English
(8) 3. The Chapter on the Unfailing 1. Discourse on Effort 71. ‘‘By four qualities, monks, a bhikkhu endowed with them enters upon the unfailing path, and his effort is aroused for the destruction of the taints. Which four? Here, monks, a bhikkhu is virtuous, is learned, is energetic, is wise. By these four qualities, monks, a bhikkhu endowed with them enters upon the unfailing path, and his effort is aroused for the destruction of the taints.’’ First. 2. Discourse on Right View 72. ‘‘By four qualities, monks, a bhikkhu endowed with them enters upon the unfailing path, and his effort is aroused for the destruction of the taints. Which four? By thoughts of renunciation, by thoughts of non-ill-will, by thoughts of non-harming, and by right view – by these four qualities, monks, a bhikkhu endowed with them enters upon the unfailing path, and his effort is aroused for the destruction of the taints.’’ Second. 3. Discourse on the Noble Person 73. ‘‘By four qualities, monks, an ignoble person is to be known. Which four? Here, monks, an ignoble person, if there is a fault of another, reveals it even unasked, how much more so when asked! When asked, being pressed by a question, without omitting, without holding back, fully and extensively, he speaks of another's fault. This, monks, is to be known: ‘This is an ignoble person.’ ‘‘Furthermore, monks, an ignoble person, if there is a good quality of another, does not reveal it even when asked, how much more so when unasked! When asked, being pressed by a question, omitting, holding back, incompletely and not extensively, he speaks of another's good quality. This, monks, is to be known: ‘This is an ignoble person.’ ‘‘Furthermore, monks, an ignoble person, if there is a fault of his own, does not reveal it even when asked, how much more so when unasked! When asked, being pressed by a question, omitting, holding back… having delayed, having held back, incompletely, without elaboration, he speaks of his own dispraise. This, monks, should be known: 'This is an ignoble person.' Furthermore, monks, an ignoble person, as to his own praise, he reveals it even unasked. What need to speak of when asked! When asked, being pressed by the question, without delaying, without holding back, completely, with elaboration, he speaks of his own praise. This, monks, should be known: 'This is an ignoble person.' Indeed, monks, an ignoble person is to be known by these four qualities. Monks, a noble person is to be known by four qualities. Which four? Here, monks, a noble person, as to another's dispraise, he does not reveal it even when asked. What need to speak of when unasked! When asked, being pressed by the question, having delayed, having held back, incompletely, without elaboration, he speaks of another's dispraise. This, monks, should be known: 'This is a noble person.' Furthermore, monks, a noble person, as to another's praise, he reveals it even unasked. What need to speak of when asked! When asked, being pressed by the question, without delaying, without holding back, completely, with elaboration, he speaks of another's praise. This, monks, should be known: 'This is a noble person.' Furthermore, monks, a noble person, as to his own dispraise, he reveals it even unasked. What need to speak of when asked! When asked, being pressed by the question, without delaying, without holding back, completely, with elaboration, he speaks of his own dispraise. This, monks, should be known: 'This is a noble person.' Furthermore, monks, a noble person, as to his own praise, he does not reveal it even when asked. What need to speak of when unasked! When asked, being pressed by the question, having delayed, having held back, incompletely, without elaboration, he speaks of his own praise. This, monks, should be known: 'This is a noble person.' Indeed, monks, by these four qualities... one should be known as a good person. “Just as, monks, a bride, on whatever night or day she is brought, at that very time intense shame and moral dread arise in her towards her mother-in-law, towards her father-in-law, towards her husband, even towards the slave-servants. Later, after living together, after becoming familiar, she says to her mother-in-law, to her father-in-law, to her husband, ‘Get away! What do you know?’ Even so, monks, some bhikkhu here, on whatever night or day he has gone forth from home to homelessness, at that very time intense shame and moral dread arise in him towards bhikkhus, towards bhikkhunis, towards male lay followers, towards female lay followers, even towards park-keepers and novices. Later, after living together, after becoming familiar, he says to his teacher, to his preceptor, ‘Get away! What do you know?’ Therefore, monks, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell with a mind like that of a newly arrived bride.’ Thus indeed, monks, you should train yourselves.” The Third. 4. The First Supreme Discourse “There are these four supremes, monks. Which four? The supreme of virtue, the supreme of concentration, the supreme of wisdom, the supreme of liberation— these, monks, are the four supremes.” The Fourth. 5. The Second Supreme Discourse “There are these four supremes, monks. Which four? The supreme of form, the supreme of feeling, the supreme of perception, the supreme of existence— these, monks, are the four supremes.” The Fifth. 6. The Kusinārā Discourse At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Kusinārā, in the Upavattana Sāla Grove of the Mallas, between the twin Sāla trees, at the time of his final passing away. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “It might be, monks, that even one bhikkhu might have doubt or perplexity concerning the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, the path, or the practice, ask, monks, do not later regret, 'The Teacher was before us, we could not question the Blessed One face to face.'" When this was said, those monks remained silent. A second time, the Blessed One addressed the monks, "It may be, monks, that even one monk has doubt or perplexity about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Sangha, or the path, or the practice, ask, monks, do not later regret, 'The Teacher was before us, we could not question the Blessed One face to face.'" A second time, those monks remained silent. A third time, the Blessed One addressed the monks, "It may be, monks, that even one monk has doubt or perplexity about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Sangha, or the path, or the practice, ask, monks, do not later regret, 'The Teacher was before us, we could not question the Blessed One face to face.'" A third time, those monks remained silent. Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, "It may be, monks, that out of respect for the Teacher you would not ask. Let a friend, monks, tell a friend." When this was said, those monks remained silent. Then Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, "It is wonderful, Venerable Sir! It is amazing, Venerable Sir! So confident am I, Venerable Sir! There is not in this assembly of monks even one monk who has doubt or perplexity about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Sangha, or the path, or the practice." "You speak from faith, Ānanda. But the Tathāgata has knowledge of this, Ānanda, 'There is not in this assembly of monks even one monk who has doubt or perplexity about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Sangha, or the path, or the practice.' For among these five hundred monks, Ānanda, the last monk is a stream-enterer, not subject to falling, assured of final enlightenment." whose ultimate goal is enlightenment.” The Sixth. 7. The Discourse on Unthinkables 77. “These four, monks, are unthinkables, not to be thought about; thinking about which one would be a partaker of madness and vexation. Which four? The Buddha-range of the Buddhas, monks, is an unthinkable, not to be thought about; thinking about which one would be a partaker of madness and vexation. The jhana-range of one in jhana, monks, is an unthinkable, not to be thought about; thinking about which one would be a partaker of madness and vexation. The result of kamma, monks, is an unthinkable, not to be thought about; thinking about which one would be a partaker of madness and vexation. World-speculation, monks, is an unthinkable, not to be thought about; thinking about which one would be a partaker of madness and vexation. These, monks, are the four unthinkables, not to be thought about; thinking about which one would be a partaker of madness and vexation.” The Seventh. 8. The Discourse on Offerings 78. “These four, monks, are purifications of offerings. Which four? There is, monks, an offering purified by the giver, not by the recipient; there is, monks, an offering purified by the recipient, not by the giver; there is, monks, an offering purified neither by the giver nor by the recipient; there is, monks, an offering purified both by the giver and by the recipient. And how, monks, is an offering purified by the giver, not by the recipient? Here, monks, the giver is virtuous, of good character; the recipients are immoral, of bad character. Thus, monks, is an offering purified by the giver, not by the recipient. And how, monks, is an offering purified by the recipient, not by the giver? Here, monks, the giver is immoral, of bad character; the recipients are virtuous, of good character. Thus, monks, is an offering purified by the recipient, not by the giver. thus. “And how, monks, is a donation neither purified by the giver nor by the recipient? Here, monks, the giver is immoral, of evil character; and the recipients are immoral, of evil character. Thus, monks, a donation is neither purified by the giver nor by the recipient. “And how, monks, is a donation purified by the giver and by the recipient? Here, monks, the giver is virtuous, of good character; and the recipients are virtuous, of good character. Thus, monks, a donation