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in the forenoon, having dressed, taking my bowl and robe, I enter that same village or town for alms." Thus, Venerable Sir, Brahma's high and grand couch was taught by the Blessed One there, beginning with this. But what, Venerable Gotama, is that Brahma's high and grand couch? Noble High and Grand Couch Question – How, friend, was the noble high and grand couch taught by the Blessed One there? Answer – "Here, Brahmin, whatever... I dwell dependent on a village or a town. 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 the alms-round, I enter the edge of the forest. In this way, venerable sir, the Exalted One taught the noble high and luxurious bed there. Question: Friend, where, concerning whom, on what occasion, and how was the fifth Kesamutti Sutta in the Mahāvagga there spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: Venerable sir, it was spoken in Kosala, in the market town of the Kālāmas called Kesamutta, concerning the Kālāmas of Kesamutta. Venerable sir, the Kālāmas of Kesamutta said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, some recluses and brahmins come to Kesamutta. They expound and illuminate their own doctrine, but they disparage, revile, scorn, and belittle the doctrines of others. And venerable sir, other recluses and brahmins come to Kesamutta. They too expound and illuminate their own doctrine, but they disparage, revile, scorn, and belittle the doctrines of others. For us, venerable sir, there is indeed doubt, there is perplexity: 'Who among these venerable recluses and brahmins speaks the truth, and who speaks falsehood?'" Venerable sir, on that occasion, the Blessed One spoke thus: "It is fitting for you, Kālāmas, to doubt, it is fitting for you to be perplexed. Perplexity has arisen in you concerning a doubtful matter." The Uposatha Sutta Question: Friend, where, concerning whom, and how was the tenth Uposatha Sutta in the Mahāvagga of the Tikanipāta of the Aṅguttara Nikāya spoken by that Blessed One, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One? Answer: Venerable sir, it was spoken in Sāvatthī, concerning Visākhā, Migāra's mother, thus: "Visākhā, there are three Uposathas for me. Which three? The cowherd's Uposatha, the Nigaṇṭha's Uposatha, the Noble Uposatha." Thus was it spoken by the Blessed One. "Now, Visākhā, from where do you come, in the middle of the day?" "Visākhā, there are three Uposathas for me. Which three? The cowherd's..." Bad Uposatha, Nigaṇṭha Uposatha, Noble Uposatha." The Cowherd's Example Question: How, friend, was the Cowherd's Uposatha declared there by the Blessed One? Answer: How, Visakha, is the Cowherd's Uposatha? Just as, Visakha, a cowherd, having returned the cows to their owners in the evening, reflects thus: "Today the cows grazed in such and such a place, and drank water in such and such a place. Tomorrow the cows will graze in such and such a place, and drink water in such and such a place." In this way, sir, the Cowherd's Uposatha was declared there by the Blessed One. The Nigaṇṭha's Example Question: How, friend, was the Nigaṇṭha's Uposatha declared there by the Blessed One? Answer: How, Visakha, is the Nigaṇṭha's Uposatha? There are, Visakha, ascetics called Nigaṇṭhas. They instruct their disciple thus: "Come, good man, as for the beings in the eastern direction, beyond a hundred leagues, lay down the stick against them. As for those in the western direction. As for those in the northern direction. As for those in the southern direction, beyond a hundred leagues, lay down the stick against them." In this way, sir, the Nigaṇṭha's Uposatha was declared there by the Blessed One. Come, good man. Come, good man, having laid aside all clothes, say this: "I am nowhere anyone's anything, nor is anything anywhere mine." The Noble Uposatha Question: How, friend, was the Noble Uposatha declared there by the Blessed One, expounded in detail? Answer: How, Visakha, is the Noble Uposatha? There is, Visakha, a cleansing of the defiled mind through effort. How, Visakha, is there a cleansing of the defiled mind through effort? Here, Visakha, a noble disciple recollects the Tathagata: "Indeed, that Blessed One is an Arahant, perfectly enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the worlds, unsurpassed... He is the trainer of tamable persons, the Teacher of gods and humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One. When one recollects the Tathāgata, the mind becomes clear, joy arises, and the defilements of the mind are abandoned. In this way, venerable sir, the Noble Uposatha was expounded and proclaimed by the Blessed One there. Question: But, friend, how was the great fruitfulness and great benefit of the Noble Uposatha, thus observed, spoken of by the Blessed One? Answer: How great is its fruit, how great its benefit, how great its splendor, how great its pervasiveness! Just as, Visākha, if one were to rule with sovereignty and dominion over these sixteen great states, states rich in people, namely: Aṅga, Magadha, Kāsi, Kosala, Vajjī, Malla, Cetī, Vaṅga, Kuru, Pañcāla, Maccha, Sūrasena, Assaka, Avantī, Gandhāra, Kamboja— that is not worth a sixteenth part of the Uposatha endowed with eight factors. In this way, venerable sir, the great fruitfulness and great benefit of the Noble Uposatha, thus observed, was spoken of by the Blessed One there. The Chapter on Ānanda The Discourse on the Ājīvakas Question: Friend, where, concerning whom, on what occasion, by whom, and how was the second Ājīvaka Sutta in the Chapter on Ānanda, in the Book of Threes, of the Aṅguttara Nikāya, spoken? Answer: Venerable sir, it was spoken in Kosambī, concerning a certain householder disciple of the Ājīvakas, by the Venerable Elder Ānanda, the Treasurer of the Dhamma. Venerable sir, a certain householder, a disciple of the Ājīvakas, said to the Venerable Ānanda: "Venerable Ānanda, whose Dhamma is well-proclaimed? Who in the world are well-practiced? Who in the world are well-done?" On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken by the Venerable Elder Ānanda, the Treasurer of the Dhamma, beginning with: "Then, householder, I shall question you on this. As it seems fit to you, so should you declare it." "Venerable Ānanda, whose Dhamma is well-proclaimed? Who in the world are well-practiced? Who in the world are well-done?" "What do you think, householder?" "Thus, householder, this has been declared by you." "Excellent, Venerable Sir! Excellent, Venerable Sir! Just as, Venerable Sir, one might set upright what was overturned." The Discourse on Kinds of Fragrance Question: Friend, concerning the ninth Discourse on Kinds of Fragrance there, about whom, in what context, and how was it spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: Venerable Sir, it was spoken concerning the Venerable Ānanda. Venerable Sir, Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable Sir, there are these three kinds of fragrance, whose scent goes only with the wind, not against the wind... [and so on]... Is there, Venerable Sir, any kind of fragrance whose scent goes with the wind, and also against the wind, and also with and against the wind?" Venerable Sir, in that context, the Blessed One spoke, beginning with: "Ānanda, there is a kind of fragrance whose scent goes with the wind, and also against the wind, and also with and against the wind." The scent of flowers does not go against the wind; Nor sandalwood, tagara, or jasmine; But the fragrance of the good goes against the wind; The good person pervades all directions. The Discourse on the Donkey Question: Friend, in the chapter on ascetics, how was the second Discourse on the Donkey spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: Venerable Sir, in the chapter on ascetics, the second Discourse on the Donkey was spoken by the Blessed One, beginning with: "Monks, just as a donkey follows a herd of cattle, saying 'I too am tame, I too am tame,' but its color is not like that of the cattle, its voice is not like that of the cattle, its gait is not like that of the cattle, yet it follows the herd of cattle, saying 'I too am tame, I too am tame.'" Therefore, monks, thus should you train yourselves. "Our desire will be intense in undertaking the training in higher virtue... [and so on]... in undertaking the training in higher wisdom." The Discourse on Saṅkava Question: Friend, there, the eleventh Saṅkava Where, concerning whom, in what matter, and how was the discourse spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Kosala, venerable sir, in the Kosalan town called Saṅkavā, it was spoken concerning a bhikkhu named Kassapagotta. The bhikkhu Kassapagotta, venerable sir, having defiled his mind towards the Blessed One, confessed his transgression as a transgression in the presence of the Blessed One. In that matter, venerable sir, it was spoken by the Blessed One with these words: "Even if the elder bhikkhu Kassapa is not desirous of training, not an advocate of undertaking training. And those other bhikkhus who are not desirous of training, he does not encourage them to train, and those other bhikkhus who are desirous of training, he does not speak their praise, truly, correctly, at the right time," and so on. Loṇakapalla Vagga Accāyika Sutta Question – How, friend, was the first Accāyika Sutta spoken by the Fully Self-Awakened One in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, Tika Nipāta, Loṇakapalla Vagga? Answer – In the Loṇakapalla Vagga, venerable sir, the first Accāyika Sutta was spoken by the Blessed One with these words: "These, bhikkhus, are three urgent tasks for a farmer householder. Which three? Here, bhikkhus, a farmer householder quickly, quickly makes his field well-plowed, well-prepared. Having quickly, quickly made his field well-plowed, well-prepared, he quickly, quickly plants the seeds. Having quickly, quickly planted the seeds, he quickly, quickly brings in and drains off the water.