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its inner bark comes to full growth, its sapwood comes to full growth... then, the sap also reaches fulfillment. Even so, bhikkhus, when there is restraint of the faculties, for one endowed with restraint of the faculties, his virtue has a basis… …and knowledge and vision of liberation. The Eighth. 9. The Ānanda Sutta 51. Then, the venerable Ānanda approached the venerable Sāriputta. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the venerable Sāriputta. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the venerable Sāriputta: “To what extent, friend Sāriputta, does a bhikkhu hear a Dhamma not heard before, and the Dhamma he has heard does not become confused, and the Dhammas he had previously touched with his mind come to mind, and he understands what was not understood?” “The venerable Ānanda is learned. Let the venerable Ānanda himself explain.” “Then, friend Sāriputta, listen, pay careful attention; I will speak.” “Yes, friend,” the venerable Sāriputta replied to the venerable Ānanda. The venerable Ānanda said: “Here, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu learns the Dhamma— Sutta, Geyya, Veyyākaraṇa, Gāthā, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Jātaka, Abbhutadhamma, Vedalla. He teaches that Dhamma, as heard and as learned, in detail to others. He recites that Dhamma, as heard and as learned, in detail to others. He chants that Dhamma, as heard and as learned, in detail. He ponders, reflects, and contemplates that Dhamma with his mind, as heard and as learned. In a dwelling where elder bhikkhus reside, who are learned, who have received the traditions, who are upholders of the Dhamma, upholders of the Vinaya, upholders of the Mātika, he enters the rains retreat in that dwelling. From time to time, he approaches them and questions them, inquires of them— ‘How is this, venerable sirs? What is the meaning of this?’ They reveal what was unrevealed to that venerable one, they make plain what was not plain, and they resolve many kinds of They dispel doubt in matters that give rise to doubt. In this way, friend Sāriputta, a bhikkhu hears a Dhamma he has not heard before, and the Dhamma he has heard does not become confused, and the Dhamma he has previously touched with his mind comes to mind, and he understands what was not understood." "Wonderful, friend! Amazing, friend! How well spoken this is by venerable Ānanda. We hold venerable Ānanda to be endowed with these six qualities. For venerable Ānanda masters the Dhamma – discourses, mixed prose and verse, expositions, verses, inspired utterances, 'thus-saids', birth stories, amazing phenomena, and question-and-answer texts. Venerable Ānanda teaches the Dhamma to others in detail, as he has heard and learned it. Venerable Ānanda recites the Dhamma to others in detail, as he has heard and learned it. Venerable Ānanda chants the Dhamma in detail, as he has heard and learned it. Venerable Ānanda ponders, examines, and reflects upon the Dhamma with his mind, as he has heard and learned it. Venerable Ānanda enters the Rains Retreat in a dwelling where elder bhikkhus reside who are learned, who have received the tradition, who are Dhamma-experts, Vinaya-experts, and Mātikā-experts. From time to time, venerable Ānanda approaches them and questions and inquires – 'How is this, venerable sirs? What is the meaning of this?' They reveal what was unrevealed to venerable Ānanda, they make plain what was not plain, and they dispel doubt in various matters that give rise to doubt." The Ninth. 10. Khattiya Sutta 52. Then the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and amiable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi said this to the Blessed One – "Bho Gotama, what do Khattiyas aim for? What do they pursue? What do they rely on? What do they aspire to?" aims, what is their ultimate goal?" "Indeed, brahmin, Khattiyas have wealth as their aim, wisdom as their deliberation, strength as their foundation, the earth as their aspiration, sovereignty as their ultimate goal." "But brahmins, good Gotama, what are their aims, what their deliberation, what their foundation, what their aspiration, what their ultimate goal?" "Indeed, brahmin, brahmins have wealth as their aim, wisdom as their deliberation, mantras as their foundation, sacrifice as their aspiration, the Brahma-world as their ultimate goal." "But householders, good Gotama, what are their aims, what their deliberation, what their foundation, what their aspiration, what their ultimate goal?" "Indeed, brahmin, householders have wealth as their aim, wisdom as their deliberation, crafts as their foundation, work as their aspiration, the completion of work as their ultimate goal." "But women, good Gotama, what are their aims, what their deliberation, what their foundation, what their aspiration, what their ultimate goal?" "Indeed, brahmin, women have men as their aim, adornment as their deliberation, children as their foundation, freedom from rivals as their aspiration, sovereignty as their ultimate goal." "But thieves, good Gotama, what are their aims, what their deliberation, what their foundation, what their aspiration, what their ultimate goal?" "Indeed, brahmin, thieves have taking as their aim, concealment as their deliberation, weapons as their foundation, darkness as their aspiration, invisibility as their ultimate goal." "But ascetics, good Gotama, what are their aims, what their deliberation, what their foundation, what their aspiration, what their ultimate goal?" "Indeed, brahmin, ascetics have patience and gentleness as their aim, wisdom as their deliberation, virtue as their foundation, non-possession as their aspiration, Nibbāna as their ultimate goal." "Wonderful, good Gotama, amazing, good Gotama! The good Gotama knows even of Khattiyas their aim, their deliberation, their foundation, their aspiration, and their ultimate goal. The good Gotama knows even of brahmins... The good Gotama knows even of householders... The good Gotama knows even of women... The good Gotama knows even of thieves... The good Gotama knows even of ascetics their aim..." and the consideration, and the determination, and the adherence, and the conclusion. Excellent, venerable Gotama. May venerable Gotama remember me as a lay follower from this day forth, for as long as life lasts, having gone for refuge. The Tenth. 11. The Discourse on Heedfulness 53. Then indeed a certain brahmin approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having exchanged courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. As he sat to one side, that brahmin said this to the Blessed One: "Is there, venerable Gotama, one teaching developed and cultivated, that encompasses both benefits – both the benefit in this present life, and the benefit in the life to come?" "Indeed, brahmin, there is one teaching developed and cultivated, that encompasses both benefits – both the benefit in this present life, and the benefit in the life to come." "But what, venerable Gotama, is that one teaching developed and cultivated, that encompasses both benefits – both the benefit in this present life, and the benefit in the life to come?" "Heedfulness, brahmin, is that one teaching developed and cultivated, that encompasses both benefits – both the benefit in this present life, and the benefit in the life to come." "Just as, brahmin, whatever footprints there are of creatures that walk, all of them are encompassed by the elephant's footprint; the elephant's footprint is declared the foremost of them, that is, by its great size. Even so, brahmin, heedfulness is that one teaching developed and cultivated, that encompasses both benefits – both the benefit in this present life, and the benefit in the life to come. "Just as, brahmin, whatever rafters there are of a peaked house, all of them go to the peak, incline to the peak, converge on the peak, the peak is declared the foremost of them; even so, brahmin, ...pe... "Just as, brahmin, a grass-cutter, having cut grass A mower, having mown the grass, takes the tops, shakes it off, shakes it down, cleanses it. Even so, brahmin... Just as, brahmin, when a bunch of mangoes has its stem cut, whatever mangoes are attached to that stem, all of them follow along with it. Even so, brahmin... Just as, brahmin, whatever petty kings there are, all of them are subservient to the Wheel-turning Monarch; that Wheel-turning Monarch is declared supreme among them. Even so, brahmin... Just as, brahmin, whatever light there is from the stars, all of it is not worth a sixteenth part of the light of the moon; the light of the moon is declared supreme among them. Even so, brahmin, heedfulness, a single quality, developed and cultivated, stands embracing both benefits: the benefit in this present life, and the benefit in the life to come. "This, brahmin, is a single quality, developed and cultivated, that stands embracing both benefits: the benefit in this present life, and the benefit in the life to come." "Excellent, Venerable Gotama! Excellent, Venerable Gotama! ... May Venerable Gotama accept me as a lay follower, from this day forth, for as long as life lasts, gone for refuge." The Eleventh. 12. The Discourse on Dhammika At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, on Vulture Peak mountain. Now at that time, the Venerable Dhammika was dwelling in Jātibhūmi, throughout Jātibhūmi, in seven residences. There, it is said, the Venerable Dhammika abused, reviled, harassed, tormented, and angered with words visiting bhikkhus. And those visiting bhikkhus, being abused, being reviled, being harassed, being tormented, being angered with words by the Venerable Dhammika, departed, did not stay, and abandoned the residence. Then, of the residents of Jātibhūmi... Then it occurred to the lay followers: