English
"What, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby some beings here do not attain final Nibbāna in this very life? And what, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby some beings here do attain final Nibbāna in this very life?" "Householder, there are forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, lovely, connected with sensual desire, and arousing passion. If a monk delights in them, welcomes them, and remains attached to them, for him, delighting in them, welcoming them, and remaining attached to them, consciousness becomes dependent on them, and clinging arises from them. A monk with clinging, householder, does not attain final Nibbāna. ... (and so for ear, nose, tongue, body) ... Householder, there are mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, lovely, connected with sensual desire, and arousing passion. If a monk delights in them, welcomes them, and remains attached to them, for him, delighting in them, welcoming them, and remaining attached to them, consciousness becomes dependent on them, and clinging arises from them. A monk with clinging, householder, does not attain final Nibbāna. This, householder, is the reason, this is the cause, whereby some beings here do not attain final Nibbāna in this very life." "But householder, there are forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, lovely, connected with sensual desire, and arousing passion. If a monk does not delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not remain attached to them, for him, not delighting in them, not welcoming them, and not remaining attached to them, consciousness does not become dependent on them, and clinging does not arise from them. A monk without clinging, householder, attains final Nibbāna. ... (and so for ear, nose, tongue, body) ... Householder, there are mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, desirable, agreeable, pleasing, lovely, connected with sensual desire, and arousing passion. If a monk does not delight in them, does not welcome them, and does not remain attached to them, for him, not delighting in them, not welcoming them, and not remaining attached to them, consciousness does not become dependent on them, and clinging does not arise from them. A monk without clinging, Householder, the bhikkhu attains final Nibbāna. This, indeed, householder, is the reason, this is the condition by which some beings here attain final Nibbāna in this very life. The eighth. 9. The Discourse to Lohicca. At one time, the venerable Mahākaccāna was living in Avanti, in Makkarakata, in a forest hut. Then, numerous pupils of the Brahmin Lohicca, young men gathering firewood, approached the venerable Mahākaccāna's forest hut; Having approached, they walked around the hut, making loud noises, great noises, saying various rude things – "These shaven-headed ascetics, these low-born, dark-skinned, offspring of kinsmen's feet, are honored, respected, esteemed, revered, and venerated by these good people!" Then the venerable Mahākaccāna came out of the dwelling and said to those young men: "Young men, do not make noise; I will teach you the Dhamma." When this was said, those young men became silent. Then the venerable Mahākaccāna addressed those young men with verses: Foremost in virtue were they, Those brahmins who remembered the ancient ways; Their doors were guarded, well-protected, They overcame anger. They delighted in Dhamma and jhāna, Those brahmins who remembered the ancient ways; But these, having abandoned that, recite (mantras), Intoxicated by lineage, they behave wrongly. Overcome by anger, inflicting various self-penalties, Becoming dispassionate in what they crave, For one whose doors are unguarded, they become futile, Like wealth gained by a man in a dream. Fasting and sleeping on the bare ground; Morning bathing and the three Vedas. Rough animal skins, matted hair and mud, Mantras, vows and austerities; Deceit, crooked staffs, And water libations. These are the outward forms of brahmins, Made for some trifling purpose; But a mind well-composed, Serene and undisturbed; entirely for all beings, that is the path to Brahma-attainment.” Then those young men, angry and displeased, went to the brahmin Lohicca. Having approached, they said to the brahmin Lohicca, “May your honor know, the ascetic Mahākaccāna entirely disparages the brahmins’ mantras, he rejects them!” When this was said, the brahmin Lohicca became angry and displeased. Then it occurred to the brahmin Lohicca, “It is not proper for me to revile and abuse the ascetic Mahākaccāna merely by hearing from the young men. What if I were to approach him and ask?” Then the brahmin Lohicca, together with those young men, went to the venerable Mahākaccāna. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Mahākaccāna. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the brahmin Lohicca said to the venerable Mahākaccāna, “Did many of our student wood-gatherers come here, good Kaccāna?” “Yes, brahmin, many of your student wood-gatherers came here.” “Was there any conversation between your honor Kaccāna and those young men?” “Yes, brahmin, there was some conversation between me and those young men.” “What kind of conversation did your honor Kaccāna have with those young men?” “This is the kind of conversation I had with those young men, brahmin: “Those brahmins who remember the ancient times were foremost in virtue before… …entirely for all beings, that is the path to Brahma-attainment.” “This is the kind of conversation I had with those young men, brahmin.” “‘Unguarded in doors’ Kaccāna said: "How is one unguarded in the doors, good Kaccāna?" "Here, brahmin, someone seeing a form with the eye, becomes infatuated with pleasing forms, becomes averse to displeasing forms, and dwells with unestablished body-mindfulness, with a limited mind, and does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom where those evil unwholesome states that have arisen in him cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear... Having smelled an odor with the nose... Having tasted a flavor with the tongue... Having felt a tactile sensation with the body... Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, becomes infatuated with pleasing mental phenomena, becomes averse to displeasing mental phenomena, and dwells with unestablished body-mindfulness, with a limited mind, and does not understand as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom where those evil unwholesome states that have arisen in him cease without remainder. Thus, brahmin, one is unguarded in the doors." "Wonderful, good Kaccāna; amazing, good Kaccāna! In that the venerable Kaccāna has described one who is unguarded in the doors as unguarded in the doors. The venerable Kaccāna speaks of 'guarded in the doors'. How is one guarded in the doors, good Kaccāna?" "Here, brahmin, a monk seeing a form with the eye, does not become infatuated with pleasing forms, does not become averse to displeasing forms, and dwells with established body-mindfulness, with an immeasurable mind, and understands as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom where those evil unwholesome states that have arisen in him cease without remainder. Having heard a sound with the ear... Having smelled an odor with the nose... Having tasted a flavor with the tongue... Having felt a tactile sensation with the body... Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, does not become infatuated with pleasing mental phenomena, does not become averse to displeasing mental phenomena, and dwells with established body-mindfulness, with an immeasurable mind, and that liberation of mind... he understands that liberation by wisdom as it really is, where those evil unwholesome states that have arisen in him cease without remainder. Thus, indeed, brahmin, he is guarded in his doors. Wonderful, good Kaccāna; amazing, good Kaccāna! To the extent that the good Kaccāna has described one who is guarded in his doors as guarded in his doors. Excellent, good Kaccāna; excellent, good Kaccāna! Just as, good Kaccāna, 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 good Kaccāna expounded the Dhamma in various ways. I go for refuge, good Kaccāna, to that Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the good Kaccāna remember me as a lay follower, who has gone for refuge from today onwards, for as long as life lasts. And just as the good Kaccāna visits the families of lay followers in Makkarakata; even so may he visit the Lohicca family. There, whatever young men or young women will salute the good Kaccāna, will rise up for him, will offer him a seat or water, for them that will be for long-lasting welfare and happiness. The Ninth. 10. The Discourse to Verahaccānī 133. At one time, the Venerable Udāyī was dwelling in Kāmaṇḍā, in the mango grove of the brahmin Todeyya. Then a young man, a pupil of the brahmin woman of the Verahaccānī clan, approached the Venerable Udāyī; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Venerable Udāyī. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. As that young man sat to one side, the Venerable Udāyī instructed, urged, inspired, and gladdened him with a Dhamma talk. Then that young man, having been instructed, urged, inspired, and gladdened by the Venerable Udāyī with a Dhamma talk, rose from his seat and approached the brahmin woman of the Verahaccānī clan; having approached the brahmin woman of the Verahaccānī clan... He said to Aṇi: "Indeed, lady, you should know! The recluse Udāyī teaches the Dhamma, excellent in the beginning, excellent in the middle, excellent in the end, with meaning and with letter,