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beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, proclaiming the entirely complete and purified holy life. In whatever way, friends, a monk teaches the Dhamma to monks: beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, proclaiming the entirely complete and purified holy life, in that way he penetrates and sees with wisdom the deep meaning in that Dhamma. This, friends, is the third benefit of timely listening to the Dhamma, of timely discussion of the Dhamma. Furthermore, friends, a monk teaches the Dhamma to monks: beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, proclaiming the entirely complete and purified holy life. In whatever way, friends, a monk teaches the Dhamma to monks: beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, proclaiming the entirely complete and purified holy life, in that way his fellow practitioners further esteem him – ‘Surely this venerable one has attained, or is on the path to attainment.’ This, friends, is the fourth benefit of timely listening to the Dhamma, of timely discussion of the Dhamma. Furthermore, friends, a monk teaches the Dhamma to monks: beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, proclaiming the entirely complete and purified holy life. In whatever way, friends, a monk teaches the Dhamma to monks: beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, proclaiming the entirely complete and purified holy life, among them, those monks who are trainees, who have not attained their goal, who dwell aspiring for the unsurpassed security from bondage, they, having heard that Dhamma, arouse energy for the attainment of the unattained, for the comprehension of the uncomprehended, for the realization of the unrealized. But those monks among them who are Arahants, whose defilements are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, who have done what had to be done, who have laid down the burden, who have attained their own goal, whose fetters of existence are utterly destroyed, who are liberated by perfect knowledge, they, having heard that Dhamma, dwell in a pleasant abiding in this very life... they dwell engaged. This, friends, is the fifth benefit of listening to the Dhamma at the proper time, of discussing the Dhamma at the proper time. These, friends, are the five benefits of listening to the Dhamma at the proper time, of discussing the Dhamma at the proper time. The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on Strengths 5. There are these four strengths, bhikkhus. Which four? The strength of wisdom, the strength of energy, the strength of blamelessness, the strength of benevolence. And what, bhikkhus, is the strength of wisdom? Those things that are wholesome, reckoned as wholesome, those things that are unwholesome, reckoned as unwholesome, those things that are blameworthy, reckoned as blameworthy, those things that are blameless, reckoned as blameless, those things that are dark, reckoned as dark, those things that are bright, reckoned as bright, those things that should be cultivated, reckoned as to be cultivated, those things that should not be cultivated, reckoned as not to be cultivated, those things that are not noble, reckoned as not noble, those things that are noble, reckoned as noble— these things are seen and understood by him with wisdom. This, bhikkhus, is called the strength of wisdom. And what, bhikkhus, is the strength of energy? Those things that are unwholesome, reckoned as unwholesome, those things that are blameworthy, reckoned as blameworthy, those things that are dark, reckoned as dark, those things that should not be cultivated, reckoned as not to be cultivated, those things that are not noble, reckoned as not noble— for the abandoning of these things, he arouses desire, he makes effort, he exerts energy, he applies his mind, he strives. Those things that are wholesome, reckoned as wholesome, those things that are blameless, reckoned as blameless, those things that are bright, reckoned as bright, those things that should be cultivated, reckoned as to be cultivated, those things that are noble, reckoned as noble— for the acquisition of these things, he arouses desire, he makes effort, he exerts energy, he applies his mind, he strives. This, bhikkhus, is called the strength of energy. And what, bhikkhus, is the strength of blamelessness? Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple is endowed with blameless bodily action, is endowed with blameless verbal action, is endowed with blameless mental action. This... This, monks, is called the strength of blamelessness. And what, monks, is the strength of benevolence? These, monks, are the four bases of benevolence: giving, kindly speech, beneficial conduct, impartiality. This is the foremost of givings, monks, that is, the gift of Dhamma. This is the foremost of kindly speech, monks, that is, repeatedly teaching the Dhamma to one who is interested and attentive. This is the foremost of beneficial conduct, monks, that is, establishing, settling, and grounding the faithless in the accomplishment of faith; the immoral in the accomplishment of morality; ... the stingy in the accomplishment of generosity; ... the unwise in the accomplishment of wisdom. This is the foremost of impartiality, monks, that is, a stream-enterer being impartial with a stream-enterer, a once-returner with a once-returner, a non-returner with a non-returner, an Arahant with an Arahant. This, monks, is called the strength of benevolence. These, monks, are the four strengths. Possessed of these four strengths, monks, the noble disciple has overcome five fears. Which five? Fear of livelihood, fear of ill-repute, fear of timidity in assemblies, fear of death, fear of a bad destination. That noble disciple, monks, reflects thus: ‘I do not fear the fear of livelihood. Why should I fear the fear of livelihood? I have four strengths – the strength of wisdom, the strength of energy, the strength of blamelessness, the strength of benevolence. Indeed, the unwise would fear the fear of livelihood. The lazy would fear the fear of livelihood. One whose bodily, verbal, and mental actions are blameworthy would fear the fear of livelihood. One who is not benevolent would fear the fear of livelihood. I do not fear the fear of ill-repute… I do not fear the fear of timidity in assemblies… I do not fear the fear of death… I do not fear the fear of a bad destination. Why should I fear the fear of a bad destination? I have four strengths – the strength of wisdom, the strength of energy, the strength of blamelessness, the strength of benevolence. Strength. Indeed, the foolish one should fear the danger of a bad destination. The lazy one should fear the danger of a bad destination. One whose bodily, verbal, and mental actions are blameworthy should fear the danger of a bad destination. One who is unsupportive should fear the danger of a bad destination. Indeed, monks, a noble disciple endowed with these four strengths overcomes these five dangers. The Fifth. 6. The Discourse on Association 6. There, indeed, the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks... ...the Venerable Sāriputta said this: "A person, friends, should be known in two ways: to be associated with, and not to be associated with. Clothing, friends, should be known in two ways: to be used, and not to be used. Almsfood, friends, should be known in two ways: to be used, and not to be used. Lodging, friends, should be known in two ways: to be used, and not to be used. A village or town, friends, should be known in two ways: to be frequented, and not to be frequented. A region or country, friends, should be known in two ways: to be frequented, and not to be frequented. "'A person, friends, should be known in two ways: to be associated with, and not to be associated with,' thus it has been said. What was said in reference to this? There, if one knows a person: 'Indeed, associating with this person, unwholesome qualities increase for me, wholesome qualities decrease; and indeed, the requisites for life that I, as one gone forth, must acquire: robes, almsfood, lodging, medicine for the sick— these are obtained with difficulty; and the purpose for which I went forth from home to homelessness, that purpose of recluseship does not reach its fulfillment in development,' then, friends, that person should be left, by night or by day, without even asking permission; he should not be followed. "There, if one knows a person: 'Indeed, associating with this person, unwholesome qualities increase for me, wholesome qualities decrease; and indeed, the requisites for life that I, as one gone forth, must acquire: robes, almsfood... robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicinal requisites for the sick, and these are obtained without difficulty; but for the sake of which I went forth from home to homelessness, that goal of recluseship does not reach fulfillment in development,' then, friend, by that person, that person should be left without even asking, not followed. "Therein, if one knows a person – 'Serving this person, unwholesome states decline for me, wholesome states increase; and those requisites for life that should be obtained by one gone forth, robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicinal requisites for the sick, and these are obtained with difficulty; but for the sake of which I went forth from home to homelessness, that goal of recluseship reaches fulfillment in development,' then, friend, by that person, that person should be followed, even if asked, not left. "Therein, if one knows a person – 'Serving this person, unwholesome states decline for me, wholesome states increase; and those requisites for life that should be obtained by one gone forth, robes, almsfood, lodgings,