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words do not take root in him. One should make such a friend, and a wise one should associate with him; Following whose path, a bhikkhu would reach the end of suffering. This meaning was also spoken by the Blessed One, so I heard. The Tenth. The Fourth Chapter is finished. Its summary: Thoughts, disrespect, sound, passing away, in the world, impurity; Dhamma, darkness, defilement, with Devadatta, these are ten. 5. The Fifth Chapter 1. The Sutta on Supreme Confidence 90. This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I heard: There are these three, bhikkhus, supreme confidences. Which three? As far as beings go, bhikkhus, whether footless or two-footed or four-footed or many-footed, whether with form or formless, or percipient, or non-percipient, or neither percipient nor non-percipient, the Tathāgata is declared to be the foremost among them, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Those, bhikkhus, who have faith in the Buddha, have faith in the foremost. And for those who have faith in the foremost, the foremost is the result. Whatever states, bhikkhus, are conditioned or unconditioned, dispassion is declared to be the foremost among them, that is, the subduing of intoxication, the removal of thirst, the uprooting of attachment, the cutting off of the round of existence, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna. Those, bhikkhus, who have faith in the state of dispassion, have faith in the foremost. And for those who have faith in the foremost, the foremost is the result. Whatever assemblies or groups, bhikkhus, there are, the assembly of the Tathāgata’s disciples is declared to be the foremost among them, that is, the four pairs of men, the eight individual persons. This assembly 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. Those, bhikkhus, who have faith in the Saṅgha, have faith in the foremost. And for those who have faith in the foremost, the foremost is the result. These, bhikkhus, are the three foremost faiths. The Blessed One spoke this meaning. And there it is said: For those who have faith in the foremost, who understand the foremost Dhamma; For those who have faith in the foremost Buddha, the unsurpassed, worthy of offerings. For those who have faith in the foremost Dhamma, in dispassion, peace, and happiness; For those who have faith in the foremost Saṅgha, the unsurpassed field of merit. To those who give a gift to the foremost, foremost merit increases; Foremost life and beauty, fame, renown, happiness, strength. The wise one who gives to the foremost, established in the foremost Dhamma; Whether a deva or a human, rejoices, having attained the foremost. This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, so I heard. First. 2. Discourse on Livelihood 91. This was said by the Blessed One, it was said by the Arahant, so I heard: This, bhikkhus, is the lowest of livelihoods, that is, going for alms. This, bhikkhus, is a curse in the world: ‘You wander for alms, "with a bowl in hand." And indeed, monks, these young men of good family go forth, for a purpose, because of a purpose; not compelled by a king, not compelled by robbers, not in debt, not in fear, not deprived of livelihood. But rather, thinking: ‘We are overcome by birth, old age, death, sorrows, lamentations, pains, griefs, despairs; overcome by suffering, afflicted by suffering. Oh, if only an end to this entire mass of suffering could be known!’ And if such a young man of good family, having gone forth, is covetous, with strong passion for sensual pleasures, with an ill will, with a corrupted mind-intention, unmindful, not comprehending, not concentrated, with a scattered mind, with uncontrolled faculties. Just as, monks, a funeral pyre log, burnt at both ends, and smeared with excrement in the middle, is of no use as firewood in the village nor in the forest; so do I declare, monks, this person to be: deprived of the enjoyments of a householder, and not fulfilling the purpose of a recluse. This meaning the Blessed One declared. And there, this is said: Deprived of householder's pleasures, And wretched in recluse's aim; Wandering astray, he scatters, Like a funeral log, he perishes. Many with yellow robes on their necks, Are of evil nature, unrestrained; Evil, by evil deeds, They fall into hell. Better to eat a ball of iron, Heated like a flame of fire; Than for an immoral, unrestrained one, To eat the country's alms-food. This meaning too was spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Second. 3. The Discourse on the Edge of the Robe This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, thus have I heard: "Even if, monks, a bhikkhu were to grasp the edge of my outer robe, following me step by step, and he were covetous, with strong passion for sensual pleasures, with an ill will, with a corrupted mind-intention, unmindful, not comprehending, not concentrated, with a scattered mind, with uncontrolled faculties; then he is far from me, and I am far from him. Why is that? Because that bhikkhu, monks, does not see the Dhamma. Not seeing the Dhamma, he does not see me." he does not see me. “Even if that monk, bhikkhus, should dwell a hundred yojanas away, and he is not covetous, not intensely passionate for sensual pleasures, with a mind free from ill-will, with an undefiled intention, with mindfulness established, fully comprehending, concentrated, with a one-pointed mind, with senses restrained; then he is near to me, and I am near to him. For what reason? Because that monk, bhikkhus, sees the Dhamma; seeing the Dhamma, he sees me.” This meaning was spoken by the Blessed One. Therein, this is said: “Even if he were a follower, greedy and destructive; Following the agitated, he is unagitated for the unagitated; Unextinguished for the extinguished; He is greedy for the one free from greed, See how far away he is. “But he who, having fully known the Dhamma, the wise one, having understood the Dhamma; Like a deep pool in a windless place, becomes unagitated and tranquil. “He is unagitated for the unagitated, and extinguished for the extinguished; Not greedy for the one free from greed, See how near he is.” This meaning was also spoken by the Blessed One, so I have heard. The Third. 4. The Discourse on Fires 93. This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “There are these three fires, bhikkhus. Which three? The fire of lust, the fire of hatred, the fire of delusion— these, bhikkhus, are the three fires.” This meaning was spoken by the Blessed One. Therein, this is said: “The fire of lust burns mortals, those stained, infatuated with sensual pleasures; The fire of hatred, moreover, burns those with ill-will, men who take life. “The fire of delusion, moreover, burns the deluded, those unskilled in the Noble Dhamma; Not knowing these fires, people delight in their own body. “They increase hell, and the animal realms; The realm of asuras, the realm of ghosts, not freed from Māra’s bondage. “But those who are diligent day and night, in the teaching of the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One; They extinguish the fire of lust, constantly perceiving impurity. “The foremost of men extinguish the fire of hatred with loving-kindness; And the fire of delusion with wisdom, that which penetrates. “Having extinguished them, the wise ones, diligent day and night; Attain complete Nibbāna without remainder, they have completely transcended suffering. “Those who have seen the Noble Truths, endowed with knowledge, having fully understood…” wise ones; Having fully known the destruction of birth, they do not come to renewed existence. This meaning was also spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on Close Examination 94. This was spoken by the Blessed One, spoken by the Arahant, thus have I heard – ‘‘In this way, monks, a bhikkhu should examine closely so that as he examines closely his consciousness externally is not scattered, not diffused, internally not established, not clinging, he would not be agitated. Monks, when consciousness externally is not scattered, not diffused, internally not established, not clinging, not agitated, in the future there is no arising of the accumulation of suffering of birth, aging, and death.’’ This meaning the Blessed One spoke. Therein this is said: ‘‘For one who has abandoned the seven attachments, for a bhikkhu whose craving is cut, the round of rebirth is exhausted, there is no renewed existence for him.’’ This meaning was also spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Fifth. 6. The Discourse on the Arising of Sensual Pleasures 95. This was spoken by the Blessed One, spoken by the Arahant, thus have I heard – ‘‘Monks, there are these three kinds of arising of sensual pleasures. Which three? Those with present sensual pleasures, those delighting in creation, and those wielding power over others' creations – these, monks, are the three kinds of arising of sensual pleasures.’’ This meaning the Blessed One spoke. Therein this is said: ‘‘And those with present sensual pleasures, those gods who wield power; the gods delighting in creation, and other enjoyers of sensual pleasures; this state and other states, they do not transcend the cycle of existence. ‘‘Having known this danger, the wise one in sensual enjoyments; should abandon all sensual pleasures, both divine and human. ‘‘Entangled in pleasant forms and delights, having cut the hard-to-cross stream; they attain Nibbana completely, they have completely transcended suffering. ‘‘Noble seers, masters of knowledge, wise ones, having fully understood; having fully known the destruction of birth, they do not come to renewed existence.’’ This meaning was also spoken by the Blessed One, thus have I heard. The Sixth. 7. The Discourse on the Yoke of Sensual Pleasure 96.