I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Vajjians at Bhaṇḍa Village. There he addressed the monks, “Monks!”

“Yes, lord,” the monks responded to him.

The Blessed One said: “It’s because of not understanding and not penetrating four things that we have transmigrated & wandered on for such a long, long time, you & I. Which four?

“It’s because of not understanding and not penetrating noble virtue that we have transmigrated & wandered on for such a long, long time, you & I.

“It’s because of not understanding and not penetrating noble concentration that we have transmigrated & wandered on for such a long, long time, you & I.

“It’s because of not understanding and not penetrating noble discernment that we have transmigrated & wandered on for such a long, long time, you & I.

“It’s because of not understanding and not penetrating noble release that we have transmigrated & wandered on for such a long, long time, you & I.

“But now that noble virtue is understood & penetrated, noble concentration… noble discernment… noble release is understood & penetrated, craving for becoming is destroyed, the guide to becoming [craving] is ended, there is now no further becoming.”

That is what the Blessed One said. When the One Well-Gone had said that, he — the Teacher — said further:

“These four types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The individual who goes with the flow, the individual who goes against the flow, the individual who stands fast, and the one who has crossed over, gone beyond, who stands on firm ground: a brahman.

“And how is one an individual who goes with the flow? There is the case where an individual indulges in sensual passions and does evil deeds. This is called the individual who goes with the flow.

“And how is one an individual who goes against the flow? There is the case where an individual doesn’t indulge in sensual passions and doesn’t do evil deeds. Even though it may be with pain, even though it may be with sorrow, even though he may be crying, his face in tears, he lives the holy life that is perfect & pure. This is called the individual who goes against the flow.

“And how is one an individual who stands fast? There is the case where an individual, with the total ending of the five lower fetters, is due to arise spontaneously (in the Pure Abodes), there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that world. This is called the individual who stands fast.

“And how is one an individual who has crossed over, gone beyond, who stands on firm ground: a brahman`? There is the case where an individual, through the ending of effluents, enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & release of discernment, having directly known & realized them for himself right in the here & now. This is called the individual who has crossed over, gone beyond, who stands on firm ground: a brahman.

“These are the four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, there are these four yokes. Which four? The yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, the yoke of views, & the yoke of ignorance.

“And what is the yoke of sensuality? There is the case where a certain person doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from sensuality. When he doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from sensuality, then — with regard to sensuality — he is obsessed with sensual passion, sensual delight, sensual attraction, sensual infatuation, sensual thirst, sensual fever, sensual fascination, sensual craving. This is the yoke of sensuality.

“And how is there the yoke of becoming? There is the case where a certain person doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from becoming. When he doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from becoming, then — with regard to states of becoming — he is obsessed with becoming-passion, becoming-delight, becoming-attraction, becoming-infatuation, becoming-thirst, becoming-fever, becoming-fascination, becoming-craving. This is the yoke of sensuality & the yoke of becoming.

“And how is there the yoke of views? There is the case where a certain person doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views. When he doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views, then — with regard to views — he is obsessed with view-passion, view-delight, view-attraction, view-infatuation, view-thirst, view-fever, view-fascination, view-craving. This is the yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, & the yoke of views.

“And how is there the yoke of ignorance? There is the case where a certain person doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from the six sense media. When he doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from the six sense media, then — with regard to ignorance concerning the six sense media — he is obsessed with not-knowing. This is the yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, the yoke of views, & the yoke of ignorance.

“Conjoined with evil, unskillful mental qualities — defiling, leading to further becoming, unhappy, resulting in suffering & stress, and in future birth, aging, & death — one is said not to be at rest from the yoke.

“These are the four yokes.

“Now, there are these four unyokings. Which four? Unyoking from sensuality, unyoking from becoming, unyoking from views, & unyoking from ignorance.

“And what is unyoking from sensuality? There is the case where a certain person discerns, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from sensuality. When he discerns, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from sensuality, then — with regard to sensuality — he isn’t obsessed with sensual passion, sensual delight, sensual attraction, sensual infatuation, sensual thirst, sensual fever, sensual fascination, sensual craving. This is unyoking from sensuality.

“And how is there unyoking from becoming? There is the case where a certain person discerns, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, and the escape from becoming. When he discerns, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, and the escape from becoming, then—with regard to states of becoming — he isn’t obsessed with becoming-passion, becoming-delight, becoming-attraction, becoming-infatuation, becoming-thirst, becoming-fever, becoming-fascination, becoming-craving. This is unyoking from sensuality & unyoking from becoming.

“And how is there unyoking from views? There is the case where a certain person discerns, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views. When he discerns, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views, then — with regard to views — he isn’t obsessed with view-passion, view-delight, view-attraction, view-infatuation, view-thirst, view-fever, view-fascination, view-craving. This is unyoking from sensuality, unyoking from becoming, & unyoking from views.

“And how is there unyoking from ignorance? There is the case where a certain person discerns, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from the six sense media. When he discerns, as it has come to be, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, and the escape from the six sense media, then — with regard to ignorance concerning the six sense media — he isn’t obsessed with not-knowing . This is unyoking from sensuality, unyoking from becoming, unyoking from views, & unyoking from ignorance.

“Disjoined from evil, unskillful mental qualities — defiling, leading to further becoming, unhappy, resulting in suffering & stress, and in future birth, aging, & death — one is said to be at rest from the yoke.

“These are the four unyokings.

“There are these four ways of going off course. Which four? One goes off course through desire. One goes off course through aversion. One goes off course through delusion. One goes off course through fear. These are the four ways of going off course.”

“There are these four ways of not going off course. Which four? One doesn’t go off course through desire. One doesn’t go off course through aversion. One doesn’t go off course through delusion. One doesn’t go off course through fear. These are the four ways of not going off course.”

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāketa in Kāḷaka’s park. There he addressed the monks: “Monks!”

“Yes, lord,” the monks responded to him.

The Blessed One said: “Monks, whatever in this world with its devas, Māras & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its rulers & commonfolk, is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, pondered by the intellect: That do I know. Whatever in this world with its devas, Māras & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its rulers & commonfolk, is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, pondered by the intellect: That I directly know. That has been realized by the Tathāgata, but in the Tathāgata[2] it has not been established.

“If I were to say, ‘I don’t know whatever in this world… is seen, heard, sensed, cognized… pondered by the intellect,’ that would be a falsehood in me. If I were to say, ‘I both know and don’t know whatever in this world… is seen, heard, sensed, cognized… pondered by the intellect,’ that would be just the same. If I were to say, ‘I neither know nor don’t know whatever in this world… is seen, heard, sensed, cognized… pondered by the intellect,’ that would be a fault in me.

“Thus, monks, the Tathāgata, when seeing what is to be seen, doesn’t suppose an (object as) seen. He doesn’t suppose an unseen. He doesn’t suppose an (object) to-be-seen. He doesn’t suppose a seer.

“When hearing.…

“When sensing.…

“When cognizing what is to be cognized, he doesn’t suppose an (object as) cognized. He doesn’t suppose an uncognized. He doesn’t suppose an (object) to-be-cognized. He doesn’t suppose a cognizer.

Thus, monks, the Tathāgata — being the same with regard to all phenomena that can be seen, heard, sensed, & cognized — is ‘Such.’[3] And I tell you: There is no other ‘Such’ higher or more sublime.

“These four traditions of the noble ones — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & brahmans. Which four?

“There is the case where a monk is content with any old robe cloth at all. He speaks in praise of being content with any old robe cloth at all. He doesn’t, for the sake of robe cloth, do anything unseemly or inappropriate. Not getting cloth, he isn’t agitated. Getting cloth, he uses it unattached to it, uninfatuated, guiltless, seeing the drawbacks (of attachment to it), and discerning the escape from them. He doesn’t, on account of his contentment with any old robe cloth at all, exalt himself or disparage others. In this he is diligent, deft, alert, & mindful. This is said to be a monk standing firm in the ancient, original traditions of the noble ones.

“And further, the monk is content with any old almsfood at all. He speaks in praise of being content with any old almsfood at all. He doesn’t, for the sake of almsfood, do anything unseemly or inappropriate. Not getting almsfood, he isn’t agitated. Getting almsfood, he uses it unattached to it, uninfatuated, guiltless, seeing the drawbacks (of attachment to it), and discerning the escape from them. He doesn’t, on account of his contentment with any old almsfood at all, exalt himself or disparage others. In this he is diligent, deft, alert, & mindful. This is said to be a monk standing firm in the ancient, original traditions of the noble ones.

“And further, the monk is content with any old lodging at all. He speaks in praise of being content with any old lodging at all. He doesn’t, for the sake of lodging, do anything unseemly or inappropriate. Not getting lodging, he isn’t agitated. Getting lodging, he uses it unattached to it, uninfatuated, guiltless, seeing the drawbacks (of attachment to it), and discerning the escape from them. He doesn’t, on account of his contentment with any old lodging at all, exalt himself or disparage others. In this he is diligent, deft, alert, & mindful. This is said to be a monk standing firm in the ancient, original traditions of the noble ones.

“And further, the monk finds pleasure & delight in developing (skillful qualities), finds pleasure & delight in abandoning (unskillful qualities). He doesn’t, on account of his pleasure & delight in developing & abandoning, exalt himself or disparage others. In this he is diligent, deft, alert, & mindful. This is said to be a monk standing firm in the ancient, original traditions of the noble ones.

“These are the four traditions of the noble ones — original, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated, unadulterated from the beginning — which are not open to suspicion, will never be open to suspicion, and are unfaulted by knowledgeable contemplatives & brahmans.

“And further, a monk endowed with these four traditions of the noble ones, if he lives in the east, conquers displeasure and is not conquered by displeasure. If he lives in the west… the north… the south, he conquers displeasure and is not conquered by displeasure. Why is that? Because the enlightened one endures both delight & displeasure.”

“There are these four wheels, endowed with which human beings & devas develop a four-wheeled prosperity; endowed with which human beings & devas in no long time achieve greatness & abundance in terms of wealth. Which four? Living in a civilized land, associating with people of integrity, directing oneself rightly, and having done merit in the past. These are the four wheels, endowed with which human beings & devas develop a four-wheeled prosperity; endowed with which human beings & devas in no long time achieve greatness & abundance in terms of wealth.

“There are these four grounds for the bonds of fellowship. Which four? Giving, kind words, beneficial help, consistency. These are the four grounds for the bonds of fellowship.”

“Monks, the lion, the king of beasts, leaves his lair in the evening. Having left his lair, he stretches himself. Having stretched himself, he looks all around the four directions. Having looked all around the four directions, he roars his lion’s roar three times. Having roared his lion’s roar three times, he heads out for game. Any animals who hear the sound of the roar of the lion, the king of beasts, for the most part feel fear, terror, & fright. Those who live in holes go into their holes. Those who live in the water go into the water. Those who live in the forest go into the forest. Birds flee to the air. Even royal bull elephants, bound by strong leather bonds in villages, towns, & capital cities, bursting & breaking their bonds, frightened, scattering their urine & feces, run to & fro. So powerful among animals, monks, is the lion, the king of beasts — so mighty & majestic.

“In the same way, monks, when a Tathāgata appears in the world — worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed — he teaches the Dhamma: ‘Such is self-identification, such is the origination of self-identification, such is the cessation of self-identification, such is the practice leading to the cessation of self-identification.’[4] Any devas who are long-lived, beautiful, abounding in pleasure, established for a long time in high palaces, on hearing the Tathāgata’s Dhamma, for the most part feel fear, terror, & fright: ‘Being inconstant, it seems, we supposed we were constant! Being impermanent, we supposed we were permanent! Non-eternal, we supposed we were eternal! We — inconstant, impermanent, & non-eternal, it seems — are encompassed in self-identification.’ So powerful in the world with its devas, monks, is the Tathāgata — so mighty & majestic.”

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Forest at the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then Vassakāra the brahman, the chief minister of Magadha, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Master Gotama, we declare a person endowed with four qualities to be one of great discernment, a great man. Which four?

“There is the case where he is learned.

“Whatever he hears, he immediately understands the meaning of the statement, ‘This is the meaning of that statement. This is the meaning of that statement.’

“He is mindful, able to remember & recollect what was done & said a long time ago.

“He is adept in the affairs of the household life, vigorous, endowed with enough quick-wittedness in their techniques to organize them and get them done.

“Master Gotama, we declare a person endowed with these four qualities to be one of great discernment, a great man. If you think that I am worthy of agreement, Master Gotama, may you agree with me. If you think I am worthy of criticism, criticize me.”

“I neither agree with you, brahman, nor do I criticize you. I declare a person endowed with four qualities to be one of great discernment, a great man. Which four?

“There is the case, brahman, where he practices for the welfare & happiness of many people and has established many people in the noble method, i.e., the rightness of what is admirable, the rightness of what is skillful.

“He thinks any thought he wants to think, and doesn’t think any thought he doesn’t want to think. He wills any resolve he wants to will, and doesn’t will any resolve he doesn’t want to will. He has attained mastery of the mind with regard to the pathways of thought.[5]

“He attains — whenever he wants, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now.

“With the ending of effluents — he remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for himself right in the here & now.

“I neither agree with you, brahman, nor do I criticize you. I declare a person endowed with these four qualities to be one of great discernment, a great man.”

“It’s amazing, Master Gotama, and astounding, how well that has been said by Master Gotama. And I hold Master Gotama to be endowed with these same four qualities.

“Master Gotama practices for the welfare & happiness of many people and has established many people in the noble method, i.e., the rightness of what is admirable, the rightness of what is skillful.

“Master Gotama thinks whatever thought he wants to think, and doesn’t think any thought he doesn’t want to think. He wills any resolve he wants to will, and doesn’t will any resolve he doesn’t want to will. He has attained mastery of the mind with regard to the pathways of thought.

“Master Gotama attains — whenever he wants, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now.

“Master Gotama, with the ending of effluents remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for himself right in the here & now.”

“Well, brahman, you are certainly being rude & presumptuous in making this statement, but still I will respond to you.

“Yes, brahman, I practice for the welfare & happiness of many people and have established many people in the noble method, i.e., the rightness of what is admirable, the rightness of what is skillful.

“And, yes, I think whatever thought I want to think, and don’t think any thought I don’t want to think. I will any resolve I want to will, and don’t will any resolve I don’t want to will. I have attained mastery of the mind with regard to the pathways of thought.

“And, yes, I attain — whenever I want, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now.

“And, yes, with the ending of effluents I remain in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for myself right in the here & now.”

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was traveling along the road between Ukkaṭṭha and Setabya, and Doṇa the brahman was also traveling along the road between Ukkaṭṭha and Setabya. Doṇa the brahman saw, in the Blessed One’s footprints, wheels with 1,000 spokes, together with rims and hubs, complete in all their features. On seeing them, the thought occurred to him, “How amazing! How astounding! These are not the footprints of a human being!”

Then the Blessed One, leaving the road, went to sit at the root of a certain tree — his legs crossed, his body erect, with mindfulness established to the fore. Then Doṇa, following the Blessed One’s footprints, saw him sitting at the root of the tree: confident, inspiring confidence, his senses calmed, his mind calmed, having attained the utmost control & tranquility, tamed, guarded, his senses restrained, a nāga.[6] On seeing him, he went to him and said, “Master, are you a deva?”[7]

“No, brahman, I am not a deva.”

“Are you a gandhabba?”

“No….”

“… a yakkha?”

“No….”

“… a human being?”

“No, brahman, I am not a human being.”

“When asked, ‘Are you a deva?’ you answer, ‘No, brahman, I am not a deva.’ When asked, ‘Are you a gandhabba?’ you answer, ‘No, brahman, I am not a gandhabba.’ When asked, ‘Are you a yakkha?’ you answer, ‘No, brahman, I am not a yakkha.’ When asked, ‘Are you a human being?’ you answer, ‘No, brahman, I am not a human being.’ Then what sort of being are you?”

“Brahman, the effluents by which — if they were not abandoned — I would be a deva: Those are abandoned by me, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. The effluents by which — if they were not abandoned—I would be a gandhabba… a yakkha… a human being: Those are abandoned by me, their root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising.

“Just like a red, blue, or white lotus — born in the water, grown in the water, rising up above the water — stands unsmeared by the water, in the same way I — born in the world, grown in the world, having overcome the world—live unsmeared by the world. Remember me, brahman, as ‘awakened.’

“Endowed with four qualities, a monk is incapable of falling away and is right in the presence of unbinding. Which four?

“There is the case where a monk is consummate in virtue, guards the doors to his sense faculties, knows moderation in eating, & is devoted to wakefulness.

“And how is a monk consummate in virtue? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Pāṭimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults. This is how a monk is consummate in virtue.

“And how does a monk guard the doors to his sense faculties? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, doesn’t grasp at any theme or variations by which—if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye—evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye.

“On hearing a sound with the ear.…

“On smelling an aroma with the nose.…

“On tasting a flavor with the tongue.…

“On feeling a tactile sensation with the body.…

“On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he doesn’t grasp at any theme or variations by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the intellect. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the intellect. This is how a monk guards the doors to his sense faculties.

“And how does a monk know moderation in eating? There is the case where a monk, considering it appropriately, takes his food not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification, but simply for the survival & continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, thinking, ‘I will destroy old feelings (of hunger) & not create new feelings (from overeating). Thus I will maintain myself, be blameless, & live in comfort.’ This is how a monk knows moderation in eating.

“And how is a monk devoted to wakefulness? There is the case where a monk during the day, sitting & pacing back & forth, cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. During the first watch of the night [dusk to 10 p.m.], sitting & pacing back & forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. During the second watch of the night [10 p.m. to 2 a.m.], reclining on his right side, he takes up the lion’s posture, one foot placed on top of the other, mindful, alert, with his mind set on getting up (either as soon as he awakens or at a particular time). During the last watch of the night [2 a.m. to dawn], sitting & pacing back & forth, he cleanses his mind of any qualities that would hold the mind in check. This is how a monk is devoted to wakefulness.

“Endowed with these four qualities, a monk is incapable of falling away and is right in the presence of unbinding.”

“Monks, a monk who has shaken off idiosyncratic truths [pacceka-sacca],[8] who has thoroughly given up searching, who is calmed in his bodily fabrication,[9] is said to be detached.

“And how has a monk shaken off idiosyncratic truths? There is the case where a monk has shaken off the run-of-the-mill idiosyncratic truths of run-of-the-mill contemplatives & brahmans — in other words, ‘The cosmos is eternal,’ ‘The cosmos is not eternal,’ ‘The cosmos is finite,’ ‘The cosmos is infinite,’ ‘The soul & the body are the same,’ ‘The soul is one thing and the body another,’ ‘After death a Tathāgata exists,’ ‘After death a Tathāgata does not exist,’ ‘After death a Tathāgata both does & does not exist,’ ‘After death a Tathāgata neither does nor does not exist.’ All of these he has thrown off, shaken off, renounced, vomited up, let go, abandoned, relinquished. This is how a monk has shaken off idiosyncratic truths.

“And how has a monk thoroughly given up searching? There is the case where a monk has abandoned his search for sensuality, has abandoned his search for becoming, and has allayed his search for a holy life.[10] This is how a monk has thoroughly given up searching.

“And how is a monk calmed in his bodily fabrication? There is the case where a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is how a monk is calmed in his bodily fabrication.

“And how is a monk detached? There is the case where a monk’s conceit, ‘I am,’ is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. This is how a monk is detached.”

“Monks, these are the four developments of concentration. Which four? There is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now. There is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the attainment of knowledge & vision. There is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to mindfulness & alertness. There is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the ending of the effluents.

“And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now? There is the case where a monk—quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities — enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now.[11]

“And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the attainment of knowledge & vision? There is the case where a monk attends to the perception of light and is resolved on the perception of daytime (at any hour of the day). Day (for him) is the same as night, night is the same as day. By means of an awareness open & unhampered, he develops a brightened mind. This is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the attainment of knowledge & vision.[12]

“And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to mindfulness & alertness? There is the case where feelings are known to the monk as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Perceptions are known to him as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Thoughts are known to him as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. This is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to mindfulness & alertness.[13]

“And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the ending of the effluents? There is the case where a monk remains focused on arising & falling away with reference to the five clinging-aggregates: ‘Such is form, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is feeling, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is perception, such its origination, such its passing away. Such are fabrications, such their origination, such their passing away. Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its passing away.’ This is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the ending of the effluents.[14]

“There are these four ways of answering questions. Which four? There are questions that should be answered categorically [straightforwardly yes, no, this, that]. There are questions that should be answered with an analytical answer [defining or redefining the terms]. There are questions that should be answered with a counter-question. There are questions that should be put aside. These are the four ways of answering questions.”

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Rohitassa, the son of a deva, in the far extreme of the night, his extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he stood to one side. As he was standing there he said to the Blessed One: “Is it possible, lord, by traveling, to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away or reappear?”

“I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.”

“It’s amazing, lord, and astounding, how well that has been said by the Blessed One: ‘I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.’ Once I was a seer named Rohitassa, a student of Bhoja, a powerful sky-walker. My speed was as fast as that of a strong archer — well trained, a practiced hand, a practiced sharpshooter — shooting a light arrow across the shadow of a palm tree. My stride stretched as far as the east sea is from the west. To me, endowed with such speed, such a stride, there came the desire: ‘I will go traveling to the end of the cosmos.’ I — with a one-hundred year life, a one-hundred year span — spent one hundred years traveling — apart from the time spent on eating, drinking, chewing & tasting, urinating & defecating, and sleeping to fight off weariness — but without reaching the end of the cosmos I died along the way. So it’s amazing, lord, and astounding, how well that has been said by the Blessed One: ‘I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.’”

(When this was said, the Blessed One responded:) “I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear. But at the same time, I tell you that there is no making an end of suffering & stress without reaching the end of the cosmos. Yet it is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception & intellect, that I declare that there is the cosmos, the origination of the cosmos, the cessation of the cosmos, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of the cosmos.”

“Monks, there are these four perversions of perception, perversions of mind, perversions of view. Which four? ‘Constant’ with regard to the inconstant is a perversion of perception, a perversion of mind, a perversion of view. ‘Pleasant’ with regard to the stressful.… ‘Self’ with regard to not-self.… ‘Attractive’ with regard to the unattractive is a perversion of perception, a perversion of mind, a perversion of view. These are the four perversions of perception, perversions of mind, perversions of view.

“There are these four non-perversions of perception, non-perversions of mind, non-perversions of view. Which four? ‘Inconstant’ with regard to the inconstant is a non-perversion of perception, a non-perversion of mind, a non-perversion of view. ‘Stressful’ with regard to the stressful.… ‘Not-self’ with regard to not-self.… ‘Unattractive’ with regard to the unattractive is a non-perversion of perception, a non-perversion of mind, a non-perversion of view. These are the four non-perversions of perception, non-perversions of mind, non-perversions of view.”

“Monks, there are these four obscurations of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle. Which four?

“Clouds are an obscuration of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle.

“Fog is an obscuration.…

“Smoke and dust is an obscuration.…

“Rāhu, the king of the asuras [believed to be the cause of an eclipse] is an obscuration of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle.

“These are the four obscurations of the sun and moon, obscured by which the sun and moon don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle.

“In the same way, there are four obscurations of contemplatives & brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives & brahmans don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle. Which four?

“There are some contemplatives & brahmans who drink alcohol and fermented liquor, who don’t refrain from drinking alcohol and fermented liquor. This is the first obscuration of contemplatives & brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives & brahmans don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle.

“There are some contemplatives & brahmans who engage in sexual intercourse, who don’t refrain from sexual intercourse. This is the second obscuration of contemplatives & brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives & brahmans don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle.

“There are some contemplatives & brahmans who consent to gold & silver, who don’t refrain from accepting gold & silver. This is the third obscuration of contemplatives & brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives & brahmans don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle.

“There are some contemplatives & brahmans who maintain life through wrong livelihood, who don’t refrain from wrong livelihood. This is the fourth obscuration of contemplatives & brahmans, obscured by which some contemplatives & brahmans don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle.

“These are the four obscurations, obscured by which some contemplatives & brahmans don’t glow, don’t shine, don’t dazzle.”

Once the Blessed One was staying among the Bhaggas in the Deer Park at Bhesakaḷā Forest, near Crocodile Haunt. Then early in the morning the Blessed One, having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl and outer robe, went to the home of the householder, Nakula’s father. On arrival, he sat down on a seat made ready. Then Nakula’s father & Nakula’s mother went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, Nakula’s father said to the Blessed One: “Lord, ever since Nakula’s mother as a young girl was brought to me (to be my wife) when I was just a young boy, I am not conscious of being unfaithful to her even in mind, much less in body. We want to see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come.”

And Nakula’s mother said to the Blessed One: “Lord, ever since I as a young girl was brought to Nakula’s father when he was just a young boy, I am not conscious of being unfaithful to him even in mind, much less in body. We want to see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come.”

(The Blessed One said:) “If both husband & wife want to see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come, they should be in tune (with each other) in conviction, in tune in virtue, in tune in generosity, and in tune in discernment. Then they will see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come.”

Then Anāthapiṇḍika the householder went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Householder, there are these four types of bliss that — depending on time & occasion — can be experienced by a householder partaking of sensuality. Which four? The bliss of having, the bliss of partaking, the bliss of debtlessness, & the bliss of blamelessness.

“And which is the bliss of having? There is the case where a son of a good family has wealth earned through his efforts & enterprise, amassed through the strength of his arms and piled up through the sweat of his brow, righteous wealth righteously gained. [Thinking,] ‘I have wealth earned through my efforts & enterprise, amassed through the strength of my arms and piled up through the sweat of my brow, righteous wealth righteously gained,’ he experiences bliss, experiences joy. This is called the bliss of having.

“And which is the bliss of partaking? There is the case where a son of a good family, using the wealth earned through his efforts & enterprise, amassed through the strength of his arms and piled up through the sweat of his brow — righteous wealth righteously gained — partakes of his wealth & makes merit. [Thinking,] ‘Using the wealth earned through my efforts & enterprise, amassed through the strength of my arms and piled up through the sweat of my brow — righteous wealth righteously gained — I partake of my wealth & make merit,’ he experiences bliss, experiences joy. This is called the bliss of partaking.

“And which is the bliss of debtlessness? There is the case where a son of a good family owes nothing — large or small — to anyone at all. [Thinking,] ‘I owe nothing — large or small — to anyone at all,’ he experiences bliss, experiences joy. This is called the bliss of debtlessness.

“And which is the bliss of blamelessness? There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with blameless bodily action, blameless verbal action, blameless mental action. [Thinking,] ‘I am endowed with blameless bodily action, blameless verbal action, blameless mental action,’ he experiences bliss, experiences joy. This is called the bliss of blamelessness.

“Householder, these are four types of bliss that — depending on time & occasion — can be experienced by a householder partaking of sensuality.”

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now, at that time in Sāvatthī a certain monk had died after having been bitten by a snake. Then a large number of monks went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there they said to him, “Lord, just now in Sāvatthī a certain monk died after having been bitten by a snake.”

“Then it’s certain, monks, that that monk didn’t suffuse the four royal snake lineages with a mind of goodwill. For if he had suffused the four royal snake lineages with a mind of goodwill, he would not have died after having been bitten by a snake. Which four? The Virūpakkha royal snake lineage,[17] the Erāpatha royal snake lineage, the Chabyāputta royal snake lineage, the Dark Gotamaka royal snake lineage. It’s certain that that monk didn’t suffuse these four royal snake lineages with a mind of goodwill. For if he had suffused these four royal snake lineages with a mind of goodwill, he would not have died after having been bitten by a snake. I allow you, monks, to suffuse these four royal snake lineages with a mind of goodwill for the sake of self-guarding, self-safeguarding, self-protection.”

“Monks, a person endowed with these four qualities can be known as ‘a person of no integrity.’ Which four?

“There is the case where a person of no integrity, when unasked, reveals another person’s bad points, to say nothing of when asked. Furthermore, when asked, when pressed with questions, he is one who speaks of another person’s bad points in full & in detail, without omission, without holding back. Of this person you may know, ‘This venerable one is a person of no integrity.’

“And further, a person of no integrity, when asked, doesn’t reveal another person’s good points, to say nothing of when unasked. Furthermore, when asked, when pressed with questions, he is one who speaks of another person’s good points not in full, not in detail, with omissions, holding back. Of this person you may know, ‘This venerable one is a person of no integrity.’

“And further, a person of no integrity, when asked, doesn’t reveal his own bad points, to say nothing of when unasked. Furthermore, when asked, when pressed with questions, he is one who speaks of his own bad points not in full, not in detail, with omissions, holding back. Of this person you may know, ‘This venerable one is a person of no integrity.’

“And further, a person of no integrity, when unasked, reveals his own good points, to say nothing of when asked. Furthermore, when asked, when pressed with questions, he is one who speaks of his own good points in full & in detail, without omissions, without holding back. Of this person you may know, ‘This venerable one is a person of no integrity.’

“Monks, a person endowed with these four qualities can be known as ‘a person of no integrity.’

“Now, a person endowed with these four qualities can be known as ‘a person of integrity.’ Which four?

“There is the case where a person of integrity, when asked, doesn’t reveal another person’s bad points, to say nothing of when unasked. Furthermore, when asked, when pressed with questions, he is one who speaks of another person’s bad points not in full, not in detail, with omissions, holding back. Of this person you may know, ‘This venerable one is a person of integrity.’

“And further, a person of integrity, when unasked, reveals another person’s good points, to say nothing of when asked. Furthermore, when asked, when pressed with questions, he is one who speaks of another person’s good points in full & in detail, without omissions, without holding back. Of this person you may know, ‘This venerable one is a person of integrity.’

“And further, a person of integrity, when unasked, reveals his own bad points, to say nothing of when asked. Furthermore, when asked, when pressed with questions, he is one who speaks of his own bad points in full & in detail, without omissions, without holding back. Of this person you may know, ‘This venerable one is a person of integrity.’

“And further, a person of integrity, when asked, doesn’t reveal his own good points, to say nothing of when unasked. Furthermore, when asked, when pressed with questions, he is one who speaks of his own good points not in full, not in detail, with omissions, holding back. Of this person you may know, ‘This venerable one is a person of integrity.’

“Monks, a person endowed with these four qualities can be known as ‘a person of integrity.’”

“There are these four inconceivables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four?

“The Buddha-range of the Buddhas [i.e., the range of powers a Buddha develops as a result of becoming a Buddha] is an inconceivable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.

“The jhāna-range of a person in jhāna [i.e, the range of powers that one may obtain while absorbed in jhāna].…

“The [precise working out of the] results of kamma.…

“Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an inconceivable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.

“These are the four inconceivables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about them.”

Then Ven. Sāriputta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “What is the reason, lord, what is the cause why a certain trade, when engaged in by some people, turns out a failure? What is the reason, what is the cause why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out not as intended? What is the reason, what is the cause why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out as intended? What is the reason, what is the cause why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out better than intended?”

“There is the case, Sāriputta, where a certain person, having gone to a contemplative or brahman, makes him an offer: ‘Tell me, sir, what you need in terms of the (four) requisites.’ But he doesn’t give what he offered. If he passes away from there and comes here, then whatever trade he engages in, it turns out a failure.

“Then there is the case where a certain person, having gone to a contemplative or brahman, makes him an offer: ‘Tell me, sir, what you need in terms of the (four) requisites.’ But he gives him something other than what he intended by his offer. If he passes away from there and comes here, then whatever trade he engages in, it turns out not as intended.

“Then there is the case where a certain person, having gone to a contemplative or brahman, makes him an offer: ‘Tell me, sir, what you need in terms of the (four) requisites.’ He gives him what he intended by his offer. If he passes away from there and comes here, then whatever trade he engages in, it turns out as intended.

“Then there is the case where a certain person, having gone to a contemplative or brahman, makes him an offer: ‘Tell me, sir, what you need in terms of the (four) requisites.’ He gives him more than what he intended by his offer. If he passes away from there and comes here, then whatever trade he engages in, it turns out better than intended.

“This is the reason, Sāriputta, this is the cause why a certain trade, when engaged in by some people, turns out a failure; why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out not as intended; why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out as intended; why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out better than intended.”

“There are these four types of people to be found existing in the world. Which four? One in darkness who is headed for darkness, one in darkness who is headed for light, one in light who is headed for darkness, and one in light who is headed for light.

“And how is one the type of person in darkness who is headed for darkness? There is the case where a person is born into a lower class family — the family of a scavenger, a hunter, a basket-weaver, a wheelwright, or a sweeper — a family that is poor, with little food or drink, living in hardship, where food & clothing are hard to come by. And he is ugly, misshapen, stunted, & sickly: half-blind or deformed or lame or crippled. He doesn’t receive any (gifts of) food, drink, clothing, or vehicles; garlands, perfumes, or ointments; bedding, shelter, or lamps. He engages in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct. Having engaged in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct, he — on the break-up of the body, after death — reappears in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. This is the type of person in darkness who is headed for darkness.

“And how is one the type of person in darkness who is headed for light? There is the case where a person is born into a lower class family — the family of a scavenger, a hunter, a basket-weaver, a wheelwright, or a sweeper — a family that is poor, with little food or drink, living in hardship, where food & clothing are hard to come by. And he is ugly, misshapen, stunted, & sickly: half-blind or deformed or lame or crippled. He doesn’t receive any (gifts of) food, drink, clothing, or vehicles; garlands, perfumes, or ointments; bedding, shelter, or lamps. He engages in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct. Having engaged in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct, he — on the break-up of the body, after death — reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world. This is the type of person in darkness who is headed for light.

“And how is one the type of person in light who is headed for darkness? There is the case where a person is born into an upper class family — a noble warrior family, a brahman family, a prosperous householder family — a family that is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions, with a great deal of money, a great many accoutrements of wealth, a great many commodities. And he is well-built, handsome, extremely inspiring, endowed with a lotus-like complexion. He receives (gifts of) food, drink, clothing, & vehicles; garlands, perfumes, & ointments; bedding, shelter, & lamps. He engages in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct. Having engaged in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct, he — on the break-up of the body, after death — reappears in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. This is the type of person in light who is headed for darkness.

“And how is one the type of person in light who is headed for light? There is the case where a person is born into an upper class family — a noble warrior family, a brahman family, a prosperous householder family — a family that is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions, with a great deal of money, a great many accoutrements of wealth, a great many commodities. And he is well-built, handsome, extremely inspiring, endowed with a lotus-like complexion. He receives (gifts of) food, drink, clothing, & vehicles; garlands, perfumes, & ointments; bedding, shelter, & lamps. He engages in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct. Having engaged in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct, he — on the break-up of the body, after death — reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world. This is the type of person in light who is headed for light.

“These are the four types of people to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, these four persons are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The unshakeable contemplative, the white-lotus contemplative, the red-lotus contemplative, the most refined contemplative among contemplatives.

“And how is a person an unshakeable contemplative? There is the case where a monk is one who practices the way of one in training. He remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. Just as the eldest son of a head-anointed noble-warrior king — one due to be anointed but not yet anointed — would have attained unshakeable [confidence in his future anointing], in the same way, the monk is one who practices the way of one in training. He remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. This is how a person is an unshakeable contemplative.

“And how is a person a white-lotus contemplative? There is the case where a monk — through the ending of effluents — enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for himself right in the here & now. But he doesn’t remain touching the eight emancipations with his body.[47] This is how a person is a white-lotus contemplative.

“And how is a person a red-lotus contemplative? There is the case where a monk — through the ending of effluents — enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for himself right in the here & now. And he remains touching the eight emancipations with his body. This is how a person is a red-lotus contemplative

“And how is a person the most refined contemplative among contemplatives?

There is the case where a monk often uses a robe when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often consumes almsfood when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often uses a lodging when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often uses medicinal requisites for curing the sick when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. His fellows in the holy life with whom he lives often treat him with agreeable bodily actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often treat him with agreeable verbal actions… agreeable mental actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often present him with what is agreeable, and rarely with what is disagreeable. Painful feelings coming from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination, and those produced by climate, careless behavior, assault, or the result of kamma do not often arise in him. He has few diseases. He attains — whenever he wants, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now. Through the ending of effluents, he enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for himself right in the here & now. This is how a person is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives.

“And, monks, if anyone, speaking rightly, were to say, ‘He is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives,’ it’s of me that, speaking rightly, he would say it. For I often use a robe when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often consume almsfood when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often use a lodging when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often use medicinal requisites for curing the sick when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. My fellows in the holy life with whom I live often treat me with agreeable bodily actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often treat me with agreeable verbal actions… agreeable mental actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often present me with what is agreeable, and rarely with what is disagreeable. Painful feelings coming from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination, and those produced by changes in the weather, uneven care of the body, attacks, or the result of kamma do not often arise in me. I have few diseases. I attain — whenever I want, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now. Through the ending of effluents, I enter & remain in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for myself right in the here & now. If anyone, speaking rightly, were to say, ‘He is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives,’ it’s of me that, speaking rightly, he would say it.

“These, monks, are four persons to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, these four persons are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The unshakeable contemplative, the white-lotus contemplative, the red-lotus contemplative, the most refined contemplative among contemplatives.

“And how is a person an unshakeable contemplative? There is the case where a monk, through the ending of (the first) three fetters, is a stream-enterer, certain, never again destined for the lower realms, headed for self-awakening. This is how a person is an unshakeable contemplative.

“And how is a person a white-lotus contemplative? There is the case where a monk, through the ending of (the first) three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, & delusion, is a once-returner, who — on returning only once more to this world — will make an ending to stress. This is how a person is a white-lotus contemplative.

“And how is a person a red-lotus contemplative? There is the case where a monk, through the ending of the five lower fetters, is due to arise spontaneously (in the Pure Abodes), there to be totally unbound, destined never again to return from that world. This is how a person is a red-lotus contemplative.

“And how is a person the most refined contemplative among contemplatives? There is the case where a monk, through the ending of effluents, enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for himself right in the here & now. This is how a person is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives.

“These, monks, are four persons to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, these four persons are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The unshakeable contemplative, the white-lotus contemplative, the red-lotus contemplative, the most refined contemplative among contemplatives.

“And how is a person an unshakeable contemplative? There is the case where a monk is a person of right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.[19] This is how a person is an unshakeable contemplative.

“And how is a person a white-lotus contemplative? There is the case where a monk is a person of right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, right knowledge, right release.[20] But he doesn’t remain touching the eight emancipations with his body.[21] This is how a person is a white-lotus contemplative.

“And how is a person a red-lotus contemplative? There is the case where a monk is a person of right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, right knowledge, right release. And he remains touching the eight emancipations with his body. This is how a person is a red-lotus contemplative.

“And how is a person the most refined contemplative among contemplatives?

There is the case where a monk often uses a robe when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often consumes almsfood when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often uses a lodging when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often uses medicinal requisites for curing the sick when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. His fellows in the holy life with whom he lives often treat him with agreeable bodily actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often treat him with agreeable verbal actions… agreeable mental actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often present him with what is agreeable, and rarely with what is disagreeable. Painful feelings coming from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination, and those produced by climate, careless behavior, assault, or the result of kamma do not often arise in him. He has few diseases. He attains — whenever he wants, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now. Through the ending of effluents, he enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for himself right in the here & now. This is how a person is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives.

“And, monks, if anyone, speaking rightly, were to say, ‘He is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives,’ it’s of me that, speaking rightly, he would say it. For I often use a robe when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often consume almsfood when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often use a lodging when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often use medicinal requisites for curing the sick when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. My fellows in the holy life with whom I live often treat me with agreeable bodily actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often treat me with agreeable verbal actions… agreeable mental actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often present me with what is agreeable, and rarely with what is disagreeable. Painful feelings coming from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination, and those produced by changes in the weather, uneven care of the body, attacks, or the result of kamma do not often arise in me. I have few diseases. I attain — whenever I want, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now. Through the ending of effluents, I enter & remain in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for myself right in the here & now. If anyone, speaking rightly, were to say, ‘He is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives,’ it’s of me that, speaking rightly, he would say it.

“These, monks, are four persons to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, these four persons are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The unshakeable contemplative, the white-lotus contemplative, the red-lotus contemplative, the most refined contemplative among contemplatives.

“And how is a person an unshakeable contemplative? There is the case where a monk is in training, one who has not attained the heart’s goal but remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. This is how a person is an unshakeable contemplative.

“And how is a person a white-lotus contemplative? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the phenomena of arising & passing away with regard to the five clinging-aggregates: ‘Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling.… Such is perception.… Such are fabrications.… Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.’[22] But he doesn’t remain touching the eight emancipations with his body.[23] This is how a person is a white-lotus contemplative.

“And how is a person a red-lotus contemplative? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the phenomena of arising & passing away with regard to the five clinging-aggregates: ‘Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling.… Such is perception.… Such are fabrications.… Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.’ And he remains touching the eight emancipations with his body. This is how a person is a red-lotus contemplative.

“And how is a person the most refined contemplative among contemplatives?

There is the case where a monk often uses a robe when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often consumes almsfood when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often uses a lodging when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. He often uses medicinal requisites for curing the sick when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. His fellows in the holy life with whom he lives often treat him with agreeable bodily actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often treat him with agreeable verbal actions… agreeable mental actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often present him with what is agreeable, and rarely with what is disagreeable. Painful feelings coming from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination, and those produced by changes in the weather, uneven care of the body, attacks, or the result of kamma do not often arise in him. He has few diseases. He attains — whenever he wants, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now. Through the ending of effluents, he enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for himself right in the here & now. This is how a person is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives.

“And, monks, if anyone, speaking rightly, were to say, ‘He is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives,’ it’s of me that, speaking rightly, he would say it. For I often use a robe when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often consume almsfood when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often use a lodging when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. I often use medicinal requisites for curing the sick when asked to, and rarely when not asked to. My fellows in the holy life with whom I live often treat me with agreeable bodily actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often treat me with agreeable verbal actions… agreeable mental actions, and rarely with disagreeable ones. They often present me with what is agreeable, and rarely with what is disagreeable. Painful feelings coming from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination, and those produced by climate, careless behavior, assault, or the result of kamma do not often arise in me. I have few diseases. I attain — whenever I want, without strain, without difficulty — the four jhānas that are heightened mental states, pleasant abidings in the here & now. Through the ending of effluents, I enter & remain in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for myself right in the here & now. If anyone, speaking rightly, were to say, ‘He is the most refined contemplative among contemplatives,’ it’s of me that, speaking rightly, he would say it.

“These, monks, are four persons to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, these four types of individuals are to be found existing in world. Which four?

“There is the case of the individual who has attained internal tranquility of awareness, but not insight into phenomena through heightened discernment. Then there is the case of the individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, but not internal tranquility of awareness. Then there is the case of the individual who has attained neither internal tranquility of awareness nor insight into phenomena through heightened discernment. And then there is the case of the individual who has attained both internal tranquility of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

“The individual who has attained internal tranquility of awareness, but not insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, should approach an individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment and ask him: ‘How should fabrications be regarded? How should they be investigated? How should they be seen with insight?’ The other will answer in line with what he has seen & experienced: ‘Fabrications should be regarded in this way. Fabrications should be investigated in this way. Fabrications should be seen in this way with insight.’ Then eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquility of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

“As for the individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, but not internal tranquility of awareness, he should approach an individual who has attained internal tranquility of awareness… and ask him: ‘How should the mind be steadied? How should it be made to settle down? How should it be unified? How should it be concentrated?’ The other will answer in line with what he has seen & experienced: ‘The mind should be steadied in this way. The mind should be made to settle down in this way. The mind should be unified in this way. The mind should be concentrated in this way.’ Then eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquility of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

“As for the individual who has attained neither internal tranquility of awareness nor insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, he should approach an individual who has attained both internal tranquility of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment… and ask him: ‘How should the mind be steadied? How should it be made to settle down? How should it be unified? How should it be concentrated? How should fabrications be regarded? How should they be investigated? How should they be seen with insight?’ The other will answer in line with what he has seen & experienced: ‘The mind should be steadied in this way. The mind should be made to settle down in this way. The mind should be unified in this way. The mind should be concentrated in this way. Fabrications should be regarded in this way. Fabrications should be investigated in this way. Fabrications should be seen in this way with insight.’ Then eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquility of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.

“As for the individual who has attained both internal tranquility of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, his duty is to make an effort in establishing [‘tuning’] those very same skillful qualities to a higher degree for the ending of the effluents.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in world.”

“Monks, these four types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The one who practices neither for his/her own benefit nor for that of others. The one who practices for the benefit of others but not for his/her own. The one who practices for his/her own benefit but not for that of others. The one who practices for his/her own benefit and for that of others.

“Just as a firebrand from a funeral pyre — burning at both ends, covered with excrement in the middle — is used as fuel neither in a village nor in the wilderness: I tell you that this is a simile for the individual who practices neither for his/her own benefit nor for that of others. The individual who practices for the benefit of others but not for his/her own is the higher & more refined of these two. The individual who practices for his/her own benefit but not for that of others is the highest & most refined of these three. The individual who practices for his/her own benefit and for that of others is, of these four, the foremost, the chief, the most outstanding, the highest, & supreme. Just as from a cow comes milk; from milk, curds; from curds, butter; from butter, ghee; from ghee, the skimmings of ghee; and of these, the skimmings of ghee are reckoned the foremost — in the same way, of these four, the individual who practices for his/her own benefit and for that of others is the foremost, the chief, the most outstanding, the highest, & supreme.

“These are the four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, these four types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The one who practices for his/her own benefit but not for that of others. The one who practices for the benefit of others but not for his/her own. The one who practices neither for his/her own benefit nor for that of others. The one who practices for his/her own benefit and for that of others.

“And how is one an individual who practices for his/her own benefit but not for that of others? There is the case where a certain individual practices for the subduing of passion within him/herself but doesn’t encourage others in the subduing of passion; practices for the subduing of aversion within him/herself but doesn’t encourage others in the subduing of aversion; practices for the subduing of delusion within him/herself but doesn’t encourage others in the subduing of delusion. Such is the individual who practices for his/her own benefit but not for that of others.

“And how is one an individual who practices for the benefit of others but not for his/her own? There is the case where a certain individual doesn’t practice for the subduing of passion within him/herself but encourages others in the subduing of passion; he/she doesn’t practice for the subduing of aversion within him/herself but encourages others in the subduing of aversion; he/she doesn’t practice for the subduing of delusion within him/herself but encourages others in the subduing of delusion. Such is the individual who practices for the benefit of others but not for his/her own.

“And how is one an individual who practices neither for his/her own benefit nor for that of others? There is the case where a certain individual doesn’t practice for the subduing of passion within him/herself and doesn’t encourage others in the subduing of passion; he/she doesn’t practice for the subduing of aversion within him/herself and doesn’t encourage others in the subduing of aversion; he/she doesn’t practice for the subduing of delusion within him/herself and doesn’t encourage others in the subduing of delusion. Such is the individual who practices neither for his/her own benefit nor for that of others.

“And how is one an individual who practices for his/her own benefit and for that of others? There is the case where a certain individual practices for the subduing of passion within him/herself and encourages others in the subduing of passion; practices for the subduing of aversion within him/herself and encourages others in the subduing of aversion; practices for the subduing of delusion within him/herself and encourages others in the subduing of delusion. Such is the individual who practices for his/her own benefit and for that of others.

“These are the four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, these four types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The one who practices for his own benefit but not for that of others. The one who practices for the benefit of others but not for his own. The one who practices neither for his own benefit nor for that of others. The one who practices for his own benefit and for that of others.

“And how is one an individual who practices for his own benefit but not for that of others? There is the case where a certain individual himself abstains from the taking of life but doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from the taking of life. He himself abstains from stealing but doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from stealing. He himself abstains from sexual misconduct but doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from sexual misconduct. He himself abstains from lying but doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from lying. He himself abstains from intoxicants that cause heedlessness but doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from intoxicants that cause heedlessness. Such is the individual who practices for his own benefit but not for that of others.

“And how is one an individual who practices for the benefit of others but not for his own? There is the case where a certain individual himself doesn’t abstain from the taking of life but encourages others in undertaking abstinence from the taking of life. He himself doesn’t abstain from stealing but encourages others in undertaking abstinence from stealing. He himself doesn’t abstain from sexual misconduct but encourages others in undertaking abstinence from sexual misconduct. He himself doesn’t abstain from lying but encourages others in undertaking abstinence from lying. He himself doesn’t abstain from intoxicants that cause heedlessness but encourages others in undertaking abstinence from intoxicants that cause heedlessness. Such is the individual who practices for the benefit of others but not for his own.

“And how is one an individual who practices neither for his own benefit nor for that of others? There is the case where a certain individual himself doesn’t abstain from the taking of life and doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from the taking of life. He himself doesn’t abstain from stealing and doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from stealing. He himself doesn’t abstain from sexual misconduct and doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from sexual misconduct. He himself doesn’t abstain from lying and doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from lying. He himself doesn’t abstain from intoxicants that cause heedlessness and doesn’t encourage others in undertaking abstinence from intoxicants that cause heedlessness. Such is the individual who practices neither for his own benefit nor for that of others.

“And how is one an individual who practices for his own benefit and for that of others? There is the case where a certain individual himself abstains from the taking of life and encourages others in undertaking abstinence from the taking of life. He himself abstains from stealing and encourages others in undertaking abstinence from stealing. He himself abstains from sexual misconduct and encourages others in undertaking abstinence from sexual misconduct. He himself abstains from lying and encourages others in undertaking abstinence from lying. He himself abstains from intoxicants that cause heedlessness and encourages others in undertaking abstinence from intoxicants that cause heedlessness. Such is the individual who practices for his own benefit and for that of others.

“These are the four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

Then Potaliya the wanderer went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, greeted him courteously. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Potaliya, there are these four persons to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where a certain person speaks in dispraise of one deserving dispraise when it is accurate, factual, & timely, but he doesn’t speak in praise of one deserving praise when it is accurate, factual, & timely.

“There is the case where a certain person speaks in praise of one deserving praise when it is accurate, factual, & timely, but he doesn’t speak in dispraise of one deserving dispraise when it is accurate, factual, & timely.

“There is the case where a certain person doesn’t speak in dispraise of one deserving dispraise when it is accurate, factual, & timely, nor does he speak in praise of one deserving praise when it is accurate, factual, & timely.

“There is the case where a certain person speaks in dispraise of one deserving dispraise when it is accurate, factual, & timely, and speaks in praise of one deserving praise when it is accurate, factual, & timely.

“Now, of these four persons, Potaliya, which one do you prefer as the most excellent & sublime?”

“Master Gotama, there are these four persons to be found existing in the world.… And of these four persons, Master Gotama., the one who neither speaks in dispraise of one deserving dispraise when it is accurate, factual, & timely, nor speaks in praise of one deserving praise when it is accurate, factual, & timely is the one I prefer as most excellent & sublime. Why is that? Because this is excellent: equanimity.”

“Potaliya, there are these four persons to be found existing in the world.… And of these four, Potaliya, the one who speaks in dispraise of one deserving dispraise when it is accurate, factual, & timely, and who speaks in praise of one deserving praise when it is accurate, factual, & timely is the most excellent & sublime of the four. Why is that? Because this is excellent: having a sense of the right time in every situation.”

“Master Gotama, there are these four persons to be found existing in the world.… And of these four, Master Gotama, the one who speaks in dispraise of one deserving dispraise when it is accurate, factual, & timely, and who speaks in praise of one deserving praise when it is accurate, factual, & timely is the most excellent & sublime of the four. Why is that? Because this is excellent: having a sense of the right time in every situation.”

“Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.”

“There are these four types of thunderheads. Which four? One that thunders but doesn’t rain, one that rains but doesn’t thunder, one that neither thunders nor rains, and one that both thunders and rains. There are these four types of thunderheads.

“In the same way, these four types of persons resembling thunderheads are to be found existing in the world. Which four? The one who thunders but doesn’t rain, the one who rains but doesn’t thunder, the one who neither thunders nor rains, and the one who both thunders and rains.

“And how is one the type of person who thunders but doesn’t rain? There is the case where a person has mastered the Dhamma: dialogues, narratives of mixed prose and verse, explanations, verses, spontaneous exclamations [udāna], quotations [itivuttaka], birth stories [jātaka], amazing events, question & answer sessions.[24] Yet he doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, that ‘This is stress.’ He doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, that ‘This is the origination of stress.’ He doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, that ‘This is the cessation of stress.’ He doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, that ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.’ This is the type of person who thunders but doesn’t rain. This type of person, I tell you, is like the thunderhead that thunders but doesn’t rain.

“And how is one the type of person who rains but doesn’t thunder? There is the case where a person has not mastered the Dhamma: dialogues… question & answer sessions. Yet he does discern, as it has come to be, that ‘This is stress.’ He discerns, as it has come to be, that ‘This is the origination of stress.’ He discerns, as it has come to be, that ‘This is the cessation of stress.’ He discerns, as it has come to be, that ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.’ This is the type of person who rains but doesn’t thunder. This type of person, I tell you, is like the thunderhead that rains but doesn’t thunder.

“And how is one the type of person who neither thunders nor rains? There is the case where a person has not mastered the Dhamma: dialogues… question & answer sessions. He doesn’t discern, as it has come to be, that ‘This is stress’ … ‘This is the origination of stress’ … ‘This is the cessation of stress’ … ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.’ This is the type of person who neither thunders nor rains. This type of person, I tell you, is like the thunderhead that neither thunders nor rains.

“And how is one the type of person who both thunders and rains? There is the case where a person has mastered the Dhamma: dialogues … question & answer sessions. He discerns, as it has come to be, that ‘This is stress’ … ‘This is the origination of stress’ … ‘This is the cessation of stress’ … ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.’ This is the type of person who both thunders and rains. This type of person, I tell you, is like the thunderhead that both thunders and rains.

“These are the four types of people to be found existing in the world.”

Then Kesin the horse trainer went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him: “You, Kesin, are well known as a trainer of tamable horses. How do you train a tamable horse?”

“Lord, I train a tamable horse (sometimes) with mildness, (sometimes) with harshness, (sometimes) with both mildness & harshness.”

“And if a tamable horse doesn’t submit either to a mild training or to a harsh training or to a mild & harsh training, Kesin, what do you do?”

“If a tamable horse doesn’t submit either to a mild training or to a harsh training or to a mild and harsh training, lord, then I kill it. Why is that? (I think:) ‘Don’t let this be a disgrace to my lineage of teachers.’ But the Blessed One, lord, is the unexcelled trainer of tamable people. How do you train a tamable person?”

“Kesin, I train a tamable person (sometimes) with mildness, (sometimes) with harshness, (sometimes) with both mildness & harshness.

“In using mildness, (I teach:) ‘Such is good bodily conduct. Such is the result of good bodily conduct. Such is good verbal conduct. Such is the result of good verbal conduct. Such is good mental conduct. Such is the result of good mental conduct. Such are the devas. Such are human beings.’

“In using harshness, (I teach:) ‘Such is bodily misconduct. Such is the result of bodily misconduct. Such is verbal misconduct. Such is the result of verbal misconduct. Such is mental misconduct. Such is the result of mental misconduct. Such is hell. Such is the animal womb. Such the realm of the hungry ghosts.’

“In using mildness & harshness, (I teach:) ‘Such is good bodily conduct. Such is the result of good bodily conduct. Such is bodily misconduct. Such is the result of bodily misconduct. Such is good verbal conduct. Such is the result of good verbal conduct. Such is verbal misconduct. Such is the result of verbal misconduct. Such is good mental conduct. Such is the result of good mental conduct. Such is mental misconduct. Such is the result of mental misconduct. Such are the devas. Such are human beings. Such is hell. Such is the animal womb. Such the realm of the hungry ghosts.’”

“And if a tamable person doesn’t submit either to a mild training or to a harsh training or to a mild & harsh training, what do you do?”

“If a tamable person doesn’t submit either to a mild training or to a harsh training or to a mild & harsh training, then I kill him, Kesin.”

“But it’s not proper for our Blessed One to take life! And yet the Blessed One just said, ‘I kill him, Kesin.’”

“It is true, Kesin, that it’s not proper for a Tathāgata to take life. But if a tamable person doesn’t submit either to a mild training or to a harsh training or to a mild & harsh training, then the Tathāgata doesn’t regard him as being worth speaking to or admonishing. His observant companions in the holy life don’t regard him as being worth speaking to or admonishing. This is what it means to be totally destroyed in the Dhamma & Vinaya, when the Tathāgata doesn’t regard one as being worth speaking to or admonishing, and one’s observant companions in the holy life don’t regard one as being worth speaking to or admonishing.”

“Yes, lord, wouldn’t one be totally destroyed if the Tathāgata doesn’t regard one as being worth speaking to or admonishing, and one’s observant companions in the holy life don’t regard one as being worth speaking to or admonishing?

“Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.”

“There are these four types of excellent thoroughbred horses to be found existing in the world. Which four? There is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse, on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated, (thinking,) ‘I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?’ Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the first type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

“And further, there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse isn’t stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, but when his coat is pricked (with the goad stick) he is stirred & agitated, (thinking,) ‘I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?’ Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the second type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

“And further, there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse isn’t stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, or when his coat is pricked, but when his hide is pricked (with the goad stick) he is stirred & agitated, (thinking,) ‘I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?’ Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the third type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

“And further, there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse isn’t stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, or when his coat is pricked, or when his hide is pricked, but when his bone is pricked (with the goad stick) he is stirred & agitated, (thinking,) ‘I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?’ Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the fourth type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.

“These are the four types of excellent thoroughbred horses to be found existing in the world.

“Now, there are these four types of excellent thoroughbred persons to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person hears, ‘In that town or village over there, a man or woman is in pain or has died.’ He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the first type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.

“And further, there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person doesn’t hear, ‘In that town or village over there, a man or woman is in pain or has died.’ But he himself sees a man or woman in pain or dead. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its coat is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the second type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.

“And further, there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person doesn’t hear, ‘In that town or village over there, a man or woman is in pain or has died.’ And he himself doesn’t see a man or woman in pain or dead. But he sees one of his own blood relatives in pain or dead. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its hide is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the third type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.

“And further, there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person doesn’t hear, ‘In that town or village over there, a man or woman is in pain or has died.’ And he himself doesn’t see a man or woman in pain or dead, nor does he see one of his own blood relatives in pain or dead. But he himself is touched by bodily feelings that are painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable, life-threatening. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its bone is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the fourth type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.

“These are the four types of excellent thoroughbred persons to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, there are these four courses of action. Which four? There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable.

“Now as for the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, one considers it as not worth doing for both reasons: because the course of action is unpleasant to do, one considers it as not worth doing; and because the course of action, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, one considers it as not worth doing. Thus one considers it as not worth doing for both reasons.

“As for the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable, it is in light of this course of action that one may be known—in terms of manly stamina, manly persistence, manly effort—as a fool or a wise person. For a fool doesn’t reflect, ‘Even though this course of action is unpleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is profitable.’ So he doesn’t do it, and thus the non-doing of that course of action leads to what is unprofitable for him. But a wise person reflects, ‘Even though this course of action is unpleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is profitable.’ So he does it, and thus the doing of that course of action leads to what is profitable for him.

“As for the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable, it is in light of this course of action that one may be known — in terms of manly stamina, manly persistence, manly effort — as a fool or a wise person. For a fool doesn’t reflect, ‘Even though this course of action is pleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is unprofitable.’ So he does it, and thus the doing of that course of action leads to what is unprofitable for him. But a wise person reflects, ‘Even though this course of action is pleasant to do, still when it is done it leads to what is unprofitable.’ So he doesn’t do it, and thus the non-doing of that course of action leads to what is profitable for him.

“As for the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable, one considers it as worth doing for both reasons: because the course of action is pleasant to do, one considers it as worth doing; and because the course of action, when done, leads to what is profitable, one considers it as worth doing. Thus one considers it as worth doing for both reasons.

“These are the four courses of action.”

“Monks, there are four instances where heedfulness should be exercised. Which four? Abandon bodily misconduct, develop good bodily conduct: Don’t be heedless there. Abandon verbal misconduct, develop good verbal conduct: Don’t be heedless there. Abandon mental misconduct, develop good mental conduct: Don’t be heedless there. Abandon wrong view, develop right view: Don’t be heedless there.[48]

“When, in a monk, bodily misconduct is abandoned, good bodily conduct is developed; verbal misconduct is abandoned, good verbal conduct is developed; mental misconduct is abandoned, good mental conduct is developed; wrong view is abandoned, right view is developed, then he has no fear of death as it relates to the next life.”[49]

“Monks, there are four instances where, for one’s own sake,[25] heedfulness and a guarding through mindfulness & awareness should be practiced. Which four? [Thinking,] ‘Don’t let my mind become impassioned with regard to things that excite passion,’ heedfulness and a guarding through mindfulness & awareness should be practiced. [Thinking,] ‘Don’t let my mind become averse with regard to things that excite aversion,’ heedfulness and a guarding through mindfulness & awareness should be practiced. [Thinking,] ‘Don’t let my mind become deluded with regard to things that excite delusion,’ heedfulness and a guarding through mindfulness & awareness should be practiced. [Thinking,] ‘Don’t let my mind become intoxicated with regard to things that excite intoxication,’[26] heedfulness and a guarding through mindfulness & awareness should be practiced.

“When, in a monk, from lack of passion, the mind is not impassioned with regard to things that excite passion; when, from lack of aversion, the mind is not averse with regard to things that excite aversion; when, from lack of delusion, the mind is not deluded with regard to things that excite delusion; when, from lack of intoxication, the mind is not intoxicated with regard to things that excite intoxication, then he isn’t stiff with fear, doesn’t tremble, doesn’t shake, doesn’t feel fright, nor is he influenced by the words of [other] contemplatives.”

“Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where an individual, quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Devas of Brahmā’s Retinue. The Devas of Brahmā’s Retinue, monks, have a lifespan of an eon. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

“Again, there is the case where an individual, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Ābhassara [Radiant] devas.[27] The Ābhassara devas, monks, have a lifespan of two eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

“Again, there is the case where an individual, with the fading of rapture, remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, senses pleasure with the body, and enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Subhakiṇha [Beautiful Black] devas. The Subhakiṇha devas, monks, have a lifespan of four eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

“Again, there is the case where an individual, with the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying therem — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Vehapphala [Sky-fruit] devas. The Vehapphala devas, monks, have a lifespan of 500 eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where an individual, quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. At the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in conjunction with the Devas of the Pure Abodes. This rebirth is not in common with run-of-the-mill people.

“Again, there is the case where an individual… enters the second jhāna… the third jhāna… the fourth jhāna… He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. At the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in conjunction with the Devas of the Pure Abodes. This rebirth is not in common with run-of-the-mill people.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where an individual keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with goodwill. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with goodwill: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Devas of Brahmā’s Retinue. The Devas of Brahmā’s Retinue, monks, have a lifespan of an eon. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

“And further, there is the case where an individual keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with compassion. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with compassion: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Ābhassara [Radiant] devas.[50] The Ābhassara devas, monks, have a lifespan of two eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.[51]

“And further, there is the case where an individual keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with empathetic joy. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with empathetic joy: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Subhakiṇha [Beautiful Black] devas. The Subhakiṇha devas, monks, have a lifespan of four eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

“And further, there is the case where an individual keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with equanimity. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with equanimity: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Vehapphala [Sky-fruit] devas. The Vehapphala devas, monks, have a lifespan of 500 eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry ghosts. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the lifespan of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where an individual keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with goodwill. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with goodwill: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. At the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in conjunction with the Devas of the Pure Abodes. This rebirth is not in common with run-of-the-mill people.

“Again, there is the case where an individual keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with compassion… empathetic joy… equanimity. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with equanimity: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. At the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in conjunction with the Devas of the Pure Abodes. This rebirth is not in common with run-of-the-mill people.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, with the appearance of the Tathāgata — the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One — four amazing & astounding things appear. Which four?

“People find pleasure in longing, delight in longing, rejoice in longing. But when the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma of non-longing, they want to listen; they lend ear and set their minds on understanding it. This is the first amazing & astounding thing that appears with the appearance of the Tathāgata — the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One.

“People find pleasure in conceit, delight in conceit, rejoice in conceit. But when the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma for the subduing of conceit, they want to listen; they lend ear and set their minds on understanding it. This is the second amazing & astounding thing that appears with the appearance of the Tathāgata — the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One.

“People find pleasure in commotion, delight in commotion, rejoice in commotion. But when the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma for stilling, they want to listen; they lend ear and set their minds on understanding it. This is the third amazing & astounding thing that appears with the appearance of the Tathāgata — the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One.

“People are immersed in ignorance, blinded,[28] entirely enveloped. But when the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma for the subduing of ignorance, they want to listen; they lend ear and set their minds on understanding it. This is the fourth amazing & astounding thing that appears with the appearance of the Tathāgata — the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One.

“Monks, with the appearance of the Tathāgata — the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One — these four amazing & astounding things appear.”

“Monks, there are these four types of individuals to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where, in a certain individual, the lower fetters are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“Then there is the case where, in a certain individual, the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“Then there is the case where, in a certain individual, the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“Then there is the case where, in a certain individual, the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are abandoned.

“And which is the individual in which the lower fetters are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned? A once-returner. In this individual the lower fetters are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“And which is the individual in which the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned? One going upstream to the Peerless [i.e., a non-returner heading for the Akaniṭṭha heaven, the highest of the Pure Abodes].[29 In this individual the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are unabandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“And which is the individual in which the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned? One unbound in between [i.e., one who is destined to unbind after leaving the human realm but before reaching a Pure Abode]. In this individual the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are unabandoned.

“And which is the individual in which the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are abandoned? An arahant, one whose effluents are ended. In this individual the lower fetters are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a spontaneous reappearance are abandoned, the fetters for gaining a becoming are abandoned.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

“Monks, there are these four persons to be found existing in the world. Which four? The one withdrawn in body but not withdrawn in mind, the one not withdrawn in body but withdrawn in mind, the one not withdrawn in body & not withdrawn in mind, and the one withdrawn in body & withdrawn in mind.

“And how is a person withdrawn in body but not withdrawn in mind? There is the case where a certain person resorts to isolated wilderness & forest dwellings. There he thinks thoughts of sensuality, he thinks thoughts of ill will, he thinks thoughts of harmfulness. This is how a person is withdrawn in body but not withdrawn in mind.

“And how is a person not withdrawn in body but withdrawn in mind? There is the case where a certain person doesn’t resort to isolated wilderness & forest dwellings. He thinks thoughts of renunciation, he thinks thoughts of non-ill will, he thinks thoughts of harmlessness. This is how a person is not withdrawn in body but withdrawn in mind.

“And how is a person not withdrawn in body & not withdrawn in mind? There is the case where a certain person doesn’t resort to isolated wilderness & forest dwellings. He thinks thoughts of sensuality, he thinks thoughts of ill will, he thinks thoughts of harmfulness. This is how a person is not withdrawn in body & not withdrawn in mind.

“And how is a person withdrawn in body & withdrawn in mind? There is the case where a certain person resorts to isolated wilderness & forest dwellings. There he thinks thoughts of renunciation, he thinks thoughts of non-ill will, he thinks thoughts of harmlessness. This is how a person is withdrawn in body & withdrawn in mind.

“These, monks, are four persons to be found existing in the world.”

“There are these four types of brightness. Which four? The brightness of the sun, the brightness of the moon, the brightness of fire, and the brightness of discernment. These are the four types of brightness. And of these four types of brightness, the foremost is the brightness of discernment.”

“Monks, there are these four uncountables of an eon. Which four?

“When an eon is devolving, it’s not easy to count as ‘so many years’ or ‘so many hundreds of years’ or ‘so many thousands of years’ or ‘so many hundreds of thousands of years.’

“When an eon stays having devolved, it’s not easy to count as ‘so many years’ or ‘so many hundreds of years’ or ‘so many thousands of years’ or ‘so many hundreds of thousands of years.’

“When an eon is evolving, it’s not easy to count as ‘so many years’ or ‘so many hundreds of years’ or ‘so many thousands of years’ or ‘so many hundreds of thousands of years.’

“When an eon stays having evolved, it’s not easy to count as ‘so many years’ or ‘so many hundreds of years’ or ‘so many thousands of years’ or ‘so many hundreds of thousands of years.’

“These, monks, are the four uncountables of an eon.”

There Ven. Sāriputta addressed the monks, “Friend monks!”

“Yes, friend,” the monks responded to him.

Ven. Sāriputta said, “Friends, any monk or nun who sees four qualities in him - or herself should come to the conclusion, ‘I am declining in skillful qualities. This is called decline by the Blessed One.’ Which four? An increase in passion, an increase in aversion, an increase in delusion, and one’s eye of discernment makes no headway in terms of deep possibilities & impossibilities. Any monk or nun who sees these four qualities in him - or herself should come to the conclusion, ‘I am declining in skillful qualities. This is called decline by the Blessed One.’

“Any monk or nun who sees four qualities in him - or herself should come to the conclusion, ‘I am not declining in skillful qualities. This is called non-decline by the Blessed One.’ Which four? A reduction in passion, a reduction in aversion, a reduction in delusion, and one’s eye of discernment makes headway in terms of deep possibilities & impossibilities. Any monk or nun who sees these four qualities in him - or herself should come to the conclusion, ‘I am not declining in skillful qualities. This is called non-decline by the Blessed One.’”

I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Ānanda was staying in Kosambī at Ghosita’s monastery. Then a certain nun said to a certain man, “Go, my good man, to my lord Ānanda and, on arrival, bowing your head to his feet in my name, tell him, ‘The nun named such-&-such, venerable sir, is sick, in pain, severely ill. She bows her head to the feet of her lord Ānanda and says, “It would be good if my lord Ānanda were to go to the nuns’ quarters, to visit this nun out of sympathy for her.”’”

Responding, “Yes, my lady,” the man then went to Ven. Ānanda and, on arrival, having bowed down, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Ānanda, “The nun named such-&-such, venerable sir, is sick, in pain, severely ill. She bows her head to the feet of her lord Ānanda and says, ‘It would be good if my lord Ānanda were to go to the nuns’ quarters, to visit this nun out of sympathy for her.’”

Ven. Ānanda acquiesced with silence.

Then in the early morning, having adjusted his lower robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe, Ven. Ānanda went to the nuns’ quarters. The nun saw Ven. Ānanda coming from afar. On seeing him, she lay down on a bed, having covered her head.

Then Ven. Ānanda went to the nun and, on arrival, sat down on a seat made ready. As he was sitting there, he said to the nun: “This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.

“This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.

“This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.

“This body comes into being through sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse is to be abandoned. With regard to sexual intercourse, the Buddha declares the cutting off of the bridge.

“‘This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.’ Thus it was said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk, considering it thoughtfully, takes food — not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification — but simply for the survival & continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, (thinking,) ‘Thus will I destroy old feelings (of hunger) and not create new feelings (from overeating). I will maintain myself, be blameless, & live in comfort.’ Then, at a later time, he abandons food, having relied on food. ‘This body, sister, comes into being through food. And yet it is by relying on food that food is to be abandoned.’ Thus it was said, and in reference to this was it said.

“‘This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.’ Thus it was said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, ‘The monk named such-&-such, they say, through the ending of the effluents, has entered & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having known & realized them for himself in the here & now.’ The thought occurs to him, ‘I hope that I, too, will — through the ending of the effluents — enter & remain in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for myself right in the here & now.’ Then, at a later time, he abandons craving, having relied on craving. ‘This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.’ Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.

“‘This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.’ Thus it was said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, ‘The monk named such-&-such, they say, through the ending of the effluents, has entered & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for himself right in the here & now.’ The thought occurs to him, ‘The monk named such-&-such, they say, through the ending of the effluents, has entered & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for himself right in the here & now. Then why not me?’ Then, at a later time, he abandons conceit, having relied on conceit. ‘This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.’ Thus it was said, and in reference to this was it said.

“This body comes into being through sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse is to be abandoned. With regard to sexual intercourse, the Buddha declares the cutting off of the bridge.”

Then the nun — getting up from her bed, arranging her upper robe over one shoulder, and bowing down with her head at Ven. Ānanda’s feet — said, “A transgression has overcome me, venerable sir, in that I was so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to act in this way. May my lord Ānanda please accept this confession of my transgression as such, so that I may restrain myself in the future.”

“Yes, sister, a transgression overcame you in that you were so foolish, so muddle-headed, and so unskilled as to act in this way. But because you see your transgression as such and make amends in accordance with the Dhamma, we accept your confession. For it is a cause of growth in the discipline of the noble ones when, seeing a transgression as such, one makes amends in accordance with the Dhamma and exercises restraint in the future.”

“Monks, when the One Well-gone or the discipline of the One Well-gone is established in the world, that is for the benefit & happiness of many, out of sympathy for the world, for the welfare, benefit, & happiness of devas & human beings.

“And who is the One Well-gone? There is the case where a Tathāgata appears in the world, worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed. This, monks, is the One Well-gone.

“And what is the discipline of the One Well-gone? He teaches the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end; he expounds the holy life both in its particulars & in its meaning, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. This, monks, is the discipline of the One Well-gone.

“When the One Well-gone or the discipline of the One Well-gone is thus established in the world, that is for the benefit & happiness of many, out of sympathy for the world, for the welfare, benefit, & happiness of devas & human beings.

“Monks, these four things lead to the confusion & disappearance of the True Dhamma. Which four?

“There is the case where monks learn suttas that have been poorly memorized, with words & phrases poorly placed. When the words & phrases are poorly placed, the meaning is wrongly inferred. This, monks, is the first thing that leads to the confusion & disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“Further, the monks are hard to correct and are endowed with qualities that make them hard to correct. They lack endurance and don’t take instruction respectfully. This, monks, is the second thing that leads to the confusion & disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“Further, those monks who are learned, to whom the tradition has come down, who have memorized the suttas, memorized the discipline, memorized the mātikas,[30] do not attentively teach the discourses to others. When they have passed away, the discourses are cut off at the root, left without an arbitrator. This, monks, is the third thing that leads to the confusion & disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“Further, the elder monks are luxurious & lax, in the vanguard of backsliding, shirking the duties of solitude. They don’t make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. Later generations follow their example. They, too, are luxurious & lax, in the vanguard of backsliding, shirking the duties of solitude. They don’t make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. This, monks, is the fourth thing that leads to the confusion & disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“These, monks, are four things lead to the confusion & disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“But these four things lead to the stability, non-confusion, & non-disappearance of the True Dhamma. Which four?

“There is the case where monks learn suttas that have been well memorized, with words & phrases well placed. When the words & phrases are well placed, the meaning is rightly inferred. This, monks, is the first thing that leads to the stability, non-confusion, & non-disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“Further, the monks are easy to correct and are endowed with qualities that make them easy to correct. They show endurance and take instruction respectfully. This, monks, is the second thing that leads to the stability, non-confusion, & non-disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“Further, those monks who are learned, to whom the tradition has come down, who have memorized the suttas, memorized the discipline, memorized the mātikas, attentively teach the discourses to others. When they have passed away, the discourses are not cut off at the root and are left with an arbitrator. This, monks, is the third thing that leads to the stability, non-confusion, & non-disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“Further, the elder monks are not luxurious or lax. They toss away backsliding and are in the vanguard of solitude. They make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. Later generations follow their example. They, too, are not luxurious or lax. They toss away backsliding and are in the vanguard of solitude. They make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. This, monks, is the fourth thing that leads to the stability, non-confusion, & non-disappearance of the True Dhamma.

“These, monks, are four things lead to the stability, non-confusion, & non-disappearance of the True Dhamma.”

“Monks, there are these four modes of practice. Which four? Painful practice with slow intuition, painful practice with quick intuition, pleasant practice with slow intuition, & pleasant practice with quick intuition.

“And which is painful practice with slow intuition? There is the case where a certain individual is normally of an intensely passionate nature. He perpetually experiences pain & distress born of passion. Or he is normally of an intensely aversive nature. He perpetually experiences pain & distress born of aversion. Or he is normally of an intensely deluded nature. He perpetually experiences pain & distress born of delusion. These five faculties of his — the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment — appear weakly. Because of their weakness, he attains only slowly the immediacy[31 that leads to the ending of the effluents. This is called painful practice with slow intuition.

“And which is painful practice with quick intuition? There is the case where a certain individual is normally of an intensely passionate nature. He perpetually experiences pain & distress born of passion. Or he is normally of an intensely aversive nature. He perpetually experiences pain & distress born of aversion. Or he is normally of an intensely deluded nature. He perpetually experiences pain & distress born of delusion. These five faculties of his — the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment — appear intensely. Because of their intensity, he attains quickly the immediacy that leads to the ending of the effluents. This is called painful practice with quick intuition.

“And which is pleasant practice with slow intuition? There is the case where a certain individual is normally not of an intensely passionate nature. He does not perpetually experience pain & distress born of passion. Or he is normally not of an intensely aversive nature. He does not perpetually experience pain & distress born of aversion. Or he is normally not of an intensely deluded nature. He does not perpetually experience pain & distress born of delusion. These five faculties of his — the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment — appear weakly. Because of their weakness, he attains only slowly the immediacy that leads to the ending of the effluents. This is called pleasant practice with slow intuition.

“And which is pleasant practice with quick intuition? There is the case where a certain individual is normally not of an intensely passionate nature. He does not perpetually experience pain & distress born of passion. Or he is normally not of an intensely aversive nature. He does not perpetually experience pain & distress born of aversion. Or he is normally not of an intensely deluded nature. He does not perpetually experience pain & distress born of delusion. These five faculties of his — the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment — appear intensely. Because of their intensity, he attains quickly the immediacy that leads to the ending of the effluents. This is called pleasant practice with quick intuition.

“These are the four modes of practice.”

“Monks, there are these four modes of practice. Which four? Painful practice with slow intuition, painful practice with quick intuition, pleasant practice with slow intuition, & pleasant practice with quick intuition.

“And which is painful practice with slow intuition? There is the case where a monk remains focused on unattractiveness with regard to the body, percipient of loathsomeness in food, percipient of distaste for every world, (and) focused on inconstancy with regard to all fabrications. The perception of death is well established within him. He dwells in dependence on the five strengths of one in training—strength of conviction, strength of a sense of shame, strength of a sense of compunction, strength of persistence, & strength of discernment — but these five faculties of his — the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment — appear weakly. Because of their weakness, he attains only slowly the immediacy[32] that leads to the ending of the effluents. This is called painful practice with slow intuition.

“And which is painful practice with quick intuition? There is the case where a monk remains focused on unattractiveness with regard to the body, percipient of loathsomeness in food, percipient of distaste for every world, (and) focused on inconstancy with regard to all fabrications. The perception of death is well established within him. He dwells in dependence on these five strengths of one in training — strength of conviction, strength of a sense of shame, strength of a sense of compunction, strength of persistence, & strength of discernment — and these five faculties of his — the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment — appear intensely. Because of their intensity, he attains quickly the immediacy that leads to the ending of the effluents. This is called painful practice with quick intuition.

“And which is pleasant practice with slow intuition? There is the case where a monk — quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities — enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ With the abandoning of pleasure & pain—as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress—he enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.[33] He dwells in dependence on these five strengths of one in training — strength of conviction, strength of a sense of shame, strength of a sense of compunction, strength of persistence, & strength of discernment — but these five faculties of his — the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment — appear weakly. Because of their weakness, he attains only slowly the immediacy that leads to the ending of the effluents. This is called pleasant practice with slow intuition.

“And which is pleasant practice with quick intuition? There is the case where a monk—quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities—enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. He dwells in dependence on these five strengths of one in training — strength of conviction, strength of a sense of shame, strength of a sense of compunction, strength of persistence, & strength of discernment — and these five faculties of his — the faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment — appear intensely. Because of their intensity, he attains quickly the immediacy that leads to the ending of the effluents. This is called pleasant practice with quick intuition.

“These are the four modes of practice.”

“Monks, there are these four modes of practice. Which four? Intolerant practice, tolerant practice, self-controlled practice, and even practice.[34]

“And which is intolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, returns the insult; when abused, returns the abuse; when bickered with, bickers in return. This is called intolerant practice.

“And which is tolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, doesn’t return the insult; when abused, doesn’t return the abuse; when bickered with, doesn’t bicker in return. This is called tolerant practice.

“And which is self-controlled practice? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, doesn’t grasp at any theme or variations by which—if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye.

“On hearing a sound with the ear.…

“On smelling an aroma with the nose.…

“On tasting a flavor with the tongue.…

“On touching a tactile sensation with the body.…

“On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he doesn’t grasp at any theme or variations by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect—evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the intellect. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the intellect.

“This is called self-controlled practice.

“And which is even practice? There is the case where a monk doesn’t acquiesce to an arisen thought of sensuality. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, wipes it out of existence.

“He doesn’t acquiesce to an arisen thought of ill will. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, wipes it out of existence.

“He doesn’t acquiesce to an arisen thought of harmfulness. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, wipes it out of existence.

“He doesn’t acquiesce to any arisen evil, unskillful qualities. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, wipes them out of existence.

“This is called even practice.

“These, monks, are four modes of practice.”

“Monks, there are these four modes of practice. Which four? Intolerant practice, tolerant practice, self-controlled practice, and even practice.[35]

“And which is intolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual doesn’t tolerate cold, heat, hunger, & thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words; & bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, & menacing to life. This is called intolerant practice.

“And which is tolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual tolerates cold, heat, hunger, & thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words; & bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, & menacing to life. This is called tolerant practice.

“And which is self-controlled practice? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, doesn’t grasp at any theme or variations by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye.

“On hearing a sound with the ear.…

“On smelling an aroma with the nose.…

“On tasting a flavor with the tongue.…

“On touching a tactile sensation with the body.…

“On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he doesn’t grasp at any theme or variations by which—if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the intellect. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the intellect.

“This is called self-controlled practice.

“And which is even practice? There is the case where a monk doesn’t acquiesce to an arisen thought of sensuality. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, wipes it out of existence.

“He doesn’t acquiesce to an arisen thought of ill will.…

“He doesn’t acquiesce to an arisen thought of harmfulness…

“He doesn’t acquiesce to any arisen evil, unskillful qualities. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, wipes them out of existence.

“This is called even practice.

“These, monks, are four modes of practice.”

On one occasion Ven. Ānanda was staying in Kosambī at Ghosita’s monastery. There he addressed the monks, “Friends!”

“Yes, friend,” the monks responded to him.

Ven. Ānanda said: “Friends, whoever — monk or nun — declares the attainment of arahantship in my presence, they all do it by means of one or another of four paths. Which four?

“There is the case where a monk has developed insight preceded by tranquility. As he develops insight preceded by tranquility, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it — his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.

“Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquility preceded by insight. As he develops tranquility preceded by insight, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it — his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.

“Then there is the case where a monk has developed tranquility in tandem with insight. As he develops tranquility in tandem with insight, the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it — his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.

“Then there is the case where a monk’s mind has its restlessness concerning the Dhamma [Comm: the corruptions of insight] well under control. There comes a time when his mind grows steady inwardly, settles down, and becomes unified & concentrated. In him the path is born. He follows that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it & pursuing it — his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.

“Whoever — monk or nun — declares the attainment of arahantship in my presence, they all do it by means of one or another of these four paths.”

Then Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita went to Ven. Sāriputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sāriputta, “With the remainderless fading & cessation of the six contact-media [vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, & intellection], is it the case that there is anything else?”

[Ven. Sāriputta:] “Don’t say that, my friend.”

[Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita:] “With the remainderless fading & cessation of the six contact-media, is it the case that there is not anything else?”

[Ven. Sāriputta:] “Don’t say that, my friend.”

[Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita:] “…is it the case that there both is & is not anything else?”

[Ven. Sāriputta:] “Don’t say that, my friend.”

[Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita:] “…is it the case that there neither is nor is not anything else?”

[Ven. Sāriputta:] “Don’t say that, my friend.”

[Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita:] “Being asked if, with the remainderless fading & cessation of the six contact-media, there is anything else, you say, ‘Don’t say that, my friend.’ Being asked if… there is not anything else… there both is & is not anything else… there neither is nor is not anything else, you say, ‘Don’t say that, my friend.’ Now, how is the meaning of your words to be understood?”

[Ven. Sāriputta:] “The statement, ‘With the remainderless fading & cessation of the six contact-media, is it the case that there is anything else?’ objectifies the unobjectified.[36] The statement, ‘… is it the case that there is not anything else… is it the case that there both is & is not anything else… is it the case that there neither is nor is not anything else?’ objectifies the unobjectified. However far the six contact-media go, that is how far objectification goes. However far objectification goes, that is how far the six contact-media go. With the remainderless fading & cessation of the six contact-media, there comes to be the cessation of objectification, the stilling of objectification.”

“Monks, these four types of individuals are to be found existing in the world. Which four?

“There is the case where a monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release.[37] He attends to the cessation of self-identification, but as he is attending to the cessation of self-identification his mind doesn’t leap up, grow confident, steadfast, or firm in the cessation of self-identification. For him the cessation of self-identification is not to be expected. Just as if a man were to grasp a branch with his hand smeared with resin, his hand would stick to it, grip it, adhere to it; in the same way, the monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the cessation of self-identification, but as he is attending to the cessation of self-identification his mind doesn’t leap up, grow confident, steadfast, or firm in the cessation of self-identification. For him the cessation of self-identification is not to be expected.

“Now, there is the case where a monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the cessation of self-identification, and as he is attending to the cessation of self-identification his mind leaps up, grows confident, steadfast, & firm in the cessation of self-identification. For him the cessation of self-identification is to be expected. Just as if a man were to grasp a branch with a clean hand, his hand would not stick to it, grip it, or adhere to it; in the same way, the monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the cessation of self-identification, and as he is attending to the cessation of self-identification his mind leaps up, grows confident, steadfast, & firm in the cessation of self-identification. For him the cessation of self-identification is to be expected.

“Now, there is the case where a monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the breaching of ignorance, but as he is attending to the breaching of ignorance his mind doesn’t leap up, grow confident, steadfast, or firm in the breaching of ignorance. For him the breaching of ignorance is not to be expected. Just as if there were a waste-water pool that had stood for countless years, where a man were to block all the inlets and open all the outlets, and the sky were to not rain down in good streams of rain: the breaching of the waste-water pool’s embankment would not be expected; in the same way, the monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the breaching of ignorance, but as he is attending to the breaching of ignorance his mind doesn’t leap up, grow confident, steadfast, or firm in the breaching of ignorance. For him the breaching of ignorance is not to be expected.

“Now, there is the case where a monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the breaching of ignorance, and as he is attending to the breaching of ignorance his mind leaps up, grows confident, steadfast, & firm in the breaching of ignorance. For him the breaching of ignorance is to be expected. Just as if there were a waste-water pool that had stood for countless years, where a man were to open all the inlets and block all the outlets, and the sky were to rain down in good streams of rain: the breaching of the waste-water pool’s embankment would be expected; in the same way, the monk enters & remains in a certain peaceful awareness-release. He attends to the breaching of ignorance, and as he is attending to the breaching of ignorance his mind leaps up, grows confident, steadfast, & firm in the breaching of ignorance. For him the breaching of ignorance is to be expected.

“These are four types of individuals to be found existing in the world.”

Then Ven. Ānanda went to Ven. Sāriputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sāriputta, “Friend Sāriputta, what is the cause, what is the reason, why some beings do not become totally unbound in the present life?”

“There’s the case, friend Ānanda, where beings do not discern, as it has come to be, that ‘This perception has a share in decline;’ ‘This perception has a share in stability;’ ‘This perception has a share in distinction;’ ‘This perception has a share in penetration.’[52] This is the cause, this is the reason, why some beings do not become totally unbound in the present life.”

“And what, friend Sāriputta, is the cause, what is the reason, why some beings do become totally unbound in the present life?”

“There’s the case, friend Ānanda, where beings discern, as it has come to be, that ‘This perception has a share in decline;’ ‘This perception has a share in stability;’ ‘This perception has a share in distinction;’ ‘This perception has a share in penetration.’ This is the cause, this is the reason, why some beings become totally unbound in the present life.”

“Endowed with four qualities, monks, a warrior is worthy of a king, an asset to a king, and counts as a very limb of his king. Which four?

“There is the case where a warrior is skilled in his stance, able to shoot far, able to fire shots in rapid succession, and able to pierce great objects. A warrior endowed with these four qualities is worthy of a king, an asset to a king, and counts as a very limb of his king.

“In the same way a monk endowed with four qualities is deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, an unexcelled field of merit for the world. Which four?

“There is the case where a monk is skilled in his stance, able to shoot far, able to fire shots in rapid succession, and able to pierce great objects. A monk endowed with these four qualities is deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, an unexcelled field of merit for the world.

“And how is a monk skilled in his stance? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Pāṭimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults. This is how a monk is skilled in his stance.

“And how is a monk one who is able to shoot far? There is the case where a monk sees any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — every form — as it has come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’

“He sees any feeling whatsoever.…

“He sees any perception whatsoever.…

“He sees any fabrications whatsoever.…

“He sees any consciousness whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle, common or sublime, far or near — every consciousness—as it has come to be with right discernment as: ‘This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.’

“This is how a monk is one who is able to shoot far.

“And how is a monk one who is able to fire shots in rapid succession? There is the case where a monk discerns, as it has come to be, that ‘This is stress’ … ‘This is the origination of stress’ … ‘This is the cessation of stress’ … ‘This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.’ This is how a monk is one who is able to fire shots in rapid succession.

“And how is a monk one who is able to pierce great objects? There is the case where a monk pierces right through the great mass of ignorance. This is how a monk is one who is able to pierce great objects right through.

“Endowed with these four qualities, a monk is deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, an unexcelled field of merit for the world.”

“For four things, monks, there is no guarantor — neither a contemplative, nor a brahman, nor a deva, nor a Māra, nor a Brahmā, nor anyone at all in the world. Which four?

“‘May what is subject to aging not age’: For this there is no guarantor — neither a contemplative, nor a brahman, nor a deva, nor a Māra, nor a Brahmā, nor anyone at all in the world.

“‘May what is subject to illness not fall ill’: For this there is no guarantor — neither a contemplative, nor a brahman, nor a deva, nor a Māra, nor a Brahmā, nor anyone at all in the world.

“‘May what is subject to death not die’: For this there is no guarantor — neither a contemplative, nor a brahman, nor a deva, nor a Māra, nor a Brahmā, nor anyone at all in the world.

“‘May the results of evil actions — defiled, leading to further becoming, distressing, ripening in pain & future birth, aging, & death — not appear’: For this there is no guarantor — neither a contemplative, nor a brahman, nor a deva, nor a Māra, nor a Brahmā, nor anyone at all in the world.

“For these four things, monks, there is no guarantor — neither a contemplative, nor a brahman, nor a deva, nor a Māra, nor a Brahmā, nor anyone at all in the world.”

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then Vassakāra the brahman, the minister to the king of Magadha, approached the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: “I am of the view, of the opinion, that when anyone speaks of what he has seen, (saying,) ‘Thus have I seen,’ there is no fault in that. When anyone speaks of what he has heard, (saying,) ‘Thus have I heard,’ there is no fault in that. When anyone speaks of what he has sensed, (saying,) ‘Thus have I sensed,’ there is no fault in that. When anyone speaks of what he has cognized, (saying,) ‘Thus have I cognized,’ there is no fault in that.”

(The Blessed One responded:) “I do not say, brahman, that everything that has been seen should be spoken about. Nor do I say that everything that has been seen should not be spoken about. I do not say that everything that has been heard… everything that has been sensed… everything that has been cognized should be spoken about. Nor do I say that everything that has been cognized should not be spoken about.

“When, for one who speaks of what has been seen, unskillful qualities increase and skillful qualities decrease, then that sort of thing should not be spoken about. But when, for one who speaks of what has been seen, unskillful qualities decrease and skillful qualities increase, then that sort of thing should be spoken about.

“When, for one who speaks of what has been heard… what has been sensed… what has been cognized, unskillful qualities increase and skillful qualities decrease, then that sort of thing should not be spoken about. But when, for one who speaks of what has been cognized, unskillful qualities decrease and skillful qualities increase, then that sort of thing should be spoken about.”

Then Vassakāra the brahman, delighting & rejoicing in the Blessed One’s words, got up from his seat and left.

Then Jānussoṇi the brahman went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: “I am of the view & opinion that there is no one who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death.”

(The Blessed One said:) “Brahman, there are those who, subject to death, are afraid & in terror of death. And there are those who, subject to death, are not afraid or in terror of death.

“And who is the person who, subject to death, is afraid & in terror of death? There is the case of the person who has not abandoned passion, desire, fondness, thirst, fever, & craving for sensuality. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘O, those beloved sensual pleasures will be taken from me, and I will be taken from them!’ He grieves & is tormented, weeps, beats his breast, & grows delirious. This is a person who, subject to death, is afraid & in terror of death.

“Then there is the case of the person who has not abandoned passion, desire, fondness, thirst, fever, & craving for the body. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘O, my beloved body will be taken from me, and I will be taken from my body!’ He grieves & is tormented, weeps, beats his breast, & grows delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is afraid & in terror of death.

“Then there is the case of the person who has not done what is good, has not done what is skillful, has not given protection to those in fear, and instead has done what is evil, savage, & cruel. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘I have not done what is good, have not done what is skillful, have not given protection to those in fear, and instead have done what is evil, savage, & cruel. To the extent that there is a destination for those who have not done what is good, have not done what is skillful, have not given protection to those in fear, and instead have done what is evil, savage, & cruel, that’s where I’m headed after death.’ He grieves & is tormented, weeps, beats his breast, & grows delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is afraid & in terror of death.

“Then there is the case of the person in doubt & perplexity, who has not arrived at certainty with regard to the True Dhamma. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘How doubtful & perplexed I am! I have not arrived at any certainty with regard to the True Dhamma!’ He grieves & is tormented, weeps, beats his breast, & grows delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is afraid & in terror of death.

“These, brahman, are four people who, subject to death, are afraid & in terror of death.

“And who is the person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death?

“There is the case of the person who has abandoned passion, desire, fondness, thirst, fever, & craving for sensuality. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought doesn’t occur to him, ‘O, those beloved sensual pleasures will be taken from me, and I will be taken from them!’ He doesn’t grieve, isn’t tormented; doesn’t weep, beat his breast, or grow delirious. This is a person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death.

“Then there is the case of the person who has abandoned passion, desire, fondness, thirst, fever, & craving for the body. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought doesn’t occur to him, ‘O, my beloved body will be taken from me, and I will be taken from my body!’ He doesn’t grieve, isn’t tormented; doesn’t weep, beat his breast, or grow delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death.

“Then there is the case of the person who has done what is good, has done what is skillful, has given protection to those in fear, and has not done what is evil, savage, or cruel. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘I have done what is good, have done what is skillful, have given protection to those in fear, and I have not done what is evil, savage, or cruel. To the extent that there is a destination for those who have done what is good, what is skillful, have given protection to those in fear, and have not done what is evil, savage, or cruel, that’s where I’m headed after death.’ He doesn’t grieve, isn’t tormented; doesn’t weep, beat his breast, or grow delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death.

“Then there is the case of the person who has no doubt or perplexity, who has arrived at certainty with regard to the True Dhamma. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought occurs to him, ‘I have no doubt or perplexity. I have arrived at certainty with regard to the True Dhamma.’ He doesn’t grieve, isn’t tormented; doesn’t weep, beat his breast, or grow delirious. This, too, is a person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death.

“These, brahman, are four people who, subject to death, are not afraid or in terror of death.”

“Monks, when the teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view, four rewards can be expected. Which four?

“There is the case where a monk has mastered the Dhamma: dialogues, narratives of mixed prose & verse, explanations, verses, spontaneous exclamations, quotations, birth stories, amazing events, question & answer sessions [the earliest classifications of the Buddha’s teachings]. In him, these teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view. Passing away when his mindfulness is muddled, he arises in a certain group of devas. To him, happy there, they recite verses of Dhamma. Slow is the arising of his mindfulness, but when mindful,[38] he quickly arrives at distinction. When the teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view, this is the first reward that can be expected.

“Further, there is the case where a monk has mastered the Dhamma: dialogues… question & answer sessions. In him, these teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view. Passing away when his mindfulness is muddled, he arises in a certain group of devas. It doesn’t happen that they recite verses of Dhamma to him, happy there. But a monk[39] with psychic power, attained to mastery of awareness, teaches the Dhamma to the assembly of devas. The thought occurs [to the new deva]: ‘This is the Dhamma & Vinaya under which I used to live the holy life.’ Slow is the arising of his mindfulness, but when mindful, he quickly arrives at distinction.

“Suppose a man skilled in the sound of a war drum were to hear the sound of a war drum while traveling along a highway. He would have no doubt or perplexity, ‘Is that the sound of a war drum or not the sound of a war drum?’ He would come to the conclusion, ‘That’s the sound of a war drum for sure.’ In the same way, there is the case where a monk has mastered the Dhamma.… Passing away when his mindfulness is muddled, he arises in a certain group of devas.… A monk with psychic power, attained to mastery of awareness, teaches the Dhamma to the assembly of devas. The thought occurs [to the new deva]: ‘This is the Dhamma & Vinaya under which I used to live the holy life.’ Slow is the arising of his mindfulness, but when mindful, he quickly arrives at distinction. When the teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view, this is the second reward that can be expected.

“Further, there is the case where a monk has mastered the Dhamma: dialogues… question & answer sessions. In him, these teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view. Passing away when his mindfulness is muddled, he arises in a certain group of devas. It doesn’t happen that they recite verses of Dhamma to him, happy there. Nor does a monk with psychic power, attained to mastery of awareness, teach the Dhamma to the assembly of devas. But a deva teaches the Dhamma to the assembly of devas. The thought occurs [to the new deva]: ‘This is the Dhamma & Vinaya under which I used to live the holy life.’ Slow is the arising of his mindfulness, but when mindful, he quickly arrives at distinction.

“Suppose a man skilled in the sound of a conch were to hear the sound of a conch while traveling along a highway. He would have no doubt or perplexity, ‘Is that the sound of a conch or not the sound of a conch?’ He would come to the conclusion, ‘That’s the sound of a conch for sure.’ In the same way, there is the case where a monk has mastered the Dhamma.… Passing away when his mindfulness is muddled, he arises in a certain group of devas.… A deva teaches the Dhamma to the assembly of devas. The thought occurs [to the new deva]: ‘This is the Dhamma & Vinaya under which I used to live the holy life.’ Slow is the arising of his mindfulness, but when mindful, he quickly arrives at distinction. When the teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view, this is the third reward that can be expected.

“Further, there is the case where a monk has mastered the Dhamma: dialogues… question & answer sessions. In him, these teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view. Passing away when his mindfulness is muddled, he arises in a certain group of devas. It doesn’t happen that they recite verses of Dhamma to him, happy there. Nor does a monk with psychic power, attained to mastery of awareness, teach the Dhamma to the assembly of devas. Nor does a deva teach the Dhamma to the assembly of devas. But [another] spontaneously-arisen being reminds [this] spontaneously-arisen being, ‘Do you remember, my dear? Do you remember[40] where we practiced the holy life together?’ He says, ‘I remember, my dear. I remember.’ Slow is the arising of his mindfulness, but when mindful, he quickly arrives at distinction.

“Suppose that there were two comrades who played together in the mud. They would happen to meet later at some time, at some place, and there one companion would say to the other, ‘Do you remember this, my friend? And do you remember this?’[41] And the other would say, ‘I remember, my friend. I remember.’ In the same way, there is the case where a monk has mastered the Dhamma: dialogues… question & answer sessions. In him, these teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view. Passing away when his mindfulness is muddled, he arises in a certain group of devas.… A spontaneously-arisen being reminds [this] spontaneously-arisen being, ‘Do you remember, my dear? Do you remember where we practiced the holy life together?’ He says, ‘I remember, my dear. I remember.’ Slow is the arising of his mindfulness, but when mindful, he quickly arrives at distinction. When the teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view, this is the fourth reward that can be expected.

“Monks, when the teachings have been followed by ear, recited by speech, examined by mind, and well penetrated by view, these four rewards can be expected.”

“Monks, these four traits may be known by means of four (other) traits. Which four?

“It’s through living together that a person’s virtue may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“It’s through dealing with a person that his purity may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“It’s through adversity that a person’s endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“It’s through discussion that a person’s discernment may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

[1] “‘It’s through living together that a person’s virtue may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning’: Thus it was said. And in reference to what was it said?

“There is the case where one individual, through living with another, knows this: ‘For a long time this person has been torn, broken, spotted, splattered in his actions. He hasn’t been consistent in his actions. He hasn’t practiced consistently with regard to the precepts. He is an unprincipled person, not a virtuous, principled one.’ And then there is the case where one individual, through living with another, knows this: ‘For a long time this person has been untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered in his actions. He has been consistent in his actions. He has practiced consistently with regard to the precepts. He is a virtuous, principled person, not an unprincipled one.’

“‘It’s through living together that a person’s virtue may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning’: Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.

[2] “‘It’s through dealing with a person that his purity may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning’: Thus it was said. And in reference to what was it said?

“There is the case where one individual, through dealing with another, knows this: ‘This person deals one way when one-on-one, another way when with two, another way when with three, another way when with many. His earlier dealings do not jibe with his later dealings. He is impure in his dealings, not pure.’ And then there is the case where one individual, through dealing with another, knows this: ‘The way this person deals when one-on-one, is the same way he deals when with two, when with three, when with many. His earlier dealings jibe with his later dealings. He is pure in his dealings, not impure.’

“‘It’s through dealing with a person that his purity may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning’: Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.

[3] “‘It’s through adversity that a person’s endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning’: Thus it was said. And in reference to what was it said?

“There is the case where a person, suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, doesn’t reflect: ‘That’s how it is when living together in the world. That’s how it is when gaining a personal identity [atta-bhāva, literally “self-state”]. When there is living in the world, when there is the gaining of a personal identity, these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain.’ Suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, he sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught. And then there is the case where a person, suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, reflects: ‘That’s how it is when living together in the world. That’s how it is when gaining a personal identity. When there is living in the world, when there is the gaining of a personal identity, these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain.’ Suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, he doesn’t sorrow, grieve, or lament, doesn’t beat his breast or become distraught.

“‘It’s through adversity that a person’s endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning’: Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.

[4] “‘It’s through discussion that a person’s discernment may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning’: Thus it was said. And in reference to what was it said?

“There is the case where one individual, through discussion with another, knows this: ‘From the way this person rises to an issue, from the way he applies (his reasoning), from the way he addresses a question, he is dull, not discerning. Why is that? He doesn’t make statements that are deep, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. He cannot declare the meaning, teach it, describe it, set it forth, reveal it, explain it, or make it plain. He is dull, not discerning.’ Just as if a man with good eyesight standing on the shore of a body of water were to see a small fish rise. The thought would occur to him, ‘From the rise of this fish, from the break of its ripples, from its speed, it is a small fish, not a large one.’ In the same way, one individual, in discussion with another, knows this: ‘From the way this person rises to an issue, from the way he applies (his reasoning), from the way he addresses a question… he is dull, not discerning.’

“And then there is the case where one individual, through discussion with another, knows this: ‘From the way this person rises to an issue, from the way he applies (his reasoning), from the way he addresses a question, he is discerning, not dull. Why is that? He makes statements that are deep, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. He can declare the meaning, teach it, describe it, set it forth, reveal it, explain it, & make it plain. He is discerning, not dull.’ Just as if a man with good eyesight standing on the shore of a body of water were to see a large fish rise. The thought would occur to him, ‘From the rise of this fish, from the break of its ripples, from its speed, it is a large fish, not a small one.’ In the same way, one individual, in discussion with another, knows this: ‘From the way this person rises to an issue, from the way he applies (his reasoning), from the way he addresses a question… he is discerning, not dull.’

“‘It’s through discussion that a person’s discernment may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning’: Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.

“These, monks, are the four traits that may be known by means of these four (other) traits.”

On one occasion Ven. Ānanda was staying among the Koliyans, near the Koliyan town named Sāpuga. Then a large number of Koliyan-sons from Sāpuga went to him and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there Ven. Ānanda said to them, “TigerPaws,[42] these four factors for exertion with regard to purity have been rightly expounded by the Blessed One who knows & sees — the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One — for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of unbinding.[43] Which four? The factor for exertion with regard to purity of virtue, the factor for exertion with regard to purity of mind, the factor for exertion with regard to purity of view, and the factor for exertion with regard to purity of release.

“And what, TigerPaws, is the factor for exertion with regard to purity of virtue? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Pāṭimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults. This is called purity of virtue. (The thought,) ‘I will make complete this sort of purity of virtue when it is not yet complete, or I will protect it here & there with discernment when it is complete’: Any desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, relentlessness, mindfulness,[44] & alertness there is called the factor for exertion with regard to purity of virtue.

“And what, TigerPaws, is the factor for exertion with regard to purity of mind? There is the case where a monk — quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities — enters & remains in the first jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called purity of mind. (The thought,) ‘I will make complete this sort of purity of mind when it is not yet complete, or I will protect it here & there with discernment when it is complete’: Any desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, relentlessness, mindfulness, & alertness there is called the factor for exertion with regard to purity of mind.

“And what, TigerPaws, is the factor for exertion with regard to purity of view? There is the case where a monk discerns, as it has come to be, that ‘This is stress… This the origination of stress… This is the cessation of stress… This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.’ This is called purity of view. (The thought,) ‘I will make complete this sort of purity of view when it is not yet complete, or I will protect it here & there with discernment when it is complete’: Any desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, relentlessness, mindfulness, & alertness there is called the factor for exertion with regard to purity of view.

“And what, TigerPaws, is the factor for exertion with regard to purity of release? That same noble disciple — endowed with this factor for exertion with regard to purity of virtue, this factor for exertion with regard to purity of mind, and this factor for exertion with regard to purity of view — makes his mind dispassionate with regard to phenomena that are conducive to passion, and liberates his mind with regard to phenomena that are conducive to liberation.[45] He — having made his mind dispassionate with regard to phenomena that are conducive to passion, and having liberated his mind with regard to phenomena that are conducive to liberation — touches right release. This is called purity of release. (The thought,) ‘I will make complete this sort of purity of release when it is not yet complete, or I will protect it here & there with discernment when it is complete’: Any desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, relentlessness, mindfulness, & alertness there is called the factor for exertion with regard to purity of release.

“These, TigerPaws, are the four factors for exertion with regard to purity that have been rightly expounded by the Blessed One who knows & sees — the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One — for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of unbinding.”

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans at the Banyan Tree Park near Kapilavatthu.

Then Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, went to Ven. Mahā Moggallāna and, on arrival, bowed down to him and sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. MahāMoggallāna asked him, “Vappa, in case there were a person who — from the fading of ignorance, and from the arising of clear knowing — was restrained in body, restrained in speech, & restrained in mind, do you see the possibility that, from any cause, effluents to be experienced as pain would flow toward that person in a future life?”

“I do see, venerable sir, the possibility where there would be a case where — from the cause of a previously done evil action whose results have yet to ripen — effluents to be experienced as pain would flow toward that person in a future life.”[46]

And Ven. Mahā Moggallāna’s conversation with Vappa the Sakyan, the disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, was still interrupted when, in the late afternoon, the Blessed One, rising from his seclusion, went to the meeting hall and on arrival sat down in a seat laid out. When he was seated, he said to Ven. MahāMoggallāna, “For what discussion are you now sitting here together? Or what was your discussion that was interrupted in mid-course?”

“Just now, lord, I said to Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, ‘Vappa, in case there were a person who — from the fading of ignorance, and from the arising of clear knowing — was restrained in body, restrained in speech, & restrained in mind, do you see the possibility that, from any cause, effluents to be experienced as pain would flow toward that person in a future life?’ When this was said, Vappa the Sakyan said to me, ‘I do see, venerable sir, the possibility where there would be a case where — from the cause of a previously done evil action whose results have yet to ripen — effluents to be experienced as pain would flow toward that person in a future life.’ This was my discussion with Vappa the Sakyan that was interrupted when the Blessed One appeared.”

Then the Blessed One said to Vappa the Sakyan, the disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, “Vappa, if you will allow of me what should be allowed, protest what should be protested, and further cross-question me directly then & there on the meaning of any statement of mine that you don’t understand — ‘How is this, lord? What is the meaning of this?’ — then we could have a discussion here.”

“Lord, I will admit what should be admitted, reject what should be rejected, and further cross-question the Blessed One directly on the meaning of any statement of his that I don’t understand — ‘How is this, lord? What is the meaning of this?’: Let us have a discussion here.”

“Vappa, as for any effluents causing trouble & vexation that arise in dependence on bodily activity: When one has abandoned bodily activity, those effluents causing trouble & vexation do not exist for him. He does no new action [kamma], and as for old action, he destroys it with each contact: a wasting away that is visible here & now, timeless, inviting inspection, pertinent, to be known by the observant for themselves. Do you see the possibility that, from any cause, effluents to be experienced as pain would flow toward that person in a future life?”

“No, lord.”

“Vappa, as for any effluents causing trouble & vexation that arise in dependence on verbal activity… any effluents causing trouble & vexation that arise in dependence on mental activity… any effluents causing trouble & vexation that arise in dependence on ignorance: From the fading of ignorance, and from the arising of clear knowing, those effluents causing trouble & vexation do not exist for him. He does no new action, and as for old action, he destroys it with each contact: a wasting away that is visible here & now, timeless, inviting inspection, pertinent, to be known by the observant for themselves. Do you see the possibility that, from any cause, effluents to be experienced as pain would flow toward that person in a future life?”

“No, lord.”

“For a monk whose mind is thus rightly released, Vappa, six continual dwellings have been attained. When seeing a form via the eye, he is neither glad nor sad, but dwells equanimous, mindful, & alert.

“When hearing a sound via the ear.…

“When smelling an aroma via the nose.…

“When tasting a flavor via the tongue.…

“When feeling a tactile sensation via the body.…

“When cognizing an idea via the mind, he is neither glad nor sad, but dwells equanimous, mindful, & alert.

“When sensing a feeling limited to the body, he discerns that ‘I am sensing a feeling limited to the body.’ When sensing a feeling limited to life, he discerns that ‘I am sensing a feeling limited to life.’ He discerns that ‘With the breakup of the body, after the termination of life, all that is sensed, not being relished, will grow cold right here.’

“Vappa, suppose a shadow were to be discernable in dependence on a stump. A man would come along carrying a shovel. He would cut the stump at the base. Having cut it at the base, he would dig it out. Having dug it out, he would pull out the roots, down to the rootlets. Then he would cut the stump into pieces. Having cut it into pieces, he would split the pieces. Having split the pieces, he would make them into splinters. Having made them into splinters, he would dry them in the wind & sunlight. Having dried them in the wind & sunlight, he would burn them with fire. Having burned them with fire, he would make them into ashes. Having made them into ashes, he would winnow them before a high wind or dump them into a swift-flowing stream. Thus the shadow dependent on the stump would be destroyed at the root, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising.

“In the same way, Vappa, for a monk whose mind is thus rightly released, six continual dwellings have been attained. When seeing a form via the eye.… When hearing a sound via the ear.… When smelling an aroma via the nose.… When tasting a flavor via the tongue.… When feeling a tactile sensation via the body.… When cognizing an idea via the mind, he is neither glad nor sad, but dwells equanimous, mindful, & alert.

“When sensing a feeling limited to the body, he discerns that ‘I am sensing a feeling limited to the body.’ When sensing a feeling limited to life, he discerns that ‘I am sensing a feeling limited to life.’ He discerns that ‘With the breakup of the body, after the termination of life, all that is sensed, not being relished, will grow cold right here.’”

When this was said, Vappa the Sakyan, the disciple of the Nigaṇṭhas, said to the Blessed One, “Lord, suppose that there were a man desiring profit who raised horses for sale but he didn’t gain any profit, and furthermore had his share of trouble & torment. In the same way, I — desiring profit — have attended to the foolish Nigaṇṭhas but I haven’t gained any profit, and furthermore have had my share of trouble & torment. From this day forward, lord, I take my faith in the foolish Nigaṇṭhas and winnow it before a high wind or dump it into a swift-flowing stream.

“Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.”

“Monks, I will teach you craving: the ensnarer that has flowed along, spread out, and caught hold, with which this world is smothered & enveloped like a tangled skein, a knotted ball of string, like matted rushes and reeds, and does not go beyond transmigration, beyond the planes of deprivation, woe, & bad destinations. Listen well, and I will speak.”

“Yes, lord,” the monks responded to him.

The Blessed One said: “And which craving is the ensnarer that has flowed along, spread out, and caught hold, with which this world is smothered & enveloped like a tangled skein, a knotted ball of string, like matted rushes and reeds, and does not go beyond transmigration, beyond the planes of deprivation, woe, & bad destinations? These 18 craving-verbalizations [53] dependent on what is internal and 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is external.

“And which are the 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is internal? There being ‘I am,’ there comes to be ‘I am here,’ there comes to be ‘I am like this’ … ‘I am otherwise’ … ‘I am bad’ … ‘I am good’ … ‘I might be’ … ‘I might be here’ … ‘I might be like this’ … ‘I might be otherwise’ … ‘May I be’ … ‘May I be here’ … ‘May I be like this’ … ‘May I be otherwise’ … ‘I will be’ … ‘I will be here’ … ‘I will be like this’ … ‘I will be otherwise.’ These are the 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is internal.

“And which are the 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is external? There being ‘I am because of this [or: by means of this],’ there comes to be ‘I am here because of this,’ there comes to be ‘I am like this because of this’ … ‘I am otherwise because of this’ … ‘I am bad because of this’ … ‘I am good because of this’ … ‘I might be because of this’ … ‘I might be here because of this’ … ‘I might be like this because of this’ … ‘I might be otherwise because of this’ … ‘May I be because of this’ … ‘May I be here because of this’ … ‘May I be like this because of this’ … ‘May I be otherwise because of this’ … ‘I will be because of this’ … ‘I will be here because of this’ … ‘I will be like this because of this’ … ‘I will be otherwise because of this.’ These are the 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is external.

“Thus there are 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is internal and 18 craving-verbalizations dependent on what is external. These are called the 36 craving-verbalizations. Thus, with 36 craving-verbalizations of this sort in the past, 36 in the future, and 36 in the present, there are 108 craving-verbalizations.

“This, monks, is craving: the ensnarer that has flowed along, spread out, and caught hold, with which this world is smothered & enveloped like a tangled skein, a knotted ball of string, like matted rushes and reeds, and does not go beyond transmigration, beyond the planes of deprivation, woe, & bad destinations.”

“Monks, these four things are born. Which four? Love is born of love. Aversion is born of love. Love is born of aversion. Aversion is born of aversion.

“And how is love born of love? There is the case where an individual is pleasing, appealing, & charming to (another) individual. Others treat that individual as pleasing, appealing, & charming, and the other one thinks, ‘This individual is pleasing, appealing, & charming to me. Others treat this individual as pleasing, appealing, & charming.’ He gives rise to love for them. This is how love is born of love.

“And how is aversion born of love? There is the case where an individual is pleasing, appealing, & charming to (another) individual. Others treat that individual as displeasing, unappealing, & not charming, and the other one thinks, ‘This individual is pleasing, appealing, & charming to me. Others treat this individual as displeasing, unappealing, & not charming.’ He gives rise to aversion for them. This is how aversion is born of love.

“And how is love born of aversion? There is the case where an individual is displeasing, unappealing, & not charming to (another) individual. Others treat that individual as displeasing, unappealing, & not charming, and the other one thinks, ‘This individual is displeasing, unappealing, & not charming to me. Others treat this individual as displeasing, unappealing, & not charming.’ He gives rise to love for them. This is how love is born of aversion.

“And how is aversion born of aversion? There is the case where an individual is displeasing, unappealing, & not charming to (another) individual. Others treat that individual as pleasing, appealing, & charming, and the other one thinks, ‘This individual is displeasing, unappealing, & not charming to me. Others treat this individual as pleasing, appealing, & charming.’ He gives rise to aversion for them. This is how aversion is born of aversion.

“Monks, these are the four things that are born.

“Now, on the occasion when a monk, quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhāna — rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation — then any love of his that is born of love does not come about. Any aversion of his that is born of love… any love of his that is born of aversion… any aversion of his that is born of aversion does not come about.

“On the occasion when a monk, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhāna — rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation, internal assurance — then any love of his that is born of love does not come about. Any aversion of his that is born of love… any love of his that is born of aversion… any aversion of his that is born of aversion does not come about.

“On the occasion when a monk, with the fading of rapture, remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, senses pleasure with the body, and enters & remains in the third jhāna — of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding’ — then any love of his that is born of love does not come about. Any aversion of his that is born of love… any love of his that is born of aversion… any aversion of his that is born of aversion does not come about.

“On the occasion when a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & pain, as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress, enters & remains in the fourth jhāna — purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain — then any love of his that is born of love does not come about. Any aversion of his that is born of love… any love of his that is born of aversion… any aversion of his that is born of aversion does not come about.

“On the occasion when a monk, through the ending of effluents, enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for himself right in the here & now, then any love of his that is born of love is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Any aversion of his that is born of love… any love of his that is born of aversion… any aversion of his that is born of aversion is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising.

“This is said to be a monk who doesn’t pull in, doesn’t push away, doesn’t smolder, doesn’t flare up, and doesn’t burn.

“And how does a monk pull in? There is the case where a monk assumes form to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He assumes feeling to be the self, or the self as possessing feeling, or feeling as in the self, or the self as in feeling. He assumes perception to be the self, or the self as possessing perception, or perception as in the self, or the self as in perception. He assumes fabrications to be the self, or the self as possessing fabrications, or fabrications as in the self, or the self as in fabrications. He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. This is how a monk pulls in.

“And how does a monk not pull in? There is the case where a monk doesn’t assume form to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He doesn’t assume feeling to be the self.… doesn’t assume perception to be the self.… doesn’t assume fabrications to be the self.… doesn’t assume consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in consciousness. This is how a monk doesn’t pull in.

“And how does a monk push away? There is the case where a monk returns insult to one who has insulted him, returns anger to one who is angry at him, quarrels with one who is quarreling. This is how a monk pushes away.

“And how does a monk not push away? There is the case where a monk doesn’t return insult to one who has insulted him, doesn’t return anger to one who is angry at him, doesn’t quarrel with one who is quarreling. This is how a monk doesn’t push away.

“And how does a monk smolder? There is the case where, there being ‘I am,’ there comes to be ‘I am here,’ there comes to be ‘I am like this’ … ‘I am otherwise’ … ‘I am bad’ … ‘I am good’ … ‘I might be’ … ‘I might be here’ … ‘I might be like this’ … ‘I might be otherwise’ … ‘May I be’ … ‘May I be here’ … ‘May I be like this’ … ‘May I be otherwise’ … ‘I will be’ … ‘I will be here’ … ‘I will be like this’ … ‘I will be otherwise.’

“And how does a monk not smolder? There is the case where, there not being ‘I am,’ there doesn’t come to be ‘I am here,’ there doesn’t come to be ‘I am like this’ … ‘I am otherwise’ … ‘I am bad’ … ‘I am good’ … ‘I might be’ … ‘I might be here’ … ‘I might be like this’ … ‘I might be otherwise’ … ‘May I be’ … ‘May I be here’ … ‘May I be like this’ … ‘May I be otherwise’ … ‘I will be’ … ‘I will be here’ … ‘I will be like this’ … ‘I will be otherwise.’

“And how does a monk flare up? There is the case where, there being ‘I am because of this [or: by means of this],’ there comes to be ‘I am here because of this,’ there comes to be ‘I am like this because of this’ … ‘I am otherwise because of this’ … ‘I am bad because of this’ … ‘I am good because of this’ … ‘I might be because of this’ … ‘I might be here because of this’ … ‘I might be like this because of this’ … ‘I might be otherwise because of this’ … ‘May I be because of this’ … ‘May I be here because of this’ … ‘May I be like this because of this’ … ‘May I be otherwise because of this’ … ‘I will be because of this’ … ‘I will be here because of this’ … ‘I will be like this because of this’ … ‘I will be otherwise because of this.’

“And how does a monk not flare up? There is the case where, there not being ‘I am because of this [or: by means of this],’ there doesn’t come to be ‘I am here because of this,’ there doesn’t come to be ‘I am like this because of this’ … ‘I am otherwise because of this’ … ‘I am bad because of this’ … ‘I am good because of this’ … ‘I might be because of this’ … ‘I might be here because of this’ … ‘I might be like this because of this’ … ‘I might be otherwise because of this’ … ‘May I be because of this’ … ‘May I be here because of this’ … ‘May I be like this because of this’ … ‘May I be otherwise because of this’ … ‘I will be because of this’ … ‘I will be here because of this’ … ‘I will be like this because of this’ … ‘I will be otherwise because of this.’

“And how does a monk burn? There is the case where a monk’s conceit, ‘I am,’ is not abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. This is how a monk burns.

“And how does a monk not burn? There is the case where a monk’s conceit, ‘I am,’ is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. This is how a monk doesn’t burn.”

“Monks, I will teach you the person of no integrity, the person of less integrity than the person of no integrity, the person of integrity, & the person of more integrity than the person of integrity. Listen & pay careful attention. I will speak.”

“As you say, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said, “And which, monks, is the person of no integrity? There is the case where a certain individual is one who takes life, takes what is not given [steals], engages in sexual misconduct, tells lies, and takes distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness. This is called a person of no integrity.

“And which is the person of less integrity than the person of no integrity? There is the case where a certain individual himself is one who takes life and he encourages another in undertaking the taking of life. He himself is one who takes what is not given and he encourages another in undertaking the taking of what is not given. He himself is one who engages in sexual misconduct and he encourages another in undertaking sexual misconduct. He himself is one who tells lies and he encourages another in undertaking the telling of lies. He himself is one who takes distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness and he encourages another in undertaking the taking of distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness. This is called a person of less integrity than the person of no integrity.

“And which is the person of integrity? There is the case where a certain individual abstains from taking life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from telling lies, and abstains from taking distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness. This is called a person of integrity.

“And which is the person of more integrity than the person of integrity? There is the case where a certain individual himself abstains from taking life and he encourages another in undertaking abstinence from taking life. He himself abstains from taking what is not given and he encourages another in undertaking abstinence from taking what is not given. He himself abstains from sexual misconduct and he encourages another in undertaking abstinence from sexual misconduct. He himself abstains from telling lies and he encourages another in undertaking abstinence from telling lies. He himself abstains from taking distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness and he encourages another in undertaking abstinence from taking distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness. This is called a person of more integrity than the person of integrity.”

“Monks, these four types of kamma have been directly known, verified, & made known by me. Which four? There is kamma that is dark with dark result. There is kamma that is bright with bright result. There is kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result. There is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.

“And what is kamma that is dark with dark result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates an injurious bodily fabrication, fabricates an injurious verbal fabrication, fabricates an injurious mental fabrication. Having fabricated an injurious bodily fabrication, having fabricated an injurious verbal fabrication, having fabricated an injurious mental fabrication, he rearises in an injurious world. On rearising in an injurious world, there he is touched by injurious contacts. Touched by injurious contacts, he experiences feelings that are exclusively painful, like those of the beings in hell. This is called kamma that is dark with dark result.

“And what is kamma that is bright with bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a non-injurious bodily fabrication… a non-injurious verbal fabrication… a non-injurious mental fabrication.… He rearises in a non-injurious world.… There he is touched by non-injurious contacts.… He experiences feelings that are exclusively pleasant, like those of the Beautiful Dark Devas. This is called kamma that is bright with bright result.

“And what is kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a bodily fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious… a verbal fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious… a mental fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious.… He rearises in an injurious & non-injurious world.… There he is touched by injurious & non-injurious contacts.… He experiences injurious & non-injurious feelings, pleasure mingled with pain, like those of human beings, some devas, and some beings in the lower realms. This is called kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result.

“And what is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma? The intention right there to abandon this kamma that is dark with dark result, the intention right there to abandon this kamma that is bright with bright result, the intention right there to abandon this kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result. This is called kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.

“These, monks, are the four types of kamma directly known, verified, & made known by me.”

“Monks, these four types of kamma have been directly known, verified, & made known by me. Which four? There is kamma that is dark with dark result. There is kamma that is bright with bright result. There is kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result. There is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.

“And what is kamma that is dark with dark result? There is the case where a certain person is one who takes life, is one who takes what is not given, is one who engages in illicit sex, is one who tells lies, is one who takes fermented & distilled liquors that are the basis for heedlessness This is called kamma that is dark with dark result.

“And what is kamma that is bright with bright result? There is the case where a certain person is one who abstains from taking life, is one who abstains from taking what is not given, is one who abstains from engaging in illicit sex, is one who abstains from telling lies, is one who abstains from taking fermented & distilled liquors that are the basis for heedlessness This is called kamma that is bright with bright result.

“And what is kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a bodily fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious… a verbal fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious… a mental fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious.… He rearises in an injurious & non-injurious world.… There he is touched by injurious & non-injurious contacts.… He experiences injurious & non-injurious feelings, pleasure mingled with pain, like those of human beings, some devas, and some beings in the lower realms. This is called kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result.

“And what is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma? The intention right there to abandon this kamma that is dark with dark result, the intention right there to abandon this kamma that is bright with bright result, the intention right there to abandon this kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result. This is called kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.

“These, monks, are the four types of kamma directly known, verified, & made known by me.”

“Monks, these four types of kamma have been directly known, verified, & made known by me. Which four? There is kamma that is dark with dark result. There is kamma that is bright with bright result. There is kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result. There is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.

“And what is kamma that is dark with dark result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates an injurious bodily fabrication, fabricates an injurious verbal fabrication, fabricates an injurious mental fabrication. Having fabricated an injurious bodily fabrication, having fabricated an injurious verbal fabrication, having fabricated an injurious mental fabrication, he rearises in an injurious world. On rearising in an injurious world, he is there touched by injurious contacts. Touched by injurious contacts, he experiences feelings that are exclusively painful, like those of the beings in hell. This is called kamma that is dark with dark result.

“And what is kamma that is bright with bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a non-injurious bodily fabrication… a non-injurious verbal fabrication… a non-injurious mental fabrication.… He rearises in a non-injurious world.… There he is touched by non-injurious contacts.… He experiences feelings that are exclusively pleasant, like those of the Beautiful Black Devas. This is called kamma that is bright with bright result.

“And what is kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a bodily fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious… a verbal fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious… a mental fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious.… He rearises in an injurious & non-injurious world.… There he is touched by injurious & non-injurious contacts.… He experiences injurious & non-injurious feelings, pleasure mingled with pain, like those of human beings, some devas, and some beings in the lower realms. This is called kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result.

“And what is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma? Right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is called kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.

“These, monks, are the four types of kamma directly known, verified, & made known by me.”

“Monks, these four types of kamma have been directly known, verified, & made known by me. Which four? There is kamma that is dark with dark result. There is kamma that is bright with bright result. There is kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result. There is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.

“And what is kamma that is dark with dark result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates an injurious bodily fabrication, fabricates an injurious verbal fabrication, fabricates an injurious mental fabrication. Having fabricated an injurious bodily fabrication, having fabricated an injurious verbal fabrication, having fabricated an injurious mental fabrication, he rearises in an injurious world. On rearising in an injurious world, there he is touched by injurious contacts. Touched by injurious contacts, he experiences feelings that are exclusively painful, like those of the beings in hell. This is called kamma that is dark with dark result.

“And what is kamma that is bright with bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a non-injurious bodily fabrication… a non-injurious verbal fabrication… a non-injurious mental fabrication.… He rearises in a non-injurious world.… There he is touched by non-injurious contacts.… He experiences feelings that are exclusively pleasant, like those of the Beautiful Dark Devas. This is called kamma that is bright with bright result.

“And what is kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result? There is the case where a certain person fabricates a bodily fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious… a verbal fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious… a mental fabrication that is injurious & non-injurious.… He rearises in an injurious & non-injurious world.… There he is touched by injurious & non-injurious contacts.… He experiences injurious & non-injurious feelings, pleasure mingled with pain, like those of human beings, some devas, and some beings in the lower realms. This is called kamma that is dark & bright with dark & bright result.

“And what is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma? Mindfulness as a factor for awakening, analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening, persistence as a factor for awakening, rapture as a factor for awakening, calm as a factor for awakening, concentration as a factor for awakening, equanimity as a factor for awakening. This is called kamma that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of kamma.

“These, monks, are the four types of kamma directly known, verified, & made known by me.”

“Monks, this holy life is lived with training as a reward, with discernment as its surpassing state, with release as its heartwood, and with mindfulness as its governing principle.

“And how is training a reward? There is the case where the training I have formulated for my disciples with regard to good conduct is for the arousing of faith in those without faith, and for the increase of the faithful. And however I have formulated the training for my disciples with regard to good conduct for the arousing of faith in those without faith, and for the increase of the faithful, one behaves in a way that is untorn in line with that training — unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered. Having undertaken them, one trains in line with the training rules.

“And further, the training I have formulated for my disciples with regard to the basics of the holy life is entirely for the right ending of suffering & stress. And however I have formulated the training for my disciples with regard to the basics of the holy life for the right ending of suffering & stress, one behaves in a way that is untorn in line with that training — unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered. Having undertaken them, one trains in line with the training rules.

“This is how training is a reward.

“And how is discernment the surpassing state? There is the case where the Dhammas I have pointed out to my disciples are entirely for the right ending of suffering & stress. And however I have pointed out Dhammas for my disciples entirely for the right ending of suffering & stress, one has scrutinized them all with discernment.

“This is how discernment is the surpassing state.

“And how is release the heartwood? There is the case where the Dhammas I have pointed out to my disciples are entirely for the right ending of suffering & stress. And however I have pointed out Dhammas for my disciples entirely for the right ending of suffering & stress, one has touched them all through release.

“This is how release is the heartwood.

“And how is mindfulness the governing principle? The mindfulness that ‘I will make complete any training with regard to good conduct that is not yet complete, or I will protect with discernment any training with regard to good conduct that is complete’ is well established right within. The mindfulness that ‘I will make complete any training with regard to the basics of the holy life that is not yet complete, or I will protect with discernment any training with regard to the basics of the holy life that is complete’ is well established right within. The mindfulness that ‘I will scrutinize with discernment any Dhamma that is not yet scrutinized, or I will protect with discernment any Dhamma that has been scrutinized’ is well established right within. The mindfulness that ‘I will touch through release any Dhamma that is not yet touched, or I will protect with discernment any Dhamma that has been touched’ is well established right within.

“This is how mindfulness is the governing principle.

“‘Monks, this holy life is lived with training as a reward, with discernment as its surpassing state, with release as its heartwood, and with mindfulness as its governing principle’: Thus it was said. And in reference to this was it said.”

“Monks, these four are ignoble searches. Which four? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to aging, seeks (happiness in) what is subject to aging. Being subject himself to illness, he seeks (happiness in) what is subject to illness. Being subject himself to death, he seeks (happiness in) what is subject to death. Being subject himself to defilement, he seeks (happiness in) what is subject to defilement. These are four ignoble searches.

“Now, these four are noble searches. Which four? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to aging, realizing the drawbacks of what is subject to aging, seeks the unaging, unsurpassed rest from the yoke: unbinding. Being subject himself to illness, realizing the drawbacks of what is subject to illness, he seeks the unailing, unsurpassed rest from the yoke: unbinding. Being subject himself to death, realizing the drawbacks of what is subject to death, he seeks the undying, unsurpassed rest from the yoke: unbinding. Being subject himself to defilement, realizing the drawbacks of what is subject to defilement, he seeks the undefiled, unsurpassed rest from the yoke: unbinding.

“These are four noble searches.”

“In every case where a family cannot hold onto its great wealth for long, it is for one or another of these four reasons. Which four? They don’t look for things that are lost. They don’t repair things that have gotten old. They are immoderate in consuming food and drink. They place a woman or man of no virtue or principles in the position of authority. In every case where a family cannot hold onto its great wealth for long, it is for one or another of these four reasons.

“In every case where a family can hold onto its great wealth for long, it is for one or another of these four reasons. Which four? They look for things that are lost. They repair things that have gotten old. They are moderate in consuming food and drink. They place a virtuous, principled woman or man in the position of authority. In every case where a family can hold onto its great wealth for long, it is for one or another of these four reasons.”

“Endowed with (any of) four qualities, a monk isn’t fit to stay in isolated forest & wilderness lodgings. Which four? (He is endowed) with thoughts of sensuality, with thoughts of ill will, with thoughts of harmfulness, and he is a person of weak discernment, dull, a drooling idiot. Endowed with (any of) these four qualities, a monk isn’t fit to stay in isolated forest & wilderness dwellings.

“Endowed with four qualities, a monk is fit to stay in isolated forest & wilderness lodgings. Which four? (He is endowed) with thoughts of renunciation, with thoughts of non-ill will, with thoughts of harmlessness, and he is a discerning person, not dull, not a drooling idiot. Endowed with these four qualities, a monk is fit to stay in isolated forest & wilderness dwellings.”