English
(26) 6. Chapter on Direct Knowledge 1. Discourse on Direct Knowledge 254. "These four things, monks, These four things. Which four? There are, monks, things to be directly known and fully understood; There are, monks, things to be directly known and abandoned; There are, monks, things to be directly known and developed; There are, monks, things to be directly known and realized. "And which, monks, are the things to be directly known and fully understood? The five aggregates of clinging – These are called, monks, the things to be directly known and fully understood. "And which, monks, are the things to be directly known and abandoned? Ignorance and craving for existence – These are called, monks, the things to be directly known and abandoned. "And which, monks, are the things to be directly known and developed? Tranquility and insight – These are called, monks, the things to be directly known and developed. "And which, monks, are the things to be directly known and realized? Knowledge and liberation – These are called, monks, the things to be directly known and realized. These, monks, are the four things." First. 2. Discourse on Seeking 255. "These four, monks, are ignoble quests. Which four? Here, monks, someone, being subject to old age himself, seeks what is subject to old age; being subject to sickness himself, seeks what is subject to sickness; being subject to death himself, seeks what is subject to death; being subject to defilement himself, seeks what is subject to defilement. These, monks, are the four ignoble quests. "These four, monks, are noble quests. Which four? Here, monks, someone, being subject to old age himself, having seen the danger in what is subject to old age, seeks the ageless, the unsurpassed security from bondage, Nibbāna; being subject to sickness himself, having seen the danger in what is subject to sickness, seeks the sickness-free, the unsurpassed security from bondage, Nibbāna; being subject to death himself, having seen the danger in what is subject to death, seeks the deathless, the unsurpassed security from bondage, Nibbāna; being subject to death himself, having seen the danger in what is subject to m Having seen danger in things that are not free from defilement, he seeks the deathless, unsurpassed security from bondage, Nibbāna; being himself subject to defilement, having seen danger in things that are subject to defilement, he seeks the undefiled, unsurpassed security from bondage, Nibbāna. These, monks, are the four noble quests. The second. 3. The Discourse on the Bases of Sympathy 256. "These four, monks, are the bases of sympathy. Which four? Giving, pleasant speech, beneficial conduct, impartiality – these, monks, are the four bases of sympathy." 4. The Discourse to Mālukyaputta 257. Then indeed, the venerable Mālukyaputta approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Mālukyaputta said this to the Blessed One – "It would be good for me, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute." "Here now, Mālukyaputta, what shall we say to the young monks? When you, old, aged, advanced in years, ask the Tathāgata for advice in brief!" "Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma in brief, venerable sir; let the Fortunate One teach the Dhamma in brief. Perhaps I might understand the meaning of what the Blessed One says; perhaps I might be an heir to what the Blessed One says." "These four, Mālukyaputta, are the origins of craving, where, when craving arises in a monk, it arises. Which four? For the sake of robes, Mālukyaputta, craving, when it arises in a monk, arises. For the sake of almsfood, Mālukyaputta, craving, when it arises in a monk, arises. For the sake of lodging, Mālukyaputta, craving, when it arises in a monk, arises. For the sake of this or that existence, Mālukyaputta, craving, when it arises in a monk... craving arises. These, Mālukyaputta, are the four origins of craving where a bhikkhu's craving arises when it arises. When, Mālukyaputta, a bhikkhu's craving is abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to arise again in the future, this one is called, Mālukyaputta, 'a bhikkhu who has cut off craving, who has unfastened the fetter, who, by rightly comprehending conceit, has made an end of suffering.'" Then Venerable Mālukyaputta, admonished by the Blessed One with this admonition, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. Then Venerable Mālukyaputta, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute, not long thereafter— for the sake of which sons of good families rightly go forth from home to homelessness— that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life he realized for himself with direct knowledge in this very life, and entered upon it and dwelled in it. He understood: "Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being." And Venerable Mālukyaputta became one of the Arahants. The Fourth. 5. The Family Discourse "Whatever families, bhikkhus, that have attained greatness in wealth do not last long, all of them are due to these four reasons, or one of them. Which four? They do not seek what is lost, they do not repair what is old, they are immoderate in food and drink, they place a dissolute woman or man in authority. Whatever families, bhikkhus, that have attained greatness in wealth do not last long, all of them are due to these four reasons, or one of them. "Whatever families, bhikkhus, that have attained greatness in wealth do last long, all of them are due to these four reasons, or one of them. Which four? They seek what is lost, they repair what is old, they are moderate in food and drink, they place a virtuous woman or man in authority. they establish. Whatever families, bhikkhus, having attained greatness in wealth become long-lasting, all of them are by these four conditions, or by one of these. The fifth. 6. The First Discourse on the Thoroughbred 259. Endowed with four qualities, bhikkhus, a king's excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king, fit for a king, it is reckoned as a king's asset. Which four? Here, bhikkhus, a king's excellent thoroughbred horse is endowed with beauty, and endowed with strength, and endowed with speed, and endowed with stature and girth. Endowed with these four qualities, bhikkhus, a king's excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king, fit for a king, it is reckoned as a king's asset. In the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu endowed with four qualities is worthy of offerings... an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which four? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is endowed with beauty, and endowed with strength, and endowed with speed, and endowed with stature and girth. And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu endowed with beauty? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is virtuous... undertaking and training in the precepts. Thus, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is endowed with beauty. And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu endowed with strength? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells with aroused energy for the abandoning of unwholesome states, for the acquiring of wholesome states, strong, firm in exertion, not laying down the burden in wholesome states. Thus, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is endowed with strength. And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu endowed with speed? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu understands 'This is suffering' as it really is... ...'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' as it really is. Thus, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is endowed with speed. And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu endowed with stature and girth? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is a recipient of robes robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with growth and girth. “Endowed with these four qualities, monks, a monk is worthy of offerings… …an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.” The Sixth. 7. The Second Discourse on the Thoroughbred 260. “Endowed with four factors, monks, a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king, fit for a king, and is reckoned as a king’s asset. Which four? Here, monks, a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse is endowed with beauty, and endowed with strength, and endowed with speed, and endowed with growth and girth. Endowed with these four factors, monks, a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king, fit for a king, and is reckoned as a king’s asset. “Even so, monks, endowed with four qualities, a monk is worthy of offerings… …an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which four? Here, monks, a monk is endowed with beauty, and endowed with strength, and endowed with speed, and endowed with growth and and girth. “And how, monks, is a monk endowed with beauty? Here, monks, a monk is virtuous… …undertaking and training in the training rules. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with beauty. “And how, monks, is a monk endowed with strength? Here, monks, a monk dwells with aroused energy for the abandoning of unwholesome qualities, for the acquiring of wholesome qualities, steadfast, firm in exertion, not laying down the burden in wholesome qualities. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with strength. “And how, monks, is a monk endowed with speed? Here, monks, a monk, through the destruction of the taints… …having realized it for himself, he enters and dwells in it. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with speed. “And how, monks, is a monk endowed with growth and girth? Here, monks, A monk obtains robes, almsfood, lodging, medicines for the sick, and requisites. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with growth and development. Monks, a monk endowed with these four qualities is worthy of offerings... an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. The Seventh. 8. The Discourse on Powers