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searching in the world and not finding, she did not do evil. If she found a secret place from humans, then she would not find one from non-humans. If she found a secret place from non-humans, then she would not find one from ascetics who know others' minds. If she found a secret place from ascetics who know others' minds, then she would not find one from deities who know others' minds. If she found a secret place from deities who know others' minds, then she would not find one from her own evil thoughts. If she found a secret place from her own evil thoughts, then she would not find one from unrighteousness. For such many kinds of reasons, not finding a secret place, she did not do evil. Even an inviter, searching in the world and not finding such a one, she did not do evil. Mahosadha, O great king, the wise one, is endowed with twenty-eight qualities. With which twenty-eight qualities is he endowed? Mahosadha, O great king, is brave, modest, conscientious, having allies, endowed with friends, patient, virtuous, truthful, endowed with purity, not angry, not arrogant, not envious, energetic, striving, collecting, sharing, gentle, humble in conduct, smooth, not deceitful, not cunning, endowed with great wisdom, famous, endowed with knowledge, benevolent to those dependent on him, desired by all people, wealthy, renowned. Mahosadha, O great king, the wise one, is endowed with these twenty-eight qualities. She did not find another such inviter. Having obtained, he did no evil. "Good, Venerable Nāgasena, I accept this as such." The eighth question of Amarādevī. 9. The question of Arahants not fearing. "Venerable Nāgasena, this was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Arahants are free from fear and terror.' But in the city of Rājagaha, seeing the elephant Dhanapālaka charging at the Blessed One, five hundred Arahants, having abandoned the Victorious One, departed in various directions, except for the Elder Ānanda. Now, Venerable Nāgasena, did those Arahants depart out of fear? Or did they depart wishing to make the Ten-Powered One fall, (thinking) 'it will be known by his own deed'? Or did they depart wishing to see the Tathāgata's incomparable, vast, unequalled miracle? If, Venerable Nāgasena, it was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Arahants are free from fear and terror,' then that statement 'in the city...etc...Ānanda' is false. If in the city of Rājagaha, seeing the elephant Dhanapālaka charging at the Blessed One, five hundred Arahants, having abandoned the Victorious One, departed in various directions, except for the Elder Ānanda, then that statement 'Arahants are free from fear and terror' is also false. This two-horned question has come to you; it must be resolved by you." "This was spoken by the Blessed One, O great king: 'Arahants are free from fear and terror.' And in the city of Rājagaha, seeing the elephant Dhanapālaka charging at the Blessed One, five hundred Arahants, having abandoned the Victorious One, departed in various directions, except for the Elder Ānanda. But that was not out of fear, nor out of a wish to make the Blessed One fall." "But, O great king, the cause by which Arahants might fear or be terrified, that cause has been eradicated for Arahants. Therefore, Arahants are free from fear and terror. Does the great earth, O great king, fear when people dig it, or break it, or hold oceans, mountains, and mountain peaks?" "No, Venerable Sir." "For what reason, O great king?" "There is no, Venerable Sir, (reason for) the great earth..." is there any cause by which the great earth might be afraid or terrified? Even so, great king, there is no such cause for Arahants by which Arahants might be afraid or terrified. Is a mountain peak, great king, afraid when it is cut or broken, or falls, or is burned by fire? No, venerable sir. For what reason, great king? There is no such cause for a mountain peak, venerable sir, by which a mountain peak might be afraid or terrified. Even so, great king, there is no such cause for Arahants by which Arahants might be afraid or terrified. Even if, great king, in hundreds of thousands of world-systems, all beings whatsoever, armed with weapons, were to rush upon one Arahant and terrify him, there would be no change in the Arahant's mind. What is the reason? Because it is impossible, there is no occasion for it. Moreover, great king, this thought arose in the minds of those Destroyers of Defilements: "Today, when the foremost of noble men, the chief of victors, the bull, has entered the excellent city, the elephant Dhanapālaka will rush into the street. Undoubtedly, the attendant will not abandon the God of gods. If all of us do not abandon the Blessed One, Ānanda's virtue will not be manifest. And the lordly elephant will not approach the Tathāgata. Come, let us depart. Thus, this will be the release from the bonds of defilements for a great multitude of people, and Ānanda's virtue will be manifest." Thus, seeing this advantage, those Arahants departed in all directions. Well-explained, venerable Nāgasena, is the question. So it is, there is no fear or terror for Arahants. Seeing the advantage, the Arahants departed in all directions. The ninth question on the Arahants' Fearlessness. 10. The Question on the Buddha's Omniscience 10. Venerable Nāgasena, you say that "the Tathāgata is omniscient." And again you say that "the Tathāgata, with the community of monks headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna, When the house was bowed down, the Cātumeyya Sākyas and Brahmā Sahampati, having presented the simile of the seed and the simile of the young calf, pleased the Blessed One, made him forgive, made him calm. "Now then, Venerable Nāgasena, were those similes unknown to the Tathāgata, by which similes the Tathāgata was appeased, forgiven, calmed, and made serene? If, Venerable Nāgasena, those similes were unknown to the Tathāgata, then the Buddha is not omniscient. If they were known, then he deliberately allowed himself to be tested, then indeed, his lack of compassion is possible. This two-edged question has come to you; it must be resolved by you." "The Tathāgata, O great king, is omniscient. And by those similes, the Blessed One was pleased, appeased, calmed, and made serene. The Tathāgata, O great king, is the master of the Dhamma. They pleased, satisfied, and delighted the Tathāgata with those very similes declared by the Tathāgata. And the Tathāgata, pleased with them, approved with 'Excellent!'" "Just as, O great king, a woman pleases, satisfies, and delights her husband with her husband's own wealth, and her husband approves with 'Excellent!', even so, O great king, the Cātumeyya Sākyas and Brahmā Sahampati pleased, satisfied, and delighted the Tathāgata with those very similes declared by the Tathāgata. And the Tathāgata, pleased with them, approved with 'Excellent!'" "Or again, O great king, just as a barber with the king's own golden comb, adorning the king's head, pleases, satisfies, and delights the king, and the king, pleased with him, approves with 'Excellent!', and grants whatever is desired, even so, O great king, the Cātumeyya Sākyas and Brahmā Sahampati pleased, satisfied, and delighted the Tathāgata with those very similes declared by the Tathāgata. And the Tathāgata, pleased with them, approved with 'Excellent!'" "Or again, O great king, just as a co-resident, taking alms food brought by his preceptor, offering it to his preceptor, pleases his preceptor..." he pleases, satisfies, and gladdens; and the preceptor, being pleased, approves with "Excellent!" Just so, O great king, the Sakyans of Cātumā and Brahmā Sahampati pleased, satisfied, and gladdened the Tathāgata with similes declared by the Tathāgata himself. And the Tathāgata, being pleased, approved with "Excellent!" and taught the Dhamma for the complete liberation from all suffering." "Excellent, Venerable Nāgasena, I accept it thus." The tenth question on the Buddha's omniscience. The fourth chapter on Omniscient Knowledge. In this chapter, ten questions. 5. Chapter on Association 1. Question on Association 1. "Venerable Nāgasena, this was spoken by the Blessed One – 'From intimacy, fear arises, From a dwelling, dust is born; Without a dwelling, without intimacy, This indeed is the sage's vision.' "And again, the Blessed One said, 'One should build pleasant monasteries, and house many learned ones there.' If, Venerable Nāgasena, the Tathāgata said, 'From intimacy, fear arises, from a dwelling, dust is born. Without a dwelling, without intimacy, this indeed is the sage's vision,' then the saying, 'One should build pleasant monasteries, and house many learned ones there,' is false. If the Tathāgata said, 'One should build pleasant monasteries, and house many learned ones there,' then the saying, 'From intimacy, fear arises, from a dwelling, dust is born. Without a dwelling, without intimacy, this indeed is the sage's vision,' is also false. This two-edged question has come to you; it must be resolved by you." "This was spoken, O great king, by the Blessed One: 'From intimacy, fear arises, from a dwelling, dust is born. Without a dwelling, without intimacy, this indeed is the sage's vision.' And it was said: 'One should build pleasant monasteries, and house many learned ones there.' That which, O great king, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'From intimacy, fear arises, from a dwelling, dust is born. Without a dwelling, without intimacy, this indeed is the sage's vision,' that is a statement of reality, a complete statement, an unreserved statement, a direct statement, suitable for recluses, appropriate for recluses, (for) recluses suitable, worthy of a recluse, proper resort of a recluse, practice of a recluse, conduct of a recluse. Just as, O great king, a forest deer roaming in the forest thicket, without attachment, without a home, sleeps as it pleases; even so, O great king, a bhikkhu should reflect: 'From intimacy, fear arises; from a home, dust is born. Without a home,