English
In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning Subha, the young man, son of Todeyya. Venerable sir, Subha, the young man, son of Todeyya, approached the Blessed One and said this: "What, indeed, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause, by which among humans, among human beings, inferiority and superiority are seen? Indeed, good Gotama, humans are seen short-lived, humans are seen long-lived. They are seen with many ailments, they are seen with few ailments. They are seen ugly, they are seen beautiful. They are seen with little influence, they are seen with great influence. They are seen with little wealth, they are seen with great wealth. They are seen of low birth, they are seen of high birth. They are seen foolish, they are seen wise. What, indeed, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause, by which among humans, among human beings, inferiority and superiority are seen?" On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question: And how, friend, there by the Blessed One, the kamma leading to long life and short life for beings were analyzed and declared? Answer: Here, young man, some woman or man is a killer of living beings, fierce, with bloody hands, intent on striking and harming, without mercy towards living beings. In this way, venerable sir, there by the Blessed One, the kamma leading to short life and long life were analyzed and declared. Question: And how, friend, there by the Blessed One, the kamma leading to few ailments and many ailments for beings were analyzed and declared? Answer: Here, young man, some woman or man is of a nature to harm beings with their hand, or with a clod, or with a stick, or with a weapon. In this way, venerable sir, there by the Blessed One, the kamma leading to few ailments... deeds leading to freedom from affliction were explained. Question – And how, friend, did the Blessed One there explain the deeds leading to the good appearance and bad appearance of beings? Answer – Here, young man, some woman or man is irascible, prone to vexation; even when spoken to a little, they get angry, they get upset, they become hostile, they become stubborn, they manifest anger, hatred, and discontent. It was in this way, Venerable Sir, that the Blessed One there explained the deeds leading to the good appearance and bad appearance of beings. Question – And how, friend, did the Blessed One there explain the deeds leading to great influence and little influence of beings? Answer – Here, young man, some woman or man is envious, they envy, they are resentful, they harbor envy towards the gains, honor, respect, veneration, and homage of others. It was in this way, Venerable Sir, that the Blessed One there explained the deeds leading to little influence and great influence of beings. Question – And how, friend, did the Blessed One there explain the deeds leading to great wealth and little wealth? Answer – Here, young man, some woman or man is not a giver to a recluse or a brahmin of food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes, ointments, beds, dwellings, or lamps. It was in this way, Venerable Sir, that the Blessed One there explained the deeds leading to great wealth and little wealth. Question – And how, friend, did the Blessed One there explain the deeds leading to high birth and low birth of beings? Answer – Here, young man, some woman or man is stubborn, overly proud; they do not salute those who should be saluted, they do not rise for those who should be risen for, they do not offer a seat to those worthy of a seat, they do not give way to those worthy of the way, they do not honor those who should be honored, they do not respect those who should be respected, they do not venerate those who should be venerated, they do not worship those who should be worshipped. It was in this way, Venerable Sir, There, by the Blessed One, the deeds leading to high birth and low birth of beings were analyzed and declared. Question – And how, friend, there, by the Blessed One, were the deeds leading to great wisdom and lack of wisdom of beings analyzed and declared? Answer – Here, young man, some woman or man, having approached a recluse or brahmin, does not question thoroughly: “What, venerable sir, is wholesome? What is unwholesome? What is blameworthy? What is blameless? What should be practiced? What should not be practiced? What, being done by me, leads to my harm and suffering for a long time? Or what, being done by me, leads to my welfare and happiness for a long time?” In this way, venerable sir, there, by the Blessed One, the deeds leading to great wisdom and lack of wisdom of beings were analyzed and declared. Concerning the development of faculties Question – And, friend, where, concerning whom, and on what occasion was the Discourse on the Development of Faculties spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Gajangala, venerable sir, concerning a young man named Uttara, a disciple of Parāsivi, it was spoken. Uttara, venerable sir, the young man, the disciple of Parāsivi, being questioned by the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One: “Here, good Gotama, one does not see forms with the eye, one does not hear sounds with the ear. Indeed, good Gotama, this is how the brahmin Parāsivi teaches the development of faculties to his disciples.” On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken.