English
Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. The Numerical Discourses The Book of the Fours 1. The First Fifty 1. The Chapter on Bhaṇḍagāma 1. The Discourse on Being Understood 1. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Vajjians at Bhaṇḍagāma. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “It is, bhikkhus, through not understanding, not penetrating four things that I have run on and wandered for such a long, long time, and so have you. Which four? It is, bhikkhus, through not understanding, not penetrating noble virtue that I have run on and wandered for such a long, long time, and so have you. It is, bhikkhus, through not understanding, not penetrating noble concentration that I have run on and wandered for such a long, long time, and so have you. It is, bhikkhus, through not understanding, not penetrating noble wisdom that I have run on and wandered for such a long, long time, and so have you. It is, bhikkhus, through not understanding, not penetrating noble liberation that I have run on and wandered for such a long, long time, and so have you. But now, bhikkhus, noble virtue has been understood, has been penetrated; noble concentration has been understood, has been penetrated; noble wisdom has been understood, has been penetrated; noble liberation has been understood, has been penetrated. The craving for existence has been cut off; the guide to existence has been destroyed; there is no more renewed existence.” This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: “Virtue, concentration, and wisdom, And liberation unsurpassed— These things were understood By Gotama, the glorious one. Thus the Buddha, having known, Taught the Dhamma to the bhikkhus; The Teacher, ender of suffering, The Seer, is fully unbound.” The first. 2. The Discourse on Falling Away 2. “Possessed of four things, bhikkhus, one is said to have ‘fallen away from this Dhamma and Discipline.’ Which four? Monks, one not endowed with noble virtue is said to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one not endowed with noble concentration is said to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one not endowed with noble wisdom is said to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one not endowed with noble liberation is said to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one not endowed with these four qualities is said to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one endowed with four qualities is said not to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Which four? Monks, one endowed with noble virtue is said not to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one endowed with noble concentration is said not to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one endowed with noble wisdom is said not to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one endowed with noble liberation is said not to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Monks, one endowed with these four qualities is said not to have fallen from this Dhamma and Discipline. Having fallen, they fall, those fallen; and greedy, they return again. The task is done, delightful, charming, happiness followed by happiness. Monks, endowed with four qualities, a foolish, unskilled, ignoble person carries himself as one ruined and harmed, is blameworthy and censurable by the wise, and generates much demerit. Which four? Without investigating or examining, he speaks praise of one who deserves dispraise. Without investigating or examining, he speaks dispraise of one who deserves praise. Without investigating or examining, he inspires confidence in a situation where there should be no confidence. Without investigating or examining, he inspires no confidence in a situation where there should be confidence. Monks, with these four... Endowed with these qualities, the fool, the undeveloped, the ignoble person, carries himself as damaged, as harmed; he is blameworthy and censurable by the wise, and he produces much demerit. “Monks, endowed with four qualities, the wise, the developed, the noble person, carries himself as undamaged, as un-harmed; he is blameless and uncensurable by the wise, and he produces much merit. Which four? Having investigated and examined, he speaks dispraise of one deserving dispraise; having investigated and examined, he speaks praise of one deserving praise; having investigated and examined, he shows disapproval in a situation deserving disapproval; having investigated and examined, he shows approval in a situation deserving approval – Monks, endowed with these four qualities, the wise, the developed, the noble person, carries himself as undamaged, as un-harmed; he is blameless and uncensurable by the wise, and he produces much merit.” “Whoever praises what is blameworthy, Or blames what is praiseworthy; He gathers misfortune with his mouth, With that misfortune, he finds no happiness. “Small is this misfortune, Which is the loss of wealth in dice; Even with all one’s possessions and oneself, This is a much greater misfortune: Whoever corrupts his mind towards the well-gone ones. “A hundred thousand nirabbudas, Thirty-six and five abbudas; To such a hell goes one who slanders the noble ones, Having set his speech and mind on evil.” 4. The Second Discourse on the Damaged 4. “Monks, acting wrongly in four ways, the fool, the undeveloped, the ignoble person, carries himself as damaged, as harmed; he is blameworthy and censurable by the wise, and he produces much demerit. In which four? Monks, acting wrongly towards his mother, the fool, the undeveloped, the ignoble person, carries himself as damaged, as harmed; he is blameworthy and is blameworthy, and censurable by the wise, and generates much demerit. Monks, one who behaves wrongly towards his father… Monks, one who behaves wrongly towards the Tathagata… Monks, one who behaves wrongly towards the disciples of the Tathagata, is a fool, unskilled, a bad person, who brings harm and ruin upon himself, and is blameworthy, and censurable by the wise, and generates much demerit. Monks, one who behaves wrongly towards these four is a fool, unskilled, a bad person, who brings harm and ruin upon himself, and is blameworthy, and censurable by the wise, and generates much demerit. Monks, one who behaves rightly towards these four is a wise person, skilled, a good person, who brings no harm and no ruin upon himself, and is blameless, and uncensurable by the wise, and generates much merit. Towards which four? Monks, one who behaves rightly towards his mother is a wise person, skilled, a good person, who brings no harm and no ruin upon himself, and is blameless, and uncensurable by the wise, and generates much merit. Monks, one who behaves rightly towards his father… Monks, one who behaves rightly towards the Tathagata… Monks, one who behaves rightly towards the disciples of the Tathagata is a wise person, skilled, a good person, who brings no harm and no ruin upon himself, and is blameless, and uncensurable by the wise, and generates much merit. Monks, one who behaves rightly towards these four is a wise person, skilled, a good person, who brings no harm and no ruin upon himself, and is blameless, and uncensurable by the wise, and generates much merit. Whoever behaves wrongly towards mother and father, or towards the Fully Awakened Tathagata, or towards his disciples; Such a person generates much demerit. Because of that unrighteous conduct towards mother and father, the wise blame him right here, and after death he goes to a state of woe. Towards mother And he, too, who practices rightly; Towards the Tathāgatas, the Fully Enlightened, or towards their disciples; Much merit such a person generates. "By that righteous conduct towards parents, the wise; Praise him right here, and after death, he rejoices in heaven." The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on Following the Stream "Monks, these four types of individuals exist, are found in the world. Which four? The one who goes with the stream, the one who goes against the stream, the one with a steady self, the brahmin who has crossed over, reached the far shore, and stands on dry land. And what, monks, is the individual who goes with the stream? Here, monks, a certain individual indulges in sensual pleasures and performs evil deeds. This, monks, is called the individual who goes with the stream. "And what, monks, is the individual who goes against the stream? Here, monks, a certain individual does not indulge in sensual pleasures, and does not perform evil deeds, even with suffering, even with sorrow, with a tearful face, weeping, he practices the complete and pure holy life. This, monks, is called the individual who goes against the stream. "And what, monks, is the individual with a steady self? Here, monks, a certain individual, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, arises spontaneously, attains final Nibbāna there, not liable to return from that world. This, monks, is called the individual with a steady self. "And what, monks, is the individual, the brahmin, who has crossed over, reached the far shore, and stands on dry land? Here, monks, a certain individual, with the destruction of the taints, by his own direct knowledge, in this very life, realizes and abides in the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom. This, monks, is called the individual, the brahmin, who has crossed over, reached the far shore, and stands on dry land. These, monks, are the four types of individuals who exist, are found in the world." "Whoever are unrestrained in sensual pleasures People, Those without passion here, enjoying sensual pleasures, Again and again they go to birth and old age, Overwhelmed by craving, they follow the stream.