English
Furthermore, monks, a monk, with the stilling of initial and sustained application... enters and abides in the second jhana. He drenches, saturates, fills, and pervades this very body with the joy and happiness born of concentration; nothing of his entire body remains untouched by the joy and happiness born of concentration. Just as, monks, a deep lake with water springing up from within. It would have no inlet for water from the east, no inlet for water from the west, no inlet for water from the north, no inlet for water from the south, and the sky would not supply it with showers from time to time. But from that very lake cool streams of water would well up and drench, saturate, fill, and pervade that very lake with cool water; nothing of the entire lake would remain untouched by the cool water. Even so, monks, a monk drenches, saturates... fills it, pervades it; there is nothing of his whole body that is not pervaded by the joy and happiness born of concentration. This, monks, is the second development of the noble five-factored right concentration. Again, further, monks, the monk, with the fading of joy… …he enters and dwells in the third jhana. He drenches, saturates, fills, pervades this very body with happiness free from joy; there is nothing of his whole body that is not pervaded by happiness free from joy. Just as, monks, in a pond of blue lotuses, or red lotuses, or white lotuses, some blue lotuses, or red lotuses, or white lotuses, born in the water, grown in the water, submerged in the water, nourished within the water, are drenched, saturated, filled, pervaded by cool water from their tips to their roots; there would be nothing of those blue lotuses, or red lotuses, or white lotuses that is not pervaded by cool water. Even so, monks, the monk drenches, saturates, fills, pervades this very body with happiness free from joy; there is nothing of his whole body that is not pervaded by happiness free from joy. This, monks, is the third development of the noble five-factored right concentration. Again, further, monks, the monk, with the abandoning of pleasure… …he enters and dwells in the fourth jhana. He sits pervading this very body with a pure, bright mind; there is nothing of his whole body that is not pervaded by a pure, bright mind. Just as, monks, a man might sit having covered his head with a white cloth; there would be nothing of his whole body that is not pervaded by the white cloth. Even so, monks, the monk sits pervading this very body with a pure, bright mind; there is nothing of his whole body that is not pervaded by a pure, bright mind. becomes pervaded. Monks, this is the fourth development of the noble five-factored right concentration. Furthermore, monks, for a monk, the sign for reviewing is well-grasped, well-attended to, well-considered, well-penetrated by wisdom. Just as, monks, one might review another, standing review one sitting, sitting review one lying down. Even so, monks, for a monk, the sign for reviewing is well-grasped, well-attended to, well-considered, well-penetrated by wisdom. Monks, this is the fifth development of the noble five-factored right concentration. When, monks, the noble five-factored right concentration has been thus developed, thus made much of, to whatever state realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for direct knowledge, there he attains the capacity to be a witness in each and every sphere. Just as, monks, a water-jar placed on a stand, full of water, brimful, for a crow to drink. If a strong man were to tilt it from whatever side, would water come out? “Yes, venerable sir.” Even so, monks, when a monk has thus developed the noble five-factored right concentration, thus made much of, to whatever state realizable by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for direct knowledge, there he attains the capacity to be a witness in each and every sphere. Just as, monks, a pond on level ground, square, with embankments, full of water, brimful, for a crow to drink. If a strong man were to open the embankment from whatever side, would water come out? “Yes, venerable sir.” Even so, monks, when a monk has thus developed the noble five-factored right concentration, thus When such concentration is thus cultivated, whatever phenomenon is to be realized by direct knowledge... in each and every sphere. Just as, bhikkhus, on good ground, at a crossroads, a thoroughbred chariot might be yoked, standing with its goad laid down. A skilled trainer, a tamer of horses, having mounted it, taking the reins with his left hand, and taking the goad with his right hand, might drive it wherever he wishes, and turn it back wherever he wishes. In the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who has thus developed and cultivated this noble five-factored right concentration, to whatever phenomenon to be realized by direct knowledge he inclines his mind for direct knowledge and realization, there and then he attains the capacity to be a witness, in each and every sphere. If he wishes – ‘May I experience various kinds of psychic power – having been one, may I become many… even up to the Brahma world may I exercise power with my body’ – there and then he attains the capacity to be a witness, in each and every sphere. If he wishes – ‘With the divine ear element, purified and surpassing human, may I hear both kinds of sounds – divine and human, those far and those near’ – there and then he attains the capacity to be a witness, in each and every sphere. If he wishes – ‘May I know the minds of other beings, other persons, having encompassed them with my own mind – may I know a mind with lust as a mind with lust, or a mind without lust as a mind without lust, or a mind with hate… or a mind without hate… or a mind with delusion… or a mind without delusion… or a constricted mind… or a scattered mind… or an exalted mind… or an unexalted mind… or a surpassable mind… or an unsurpassable mind… or a concentrated mind… or an unconcentrated mind… or a liberated mind… or an unliberated mind as an unliberated mind’ – there and then he attains the capacity to be a witness. he attains competence in witnessing, in each and every sphere. “If he wishes: ‘May I recollect my manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births… and so on… thus with their aspects and details, may I recollect my manifold past lives,’ then in each and every sphere, he attains competence in witnessing. “If he wishes: ‘With the divine eye, purified and surpassing human sight… and so on… may I discern beings according to their kamma,’ then in each and every sphere, he attains competence in witnessing. “If he wishes: ‘By the destruction of the taints, may I, in this very life, realize for myself, with direct knowledge, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and dwell therein,’ then in each and every sphere, he attains competence in witnessing.” The Eighth. 9. The Discourse on Walking 29. “Monks, there are these five benefits of walking. Which five? One is able to endure long journeys. One is able to endure exertion. One is free from illness. What is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is properly digested. The concentration gained from walking lasts long. These, monks, are the five benefits of walking.” The Ninth. 10. The Discourse to Nāgita 30. Thus have I heard: On one occasion, the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus, arrived at a brahmin village of the Kosalans named Icchānaṅgala. There, the Blessed One dwelt in Icchānaṅgala, in the Icchānaṅgala forest grove. The brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala heard: “Indeed, good sirs, the ascetic Gotama, a son of the Sakyans, who has gone forth from the Sakyan clan, has arrived at Icchānaṅgala. He dwells in Icchānaṅgala, in the Icchānaṅgala forest grove. And this good report has spread concerning Master Gotama: ‘That Blessed One is indeed Arahant, perfectly enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.’ ” The Buddha, the Blessed One. He, having himself directly known and realized this world with its devas, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans, proclaims it. He teaches the Dhamma, beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, he proclaims the utterly complete and purified holy life. Good it is to see such Arahants. Then, after the passing of that night, the brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala, taking abundant hard and soft food, approached the Icchānaṅgala forest grove; having approached, they stood outside the gatehouse, making a loud and great noise. Now at that time, Venerable Nāgita was the attendant of the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Nāgita, saying: "Who are these, Nāgita, making a loud and great noise? Fishermen, I suppose, disturbing the fish?" "These, Venerable Sir, are the brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala, standing outside the gatehouse with abundant hard and soft food, for the Blessed One and the Sangha of bhikkhus." "May I not, Nāgita, associate with fame, nor fame with me. For whoever, Nāgita, would not be a gainer at will, without difficulty, without trouble, of this happiness of renunciation, happiness of seclusion, happiness of tranquility, happiness of awakening—of which I am a gainer at will, without difficulty, without trouble—would he delight in that happiness of excrement, happiness of sleep, happiness of gain, honor, and renown?" "Let the Blessed One now assent, Venerable Sir, let the Sugata assent; now is the time for the Blessed One to assent, Venerable Sir. For wherever the Blessed One now goes, the brahmin householders, both townspeople and country folk, will go inclined in that direction.