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blames and denounces the destruction of life, and says: "Abstain from the destruction of life."' 'But I have destroyed life, however much or however little.' 'That life which I have destroyed, however much or however little, that is not good, that is not wholesome.' 'And I would be remorseful because of that.' 'This evil deed would not be undone.' He, having reflected thus, abandons that destruction of life. And in the future, he abstains from the destruction of life. Thus there is the abandoning of that evil deed. Thus there is the overcoming of that evil deed. 'The Blessed One, in many ways, blames and denounces taking what is not given, and says: "Abstain from taking what is not given."' 'But I have taken what is not given, however much or however little.' 'That which I have taken that was not given, however much or however little, that is not good, that is not... not good. And I, because of that, would regret it, that bad deed would not be undone. So, reflecting thus, he abandons that taking of what is not given. And in the future, he refrains from taking what is not given. Thus is the abandoning of that bad deed. Thus is the overcoming of that bad deed. The Blessed One, in many ways, blames and denounces sexual misconduct, and says, 'Refrain from sexual misconduct!' Indeed, I have engaged in sexual misconduct, however much or however little. Whatever sexual misconduct I have engaged in, however much or however little, that is not good, that is not wholesome. And I, because of that, would regret it, that bad deed would not be undone. So, reflecting thus, he abandons that sexual misconduct, and in the future, he refrains from sexual misconduct. Thus is the abandoning of that bad deed. Thus is the overcoming of that bad deed. The Blessed One, in many ways, blames and denounces false speech, and says, 'Refrain from false speech!' Indeed, I have spoken falsely, however much or however little. Whatever false speech I have spoken, however much or however little, that is not good, that is not wholesome. And I, because of that, would regret it, that bad deed would not be undone. So, reflecting thus, he abandons that false speech, and in the future, he refrains from false speech. Thus is the abandoning of that bad deed. Thus is the overcoming of that bad deed. So, abandoning the taking of life, he refrains from the taking of life. Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he refrains from the taking of what is not given. Abandoning sexual misconduct, he refrains from sexual misconduct. Abandoning false speech, he refrains from false speech. Abandoning divisive speech, he refrains from divisive speech. Harsh Abandoning harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech. Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. Abandoning covetousness, he is not covetous. Abandoning ill-will and malice, he is without ill-will. Abandoning wrong view, he holds right view. That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill-will, undeluded, clearly comprehending, mindful, dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world, he dwells pervading with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. Just as, headman, a strong conch-blower easily makes himself heard in the four directions; even so, headman, by the development of this liberation of mind by loving-kindness, by making it abundant, any limited action, that does not remain there, that does not stand there. That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill-will, undeluded, clearly comprehending, mindful, with a mind imbued with compassion… with a mind imbued with appreciative joy… dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world, he dwells pervading with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. Just as, headman, a strong conch-blower easily makes himself heard in the four directions; even so, headman, by the development of this liberation of mind by equanimity, by making it abundant, any limited action, that does not remain there, that does not stand there. When this was said, Asibandhakaputta, the headman, said to the Blessed One – "Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir… May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower, from this day forth as long as life lasts." took refuge." The Eighth. 9. Discourse on Families 361. At one time the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus, arrived at Nāḷandā. There the Blessed One dwelt in Nāḷandā, in Pāvārika's Mango Grove. Now at that time, Nāḷandā was suffering from a famine, a scarcity of food, with white bones, and rations by ticket. At that time, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta was residing in Nāḷandā with a large community of Nigaṇṭhas. Then Asibandhakaputta the headman, a Nigaṇṭha disciple, approached Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta; having approached and paid homage to Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, he sat down to one side. To Asibandhakaputta the headman, who was sitting to one side, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta said this: "Come, headman, refute the recluse Gotama. Thus a good reputation will arise for you: 'Asibandhakaputta the headman refuted the recluse Gotama, who is so mighty, so powerful.'" "But how, venerable sir, shall I refute the recluse Gotama, who is so mighty, so powerful?" "Come, headman, approach the recluse Gotama; having approached, say this to the recluse Gotama: 'Does not, venerable sir, the Blessed One in many ways praise compassion for families, praise protection for families, praise sympathy for families?' If, headman, the recluse Gotama, when asked thus, answers thus: 'Yes, headman, the Tathāgata in many ways praises compassion for families, praises protection for families, praises sympathy for families,' then you should say this to him: 'Then why, venerable sir, does the Blessed One wander with a large community of bhikkhus in a famine, a scarcity of food, with white bones, and rations by ticket? The Blessed One is devoted to the destruction of families, the Blessed One is devoted to the ruin of families, the Blessed One is devoted to the harm of families.'" is committed! Indeed, Gamani, when asked this two-edged question, the ascetic Gotama will not be able to spit it out, nor will he be able to swallow it.’’ ‘‘Yes, venerable sir,’’ the headman Asibandhakaputta, having assented to the Nigantha Nāṭaputta, rose from his seat, saluted the Nigantha Nāṭaputta, circumambulated him clockwise, and went to where the Blessed One was. Having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the headman Asibandhakaputta then said this to the Blessed One: ‘‘Does not, venerable sir, the Blessed One in many ways praise compassion for families, praise protection of families, praise sympathy for families?’’ ‘‘Indeed, Gamani, the Tathagata in many ways praises compassion for families, praises protection of families, praises sympathy for families.’’ ‘‘Then why, venerable sir, does the Blessed One wander with a large community of bhikkhus during a famine, when food is scarce, when bones are white, when rations are allotted by sticks? The Blessed One is committed to the destruction of families, the Blessed One is committed to the ruin of families, the Blessed One is committed to the downfall of families.’’ ‘‘Gamani, for ninety-one aeons that I recall, I do not know of any family that has ever been ruined merely by giving cooked alms-food. But those families that are rich, with great wealth, with great possessions, with abundant gold and silver, with abundant goods and implements, with abundant grain and produce— all of them are born of giving, born of truth, and born of virtuous conduct. Indeed, Gamani, there are eight reasons, eight causes for the ruin of families. Families go to ruin because of kings, or families go to ruin because of thieves, or families go to ruin because of fire, or families go to ruin because of water, or hidden treasure disappears from its place, or poorly managed enterprises fail. or a family incendiary is born in the family, who scatters, destroys, and devastates those possessions. The eighth is impermanence. These, headman, are the eight reasons, the eight causes for the ruin of families. If, headman, these eight reasons, these eight causes are present, and someone were to say to me: ‘The Blessed One is devoted to the destruction of families, the Blessed One is devoted to the ruin of families, the Blessed One is devoted to the devastation of families,’ that person, headman, without abandoning that speech, without abandoning that thought, without relinquishing that view, is cast into hell just as if brought there.” When this was said, Asibandhakaputta the headman said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir… May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has taken refuge for life from today onwards.” The Ninth. 10. The Maṇicūḷaka Sutta 362. At one time the Blessed One was staying in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels’ Feeding Place. Now at that time, among the royal retinue, in the royal assembly, as they sat together, as they gathered together, this conversation arose: “Is gold and silver permissible for the Sakyan recluses? Do the Sakyan recluses accept gold and silver? Do the Sakyan recluses receive gold and silver?” Now at that time, Maṇicūḷaka the headman was seated in that assembly. Then Maṇicūḷaka the headman said to that assembly: “Sirs, do not speak thus. Gold and silver are not permissible for the Sakyan recluses. The Sakyan recluses do not accept gold and silver. The Sakyan recluses do not receive gold and silver.