English
The Chapter on Qualities that Inspire Affection 1. The First Discourse on Qualities that Inspire Affection 11. "These six, monks, are qualities that inspire affection. Which six? Here, monks, a monk maintains loving-kindness in bodily action towards his fellow practitioners, both in public and in private. This too is a quality that inspires affection. "Furthermore, monks, a monk maintains loving-kindness in verbal action towards his fellow practitioners, both in public and in private. This too is a quality that inspires affection. "Furthermore, monks, a monk maintains loving-kindness in mental action towards his fellow practitioners, both in public and in private. This too is a quality that inspires affection. "Furthermore, monks, a monk shares without reservation any gains he receives that are righteous and righteously obtained, even if it's just the contents of his alms-bowl, sharing them with his virtuous fellow practitioners. This too is a quality that inspires affection. "Furthermore, monks, a monk lives in common with his fellow practitioners, both in public and in private, in those virtues that are unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unblotched, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, and conducive to concentration. This too is a quality that inspires affection. "Furthermore, monks, a monk lives in common with his fellow practitioners, both in public and in private, in that noble view which is leading to liberation, leading the one who practices it to the complete destruction of suffering. This too is a quality that inspires affection. These, monks, are the six qualities that inspire affection." The First. 2. The Second Discourse on Qualities that Inspire Affection 12. "These six, monks, are qualities that inspire affection, are conducive to endearment, to respect, to cohesion, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. Which six? Here, monks, a monk maintains loving-kindness in bodily action towards his fellow practitioners, both in public and in private. This too is a quality that inspires affection, is conducive to endearment, to respect, to cohesion, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. leads to. “Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu’s loving-kindness in speech is present… loving-kindness in thought is present towards fellow practitioners, both openly and in private. This too is a principle that recalls affection, is dear, is respected, conducive to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. “Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, whatever gains there are, righteous, righteously obtained, even if only what is contained in the alms-bowl, with such gains does not partake alone, but partakes in common with virtuous fellow practitioners. This too is a principle that recalls affection, is dear, is respected, conducive to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. “Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, with those virtues that are unbroken, unblemished, unspotted, unblotched, liberating, praised by the wise, untouched by craving, conducive to concentration, with such virtues lives in common with fellow practitioners, both openly and in private. This too is a principle that recalls affection, is dear, is respected, conducive to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. “Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, with that view which is noble, leading out, leading the one who practices it to the right destruction of suffering, with such a view lives in common with fellow practitioners, both openly and in private. This too is a principle that recalls affection, is dear, is respected, conducive to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity. These, bhikkhus, are the six principles that recall affection, are dear, are respected, conducive to fellowship, to non-dispute, to harmony, to unity.” The Second. 3. The Discourse on Leading Out 13. “There are, bhikkhus, six elements that lead out. Which six? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘My liberation of mind through loving-kindness has been developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, well-commenced; yet ill-will overwhelms my mind.’ He should be told: ‘Do not say that. He should be told: 'Venerable sir, do not speak thus; do not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, it cannot be, that for one who has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken the liberation of mind by loving-kindness; yet ill-will would take possession of his mind, this is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from ill-will, namely, the liberation of mind by loving-kindness.' But here, monks, if a monk were to speak thus: 'Indeed, the liberation of mind by compassion has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken by me; yet vexation takes possession of my mind.' He should be told: 'Do not speak thus, Venerable sir, do not speak thus; do not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, it cannot be, that for one who has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken the liberation of mind by compassion; yet vexation would take possession of his mind, this is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from vexation, namely, the liberation of mind by compassion.' But here, monks, if a monk were to speak thus: 'Indeed, the liberation of mind by appreciative joy has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken by me; yet discontent would take possession of my mind.' He should be told: 'Do not speak thus, Venerable sir, do not speak thus; do not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, the Blessed One would not speak thus. It is impossible, friend, it cannot be, that for one who has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken the liberation of mind by appreciative joy; ...to a high degree; and yet discontent will overcome his mind, that is not possible. For this, friends, is the escape from discontent, namely, the liberation of mind through appreciative joy. Here, monks, if a bhikkhu were to say this: ‘My liberation of mind through equanimity has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken; and yet lust overcomes my mind.’ He should be told: ‘Do not say that, venerable sir; do not speak thus; do not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, nor would the Blessed One speak thus. This is impossible, friends, there is no occasion for this: that when the liberation of mind through equanimity has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken; and yet lust will overcome his mind, that is not possible. For this, friends, is the escape from lust, namely, the liberation of mind through equanimity. Here, monks, if a bhikkhu were to say this: ‘My signless liberation of mind has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken; and yet my consciousness follows after signs.’ He should be told: ‘Do not say that, venerable sir; do not speak thus; do not misrepresent the Blessed One, for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One, nor would the Blessed One speak thus. This is impossible, friends, there is no occasion for this: that when the signless liberation of mind has been developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, and thoroughly undertaken; and yet his consciousness will follow after signs, that is not possible. For this, friends, is the escape from all signs, namely, the signless liberation of mind. Here, monks, if a bhikkhu were to say this: ‘The notion “I am” has vanished for me, and I do not perceive “I am this”; and yet doubt and perplexity... the dart of doubt and perplexity overcomes his mind and remains. He should be told: 'Venerable sir, do not speak thus; do not misrepresent the Blessed One; for it is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One; for the Blessed One would not speak thus. This is impossible, friend, there is no occasion that when the conceit 'I am' has vanished, and one does not perceive 'this I am', yet the dart of doubt and perplexity should overcome his mind and remain. This is not possible. For this, friend, is the escape from the dart of doubt and perplexity, namely, the uprooting of the conceit 'I am'.' These, monks, are the six elements of escape. The Third. 4. The Discourse on the Auspicious. 14. There, indeed, the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks, saying, "Friends, monks!" "Friend!" those monks replied to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta spoke thus: "In such and such a way, friend, a monk lives, that as he lives in such and such a way, his death is not auspicious, his passing away is not auspicious. And how, friend, does a monk live in such and such a way, that as he lives in such and such a way, his death is not auspicious, his passing away is not auspicious? Here, friend, a monk delights in work, is fond of work, devoted to delighting in work; he delights in talk, is fond of talk, devoted to delighting in talk; he delights in sleep, is fond of sleep, devoted to delighting in sleep; he delights in company, is fond of company, devoted to delighting in company; he delights in association, is fond of association, devoted to delighting in association; he delights in proliferation, is fond of proliferation, devoted to delighting in proliferation. Thus, friend, a monk lives in such and such a way, that as he lives in such and such a way,