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8. Connected Discourses with Headmen 1. The Discourse on the Fierce One 353. At Sāvatthī. Then Headman Caṇḍa approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Headman Caṇḍa said this to the Blessed One: "What, Venerable Sir, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby some person here is called 'fierce' as 'fierce'? And what, Venerable Sir, is the reason, what is the cause, whereby some person here is called 'gentle' as 'gentle'?" "Here, Headman, for some person, lust is not abandoned. Because lust is not abandoned, others provoke him. Being provoked by others, he manifests anger. He is called 'fierce' as 'fierce'. Hatred is not abandoned. Because hatred is not abandoned, others provoke him. Being provoked by others, he manifests anger. He is called 'fierce' as 'fierce'. Delusion is not abandoned. Because delusion is not abandoned, others provoke him. Being provoked by others, he manifests anger. He is called 'fierce' as 'fierce'. This, Headman, is the reason, this is the cause, whereby some person here is called 'fierce' as 'fierce'." "But here, Headman, for some person, lust is abandoned. Because lust is abandoned, others do not provoke him. Being provoked by others, he does not manifest anger. He is called 'gentle' as 'gentle'. Hatred is abandoned. Because hatred is abandoned, others do not provoke him. Being provoked by others, he does not manifest anger. He is called 'gentle' as 'gentle'. Delusion is abandoned. Because delusion is abandoned, others do not provoke him. Being provoked by others, he does not manifest anger. He is called 'gentle' as 'gentle'. This, Headman, is the reason, this is the cause, whereby some person here is called 'gentle' as 'gentle'." When this was said, Headman Caṇḍa said this to the Blessed One: "Excellent, Venerable Sir! Excellent, Venerable Sir! Just as, Venerable Sir, one might set upright what was overturned, as if one were to uncover what is hidden, or show the way to one who is lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness – so that those with eyes may see forms; even so has the Dhamma been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. I, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth as long as life lasts. The first. 2. The Discourse to Tālapuṭa 354. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Then Tālapuṭa, the head of a troupe of actors, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Tālapuṭa, the head of a troupe of actors, said to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, venerable sir, from the former teachers and grand-teachers of actors, speaking thus: ‘That actor who, in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the assembly, makes people laugh and delights them with truth and falsehood, he, upon the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn into the companionship of the laughing devas.’ What does the Blessed One say about this?" "Enough, headman, let that be. Do not ask me about this." A second time Tālapuṭa, the head of a troupe of actors, said to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, venerable sir, from the former teachers and grand-teachers of actors, speaking thus: ‘That actor who, in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the assembly, makes people laugh and delights them with truth and falsehood, he, upon the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn into the companionship of the laughing devas.’ What does the Blessed One say about this?" "Enough, headman, let that be. Do not ask me about this." A third time Tālapuṭa, the head of a troupe of actors, said to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, venerable sir, from the former teachers and grand-teachers of actors, speaking thus: ‘That actor who, in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the assembly, makes people laugh and delights them with truth and falsehood, he, upon the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn into the companionship of the laughing devas.’ What does the Blessed One say about this?" "Indeed, Indeed, I cannot find a way, headman, to say, "Enough, headman, let this be, do not ask me this." But I will explain it to you. Formerly, headman, beings were not free from passion, bound by the bonds of passion. For them, a performer in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the assembly, presents those things that arouse passion, even more so. Formerly, headman, beings were not free from hatred, bound by the bonds of hatred. For them, a performer in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the assembly, presents those things that arouse hatred, even more so. Formerly, headman, beings were not free from delusion, bound by the bonds of delusion. For them, a performer in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the assembly, presents those things that arouse delusion, even more so. He, himself intoxicated, heedless, having intoxicated and made heedless others, at the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a hell called "Laughter." If, however, he holds such a view: "That performer who, in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the assembly, makes people laugh and rejoice with truth and falsehood, he, at the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn into the companionship of the gods of laughter," that is his wrong view. For a person with wrong view, headman, I declare one of two destinations: either hell or the animal realm. When this was said, Tālapuṭa, the performer headman, wept, shed tears. "Indeed, I could not find a way, headman, to say, 'Enough, headman, let this be; do not ask me this.'" "I am not weeping, venerable sir, because the Blessed One has spoken thus to me; but rather, venerable sir, I have been deceived, cheated, and deluded for a long time by my former teachers and masters, the performers, who said: 'That performer who, in the midst of the stage, in the midst of the assembly, makes people laugh and rejoice with truth and falsehood, he, at the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn into the companionship of the gods of laughter.'" "Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or show the way to one who was lost, would point out the path, or hold a lamp in the darkness – those with eyes would see forms; In the same way, the Dhamma has been proclaimed by the Blessed One in many ways. "I, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May I obtain, venerable sir, ordination in the presence of the Blessed One, may I obtain full admission." Then Tālapuṭa the actor-chief obtained ordination in the presence of the Blessed One, he obtained full admission. Not long after his full admission, the venerable Tālapuṭa… (abbreviated) …became an Arahant. The Second. 3. The Discourse on the Warrior 355. Then the warrior-chief approached the Blessed One; having approached… (abbreviated) … sitting to one side, the warrior-chief said to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, venerable sir, from the ancient teachers and grand-teachers of warriors, as they spoke: ‘That warrior who strives and exerts himself in battle, and while he strives and exerts himself, others kill him and destroy him, he, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn into the companionship of the vanquished devas.’ What does the Blessed One say about this?" "Enough, chief, let that be; do not ask me about this." A second time… (abbreviated) … A third time, the warrior-chief said to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, venerable sir, from the ancient teachers and grand-teachers of warriors, as they spoke: ‘That warrior who strives and exerts himself in battle, and while he strives and exerts himself, others kill him and destroy him, he, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn into the companionship of the vanquished devas.’ What does the Blessed One say about this?" "Indeed, chief, I cannot obtain from you – ‘Enough, chief, let that be; do not ask me about this.’ Nevertheless, I will explain it to you. That warrior, chief, who strives and exerts himself in battle, his mind was previously seized [low], unwholesome, wrongly directed – ‘May these beings be slain, or bound, or annihilated, or destroyed… whether they were or were not. When he strives and exerts himself, others kill him, they destroy him. After the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn in a hell called Parajita. But if he holds such a view: 'The warrior who strives and exerts himself in battle, when he strives and exerts himself, others kill him, they destroy him. After the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn into the companionship of the Parajita gods'— that is his wrong view. For a person, O headman, who holds a wrong view, I declare one of two destinations: either hell or the animal realm." When this was said, the warrior headman wept, he shed tears. "This, O headman, I could not obtain from you: 'Enough, O headman, let this be; do not ask me this.'" "I do not weep, Venerable Sir, because the Blessed One said this to me; but rather, Venerable Sir, I have been long deceived, cheated, and deluded by my former teachers and masters, the warriors, who said: 'The warrior who strives and exerts himself in battle, when he strives and exerts himself, others kill him, they destroy him. After the breaking up of the body, after death, he is reborn into the companionship of the Parajita gods.'" "Excellent, Venerable Sir... ...from today forth, I go for refuge for life." The third. 4. The Elephant-Rider Sutta 356. Then the elephant-rider headman approached the Blessed One; having approached... ...from today forth, I go for refuge for life. The fourth. 5. The Horse-Rider Sutta