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Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. In the Sutta Piṭaka In the Dīgha Nikāya The Sīlakkhandhavagga Sutta Questions and Answers of the Recitation Question – At the time of the First Great Dhamma Council, friend, the reciters of the Dhamma, the venerable Mahākassapa and others, the excellent great elders, having first recited the Vinaya, after that, what teaching did they recite? Answer – At the First Great Dhamma Council, venerable sir, the reciters of the Dhamma, the venerable Mahākassapa and others, the excellent great elders, having first recited the Vinaya, after that, they recited the Dhamma. Question – The Dhamma, friend, is of two kinds, by way of Suttanta and Abhidhamma. Among them, which Dhamma did they recite first? Answer – Of the two Dhammas, venerable sir, the Suttanta and Abhidhamma Piṭakas, they first recited the Suttanta Piṭaka Dhamma. Question – In the Suttanta Piṭaka, friend, there are five Nikāyas by way of Dīgha, Majjhima, Saṃyutta, Aṅguttara, and Khuddaka. Among them, which Nikāya did they recite first? Answer – Of the five Nikāyas, venerable sir, they first recited the Dīgha Nikāya. Question – In the Dīgha Nikāya, friend, there are three sections (vaggas) and thirty-four suttas. Among them, which section and which sutta did they recite first? Answer – In the Dīgha Nikāya, venerable sir, of the three sections, they first recited the Sīlakkhandhavagga, and of the thirty-four suttas, they first recited the Brahmajāla Sutta. Brahmajāla Sutta Question – Excellent, excellent, friend! We too now, starting from there, to recite, let us begin the preliminary duties... Therefore, friend, by the Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, where was the Brahmajāla Sutta spoken? Answer – Between Rājagaha, venerable sir, and Nāḷanda, at Ambalaṭṭhikā, in the royal rest-house, it was spoken. Question – Whom, friend, was it spoken concerning? Answer – Concerning the wanderer Suppiya, venerable sir, and the young man Brahmadatta, it was spoken. Question – On what, friend, occasion/matter? where it was spoken. Answer – About praise and blame, venerable sir, for Suppiya, venerable sir, in many ways speaks dispraise of the Buddha, speaks dispraise of the Dhamma, speaks dispraise of the Sangha. But the young brahmin Brahmadatta, the disciple of the wanderer Suppiya, in many ways speaks praise of the Buddha, speaks praise of the Dhamma, speaks praise of the Sangha. It was spoken, venerable sir, concerning that matter. Connections Question – How many connections are there, friend? Answer – There are three connections there, venerable sir, one connection concerning dispraise, two connections concerning praise. The First Connection Question – How was it spoken by the Blessed One, friend, in that first connection? Tell it briefly. Answer – In the first connection, venerable sir, having prevented mental defilement regarding dispraise, and having shown the danger therein, the way to practice therein was spoken by the Blessed One. Monks, if others speak dispraise of me, or speak dispraise of the Dhamma, or speak dispraise of the Sangha, there you should not harbor resentment, displeasure, or mental dissatisfaction… The Second Connection Question – Excellent, excellent, friend! Excellent indeed is the Blessed One, endowed with the supreme quality of welcome and patience, who has also exhorted us, his disciples, in that regard, and being himself unshakeable by worldly conditions, has given us counsel to be likewise. And how, friend, was it spoken by the Blessed One in the second connection? Explain that briefly too. Answer – But in the second connection, venerable sir, having prohibited the mind from becoming elated by praise, and having shown the danger therein, and having shown the way to practice therein, the three kinds of morality, which are the ground for praise for ordinary people, were spoken in detail by the Blessed One. Monks, if others speak praise of me, or speak praise of the Dhamma, or speak praise of the Sangha, there you should not feel joy, nor gladness, nor The mind should be gladdened. Third Connection Question – Excellent, excellent, friend! Excellent indeed is the Blessed One, who, having attained the highest purity of virtue himself, showed his own perfectly pure virtue and enjoined others to it. But, friend, how was it spoken by the Blessed One in the third connection? Please explain it briefly. Answer – In the third connection, venerable sir, the Blessed One concluded his teaching by extensively analyzing the sixty-two views with his omniscience, by clarifying that they have the six sense bases as their foundation, by speaking of the cycle of existence as the basis for those holding wrong views, by speaking of the unbinding as the basis for monks engaged in the proper practice, by clarifying that one holding wrong views is not freed from the net of teachings and that there is no such thing as one freed from the net of teachings, by showing that he himself is not included in anything, and by leading to the Nibbāna element with a remainder of clinging. The Tathāgata’s body, monks, stands with its stream of becoming cut off. As long as his body stands, devas and humans will see him. With the breaking up of the body, with the exhaustion of life, devas and humans will not see him. Sutta Designation Question – Excellent, excellent, friend! Excellent indeed is the Blessed One, who, having fully understood the sixty-two views, the six sense bases, and the twelve links of dependent origination himself, proclaims the Dhamma for others to understand them likewise. And a Sutta, friend, is laid down in one of four ways of laying down Suttas. Therefore, by which of these ways was this Sutta laid down by the Blessed One? Answer – Among the four ways of laying down Suttas, venerable sir, this Sutta was laid down by the way of the origin of the matter. Question – Whose word is it, friend? Answer – It is the word of the Blessed One, venerable sir, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One. Question – By whom was it brought, friend? Answer – It was brought by tradition, venerable sir. Question – Is there, friend, a there is any fault, by which later people might misunderstand. Answer – There is none, venerable sir. The Discourse on the Fruits of Recluseship Question – Where, friend, was the Discourse on the Fruits of Recluseship spoken by the Blessed One…the Perfectly Self-Awakened One? Answer – It was spoken, venerable sir, in Rājagaha, in Jīvaka the Royal Physician's mango grove. Question – With whom, friend, did the Blessed One speak it? Answer – It was spoken, venerable sir, with King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Videhī. Question – And that discourse, friend, by which of the four ways of presenting discourses was it presented by the Blessed One? Answer – It was presented, venerable sir, by the Blessed One by the way of presenting discourses based on questions, among the four ways of presenting discourses. Ajātasattu Question – And that question, friend, in what manner did it arise? Answer – On that very Uposatha day, venerable sir, the fifteenth day of the Kōmudī, the full moon night of the four-month season, King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Videhī, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he asked the Blessed One about the visible fruits of recluseship in this very life. Thus, venerable sir, did that question arise. Delightful indeed, sirs, is this moonlit night. Beautiful indeed, sirs, is this moonlit night. Charming indeed, sirs, is this moonlit night. Pleasant indeed, sirs, is this moonlit night. Auspicious indeed, sirs, is this moonlit night… Whom now, today, should we attend upon, a recluse or a brahmin… Whom attending upon, our mind might be calmed… Six Ascetics But you, friend Jīvaka, why are you silent? This Blessed One, venerable sir, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, dwells in our mango grove. And concerning that Blessed One, such a good report has spread: "Indeed, the Blessed One is Arahant, Perfectly Self-Awakened, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the Awakened One, the Blessed One." May His Majesty attend upon that Blessed One, perhaps His Majesty, the Blessed One… By associating, the mind would become serene. Well then, friend Jīvaka, prepare the elephant carriages. Your elephant carriages are prepared, O king, for which you now think it is time. Surely, friend Jīvaka, you are not deceiving me? Surely, friend Jīvaka, you are not misleading me? Do not fear, great king, do not fear, great king. I am not deceiving you, O king, I am not misleading you, O king. That, great king, is the Blessed One, that, great king, is the Blessed One, seated facing east, leaning against the middle pillar, surrounded by the assembly of monks. May Prince Udayabhadda be endowed with this serenity of mine. You have come, O great king, as you desired. I would like to ask, venerable sir, the Blessed One something, if the Blessed One grants me an opportunity for the explanation of a question. Ask, great king, whatever you wish. Just as, venerable sir, these various crafts, namely, elephant riders, horse riders, charioteers, archers, standard-bearers, spies, alms-givers, (and so on), accountants, seal-makers, and other such various crafts, they live by that craft, by the visible fruit of their craft; they gladden and nourish themselves by it; they gladden and nourish their parents; they gladden and nourish their wives and children; they gladden and nourish their friends and associates; they establish an offering of the highest kind for ascetics and brahmins, leading to heaven, with a pleasant result, conducive to heaven. Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out in the same way, in this very life, a visible fruit of recluseship?