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Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. Discourse Basket Middle Length Discourses The First Fifty Discourses Questions and Answers of the Recitation Question: Friend, at the time of the First Great Council, what teaching did the venerable great elders, the reciters of the Dhamma, led by Mahākassapa, recite after reciting the Dīgha Nikāya? Answer: Venerable Sir, at the time of the First Great Council, the venerable great elders, the reciters of the Dhamma, led by Mahākassapa, after reciting the Dīgha Nikāya, then recited the collection called Majjhima Nikāya. Question: Friend, the Majjhima Nikāya is threefold by way of fifties: the First Fifty, the Middle Fifty, and the Last Fifty. Among these, which fifty did they recite first? Answer: Venerable Sir, among the three fifties, the venerable great elders, the reciters of the Dhamma, first recited the teaching called the Mūlapaṇṇāsaka (First Fifty). Question: Friend, even in the Mūlapaṇṇāsaka, there are five divisions and fifty discourses. Among these, which division and which discourse did they recite first? Answer: Venerable Sir, among the five divisions in the Mūlapaṇṇāsaka, they first recited the Mūlapariyāya Division, and among the fifty discourses, they first recited the Mūlapariyāya Sutta. Good, friend. Now we too shall begin to perform the preliminary question-and-answer tasks for the recitation, starting from that very point. The Mūlapariyāya Discourse Question: Friend, where, concerning whom, and on what occasion was this Mūlapariyāya Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One? Answer: Venerable Sir, it was spoken at Ukkaṭṭhā, concerning five hundred monks who had gone forth from brahmin families. Venerable Sir, those five hundred monks who had gone forth from brahmin families had developed conceit based on their learning. It was spoken, Venerable Sir, on that occasion. Question: Friend, into how many sections and with how many included terms was that discourse divided and spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: Venerable Sir, that Mūlapariyāya Sutta was b was taught by the Blessed One, divided into eight sections and twenty-four included topics. Discourse on All the Taints Question – And venerable sir, where was the second Discourse on All the Taints spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer – The Discourse on All the Taints, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One in Savatthi, concerning many bhikkhus. Question – There, venerable sir, in how many ways were the taints shown by the Blessed One, divided? Answer – In seven ways, venerable sir, were the taints made known by the Blessed One, divided. Discourse on Heirs of Dhamma Question – And venerable sir, where was the Discourse on Heirs of Dhamma spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – It was spoken in Savatthi, venerable sir, concerning many bhikkhus. And at that time, venerable sir, great gain and honor arose for the Blessed One and the community of bhikkhus. On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question – There, venerable sir, are two connections. In the first connection, how was advice given by the Blessed One to the bhikkhus? Answer – In the first connection, venerable sir, advice was given by the Blessed One to the bhikkhus in this way: "Be heirs of Dhamma to me, bhikkhus, not heirs of material things. I have compassion for you, thinking: 'How might my disciples be heirs of Dhamma, not heirs of material things?'" "Be heirs of Dhamma to me, bhikkhus, not heirs of material things. I have compassion for you, thinking: 'How might my disciples be heirs of Dhamma, not heirs of material things?'" Question – And venerable sir, in the second connection, what kind of Dhamma teaching was expounded by the Venerable Sariputta Thera, the General of the Dhamma? Answer – In the second connection, venerable sir, the Venerable Sariputta Thera, the General of the Dhamma, expounded that when the Teacher dwells secluded, disciples who do not train themselves in seclusion are censurable in three ways, and those who do train themselves are praiseworthy in three ways. And he expounded sixteen evil qualities and the middle path for their abandonment. Bhayabherava Sutta Question: Now, friend, where was the Bhayabherava Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer: In Savatthi, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning the brahmin Janussuni. The brahmin Janussuni, venerable sir, having approached the Blessed One, said this: "Those young men of good family, good Gotama, who, having faith, have gone forth from home to homelessness on account of you, venerable Gotama, you, venerable Gotama, are their leader, you, Gotama, are of great help to them, you, Gotama, are their instructor, and that populace follows your view, good Gotama." On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Anaṅgaṇa Sutta Question: Now, friend, where was the Anaṅgaṇa Sutta spoken, concerning whom, and by whom? Answer: In Savatthi, venerable sir, concerning many bhikkhus, it was spoken by the venerable Elder Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma. Ākaṅkheyya Sutta Question: Now, friend, where was the Ākaṅkheyya Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer: In Savatthi, venerable sir, concerning many bhikkhus, it was spoken. Vattha Sutta Question: Now, friend, where was the Vattha Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer: In Savatthi, venerable sir, concerning many bhikkhus, it was spoken. Sallekha Sutta Question: Now, friend, where was the Sallekha Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer: In Savatthi, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning the venerable Mahācunda. The venerable Mahācunda, venerable sir, having approached the Blessed One, said this: "These various views, venerable sir, that arise in the world, whether connected with the doctrine of self or connected with the doctrine of the world, is it, venerable sir, by attending to the beginning that there is the abandoning of these views, that there is the relinquishing of these views?" On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question: And there, friend, how many methods and how many included topics? were analyzed and explained by the Blessed One. Answer – Therein, venerable sir, five methods and forty-four included terms were spoken in detail by the Blessed One. The Discourse on Right View Question – Now, friend, where, concerning whom, and by whom was the Discourse on Right View spoken? Answer – In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, concerning many bhikkhus, it was spoken by the Venerable Sāriputta Thera, the General of the Dhamma. Question – Whose word is it, friend? Answer – It is the word of the Blessed One, venerable sir, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. Question – By whom was it brought, friend? Answer – It was brought by tradition, venerable sir. The Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness Question – Now, friend, the Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness, being of great benefit to those who practice yoga, was recited twice by the ancient reciters in two collections, both in the Dīgha Nikāya and here, and established in detail. We have already questioned and answered it in the Dīgha Nikāya according to its occurrence. Nevertheless, because it is of great benefit to those who practice yoga, I will now question it again according to its occurrence. Where, concerning whom, was this Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness spoken by the Blessed One, friend? Answer – In the Kuru country, venerable sir, at a Kuru town named Kammāsadhamma, concerning many bhikkhus, it was spoken. Question – And how, friend, was mindfulness of breathing, the contemplation of the body, analyzed and explained there by the Blessed One? Answer – Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having gone to the forest, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, sits down, having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, and established mindfulness in front of him. Mindful, he breathes in; mindful, he breathes out. Breathing in long, he understands, 'I breathe in long.' Breathing out long, he understands, 'I breathe out long.' In this way, venerable sir, mindfulness of breathing, the contemplation of the body, was analyzed and explained there by the Blessed One. Question – And how, friend, was the contemplation of the body through postures analyzed by the Blessed One there? has been explained. Answer: Furthermore, monks, a monk, when walking, understands: "I am walking." When standing, he understands: "I am standing." When sitting, he understands: "I am sitting." When lying down, he understands: "I am lying down." In this way, venerable sir, the Blessed One has explained and elucidated the contemplation of the body in terms of postures. Question: And how, friend, has the Blessed One explained and elucidated the contemplation of the body in terms of full awareness? Answer: Furthermore, monks, a monk, in going forth and returning, acts with full awareness. In looking forward and looking around, he acts with full awareness. In bending and stretching, he acts with full awareness. In wearing the outer robe, bowl, and robes, he acts with full awareness. In eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting, he acts with full awareness. In defecating and urinating, he acts with full awareness. In walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and remaining silent, he acts with full awareness. In this way, venerable sir, the Blessed One has explained and elucidated the contemplation of the body in terms of full awareness. Question: And how, friend, has the Blessed One explained and elucidated the contemplation of the body in terms of repulsiveness?