English
Then many devas of the Tāvatiṃsa realm approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna. came; approached Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, paid homage to him, and stood to one side. Standing to one side, those deities Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this: “It is good, friends, to possess unwavering faith in the Buddha – ‘Indeed, that Blessed One is… teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.’ Because of possessing unwavering faith in the Buddha, friends, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. It is good, friends, in the Dhamma… in the Saṅgha… It is good, friends, to possess the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken… conducive to concentration. Because of possessing the virtues dear to the noble ones, friends, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.” “It is good, dear Moggallāna, to possess unwavering faith in the Buddha – ‘Indeed, that Blessed One is… teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.’ Because of possessing unwavering faith in the Buddha, dear Moggallāna, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. It is good, dear Moggallāna, in the Dhamma… in the Saṅgha… to possess the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken… conducive to concentration. Because of possessing the virtues dear to the noble ones, dear Moggallāna, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.” The Eighth. 9. The Second Discourse on the Journey to the Devas 1015. Occasion at Sāvatthī. Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna – just as a strong man might extend his bent arm, or bend his extended arm – even so, he vanished from Jetavana and appeared among the Tāvatiṃsa devas. Then many deities of the Tāvatiṃsa realm approached Venerable Mahāmoggallāna; having approached Venerable Having saluted Mahāmoggallāna, they stood to one side. Standing to one side, those deities spoke to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thus: “It is good, friends, to be endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha – thus is that Blessed One... teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. Because of being endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha, friends, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. It is good, friends, in the Dhamma... in the Saṅgha... to be endowed with virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken... conducive to concentration. Because of being endowed with virtues dear to the noble ones, friends, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.” “It is good, venerable Moggallāna, to be endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha – thus is that Blessed One... teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. Because of being endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha, venerable Moggallāna, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. It is good, venerable Moggallāna, in the Dhamma... in the Saṅgha... to be endowed with virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken... conducive to concentration. Because of being endowed with virtues dear to the noble ones, venerable Moggallāna, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.” The Ninth. 10. The Third Discourse on Journeying to the Devas Then the Blessed One – just as a strong man might extend a flexed arm or flex an extended arm – vanished from Jetavana and appeared among the Tāvatiṃsa devas. Then many deities of the Tāvatiṃsa realm approached the Blessed One; having approached and saluted the Blessed One, they stood to one side. Standing to one side, the Blessed One spoke to those deities thus: “It is good, friends, to be There is being endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha: 'Thus is that Blessed One, ...teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.' Because of being endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha, friend, some beings here are stream-enterers, no longer subject to falling, certain of enlightenment. Good it is, friend, to be endowed with the Dhamma, ...with the Saṅgha, ...with the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken, ...conducive to concentration. Because of being endowed with these virtues dear to the noble ones, friend, some beings here are stream-enterers, no longer subject to falling, certain of enlightenment. Good it is, sir, to be endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha: 'Thus is that Blessed One, ...teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.' Because of being endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha, sir, this populace is stream-entered, no longer subject to falling, certain of enlightenment. Good it is, sir, to be endowed with the Dhamma, ...with the Saṅgha, ...with the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken, ...conducive to concentration. Because of being endowed with these virtues dear to the noble ones, sir, this populace is stream-entered, no longer subject to falling, certain of enlightenment. The Tenth. The Second Chapter on the Royal Park. Its summary: A thousand brahmins, Ananda, two others on bad destinations; Two on friends and ministers are spoken of, and three on divine messengers. 3. The Chapter on Refuges. 1. The First Mahānāma Sutta. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans in Kapilavatthu, at the Nigrodha Park. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, this Kapilavatthu is prosperous and flourishing, populous with many people, crowded and congested. I, venerable sir, having attended upon the Blessed One or upon bhikkhus dear to the mind, enter Kapilavatthu in the evening." Indeed, venerable sir, I meet with a mad elephant; Indeed, venerable sir, I meet with a mad horse; Indeed, venerable sir, I meet with a mad chariot; Indeed, venerable sir, I meet with a mad cart; Indeed, venerable sir, I meet with a mad man. At such a time, venerable sir, my mindfulness concerning the Blessed One becomes confused; my mindfulness concerning the Dhamma becomes confused; my mindfulness concerning the Saṅgha becomes confused. Then, venerable sir, it occurs to me: ‘If I were to die at this time, what would be my destination? What would be my future state?’ “Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear, Mahānāma! Your death will not be evil, your passing away will not be evil. For anyone, Mahānāma, whose mind has long been cultivated by faith, whose mind has long been cultivated by virtue, whose mind has long been cultivated by learning, whose mind has long been cultivated by generosity, whose mind has long been cultivated by wisdom— this body of his, which is material, composed of the four great elements, born of mother and father, nourished by rice and gruel, subject to impermanence, to rubbing, to massaging, to breaking up, to disintegration— that body here is eaten by crows, or eaten by vultures, or eaten by hawks, or eaten by dogs, or eaten by jackals, or eaten by various kinds of creatures. But his mind, which has long been cultivated by faith… …cultivated by wisdom, that ascends, that goes to distinction. “Just as, Mahānāma, a man might break a pot of ghee or a pot of oil, having plunged it into a deep pool of water. Whatever gravel or potsherds are there would sink downwards, but whatever ghee or oil is there would ascend upwards, would go to distinction. Even so, Mahānāma, for anyone whose mind has long been cultivated by faith… …whose mind has long been cultivated by wisdom— this body of his, which is material, composed of the four great elements… It is made of the four great elements, born of mother and father, nourished by rice and gruel, subject to impermanence, to rubbing, to mashing, to breaking, to destruction. Here, crows eat it, or vultures eat it, or kites eat it, or dogs eat it, or jackals eat it, or various kinds of creatures eat it. But as for his mind, which for a long time has been imbued with faith… …imbued with wisdom, that goes upwards, that goes to distinction. And your mind, Mahānāma, has for a long time been imbued with faith… …imbued with wisdom. Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear, Mahānāma! Your death will not be evil, your passing away will not be evil.” The First. 2. The Second Mahānāma Sutta 1018. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Park. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said to the Blessed One: “This Kapilavatthu, Bhante, is prosperous and flourishing, populous, crowded with people, a congested place. When I, Bhante, after attending upon the Blessed One or upon mind-developing bhikkhus, enter Kapilavatthu in the evening, I encounter an elephant, Bhante, I encounter a horse, Bhante, I encounter a chariot, Bhante, I encounter a cart, Bhante, I encounter a man, Bhante. At that time, Bhante, my mindfulness concerning the Blessed One is forgotten, my mindfulness concerning the Dhamma is forgotten, my mindfulness concerning the Saṅgha is forgotten. Then, Bhante, it occurs to me: ‘If I were to die at this time, what would be my destination, what would be my future state?’” “Do not fear, Mahānāma, do not fear, Mahānāma! Your death will not be evil, your passing away will not be evil. A noble disciple, Mahānāma, endowed with four qualities…” Who is inclined towards Nibbāna, tending towards Nibbāna, gravitating towards Nibbāna? By which four? Here, Mahānāma,