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with mind seized, he intends for his own harm, he intends for the harm of others, he intends for the harm of both, he experiences mental suffering and dejection. When delusion is abandoned, he does not intend for his own harm, he does not intend for the harm of others, he does not intend for the harm of both, he does not experience mental suffering and dejection. Thus, indeed, brahmin, is Nibbāna visible here and now. When, indeed, brahmin, this one experiences the complete destruction of lust, experiences the complete destruction of hatred, experiences the complete destruction of delusion; thus, indeed, brahmin, is Nibbāna visible here and now, timeless, inviting one to come and see, leading inwards, to be experienced individually by the wise. "Excellent, good Gotama... May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has taken refuge from this day forth, for as long as life lasts." The Fifth. 6. The Discourse on Decay 57. Then, indeed, a certain wealthy brahmin approached the Blessed One... Seated to one side, that wealthy brahmin said this to the Blessed One: "I have heard, good Gotama, from brahmins of old, aged and venerable, teachers and grand-teachers, speaking thus: 'Formerly, indeed, this world was, as it were, completely covered with people, like a chicken's... villages, towns, and capitals are ruined. What, indeed, good Gotama, is the cause, what the reason whereby at present humans are diminished, their scarcity is evident, villages become non-villages, towns become non-towns, cities become non-cities, countries become non-countries? "At present, brahmin, humans are inflamed by unrighteous passion, overcome by unwholesome greed, possessed by wrong principles. They, inflamed by unrighteous passion, overcome by unwholesome greed, possessed by wrong principles, taking sharp weapons, deprive each other of life, thereby many humans die. This too, brahmin, is a cause, this a reason whereby at present humans are diminished, their scarcity is evident, villages become non-villages, towns become non-towns, cities become non-cities, countries become non-countries. "Furthermore, brahmin, at present humans are inflamed by unrighteous passion, overcome by unwholesome greed, possessed by wrong principles. For them, inflamed by unrighteous passion, overcome by unwholesome greed, possessed by wrong principles, the sky does not send down proper rain. Thereby there is famine, bad harvest, white bone (famine), stalk-strewn (famine). Thereby many humans die. This too, brahmin, is a cause, this a reason whereby at present humans are diminished, their scarcity is evident, villages become non-villages, towns become non-towns, cities become non-cities, countries become non-countries. "Furthermore, brahmin, at present humans are inflamed by unrighteous passion, overcome by unwholesome greed, possessed by wrong principles. For them, inflamed by unrighteous passion, overcome by unwholesome greed, possessed by wrong principles, yakkhas let loose fierce non-humans (demons), thereby many humans die. This too, brahmin, is a cause, this a reason whereby at present humans are diminished, their scarcity is evident, villages become non-villages, towns become non-towns, cities become non-cities, countries become non- are the words.” “Excellent, Master Gotama… From today onwards, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.” The Sixth. 7. The Vacchagotta Sutta 58. Then the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: “I have heard, Master Gotama, that the recluse Gotama says this: ‘To me alone should a gift be given, not to others should a gift be given; to my disciples alone should a gift be given, not to the disciples of others should a gift be given; a gift given to me is greatly fruitful, a gift given to others is not greatly fruitful; a gift given to my disciples is greatly fruitful, a gift given to the disciples of others is not greatly fruitful.’ Those who say this, Master Gotama: ‘The recluse Gotama says this: To me alone should a gift be given, not to others should a gift be given. To my disciples alone should a gift be given, not to the disciples of others should a gift be given. A gift given to me is greatly fruitful, a gift given to others is not greatly fruitful. A gift given to my disciples is greatly fruitful, a gift given to the disciples of others is not greatly fruitful.’ Are they speaking in accordance with what Master Gotama has said, and not misrepresenting Master Gotama with what is untrue? Are they explaining the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma? And is there no blameworthy point in their statement that is open to criticism by a fellow Dhamma-farer? For we do not wish to misrepresent Master Gotama.” “Those who say this, Vaccha: ‘The recluse Gotama says this: To me alone should a gift be given… …a gift given to the disciples of others is not greatly fruitful’— they are not speaking in accordance with what I have said. They misrepresent me with what is untrue and false. Whoever, Vaccha, prevents another from giving a gift, he creates an obstacle for three things, three p an obstructer. Of which three? He becomes an obstructer of merit for the giver, an obstructer of gain for the recipients, and beforehand, his own self is wounded and harmed. Indeed, Vaccha, whoever prevents another from giving a gift, he becomes an obstructer of these three, an obstructer of three. But I, Vaccha, say this: Even for those creatures in a cesspool or a ditch, whoever throws away pot-washing or bowl-washing there, thinking, 'May the creatures there sustain themselves by this,' even from that, Vaccha, I declare the coming of merit. What then of human beings! Moreover, Vaccha, I declare that a gift given to one of virtue is of great fruit, not so to one of vice, and that one is rid of five qualities and endowed with five qualities. Which are the five qualities abandoned? Sensual desire is abandoned, ill-will is abandoned, sloth and torpor are abandoned, restlessness and remorse are abandoned, doubt is abandoned. These five qualities are abandoned. With which five qualities is he endowed? He is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned virtue, he is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned concentration, he is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned wisdom, he is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned liberation, he is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned knowledge and vision of liberation; with these five qualities is he endowed. Thus, I declare that a gift given to one rid of five qualities and endowed with five qualities is of great fruit. Thus, among black cows, white cows, red cows, or green cows, among dappled cows, or beautiful cows, among dove-colored cows. In whichever of these a tamed bull is born, a burden-bearer, endowed with strength, of good swift gait; him they yoke to the burden, they do not consider his color. Even so among humans, in whatever birth, among Khattiyas, Brahmins, Vessas, Suddas, outcasts, or scavengers. In whichever of these a tamed in the future, well-behaved; Righteous, endowed with virtue, truthful, modest. "One who has abandoned birth and death, perfect in the holy life; With burden laid down, unbound, his task done, without defilements. "One who has gone to the far shore of all phenomena, extinguished without clinging; In that very stainless field, the offering is abundant. "Fools, not knowing, ignorant, unlearned; Give gifts outside, for they do not attend to the good. "But those who attend to the good, the wise, esteemed as steadfast; Their faith in the Sugata, is rooted and established. "They go to the world of devas, or are born here in a good family; Gradually, the wise ones attain Nibbāna." 8. The Tikaṇṇa Sutta Then the brahmin Tikaṇṇa approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One... and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the brahmin Tikaṇṇa, in the presence of the Blessed One, spoke in praise of the brahmins who possess the three knowledges, saying: "Thus are the brahmins who possess the three knowledges, and thus are the brahmins who possess the three knowledges." "How, brahmin, do brahmins describe a brahmin as possessing the three knowledges?" "Here, Venerable Gotama, a brahmin is well-born on both sides, from his mother and from his father, with pure lineage back through seven generations of ancestors, unblemished, irreproachable in respect of birth; a reciter, a mantra-holder, one who has mastered the three Vedas with their vocabularies and rituals, their phonology and etymology, and as the fifth, their histories; a grammarian, skilled in the doctrines of the world and the marks of a great man. This is how, Venerable Gotama, brahmins describe one as possessing the three knowledges." "Brahmins, brahmin, describe a brahmin as possessing the three knowledges in one way, but in the discipline of the noble ones, one is said to possess the three knowledges in another way." "How then, Venerable Gotama, does one possess the three knowledges in the discipline of the noble ones? May Venerable Gotama teach me the Dhamma in such a way that one possesses the three knowledges in the discipline of the noble ones." "Then, brahmin, listen, pay careful attention; I will speak." thus. “Yes, good sir,” the brahmin Tikaṇṇa replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Here, brahmin, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, born of seclusion, with rapture and pleasure. With the subsiding of applied thought and sustained thought, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna,