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And again, twelve hundred million others. However painful the hells described here, One must dwell there for such a long time; Therefore, in pure, gentle, and good qualities, One should constantly guard speech and mind. The Kokālika Sutta, the tenth, is finished. 11. The Nālakasutta When the hosts of thirty-three gods, joyful and delighted, And Sakka, the king, and the gods in pure garments, Taking their cloths, were greatly extolling, The sage Asita saw them in his daytime dwelling. Seeing the gods, with joyful and elated minds, Having reflected, he spoke this: The meaning; “Why are the hosts of devas so exceedingly joyful, taking cloths and whirling them about? What is the reason? 686. “When there was a battle with the Asuras, the devas were victorious, the Asuras were defeated. Even then there was not such a hair-raising event; what wonder have the Maruts seen to be so delighted? 687. “They are shouting, singing, and playing instruments, clapping their arms and dancing; I ask you, dwellers on Meru’s peak, quickly resolve my doubt, sirs.” 688. “That Bodhisatta, the incomparable, excellent jewel, has been born in the human world for the welfare and happiness; In the Sakyan village, in the Lumbinī region, therefore we are exceedingly joyful and well-pleased. 689. “He, the best of all beings, the foremost person, the bull among men, the supreme among all creatures; Will set in motion the Wheel in the Deer Park, like a powerful lion roaring, overcoming deer.” 690. Hearing that sound, he quickly descended, and then entered Suddhodana’s dwelling; Sitting there, he spoke this to the Sakyans, “Where is the prince? I too wish to see him.” 691. Then the Sakyans showed the son to Asita, the prince, shining like gold, like gold well-beaten in a furnace, radiant with glory, of incomparable color. 692. Seeing the prince, blazing like a flame, like the chief star, pure, moving in the sky; like the sun shining, freed from clouds in autumn, he was filled with joy and attained great delight. 693. Devas held a parasol, with many branches and a thousand circles, in the sky; gold-handled whisks waved about, but the whisk and parasol bearers were not seen. 694. Seeing the prince, the ascetic Kaṇhasiri, the hermit, like a gold coin on a white blanket; and a white parasol held over his head, with uplifted heart, joyful, he received him. 695. Having received him, then The Sakya chief, wishing to see, the expert in marks and mantras; With a serene mind, he uttered a speech: "This is unsurpassed, the best of two-footed beings." Then remembering his own passing, unwell-looking, he shed tears; Seeing him weep, the Sakyas said to the sage: "Surely there will be no danger to the prince?" Seeing the Sakyas, the sage said: "I do not remember any harm for the prince; Nor will there be any danger for him, do not be of low mind. "This prince will attain the highest enlightenment, he, the supremely pure seer of the Dhamma-wheel; He will set in motion the Dhamma-wheel, compassionate for the welfare of many, his holy life will be extensive. "And my life here is not long remaining, then my time of death will come; So I will not hear the Dhamma of the incomparable one, therefore I am afflicted, fallen into distress, sorrowful." He, having generated great joy for the Sakyas, departed from the inner chamber, a holy man; He, himself compassionate towards his nephew, exhorted him in the Dhamma of the incomparable one. "When you hear the sound 'Buddha' from afar, he, having attained enlightenment, opens the path of Dhamma; Go there and, inquiring at the right time, lead the holy life under that Blessed One." Thus instructed by that steadfast one, who was well-minded, a supremely pure seer of the future; That Nālaka, with accumulated merit, awaited the Conqueror, guarding his senses. Having heard the sound of the supreme Conqueror setting the wheel in motion, having gone and seen the bull of sages, serene; He asked the foremost sage about the supreme state of silence, when the teaching of Asita had come to pass. "This saying is known, of the unattached, as it truly is; That, Gotama, I ask you, who has gone to the far shore of all phenomena. 705. ‘‘For one who has gone forth from home, desiring the alms-round, O Sage, tell me, when asked, the highest state of sagacity.’’ 706. ‘‘I will teach you sagacity, (thus said the Blessed One) difficult, hard to achieve; Come, I will tell it to you, be firm, be resolute. 707. ‘‘He should make his share equal, whether reviled or praised in the village; He should guard against mental defilement, calm, he should walk unelated. 708. ‘‘High and low they emerge, like flames in a forest; Women entice the sage, let them not entice you. 709. ‘‘Abstaining from sexual conduct, having abandoned desires, high and low; Not hostile, not attached, towards living beings, trembling or firm. 710. ‘‘As I am, so are these, as these are, so am I; Making oneself the example, one should not kill, nor cause to kill. 711. ‘‘Having abandoned craving and greed, where ordinary people are attached; The one with vision should practice, and cross over this hell. 712. ‘‘With a reduced belly, moderate in food, for one with few wishes, not greedy; Always free from craving, without desire, he is extinguished. 713. ‘‘Having wandered for alms, he should go to the edge of the forest; Standing at the foot of a tree, the sage, having approached his seat. 714. ‘‘That wise one, devoted to meditation, should delight in the forest; He should meditate at the foot of a tree, gladdening himself. 715. ‘‘Then, at the end of the night, he should go to the edge of the village; He should not delight in invitations, nor in offerings from the village. 716. ‘‘The sage, having come to the village, should not wander hastily among families; Seeking food, with speech cut off, he should not utter a connected speech. 717. ‘‘ ‘What I received is good,’ ‘What I did not receive is skillful’ – thus; By both, that steadfast one, turns back like a tree. 718. ‘‘Wandering with bowl in hand, not dumb, yet considered dumb; He should not despise a small gift, a gift Do not despise the star. 719. Diverse indeed are the paths, proclaimed by the ascetic; They do not go to the other shore twofold, nor is this released as onefold. 720. For whom there is no entanglement, for the monk whose stream is cut; For whom deeds and non-deeds are abandoned, there is no burning. 721. I will teach you the state of a sage, it should be like a razor's edge; Pressing the tongue against the palate, one should be restrained in the stomach. 722. One should be of unattached mind, and not think much; Without the smell of defilements, unattached, devoted to the holy life. 723. One should train in sitting alone, and in attending to ascetics; Solitude is called the state of a sage, if you delight in being alone; Then you will shine in the ten directions. 724. Having heard the sound of the wise, of those meditators who renounce desires; Then one should increase shame and faith, being devoted. 725. Know this from the rivers, in the ravines and crevices; The small streams flow with a sound, the great oceans are silent. 726. What is lacking, that makes a sound, what is full, that is silent; The fool is like a half-filled pot, the wise person is like a full lake. 727. When an ascetic speaks much, endowed with meaning; Knowing, he teaches the Dhamma, knowing, he speaks much. 728. But he who, knowing, is self-restrained, knowing, does not speak much; That sage is worthy of silence, that sage has attained silence. The Nālaka Sutta, the eleventh, is finished. 12. The Dvayatānupassanā Sutta Thus have I heard – At one time the Bhagavā was staying in Sāvatthī, in the Pubbārāma, Migāra's mother's palace. At that time, on the Uposatha day, the fifteenth, on the full moon night, the Bhagavā, surrounded by the assembly of monks, was seated in the open air. Then the Bhagavā, having surveyed the silent assembly of monks, addressed the monks thus – "Those wholesome states, monks, which are noble, leading to liberation, leading to full enlightenment, of those wholesome states, monks, which are noble, leading to liberation, leading to full enlightenment, If, monks, there were questioners asking: "What is the proximate cause for hearing (the Dhamma)?" they should be told: "It is for the direct knowledge of the two kinds of phenomena as they really are." And what two kinds would you speak of? (1) "This is suffering, this is the origin of suffering"—this is one contemplation. "This is the cessation of suffering, this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering"—this is the second contemplation. Thus, monks, for a monk who rightly contemplates these two, who is diligent, ardent, and resolute, one of two fruits is to be expected: direct knowledge in this very life, or, if there is a remainder of clinging, non-returning. The Blessed One said this. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further spoke this: 729. Those who do not know suffering, And also suffering's origin; Where suffering utterly, Without remainder, ceases; And do not know that path, Leading to suffering's appeasement. 730. They are lacking liberation of mind, And also liberation by wisdom; They are unable to make an end, They are indeed subject to birth and aging. 731. But those who know suffering, And also suffering's origin; Where suffering utterly, Without remainder, ceases; And know that path, Leading to suffering's appeasement. 732. They are endowed with liberation of mind, And also with liberation by wisdom; They are able to make an end, They are not subject to birth and aging. (2) "Might there be, monks, another way of rightly contemplating these two?" If there were questioners, they should be told: "There might be." And how might there be? "Whatever suffering arises, all of it is due to clinging"—this is one contemplation.