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having abandoned sensual pleasures, without possessions; The wise one should cleanse oneself from mental defilements. Whose minds are well-developed in the factors of awakening; In the relinquishing of grasping, those who delight in non-clinging; With defilements destroyed, luminous, they are fully extinguished in the world. The Sixth. 7. The First Descending Ceremony Sutta Now at that time, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi, on that Uposatha day, having bathed his head, wearing a new pair of linen cloths, holding a bundle of wet kusa grass, was standing to one side, not far from the Blessed One. The Blessed One saw the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi, on that Uposatha day, having bathed his head, wearing a new pair of linen cloths, holding a bundle of wet kusa grass, standing to one side. Having seen the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi, he said this: "What, brahmin, on this Uposatha day, having bathed your head, wearing a new pair of linen cloths, holding a bundle of wet kusa grass, are you standing to one side? What is it for the brahmin family today?" "It is the Descending Ceremony, good Gotama, for the brahmin family today." "How then, brahmin, is the Descending Ceremony for brahmins?" "Here, good Gotama, brahmins on that Uposatha day, having bathed their heads, wearing a new pair of linen cloths, having smeared the ground with wet cow-dung, and having spread green kusa grass, between the boundary and the fire-house, make their beds. They, during that night, rising three times, with clasped hands, (worship) the fire..." they say – ‘We descend, sir, we descend, sir!’ And they satisfy the fire with much ghee, oil, and fresh butter. And after that night, they satisfy the brahmins with choice food, both hard and soft. Thus, good Gotama, is the ‘descending’ for brahmins.” “Indeed, brahmin, the ‘descending’ for brahmins is one thing, but the ‘descending’ in the Noble Discipline is another.” “How then, good Gotama, is the ‘descending’ in the Noble Discipline? It would be good if the venerable Gotama would teach me the Dhamma in such a way as the ‘descending’ is in the Noble Discipline.” “Then, brahmin, listen, pay close attention; I will speak.” “Yes, good sir,” Jāṇussoṇi the brahmin replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Here, brahmin, a noble disciple reflects thus: ‘Indeed, wrong view has a bad result both in this life and in the life to come.’ Having reflected thus, he abandons wrong view; he descends from wrong view. …Indeed, wrong intention has a bad result both in this life and in the life to come. Having reflected thus, he abandons wrong intention; he descends from wrong intention. …Indeed, wrong speech has a bad result both in this life and in the life to come. Having reflected thus, he abandons wrong speech; he descends from wrong speech. …Indeed, wrong action has a bad result both in this life and in the life to come. Having reflected thus, he abandons wrong action; he descends from wrong action. …Indeed, wrong livelihood has a bad result both in this life and in the life to come. Having reflected thus, he abandons wrong livelihood; he descends from wrong livelihood. …Indeed, wrong effort has a bad result both in this life and in the life to come. Having reflected thus, he abandons wrong effort; he descends from wrong effort. …Wrong mindfulness, indeed, has a bad result— in this very life and in the life to come. So, reflecting thus, he abandons wrong mindfulness; he descends from wrong mindfulness. …Wrong concentration, indeed, has a bad result— in this very life and in the life to come. So, reflecting thus, he abandons wrong concentration; he descends from wrong concentration. …Wrong knowledge, indeed, has a bad result— in this very life and in the life to come. So, reflecting thus, he abandons wrong knowledge; he descends from wrong knowledge. ‘Wrong liberation, indeed, has a bad result— in this very life and in the life to come.’ So, reflecting thus, he abandons wrong liberation; he descends from wrong liberation. Thus, brahmin, is the descent in the Noble Discipline.” “Different, good Gotama, is the descent of brahmins; and different, indeed, is the descent in the Noble Discipline. And compared to this descent in the Noble Discipline, good Gotama, the descent of brahmins is not worth a sixteenth part. Excellent, good Gotama… May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has taken refuge for life, from today onwards.” The Seventh. 8. The Second Discourse on Descent 120. “Monks, I will teach you the noble descent. Listen to it… And what, monks, is the noble descent? Here, monks, a noble disciple reflects thus: ‘Wrong view, indeed, has a bad result— in this very life and in the life to come.’ So, reflecting thus, he abandons wrong view; he descends from wrong view. Wrong intention, indeed, has a bad result… Wrong speech, indeed… Wrong action, indeed… Wrong livelihood, indeed… Wrong effort, indeed… Wrong mindfulness, indeed… Wrong concentration, indeed… Wrong knowledge, indeed… Wrong liberation, indeed, has a bad result— in this very life and in the life to come. So, reflecting thus, he abandons wrong liberation; he descends from the liberation of desire. This is called, monks, the noble descent. The eighth. 9. Discourse on the Fore-runner 121. Monks, for the rising of the sun, this is the fore-runner, this is the fore-sign, namely – the dawn. Even so, monks, for wholesome states, this is the fore-runner, this is the fore-sign, namely – right view. For one with right view, monks, right intention arises. From right intention, right speech arises. Right action arises. From right action, right livelihood arises. From right livelihood, right effort arises. From right effort, right mindfulness arises. From right mindfulness, right concentration arises. From right concentration, right knowledge arises. From right knowledge, right liberation arises. The ninth. 10. Discourse on the Destruction of the Taints 122. Monks, these ten things, developed and frequently practiced, lead to the destruction of the taints. Which ten? Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, right knowledge, right liberation – these ten things, monks, developed and frequently practiced, lead to the destruction of the taints. The tenth. The Second Chapter on Descent. Its summary – Three Unwholesome, Unconquered, and Saṅgārava and This Shore; And two Descents, Fore-runner, and Destruction of Taints.