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in front of the Blessed One. Having gone, the Buddha, to the Kukuṭṭhā River, Clear-watered, sweet-watered, very pure; The Teacher plunged in, very weary, The Tathāgata, unequalled in the world. Having bathed and drunk, the Teacher came out, Preceded by the community of bhikkhus; The Teacher, the Blessed One, the proclaimer of the Dhamma here, The Great Seer approached the mango grove; He addressed the bhikkhu named Cundaka, “Spread out for me the fourfold robe, for lying down.” He, urged by the perfected Cunda, Spread out the fourfold robe quickly; The Teacher lay down, very weary, And Cunda sat there in front. Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ānanda: “It might be, Ānanda, that someone would cause remorse to Cunda, the smith's son, saying: ‘It is a loss for you, friend Cunda, it is ill-gained for you, that the Tathāgata, having eaten your last alms-food, attained final Nibbāna.’ Ānanda, the remorse of Cunda, the smith's son, should be dispelled in this way: ‘It is a gain for you, friend Cunda, it is well-gained for you, that the Tathāgata, having partaken of your last alms-food, attained final Nibbāna.’ . "This, friend Cunda, I heard directly from the Blessed One, I received directly from him—these two alms-offerings are of equal fruit, of equal result, far more fruitful and more beneficial than other alms-offerings. Which two? The alms-offering partaking of which the Tathāgata fully awakens to unsurpassed perfect self-awakening, and the alms-offering partaking of which he attains final Nibbāna in the Nibbāna-element with no fuel remaining. These two alms-offerings are of equal fruit, of equal result, far more fruitful and more beneficial than other alms-offerings. "'By the venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action has been accumulated conducive to long life; by the venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action has been accumulated conducive to beauty; by the venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action has been accumulated conducive to happiness; by the venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action has been accumulated conducive to heaven; by the venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action has been accumulated conducive to renown; by the venerable Cunda, the smith's son, action has been accumulated conducive to sovereignty.' Thus, Ānanda, should the remorse of Cunda, the smith's son, be dispelled." Then, the Blessed One, understanding this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: "For one who gives, merit increases, By self-restraint, enmity does not accumulate; The skillful one abandons evil, Extinguished by the destruction of lust, hatred, and delusion." The Fifth. 6. The Discourse at Pāṭaligāma 76. Thus have I heard—on one occasion the Blessed One was touring through Magadha with a large community of bhikkhus, and he arrived at Pāṭaligāma. The lay followers of Pāṭaligāma heard: "The Blessed One, it is said, is touring through Magadha with a large community of bhikkhus and has arrived at Pāṭaligāma." Then the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One they sat down at one side. Seated at one side, the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma said to the Blessed One: “May the Blessed One, sir, consent to our rest house.” The Blessed One consented by his silence. Then the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma, knowing the Blessed One’s consent, rose from their seats, bowed to the Blessed One, circumambulated him clockwise, and went to the rest house. Having gone there, they spread the entire rest house with mats, arranged seats, set up a water jar, lit an oil lamp, and then went to the Blessed One. Having gone there, they bowed to the Blessed One and stood at one side. Standing at one side, the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma said to the Blessed One: “The rest house, sir, is spread with mats throughout; seats are arranged; a water jar is set up; an oil lamp is lit. Now, sir, let the Blessed One do as he sees fit.” Then the Blessed One, having put on his lower robe and taken his bowl and outer robe, went with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus to the rest house. Having gone there, he washed his feet, entered the rest house, and sat down facing east, leaning against the central pillar. The Saṅgha of bhikkhus also, having washed their feet, entered the rest house and sat down facing east, leaning against the western wall, with the Blessed One in front of them. The lay followers of Pāṭaligāma also, having washed their feet, entered the rest house and sat down facing west, leaning against the eastern wall, with the Blessed One in front of them. Then the Blessed One addressed the lay followers of Pāṭaligāma: “Householders, there are these five disadvantages for a person of bad conduct, for one whose conduct is corrupted. Which five? Here, householders, a person of bad conduct, whose conduct is corrupted, through negligence, incurs a great loss of wealth. This is the first disadvantage for a person of bad conduct, for one whose conduct is corrupted. Again, householders, for the immoral one, the one fallen in conduct, a bad reputation arises. This is the second disadvantage of the immoral one, of the failure in conduct. Again, householders, the immoral one, the one fallen in conduct, whatever assembly he approaches – be it an assembly of nobles, be it an assembly of brahmins, be it an assembly of householders, be it an assembly of ascetics – he approaches without confidence, confused and ashamed. This is the third disadvantage of the immoral one, of the failure in conduct. Again, householders, the immoral one, the one fallen in conduct, dies bewildered. This is the fourth disadvantage of the immoral one, of the failure in conduct. Again, householders, the immoral one, the one fallen in conduct, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a state of woe, in hell. This is the fifth disadvantage of the immoral one, of the failure in conduct. These, householders, are the five disadvantages of the immoral one, of the failure in conduct. These five, householders, are the advantages for the moral one, of the accomplishment in conduct. Which five? Here, householders, the moral one, the one accomplished in conduct, by means of diligence, attains a great mass of wealth. This is the first advantage for the moral one, of the accomplishment in conduct. Again, householders, for the moral one, the one accomplished in conduct, a good reputation arises. This is the second advantage for the moral one, of the accomplishment in conduct. Again, householders, the moral one, the one accomplished in conduct, whatever assembly he approaches – be it an assembly of nobles, be it an assembly of brahmins, be it an assembly of householders, be it an assembly of ascetics – he approaches with confidence, unconfused and unashamed. This is the third advantage for the moral one, of the accomplishment in conduct. Again, householders, the moral one, the one accomplished in conduct, dies unbewildered. This is the fourth advantage for the moral one, of the accomplishment in conduct. Again, householders, the moral one, the one accomplished in conduct, with the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. This is the fifth advantage for the moral one, of the accomplishment in conduct. a. "These, householders, are the five advantages of one who is virtuous, of one accomplished in virtue." Then the Blessed One, having instructed, roused, encouraged, and gladdened the Pāṭaligāma lay followers with a Dhamma talk for much of the night, dismissed them, saying: "The night is far spent, householders; do now what you think is timely." Then the Pāṭaligāma lay followers, having delighted in and approved of the Blessed One's words, rose from their seats, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him clockwise, and departed. Then the Blessed One, not long after the Pāṭaligāma lay followers had departed, entered an empty dwelling. Now at that time, Sunidha and Vassakāra, the chief ministers of Magadha, were building a city at Pāṭaligāma to ward off the Vajjians. Now at that time, many deities, by the thousands, were taking possession of sites in Pāṭaligāma. Wherever powerful deities took possession of sites, the minds of powerful kings and royal ministers inclined there to build dwellings. Wherever middling deities took possession of sites, the minds of middling kings and royal ministers inclined there to build dwellings. Wherever lowly deities took possession of sites, the minds of lowly kings and royal ministers inclined there to build dwellings. The Blessed One saw, with his divine eye, purified and surpassing human sight, those deities, by the thousands, taking possession of sites in Pāṭaligāma. Wherever powerful deities took possession of sites, the minds of powerful kings and royal ministers inclined there to build dwellings. to build dwellings. In whatever place the middling deities take up residence, the minds of middling kings and royal ministers there are inclined to build dwellings. In whatever place the lowly deities take up residence, the minds of lowly kings and royal ministers there are inclined to build dwellings. Then, indeed, the Blessed One, at dawn on that night, having risen, addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Who, then, Ānanda, are building a city in Pāṭaligāma?” “Sunidha and Vassakāra, Bhante, the Magadhan ministers, are building a city in Pāṭaligāma to ward off the Vajjians.” “Just as, Ānanda, they might have consulted with the Tāvatiṃsa deities; even so, Ānanda, Sunidha and Vassakāra, the Magadhan ministers, are building a city in Pāṭaligāma to ward off the Vajjians. Here, Ānanda, I saw with the divine eye, purified and surpassing human, many thousands of deities taking up residence in Pāṭaligāma. In whatever place the powerful deities take up residence, the minds of powerful kings and royal ministers there are inclined to build dwellings. In whatever place