English
Just as, monks, a rice awn or a barley awn, wrongly placed, when stepped on by hand or by foot, will not pierce the hand or foot, nor draw blood. Why is that? Because, monks, the awn was wrongly placed. Even so, monks, it is not possible that a monk with a wrongly placed mind will pierce ignorance, will give rise to knowledge, will realize Nibbāna. Why is that? Because, monks, the mind was wrongly placed. Just as, monks, a rice awn or a barley awn, rightly placed, when stepped on by hand or by foot, will pierce the hand or foot, and draw blood. Why is that? Because, monks, the awn was rightly placed. Even so, monks, it is possible that a monk with a rightly placed mind will pierce ignorance, will give rise to knowledge, will realize Nibbāna. Why is that? Because, monks, the mind was rightly placed. Here, monks, I discern with my mind the mind of a certain person whose mind is corrupted, thus: ‘If this person were to die at this time, he would be deposited in hell just as if brought there.’ Why is that? Because, monks, his mind is corrupted. For it is because of mental corruption, monks, that some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, reappear in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell. Here, monks, I discern with my mind the mind of a certain person whose mind is serene, thus: ‘If this person were to die at this time, he would be deposited in heaven just as if brought there.’ Why is that? Because, monks, his mind is serene. Monks, serene. "Because of the serenity of mind, monks, some beings here, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world." The Fourth. 45. "Just as, monks, a water pool, turbid, stirred up, muddy, a man with good sight standing on the bank would not see a mussel or a conch, or gravel and pebbles, or a school of fish, moving or standing still. For what reason? Because of the turbidity, monks, of the water. In the same way, monks, that monk, with a turbid mind, will he know his own good, or the good of others, or the good of both, or realize a distinction of knowledge and vision, a noble state beyond human, that is not possible. For what reason? Because of the turbidity, monks, of the mind." The Fifth. 46. "Just as, monks, a water pool, clear, serene, untroubled, a man with good sight standing on the bank would see a mussel or a conch, or gravel and pebbles, or a school of fish, moving or standing still. For what reason? Because of the untroubled nature, monks, of the water. In the same way, monks, that monk, with an untroubled mind, will he know his own good, or the good of others, or the good of both, or realize a distinction of knowledge and vision, a noble state beyond human, that is possible. For what reason? Because of the untroubled nature, monks, of the mind." The Sixth. 47. "Just as, monks, whatever kinds of trees there are, their shoots are declared to be the best, namely for their softness and workability. In the same way, monks, I do not perceive any other single quality which, thus developed and cultivated, is soft and workable, as is the mind. The mind, monks, developed and cultivated, is soft and workable." The Seventh. 48. "I, monks, any other single quality sam I do not discern anything else so quickly changing as this mind. So much so, monks, it is not easy to find a simile for how quickly changing the mind is. Eighth. 49. This mind, monks, is luminous. And yet it is defiled by incoming defilements. Ninth. 50. This mind, monks, is luminous. And yet it is freed from incoming defilements. Tenth. The Fifth Chapter on the Directed Mind.