English
Thus, a person is a self-tormentor, devoted to the practice of self-torment. 175. And how is a person a tormentor of others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others? Here, some person is a sheep-butcher, or a pig-butcher, a fowler, a hunter, a trapper, a fish-killer, a thief, a murderer of thieves, a cow-killer, a jailer, or anyone else who engages in cruel occupations. Thus, a person is a tormentor of others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others. 176. And how is a person a self-tormentor, devoted to the practice of self-torment, and a tormentor of others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others? Here, some person is a king, a warrior, anointed as a ruler, or a great brahmin. He, to the east, a new assembly hall for a man... having built a new house, having shaved off hair and beard, having put on a black antelope skin, having anointed his body with sesame oil, scratching his back with a deer's horn, he enters the fire-house together with his queen and the brahmin priest. There he makes his bed on the ground that is not covered, smeared with green cow-dung. With the milk from one teat of a cow with a calf of the same color, the king lives; with the milk from the second teat, the queen lives; with the milk from the third teat, the brahmin priest lives; with the milk from the fourth teat, he offers to the fire; with the remainder, the calf lives. He says thus: "So many bulls are to be slaughtered for the sacrifice! So many young steers are to be slaughtered for the sacrifice! So many young heifers are to be slaughtered for the sacrifice! So many goats are to be slaughtered for the sacrifice! So many rams are to be slaughtered for the sacrifice! So many horses are to be slaughtered for the sacrifice! So many trees are to be cut down for the sacrificial posts! So many kusa grasses are to be plucked for the sacrificial grass!" And those who are his slaves, or servants, or workers, they too, threatened with rods, threatened with fear, with tearful faces, weeping, perform the tasks. Thus, a person is a self-tormentor, devoted to the practice of self-mortification, and a tormentor of others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others. 177. And how is a person neither a self-tormentor nor devoted to the practice of self-mortification, nor a tormentor of others nor devoted to the practice of tormenting others? Such a one, not a self-tormentor, not a tormentor of others, in this very life is cooled, extinguished, become cool, experiencing happiness, he dwells with a mind that has become divine. Here, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One, endowed with knowledge and conduct, a Fortunate One, a Knower of the world, an unsurpassed Trainer of persons to be tamed, Indeed, the Teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. He, having directly known and realized this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, with its recluses and brahmins, its gods and humans, proclaims it. He teaches the Dhamma, beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, He proclaims the utterly complete and purified holy life. A householder or a householder's son, or one born in some other family, hears that Dhamma. Having heard that Dhamma, he gains faith in the Tathāgata. Endowed with that gain of faith, he reflects thus: "Confined is household life, a path of dust. Open air is the going forth. It is not easy, while living in a house, to lead the holy life utterly complete, utterly purified, like a polished conch shell. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and go forth from the home life into homelessness!" So, at a later time, having given up a small amount of wealth, or having given up a large amount of wealth, having given up a small circle of relatives, or having given up a large circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on saffron robes, and goes forth from the home life into homelessness. 178. Having thus gone forth, he undertakes the training and livelihood of bhikkhus. Abandoning the taking of life, he abstains from the taking of life. Laying aside rod and weapon, he lives modest, full of compassion, desiring the welfare of all living beings. Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from the taking of what is not given. He takes only what is given, he expects only what is given, he lives with a self that is clean, not thievish. Abandoning unchastity, he lives a chaste life. He lives apart, abstaining from sexual intercourse, the village custom. Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech. He is a speaker of truth, bound to truth, firm, reliable, not a deceiver of the world. Abandoning divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech. What he hears here, he does not tell there to cause division among these. What he hears there, he does not tell these... Not declared for their division. Thus, he is a reconciler of those who are divided, or a promoter of those who are united. He delights in unity, he rejoices in unity, he finds joy in unity, he speaks words that promote unity. Having abandoned harsh speech, he refrains from harsh speech. Whatever speech is gentle, pleasant to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, courteous, beloved by many, pleasing to many, such speech he speaks. Having abandoned frivolous talk, he refrains from frivolous talk. He speaks at the right time, he speaks what is factual, he speaks what is beneficial, he speaks about the Dhamma, he speaks about the Vinaya, he speaks words worth treasuring, timely, with reasons, well-defined, and connected with benefit. 179. He refrains from harming seeds and plants. He eats once a day, abstaining from food at night, refraining from untimely meals. He refrains from watching dancing, singing, music, and shows. He refrains from wearing garlands, using perfumes, and adorning himself with cosmetics. He refrains from high and luxurious beds. He refrains from accepting gold and silver. He refrains from accepting raw grain. He refrains from accepting raw meat. He refrains from accepting women and girls. He refrains from accepting male and female slaves. He refrains from accepting goats and sheep. He refrains from accepting chickens and pigs. He refrains from accepting elephants, cattle, horses, and mares. He refrains from accepting fields and land. He refrains from acting as a messenger or going on errands. He refrains from buying and selling. He refrains from cheating with scales, weights, and measures. He refrains from bribery, deception, fraud, and crookedness. He refrains from cutting, killing, binding, highway robbery, plunder, and violence. 180. He is content with robes to protect his body, and alms food to satisfy his stomach. Wherever he goes, he goes taking only these. Just as a bird, a winged creature, wherever it flies, flies with only its wings as its burden. In the same way, the monk is content with with robes for protection, with almsfood for sustenance. Wherever he goes, he goes taking (these) with him. Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, he experiences blameless happiness within himself. 181. Having seen a form with the eye, he is not a perceiver of its general appearance, nor of its details. Because of that through which, if the eye faculty were unrestrained, covetousness and distress, evil unwholesome states, might flow in, for its restraint he practices, he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes restraint of the eye faculty; having heard a sound with the ear… having smelled an odor with the nose… having tasted a flavor with the tongue… having felt a tactile sensation with the body… having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not a perceiver of its general appearance, nor of its details. Because of that through which, if the mind faculty were unrestrained, covetousness and distress, evil unwholesome states, might flow in, for its restraint he practices, he guards the mind faculty, he undertakes restraint of the mind faculty. Endowed with this noble restraint of the faculties, he experiences unmolested happiness within himself. 182. In going forward and returning, he acts with clear comprehension; in looking forward and looking around, he acts with clear comprehension; in bending and stretching, he acts with clear comprehension; in wearing his robes and carrying his bowl, he acts with clear comprehension; in eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting, he acts with clear comprehension; in defecating and urinating, he acts with clear comprehension; in walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and remaining silent, he acts with clear comprehension. Endowed with this noble aggregate of virtue, and with this noble restraint of the faculties, and with this noble mindfulness and clear comprehension, and with this noble contentment, he resorts to a secluded dwelling: a wilderness, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest grove, the open air, a heap of straw. He Having eaten his meal, having returned from the alms round, he sits down, having folded his legs crosswise, having set his body erect, having established mindfulness in front of him. He, abandoning covetousness for the world, dwells with a mind free from covetousness; he purifies his mind from covetousness. Abandoning ill will and malevolence, he dwells with a mind free from ill will, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings; he purifies his mind from ill will and malevolence. Abandoning sloth and torpor, he dwells free from sloth and torpor, perceiving light, mindful and clearly comprehending; he purifies his mind from sloth and torpor. Abandoning restlessness and remorse, he dwells undisturbed, with a mind inwardly calmed; he purifies his mind from restlessness and remorse. Abandoning doubt, he dwells having overcome doubt, without perplexity regarding wholesome states; he purifies his mind from doubt. 183.