English
(9) 4. The Chapter on Mindfulness 1. Discourse on Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension 81. Monks, when there is no mindfulness and clear comprehension, for one lacking mindfulness and clear comprehension, shame and fear of wrongdoing are destroyed as a basis. When there is no shame and fear of wrongdoing, for one lacking shame and fear of wrongdoing, restraint of the senses is destroyed as a basis. When there is no restraint of the senses, for one lacking restraint of the senses, virtue is destroyed as a basis. When there is no virtue, for one lacking virtue, right concentration is destroyed as a basis. When there is no right concentration, for one lacking right concentration, knowledge and vision of things as they are is destroyed as a basis. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they are, for one lacking knowledge and vision of things as they are, disenchantment and dispassion are destroyed as a basis. When there is no disenchantment and dispassion, for one lacking disenchantment and dispassion, knowledge and vision of liberation are destroyed as a basis. Just as, monks, a tree lacking branches and leaves— its bark does not come to full growth, its inner bark… its sapwood… its heartwood does not come to full growth. Even so, monks, when there is no mindfulness and clear comprehension, for one lacking mindfulness and clear comprehension, shame and fear of wrongdoing are destroyed as a basis; when there is no shame and fear of wrongdoing, for one lacking shame and fear of wrongdoing… knowledge and vision of liberation. Monks, when there is mindfulness and clear comprehension, for one endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, shame and fear of wrongdoing are endowed with a basis. When there is shame and fear of wrongdoing, for one endowed with shame and fear of wrongdoing, restraint of the senses is endowed with a basis. When there is restraint of the senses, for one endowed with restraint of the senses, virtue is endowed with a basis. When there is virtue, for one endowed with virtue, right concentration is endowed with a basis. When there is right concentration, for one endowed with right concentration, knowledge and vision of things as they are is endowed with a basis. When there is knowledge and vision of things as they are, for one endowed with knowledge and vision of things as they are, disenchantment and dispassion are endowed with a basis. When there is disenchantment and dispassion, for one endowed with disenchantment and dispassion, knowledge and vision of liberation are endowed with a basis. Just as, monks, a tree endowed with branches and leaves— its bark comes to full growth, its inner bark… its sapwood… its heartwood… Planted, it reaches fulfillment. Even so, bhikkhus, when there is mindfulness and clear comprehension, for one endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, shame and dread are endowed with supporting conditions; when there is shame and dread, for one endowed with shame and dread, there are supporting conditions for... ...knowledge and vision of liberation. The First. 2. The Discourse to Puṇṇiya 82. Then indeed the venerable Puṇṇiya approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Puṇṇiya said this to the Blessed One: “What, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the condition whereby sometimes a teaching of the Dhamma occurs to the Tathāgata, and sometimes it does not occur?” “Puṇṇiya, if a bhikkhu is faithful, but does not approach; then a teaching of the Dhamma does not occur to the Tathāgata. But when, Puṇṇiya, a bhikkhu is faithful, and does approach; then a teaching of the Dhamma occurs to the Tathāgata. If a bhikkhu, Puṇṇiya, is faithful, and approaches, but does not attend closely... attends closely, but does not question... questions, but does not listen to the Dhamma with an attentive ear... listens to the Dhamma with an attentive ear, but does not retain the Dhamma after hearing it... retains the Dhamma after hearing it, but does not examine the meaning of the retained teachings... examines the meaning of the retained teachings, but does not practice in accordance with the Dhamma, having understood the meaning and the Dhamma. Then a teaching of the Dhamma does not occur to the Tathāgata. “But when, Puṇṇiya, a bhikkhu is faithful, and approaches, and attends closely, and questions, and listens to the Dhamma with an attentive ear, and retains the Dhamma after hearing it, and examines the meaning of the retained teachings, and practices in accordance with the Dhamma, having understood the meaning and the Dhamma; then a teaching of the Dhamma occurs to the Tathāgata. For, Puṇṇiya, those endowed with these eight qualities are certainly inspired. the teaching of the Dhamma of the Tathagata is. The Second. 3. The Root Sutta "Monks, if wanderers of other sects should ask thus – 'Friends, what are all phenomena rooted in? What do all phenomena arise from? What do all phenomena originate from? What do all phenomena converge on? What are all phenomena headed by? What are all phenomena governed by? What are all phenomena supreme in? What are all phenomena essentially?' When thus asked, monks, how would you answer those wanderers of other sects?" "Our phenomena, venerable sir, are rooted in the Blessed One, led by the Blessed One, have the Blessed One as their refuge. It is good, venerable sir, that the meaning of this statement should occur to the Blessed One himself. Having heard from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it." "Then, monks, I will teach. Listen to it, attend carefully; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this – "Monks, if wanderers of other sects should ask thus – 'Friends, what are all phenomena rooted in? What do all phenomena arise from? What do all phenomena originate from? What do all phenomena converge on? What are all phenomena headed by? What are all phenomena governed by? What are all phenomena supreme in? What are all phenomena essentially?' When thus asked, monks, you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus – 'Friends, all phenomena are rooted in desire, all phenomena arise from attention, all phenomena originate from contact, all phenomena converge on feeling, all phenomena are headed by concentration, all phenomena are governed by mindfulness, all phenomena are supreme in wisdom, all phenomena are essentially liberation.' When thus asked, monks, you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus." The Third. 4. The Thief Sutta 84. "By eight, m- Monks, a great thief endowed with eight qualities quickly comes to ruin, and does not last long. Which eight? He strikes one who does not strike him, he takes everything without remainder, he kills women, he defiles virgins, he robs monastics, he robs the royal treasury, he commits deeds too close by, and he is not skilled in hiding. Monks, a great thief endowed with these eight qualities quickly comes to ruin, and does not last long. Monks, a great thief endowed with eight qualities does not quickly come to ruin, and lasts long. Which eight? He does not strike one who does not strike him, he does not take everything without remainder, he does not kill women, he does not defile virgins, he does not rob monastics, he does not rob the royal treasury, he does not commit deeds too close by, and he is skilled in hiding. Monks, a great thief endowed with these eight qualities does not quickly come to ruin, and lasts long. The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on the Ascetic ‘Ascetic’, monks, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. ‘Brahmin’, monks, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. ‘Master of the Vedas’, monks, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. ‘Physician’, monks, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. ‘Spotless’, monks, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. ‘Stainless’, monks, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. ‘Knower’, monks, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. ‘Liberated’, monks, is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. That which is to be attained by an ascetic, by a Brahmin of pure conduct; That which is to be attained by a master of the Vedas, by a physician, the unsurpassed. That which is to be attained by the spotless, by the stainless, the pure; That which is to be attained by the knower, and should be attained, by the liberated, the unsurpassed. “I, having conquered the battle, liberated, I free from bondage; I am a great elephant, perfectly tamed, a learner no more, fully extinguished.” The fifth. 6. Discourse on Fame 86. At one time the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of monks, arrived at a brahmin village of the Kosalans named Icchānaṅgala. There the Blessed One dwelled in the Icchānaṅgala forest grove. The brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala heard: “Indeed, friends, the ascetic Gotama, a Sakyan son, gone forth from the Sakyan clan, has arrived at Icchānaṅgala and is dwelling in the Icchānaṅgala forest grove. And this good report concerning the Venerable Gotama has spread: ‘Indeed, that Blessed One is an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One… (as before) … it is good to see such Arahants.’” Then, after that night, the brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala, taking abundant hard and soft food, approached the Icchānaṅgala forest grove; having approached, they stood at the outer gatehouse, making a loud noise, a great noise. Now at that time, Venerable Nāgita was the attendant of the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Nāgita: “Who are those, Nāgita, making a loud noise, a great noise?