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is the fifth quality of space to be taken. This, O great king, was also spoken by the Blessed One, the God of gods, when admonishing his own son Rāhula: ‘Just as, Rāhula, space is not established anywhere, just so, Rāhula, you should cultivate a meditation like space. For when you, Rāhula, cultivate a meditation like space, agreeable and disagreeable contacts that arise will not take hold of your mind.’ The Sixth Question on the Qualities of Space. 7. The Question on the Qualities of the Moon 7. “Venerable Nāgasena, what are those five qualities of the moon to be taken, which you speak of?” “Just as, O great king, the moon rising in the bright fortnight grows more and more, just so, O great king, the yogi, the practitioner, should grow more and more in conduct, virtue, good qualities, and practice, in learning and realization, in seclusion, in mindfulness foundations, in guarding the doors of the senses, in moderation in food, in devotion to wakefulness. This, O great king, is the first quality of the moon to be taken. Furthermore, O great king, the moon is a great lord. Just so, O great king, the yogi, the practitioner, should be of great aspiration, a lord of desire. This, O great king, is the second quality of the moon to be taken. Furthermore, O great king, the moon travels by night. Just so, Indeed, great king, the yogi, the practitioner, should be secluded. This, great king, is the third quality to be taken from the moon. Again, great king, the moon is a banner of the sky, even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner, should be a banner of virtue. This, great king, is the fourth quality to be taken from the moon. Again, great king, the moon rises desired and longed for, even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner, should approach families desired and longed for. This, great king, is the fifth quality to be taken from the moon. And this, great king, was spoken by the Blessed One, the God of gods, in the excellent Saṃyutta Nikāya: "Like the moon, monks, approach families, keeping the body apart, keeping the mind apart, always new in families, not presumptuous." The Question on the Qualities of the Moon, the seventh. 8. The Question on the Qualities of the Sun "Venerable Nāgasena, when you say, 'Seven qualities are to be taken from the sun,' which are those seven qualities to be taken?" "Just as, great king, the sun dries up all water, even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner, should dry up all defilements without remainder. This, great king, is the first quality to be taken from the sun. Again, great king, the sun dispels darkness and gloom, even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner, should dispel all darkness of lust, darkness of hatred, darkness of delusion, darkness of conceit, darkness of views, darkness of defilements, all darkness of misconduct. This, great king, is the second quality to be taken from the sun. Again, great king, the sun moves constantly, even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner, should constantly apply wise attention. This, great king, is the third quality to be taken from the sun. Again, great king, the sun is garlanded with rays, even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner, one should be adorned with objects. This, great king, is the fourth quality of the sun to be taken. Again, great king, the sun moves about scorching the great mass of people. Even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner of yoga, by means of the practice of good conduct, virtue, and qualities, by means of jhānas, liberations, concentrations, attainments, faculties, powers, factors of awakening, foundations of mindfulness, right efforts, and bases of psychic power, should scorch the world with its deities. This, great king, is the fifth quality of the sun to be taken. Again, great king, the sun moves about frightened by the fear of Rāhu. Even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner of yoga, seeing beings entangled in the net of defilements, in the evil destination, in the difficult wilderness of bad conduct, in the results of misfortune, in the states of woe, bound by the fetters of wrong views, fallen into wrong paths, having entered upon wrong ways, should stir his mind with great fear of agitation. This, great king, is the sixth quality of the sun to be taken. Again, great king, the sun reveals the good and the bad. Even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner of yoga, should reveal the worldly and supramundane qualities of faculties, powers, factors of awakening, foundations of mindfulness, right efforts, and bases of psychic power. This, great king, is the seventh quality of the sun to be taken. And this was spoken, great king, by the elder Vaṅgīsa: “Just as the sun, rising, reveals forms to living beings; Both the pure and the impure, and also the good and the bad. So too, a bhikkhu, a holder of the Dhamma, to people shrouded in ignorance; Reveals the various paths, like the rising of the sun.” The eighth question on the qualities of the sun. 9. The Question on the Qualities of Sakka “Venerable Nāgasena, when you say, ‘Three qualities of Sakka are to be taken,’ which are those three qualities to be taken?” “Just as, great king, Sakka is devoted to unalloyed happiness, even so, great king, the yogi, the practitioner of yoga, should be delighted in the happiness of unalloyed solitude. This, great king, is the first quality of Sakka to be taken. Again, great king, O King, Sakka, seeing the devas, encourages them, brings forth joy. Just so, O King, by the yogi, the meditator, in wholesome states, an unattached, untiring, peaceful mind should be encouraged, joy should be brought forth, one should rise up, strive, endeavor. This, O King, is Sakka's second quality to be adopted. Furthermore, O King, discontent does not arise in Sakka. Just so, O King, by the yogi, the meditator, discontent should not be produced in an empty dwelling. This, O King, is Sakka's third quality to be adopted. This was also spoken, O King, by the Elder Subhūti: "In your Dispensation, O Great Hero, since I went forth; I do not know of a mind arisen connected with sensual desires." Sakka's Qualities Question, the ninth. 10. The Universal Monarch's Qualities Question "Venerable Nāgasena, when you say 'four qualities of a Universal Monarch should be adopted,' what are those four qualities to be adopted?" "Just as, O King, a Universal Monarch gathers people with the four bases of sympathy, just so, O King, by the yogi, the meditator, the minds of the four assemblies should be gathered, should be supported, should be gladdened. This, O King, is the Universal Monarch's first quality to be adopted. Furthermore, O King, in the Universal Monarch's dominion, thieves do not arise. Just so, O King, by the yogi, the meditator, thoughts of sensual desire, ill-will, and harmfulness should not be produced. This, O King, is the Universal Monarch's second quality to be adopted. This was also spoken, O King, by the Blessed One, the God of gods: "And whoever delights in the calming of thoughts, always mindful, meditates on the unlovely; He will surely put an end (to suffering), he will cut Mara's bonds." Furthermore, O King, the Universal Monarch day by day travels over the great earth to the ocean's edge, discriminating between good and bad. Just so, O King, by the yogi, the meditator... By the practitioner, bodily action, verbal action, mental action should be reviewed day by day: 'Has my day passed without blame in these three respects?' This, O great king, is the third quality to be adopted by a universal monarch. This, O great king, was also spoken by the Fortunate One, the God of gods, in the excellent Aṅguttara Nikāya – 'How do my nights and days pass?' should be constantly reflected upon by one who has gone forth.' "Furthermore, O great king, the universal monarch's inner and outer guard is well-arranged. Just so, O great king, by the yogi, the practitioner, a doorkeeper of mindfulness should be appointed for the protection against inner and outer defilements. This, O great king, is the fourth quality to be adopted by a universal monarch. This, O great king, was also spoken by the Fortunate One, the God of gods – 'A noble disciple, monks, with mindfulness as doorkeeper, abandons unwholesome states, develops wholesome states, abandons blameworthy states, develops blameless states, and maintains himself pure.'" The Tenth Question on the Qualities of a Universal Monarch. The Third Chapter on Earth. Its Summary – Earth, and Water, and Fire, and Wind, and with Mountains; Space, and Moon and Sun, and Sakka, and the Universal Monarch. 4. The Chapter on the Termite. 1. The Question on the Quality of the Termite. 1. "Venerable Nāgasena, when you say, 'One quality should be adopted from the termite,' which is that one quality to be adopted?" "Just as, O great king, the termite makes a covering above, and concealing itself, forages for food, just so, O great king, by the yogi, the practitioner, having made the covering of moral restraint, and concealing the mind, one should go for alms. Indeed, O great king, by the covering of moral restraint, the yogi, the practitioner, overcomes all fears. This, O great king, is the one quality to be adopted from the termite. This, O great king, was also spoken by the Elder Upasena, son of Vaṅganta – 'Having made the covering of moral restraint, O yogi, for the mind; Unstained by the world, and from fear... is released.'" The First Question on the Ant's Quality. 2. The Cat-Quality Question 2. "Venerable Nāgasena, that which you say, 'two qualities of the cat are to be adopted,' what are those two qualities to be adopted?