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As the Blessed One explains it to us, so will we remember it.’’ ‘‘So be it, friends,’’ the elder monks replied to that monk. Then the elder monks went to the Blessed One; having gone, they greeted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the elder monks reported to the Blessed One all the conversation they had had together. ‘‘Whose well-spoken word is it, venerable sir?’’ ‘‘All of you, monks, have spoken well in a way, but that which I spoke with reference to in the Metteyya Question of the Parāyana – ‘‘He who, having known both ends, is not defiled by the middle, Him I call a great person; he has indeed gone beyond the seamstress.’’ ‘‘Listen to that, pay careful attention; I will speak.’’ ‘‘So be it, venerable sir,’’ the elder monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: ‘‘Contact, monks, is one end, the origin of contact is the second end, the cessation of contact is the middle, craving is the seamstress; for craving sews him to the arising of this and that existence. To this extent, monks, a monk fully understands what is to be fully understood, comprehends what is to be comprehended; fully understanding what is to be fully understood, comprehending what is to be comprehended, he makes an end of suffering in this very life.’’ The Seventh. 8. The Discourse on the Knowledge of the Faculties of a Man 62. Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One, while wandering in Kosala with a large community of monks, arrived at a Kosalan town named Daṇḍakappaka. Then the Blessed One, having left the road, sat down on a prepared seat at the root of a certain tree. And those monks entered Daṇḍakappaka to seek lodging. Then the venerable Ānanda, together with many monks, went to the Aciravatī River to bathe their bodies. Having bathed their bodies in the Aciravatī River, having gone and come back up, he stood with one robe, drying his limbs. Then a certain bhikkhu approached Venerable Ananda; having approached, he said this to Venerable Ananda: "Is it indeed, friend Ananda, having fully comprehended with the mind, that Devadatta was declared by the Blessed One: 'Devadatta is bound for a woeful state, bound for hell, to remain for an eon, incurable' – or by some other way?" "Indeed, friend, it was declared thus by the Blessed One." Then Venerable Ananda approached where the Blessed One was; having approached, and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Venerable Ananda said this to the Blessed One: "Here, venerable sir, together with many bhikkhus, I approached the Aciravati River to bathe my limbs. Having bathed my limbs in the Aciravati River, and come back up, I stood with one robe, drying my limbs. Then, venerable sir, a certain bhikkhu approached where I was; having approached, he said this to me: 'Is it indeed, friend Ananda, having fully comprehended with the mind, that Devadatta was declared by the Blessed One: "Devadatta is bound for a woeful state, bound for hell, to remain for an eon, incurable" – or by some other way?' When this was said, venerable sir, I said to that bhikkhu: 'Indeed, friend, it was declared thus by the Blessed One.'" "That bhikkhu, Ananda, must be new, recently ordained, or an elder who is foolish and unskilled. How indeed can there be doubt about what I have declared definitively? How can he fall into doubt about it! I do not see, Ananda, even one other person who has been declared by me, having fully comprehended with the mind, as Devadatta has been. As long as I, Ananda, saw even a hair-tip's worth of wholesome quality in Devadatta; I did not declare Devadatta then – 'bound for a woeful state...'" Devadatta is destined for the woeful state, for hell, for a kalpa, incurable. Because, Ananda, I did not see even a hair-tip's worth of wholesome quality in Devadatta; therefore I declared of Devadatta: 'Devadatta is destined for the woeful state, for hell, for a kalpa, incurable.' Just as, Ananda, a pit of excrement, more than a man's height, full to the brim with excrement. A man might be submerged in it, head and all. Then some man might come along, desiring his welfare, desiring his benefit, desiring his security, wishing to pull him out of that pit of excrement. As he goes all around that pit of excrement, he would not see even a hair-tip's worth of that man unsoiled by excrement, where he could grasp him and pull him out. Even so, Ananda, because I did not see even a hair-tip's worth of wholesome quality in Devadatta; therefore I declared of Devadatta: 'Devadatta is destined for the woeful state, for hell, for a kalpa, incurable.' If you, Ananda, would hear me expound the Tathagata's knowledge of the faculties of individuals?" "Now is the time, Blessed One; now is the time, Fortunate One, for the Blessed One to expound the knowledge of the faculties of individuals. Having heard from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it." "Then, Ananda, listen, pay careful attention; I shall speak." "Yes, venerable sir," Ananda replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "Here, Ananda, I comprehend a certain individual's mind with my mind, thus: 'In this individual, there are both wholesome and unwholesome qualities present.' Then, at a later time, I comprehend his mind with my mind, thus: 'In this individual, the wholesome qualities have disappeared, the unwholesome qualities have become manifest. But there is a root of wholesome quality in him, not cut off; from that, wholesome quality will arise for him. Thus this individual will not decline in the future.' Just as, Ananda, seeds, unbroken Now, unspoiled, not harmed by wind or sun, fresh, well-preserved, placed in good soil, in well-prepared ground. Would you know, Ananda, if these seeds would grow, sprout, and reach full development? "Yes, sir." "Just so, Ananda, I discern a certain person by encompassing their mind with my mind, knowing: 'This person has both wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities.' Then, at a later time, I discern them by encompassing their mind with my mind, knowing: 'This person's wholesome qualities have disappeared, unwholesome qualities have become manifest. But there is a root of wholesomeness not uprooted in them. From that, wholesome will arise for them. Thus, this person will not decline in the future.' In this way, Ananda, the Tathagata knows a person by encompassing their mind with his mind. In this way, Ananda, the Tathagata knows the faculties of a person by encompassing their mind with his mind. In this way, Ananda, the Tathagata knows the future arising of qualities by encompassing their mind with his mind. Here again, Ananda, I discern a certain person by encompassing their mind with my mind, knowing: 'This person has both wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities.' Then, at a later time, I discern them by encompassing their mind with my mind, knowing: 'This person's unwholesome qualities have disappeared, wholesome qualities have become manifest. But there is a root of unwholesomeness not uprooted in them. From that, unwholesome will arise for them. Thus, this person will decline in the future.' Just as, Ananda, seeds that are unbroken, unspoiled, not harmed by wind or sun, fresh, well-preserved, are placed on a flat rock. Would you know, Ananda, that these seeds would not grow, sprout, or reach full development? "Yes, sir." "Just so, Ananda, I discern a certain person by encompassing their mind with my mind... I discern by encompassing the mind: ‘In this person there are both wholesome states and unwholesome states.’ Then, at a later time, I discern by encompassing the mind: ‘In this person, unwholesome states have disappeared, wholesome states have become manifest. But there is an unwholesome root that is not eradicated in him, therefore, unwholesome things will arise for him from that unwholesome root. Thus, this person will be subject to decline in the future.’ In this way too, Ānanda, a person is known to the Tathāgata by encompassing the mind. In this way too, Ānanda, the Tathāgata’s knowledge of the faculties of persons is known by encompassing the mind. In this way too, Ānanda, the future arising of states is known to the Tathāgata by encompassing the mind. Here again, Ānanda, I discern a certain person by encompassing the mind: ‘In this person there are both wholesome states and unwholesome states.’ Then, at a later time, I discern by encompassing the mind: ‘There is not even a hair-tip’s worth of a pure state in this person. This person is endowed with entirely dark, unwholesome states. Upon the breaking up of the body, after death, he will be reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, hell.’ Just as, Ānanda, seeds that are broken, rotten, damaged by wind and sun, are placed in a good field on well-prepared ground. Would you know, Ānanda, that these seeds will not grow, sprout, or reach full development? “Yes, Venerable Sir.” Even so, Ānanda, I discern a certain person here by encompassing the mind: ‘In this person there are both wholesome states and unwholesome states.’ Then, at a later time, I discern by encompassing the mind: ‘There is not even a hair-tip’s worth of a pure state in this person. This person is endowed with entirely dark, unwholesome states. Upon the breaking up of the body, after death, after the breaking up of the body, after death, he will reappear in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell.’ Thus too, Ananda, a person is known to the Tathagata by encompassing his mind with his own mind. Thus too, Ananda, the knowledge of the faculties of persons is known to the Tathagata by encompassing their minds with his own mind. Thus too, Ananda, the future arising of states is known to the Tathagata by encompassing their minds with his own mind.” When this was said, Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: “Is it possible, Venerable Sir, to declare three other persons corresponding to these three persons?”