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to declare the fruit of giving as visible in this very life?” “In that case, Sīha, I will question you on this very matter, and you may answer as you see fit. What do you think, Sīha? Here are two men: one man is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive; the other man is faithful, a giver, delighting in giving. What do you think, Sīha? Whom would the Arahants first pity and show compassion to— ‘that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive, or that man who is faithful, a giver, delighting in giving’?” “That man, Venerable Sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive— how would the Arahants first pity and show compassion to him? But that man, Venerable Sir, who is faithful, a giver, delighting in giving— him would the Arahants first pity and show compassion to.” “What do you think, Sīha? Whom would the Arahants first approach— ‘that man who is faithless, stingy, miserly, and abusive, or that man who is faithful, a giver, delighting in giving’?” “That man, Venerable Sir, who is faithless, stingy, a stingy, abusive person, how would the Arahants first approach him? But that person, venerable sir, who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving, him alone would the Arahants first approach.” “What do you think, Sīha, from whom would the Arahants first accept gifts – from that person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or from that person who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving?” “That person, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, how would the Arahants first accept gifts from him? But that person, venerable sir, who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving, from him alone would the Arahants first accept gifts.” “What do you think, Sīha, to whom would the Arahants first teach the Dhamma – to that person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or to that person who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving?” “That person, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, how would the Arahants first teach the Dhamma to him? But that person, venerable sir, who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving, to him alone would the Arahants first teach the Dhamma.” “What do you think, Sīha, whose good reputation would arise – that of the person who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, or that of the person who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving?” “That person, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, abusive, how would a good reputation arise for him? But that person, venerable sir, who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving, for him alone would a good reputation arise.” “What do you think, Sīha, who, whatever assembly he might approach, whether an assembly of nobles, or an assembly of brahmins, or an assembly of householders, to any assembly, or an assembly of monastics, would he approach confidently, unabashed? 'Whether that person is faithless, stingy, miserly, a reviler, or that person is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving?' "That person, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, a reviler, how could he approach any assembly whatsoever, whether an assembly of nobles, an assembly of brahmins, an assembly of householders, or an assembly of monastics, confidently, unabashed!" "But that person, venerable sir, who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving, he would approach any assembly whatsoever, whether an assembly of nobles, an assembly of brahmins, an assembly of householders, or an assembly of monastics, confidently, unabashed." "What do you think, Sīha, who, after the body's breaking up, after death, would reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world? 'Whether that person is faithless, stingy, miserly, a reviler, or that person is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving'?" "That person, venerable sir, who is faithless, stingy, miserly, a reviler, how could he, after the body's breaking up, after death, reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world!" "But that person, venerable sir, who is faithful, a donor, delighting in giving, he would, after the body's breaking up, after death, reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world." "These immediate results of giving, venerable sir, that have been declared by the Blessed One, I do not go by faith in the Blessed One concerning them. I too know these things. I, venerable sir, am a giver, a donor; the Arahants first show compassion to me. I, venerable sir, am a giver, a donor; the Arahants first approach me. I, venerable sir, am a giver, a donor; the Arahants first accept from me. I, venerable sir, am a giver, a donor; the Arahants first teach the Dhamma to me. I, venerable sir, am a giver, a donor; a good reputation of mine... He rose up and said: 'Sīha the general is a giver, a doer, a supporter of the Saṅgha.' Venerable sir, I am a giver, a donor. Whatever assembly I approach, whether an assembly of nobles... or an assembly of ascetics, I approach confidently, unashamed. Venerable sir, these immediate fruits of giving that the Blessed One has declared, I do not accept these on the Blessed One's faith. I myself know them. But as for what the Blessed One tells me, Venerable sir, 'Sīha, a giver, a donor, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.' This I do not know. But on this, I accept the Blessed One's faith." "So it is, Sīha; so it is, Sīha! A giver, Sīha, a donor, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world." The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on Things Not to Be Guarded 58. "Monks, there are these four things that the Tathāgata has no need to guard, and three things for which he is irreproachable. What are the four things that the Tathāgata has no need to guard? Monks, the Tathāgata's bodily conduct is pure; there is no bodily misconduct of the Tathāgata that the Tathāgata would need to guard, thinking: 'Lest another know this about me.' Monks, the Tathāgata's verbal conduct is pure; there is no verbal misconduct of the Tathāgata that the Tathāgata would need to guard, thinking: 'Lest another know this about me.' Monks, the Tathāgata's mental conduct is pure; there is no mental misconduct of the Tathāgata that the Tathāgata would need to guard, thinking: 'Lest another know this about me.' Monks, the Tathāgata's livelihood is pure; there is no wrong livelihood of the Tathāgata that the Tathāgata would need to guard, thinking: 'Lest another know this about me.' These are the four things that the Tathāgata has no need to guard. "And what are the three things for which he is irreproachable? Monks, the Dhamma taught by the Tathāgata is well-expounded. It is impossible that any ascetic or brahmin, deity or Māra or Brahmā, or anyone in the world, could rightly accuse me, saying: 'Thus, your Dhamma is not well-expounded.' This is a sign... I do not see, bhikkhus, any such thing. Not seeing this sign, bhikkhus, I dwell having attained security, having attained fearlessness, having attained confidence. Well-proclaimed, bhikkhus, is the path leading to Nibbana for my disciples. My disciples, having practiced accordingly, by the destruction of the taints, having realized for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, dwell having attained it. There is no ascetic or brahmin, or god, or Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone in the world, who could rightly accuse me, saying: 'Thus, your path leading to Nibbana for your disciples is not well-proclaimed. Your disciples, having practiced accordingly, by the destruction of the taints, having realized for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, do not dwell having attained it.' This sign, bhikkhus, I do not see. Not seeing this sign, bhikkhus, I dwell having attained security, having attained fearlessness, having attained confidence. My assembly of disciples, bhikkhus, numbering many hundreds, by the destruction of the taints, having realized for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, dwell having attained it. There is no ascetic or brahmin, or god, or Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone in the world, who could rightly accuse me, saying: 'Thus, your assembly of disciples, numbering many hundreds, by the destruction of the taints, having realized for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, do not dwell having attained it.' This sign, bhikkhus, I do not see. Not seeing this sign, bhikkhus, I dwell having attained security, having attained fearlessness, having attained confidence. By these three, I am irreproachable. These, bhikkhus, are the four things the Tathagata has no need to guard, and by these three, he is irreproachable. The Fifth. 6. The Discourse to Kimila 59. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Kimila, in the Nicula Grove. Then the Venerable Kimila approached the Blessed One; having approached, he Having greeted the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, indeed, the venerable Kimila said this to the Blessed One: "What, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause, why, when the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma does not last long?" "Here, Kimila, when the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, monks, nuns, male lay followers, female lay followers dwell without respect for the Teacher, without deference; dwell without respect for the Dhamma, without deference; dwell without respect for the Saṅgha, without deference; dwell without respect for the training, without deference; dwell without respect for concentration, without deference; dwell without respect for heedfulness, without deference; dwell without respect for hospitality, without deference. This, indeed, Kimila, is the reason, this is the cause, why, when the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna,