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3. The Book of Threes 1. The First Chapter 1. Root Sutta 50. This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant—thus have I heard: “There are these three roots of unwholesome action, bhikkhus. Which three? Greed is a root of unwholesome action, hatred is a root of unwholesome action, delusion is a root of unwholesome action. These, bhikkhus, are the three roots of unwholesome action.” This meaning was spoken by the Blessed One. And concerning this, it is said: “Greed, hatred, and delusion, Injure a person with an evil mind; Born of oneself, Like the pith of a tree, they destroy.” This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The First. 2. Element Sutta 51. This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant—thus have I heard: “There are these three elements, bhikkhus. Which three? The form element, the formless element, the cessation element. These, bhikkhus, are the three elements.” This meaning was spoken by the Blessed One. And concerning this, it is said: “Having fully understood the form element, Not established in formless states; Those who are liberated in cessation, Those people are abandoners of death. “Having touched with the body The deathless element, without substratum; Having realized the relinquishment of substrata, The taintless one; The Perfectly Self-Awakened One teaches The sorrowless, dustless state.” This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Second. 3. First Feeling Sutta 52. This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant—thus have I heard: “There are these three feelings, bhikkhus. Which three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These, bhikkhus, are the three feelings.” This meaning was spoken by the Blessed One. And concerning this, it is said: “Composed, clearly comprehending, Mindful, a disciple of the Buddha; Understands feelings, And the origin of feelings. “And where these cease, And the path leading to their destruction; Through the destruction of feelings, a bhikkhu, Without craving, is fully unbound.” This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Third. 4. Second Feeling Sutta This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “These three, monks, are feelings. Which three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Pleasant feeling, monks, should be seen as suffering; painful feeling should be seen as a dart; neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling should be seen as impermanent. When, monks, a monk has seen pleasant feeling as suffering, has seen painful feeling as a dart, has seen neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling as impermanent; this one, monks, is called 'a monk, noble, rightly seeing, who has cut off craving, has turned away from the fetter, has made an end to suffering by rightly comprehending conceit.'” This meaning the Blessed One spoke. Therein this is said: Who saw pleasure as pain, saw pain as a dart; The neither-painful-nor-pleasant, he saw it as impermanent. That monk, truly rightly seeing, from that he is liberated; Having come to the end of higher knowledge, he is truly a sage gone beyond bonds. This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, so I have heard. Fourth. 5. First Discourse on Searches This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “These three, monks, are searches. Which three? The search for sensual pleasures, the search for existence, the search for the holy life – these, monks, are the three searches.” This meaning the Blessed One spoke. Therein this is said: Composed, clearly comprehending, mindful, a disciple of the Buddha; He understands searches, and the origin of searches. Where these cease, and the path to their destruction; With the destruction of searches, that monk, free from craving, is fully unbound. This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, so I have heard. Fifth. 6. Second Discourse on Searches This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “These three, monks, are searches. Which three? The search for sensual pleasures, search for existence, search for the holy life— these, monks, are the three searches.” The Blessed One spoke this meaning. Therein it is said: “The search for sensual pleasures, the search for existence, the search for the holy life, together; This is grasping at truth, a heap of views. For one dispassionate towards all passions, released by the destruction of craving; Searches are relinquished, views are uprooted; By the destruction of searches, a monk is without hope, without doubt.” This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Sixth. 7. The First Discourse on Taints This was spoken by the Blessed One, spoken by the Arahant, thus have I heard: “These three, monks, are taints. Which three? The taint of sensual pleasure, the taint of becoming, the taint of ignorance— these, monks, are the three taints.” The Blessed One spoke this meaning. Therein it is said: “Composed, with clear comprehension, mindful, a disciple of the Buddha; He understands the taints and the origin of the taints. Where these cease, and the path leading to their destruction; By the destruction of taints, a monk is free from craving, fully unburdened.” This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Seventh. 8. The Second Discourse on Taints This was spoken by the Blessed One, spoken by the Arahant, thus have I heard: “These three, monks, are taints. Which three? The taint of sensual pleasure, the taint of becoming, the taint of ignorance— these, monks, are the three taints.” The Blessed One spoke this meaning. Therein it is said: “For whom the taint of sensual pleasure is destroyed, and ignorance is dispelled; The taint of becoming is utterly exhausted, completely freed, without basis; He bears his final body, having conquered Māra with his army.” This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Eighth. 9. The Discourse on Craving This was spoken by the Blessed One, spoken by the Arahant, thus have I heard: “These three, monks, are cravings. Which three? Craving for sensual pleasures, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming— these, monks, are the three cravings.” The Blessed One spoke this meaning. Therein it is said: “Crav united by the yoke, with minds attached to becoming and non-becoming; Those people, yoked to Māra, are not secure from the yoke; Beings go through transmigration, bound for birth and death. But those who have abandoned craving, free from craving in becoming and non-becoming; They indeed have gone to the other shore in the world, those who have attained the destruction of the defilements. This too was said by the Blessed One, so I have heard. The Ninth. 10. Māradheyya Sutta 59. This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard – "A bhikkhu endowed with three qualities, monks, transcends the realm of Māra, and shines like the sun. Which three? Here, monks, a bhikkhu is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned virtue, is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned concentration, is endowed with the aggregate of unconditioned wisdom. With these three qualities, monks, a bhikkhu transcends the realm of Māra, and shines like the sun." The Blessed One spoke this meaning. Therein, this is said: "Virtue, concentration, and wisdom, for whom these are well-developed; He transcends the realm of Māra, and shines like the sun." This too was said by the Blessed One, so I have heard. The Tenth. The First Chapter is finished. Its summary: Root element, then two feelings, two cravings, and two defilements; From craving, and then from Māra's realm, they call the first chapter, thus it is known. 2. The Second Chapter 1. Puññakiriyavatthu Sutta 60. This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard – "There are these three bases for meritorious action, monks. Which three? The basis for meritorious action consisting of giving, the basis for meritorious action consisting of virtue, the basis for meritorious action consisting of development. These, monks, are the three bases for meritorious action." The Blessed One spoke this meaning. Therein, this is said: "One should train in merit itself, which has a future excellent result, leading to happiness; Giving and righteous conduct, and cultivate a mind of loving-kindness. “Having cultivated these qualities, the three sources of happiness; A world of harmless happiness, the wise one attains.” This meaning was also spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The First. 2. The Discourse on Eyes 61. This was spoken by the Blessed One, spoken by the Arahant, thus have I heard – “There are these three eyes, monks. Which three? The physical eye, the divine eye, the eye of wisdom – these, monks, are the three eyes.” The Blessed One spoke this meaning. In this regard, it is said – “The physical eye, the divine eye, the eye of wisdom, unsurpassed; These three eyes, the supreme man declared. The arising of the physical eye, the path to the divine eye; From which knowledge arose, the eye of wisdom, unsurpassed; By gaining which eye, one is released from all suffering.” This meaning was also spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Second. 3. The Discourse on Faculties 62. This was spoken by the Blessed One, spoken by the Arahant, thus have I heard – “There are these three faculties, monks. Which three? The faculty of thinking ‘I shall know the unknown’, the faculty of final knowledge, the faculty of one who has known – these, monks, are the three faculties.” The Blessed One spoke this meaning. In this regard, it is said – “For the trainee, the one learning, following the straight path; First, knowledge of destruction, then final knowledge immediately follows. Then for one liberated by final knowledge, knowledge indeed arises for such a one; ‘My liberation is unshakeable,’