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so is the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Just as, great king, the great earth approves of nothing, so the Tathagata approves of nothing. Just as, great king, those seeds, relying on the earth, sprout and become firmly rooted and matted, with strong trunks, branches, and widely spread, bearing flowers and fruits, so gods and humans, relying on the relics and the jewel of knowledge of the Tathagata who has attained final Nibbana, even though he does not approve, become firmly established in wholesome roots, with strong trunks of concentration and Dhamma, branches of morality widely spread, bearing the flowers of liberation and the fruits of recluseship. By this also, O king, for what reason does an offering made to the Tathāgata, who has attained final Nibbāna, even if not desired by him, become fruitful and not barren? “Again, O king, listen to a further reason why an offering made to the Tathāgata, who has attained final Nibbāna, even if not desired by him, becomes fruitful and not barren. Do these camels, oxen, donkeys, goats, animals, and humans, O king, desire the arising of worm families in their wombs?” “No, venerable sir.” “Then why, O king, do those worms, arising in their wombs even though not desired by them, reach a state of abundance with many offspring?” “Because of the power of evil kamma, venerable sir, worms arise in the wombs of those beings even though not desired by them, and reach a state of abundance with many offspring.” “Even so, O king, because of the power of the Tathāgata’s relics and the object of knowledge, an offering made to the Tathāgata, who has attained final Nibbāna, even if not desired by him, becomes fruitful and not barren. “Again, O king, listen to a further reason why an offering made to the Tathāgata, who has attained final Nibbāna, even if not desired by him, becomes fruitful and not barren. Do these humans, O king, desire that these ninety-eight diseases arise in their bodies?” “No, venerable sir.” “Then why, O king, do these diseases befall their bodies even though not desired by them?” “Because of evil conduct done previously, venerable sir.” “If, O king, unwholesome kamma done previously is experienced here, then, O king, wholesome and unwholesome kamma, whether done previously or done here, becomes fruitful and not barren. By this reason too, O king, an offering made to the Tathāgata, who has attained final Nibbāna, even if not desired by him, becomes fruitful and not barren. “Have you heard before, O king, that a yakkha named Nandaka, having offended the Elder Sāriputta, sank into the earth?” “Yes, venerable sir, it is heard, it is well-known in the world.” “Now, “O great king, did the Elder Sāriputta approve of the earth-swallowing of the yakkha Nandaka?” “Even if, venerable sir, the moon and sun were to fall to the ground in the world with its devas, even if the king of mountains, Sineru, were to be scattered, the Elder Sāriputta would not approve of another’s suffering. For what reason? The reason by which the Elder Sāriputta would become angry or resentful, that reason has been uprooted, cut off for the Elder Sāriputta. Because the reason has been eradicated, venerable sir, the Elder Sāriputta would not feel anger even when his life is taken.” “If, O great king, the Elder Sāriputta did not approve of the earth-swallowing of the yakkha Nandaka, then why did the yakkha Nandaka enter the earth?” “Because of the strength of unwholesome kamma, venerable sir.” “If, O great king, because of the strength of unwholesome kamma, the yakkha Nandaka entered the earth, then the offense committed becomes fruitful, not barren, even for one who did not approve. Therefore, O great king, because of the strength of unwholesome kamma, the deed committed becomes fruitful, not barren, even for one who did not approve. For this reason too, O great king, for the Tathāgata, who has attained final Nibbāna, the deed committed becomes fruitful, not barren, even for one who did not approve. “How many people, O great king, have entered the great earth at this time? Do you have any knowledge of that?” “Yes, venerable sir, it is heard.” “Come now, O great king, tell me.” “The maiden Ciñcā, venerable sir, and Suppabuddha the Sakyan, and Devadatta the Elder, and Nandaka the yakkha, and Nanda the young man. It is heard, venerable sir, that these five people have entered the great earth.” “Against whom, O great king, did they offend?” “Against the Blessed One, venerable sir, and against his disciples.” “Did the Blessed One, O great king, or his disciples, approve of their entering the great earth?” “No, venerable sir.” “Therefore, O great king, for the Tathāgata, who has attained final Nibbāna, the deed committed becomes fruitful, not barren, even for one who did not approve.” it is fruitful.” “Well explained, Venerable Nāgasena, the profound question has been made clear, the hidden revealed, the knot untied, the dense made open, the doctrines of others destroyed, wrong views shattered, the heretics made powerless, by approaching you, the foremost of the excellent leaders.” The first question, on the fruitfulness of effort, is finished. 2. The Question on Omniscience 2. “Venerable Nāgasena, is the Buddha omniscient?” “Yes, great king, the Blessed One is omniscient, but the knowledge and vision of the Blessed One is not constantly and continuously present; the omniscience of the Blessed One is dependent on attention; by attending, he knows whatever he wishes.” “In that case, Venerable Nāgasena, the Buddha is not omniscient. If his omniscience comes from searching for it.” “A hundred loads, great king, of rice, and half a cūḷa-load, and rice-sattambaṇas, and two tumbas, if these grains of rice were to be counted and placed, would they come to an end, would they be exhausted, in the mind that arises in a single moment?” “Herein, these seven kinds of minds arise. Those, great king, who are with lust, with hatred, with delusion, with defilements, whose bodies are undeveloped, whose virtue is undeveloped, whose minds are undeveloped, whose wisdom is undeveloped—for them, that mind arises heavily, it proceeds slowly. For what reason? Because the mind is undeveloped. Just as, great king, when a bamboo pole, extended, wide, broad, entangled and disentangled, with a thicket of branches, is pulled, its movement is heavy and slow. For what reason? Because the branches are entangled and disentangled. Even so, great king, those who are with lust, with hatred, with delusion, with defilements, whose bodies are undeveloped, whose virtue is undeveloped, whose minds are undeveloped, whose wisdom is undeveloped—for them, that mind arises heavily, it proceeds slowly. For what reason? Because of being entangled and disentangled by defilements. This is the first kind of mind. “Herein, this second kind of mind becomes distinct—those, great king, who are stream-enterers, whose lower realms are closed off, who have attained right view, who have understood the Teacher’s Dispensation—for them, That mind, in three states, arises lightly, proceeds lightly. In higher states, it arises heavily, proceeds slowly. For what reason? Because in three states the mind is purified, but above, defilements are not abandoned. Just as, great king, a bamboo shoot, purified of three knots, but above, entangled with branches, when pulled, comes lightly up to the three knots, then above, it is stiff. For what reason? Because below it is purified, but above, entangled with branches. Even so, great king, those stream-enterers, whose lower realms are closed, who have attained right view, who have understood the Teacher's Dispensation, their mind, in three states, arises lightly, proceeds lightly, in higher states, it arises heavily, proceeds slowly. For what reason? Because in three states the mind is purified, but above, defilements are not abandoned. This is the second mind. Now, this third mind comes to be distinguished – those, great king, who are once-returners, whose greed, hatred, and delusion are attenuated, their mind, in five states, arises lightly, proceeds lightly, in higher states, it arises heavily, proceeds slowly. For what reason? Because in five states the mind is purified, but above, defilements are not abandoned. Just as, great king, a bamboo shoot, purified of five knots, but above, entangled with branches, when pulled, comes lightly up to the five knots, then above, it is stiff. For what reason? Because below it is purified, but above, entangled with branches. Even so, great king, those once-returners, whose greed, hatred, and delusion are attenuated, their mind, in five states, arises lightly, proceeds lightly, in higher states, it arises heavily, proceeds slowly. For what reason? Because in five states the mind is purified, but above, defilements are not abandoned. This is the third mind. Now, this fourth mind comes to be distinguished – those, great king, who are non-returners, whose the five lower fetters are abandoned, their mind arises lightly and proceeds lightly in ten states; in higher planes it arises heavily and proceeds slowly. For what reason? Because the mind is purified in ten states, and the defilements are not abandoned above. Just as, great king, when a bamboo shoot is pulled, purified of ten knots, but tangled with branches above, it comes lightly up to the ten knots, then it is stiff above. For what reason? Because it is purified below, and tangled with branches above. Even so, great king, those non-returners, for whom the five lower fetters are abandoned, their mind arises lightly and proceeds lightly in ten states; in higher planes it arises heavily and proceeds slowly. For what reason? Because the mind is purified in ten states, and the defilements are not abandoned above. This is the fourth mind. Herein, this fifth mind becomes distinguished: Those Arahants, great king, whose taints are destroyed, whose defilements are washed away,