English
(11) 1. Chapter on Dwelling at Ease 1. Discourse on Confidence Monks, there are these five qualities that bring confidence to a trainee. Which five? Here, monks, a monk is faithful, is virtuous, is learned, has aroused energy, is discerning. Monks, the diffidence of the faithless, the faithful do not have. Therefore, this quality brings confidence to a trainee. Monks, the diffidence of the immoral, the virtuous do not have. Therefore, this quality brings confidence to a trainee. Monks, the diffidence of the unlearned, the learned do not have. Therefore, this quality brings confidence to a trainee. Monks, the diffidence of the indolent, one with aroused energy does not have. Therefore, this quality brings confidence to a trainee. Monks, the diffidence of the unwise, the discerning do not have. Therefore, this quality brings confidence to a trainee. These, monks, are the five qualities that bring confidence to a trainee. The First. 2. Discourse on Being Suspected Monks, a monk endowed with five qualities is suspected and distrusted as an evil monk, even if his mind is unshakable. With which five? Here, monks, a monk frequents courtesans, or frequents widows, or frequents mature maidens, or frequents eunuchs, or frequents bhikkhunīs. Monks, a monk endowed with these five qualities is suspected and distrusted as an evil monk, even if his mind is unshakable. The Second. 3. Discourse on the Great Thief Monks, a great thief endowed with five factors breaks into houses, plunders, makes a single house empty, and stands on the highway. With which five? Here, monks, a great thief relies on uneven ground, relies on dense thickets, relies on strength... and he is one who gives up his wealth, and he is one who walks alone. “And how, monks, is a great thief supported by a difficult place? Here, monks, a great thief is supported by a difficult river crossing, or by a rugged mountain. Thus, monks, a great thief is supported by a difficult place. “And how, monks, is a great thief supported by a thicket? Here, monks, a great thief is supported by a thicket of grass, or by a thicket of trees, or by a dense growth, or by a great forest grove. Thus, monks, a great thief is supported by a thicket. “And how, monks, is a great thief supported by the powerful? Here, monks, a great thief is supported by kings, or by royal ministers. He thinks thus: ‘If anyone says anything to me, these kings or royal ministers will defend me and speak on my behalf.’ If anyone says anything to him, those kings or royal ministers defend him and speak on his behalf. Thus, monks, a great thief is supported by the powerful. “And how, monks, is a great thief one who gives up his wealth? Here, monks, a great thief is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions. He thinks thus: ‘If anyone says anything to me, I will appease them with this wealth.’ If anyone says anything to him, he appeases them with that wealth. Thus, monks, a great thief is one who gives up his wealth. “And how, monks, is a great thief one who walks alone? Here, monks, a great thief alone performs the acts of robbery. For what reason? ‘Lest my secret plans become known outside.’ Thus, monks, a great thief is one who walks alone. “Indeed, monks, a great thief endowed with these five factors breaks into houses, carries off plunder, commits single-house robberies, and stands on the highway. “Even so, monks, a wicked monk endowed with five qualities carries himself as one who is ruined and destroyed.” he is blameworthy, reproachable by the wise, and generates much demerit. By which five? Here, monks, a wicked monk relies on unevenness, relies on a thicket, relies on power, is a renouncer of wealth, and is a solitary wanderer. “And how, monks, does a wicked monk rely on unevenness? Here, monks, a wicked monk is endowed with uneven bodily action, is endowed with uneven verbal action, is endowed with uneven mental action. Thus, monks, a wicked monk relies on unevenness. “And how, monks, does a wicked monk rely on a thicket? Here, monks, a wicked monk is of wrong view, endowed with a view that grasps at extremes. Thus, monks, a wicked monk relies on a thicket. “And how, monks, does a wicked monk rely on power? Here, monks, a wicked monk relies on kings or royal ministers. He thinks thus: ‘If anyone says anything to me, these kings or royal ministers will speak on my behalf, defending me.’ If anyone says anything to him, those kings or royal ministers speak on his behalf, defending him. Thus, monks, a wicked monk relies on power. “And how, monks, is a wicked monk a renouncer of wealth? Here, monks, a wicked monk is a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and requisites for the sick, medicines. He thinks thus: ‘If anyone says anything to me, I will appease them with these gains.’ If anyone says anything to him, he appeases them with those gains. Thus, monks, a wicked monk is a renouncer of wealth. “And how, monks, is a wicked monk a solitary wanderer? Here, monks, a wicked monk dwells alone in remote border regions. Approaching families there, he obtains gains. Thus, monks, a wicked monk is a solitary wanderer. Indeed, Monks, endowed with these five qualities, an evil monk carries himself as one wounded and harmed, and is blameworthy and censurable by the wise, and generates much demerit. The Third. 4. The Discourse on the Delicate Monk 104. ‘‘Monks, a monk endowed with five qualities is a delicate monk among monks. ‘‘Which five? Here, Monks, a monk mostly uses robes when asked, rarely when not asked; mostly uses almsfood when asked, rarely when not asked; mostly uses lodgings when asked, rarely when not asked; mostly uses requisites for the sick and medicine when asked, rarely when not asked. And with those fellow practitioners with whom he dwells, they mostly treat him with pleasing bodily actions, rarely with unpleasing ones; mostly treat him with pleasing verbal actions, rarely with unpleasing ones; mostly treat him with pleasing mental actions, rarely with unpleasing ones; they offer him pleasing gifts, rarely unpleasing ones. And those feelings arising from bile, or arising from phlegm, or arising from wind, or from a combination (of humors), or from changes in season, or from improper care, or from external causes, or from the ripening of kamma, these do not arise much for him. He is of few ailments, he is a gainer at will, without difficulty, without trouble, of the four jhānas, which are of the higher mind, a pleasant abiding in this very life, and through the destruction of the taints, he enters and remains in the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, having realized it for himself with direct knowledge in this very life. Monks, a monk endowed with these five qualities is a delicate monk among monks. ‘‘Indeed, Monks, if one were to speak rightly, one would say: ‘He is a delicate monk among monks’— it is of me, Monks, that one would rightly say: ‘a delicate monk’." among ascetics, the delicate ascetic. Indeed, bhikkhus, I mostly use robes when asked, little when not asked; mostly use almsfood when asked, little when not asked; mostly use lodging when asked, little when not asked; mostly use requisites for the sick and medicine when asked, little when not asked. And with those bhikkhus with whom I dwell, they mostly treat me with pleasing bodily action, little with unpleasing; mostly treat me with pleasing verbal action, little with unpleasing; mostly treat me with pleasing mental action, little with unpleasing; they offer pleasing offerings, little unpleasing. And those feelings – whether arisen from bile, or arisen from phlegm, or arisen from wind, or from a combination, or from change of season, or from improper care, or from external causes, or from kamma-result – those do not arise in me very much. I am free from affliction, and I am a gainer at will, without difficulty, without trouble, of the four jhānas, which are of the higher mind, a pleasant abiding in this very life. With the destruction of the taints, having realized and attained, I dwell. Indeed, bhikkhus, if one were to speak rightly, saying – 'Among ascetics, the delicate ascetic,' it is me, bhikkhus, that one would rightly speak of, saying – 'Among ascetics, the delicate ascetic.' The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on Pleasant Abiding. 105. "Bhikkhus, there are these five pleasant abidings. Which five? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu's bodily action of loving-kindness is present towards his fellow practitioners, both openly and in private; his verbal action of loving-kindness... his mental action of loving-kindness is present towards his fellow practitioners, both openly and in private. And those virtues, unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unblotted, liberating, praised by the wise, ungrasped... conducive to concentration. With such virtues, he lives in harmony of virtue with his fellow monastics, openly and in private. And that view, which is noble, leading out, leads him who acts accordingly to the right destruction of suffering. With such a view, he lives in harmony of view with his fellow monastics, openly and in private. These, monks, are the five comfortable dwellings. The Fifth. 6. The Discourse to Ānanda 106. At one time the Blessed One was staying in Kosambī, at Ghosita's Park. Then the Venerable Ānanda 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 Ānanda said to the Blessed One: "To what extent, venerable sir, would a monk dwelling in the Sangha dwell comfortably?" "When, Ānanda, a monk is himself accomplished in virtue, and does not act in excess of virtue towards others; to that extent, Ānanda, a monk dwelling in the Sangha would dwell comfortably." "Might there be, venerable sir, another way for a monk dwelling in the Sangha to dwell comfortably?" "There might, Ānanda! When, Ānanda, a monk is himself accomplished in virtue,