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the True Dhamma does not last long." "But what, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause, why, when the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma lasts long?" "Here, Kimila, when the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, monks, nuns, male lay followers, female lay followers dwell with respect for the Teacher, with deference; dwell with respect for the Dhamma, with deference; dwell with respect for the Saṅgha, with deference; dwell with respect for the training, with deference; dwell with respect for concentration, with deference; dwell with respect for heedfulness, with deference; dwell with respect for hospitality, with deference. This, indeed, Kimila, is the reason, this is the cause, why, when the Tathāgata has attained final Nibbāna, the True Dhamma lasts long." The Sixth. 7. The Discourse on Seven Qualities 60. "Monks, a monk endowed with seven qualities not long hence, through the destruction of the taints… …having realized it for himself, would dwell therein. Which seven? Here, monks, a monk is endowed with faith, is virtuous, is learned, is secluded, has aroused energy, is mindful, is wise. Monks, a monk endowed with these seven qualities not long hence, through the destruction of the taints… …having realized it for himself. having attained, he might dwell." The Seventh. 8. The Discourse on Nodding Off 61. Thus have I heard – at one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Bhaggas, at Susumāragira, in the Bhesakaḷāvana Deer Park. Now at that time, the venerable Mahāmoggallāna was sitting in Magadha, in the village of Kallavāḷaputta, nodding off. The Blessed One saw, with his divine eye, purified and surpassing human sight, the venerable Mahāmoggallāna sitting in Magadha, in the village of Kallavāḷaputta, nodding off. Having seen him – just as a strong man might extend a flexed arm or flex an extended arm – even so, the Blessed One vanished from Susumāragira, in the Bhesakaḷāvana Deer Park among the Bhaggas, and reappeared before the venerable Mahāmoggallāna in the village of Kallavāḷaputta in Magadha. The Blessed One sat down on the seat that had been prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One said to the venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "Are you nodding off, Moggallāna? Are you nodding off, Moggallāna?" "Yes, Venerable Sir." "Therefore, Moggallāna, when you are dwelling with a certain perception, and that drowsiness overcomes you, do not pay attention to that perception, do not dwell on that perception. It is possible, Moggallāna, that by dwelling thus, that drowsiness might be abandoned." "If, by dwelling thus, that drowsiness is not abandoned, then, Moggallāna, you should reflect upon, ponder over, and mentally review the Dhamma as you have heard it and learned it. It is possible that by dwelling thus, that drowsiness might be abandoned." "If, by dwelling thus, that drowsiness is not abandoned, then, Moggallāna, you should recite in detail the Dhamma as you have heard it and learned it. It is possible that It is not possible that for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor would disappear. If for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor does not disappear, then you, Moggallāna, should pull both earlobes, and rub your limbs with your hands. It is possible that for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor would disappear. If for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor does not disappear, then you, Moggallāna, rising from your seat, having rubbed your eyes with water, should look around in all directions, and gaze at the stars and constellations. It is possible that for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor would disappear. If for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor does not disappear, then you, Moggallāna, should fix your mind on the perception of light, establish the perception of day — as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day. Thus, with an open mind, unconstrained, you should cultivate a mind full of light. It is possible that for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor would disappear. If for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor does not disappear, then you, Moggallāna, should undertake walking meditation, with the perception of front and back, with your senses turned inwards, and your mind not straying outwards. It is possible that for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor would disappear. If for you, dwelling thus, that sloth and torpor does not disappear, then you, Moggallāna, should lie down on your right side in the lion’s posture, placing one foot on the other, mindful and clearly comprehending, having fixed your mind on the perception of rising. And when you awaken, Moggallāna, you should quickly rise — ‘I will not dwell devoted to the pleasure of lying down, the pleasure of the side, or the pleasure of sloth and torpor.’ Thus, Moggallāna, you should train. Therefore, Moggallāna, you should train thus — ‘Not high… 'I will go to families with an uplifted trunk.' Thus, Moggallāna, should you train. If, Moggallāna, a bhikkhu goes to families with an uplifted trunk, there are, Moggallāna, duties in families to be done. Because of which people do not pay attention to the visiting bhikkhu, then the bhikkhu thinks thus: 'Who now has slandered me in this family? These people are now alienated from me.' Thus, from not gaining, he becomes dejected; to the dejected, there is agitation; to the agitated, lack of restraint; to the unrestrained, the mind is far from concentration. Therefore, Moggallāna, thus should you train: 'I will not engage in contentious talk.' Thus, Moggallāna, should you train. When there is contentious talk, Moggallāna, much talk is to be expected; when there is much talk, there is agitation; to the agitated, lack of restraint; to the unrestrained, the mind is far from concentration. I do not, Moggallāna, praise association with everyone. Nor do I, Moggallāna, not praise association with everyone. I do not, Moggallāna, praise association with householders and renunciants. But those dwellings that are quiet, with little noise, with secluded breezes, fit for human solitude, suitable for retreat, I praise association with such dwellings. When this was said, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said to the Blessed One: "To what extent, venerable sir, is a bhikkhu briefly released by the destruction of craving, utterly finished, utterly secure from bondage, utterly a pure liver, utterly ended, supreme among gods and humans?" "Here, Moggallāna, A monk hears: ‘All phenomena are not fit for clinging.’ And thus, Moggallāna, a monk hears: ‘All phenomena are not fit for clinging.’ He fully comprehends all phenomena, having fully comprehended all phenomena, he fully understands all phenomena. Having fully understood all phenomena, whatever feeling he experiences, whether pleasant or painful or neither-pleasant-nor-painful. In those feelings, he dwells contemplating impermanence, contemplating dispassion, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells in those feelings, contemplating impermanence, contemplating dispassion, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment, he does not cling to anything in the world. Not clinging, he is not agitated. Not agitated, he personally attains final Nibbāna. ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being,’ he understands. To this extent, Moggallāna, a monk, in brief, is liberated by the destruction of craving, utterly complete, utterly secure from bondage, utterly a practitioner of the holy life, utterly at an end, the best of gods and humans. The Eighth. 9. Discourse on Loving-kindness Do not fear meritorious deeds, monks. This is a designation for happiness, monks, what is called meritorious deeds. I know, monks, that for a long time, meritorious deeds done have been experienced by me as a long-desired, pleasing, agreeable result. For seven years I developed a mind of loving-kindness. Having developed a mind of loving-kindness for seven years, for seven cycles of world-contraction and expansion, I did not return to this world again. When the world contracted, I... Monks, in the world, I become one who goes to the Abhassara realm; when the world evolves, I am reborn into an empty Brahma-palace. There, Monks, I was a Brahma, a Great Brahma, overpowering, unoverpowered, all-seeing, wielding power. And thirty-six times, Monks, I was Sakka, lord of devas; countless hundreds of times I was a king, a Wheel-turning Monarch, righteous, a king of righteousness, ruling the four quarters, victorious, having established stability in the country, endowed with the seven treasures. For me, Monks, these seven treasures existed, namely: the Wheel-treasure, the Elephant-treasure, the Horse-treasure, the Gem-treasure, the Woman-treasure, the Householder-treasure, and the Counselor-treasure as the seventh. And I had, Monks, more than a thousand sons, brave, heroic in form, crushers of enemy armies. He, having conquered this earth to its ocean-bound limits, without rod or weapon, by righteousness, dwelt therein. See the ripening of merits, of wholesome deeds, seeking happiness; Having developed a mind of loving-kindness, for seven years, O bhikkhus; For seven aeons of world-contraction and expansion, I did not return to this world. When the world contracted, I became one who goes to the Abhassara realm; When the world expanded, I became one who goes to an empty Brahma-palace. Seven times a Great Brahma, wielding power, I was then; Thirty-six times lord of devas, I ruled the deva kingdom. A Wheel-turning Monarch, I was king, lord of the Rose-apple continent; An anointed warrior, I was lord of humans. Without rod or weapon, having conquered this earth; By non-violent action, by justice, I ruled it. Having ruled the kingdom by righteousness, on this circle of earth; In a family of great wealth, of great possessions, rich, I was born. Complete with all desires, and with seven treasures.