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B0102040302rathakāravaggo (chariot makers chapter)

English

he provides righteous guard, protection, and security in regard to verbal action – ‘Such verbal action… ...such verbal action should be practiced, such verbal action should not be practiced... ...in mental action – ‘Such mental action should be practiced, such mental action should not be practiced.’ That, indeed, Bhikkhu, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, righteous, a righteous king, relying solely on Dhamma, respecting Dhamma, revering Dhamma, honoring Dhamma, with Dhamma as his banner, Dhamma as his emblem, Dhamma as his sovereign, having established righteous protection, a shield, a guard in bodily action, having established righteous protection, a shield, a guard in verbal action, having established righteous protection, a shield, a guard in mental action, by Dhamma alone sets in motion the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma. That Wheel is irreversible by any ascetic or brahmin, or deity or Māra or Brahmā, or anyone in the world. The Fourth. 5. The Sacetana Sutta 15. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Bārāṇasī, at Isipatana, in the Deer Park. There, indeed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus – “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable Sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One spoke this: “Formerly, bhikkhus, there was a king named Sacetana. Then, indeed, bhikkhus, King Sacetana addressed a chariot-maker – ‘From now, good chariot-maker, after six months, there will be a battle for me. Will you be able, good chariot-maker, to make a new pair of wheels for me?’ ‘I am able, Your Majesty,’ indeed, bhikkhus, the chariot-maker replied to King Sacetana. Then, indeed, bhikkhus, the chariot-maker, in six months minus six nights, completed one wheel. Then, indeed, bhikkhus, King Sacetana addressed the chariot-maker – ‘From now, good chariot-maker, after six days, there will be a battle for me. Is the new pair of wheels completed?’ ‘Indeed, Your Majesty, in these six months minus six nights, one wheel is completed.’ ‘But will you be able for me, g... "Friend wheelwright, can you finish the second wheel in six days?" "I can, sire," so, monks, the wheelwright, having finished the second wheel in six days, took the new pair of wheels and went to King Saceta. Having approached, he said to King Saceta: "Here, sire, is your new pair of wheels, finished." "What is the difference, friend wheelwright, between this wheel you finished in six months minus six nights, and this wheel you finished in six days? I see no difference at all." "There is a difference, sire. Let the king see the difference." Then, monks, the wheelwright rolled the wheel that was finished in six days. Being rolled, it went as far as the momentum carried it, then wobbled and fell to the ground. But he rolled the wheel that was finished in six months minus six nights. Being rolled, it went as far as the momentum carried it, and stood firm as if fixed to an axle. "What, friend wheelwright, is the reason, what is the cause, that this wheel, finished in six days, being rolled, went as far as the momentum carried it, then wobbled and fell to the ground? And what, friend wheelwright, is the reason, what is the cause, that this wheel, finished in six months minus six nights, being rolled, went as far as the momentum carried it, and stood firm as if fixed to an axle?" "This wheel, sire, finished in six days, its rim is crooked, faulty, flawed; its spokes are crooked, faulty, flawed; its hub is crooked, faulty, flawed. Because its rim is crooked, faulty, flawed, because its spokes are crooked, faulty, flawed, because its hub is crooked, faulty, flawed, being rolled, as far as the momentum of the construction went, having gone that far, it spun around and fell to the ground. But that wheel, O king, which was finished in six months, lacking six nights, its rim was not crooked, not faulty, not stained; its spokes were not crooked, not faulty, not stained; its nave was not crooked, not faulty, not stained. Because its rim was not crooked, not faulty, not stained, and its spokes were not crooked, not faulty, not stained, and its nave was not crooked, not faulty, not stained, it rolled on as far as the momentum of the construction went, and having gone that far, it stood firm, as if struck by an axle.” “It might be, monks, that you would think thus: ‘Surely, someone else was that wheelwright at that time!’ But, monks, this should not be seen thus. I was that wheelwright at that time. Then, monks, I was skilled in the crookedness of wood, the faults of wood, the stains of wood. Now, monks, I am an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One, skilled in the crookedness of body, the faults of body, the stains of body; skilled in the crookedness of speech, the faults of speech, the stains of speech; skilled in the crookedness of mind, the faults of mind, the stains of mind. Whoever, monks, be it a monk or a nun, whose bodily crookedness is not abandoned, bodily fault, bodily stain; whose verbal crookedness is not abandoned, verbal fault, verbal stain; whose mental crookedness is not abandoned, mental fault, mental stain— they, monks, fall away from this Dhamma and Discipline, just like that wheel finished in six days. Whoever, monks, be it a monk or a nun, whose bodily crookedness is abandoned, bodily fault, bodily stain; whose verbal crookedness is abandoned, verbal fault, verbal stain; whose mental crookedness is abandoned, mental fault, mental stain— they, monks, are established in this Dhamma and Discipline, just like that wheel finished in six months, lacking six nights. Therefore, monks, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will abandon bodily crookedness, bodily fault, bodily stain; we will abandon verbal crookedness, verbal fault, verbal stain; we will abandon mental crookedness, mental We will abandon the blemish, mental defilement, mental stain. Thus, monks, you should train. The Fifth. 6. The Discourse on the Unequivocal 16. Monks, a bhikkhu endowed with three qualities has entered upon the unequivocal path, and his exertion is aroused for the destruction of the taints. Which three? Here, monks, a bhikkhu guards the doors of his senses, is moderate in eating, is devoted to wakefulness. And how, monks, does a bhikkhu guard the doors of his senses? Here, monks, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, does not grasp at its general appearance or its details. By reason of which, if the eye faculty were unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might invade him. For its restraint he practices, he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes restraint of the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear... having smelled a smell with the nose... having tasted a taste with the tongue... having felt a tactile sensation with the body... having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, does not grasp at its general appearance or its details. By reason of which, if the mind faculty were unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might invade him. For its restraint he practices, he guards the mind faculty, he undertakes restraint of the mind faculty. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu guards the doors of his senses. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu moderate in eating? Here, monks, a bhikkhu, reflects wisely and eats food: 'Not for sport, nor for intoxication, nor for adornment, nor for beautification. But only for the maintenance and continuance of this body, for the cessation of harm, for the support of the holy life. Thus I shall put an end to old feelings, and I shall not arouse new feelings. And there will be for me sustenance, blamelessness, and a comfortable abiding.' Thus, monks, a bhikkhu is moderate in eating. is. "And how, monks, is a monk devoted to wakefulness? Here, monks, a monk during the day, by walking and sitting, purifies his mind from obstructive states. In the first watch of the night, by walking and sitting, he purifies his mind from obstructive states. In the middle watch of the night, he lies down on his right side in the lion's posture, placing one foot on the other, mindful and clearly comprehending, having fixed in mind the perception of rising. In the last watch of the night, having arisen, by walking and sitting, he purifies his mind from obstructive states. Thus, monks, is a monk devoted to wakefulness. A monk endowed with these three qualities, monks, has entered upon the infallible path, and the way is begun for him for the destruction of the taints." The Sixth. 7. Discourse on Self-Affliction 17. "These three things, monks, lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, and to the affliction of both. Which three? Misconduct in body, misconduct in speech, misconduct in mind. These three things, monks, lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, and to the affliction of both. "These three things, monks, lead neither to self-affliction, nor to the affliction of others, nor to the affliction of both. Which three? Good conduct in body, good conduct in speech, good conduct in mind. These three things, monks, lead neither to self-affliction, nor to the affliction of others, nor to the affliction of both." The Seventh. 8. Discourse on the Deva World 18. "If, monks, wanderers of other sects were to ask you thus: 'For rebirth in the deva world, friends, is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama?' Would you not, monks, when asked thus, be distressed, ashamed, and disgusted?" "Yes, Venerable Sir." "Thus then... Oh, monks, you are disgusted, ashamed, and repelled by divine life, by divine beauty, by divine pleasure, by divine fame, by divine sovereignty, you are disgusted, ashamed, and repelled. How much more, then, monks, should you be disgusted, ashamed, and repelled by misconduct in body, by misconduct in speech, by misconduct in mind, you should be disgusted, ashamed, and repelled. The Eighth. 9. The First Merchant Discourse 19. "Monks, a merchant endowed with three factors is incapable of acquiring wealth not yet acquired,