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Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. The Connected Discourses The Great Chapter 1. The Connected Discourses on the Path 1. The Chapter on Ignorance 1. The Discourse on Ignorance Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Ignorance, bhikkhus, is the forerunner in the arising of unwholesome states, followed by shamelessness and fearlessness of wrongdoing. For one immersed in ignorance, bhikkhus, one who does not see, wrong view arises; for one with wrong view, wrong intention arises; for one with wrong intention, wrong speech arises; for one with wrong speech, wrong action arises; for one with wrong action, wrong livelihood arises; for one with wrong livelihood, wrong effort arises; for one with wrong effort, wrong mindfulness arises; for one with wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration arises. “But knowledge, bhikkhus, is the forerunner in the arising of wholesome states, followed by shame and fear of wrongdoing. For one immersed in knowledge, bhikkhus, one who sees, right view arises; for one with right view, right intention arises; for one with right intention, right speech arises; for one with right speech, right action arises; for one with right action, right livelihood arises; for one with right livelihood, right effort arises; for one with right effort, right mindfulness arises; for one with right mindfulness, right concentration arises.” The First. 2. The Discourse on Half Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans, at a Sakyan town named Nagarakā. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “This, venerable sir, is half of the holy life, that is, good friendship, good companionship, good not being associated with." "Do not say so, Ananda, do not say so, Ananda! This whole holy life, Ananda, is good friendship, good companionship, good association. For a monk, Ananda, who has good friends, good companions, good associates, this is to be expected: he will develop the Noble Eightfold Path, he will cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path. "And how, Ananda, does a monk with good friends, good companions, good associates, develop the Noble Eightfold Path, cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path? Here, Ananda, a monk develops right view, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment; he develops right intention, based on seclusion... (and so on)... he develops right speech... (and so on)... he develops right action... (and so on)... he develops right livelihood... (and so on)... he develops right effort... (and so on)... he develops right mindfulness... (and so on)... he develops right concentration, based on seclusion, based on dispassion, based on cessation, culminating in relinquishment. Thus, Ananda, does a monk with good friends, good companions, good associates, develop the Noble Eightfold Path, cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path. "By this method too, Ananda, it should be understood how this whole holy life is good friendship, good companionship, good association. For, Ananda, by relying on me as a good friend, beings subject to birth are freed from birth; beings subject to aging are freed from aging; beings subject to death are freed from death; beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. By this method, Ananda, it should be understood how this whole holy life is good friendship, good companionship, good association." Second. 3. The Sāriputta Sutta. 3. At Sāvatthī. Then the venerable Sāriputta Where the Blessed One was, he approached; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, indeed, Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Blessed One: "This entire holy life, sir, is this: good friendship, good companionship, good association." "Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta! This entire holy life, Sāriputta, is this: good friendship, good companionship, good association. It is to be expected, Sāriputta, of a monk with good friends, good companions, good associates – that he will develop the Noble Eightfold Path, that he will cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path. And how, Sāriputta, does a monk with good friends, good companions, good associates develop the Noble Eightfold Path, cultivate the Noble Eightfold Path? "Here, Sāriputta, a monk develops right view supported by seclusion, supported by dispassion, supported by cessation, culminating in relinquishment… he develops right concentration supported by seclusion, supported by dispassion, supported by cessation, culminating in relinquishment. Thus, Sāriputta, a monk with good friends, good companions, good associates develops the Noble Eightfold Path, cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path. "And by this method, Sāriputta, it should be understood how this entire holy life is this: good friendship, good companionship, good association. For, Sāriputta, by relying on me as a good friend, beings subject to birth are freed from birth; beings subject to aging are freed from aging; beings subject to death are freed from death; beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. By this method, indeed, Sāriputta, it should be understood how this entire holy life is this: good friendship, good companionship, good association." Third. 4. The Discourse to the Brahmana Janussuni 4. Thus have I heard. At Savatthi. Then, in the forenoon, the Venerable Ananda dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Savatthi for alms. The Venerable Ananda saw the brahmin Janussuni departing from Savatthi in an all-white chariot drawn by mares. White indeed were the horses yoked, white the adornments, white the chariot, white the retinue, white the reins, white the goad-stick, white the parasol, white the turban, white the clothes, white the sandals, and he was fanned by a white yak-tail whisk. Seeing him, people said: "Indeed, sirs, a divine vehicle! Indeed, sirs, the appearance of a divine vehicle!" Then, after wandering for alms in Savatthi and returning from his alms-round after his meal, the Venerable Ananda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: "Here, Bhante, in the forenoon, I dressed, and taking my bowl and robe, entered Savatthi for alms. I saw, Bhante, the brahmin Janussuni departing from Savatthi in an all-white chariot drawn by mares. White indeed were the horses yoked, white the adornments, white the chariot, white the retinue, white the reins, white the goad-stick, white the parasol, white the turban, white the clothes, white the sandals, and he was fanned by a white yak-tail whisk. Seeing him, people said: 'Indeed, sirs, a divine vehicle! Indeed, sirs, the appearance of a divine vehicle!' Is it possible, Bhante, to designate a 'divine vehicle' in this Dhamma and Discipline?" "It is possible, Ananda," said the Blessed One. "This, Ananda, is indeed a designation for this Noble Eightfold Path: 'divine vehicle' it is called, 'Dhamma vehicle' it is called, 'unexcelled victory in battle' it is called." "Right view, Ananda, developed and cultivated, has as its culmination the removal of lust, ends in the removal of hatred, ends in the removal of delusion. Right intention, Ananda, developed and cultivated, ends in the removal of greed, ends in the removal of hatred, ends in the removal of delusion. Right speech, Ananda, developed and cultivated, ends in the removal of greed, ends in the removal of hatred, ends in the removal of delusion. Right action, Ananda, developed and cultivated, ends in the removal of greed, ends in the removal of hatred, ends in the removal of delusion. Right livelihood, Ananda, developed and cultivated, ends in the removal of greed, ends in the removal of hatred, ends in the removal of delusion. Right effort, Ananda, developed and cultivated, ends in the removal of greed, ends in the removal of hatred, ends in the removal of delusion. Right mindfulness, Ananda, developed and cultivated, ends in the removal of greed, ends in the removal of hatred, ends in the removal of delusion. Right concentration, Ananda, developed and cultivated, ends in the removal of greed, ends in the removal of hatred, ends in the removal of delusion. By this method, Ananda, it should be understood that this very Noble Eightfold Path is also called 'the divine vehicle,' also 'the vehicle of Dhamma,' also 'the unsurpassed victory in battle.'" The Blessed One said this. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: Whose faith and wisdom, virtues are always yoked to the pole; Conscience is the shaft, mind the reins, mindfulness the watchful charioteer. The chariot is equipped with virtue, meditation is the axle, energy the wheels; Equanimity is the pole-steadiness, non-desire the covering. Non-ill-will, non-harming, seclusion are its weapons; Forbearance is the armor, it leads to security from bondage. This unsurpassed divine vehicle, arisen within oneself; The wise depart from the world, certainly achieving victory after victory. Fourth. 5. The Discourse on What is the Purpose 5. Occasion at Savatthi. Then many bhikkhus approached the Blessed One... ...they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those... The monks said to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, other sect ascetics ask us thus: 'For what purpose, friends, is the holy life lived under the recluse Gotama?' Being asked thus, venerable sir,