English
A first point is not discerned of beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, who have been running on and transmigrating." Thus, for a long time, bhikkhus, you have experienced suffering, experienced pain, experienced misfortune, and increased the charnel ground. Enough it is to be disenchanted with all formations, Enough to be dispassionate, enough to be liberated. Tears Sutta Question – There, friend, where, concerning whom, and how was the third discourse, the Tears Sutta, spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, concerning many bhikkhus, it was spoken by the Blessed One thus: "What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more: the tears you have shed, flowing forth as you have run on and transmigrated through this long journey, weeping and wailing due to association with the disagreeable and separation from the agreeable; or the water in the four great oceans?" Mustard Seed Sutta Question – There, friend, where, concerning whom, in what context, and how was the sixth discourse, the Mustard Seed Sutta, spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning a certain bhikkhu. A certain bhikkhu, venerable sir, said to the Blessed One, "How long..." "How long, venerable sir, is an eon?" Regarding that matter, venerable sir, the Blessed One spoke thus: "Long, monks, is an eon. It is not easy to count it as so many years, (and so on) as so many hundreds of thousands of years." Gaṅgā Sutta Question: "Where, friend, and concerning whom, and regarding what matter, and how was the Gaṅgā Sutta spoken by the Fully Self-Awakened One in the Anamatagga Saṃyutta?" Answer: "In Rājagaha, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning a certain brahmin. A certain brahmin, venerable sir, said to the Blessed One: 'How many, good Gotama, are the eons that have passed, that have gone by?' Regarding that matter, venerable sir, the Blessed One spoke thus: 'Many, brahmin, are the eons that have passed, that have gone by. They are not easy to count as 'so many eons' or 'so many hundreds of eons' or 'so many thousands of eons' or 'so many hundreds of thousands of eons'." Puggala Sutta Question: "And where, friend, and concerning whom, and how was the Puggala Sutta spoken by the Blessed One?" Answer: "In Rājagaha, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning many monks, thus: 'Without discoverable beginning, monks, is this saṃsāra. A first point is not discerned of beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, who run on and wander. For one person, monks, running on and wandering for an eon, there would be such a great heap of bones, a pile of bones, a mountain of bones, as this Veḷu mountain. If it were collected, and the collected [bones] did not perish'." Duggata Sutta, Sukhita Sutta Question: "Therein, friend, where, and concerning whom, and how were the Duggata Sutta and the Sukhita Sutta spoken by the Blessed One?" Answer: "In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning many monks, thus: 'Without discoverable beginning, monks, is this saṃsāra. A first point is not discerned of beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, who run on and wander. What, monks, you would see..." Then a poor, unfortunate one, this conclusion should be reached: 'We too have experienced such things throughout this long journey.' Whatever, monks, you might see that is happy, well-adorned, This conclusion should be reached: 'We too have experienced this throughout this long journey.' Thus and so was spoken by the Blessed One. The Thirty-fold Sutta Question: Friend, where, concerning whom, and how was the Thirty-fold Sutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: In Rājagaha, venerable sir, concerning thirty monks from Pāveyya, "Monks, this samsara is without discoverable beginning; a first point is not discerned for beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, who are transmigrating and wandering on. What do you think, monks, which is more? The blood that has flowed and collected from your heads being cut off as you transmigrated and wandered on throughout this long journey, or the water in the four great oceans?" Thus and so was spoken by the Blessed One. The Mother Sutta Question: Friend, where, concerning whom, and how were the six suttas, beginning with the Mother Sutta, spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, concerning many monks, "Monks, this samsara is without discoverable beginning; a first point is not discerned for beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, who are transmigrating and wandering on. Monks, that being is not easily found who has not been a mother throughout this long journey. Who has not been a father. Who has not been a brother. Who has not been a sister. Who has not been a son. Who has not been a daughter throughout this long journey." Thus and so, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One. The Connected Discourses with Kassapa The Moon-like Sutta Question: Friend, where, concerning whom, and how was the Moon-like Sutta in the Connected Discourses with Kassapa spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, concerning many monks, "Monks, approach families like the moon, withdrawing your body, withdrawing your mind, always... like cranes in families, not arrogant. Just as, monks, a man might look at an old well, or a rugged mountain, or a river's deep chasm, he would draw back his body, he would draw back his mind. Even so, monks, when you approach families, like the moon, draw back your body, draw back your mind, always new in families, not arrogant." Thus was it spoken by the Blessed One. "What do you think, monks, what kind of monk is fit to approach families?" Question: "And how, friend, did the Blessed One give instruction to the monks, showing the teaching of pure and impure Dhamma there?" Answer: "What do you think, monks, what kind of monk has an impure Dhamma teaching? What kind of monk has a pure Dhamma teaching?" Thus, having shown the pure and impure Dhamma teaching in detail, "I will instruct you, monks, either by Kassapa or by one similar to Kassapa. And having been instructed, you should practice accordingly." Thus, venerable sir, was the instruction given by the Blessed One to the monks. "Whatever monk, monks, with such a mind, teaches Dhamma to others: 'Oh, if only they would hear my Dhamma! And having heard the Dhamma, they would be pleased! And being pleased, they would show their pleasure to me— 'Well-proclaimed is the Dhamma by the Blessed One, visible here and now, timeless, inviting one to come and see, leading inwards, to be personally experienced by the wise— 'I will instruct you, monks, either by Kassapa or by one similar to Kassapa. And having been instructed, you should practice accordingly— The Sutta on Approaching Families Question: "By that Blessed One, friend... ...the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, where, concerning whom, and how was the fourth Sutta on Approaching Families in the Kassapa Saṃyutta spoken?" Answer: "In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, concerning many monks, 'What do you think, monks, what kind of monk is fit to be one who approaches families? What kind of monk is not fit to be one who approaches families?' Thus, beginning with this, By the Blessed One it was spoken. Indeed, monks, I will advise you by Kassapa, or by one who is like Kassapa. And being advised, you should practice accordingly. Second Discourse on Advice Question – Friend, where, with whom, and how was this second Discourse on Advice spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable sir, in Rājagaha, with the Venerable Mahākassapa, the Blessed One spoke, beginning with: "Kassapa, advise the monks. Kassapa, give a Dhamma talk to the monks. Either I, Kassapa, advise the monks, or you do. Either I give a Dhamma talk to the monks, or you do." Venerable sir, whoever has no faith in wholesome states, no shame, no moral dread, no energy, no wisdom in wholesome states. Third Discourse on Advice Question – Friend, where, with whom, and how was this third Discourse on Advice spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable sir, in Rājagaha, with the Venerable Mahākassapa himself, the Blessed One spoke, beginning with: "Kassapa, advise the monks. Kassapa, give a Dhamma talk to the monks. Either I, Kassapa, advise the monks, or you do. Either I give a Dhamma talk to the monks, or you do." Venerable sir, monks nowadays are indeed difficult to admonish, endowed with qualities that make them difficult to admonish, impatient, not accepting instruction respectfully— Discourse on the Counterfeit of the True Dhamma Question – Friend, where, concerning whom, on what matter, and how was this concluding Discourse on the Counterfeit of the True Dhamma spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable sir, in Sāvatthī, it was spoken concerning the Venerable Mahākassapa himself. Venerable sir, the Venerable Mahākassapa said this to the Blessed One: "What, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause, why formerly there were fewer training rules, and more monks were established in understanding? But what, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause, why nowadays there are more training rules, and... and fewer bhikkhus stand firm in understanding.” Regarding that matter, venerable sir, the Blessed One spoke thus: “Kassapa, when beings decline and the True Dhamma disappears, there are more training rules, and fewer bhikkhus stand firm in understanding.” Connected Discourses on Gain and Honor The Dung-Beetle Sutta Question: Venerable sir, where, concerning whom, and how was the Dung-Beetle Sutta, the fifth in the Connected Discourses on Gain and Honor, recited by the Fully Self-Awakened One? Answer: Venerable sir, in Sāvatthī, concerning many bhikkhus, the Blessed One spoke thus: “Bhikkhus, gain, honor, and renown are harsh, cruel, and an obstacle to the attainment of the unsurpassed security from bondage. Just as, bhikkhus, a dung-beetle, a dung-eater, full of dung,