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dwells frequently with a mind overcome by deceit. And indeed, being overcome by deceit is a decline in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata. And indeed, this venerable one is a fraud; dwells frequently with a mind overcome by fraud. And indeed, being overcome by fraud is a decline in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata. And indeed, this venerable one has evil wishes; dwells frequently with a mind overcome by wishes. And indeed, being overcome by wishes is a decline in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata. Mindfulness, indeed, this venerable one, regarding what is to be done further, with a trifling special attainment, has come to a halt in between. And indeed, coming to a halt in between is a decline in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata. "So, friends, that bhikkhu, who has not abandoned these ten things, will attain growth, increase, and fullness in this Dhamma and Vinaya" — that is not possible. "So, friends, that bhikkhu, who has abandoned these ten things, will attain growth, increase, and fullness in this Dhamma and Vinaya" — that is possible." The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on Boasting 85. At one time, the Venerable Mahācunda was dwelling among the Cetis, at Sahajāti. There, the Venerable Mahācunda addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Friends, bhikkhus!" "Friend!" those bhikkhus replied to the Venerable Mahācunda. The Venerable Mahācunda said this: "Here, friends, a bhikkhu is boastful, a braggart about his attainments – 'I enter the first jhāna and emerge from it, I enter the second jhāna and emerge from it...' 'I also, I enter the third jhana and emerge, I enter the fourth jhana and emerge, I enter the sphere of infinite space and emerge, I enter the sphere of infinite consciousness and emerge, I enter the sphere of nothingness and emerge, I enter the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception and emerge, I enter the cessation of perception and feeling and emerge.' Him, a Tathagata or a Tathagata's disciple, a meditator, skilled in attainments, skilled in others' minds, skilled in the ways of others' minds, questions, examines, discusses. He, by a Tathagata or a Tathagata's disciple, a meditator, skilled in attainments, skilled in others' minds, skilled in the ways of others' minds, being questioned, being examined, being discussed, falls into barrenness, falls into bewilderment, falls into ruin, falls into disaster, falls into ruin and disaster. Him, a Tathagata or a Tathagata's disciple, a meditator, skilled in attainments, skilled in others' minds, skilled in the ways of others' minds, thus encompasses his mind with his own mind and considers: 'Is this venerable one merely boasting and bragging about attainments – "I enter the first jhana and emerge... I enter the cessation of perception and feeling and emerge"?' Him, a Tathagata or a Tathagata's disciple, a meditator, skilled in attainments, skilled in others' minds, skilled in the ways of others' minds, thus encompasses his mind with his own mind and understands: 'For a long time, this venerable one has been one who breaks, one who pierces, one who stains, one who blemishes, not one who maintains continuity, not one who lives continuously in virtues. This venerable one is immoral. And immorality, in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, is a decline. 'And this venerable one is faithless; and faithlessness, in the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata, is a decline. 'And this venerable one has little learning, is ill-mannered; and little learning, in the Tathagata Lack of ardour, in the Dhamma and Vinaya, this is a decline. ‘This venerable, indeed, is ill-spoken; Ill-spokenness, indeed, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, this is a decline. ‘This venerable, indeed, is a bad friend; Bad companionship, indeed, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, this is a decline. ‘This venerable, indeed, is lazy; Laziness, indeed, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, this is a decline. ‘This venerable, indeed, is forgetful; Forgetfulness, indeed, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, this is a decline. ‘This venerable, indeed, is deceitful; Deceitfulness, indeed, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, this is a decline. ‘This venerable, indeed, is difficult to support; Difficulty in being supported, indeed, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, this is a decline. ‘This venerable, indeed, is unwise; Unwisdom, indeed, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, this is a decline.’ ‘‘Just as, friends, a friend might say to a friend thus – ‘When you, friend, have a need for money, you should ask me for money. I will give you money,’ he says. So, when some need for money arises, the friend might say to the friend thus – ‘I have a need, friend, for money. Give me money,’ he says. He might say thus – ‘Then, friend, dig here,’ he says. He, digging there, would not find it. He might say thus – ‘You spoke falsely to me, friend; you spoke emptily to me, friend – “dig here,”’ he says. He might say thus – ‘I did not speak falsely to you, friend, nor emptily. Then, friend, dig here,’ he says. He, digging there too, would not find it. He might say thus – ‘You spoke falsely to me, friend, you spoke emptily to me, friend – “dig here,”’ he says. He might say thus – ‘I did not speak falsely to you, friend, nor emptily. Then, friend, dig here,’ he says. He Even digging there, he would not find it. He would say thus – 'You spoke falsely to me, friend, You spoke emptily to me, friend – Dig here!' He would say thus – 'I did not speak falsely to you, friend, I did not speak emptily. But I myself became deluded, my mind became confused.' "Just so, friends, a monk boasts and brags about attainments – 'I enter and emerge from the first jhana, I enter and emerge from the second jhana, I enter and emerge from the third jhana, I enter and emerge from the fourth jhana, I enter and emerge from the base of infinite space, I enter and emerge from the base of infinite consciousness, I enter and emerge from the base of nothingness, I enter and emerge from the base of neither perception nor non-perception, I enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.' "Then a Tathagata or a disciple of a Tathagata, a meditator, skilled in attainments, skilled in the minds of others, skilled in discerning the minds of others, questions him, presses him, cross-examines him. Being questioned, pressed, and cross-examined by a Tathagata or a disciple of a Tathagata, a meditator, skilled in attainments, skilled in the minds of others, skilled in discerning the minds of others, he falls into barrenness, he falls into emptiness, he falls into ruin, he falls into misfortune, he falls into ruin and misfortune. "Then a Tathagata or a disciple of a Tathagata, a meditator, skilled in attainments, skilled in the minds of others, skilled in discerning the minds of others, thus comprehends his mind with his own mind and reflects – 'Why does this venerable one boast and brag about attainments – "I enter and emerge from the first jhana... ...I enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling"?' "Then a Tathagata or a disciple of a Tathagata, a meditator, skilled in attainments, skilled in discerning the minds of others, comprehends his mind with his own mind and knows – ‘For a long time, indeed, this venerable one is one who breaks, one who makes holes, one who makes spots, one who makes stains, not one who makes continuous, not one who lives continuously in virtues. Indeed, this venerable one is immoral; and immorality, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one is faithless; and faithlessness, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one has little learning, is ill-behaved; and little learning, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one is difficult to admonish; and difficulty in admonishment, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one has evil friends; and having evil friends, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one is lazy; and laziness, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one is forgetful; and forgetfulness, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one is deceitful; and deceit, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one is difficult to support; and difficulty in supporting, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline. ‘Indeed, this venerable one is unwise; and unwisdom, in the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, is a decline.’ ‘‘It is not possible, friend, that a bhikkhu, without abandoning these ten qualities, will attain growth, increase, and fullness in this Dhamma and Vinaya. It is possible, friend, that a bhikkhu, having abandoned these ten qualities, will attain growth, increase, and fullness in this Dhamma and Vinaya.’’ The Fifth. 6. The Discourse on Over-estimation 86. At one time, the venerable Mahākassapa was staying in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding Place. There, indeed, the venerable Mahākassapa addressed the bhikkhus, saying: ‘‘Friends, bhikkhus!’’ ‘‘Friend!’’ replied those bhikkhus to the venerable Mahākassapa. they assented. Venerable Mahākassapa said this: "Here, friends, a monk declares final knowledge: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being,' he understands. Him, a Tathāgata or a disciple of a Tathāgata, who is a meditator, skilled in attainments,