English
This, Paharada, is the third wonderful, amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which, seeing again and again, bhikkhus delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, Paharada, whatever great rivers there are, namely – the Ganga, Yamuna, Aciravati, Sarabhu, Mahi, they, having reached the great ocean, abandon their former names and clans; they are reckoned simply as 'the great ocean'. In the same way, Paharada, these four castes – nobles, brahmins, merchants, workers – they, having gone forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, abandon their former names and clans; they are reckoned simply as 'ascetics, sons of the Sakyan'. And also, Paharada, that these four castes – nobles, brahmins, merchants, workers – they, having gone forth from home to homelessness in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, abandon their former names and clans; they are reckoned simply as 'ascetics, sons of the Sakyan'. This, Paharada, is the fourth wonderful, amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which, seeing again and again, bhikkhus delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, Paharada, whatever rivers in the world flow into the great ocean, and whatever streams fall from the sky, by that, no decrease or increase in the great ocean is perceived. In the same way, Paharada, even if many bhikkhus pass away into the Nibbana-element without residue, by that, no decrease or increase in the Nibbana-element is perceived. And also, Paharada, that even if many bhikkhus pass away into the Nibbana-element without residue, by that, no decrease or increase in the Nibbana-element is perceived. This, Paharada, is the fifth wonderful, amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which, seeing again and again, bhikkhus delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. This quality, which seeing again and again, monks delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, Pahārāda, the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt; even so, Pahārāda, this Dhamma and Discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation. And that, Pahārāda, this Dhamma and Discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation; this, Pahārāda, in this Dhamma and Discipline, is the sixth marvelous and amazing quality, which seeing again and again, monks delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, Pahārāda, the great ocean is rich in many jewels, of various jewels; therein are these jewels, namely – pearls, gems, lapis lazuli, conch, rock, coral, silver, gold, ruby, cat's eye; even so, Pahārāda, this Dhamma and Discipline is rich in many jewels, of various jewels. Therein are these jewels, namely – the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path. And that, Pahārāda, this Dhamma and Discipline is rich in many jewels, of various jewels; therein are these jewels, namely – the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path; this, Pahārāda, in this Dhamma and Discipline, is the seventh marvelous and amazing quality, which seeing again and again, monks delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. Just as, Pahārāda, the great ocean is the abode of great beings; therein are these beings – whales, whale-eaters, whale-whale-eaters, asuras, nāgas, gandhabbas; there are in the great ocean beings of a hundred leagues, beings of two hundred leagues, beings of three hundred leagues, beings of four hundred leagues, beings of five hundred leagues; even so, Pahārāda, this Dhamma and Discipline is the abode of great beings; therein are these beings – the stream-enterer, one practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry, the once-returner, one practicing for the realization of the fruit of once-returning... entered upon the path of non-return, an Arahant entered upon the path of Arahantship. And this, Pahārāda, is a dwelling place for great beings in this Dhamma and Discipline; and these beings are: a Stream-enterer entered upon the path of realizing the fruit of Stream-entry, a Once-returner entered upon the path of realizing the fruit of Once-return, a Non-returner entered upon the path of realizing the fruit of Non-return, an Arahant entered upon the path of Arahantship. This, Pahārāda, is the eighth wonderful and amazing quality in this Dhamma and Discipline, which, seeing again and again, monks delight in this Dhamma and Discipline. These, Pahārāda, are the eight wonderful and amazing qualities in this Dhamma and Discipline, which, seeing again and again, monks delight in this Dhamma and Discipline.” The Ninth. 10. The Uposatha Sutta At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in the Eastern Park, at Migāra’s Mother’s Palace. Now at that time, on the Uposatha day, the Blessed One was seated, surrounded by the assembly of monks. Then, when the night was far advanced, when the first watch was over, Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, saluting the Blessed One with joined hands, said to the Blessed One: “The night, venerable sir, is far advanced, the first watch is over, the assembly of monks has been seated for a long time. Let the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks.” When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent. A second time, when the night was far advanced, when the middle watch was over, Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, saluting the Blessed One with joined hands, said to the Blessed One: “The night, venerable sir, is far advanced, the middle watch is over, the assembly of monks has been seated for a long time. Let the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks.” A second time, the Blessed One remained silent. A third time, when the night was far advanced, when the last watch was over, when the dawn had risen, when the face of the sun Yesterday night, having risen from his seat, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, having saluted the Blessed One with joined hands, he said this to the Blessed One: "The night is far gone, Bhante, the last watch has passed, the dawn has risen, the night is joyful-faced; the Sangha of bhikkhus has been seated for a long time. Let the Blessed One, Bhante, recite the Pātimokkha for the bhikkhus." "The assembly, Ānanda, is not pure." Then it occurred to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "What person, indeed, does the Blessed One have in mind when he says: 'The assembly, Ānanda, is not pure'?" Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna surveyed the entire Sangha of bhikkhus encompassing their minds with his mind. Venerable Mahāmoggallāna saw that person, immoral, of evil nature, impure, of doubtful conduct, with hidden deeds, no recluse but claiming to be one, no celibate but claiming to be one, rotten within, oozing, a heap of refuse, sitting in the midst of the Sangha of bhikkhus; having seen him, he rose from his seat, approached that person; having approached, he said to that person: "Get up, friend, you have been seen by the Blessed One. There is no dwelling together for you with the bhikkhus." When this was said, that person remained silent. A second time, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said to that person: "Get up, friend, you have been seen by the Blessed One. There is no dwelling together for you with the bhikkhus." A second time, that person remained silent. A third time, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said to that person: "Get up, friend, you have been seen by the Blessed One. There is no dwelling together for you with the bhikkhus." A third time, that person remained silent. Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, taking that person by the arm, led him out beyond the door-post, fastened the bolt, and approached the Blessed One; having approached, he said to the Blessed One: "That person, Bhante, has been expelled by me. The assembly is pure. Let the Blessed One, Bhante, recite for the bhikkhus..." ...the Pātimokkha." "Wonderful, Moggallāna, amazing, Moggallāna! Even when seized by the arm, that foolish man will come!" Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "You yourselves now, bhikkhus, should perform the Uposatha, should recite the Pātimokkha. I will not now, bhikkhus, from today onwards, perform the Uposatha, recite the Pātimokkha. It is impossible, bhikkhus, it is not feasible, that a Tathāgata should recite the Pātimokkha in an impure assembly." "There are these eight, bhikkhus, wonderful, amazing qualities in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. Which eight? The great ocean, bhikkhus, slopes gradually, inclines gradually, descends gradually, it is not a sudden drop. That the great ocean, bhikkhus, slopes gradually, inclines gradually, descends gradually, it is not a sudden drop; this, bhikkhus, is the first wonderful, amazing quality in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. "Furthermore, bhikkhus, the great ocean is the abode of mighty beings. These are those beings: timi, timingala, timirapingala, asuras, nāgas, gandhabbas. In the great ocean dwell beings with bodies a hundred leagues long... even bodies five hundred leagues long. That the great ocean, bhikkhus, is the abode of mighty beings; these are those beings: timi, timingala, timirapingala, asuras, nāgas, gandhabbas; in the great ocean dwell beings with bodies a hundred leagues long... even bodies five hundred leagues long; this, bhikkhus, is the eighth wonderful, amazing quality in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. These, bhikkhus, are the eight wonderful, amazing qualities in the great ocean, which seeing again and again, the asuras delight in the great ocean. "Just so, bhikkhus, there are eight wonderful, amazing qualities