English
by this first point, he is praiseworthy. ‘He makes himself happy and satisfied,’ by this second point, he is praiseworthy. ‘He shares, he performs merit,’ by this third point, he is praiseworthy. ‘But he consumes those possessions, attached, infatuated, engrossed, not seeing the danger, without wisdom of escape,’ by this one point, he is blameworthy. This, householder, pleasure-seeker, by these three points he is praiseworthy, by this one point he is blameworthy. Here, householder, as to this pleasure-seeker who seeks wealth righteously, without violence, having sought wealth righteously, without violence, he makes himself happy and satisfied, he shares, he performs merit, and he consumes those possessions, unattached, uninfatuated, unengrossed, seeing the danger, with wisdom of escape... with wisdom of escape enjoys them. This, householder, is a sensualist who is praised for four reasons. ‘He seeks wealth righteously, without violence,’ for this first reason he is praised. ‘He makes himself happy and content,’ for this second reason he is praised. ‘He shares and does good deeds,’ for this third reason he is praised. ‘And he enjoys those possessions without craving, without clinging, without infatuation, seeing their danger, with wisdom of escape,’ for this fourth reason he is praised. This, householder, is a sensualist who is praised for these four reasons. These, householder, are the ten types of sensualists who exist in the world. Among these ten sensualists, householder, the one who seeks wealth righteously, without violence, and having sought wealth righteously, without violence, makes himself happy and content, shares and does good deeds, and enjoys those possessions without craving, without clinging, without infatuation, seeing their danger, with wisdom of escape, this one among these ten sensualists is the chief, the best, the foremost, the highest, the most excellent. Just as, householder, from a cow, milk; from milk, curds; from curds, butter; from butter, ghee; from ghee, cream of ghee. The cream of ghee is said to be the best there. Even so, householder, among these ten sensualists, the one who seeks wealth righteously, without violence, and having sought wealth righteously, without violence, makes himself happy and content, shares and does good deeds, and enjoys those possessions without craving, without clinging, without infatuation, seeing their danger, with wisdom of escape, this one among these ten sensualists is the chief, the best, the foremost, the highest, the most excellent. First. 2. Discourse on Fear Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder approached the Blessed One. approached. Having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, as he sat to one side, the Blessed One spoke thus: “When, householder, for a noble disciple, the five fears and enmities are allayed, and he is endowed with the four factors of stream-entry, and the noble method is well seen and well penetrated by him with wisdom, then, if he wishes, he can declare of himself: ‘I am one for whom hell is destroyed, the animal realm is destroyed, the realm of hungry ghosts is destroyed, the states of woe, the bad destinations, the downfall are destroyed. I am a stream-enterer, not subject to downfall, certain of liberation, bound for enlightenment.’ “Which are the five fears and enmities that are allayed? When, householder, one who takes life, because of taking life, generates fear and enmity in this present life, generates fear and enmity in the future life, and experiences mental pain and displeasure. One who abstains from taking life does not generate fear and enmity in this present life, does not generate fear and enmity in the future life, and does not experience mental pain and displeasure. For one who abstains from taking life, thus is that fear and enmity allayed. “When, householder, one who takes what is not given… …one who engages in sexual misconduct… …one who speaks falsely… …one who indulges in fermented and distilled liquors, which are the basis of heedlessness, because of indulging in fermented and distilled liquors, which are the basis of heedlessness, generates fear and enmity in this present life, generates fear and enmity in the future life, and experiences mental pain and displeasure. One who abstains from fermented and distilled liquors, which are the basis of heedlessness, does not generate fear and enmity in this present life, does not generate fear and enmity in the future life, and does not experience mental pain and displeasure. For one who abstains from fermented and distilled liquors, which are the basis of heedlessness, thus is that fear and enmity allayed. These are the five fears and enmities that are allayed. “With which four factors of stream-entry is he endowed?” What is it? Here, householder, a noble disciple is endowed with unwavering faith in the Buddha: 'Indeed, that Blessed One is... the Buddha, the Blessed One.' He is endowed with unwavering faith in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Blessed One, visible here and now, timeless, inviting one to come and see, onward-leading, to be personally realized by the wise.' He is endowed with unwavering faith in the Saṅgha: 'The Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing the good way, is practicing the straight way, is practicing the true way, is practicing the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individual persons— this Saṅgha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' He is endowed with virtues dear to the noble ones: unbroken, untorn, unblemished, unblotted, liberating, praised by the wise, unclung to, leading to concentration. He is endowed with these four factors of stream-entry. And what is the noble method that is well-seen and well-penetrated by his wisdom? Here, householder, a noble disciple reflects thus: 'When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases.' That is: With ignorance as condition, volitional formations; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, name-and-form; with name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair come to be. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance, volitional formations cease... Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. This noble method is well-seen and well-penetrated by his wisdom. When, Householder, for the noble disciple, these five fears and enmities are allayed, and he is endowed with these four factors of stream-entry, and this noble method is well seen and well penetrated by him with wisdom. If he wishes, he might declare of himself: ‘I am one for whom hell is destroyed, for whom the animal realm is destroyed, for whom the realm of hungry ghosts is destroyed, for whom the states of woe, the bad destinations, the lower realms are destroyed; I am a stream-enterer, not subject to falling into states of woe, certain, bound for full enlightenment.’ The Second. 3. The Discourse on What View 93. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, in the middle of the day, set out from Sāvatthī to see the Blessed One. Then it occurred to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder: ‘It is not the right time now to see the Blessed One. The Blessed One is in seclusion. It is not the right time to see the mind-developing bhikkhus either. The mind-developing bhikkhus are in seclusion. What if I were to approach the park of the wanderers of other sects?’ Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder approached the park of the wanderers of other sects. Now at that time, the wanderers of other sects were sitting together, assembled, making a loud, great noise, discussing various kinds of trivial talk. Those wanderers of other sects saw Anāthapiṇḍika the householder approaching from afar. Seeing him, they quieted each other: ‘Sirs, be quiet, sirs, do not make noise. This Anāthapiṇḍika the householder is coming to the park, a disciple of the ascetic Gotama. As far as the lay disciples of the ascetic Gotama, clad in white, who reside in Sāvatthī, this Anāthapiṇḍika the householder is one of them. Indeed, those venerable ones are fond of quiet, trained in quiet, and praise quiet. Perhaps, knowing the assembly to be quiet, he might think it worth approaching.’ Then those other-sect wanderers were silent. Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder approached those other-sect wanderers; having approached, he exchanged greetings with those other-sect wanderers. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. To Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, as he sat to one side, those other-sect wanderers said this: "Tell us, householder, what view does the recluse Gotama hold?" "Indeed, sirs, I do not know all of the Blessed One's view." "So then, householder, you do not know all of the recluse Gotama's view; tell us, householder, what view do the bhikkhus hold?" "Indeed, sirs, I do not know all of the bhikkhus' view either." "So then, householder, you do not know all of the recluse Gotama's view, nor do you know all of the bhikkhus' view; tell us, householder, what view do *you* hold?" "Indeed, sirs, it is not difficult for us to declare what view we hold. First, let the venerable ones declare their respective views,