English
thus free from covetousness, free from ill-will, undeluded, clearly comprehending, mindful, with loving-kindness With a mind imbued with loving-kindness, he dwells pervading one direction, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, he pervades the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. He reflects thus: 'This Teacher speaks thus, holds such a view: By acting and causing to act, by cutting and causing to cut, by tormenting and causing to torment, by grieving and causing to grieve, by wearying and causing to weary, by agitating and causing to agitate, by taking life, by taking what is not given, by breaking into houses, by plundering, by committing highway robbery, by standing on the highway, by going to another's wife, by speaking falsehood, by such actions, evil is done. Even if with a razor-edged wheel, one were to make the living beings of this earth into one heap of flesh, one pile of flesh, there would be evil from that cause, there would be the coming of evil. Even if one were to go to the southern bank of the Ganges, killing, slaying, cutting, causing to cut, tormenting, causing to torment, there would be evil from that cause, there would be the coming of evil. Even if one were to go to the northern bank of the Ganges, giving, causing to give, sacrificing, causing to sacrifice, there would be merit from that cause, there would be the coming of merit. By giving, by self-control, by restraint, by truthfulness, there is merit, there is the coming of merit.' If the word of that venerable Teacher is true, then it is certain for me, who harms nothing, neither trembling nor firm? Both are firmly grasped here: that I am restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, and that with the breaking up of the body, after death, I shall reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world.' Joy arises in him. To him who is joyful, rapture arises. To him whose mind is rapturous, the body becomes tranquil. He whose body is tranquil experiences pleasure. To him who is pleased, the mind becomes concentrated. This, indeed, headman, is concentration through Dhamma. And if you were to gain this concentration of mind, then you would abandon this state of doubt. i. “That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill will, unconfused, fully aware, mindful, dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with compassion… …and dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with appreciative joy… “That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill will, unconfused, fully aware, mindful, dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with equanimity; likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; thus above, below, around, everywhere, in all ways, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. He reflects thus: ‘If that teacher’s words are true, who speaks and holds such views: “There is no giving, no offering, no sacrifice, no fruit or result of good and bad actions, there is no this world, no other world, there is no mother, no father, no spontaneously arisen beings, there are no ascetics or brahmins in the world who are rightly gone, rightly practiced, who, having realized and experienced this world and the other world for themselves, declare it.” If that venerable teacher’s words are true, then for me, who harms nothing, neither moving nor stationary, it is a safe bet. Both are a good gamble here: that I am restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, and that with the breakup of the body, after death, I will reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world.’ Joy arises in him. Being joyful, rapture arises. With a rapturous mind, his body becomes tranquil. With a tranquil body, he feels pleasure. With a pleasant mind, his mind becomes concentrated. This, headman, is concentration through the Dhamma. If you could attain this mental concentration, you would abandon this state of doubt. “That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill will, unconfused, fully aware, mindful, dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with equanimity, Then the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus upwards, downwards, across, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without enmity, without ill-will, pervading, he dwells. He reflects thus: ‘This Teacher speaks thus, holds such a view: There is what is given. There is what is sacrificed. There is what is offered. There is fruit and result of good and bad deeds. There is this world, there is the other world. There is mother, there is father, there are spontaneously arisen beings. There are in the world ascetics and brahmins who are rightly gone, rightly practiced, who, having themselves realized and directly known this world and the other world, proclaim it. If the word of that venerable Teacher is true, then it is certain for me, who harms nothing, neither moving nor unmoving. In both cases, this is a good stake, that I am restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, and that, with the breaking up of the body, after death, I shall reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world.’ Joy arises in him. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one with a rapturous mind, the body becomes tranquil. One whose body is tranquil experiences pleasure. In one who is pleased, the mind becomes concentrated. ‘This, indeed, headman, is concentration of principle. If you were to gain concentration of mind there, then you would abandon this state of doubt.’ ‘That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill-will, undeluded, clearly comprehending, mindful, with a mind accompanied by equanimity, pervading one direction, he dwells. Likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus upwards, downwards, across, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without enmity, without ill-will, pervading, he dwells. He reflects thus: ‘This Teacher speaks thus, holds such a view: One who acts, one who causes to act, one who cuts, one who causes to cut, one who cooks, one who causes to cook, one who grieves, one who causes to grieve, one who wearies, one who causes to weary, one who trembles Causing to tremble, taking life, taking what is not given, breaking into houses, plundering, committing highway robbery, standing on the highway, going to another's wife, speaking falsely, doing these, no evil is done. Even if with a razor-edged wheel one were to make all living beings on this earth into one heap of flesh, one pile of flesh, there is no evil from that cause, there is no coming of evil. Even if one were to go to the southern bank of the Ganges killing, causing to kill, cutting, causing to cut, cooking, causing to cook, there is no evil from that cause, there is no coming of evil. Even if one were to go to the northern bank of the Ganges giving, causing to give, sacrificing, causing to sacrifice, there is no merit from that cause, there is no coming of merit. By giving, by self-control, by restraint, by truthfulness, there is no merit, there is no coming of merit.' 'If the word of that venerable teacher is true, then it is certain for me, I who do not harm anything, neither moving nor still? Both are certain here: that I am restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, and that, at the breaking up of the body, after death, I shall reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world.' Joy arises in him. To the joyful, rapture arises. To the rapturous in mind, the body becomes tranquil. One whose body is tranquil experiences happiness. To the happy, the mind becomes concentrated. This, indeed, headman, is concentration of Dhamma. If there you were to gain concentration of mind, thus you would abandon this state of doubt. That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill-will, undeluded, clearly comprehending, mindful, dwells pervading one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity; likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; thus above, below, across, everywhere, in every way, the entire world dwells pervading with a mind accompanied by equanimity, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. He reflects thus: 'This teacher, thus... Such a view: Doing and causing to do, Cutting and causing to cut, Cooking and causing to cook, Grieving and causing to grieve, Wearying and causing to weary, Trembling and causing to tremble, Taking life, Taking what is not given, Breaking into houses, Plundering, Committing highway robbery, Standing in wait for others, Going with another's wife, Speaking falsely, By doing these, evil is done. Even with a razor-edged discus, Whoever on this earth Should make living beings Into one heap of flesh, One pile of flesh, There is from that a source of evil, There is an accumulation of evil. Even if one were to go To the south bank of the Ganges, Killing and causing to kill, Cutting and causing to cut, Cooking and causing to cook, There is from that a source of evil, There is an accumulation of evil. Even if one were to go To the north bank of the Ganges, Giving and causing to give, Sacrificing and causing to sacrifice, There is from that a source of merit, There is an accumulation of merit. By giving, By self-control, By restraint, By truthfulness, There is merit, There is an accumulation of merit.' 'If the venerable Teacher's word is true, Then for me, it is certain, I who harm nothing, Neither moving nor still? Both are certain here: That I am restrained in body, Restrained in speech, Restrained in mind,