English
‘I am well-born on both sides, from mother and from father, with pure lineage, unblamed and unrebuked by birth back to the seventh generation of ancestors. Why should I not aspire to kingship? I am handsome, good to look at, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion. Why should I not aspire to kingship? I am dear and pleasing to my parents. Why should I not aspire to kingship? I am dear and pleasing to the town and country folk. Why should I not aspire to kingship? Whatever are the skills of kings, anointed warriors— in elephants, or horses, or chariots, or bows, or swords— there I am trained and faultless. Why should I not aspire to kingship?’ With these five qualities, bhikkhus, the eldest son of an anointed warrior king aspires to kingship. “Even so, bhikkhus, endowed with five qualities, a bhikkhu aspires to the destruction of the taints. With what five? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is faithful; he has faith in the Tathāgata’s enlightenment: ‘Indeed, that Blessed One is an Arahant, perfectly enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.’ He is free from illness, free from affliction, endowed with a digestive faculty that is evenly functioning, neither too cold nor too hot, but moderate and fit for exertion. He is not deceitful, not fraudulent; he reveals himself as he truly is to the Teacher or to wise companions. or among his fellow practitioners; he dwells with aroused energy for the abandoning of unwholesome states, for the acquiring of wholesome states, strong, firm in effort, not casting off the burden in wholesome states; he is wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading to the right destruction of suffering. To him it occurs thus: 'Indeed, I am endowed with faith, I have faith in the Tathagata's enlightenment – 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One, Arahant, Perfectly Self-Enlightened... teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One.' 'Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints! Indeed, I am free from illness, free from affliction, endowed with a balanced digestive system, neither too cold nor too hot, moderate, suitable for exertion. Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints! Indeed, I am not deceitful, not fraudulent, revealing myself as I truly am, to the Teacher, or to the wise, or to my fellow practitioners. Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints! Indeed, I dwell with aroused energy for the abandoning of unwholesome states, for the acquiring of wholesome states, strong, firm in effort, not casting off the burden in wholesome states. Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints! Indeed, I am wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading to the right destruction of suffering. Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints!' Indeed, monks, a monk endowed with these five qualities aspires to the destruction of the taints." The Fifth. 6. The Second Discourse on Aspiration 136. "Monks, endowed with five qualities, the eldest son of an anointed warrior king aspires to the viceroyalty. Which five? Here, monks, the eldest son of an anointed warrior king is well-born on both sides, from mother and from father, with pure lineage, back through seven generations of ancestors, not reproached or blameworthy in terms of birth; he is handsome, good to look at, p He is handsome, endowed with supreme beauty and complexion. He is dear and pleasing to his parents, dear and pleasing to the army. He is wise, experienced, intelligent, and capable of thinking about past, future, and present matters. “It occurs to him thus: ‘I am well-born on both sides, from mother and from father, with pure lineage, unblemished and irreproachable in terms of birth up to the seventh generation of grandfathers. Why should I not aspire to the viceroyalty? I am handsome, good-looking, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty and complexion. Why should I not aspire to the viceroyalty? I am dear and pleasing to my parents. Why should I not aspire to theeroyalty? I am dear and pleasing to the army. Why should I not aspire to the viceroyalty? I am wise, experienced, intelligent, and capable of thinking about past, future, and present matters. Why should I not aspire to the viceroyalty?’ With these five qualities, monks, the eldest son of an anointed Khattiya king aspires to the viceroyalty. “Even so, monks, a monk endowed with five qualities aspires to the destruction of the taints. Which five? Here, monks, a monk is virtuous… he undertakes and trains in the precepts. He is learned… well-penetrated by understanding. His mind is well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness. He dwells with aroused energy for the abandoning of unwholesome states, for the acquisition of wholesome states, steadfast, firm in exertion, not laying aside the burden in wholesome states. He is wise, endowed with wisdom that sees rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading to the right destruction of suffering. “It occurs to him thus: ‘I am virtuous, I dwell restrained by the Pātimokkha restraint, endowed with good conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, I undertake and train in the precepts. Why should I Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints? I am indeed learned, a holder of what is heard, a collector of what is heard, those teachings which are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, which proclaim the holy life complete and pure in its meaning and its letter; such teachings are well-learned by me, held, familiarized by speech, contemplated by mind, and well-penetrated by view. Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints? I am indeed one whose mind is well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness. Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints? I am indeed one who 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. Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints? I am indeed wise, endowed with wisdom that discerns rise and fall, noble, penetrative, leading to the complete destruction of suffering. Why should I not aspire to the destruction of the taints? Indeed, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu endowed with these five qualities aspires to the destruction of the taints. The Sixth. 7. The Discourse on Sleeping Little 137. Bhikkhus, these five sleep little at night, and are awake much. Which five? A woman, bhikkhus, desiring a man, sleeps little at night, and is awake much. A man, bhikkhus, desiring a woman, sleeps little at night, and is awake much. A thief, bhikkhus, desiring to steal, sleeps little at night, and is awake much. A king (or royal official), bhikkhus, engaged in royal duties, sleeps little at night, and is awake much. A bhikkhu, bhikkhus, desiring dispassion, sleeps little at night, and is awake much. These five, bhikkhus, sleep little at night, and are awake much. The Seventh. 8. The Discourse on the Eater of Food 138. Bhikkhus, a king's elephant endowed with five qualities is a food-eater, a space-filler, and a dung- And a fighter, and a taker of voting-sticks, is reckoned as a king's elephant. By which five? Here, monks, a king's elephant is intolerant of sights, intolerant of sounds, intolerant of smells, intolerant of tastes, intolerant of touches. Endowed with these five qualities, monks, a king's elephant, a food-eater, a space-filler, a dung-dropper, and a taker of voting-sticks, is reckoned as a king's elephant. Thus, monks, a monk endowed with five qualities is a food-eater, a space-filler, a bed-and-chair-crusher, and a taker of voting-sticks, is reckoned as a monk. By which five? Here, monks, a monk is intolerant of sights, intolerant of sounds, intolerant of smells, intolerant of tastes, intolerant of touches. Endowed with these five qualities, monks, a monk is a food-eater, a space-filler, a bed-and-chair-crusher, and a taker of voting-sticks, is reckoned as a monk. The Eighth. 9. The Intolerant Sutta 139. "Monks, a king's elephant endowed with five qualities is not worthy of a king, is not fit for a king, is not reckoned as a king's asset. By which five? Here, monks, a king's elephant is intolerant of sights, intolerant of sounds, intolerant of smells, intolerant of tastes, intolerant of touches. "And how, monks, is a king's elephant intolerant of sights? Here, monks, a king's elephant having gone to battle, having seen an elephant corps, or having seen a cavalry corps, or having seen a chariot corps, or having seen an infantry corps, sinks down, collapses, does not stand firm, cannot enter the battle. Thus, monks, a king's elephant is intolerant of sights. "And how, monks, is a king's elephant intolerant of sounds? Here, monks, a king's elephant having gone to battle, having heard the sound of elephants, or having heard the sound of horses, or hearing the sound of chariots, or hearing the sound of infantry, or hearing the sound of drums, kettledrums, conch shells, and various noises, he sinks down, he becomes dejected, he does not brace himself, he is unable to enter the battle. Thus, bhikkhus, a king's elephant is impatient with sounds. And how, bhikkhus, is a king's elephant impatient with smells? Here, bhikkhus, a king's elephant, having gone to battle, having smelled the odor of urine and dung of those king's elephants, well-bred, accustomed to battle, he sinks down, he becomes dejected, he does not brace himself, he is unable to enter the battle. Thus, bhikkhus, a king's elephant is impatient with smells. And how, bhikkhus, is a king's elephant impatient with tastes? Here, bhikkhus, a king's elephant, having gone to battle, slighted by one serving of grass and water,