English
will remain for only five hundred years. “Just as, Ānanda, whatever families have many women and few men, they are easily assailed by robbers and bandits; even so, Ānanda, whatever in which Dhamma and Discipline women obtain going forth from home into homelessness, that holy life does not last long. Just as, Ānanda, in a flourishing rice field a disease called white blight falls upon it, then that rice field does not last long; even so, Ānanda, in which Dhamma and Discipline women obtain going forth from home into homelessness, that holy life does not last long. Just as, Ānanda, in a flourishing sugarcane field a disease called red blight falls upon it, then that sugarcane field does not last long; even so, Ānanda, in which Dhamma and Discipline women obtain going forth from home into homelessness, that holy life does not last long. Just as, Ānanda, a man would build a dike around a great pond in advance, just so that the water does not overflow; even so, Ānanda, I have laid down these eight weighty rules for the bhikkhunīs in advance, not to be transgressed throughout life.” First. 2. Admonition Sutta At one time the Blessed One was staying in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Gabled Hall. Then Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “By how many qualities, Bhante, should a bhikkhu be endowed to be appointed as an admonisher of bhikkhunīs?” “By eight qualities, Ānanda, should a bhikkhu be endowed to be appointed as an admonisher of bhikkhunīs. Which eight? Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is virtuous… (and so on)… undertakes and trains in the training rules; he is learned… (and so on)… well-penetrated by understanding; both Pātimokkhas are well-received by him in detail, well-analyzed, well-practiced, well-investigated, by sutta and by detailed explanation; he has good speech he is one of good speech, endowed with a refined voice, clear, unhesitating, capable of explaining the meaning; he is able to instruct, incite, rouse, and gladden the assembly of bhikkhunīs with a talk on the Dhamma; he is mostly dear and pleasing to the bhikkhunīs; he has not previously transgressed a grave rule, having gone forth for the sake of the Blessed One, wearing the saffron robe; he is twenty years old or more than twenty years old. With these eight qualities, Ānanda, a bhikkhu should be appointed as an instructor of bhikkhunīs.” Second. 3. The Summary Sutta 53. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Gabled Hall. Then Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she stood to one side. Standing to one side, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī said to the Blessed One: “It would be good, Venerable Sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute.” “Those things, Gotamī, that you would know: ‘These things lead to passion, not to dispassion; to bondage, not to release; to accumulation, not to reduction; to great desires, not to few desires; to discontent, not to contentment; to company, not to solitude; to idleness, not to the arousal of energy; to being difficult to support, not to being easy to support’— of these, Gotamī, you should definitely hold: ‘This is not Dhamma, this is not Vinaya, this is not the Teacher’s instruction.’” “But those things, Gotamī, that you would know: ‘These things lead to dispassion, not to passion; to release, not to bondage; to reduction, not to accumulation; to few desires for little desire, not for great desire; for contentment, not for discontentment; for seclusion, not for company; for the arousal of energy, not for laziness; for being easy to support, not for being difficult to support’— then, Gotami, you may hold it as certain: ‘This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’” The Third. 4. The Discourse to Dīghajāṇu 54. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Koliyans, in a Koliyan town named Kakkarapatta. Then Dīghajāṇu, a Koliyan son, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Dīghajāṇu, the Koliyan son, said to the Blessed One: “We, venerable sir, are laypeople who enjoy sensual pleasures, we dwell in a home crowded with children, we use Kasi sandalwood, we wear garlands, perfumes, and ointments, we delight in gold and silver. For us, venerable sir, may the Blessed One teach the Dhamma, such that these teachings would be for our benefit and happiness in this present life, and for our benefit and happiness in the life to come.” “There are, Vyagghapajja, these four things that lead to a noble son’s benefit and happiness in this present life. Which four? Accomplishment in initiative, accomplishment in protection, good friendship, and balanced livelihood. And what, Vyagghapajja, is accomplishment in initiative? Here, Vyagghapajja, a noble son, by whatever occupation he makes a living—whether by farming, or by trade, or by cattle-keeping, or by archery, or by royal service, or by any other craft—therein he is skillful and not lazy, he is endowed with the means to investigate and to manage, capable of doing and capable of organizing. This, Vyagghapajja, is called accomplishment in initiative. “And what, Vyagghapajja, is accomplishment in protection? Here, Vyagghapajja, a noble son’s possessions, which he has obtained by diligent effort, acquired by the strength of their arms, sweat-stained, righteous, lawfully gained. They protect these with watchfulness and guard – 'Lest kings seize these possessions of mine, lest thieves steal them, lest fire burn them, lest water carry them away, lest unloved heirs seize them!' This, Vyagghapajja, is called the accomplishment of protection. "And what, Vyagghapajja, is good friendship? Here, Vyagghapajja, a householder's son resides in whatever village or town, there, those who are – householders or sons of householders, young but mature in virtue, or old and mature in virtue, accomplished in faith, accomplished in virtue, accomplished in generosity, accomplished in wisdom – with them he associates, converses, engages in discussion; he emulates the faith of those accomplished in faith, he emulates the virtue of those accomplished in virtue, he emulates the generosity of those accomplished in generosity, he emulates the wisdom of those accomplished in wisdom. This, Vyagghapajja, is called good friendship. "And what, Vyagghapajja, is balanced livelihood? Here, Vyagghapajja, a householder's son, knowing the income of his possessions, and knowing the expenditure of his possessions, maintains a balanced livelihood, neither too extravagant nor too meager – 'Thus my income will stand covering my expenditure, and my expenditure will not stand covering my income.' Just as, Vyagghapajja, a scale-bearer or a scale-bearer's apprentice, having lifted the scale, knows – 'It is lowered by so much, or raised by so much'; even so, Vyagghapajja, a householder's son, knowing the income of his possessions, and knowing the expenditure of his possessions, maintains a balanced livelihood, neither too extravagant nor too meager – 'Thus my income will stand covering my expenditure, and my expenditure will not stand covering my income.' If this householder's son, Vyagghapajja, having little income If he lives a lavish life, people say of him: ‘This young man consumes wealth like an udumbara-eater.’ But if, Vyagghapajja, this young man, having much income, lives a miserable life, people say of him: ‘This young man will die an untimely death.’ But when, Vyagghapajja, this young man, knowing the income of his wealth, and knowing the expenses of his wealth, lives a balanced life, neither too lavish nor too meager, (thinking) ‘Thus my income will cover my expenses, and my expenses will not exceed my income.’ This, Vyagghapajja, is called balanced living. For wealth thus acquired, Vyagghapajja, there are four channels of dissipation: addiction to women, addiction to intoxicants, addiction to gambling, and having evil friends, evil companions, evil associates. Just as, Vyagghapajja, a great pond has four inlets and four outlets. If a man were to close its inlets and open its outlets; and the sky were not to send down rain properly. Then, Vyagghapajja, a decrease in that great pond is to be expected, not an increase. In the same way, Vyagghapajja, for wealth thus acquired, there are four channels of dissipation: addiction to women, addiction to intoxicants, addiction to gambling, and having evil friends, evil companions, evil associates. For wealth thus acquired, Vyagghapajja, there are four channels of increase: not addicted to women, not addicted to intoxicants, not addicted to gambling, and having good friends, good companions, good associates. Just as... Indeed, Byagghapajja, for a great pond there are four inlets and four outlets. If a man were to open its inlets and close its outlets; and the sky god were to send down rain rightly. Then, Byagghapajja, for that great pond, growth alone would be expected, not decline. Just so, Byagghapajja, for wealth that has arisen, there are four inlets: not being a womanizer, not being a drunkard, not being a gambler, having good friends, good companions, good associates. These four things, Byagghapajja, lead to the welfare and happiness of a gentleman in this very life. These four things, Byagghapajja, lead to the welfare and happiness of a gentleman in the life to come. Which four? Accomplishment in faith, accomplishment in virtue, accomplishment in generosity, accomplishment in wisdom. And what, Byagghapajja, is accomplishment in faith? Here, Byagghapajja, a gentleman is faithful, he believes in the Tathāgata's enlightenment: 'Indeed, that Blessed One is...