Ananda, a strong man would extend a flexed arm, or flex an extended arm; even so, Ananda, for whosoever so quickly, so swiftly, so easily the arisen pleasant, the arisen unpleasant, the arisen pleasant-unpleasant-neutral ceases, equanimity stands firm – this, Ananda, is called in the Noble Discipline the unsurpassed development of the faculties in tangibles cognizable by the body. 459. Furthermore, Ananda, a monk, having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, there arises pleasant, there arises unpleasant, there arises pleasant-unpleasant-neutral. He thus understands: ‘This arisen for him, this is agreeable, disagreeable arises, agreeable-disagreeable arises. And that is conditioned, gross, dependently arisen. This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is – equanimity. For him, that arisen agreeable, arisen disagreeable, arisen agreeable-disagreeable ceases; equanimity becomes established. Just as, Ananda, a strong man might drop two or three drops of water into an iron pan heated all day. Slow, Ananda, is the dropping of the water drops, yet they would quickly vanish, be used up; even so, Ananda, for whosoever, so swiftly, so quickly, so easily, the arisen agreeable,