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the General of the Dhamma – ‘If they offer to me, The ascetics, what they have received; Having shared it with all, Then I eat the food.’ The ninth question on the quality of the crow. 10. The question on the quality of the monkey. 10. ‘Venerable Nāgasena, when you say, “Two qualities are to be taken from the monkey,” what are those two qualities to be taken?’ ‘Just as, O great king, a monkey, when going to dwell, such a In a high place, in a great big tree, in a secluded spot, with branches everywhere, a refuge for the timid, it goes to dwell. Even so, O great king, by a yogi, a meditator, modest, virtuous, of good conduct, learned, a holder of the Dhamma, a holder of the Vinaya, beloved, revered, one who speaks, one who endures speech, an instructor, an explainer, a shower, an encourager, an inspirer, a gladdener— relying on such a spiritual friend, a teacher, one should dwell. This, O great king, is the first quality of the monkey to be taken. And further, O great king, a monkey moves, stands, sits, in the tree itself; if it falls asleep, it experiences dwelling there for the night. Even so, O great king, by a yogi, a meditator, one should be facing the forest; in the forest itself, one should undertake standing, walking, sitting, lying down, and sleep; there itself, one should experience mindfulness. This, O great king, is the second quality of the monkey to be taken. And this was spoken, O great king, by the Elder Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma – “Walking or standing, or by sitting or lying down; The bhikkhu shines in the forest, praised as one of the forest.” The Question on the Qualities of the Monkey, the tenth. The Chapter on the Donkey, the first. Its summary – Donkey and rooster, squirrel, leopardess, leopard; Turtle, bamboo, and bow, crow, and then monkey. 2. The Chapter on the Ocean 1. The Question on the Qualities of the Gourd Vine 1. “Venerable Nāgasena, ‘one quality of the gourd vine is to be taken’ – what is that one quality to be taken?” “Just as, O great king, a gourd vine, to grass or wood or another vine, clinging with its tendrils, grows upwards upon it, even so, O great king, by a yogi, a meditator, desiring to grow in arahantship, clinging to the object with the mind, one should grow in arahantship. This, O great king, is the one quality of the gourd vine to be taken.” ṃ. This was spoken, great king, by the Elder Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma: “Just as a gourd creeper, on grass, wood, or a vine; Clinging with its tendrils, then grows upwards. “Even so, a Buddha’s son, desiring the fruit of arahantship; Clinging to an object, should grow in the unfettered fruits.” The First Question on the Qualities of the Gourd Creeper. 2. The Question on the Qualities of the Lotus 2. “Venerable Nāgasena, you say, ‘Three qualities of the lotus are to be adopted.’ Which are these three qualities to be adopted?” “Just as, great king, a lotus born in water, grown in water, is unsoiled by water, even so, great king, a yogi, a practitioner, in family, in community, in gain, in fame, in honor, in respect, and in requisites for use, should be unsoiled in all things. This, great king, is the first quality of the lotus to be adopted. “Furthermore, great king, a lotus stands risen above the water. Even so, great king, a yogi, a practitioner, having overcome all the world, should stand risen in the supramundane Dhamma. This, great king, is the second quality of the lotus to be adopted. “Furthermore, great king, a lotus, stirred by even a slight breeze, trembles. Even so, great king, a yogi, a practitioner, should practice restraint in even slight defilements, and should dwell seeing danger. This, great king, is the third quality of the lotus to be adopted. This was also spoken, great king, by the Blessed One, the God of gods: ‘Seeing danger in even minor faults, he undertakes and trains in the training rules.’ The Second Question on the Qualities of the Lotus. 3. The Question on the Qualities of the Seed 3. “Venerable Nāgasena, you say, ‘Two qualities of the seed are to be adopted.’ Which are these two qualities to be adopted?” “Just as, great king, a seed, though small, sown in good soil, when the god sends rain properly, yields many fruits, even so, great king, a yogi, a practitioner, according to his practice Perfected virtue shows only the fruit of recluseship. Thus should one practice rightly. This, O great king, is the first quality of the seed to be taken. Again, O great king, a seed planted in well-cleansed soil quickly sprouts. Even so, O great king, the mind of a yogi, a meditator, well-grasped, cleansed in an empty dwelling, cast into the excellent field of mindfulness, quickly sprouts. This, O great king, is the second quality of the seed to be taken. This too, O great king, was spoken by the Elder Anuruddha: “As in a field that is well-cleansed, and the seed is established; Its fruit is abundant, and it satisfies the farmer. Even so the mind of a yogi, cleansed in an empty dwelling; In the field of mindfulness, it quickly sprouts.” The Question on the Qualities of the Seed, the Third. 4. The Question on the Quality of the Sālakalyāṇikā Tree “Venerable Nāgasena, when you say, ‘one quality of the sālakalyāṇikā tree should be taken,’ what is that one quality to be taken?” “Just as, O great king, the tree called sālakalyāṇikā grows only within the earth, a hundred cubits or more, even so, O great king, the yogi, the meditator, should perfect the four fruits of recluseship, the four analytical knowledges, the six supernormal powers, and the entire ascetic practice only in an empty dwelling. This, O great king, is the one quality of the sālakalyāṇikā tree to be taken. This too, O great king, was spoken by the Elder Rāhula: “The sālakalyāṇikā tree, a plant growing from the earth; Only within the earth, it grows a hundred cubits. As when the time is right, by its ripening, that tree; Having emerged in one day, grows a hundred cubits. Even so, O great hero, like the sālakalyāṇikā tree; Within an empty dwelling, I grew in accordance with the Dhamma.” The Question on the Quality of the Sālakalyāṇikā Tree, the Fourth. 5. The Question on the Qualities of the Ship “Venerable Nāgasena, when you say, ‘three qualities of a ship should be taken,’ what are What are those three qualities to be taken?" "Just as, great king, a ship, by the combination of various kinds of wood, carries many people across, even so, great king, by a yogi, a meditator, by the combination of various kinds of qualities of conduct, virtue, and observances, the world with its deities should be carried across. This, great king, is the first quality of a ship to be taken. "And again, great king, a ship endures the force of various kinds of waves, the force of thunderous currents, and the force of swirling eddies; even so, great king, by a yogi, a meditator, the force of various defilement-waves — the force of waves of gain, honor, fame, praise, worship, veneration, blame and praise from others, happiness and suffering, respect and disrespect, and various kinds of faults — should be endured. This, great king, is the second quality of a ship to be taken. "And again, great king, a ship travels in the great, vast ocean, immeasurable, endless, boundless, unshaken, deep, with a mighty roar, teeming with schools of great fish, whales, and crocodiles; even so, great king, by a yogi, a meditator, the mind should be directed to the penetration of the Four Noble Truths, with their three turnings and twelve aspects. This, great king, is the third quality of a ship to be taken. And this, great king, was spoken by the Blessed One, the God of gods, in the excellent Saṃyutta Nikāya, in the Saṃyutta on Truths: "‘And indeed, monks, when you ponder, you should ponder: "This is suffering." You should ponder: "This is the origin of suffering." You should ponder: "This is the cessation of suffering." You should ponder: "This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering."’" The Fifth Question on the Qualities of a Ship. 6. The Question on the Qualities of a Ship's Anchor. "‘Venerable Nāgasena, when you say "two qualities of a ship's anchor should be taken," what are those two qualities to be taken?’ ‘Just as, great king, a ship's anchor fixes and holds a ship in the great, vast ocean, on the water's surface disturbed by many wave-nets, not letting it be carried in various directions; even so, great king, by a yogi, a meditator, passion, hatred, delusion... In the great net of the earth, in the striking of mighty thoughts, the mind should be fixed, it should not be allowed to wander in all directions. This, great king, is the first quality of an anchor-post to be taken. And again, great king, an anchor-post does not float, it sinks. Even in a hundred cubits of water, it fixes the ship, brings it to a stand. Just so, great king, a yogi, a practitioner, should not float in gains, fame, honor, respect, veneration, worship, reverence, even in the highest gains and fame. The mind should be placed only on what is sufficient for the sustenance of the body. This, great king, is the second quality of an anchor-post to be taken. And this, great king, was spoken by the Elder Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma – ‘As an anchor-post in the sea does not float, but sinks; So too in gains and honors, do not float, but sink.’ The Sixth Question on the Qualities of an Anchor-post. 7. The Question on the Qualities of a Well-post 7. ‘Venerable Nāgasena, what is that one quality of a well-post that you say should be taken?’ ‘Just as, great king, a well-post supports the rope, the strap, and the bucket-chain, even so, great king, a yogi, a practitioner, should be endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension. In going forward, in going back, in looking ahead, in looking around, in bending, in stretching, in wearing the outer robe, bowl, and robes, in eating, drinking, chewing, tasting,