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The Chapter on the Truths 1. The Section on Concentration 1. The Discourse on Concentration At Sāvatthī. "Develop concentration, monks. A monk who is concentrated, monks, knows things as they are. And what does he know as it is? He knows, 'This is suffering,' as it is. He knows, 'This is the origin of suffering,' as it is. He knows, 'This is the cessation of suffering,' as it is. He knows, 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering,' as it is. Develop concentration, monks. A monk who is concentrated, monks, knows things as they are." "Therefore, monks, effort should be made for 'This is suffering'. effort should be made for 'This is the origin of suffering'. effort should be made for 'This is the cessation of suffering'. effort should be made for 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'." The First. 2. The Discourse on Seclusion "Engage in seclusion, monks. A monk who is secluded, monks, knows things as they are. And what does he know as it is? He knows, 'This is suffering,' as it is. He knows, 'This is the origin of suffering,' as it is. He knows, 'This is the cessation of suffering,' as it is. He knows, 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering,' as it is. Engage in seclusion, monks. A monk who is secluded, monks, knows things as they are." "Therefore, monks, effort should be made for 'This is suffering'. effort should be made for 'This is the origin of suffering'. effort should be made for 'This is the cessation of suffering'. effort should be made for 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'." The Second. 3. The First Discourse on Sons of Good Families "Whatever sons of good families, monks, in the past, rightly went forth from the home life into homelessness, all of them did so for the direct comprehension of the Four Noble Truths as they are. Whatever sons of good families, monks, in the future, will rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness, all of them will do so for the direct comprehension of the Four Noble Truths as they are." for the direct realization of the truths as they really are. Whatever young men of good family, monks, now rightly go forth from home to homelessness, all of them do so for the direct realization of the four noble truths as they really are. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Whatever young men of good family, monks, in the past rightly went forth from home to homelessness, ... (will go forth) ... (go forth), all of them do so for the direct realization of these very four noble truths as they really are. Therefore, monks, 'This is suffering' — effort should be made, 'This is the origin of suffering' — effort should be made, 'This is the cessation of suffering' — effort should be made, 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' — effort should be made. The third. 4. The Second Discourse on Young Men of Good Family Whatever young men of good family, monks, in the past, having rightly gone forth from home to homelessness, directly realized as they really are, all of them directly realized the four noble truths as they really are. Whatever young men of good family, monks, in the future, having rightly gone forth from home to homelessness, will directly realize as they really are, all of them will directly realize the four noble truths as they really are. Whatever young men of good family, monks, at present, having rightly gone forth from home to homelessness, directly realize as they really are, all of them directly realize the four noble truths as they really are. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Whatever young men of good family, monks, in the past, having rightly gone forth from home to homelessness, directly realized as they really are, ... (will directly realize) ... (directly realize), all of them directly realize these four noble truths as they really are. Therefore, Therefore, monks, ‘This is suffering’ — an effort should be made. ‘This is the origin of suffering’ — an effort should be made. ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ — an effort should be made. ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering’ — an effort should be made. The Fourth. 5. The First Discourse on Ascetics and Brahmins 1075. Whatever, monks, in the past, ascetics or brahmins truly awakened, all of them truly awakened to the four noble truths. Whatever, monks, in the future, ascetics or brahmins will truly awaken, all of them will truly awaken to the four noble truths. Whatever, monks, at present, ascetics or brahmins truly awaken, all of them truly awaken to the four noble truths. Which are the four? The noble truth of suffering, The noble truth of the origin of suffering, The noble truth of the cessation of suffering, The noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Whatever, monks, in the past, ascetics or brahmins truly awakened, or in the future will truly awaken, or at present truly awaken, all of them truly awaken to these four noble truths. Therefore, monks, ‘This is suffering’ — an effort should be made. ‘This is the origin of suffering’ — an effort should be made. ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ — an effort should be made. ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering’ — an effort should be made. The Fifth. 6. The Second Discourse on Ascetics and Brahmins 1076. Whatever, monks, in the past, ascetics or brahmins proclaimed as truly fully awakened, all of them proclaimed the four noble truths as truly fully awakened. Whatever, monks, in the future, ascetics or brahmins will proclaim as truly fully awakened, all of them will proclaim the four noble truths as truly fully awakened. Whatever, monks, at present, ascetics or brahmins proclaim as truly fully awakened, all of them proclaim the four noble truths as truly fully awakened. Which are the four? The noble truth of suffering... Untruth... ...and so on... the path leading to the cessation of suffering is a noble truth. Whatever recluses or brahmins, monks, in the past, declared what was fully understood as it really is, or will declare, or now declare, all of them declare these four noble truths as they really are, fully understood. Therefore, monks, 'This is suffering' — effort should be made; 'This is the origin of suffering' — effort should be made; 'This is the cessation of suffering' — effort should be made; 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' — effort should be made. The Sixth. 7. Discourse on Thoughts Do not, monks, think evil, unwholesome thoughts, such as: thoughts of sensual desire, thoughts of ill-will, thoughts of harm. For what reason? These thoughts, monks, are not connected with the goal, are not fundamental to the holy life, do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna. But when you think, monks, you should think: 'This is suffering,' 'This is the origin of suffering,' 'This is the cessation of suffering,' 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.' For what reason? These thoughts, monks, are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life, lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna. Therefore, monks, 'This is suffering' — effort should be made; 'This is the origin of suffering' — effort should be made; 'This is the cessation of suffering' — effort should be made; 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' — effort should be made. The Seventh. 8. Discourse on Thinking Do not, monks, think evil, unwholesome thoughts, such as: 'The world is eternal,' or 'The world is not eternal,' or 'The world is finite,' or 'The world is infinite,' or 'The soul is the same as the body,' or 'The soul is different from the body,' or 'The Tathāgata exists after death,' or 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death,' or 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death,' or 'Neither... or the Tathāgata exists not after death. For what reason? This thought, monks, is not connected with the goal, is not fundamental to the holy life, does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna. But when you think, monks, you should think, 'This is suffering.' You should think, 'This is the origin of suffering.' You should think, 'This is the cessation of suffering.' You should think, 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.' For what reason? This thought, monks, is connected with the goal, is fundamental to the holy life, leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full enlightenment, to Nibbāna. Therefore, monks, 'This is suffering'— effort should be made... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'— effort should be made. The Eighth. 9. Discourse on Contentious Talk "Monks, do not engage in contentious talk: 'You do not understand this Dhamma and Discipline, I understand this Dhamma and Discipline. How could you understand this Dhamma and Discipline? You are wrongly practicing, I am rightly practicing. My words are coherent, yours are not. What should have been said first, you said last; what should have been said last, you said first. What you have long practiced is topsy-turvy. Your argument is defeated, go and seek release from your argument. You are refuted, disentangle yourself if you can.' For what reason? This talk, monks, is not connected with the goal, is not fundamental to the holy life, does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility,