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the third divine messenger appear among humans?” In this way, sir, there the Blessed One declared Yama the king’s third questioning of the divine messenger. “Hey man, did you not see the third divine messenger appear among humans?” “Hey man, did you not see among humans a woman or a man dead for one day, or dead for two days, or dead for three days, bloated, discolored, full of pus?” “I could not, sir, I was negligent, sir.” Question: How then, friends, did the Blessed One there declare the experience of suffering in hell for the being in hell? Answer: Then, monks, King Yama, having questioned, examined, and admonished the third divine messenger, remains silent. Then, monks, the hell-guards inflict the torture called the fivefold binding. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand. They drive a red-hot iron stake through the second hand. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot. They drive a red-hot iron stake through the second foot. They drive a red-hot iron stake through the chest. He there experiences painful, sharp, severe, bitter feelings, and he does not die until that evil deed is exhausted. In this way, sir, there the Blessed One declared the experience of suffering in hell for the being in hell. Discourse on Awakening Question: How then, friends, did the Blessed One there speak the discourse on awakening? Answer: Once upon a time, monks, it occurred to King Yama: “Indeed, those who do evil deeds in the world, they are subjected to such various tortures. Oh, if only I might obtain human existence, and a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, might arise in the world!” In this way, sir, there the Blessed One spoke the discourse on awakening. “Indeed, those who do evil deeds in the world.” Those who are urged by divine messengers, and yet are heedless, they grieve for a long time, those people who go to a lower state. But those good persons here, who are urged by divine messengers, are never heedless of the noble Dhamma. Seeing fear in clinging, which gives rise to birth and death, without clinging they are liberated, with the destruction of birth and death. They, diligent and happy, are fully cool in this very life; having transcended all fear of enmity, they have overcome all suffering. The Sutta of the Four Great Kings Question: How was the Sutta of the Four Great Kings, the eighth in the Devadūta Vagga of the Tikanipāta in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, spoken by the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One? Answer: The eighth Sutta of the Four Great Kings, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One beginning thus: "On the eighth day of the fortnight, bhikkhus, the ministers and councillors of the four great kings wander about this world, [observing] whether many people among humans are respectful of mother, respectful of father, respectful of recluses, respectful of brahmins, honoring the elders in the family, observing the Uposatha, keeping vigil, and performing meritorious deeds." Few indeed, sirs, are the people among humans who are respectful of mother, respectful of father, respectful of recluses, respectful of brahmins, honoring the elders in the family, observing the Uposatha, keeping vigil, and performing meritorious deeds. "Alas, the divine bodies will diminish, the asura bodies will increase!" Many indeed, sirs, are the people among humans who are respectful of mother, respectful of father, respectful of recluses, respectful of brahmins, honoring the elders in the family, observing the Uposatha, keeping vigil, and performing meritorious deeds. "Alas, the divine bodies will increase, the asura bodies will diminish!" The Sutta on Dominance Question: How was the tenth Sutta on Dominance in the same place spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: The tenth Sutta on Dominance in the same place, venerable sir, was spoken [by the Blessed One] thus: "There are, bhikkhus, these three dominances. Which three? Dominance of self, dominance of the world, dominance of the Dhamma. And what, bhikkhus, is dominance of self? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu gone to the wilderness or to the root of a tree... or gone to an empty house, thus he reflects." Thus and so forth was spoken by the Blessed One. Chapter on Brahmins, Discourse on the Wanderer Question: In the Chapter on Brahmins, friend, the fourth Discourse on the Wanderer, concerning whom, on what occasion, and how was it spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: In the Chapter on Brahmins, venerable sir, the fourth Discourse on the Wanderer was spoken concerning a certain Brahmin wanderer. A certain Brahmin wanderer, venerable sir, said this to the Blessed One: "The Dhamma is said to be immediately effective, visible here and now, good Gotama. To what extent, good Gotama, is the Dhamma visible here and now, timeless, inviting inspection, leading onwards, to be experienced by the wise each for himself?" On that occasion, venerable sir, "Indeed, Brahmin, one who is dyed with lust, overcome, with mind obsessed, intends for his own affliction, intends for the affliction of others, intends for the affliction of both, and experiences mental suffering and dejection. When lust is abandoned, he does not intend for his own affliction, does not intend for the affliction of others, does not intend for the affliction of both, and does not experience mental suffering and dejection." Thus and so forth was spoken by the Blessed One. Discourse to Vacchagotta Question: Therein, friend, the seventh Discourse to Vacchagotta, concerning whom, on what occasion, and how was it spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: The seventh Discourse to Vacchagotta, venerable sir, was spoken concerning the wanderer Vacchagotta. The wanderer Vacchagotta, venerable sir, said this to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, good Gotama: 'The ascetic Gotama says thus: "To me alone should gifts be given, not to others should gifts be given."' (and so forth) We do not wish to misrepresent the good Gotama." On that occasion, venerable sir, "Those, Vacchagotta, who said thus: 'The ascetic Gotama says thus: "To me alone should gifts be given, not to others should gifts be given,"' thus and so forth was spoken by the Blessed One. Discourse to Saṅgārava Question: Therein, friend, the tenth Discourse to Saṅgārava by whom, concerning whom, in what matter, and how was it spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Reverend Sir, the tenth Saṅgārava Sutta was spoken concerning the brahmin Saṅgārava. Reverend Sir, the brahmin Saṅgārava said this to the Blessed One: “We, good Gotama, brahmins, perform sacrifices and have them performed. There, good Gotama, both he who sacrifices and he who has it sacrificed, all of them have entered upon a path of merit for many bodies, that is, by way of sacrifice. But this, good Gotama, one who has gone forth from a household life into homelessness, from whose family, tames one self, calms one self, fully extinguishes one self. Thus, he has entered upon a path of merit for one body, that is, by way of renunciation.” Reverend Sir, in that matter, the Blessed One spoke thus: “Then, brahmin, I shall question you about this. As it seems fit to you, so should you explain it.” “Thus, good Gotama, Reverend Sir, there is a path of merit for many bodies.” Question – There, friend, in the second connection, what kind of teaching of the Dhamma was taught by the Blessed One? Answer – There, Reverend Sir, in the second connection, a teaching of the Dhamma connected with three kinds of miracles was taught by the Blessed One. “Just as Master Gotama and Master Ānanda, these are revered by me, these are praised by me.” “Just as Master Gotama and Master Ānanda, these are revered by me, these are praised by me.” Mahāvagga, Venāgapura Sutta Question – Then, friend, by the Blessed One… (etc.)… the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, in the Book of Threes, in the Mahāvagga, where, concerning whom, in what matter, and how was the third Venāgapura Sutta spoken? Answer – Reverend Sir, it was spoken in the village of brahmins named Venāgapura in Kosala, concerning the brahmin Vaccha-gotta of Venāgapura. Reverend Sir, the brahmin Vaccha-gotta of Venāgapura said this to the Blessed One: “Wonderful, good Gotama! Amazing, good Gotama! Indeed, the Venerable Gotama's faculties are serene, his complexion is pure and bright (etc.). Surely, the Venerable Gotama is a willing recipient, an unhindered recipient of such high and grand couches. On that matter, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One spoke thus: "Brahmin, those high and grand couches— namely, a sofa, a divan, a woolen rug with long fleece, a multi-colored woolen rug, a white woolen rug, a woolen rug with flower designs, a cotton mattress, a woolen rug with figures of lions and tigers, a woolen rug with hair on both sides, a woolen rug with hair on one side, a silk rug, a rug embroidered with gold and jewels, a rug of fine silk, an elephant rug, a horse rug, a chariot rug, a rug of antelope skins, a rug of kadali-deer skins, the best of coverings, with a canopy, and with red pillows at both ends— these are difficult for renunciants to obtain, and even if obtained, they are not allowable." Thus, the Blessed One spoke, beginning with this. "Wonderful, Venerable Gotama! Amazing, Venerable Gotama!" Divine High and Grand Couch Question – How, friend, was the divine high and grand couch taught by the Blessed One there? Answer – "Here, Brahmin, whatever village or town I reside near, in the forenoon, having dressed, taking my bowl and robe, I enter that same village or town for alms. After the meal, having returned from my alms round, I enter the edge of the forest." Thus, Venerable Sir, the divine high and grand couch was taught by the Blessed One there, beginning with this. Brahma's High and Grand Couch Question – How, friend, was Brahma's high and grand couch taught by the Blessed One there? Answer – "Here, Brahmin, whatever village or town I reside near,