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know a noble person— 'This one is noble'?" "That, brahmin, is possible, there is an opportunity for a noble person to know a noble person— 'This one is noble'." "But would a noble person, good Gotama, know an ignoble person— 'This one is ignoble'?" "That too, brahmin, is possible, there is an opportunity for a noble person to know an ignoble person— 'This one is ignoble'." "Wonderful, good Gotama! Amazing, good Gotama! How well said this is by Master Gotama— 'It is impossible, brahmin, there is no opportunity for an ignoble person to know an ignoble person— 'This one is ignoble'.' That too, brahmin, is impossible, there is no opportunity for an ignoble person to know a noble person— 'This one is noble'.' That, brahmin, is possible, there is an opportunity for a noble person to know a noble person— 'This one is noble'.' That too, brahmin, is possible, there is an opportunity for a noble person to know an ignoble person— 'This one is ignoble'.'" "Once, good Gotama, in the assembly of the brahmin Todeyya, they were speaking disparagingly of others— 'This King Eleyya is foolish, he has great faith in the recluses, the sons of Rama, and he shows such extreme deference to the recluses, the sons of Rama, namely, saluting, rising for them, reverential gestures, and proper conduct.' These attendants of King Eleyya are also foolish— Yamaka Moggalla." a.)] Ugga, Navindaki, Gandhabba, Aggivessa, who are devoted to the ascetics, the sons of Rāma, and show such supreme reverence to the ascetics, the sons of Rāma, namely, greeting, rising, saluting with joined hands, and proper conduct. Thus, the brahmin Todeyya leads them by this method. What do you think, sirs? Is the wise King Eḷeyya in matters to be done and to be decided, in words to be spoken and to be declared, more capable than ten, more capable than ten? ‘Yes, sirs, the wise King Eḷeyya in matters to be done and to be decided, in words to be spoken and to be declared, is more capable than ten, more capable than ten.’ ‘Because, sirs, the ascetic, the son of Rāma, is wiser than the wise King Eḷeyya, more capable than ten, more capable than ten, in matters to be done and to be decided, in words to be spoken and to be declared, therefore King Eḷeyya is devoted to the ascetics, the sons of Rāma, and shows such supreme reverence to the ascetics, the sons of Rāma, namely, greeting, rising, saluting with joined hands, and proper conduct.’ ‘What do you think, sirs? Are the wise attendants of King Eḷeyya— Yamaka, Moggalla, Ugga, Navindaki, Gandhabba, Aggivessa— in matters to be done and to be decided, in words to be spoken and to be declared, more capable than ten, more capable than ten? ‘Yes, sirs, the wise attendants of King Eḷeyya— Yamaka, Moggalla, Ugga, Navindaki, Gandhabba, Aggivessa— in matters to be done and to be decided, in words to be spoken and to be declared, are more capable than ten, more capable than ten.’ ‘Because, sirs, the ascetic, the son of Rāma, is wiser than the wise attendants of King Eḷeyya, more capable than ten, more capable than ten, in matters to be done and to be decided, in words to be spoken and to be declared, therefore the attendants of King Eḷeyya are devoted to the ascetics, the sons of Rāma, and show such supreme reverence to the ascetics, the sons of Rāma, namely, greeting, rising, saluting with joined hands, and proper conduct.’ ‘Wonderful, sirs! Oh, Gotama, Wonderful, good Gotama! How well-spoken this is by the good Gotama – ‘It is impossible, brahmin, there is no occasion for an ignoble person to know an ignoble person – 'This one is ignoble.' And this too, brahmin, is impossible, there is no occasion for an ignoble person to know a noble person – 'This one is noble.' It is possible, brahmin, there is occasion for a noble person to know a noble person – 'This one is noble.' And this too, brahmin, is possible, there is occasion for a noble person to know an ignoble person – 'This one is ignoble.'’ Now then, good Gotama, we go. We have much to do, many duties. ‘‘Now, brahmin, you may do as you think fit.’’ Then the brahmin Vassakāro, the chief minister of Magadha, having rejoiced in and approved of the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat and departed. The Seventh. 8. The Discourse to Upaka 188. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, on Vulture Peak mountain. Then Upaka, son of Maṇḍikā, approached the Blessed One; having approached and saluted the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Upaka, son of Maṇḍikā, said this to the Blessed One – ‘‘Indeed, venerable sir, I am of this view, of this opinion – ‘Whoever engages in blaming others, engaging in blaming others, he does not succeed at all. Not succeeding, he is blameworthy, censurable.’’’ ‘‘If, Upaka, one engages in blaming others, engaging in blaming others, one does not succeed, not succeeding, one is blameworthy, censurable. Indeed, Upaka, you engage in blaming others, engaging in blaming others, you do not succeed, not succeeding, you are blameworthy, censurable.’’ ‘‘Just as, venerable sir, one might bind a struggling person with a great noose; even so, venerable sir, I, a struggling person, have been bound by the Blessed One with a great noose of argument.’’ ‘‘This, Upaka, I have declared to be unwholesome. Therein, immeasurable are the words, immeasurable are the syllables, immeasurable is the Tathāgata's teaching of the Dhamma – that this is unwholesome. And indeed, Upaka, this unwholesome thing, I have declared it to be abandoned. Therein, immeasurable are the words, immeasurable are the syllables, immeasurable is the Tathāgata's teaching of the Dhamma – that this unwholesome thing is to be abandoned. Upaka, I have declared this to be wholesome. Therein, immeasurable are the words, immeasurable are the syllables, immeasurable is the Tathāgata's teaching of the Dhamma – that this is wholesome. And indeed, Upaka, this wholesome thing, I have declared it to be developed. Therein, immeasurable are the words, immeasurable are the syllables, immeasurable is the Tathāgata's teaching of the Dhamma – that this wholesome thing is to be developed. Then Upaka Maṇḍikāputta, having delighted in and approved of the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One, and circumambulated him clockwise, then approached King Ajātasattu Vedehiputta of Magadha; having approached, he reported all the conversation he had had with the Blessed One to King Ajātasattu Vedehiputta of Magadha. When this was said, King Ajātasattu Vedehiputta of Magadha, angry and displeased, said to Upaka Maṇḍikāputta – ‘How destructive this salt-maker's son is! How talkative! How impudent! To think that he would dare to insult that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One! Go away, Upaka, perish! Let me not see you!’ The Eighth. 9. The Discourse on Things to be Realized 189. “Monks, there are these four things to be realized. Which four? Monks, there are things to be realized by the body; Monks, there are things to be realized by mindfulness; Monks, there are things to be realized by the eye; Monks, there are things to be realized by wisdom. And what, monks, are the things to be realized by the body? The eight liberations, monks, are to be realized by the body. And what, monks, are phenomena to be realized by mindfulness? Past lives, monks, are to be realized by mindfulness. And what, monks, are phenomena to be realized by the eye? The passing away and reappearing of beings, monks, are to be realized by the eye. And what, monks, are phenomena to be realized by wisdom? The destruction of the defilements, monks, is to be realized by wisdom. These, monks, are the four phenomena to be realized. The Ninth. 10. The Uposatha Sutta At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in the Eastern Park, at Migāra’s Mother’s Palace. Now at that time on the Uposatha day, the Blessed One was seated surrounded by the assembly of bhikkhus. Then the Blessed One, having surveyed the silent, silent assembly of bhikkhus, addressed the bhikkhus: This assembly, monks, is free from babble, this assembly, monks, is free from chatter, pure, established on the essence. Such, monks, is this assembly of bhikkhus, such, monks, is this assembly. Such an assembly is rare to see in the world. Such, monks, is this assembly of bhikkhus, such, monks, is this assembly. Such an assembly is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Such, monks, is this assembly of bhikkhus, such, monks, is this assembly. To such an assembly, a little given becomes much, much given becomes much more. Such, monks, is this assembly of bhikkhus, such, monks, is this assembly. Such an assembly is worth going many leagues to see, even with a bundle of provisions. Such, monks, is this assembly of bhikkhus. There are, monks, bhikkhus in this assembly of bhikkhus who dwell having attained to the devas; there are, monks, bhikkhus in this assembly of bhikkhus who dwell having attained to Brahmā; there are Monks, there are bhikkhus in this community of bhikkhus who dwell having attained imperturbability; there are, monks, bhikkhus in this community of bhikkhus who dwell having attained the noble state. "And how, monks, does a bhikkhu attain the divine state? Here, monks, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures... enters and dwells in the first jhana; with the stilling of applied thought and sustained thought... enters and dwells in the second jhana... the third jhana... the fourth jhana. Thus, monks, does a bhikkhu attain the divine state." "And how, monks, does a bhikkhu attain the Brahma state? Here, monks, a bhikkhu dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, in every way, he dwells pervading the entire world