English
Therefore, here, monks, thus should be trained: 'Arisen gain, overcoming, overcoming, we will live, arisen loss… arisen repute… arisen disrepute… arisen honor… arisen dishonor… arisen evil wishes… arisen evil friendship, overcoming, overcoming, we will live.' Thus, indeed, monks, you should train. The Seventh. 8. The Discourse on Uttara's Misfortunes. At one time, the Venerable Uttara was living in Mahisavatthu, on Saṅkheyya Mountain, in Vaṭajālikā. There, indeed, the Venerable Uttara addressed the monks: 'Good, friends, for a monk to reflect on his own failures from time to time. Good, friends, for a monk to reflect on others' failures from time to time. Good, friends, for a monk to reflect on his own successes from time to time. Good, friends, for a monk to reflect on others' successes from time to time.' Now at that time, King Vessavaṇa, the Great King, was going from the northern direction to the southern direction for some reason or another. King Vessavaṇa, the Great King, heard the Venerable Uttara, in Mahisavatthu, on Saṅkheyya Mountain, in Vaṭajālikā, teaching the Dhamma to the monks thus: 'Good, friends, for a monk to reflect on his own failures from time to time…' ...reflects on his own failures. It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on others' failures. It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on his own successes. It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on others' successes." Then King Vessavaṇṇa— just as a strong man might extend a bent arm, or bend an extended arm— even so, vanished from Vaṭajālikā on Saṅkheyya Mountain in Mahisavatthu, he appeared among the Tāvatiṃsa gods. Then King Vessavaṇṇa approached Sakka, king of the gods. Having approached, he said to Sakka, king of the gods: "Indeed, sir, you should know! This Venerable Uttara, at Vaṭajālikā on Saṅkheyya Mountain in Mahisavatthu, teaches the Dhamma to the monks thus: 'It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on his own failures. It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on others' failures... It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on his own successes... It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on others' successes.'" Then Sakka, king of the gods— just as a strong man might extend a bent arm, or bend an extended arm— even so, vanished from among the Tāvatiṃsa gods, he appeared before Venerable Uttara at Vaṭajālikā on Saṅkheyya Mountain in Mahisavatthu. Then Sakka, king of the gods, approached Venerable Uttara. Having approached, he saluted Venerable Uttara and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Sakka, king of the gods, said to Venerable Uttara: "Is it true, venerable sir, that Venerable Uttara teaches the Dhamma to the monks thus: 'It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on his own failures. It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on others' failures... It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on his own successes... It is good, friend, for a monk from time to time to reflect on others' successes...'" is it?” “Yes, Lord of Devas.” “But, Venerable Sir, is this the Venerable Uttara’s own improvisation, or is it the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One?” “In that case, Lord of Devas, I shall make you a simile. By a simile, some discerning men here understand the meaning of what is said.” “Just as, Lord of Devas, not far from a village or a town, there is a great heap of grain. From there, a large crowd of people would carry grain— in shoulder-baskets, in baskets, in their laps, in their cupped hands. If, Lord of Devas, someone were to approach that large crowd of people and ask, ‘From where do you carry this grain?’ How, Lord of Devas, would that large crowd of people, answering correctly, answer?” “‘We carry it from that great heap of grain,’ Venerable Sir, that large crowd of people, answering correctly, would answer.” “Even so, Lord of Devas, whatever is well-spoken, all of that is the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Taking from that, taking from that, we and others speak.” “Wonderful, Venerable Sir, amazing, Venerable Sir! How well-spoken is this by the Venerable Uttara— ‘Whatever is well-spoken, all of that is the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Taking from that, taking from that, we and others speak.’ On one occasion, Venerable Uttara, the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, on Gijjhakūṭa mountain, not long after Devadatta had departed. There, the Blessed One, concerning Devadatta, addressed the bhikkhus— “It is good, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu to reflect on his own downfall from time to time. It is good, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu to reflect on the downfall of others… on his own success… on the success of others from time to time. Devadatta, bhikkhus, overcome by eight unwholesome qualities, with his mind consumed, is destined for a woeful state, for hell, to remain for an eon, incurable. Which are the eigh By what eight? Indeed, by gain, monks, overcome, with mind consumed, Devadatta is destined for states of woe, for hell, to remain for an eon, incurable. By loss, monks... By fame, monks... By disgrace, monks... By honor, monks... By dishonor, monks... By evil desires, monks... By evil companionship, monks, overcome, with mind consumed, Devadatta is destined for states of woe, for hell, to remain for an eon, incurable. Indeed, by these eight unwholesome things, monks, overcome, with mind consumed, Devadatta is destined for states of woe, for hell, to remain for an eon, incurable. Good, monks, a monk should live repeatedly overcoming arisen gain; arisen loss... arisen fame... arisen disgrace... arisen honor... arisen dishonor... arisen evil desires... arisen evil companionship, repeatedly overcoming. And for what reason, monks, should a monk, on account of a purpose, live repeatedly overcoming arisen gain? arisen loss... arisen fame... arisen disgrace... arisen honor... arisen dishonor... arisen evil desires... arisen evil companionship, repeatedly overcoming? For if, monks, for one living without overcoming arisen gain, defilements, vexations, and fevers would arise. For one living overcoming arisen gain, those defilements, vexations, and fevers do not arise. For if, monks, for one living without overcoming arisen loss... arisen fame... arisen disgrace... arisen honor... arisen dishonor... arisen evil desires... arisen evil companionship, defilements, vexations, and fevers would arise. For one living overcoming arisen evil companionship, those defilements, vexations, and fevers do not arise. This indeed, monks, is the purpose on account of which a monk should live repeatedly overcoming arisen gain; arisen loss... arisen fame... arisen disgrace... … having overcome, having overcome, arisen honor… arisen dishonor… arisen evil desires… arisen evil friendship, he should dwell. “Therefore, bhikkhus, thus should you train yourselves: ‘We will dwell having overcome, having overcome, arisen gain; arisen loss…pe… arisen fame; arisen infamy; arisen honor; arisen dishonor; arisen evil desires; arisen evil friendship.’ Thus, bhikkhus, should you train yourselves.” “To this extent, venerable Uttara, there are four assemblies among humans: bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, laymen, laywomen. This discourse on Dhamma is not established in anything. May the venerable Uttara learn this discourse on Dhamma. May the venerable Uttara master this discourse on Dhamma. May the venerable Uttara remember this discourse on Dhamma. This discourse on Dhamma, venerable sir, is connected with the goal, it is fundamental to the holy life.” The Eighth. 9. Nanda Sutta 9. “‘A son of good family,’ bhikkhus, one would rightly say of Nanda. ‘Strong,’ bhikkhus, one would rightly say of Nanda. ‘Pleasing,’ bhikkhus, one would rightly say of Nanda. ‘Intensely passionate,’ bhikkhus, one would rightly say of Nanda. What else, bhikkhus, is Nanda but one whose sense-doors are guarded, moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness, endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, by which Nanda is able to lead the complete and purified holy life! Herein, bhikkhus, this is Nanda’s guarding of the sense-doors. If, bhikkhus, Nanda has to look to the eastern direction, Nanda looks to the eastern direction, having fully attended with his mind to everything – ‘Thus, as I look to the eastern direction, no evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure will flow in upon me.’ Thus, there, he is clearly comprehending. “If, monks, Nanda needs to look to the western direction… to the northern direction… to the southern direction… to look upwards… to look downwards… to look around the intermediate directions, having gathered everything with his mind, Nanda looks around the intermediate directions— ‘Thus, as I look around the intermediate directions, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure will not flow into me.’ Thus, he is clearly comprehending in that. This, monks, is Nanda’s guarding the doors of his senses. “And this, monks, is Nanda’s moderation in eating. Here, monks, Nanda reflects wisely and eats food— ‘Not for sport, nor for intoxication, nor for adornment, nor for beautification, but only for the maintenance and sustenance of this body, for the cessation of harm, for the support of the holy life, thinking: “Thus I shall overcome old feelings, and not give rise to new feelings, and there will be for me maintenance, blamelessness, and a comfortable abiding.”’ This, monks, is Nanda’s moderation in eating. “And this, monks, is Nanda’s devotion to wakefulness. Here, monks, Nanda purifies his mind from obstructive states during the day by walking and sitting; during the first watch of the night, he purifies his mind from obstructive states by walking and sitting; during the middle watch of the night, he lies down on his right side