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dn.33 Dīgha Nikāya (Long Discourses)

Pāṭika Chapter

The Recital

Thus have I heard. The Exalted One was once making a tour in the country of the Mallas, accompanied by a great company of the brethren, numbering about five hundred. And he arrived at Pāvā the Malla capital. There he resided in the mango-grove of Cunda the smith.

Now at that time a new mote-hall of the Pāvā Mallas named Ubbhaṭaka had not long been built, and had not been occupied by recluse or brahmin or any human being whatever. And the Pāvā Mallas heard that the Exalted One on his tour had arrived with his following at Pāvā and was staying in Cunda’s mango-grove. And they went to visit him, and saluting him sat down at one side. So seated they said to him: —

‘Lord, a new mote-hall named Ubbhaṭaka has lately been built by us Mallas of Pāvā, and no recluse or brahmin or any human being whatever has yet occupied it. Let, lord, the Exalted One be the first to make use of it. That is has first been used by the Exalted One will be for the lasting good and happiness of the Pāvā Mallas.’

The Exalted One by his silence assented.

When they marked his assent, they rose and saluted him, passing round by his right, and went to the mote-hall. They spread the whole hall with carpets, arranged seats, put a bowl of water ready, hung up an oil lamp, and returned to the Exalted One. Saluting him and standing at one side they said: ‘The whole mote-hall, lord, is spread with carpets, seats are arranged, a bowl of water has been placed ready, a lamp is hung up. And now, lord, whenever the Exalted One deems the time is fit. … ’

Then the Exalted One dressed himself and taking bowl and robe he went with the company of brethren to the mote-hall. On arriving he bathed his feet, and entered the hall, and took his seat facing the east, leaning against the central pillar. The brethren also bathed their feet and entered the hall ranging themselves against the western wall and facing the east, behind the Exalted One. The Pāvā Mallas also bathed their feet and entered the hall, ranging themselves against the eastern wall and facing the west with the Exalted One before them. Then the Exalted One far into the night discoursed on the doctrine to the Pāvā Mallas, instructing, enlightening, inciting and inspiring them. And then he dismissed them saying: ‘Lovely, Vāseṭṭhas is the night. Do ye deem it time?’

‘We do, lord,’ responded the Pāvā Mallas. And rising they saluted the Exalted One by the right and departed.

And presently the Exalted One, surveying the company of brethren wrapped in silence wherever they sat, called to the venerable Sāriputta: ‘There is an absence, Sāriputta, of sloth and torpor in the company of brethren. Let a religious discourse occur to thee, my back is aching, I will stretch it.’

‘So be it, lord,’ replied Sāriputta. Then the Exalted One, letting his robe be folded in four, took up the lion-posture on his right side, placing his feet one in the curve of the other, mindful and deliberate, having mentally noted a time for arousing himself.

Now at that time the Nigaṇṭha, Nāthaputta, had just died at Pāvā. After his death the Nigaṇṭhas became divided, falling into opposite parties and into strife, disputes broke out and they went on wounding each other with wordy weapons:—Thou dost not confess this Norm and Discipline! I do confess it! Wilt thou confess it? Thou are in the wrong! I am practising it rightly! I am speaking to the point; thou art off the point! Thou sayest last what should be said first, and first what should come last! What thou hast so long excogitated is quite upset! Thy challenge is taken up; thou’rt proved to be wrong! Begone to get rid of thy opinion, or disentangle thyself if thou canst! Truly the Nigaṇṭhas, followers of Nāthaputta, were out methinks to kill. Even the lay disciples of the white robe, who followed Nāthaputta, showed themselves shocked, repelled and indignant at the Nigaṇṭhas, so badly was their doctrine and discipline set forth and imparted, so ineffectual was it for guidance, so little conducive to peace, imparted as it had been by one who was not supremely enlightened, and now wrecked as it was of his support and without a protector.

Then the venerable Sāriputta addressed the brethren: The Nigaṇṭha, Nāthaputta, friends, has just died at Pāvā. Since his death the Nigaṇṭhas have become divided and have fallen into opposite parties and into strife. Disputes have broken out and they go on wounding each other with wordy weapons … so badly has their doctrine and discipline been set forth … and now wrecked of his support and without a protector.

But to us, friends, the Norm has been well set forth and imparted by the Exalted One. It is effectual for guidance, conducive to self-mastery, and is imparted by one perfectly enlightened. Herein there should be a chanting by all in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may persist and be long maintained. That may be for the welfare and happiness of many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and of men.

Ones

What is the single doctrine?

All beings persist through causes.

All beings persist through conditions.

This ‘single doctrine,’ friends, has been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Hereon there should be a chanting in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may persist and be long maintained. That may be for the welfare and happiness of many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and of men.

Twos

There are double doctrines, friends, which are perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Hereon there should be a chanting in concord … for the good … of devas and of men:—which are the doubles?

Mind and body.

Ignorance and craving for rebirth.

False opinion as to (a) rebirth, (b) no rebirth.

Unconscientiousness and indiscretion.

Conscientiousness and discretion.

Contumacy and friendship with evil.

Suavity and friendship with good.

Proficiency as to offences and restoration from them.

Proficiency as to attainments and recovery from them (viz.: as to Jhāna).

Proficiency in elements and in understanding them.

Proficiency in the (twelve) spheres of sense and in the (twelve factors of the) causal formula.

Proficiency in assigning specific causes, and in eliminating elements that are not causal [in a specific effect].

Rectitude and shamefacedness.

Patience and gentleness.

Mildness of speech and courtesy.

Kindness and love.

Absence of mind and want of intelligence.

Mindfulness and intelligence.

Unguardedness of faculties and intemperance in diet.

Guardedness of faculties and temperance in diet.

The powers of judging and of cultivation.

The powers of mindfulness and concentration.

Calm and insight.

The causes [or signs] of calm and of mental grasp.

Mental grasp and balance.

Attainment in conduct and in [sound] belief.

Failure in conduct and in [sound] belief.

Purity in conduct and in belief.

Purity in belief and the struggle according to the belief one holds.

Agitation over agitating conditions and the systematic exertion of one [thus] agitated.

Discontent in meritorious acts and perseverance in exertion.

The higher wisdom and emancipation.

Knowledge how to extirpate and knowledge how to prevent recrudescence.

These, friends, are the Double Doctrines perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Hereon there should be a chanting by all in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may persist and be long maintained. That may be for the welfare and happiness of many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and of men.

Threes

There are Triple Doctrines perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Hereon there should be a chanting in concord even by all, not a wrangling … Which are these?

Three bad ‘roots’ (or conditions):—greed, hate, dullness.

Three good ‘roots’:—disinterestedness, love; intelligence.

Three kinds of evil conduct, to wit, in act, word and thought.

Three kinds of fine conduct, to wit, in act, word and thought.

Three kinds of bad thoughts, to wit, thoughts of sense-desire, of enmity, of cruelty.

Three kinds of good thoughts, to wit, thoughts of renunciation, of amity, of kindness.

Three kinds of bad purposes … [as in v.].

Three kinds of good purposes … [as in vi.].

Three kinds of bad notions … [as in v.].

Three kinds of good notions … [as in vi.].

Three bad elements, to wit, of sense-desire, enmity, cruelty.

Three good elements, … [as in vi.].

Other three elements, to wit, the sphere of sense-desire, that of the brahma-world, that of the higher heavens.

Other three elements, to wit, the sphere of the brahma-world, that of the higher heavens, that of cessation.

Other three elements, to wit, low, medium and sublime spheres.

Three [directions of] craving, to wit, craving for the pleasure of this life, craving for life to come, craving for life to end.

Other three [directions of] craving, to wit, craving for life in the spheres of sense, for life in the brahma (rūpa) world, for life in the higher worlds.

Other three [directions of] craving:—craving for life in the lower spheres, for life in the higher spheres, for cessation.

Three ‘fetters,’ to wit, the false opinion concerning individuality, doubt, inverted [judgment] as to rule and ritual.

Three intoxicants, to wit, the poisons of sensuality, future life and ignorance.

Three [planes of] rebirths, to wit, the universe of sense-desire, that of the lower and that of the higher worlds.

Three quests:—that of sensuous enjoyment, that of life renewed, that of [problems connected with] the religious life.

Three forms [of conceit], to wit (1), ‘I am better than … ,’ (2) ‘I am equal to … ,’ (3) ‘I am worse than … ’

Three periods, to wit, past, future, present.

Three limits, to wit, individuality, its rising, its cessation.

Three [modes of] feelings, to wit, pleasant, painful and neutral feeling.

Three states of suffering, to wit, pain, conditioned existence, change.

Three ‘heaps,’ to wit, that of wrong-doing entailing immutable evil results, that of well-doing entailing immutable good results, and that of everything not so determined.

Three doubts, to wit, doubts, perplexity, inability to decide, dissatisfaction concerning past, future and present.

Three things which a Buddha has not to guard against: a Buddha, friends, is pure in conduct whether of act, or speech, or thought. There is no misdeed of any kind concerning which he must take good care lest another should come to know of it.

Three obstacles, to wit, lust, hate, illusion.

Three fires, to wit, lust, hate, illusion.

Other three fires, to wit, the fire of the worshipful, the fire of the head of the household, the fire of those worthy of offerings.

Threefold classification of matter, to wit, as visible and resisting, as invisible and resisting, as invisible and unresisting.

Three accumulations, to wit, complexes of merit, of demerit, of influctuate [results].

Three kinds of persons, to wit, the learner, the adept, he who is neither.

Three kinds of seniors, to wit, an aged layman, an eminent bhikkhu, a bhikkhu officially ranked as ‘senior.’

Three bases by merit accomplished, to wit, the bases composed of giving, of virtue, of study.

Three bases for reproof, to wit, that which has been seen, that which has been heard, that which one suspects.

Three uprisings of desires connected with sense: (1) There are beings, friends, whose sense-desires are bound up with the objects thereof, and they are in subjection to such desire. Such are human beings, some devas and some reborn to [one of the four] evil destinies. (2) There are beings who have desires for that which [they have] creates; such are the devas so called (Nimmānarati), who having created one thing after another are in subjection to such desires. (3) There are beings who have desires for the creations of others; and get these into their power; such are the devas so called (Paranimmita-vāsavatti).

Three happy rebirths:—(1) There are beings, friends, who [in a former birth] having continually produced, dwell now in happiness; such are the devas of the Brahmā group. (2) There are beings who are soaked and steeped in happiness, full of it, pervaded by it. They from time to time pour forth ecstatic utterance saying: ‘Oh the bliss of it!’ Ah what happiness!’ Such are the Radiant Devas. (3) There are beings who are similarly filled with happiness … pervaded by it; they, serenely blissful, experience only sublime happiness. Such are the Luminous Devas.

Three kinds of knowledge: that of the learner, that of the adept, that of him who is neither.

Other three kinds of knowledge:—knowledge that is thought out, knowledge that is learned (from another), knowledge that is gained by [cultural] development.

Three kinds of armour:—that of doctrine learnt, that of detachment, that of knowledge.

Three faculties:—that of coming to know the unknown, that of knowing, that of perfected knowledge.

Three kinds of vision, to wit, the eye of flesh, the heavenly eye, the eye of insight.

Three courses of training, to wit, the higher morality, the higher mental training, the higher insight.

Three [branches of] culture, to wit, the culture of sense-impressions, of mind, of insight.

Three supreme things, to wit, that of vision, that of procedure, that of freedom.

Three species of concentration: —that of mental application followed by sustained thought, that of sustained thought without mental application, that of concentration without either.

Other three species of concentration:—concentrative insight into ‘emptiness,’ ‘signlessness,’ ‘end of baneful longing.’

Three purities, to wit, of action, speech and thought.

Three factors of the anchorite, to wit, a certain attitude respecting conduct, respecting speech, respecting thought.

Three proficiencies, to wit, proficiency as to progress, regress, and the means of success.

Three intoxications, to wit, the pride of health, the ride of youth, the pride of life.

Three dominant influences [on effort]: to wit, the influence of self-[criticism], the influence of the community, the influence of spiritual things.

Three bases of discourse, to wit (1) discourse may be concerned with the past:—’such things were in the past’; (2) discourse may be concerned with the future:—’so will it be in time to come,’ or (3) with the present:—’so has it come to pass at the present day.’

Three branches of wisdom, to wit, knowledge of one’s former lives, knowledge of the decease and rebirth of beings, knowledge in the destruction of the ‘intoxicants.’

Three states, to wit, deva-consciousness, the divine states, the Ariyan state.

Three wonders, to wit, the wonder of mystic power, the wonder of manifestation, the wonder of education.

These, friends, are the Triple Doctrines perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Hereon there should be a chanting by all in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may persist and be long maintained. That may be for the welfare and happiness of many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and of men.

Fours

Fourfold doctrines, friends, have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees, the Arahant, Buddha supreme. Here should be a chanting in concord by all, not a wrangling … for … the happiness of devas and of men. Which are these?

Four applications of mindfulness, to wit:—Herein, friends, let a brother as to the body … as to feelings … as to thoughts … as to ideas continue so to look on these [severally and in order], that he remains ardent, self-possessed and mindful, overcoming both the hankering and the dejection common in the world.

Four supreme efforts, to wit:—Herein, friends, a brother, in order that unrisen wrong and wicked ideas may not arise … in order that wrong and wicked ideas if arisen, may be put away … in order that unrisen good ideas may arise … in order that good ideas, if arisen, may persist, may be clarified, multiplied, expanded, developed, perfected, generates will endeavours, stirs up energy, makes firm his mind, struggles.

Four stages to efficiency (iddhi). Herein, friends, a brother develops the stage which is characterized by (1) the mental co-efficient of an effort of purposive concentration; (2) by the mental co-efficient of an effort of intellectual concentration; (3) by the mental co-efficient of an effort of energized concentration; (4) by the mental co-efficient of an effort of investigating concentration.

Four Jhānas. Herein, friends, a brother, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhāna, wherein there is initiative and sustained thought, which is born of solitude, and is full of zest and ease. Secondly, when suppressing initiative and sustained thought, he enters into and abides in the Second Jhāna, which is self-evoked, born of concentration, full of zest and ease, in that, set free from initial and sustained thought, the mind grows calm and sure, dwelling on high. Thirdly, when a brother, no longer fired with zest, abides calmly contemplative, while mindful and self-possessed he feel in his body that ease whereof Ariyans declare: He that is calmly contemplative and aware, he dwelleth at ease, so does he enter into and abide in the Third Jhāna. Fourthly, by putting aside ease and by putting aside malaise, by the passing away of the joy and the sorrow he used to feel, he enters into and abides in the Fourth Jhāna, rapture of utter purity of mindfulness and equanimity, wherein neither ease is felt nor any ill.

Four developments of concentration, to wit, that which when practised and expanded, conduces to (1) pleasure in this life; (2) acquisition of intuition and insight; (3) mindfulness and well-awareness; (4) destruction of spiritual intoxicants. Which are these severally? (1) is the Fourfold Jhāna; (2) is when a brother attends to the sensation of light, sustains the perception of daylight, and attends to light no less in the nighttime, and thus, with open and unmuffled consciousness, creates a radiant luminous mind; (3) is the understanding of each feeling, or perception or thought, as they severally arise, remain present and vanish; (4) is the keeping watchover the five aggregates of grasping, as they rise and cease:—‘This is material … this is the appearance of something material … this is the vanishing, and so on.’

Four ‘infinitudes,’ to wit:—Herein, brethren, a brother lets his mind pervade one quarter of the world with thoughts of love … pity … sympathy … in joy … equanimity, and so the second quarter, and so the third, and so the fourth. And thus the whole wide world, above, below, around and everywhere does he continue to pervade with heart … far-reaching, grown great and beyond measure, free from anger and ill-will.

Four Jhānas of Arūpa-consciousness, to wit: —Herein, brethren, a brother, by passing beyond the consciousness of matter, by the dying out of the sensation of resistance, by paying no heed to the idea of difference, at the thought: ‘space is infinite!’ attains to and abides in the conceptual sphere of space as infinite. (2) Having wholly transcended this, at the thought: ‘Infinite is consciousness!’ he attains to and abides in the conceptual sphere of consciousness as infinite. (3) Having wholly transcended this, at the thought: ‘It is nothing!’ he attains to and abides in the conceptual sphere of nothingness. (4) Having wholly transcended this, he attains to and abides in the sphere of neither consciousness nor unconsciousness.

Four Bases of Conduct: —Herein, brethren, a brother judges that a certain thing is to be habitually pursued, another thing is to be endured, another to be avoided, another to be suppressed.

Four Ariyan lineages. Herein, brethren, a brother is content with whatever robes [he may have], commends contentment of this kind, and does not try to gain robes in improper unsuitable ways. And he is not dismayed if he gain no robe, but when he has gained one, he is not greedy, nor infatuated nor overwhelmed; he wears it heedful lest he incur evil and understanding its object. Finally, by this contentment as to any garment, he neither is puffed up nor disparages others. Now he that is expert, not slothful, heedful, mindful, is called, brethren, a brother who is true to the ancient distinguished lineage of the Ariyans. The same is he who is similarly content with his alms, and with his lodging. Lastly, brethren, the brother who, having the love both of eliminating on the one hand, and of developing on the other, loves both to eliminate and to develop, in loving both, neither is puffed up, nor disparages others. He that is herein expert, not slothful, heedful, mindful, is called a brother who is true to the ancient distinguished lineage of the Ariyans.

Four exertions, to wit, self-control, eliminating, developing, safe-guarding. What is the first? Herein, brethren, when a brother sees an object with the eye, and is not entranced by the general appearance or the details of it, but sets himself to restrain that which might give occasion for bad, wicked states, covetousness, dejection to flow in over him were he to dwell unrestrained as to the faculty of sight, and to keep watch over that faculty, and attains to mastery over it … and similarly as to the other four senses and mind, such an effort is called exertion in self-control. (2) What is exertion in elimination? Herein, brethren, a brother, when a sensual, malign, or cruel thought has arisen, will not endure it, but puts it away, suppresses, exterminates it and makes it non-existent. Such an exertion is called exertion in elimination. (3) What is exertion in developing? Herein, brethren, a brother cultivates each of the seven factors of enlightenment which are based upon detachment, upon passionlessness, upon cessation, and wherein is maturity of self-surrender. This is called exertion in development. (4) What is exertion in safe-guarding? Herein, brethren, a brother keeps pure and genuine an auspicious object of concentrated imagination when it has arisen, [such as] one of the contemplations of foul things. This is called exertion in safe-guarding.

Four knowledges, to wit, knowledge of the Doctrine, knowledge in its corollaries, knowledge of what is in another’s consciousness, and popular knowledge.

Other four knowledges, to wit: knowledge regarding suffering, genesis, cessation, path.

Four factors in ‘Stream-attainment,’ to wit, intercourse with the good, hearing the good doctrine, systematized attention, practice in those things that lead up to the doctrine and its corollaries.

Four factors of his state who has attained the stream. Herein, brethren, the Ariyan disciple has an unshakeable faith (1) in the Buddha:—’so he too, the Exalted One, is Arahant, supremely enlightened, full of wisdom and goodness, Blessed One, world-knower, peerless driver and tamer of men, teacher of devas and men, Buddha, Exalted One!’; (2) in the Norm:—Well proclaimed by the Exalted One is the Norm, effective in this life and without delay, bidding us come and see, leading us onward, to be known by the wise as a personal experience; (3) in the Order:— Well practised is the Order of the Exalted One’s disciples, in uprightness, method and propriety, namely, the four pairs of persons, the eight classes of individuals. This is the Order of the Exalted One’s disciples, to whom offerings and ministering should be made, and gifts and reverent greeting as unto the supreme field of merit throughout the world; (4) endowed is it with virtues lovely to the Ariyans, unbroken and flawless, consistently practised, unblemished, making men free, commended by the wise, unperverted and conducing to rapt concentration.

Four fruits of the life of a recluse, to wit, the fruit of [the fourfold path, i.e. of] Stream-attainment, of the Once-returner, of the Never-returner, of Arahantship.

Four elements, to wit, the extended [or earthy], the cohesive [or watery], the hot [or fiery], the mobile [or aerial] element.

Four supports [or foods], to wit, solid [bodily] food, whether gross or subtle, contact, as the second, motive or purpose as third, consciousness [in rebirth] as fourth.

Four stations of consciousness. Brethren, when consciousness gaining a foothold persists, it is either in connection with material qualities, or with [a co-efficient of] feeling, or perception or volitional complexes. In connection with any of these as an instrument, as an object of thought, as a platform, as a set of enjoyment, it attains to growth, increase, abundance.

Four ways of going astray, to wit, through partiality, hate, illusion, fear.

Four uprisings of craving. Brethren, craving arises in a brother because of raiment, alms, lodging, and dainty foods.

Four rates of progress, to wit, when progress is difficult and intuition slow, when progress is difficult but intuition comes swiftly, when progress is easy, but intuition is slow, and when progress is easy, and intuition comes swiftly.

Other four modes of progress, to wit, exercise without endurance, with endurance, with taming (of faculties), with calm.

Four divisions of doctrine, to wit, [when the highest things are attained by an attitude of] (1) disinterestedness, or (2) amity, or (3) perfect mindfulness, or (4) perfect concentration.

Four religious undertakings:—(1) one that brings present suffering and in the future painful consequences; (2) one that brings present suffering and in the future happy consequences; (3) one that brings present pleasure and in the future painful consequences; (4) one that brings present happiness and in the future happy consequences.

Four bodies of doctrine, to wit, morals, concentrative exercise, insight, emancipation.

Four powers, to wit, energy, mindfulness, concentration, insight.

Four resolves, to wit, to gain insight, to win truth, to surrender [all evil], to master self.

Four modes of answering questions, to wit, the categorical reply, the discriminating reply, the counter-question reply, the waived question.

Four kinds of action, to wit, that which is dark with dark result, that which is bright with bright result, mixed, with mixed result, that which is neither, with neither kind of result, and conduces to the destruction of karma (action).

Four matters to be realized, to wit, former lives, to be realized by clear mentality; decease and rebirth, to be realized by the ‘heavenly eye’; the eight deliverances, to be realized by all the mental factors; destruction of intoxicants, to be realized by insight.

Four floods, to wit, sensual desires, life renewed, error, ignorance.

Four bonds, to wit, sensual desires, life renewed, error, ignorance.

Four bond-loosenings, to wit, from sensual desires, life renewed, error, ignorance.

Four knots, to wit, the body-knots of covetousness, of malevolence, of inverted judgment as to rule and ritual, and of the inclination to dogmatize.

Four graspings, to wit, the laying hold of sensual desires, of error, of rules and rites, of the soul-theory.

Four matrices, to wit, the matrix of birth by an egg, the viviparous matrix, the matrix of moist places, and rebirth as deva.

Four classes of conception at rebirth. Herein, brethren, one person descends into the mother’s womb unknowing, abides there unknowing, departs thence unknowing. This is the first class of conception. Next, another person descends deliberately, but abides and departs unknowing. Next another person descends and abides deliberately, but departs unknowing. Lastly, another person descends, abides and departs deliberately.

Four methods of acquiring new personality, to wit, (1) in which our own volition works, not another’s, (2) in which another’s volition works, not ours, (3) in which both our own and another’s volition work, (4) in which the volition of neither works.

Four modes of purity in offerings, to wit, (1) when a gift is purely made on the part of the giver, but not purely received; (2) when a gift is made pure by the recipient, not by the giver; (3) when the gift is made pure by both; (4) when the gift is made pure by neither.

Four grounds of popularity, to wit, liberality, kindly speech, justice, impartiality.

Four un-Ariyan modes of speech, to wit, lying, slander, abuse, vain chatter.

Four Ariyan modes of speech, to wit, abstinence from any of the preceding.

Other four un-Ariyan modes of speech, to wit, declaring that to have been seen, heard, thought of, known, which has not been seen, not been herd, not thought of, not known.

Other four Ariyan modes of speech, to wit, declaring truthfully respecting the four preceding cases.

Other four Ariyan modes of speech, to wit, declaring that to have been unseen, unheard, etc., which was seen, heard, etc.

Other four Ariyan modes of speech, to wit, declaring that which has been seen to have been seen, etc.

Four classes of individuals. Herein, brethren (1) a certain individual torments himself, is devoted to self-mortification; (2) another torments others, is devoted to torturing others; (3) another torments both himself and others; (4) another torments neither himself nor others nor is devoted to tormenting either. He thus abstaining lives his life void of longings, perfected, cool, in blissful enjoyment, his whole self ennobled.

Other four individuals. Herein, brethren, (1) a certain person whose conduct makes for his own good, not for that of others; (2) another whose conduct makes for other’s good, not his own; (3) another’s conduct makes for neither; (4) another’s conduct makes both for his own good and for that of others.

Other four individuals, to wit, (1) living in darkness and bound for the dark; (2) living in darkness and bound for the light; (3) living in the light and bound for the darkness; (4) living in the light and bound for the light.

Other four individuals, to wit, the unshaken recluse, the blue lotus recluse, the white lotus recluse, the exquisite recluse.

These fourfold doctrines, friends, have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Hereon there should be a chanting by all in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may persist and be long maintained. That may be for the welfare and happiness of many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and of men.

Fives

There are Fivefold Doctrines, friends, which have been perfectly declared by the Exalted One, who knows, who sees, Arahant, Buddha supreme. Hereon there should be a chanting by all in concord, not wrangling … for the happiness of devas and men:—which are they?

Five aggregates, to wit, of material qualities, feeling, perception, volitional complexes, consciousness.

Five aggregates [regarded as vehicles] of grasping, to wit, as above …

Five kinds of sensuous pleasures, to wit, the five kinds of sense-objects cognized severally through each sense as desirable, pleasant, agreeable, charming and lovely, bound up with sensuous desires and exciting the passions.

Five ways of destiny, to wit, purgatory, the animal kingdom, the realm of the ‘departed’ (Petas), mankind, the devas.

Five forms of meanness, to wit, in hospitality, in [monopolizing a ministering] family, in gains acquired, in beauty physical and moral, in [monopolizing learnt] truths.

Five hindrances, to wit, sensuality, ill-will, sloth and torpor, excitement and worry, doubt.

Five fetters as to lower worlds, to wit, error of permanent individual entity, doubt, wrong judgment as to rules and ritual, sensuality, malevolence.

Five fetters as to upper [worlds], to wit, lust after rebirth in Rūpa [worlds], lust after rebirth in Arūpa [worlds], conceit, excitement, ignorance.

Five branches of moral training, to wit, abhorrence of murder, theft, inchastity, lying, and intemperance in drink.

Five impossibles, to wit, for an Arahant intentionally to take life, or to take what is not given, so as to amount to theft, or to commit sexual offences, or to lie deliberately, or to spend stored up treasures in worldly enjoyments, as in the days before he left the world.

Five kinds of losses, to wit, of kinsfolk, of wealth, disease, loss of character, loss of sound opinions. No being, friends, because of any of the first three kinds of loss, is after death and bodily dissolution reborn to disaster, to evil destiny, to downfall, to purgatory. But this happens because of the last two kinds of loss.

Five kinds of prosperity, to wit, in kinsfolk, wealth, health, virtue, and sound opinion. No being, friends, because of any of the first three kinds, is after death and dissolution reborn to a happy destiny in a bright world. But this happens because of success in virtue and in winning sound opinions.

Five disasters to the immoral by lapse from virtuous habits. Herein, friends, an immoral person, having lapsed in virtuous habits, incurs, through want of industry, great loss of wealth. Secondly, an evil reputation as to his moral lapse spreads abroad. Thirdly, whatever assembly he attends, whether of nobles, brahmins, householders, members of a religious order, he comes in diffident and disturbed. Fourthly, he dies baffled and without assurance. Fifthly, on the dissolution of the body after death, he is reborn into an unhappy state, an evil destiny, a downfall, a purgatory.

Five advantages to the moral man through his success in virtuous conduct. Herein, friends, in the first place, he acquires through industry great wealth. Secondly, good reports of him spread abroad. Thirdly, whatever assembly he attends, whether or nobles, brahmins, householders, or members of a religious order, he enters confident and undisturbed. Fourthly, he dies with lucid and assured mind. Fifthly, he is reborn to a happy destiny in a bright world.

Five points, friends, should be present inwardly to a brother who is desirous of chiding another. ‘I will speak at a timely moment, not at an untimely moment. I will utter what is true, not what is fictitious, I will speak mildly, not roughly. I will speak from a desire for his good, not for his hurt. I will speak with love in my heart, not enmity.’

Five factors in spiritual wrestling. Herein, friends, a brother has confidence, believing in the Tathāgata’s enlightenment:—‘Thus is the Exalted One: he is Arahant fully awakened, wisdom he has, and righteousness; he is the Well-Farer; he has knowledge of the worlds; he is the supreme driver of men willing to be tamed; the teacher of devas and men; the Awakened and Exalted One’—he is in good health, exempt from suffering, endowed with a smoothly assimilating digestion, neither overheated nor too chilly, but medium, suited for exertion. He is not deceitful nor crafty, honestly making known himself for what he is to the Teacher, or to wise persons among his fellow-disciples. He maintains a flow of energy in eliminating wrong states of mind and evoking good states, vigorous, strongly reaching out, not shirking toil with respect to good states of mind. He has insight, being endowed with understanding which goes to the rise and cessation of all things. Ariyan, penetrating, going to the perfect destruction of ill.

Five Pure Abodes, to wit, the heavens called Avihā, Atappā, Sudassā, Sudassī, Akaniṭṭha.

Five classes of persons become Never-returners:—one who passes away before middle age in that world in which he has been reborn, one who so passes after middle age, one who so passes without much toil, with ease, one who so passes with toil and difficulty, one who striving ‘upstream’ is reborn in the Akaniṭṭha world.

Five spiritual barrennesses. Herein, friends, a brother doubts, is perplexed about the Master, comes to no definite choice, is not satisfied. He being thus, his mind does (sic, does not) incline (lit. bend) towards ardour, devotion, perseverance, exertion:—this is the first barrenness. When he doubts, is perplexed about the Doctrine, the Order, the Training, these are, in order, the second, third and fourth barrennesses. When he is offended with his fellow-disciples, vexed, agitated, sterile towards them, he being thus, his mind does not incline towards ardour, etc.

Five bondages of the mind. Herein, brethren, when a brother has not got rid of the passion for sense-desires, of desire, fondness, thirst, fever, craving for them, he being thus, his mind does not incline towards ardour, devotion, perseverance, exertion. In the same way, when a brother has not got rid of the passion, desire, fondness, thirst, fever, craving for his own person, or again for external objects, he being thus, his mind does not incline towards ardour, devotion, perseverance, exertion. Fourthly, if a brother have eaten as much as his stomach can hold, and then abides given over to the ease of repose, of turning from this side to that, of sloth … and, fifthly, if a brother have adopted the religious life with the aspiration of belonging to someone or other of the deva-groups, thinking:—‘By these rules or by these rites or by these austerities or by this religious life I shall become a greater, or a lesser deva; he being thus, his mind does not incline towards ardour, devotion, perseverance, exertion.

Five faculties, to wit, those of the five senses.

Other five faculties, to wit, that of pleasure, of pain, joy, grief, indifference.

Other five faculties, to wit, that of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, insight.

Five elements tending to deliverance. Herein, friends, when a brother is contemplating sensuous desires, his heart does not leap forward to them, nor rest complacent in them, does not choose them. But when he is contemplating renunciation of them, his heart leaps forward, rests complacent in it, chooses it. This frame of mind he gets well in hand, well developed, well lifted up, well freed and detached from sense desires. And those intoxicants, whose miseries, those fevers which arise in consequence of sense-desires, from all these he is freed, nor does he feel that sort of feeling. This is pronounced to be the first deliverance. Similarly for the other four elements, namely, from ill will, cruelty, external objects and individuality.

Five occasions of emancipation. Herein, friends, when the Master, or a reverend fellow-disciple teaches the Norm to a brother, according as the teaching is given, the listener comes to know both the matter of the doctrine, and the text of the doctrine. And gladness springs up in him, and in him gladdened zest springs up; his mind enraptured, the faculties become serene; with serenity comes happiness, and of him thus happy the heart is stayed and firm. This is the first occasion. In the next place, a brother has a similar experience not from hearing the Master or a reverend fellow-disciple teach, but while himself teaching others the Norm in detail, as he has learnt and got it by memory … This is the second occasion. In the third place, a brother has a similar experience, not on those first two occasions, but when he is reciting the doctrines of the Norm in detail as he has learnt and got them by memory … This is the third occasion. In the fourth place, a brother has a similar experience, not on those first three occasions, but when he applies his thought to the Norm as he has learnt and got it by memory, and sustains protracted meditation on it and contemplates it in mind … This is the fourth occasion. Finally, a brother has a similar experience, not on those first four occasions, but when he has well grasped some given clue to concentration, has well applied his understanding, has well thought it out, has well penetrated it by intuition … This is the fifth occasion.

Five thoughts by which emancipation reaches maturity, to wit, the notion of impermanence, the notion of suffering in impermanence, the notion of no-soul in suffering, the notion of elimination, the notion of passionlessness.

These fivefold doctrines, friends, have been perfectly set forth … for the happiness of devas and men.

Sixes

There are sixfold doctrines, friends, which have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows … for the happiness of devas and of men. Which are they?

Six fields of personal experience, to wit, sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and mind.

Six external fields [of objects of experience], to wit, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, phenomena.

Six groups of consciousness, to wit, visual, auditory, olfactory, sapid, tactual and perceptual-and-conceptual consciousness.

Six groups of contacts, to wit, visual and other sensory contact, and impact on the mind.

Six groups of feeling on occasion of sensory stimulus, to wit, the feeling that is excited when we see, hear, etc. or when we think.

Six groups of perceptions, to wit, perception on occasion of sensory stimulus, or of ideas.

Six groups of volitions, to wit, purposes on occasion of sensory stimulus, or of ideas.

Six craving-groups, to wit, the five kinds of sense-objects, and phenomena.

Six forms of irreverence. Herein, friends, a brother conducts himself irreverently and insolently to the Master, the Norm, the Order, the training, or to his studies, or lacks in reverence and respect towards the duties of courtesy.

Six forms of reverence. Herein, friends, a brother conducts himself in the opposite manner in the foregoing six cases.

Six pleasurable investigations, to wit, when on occasion of any sensation through the five senses, or any cognition by the mind, a corresponding object giving rise to pleasure is examined.

Six disagreeable investigations, to wit, the contraries of the foregoing.

Six investigations of indifference, to wit, when such investigations as the foregoing leave anyone indifferent.

Six occasions of fraternal living. Herein, friends, when a brother’s kindly act towards his fellow-disciples has been attested, as wrought publicly and in private, that is an occasion of fraternity, causing affection and regard, and conducing to concord, absence of strife, harmony, union. The second and third occasions are those of kindly speech and kind thoughts. In the next place, when a brother who has honestly and righteously obtained gifts, distributes these impartially among his fellow-disciples, and has everything in common with them, even to the contents of his alms-bowl, that is an occasion of fraternity, etc. Next, when the character and moral habits of a brother are without rupture or flaw, are consistently practised, unblemished, making a man free, commended by the wise, unperverted, and conducing to rapt concentration, and he, so virtuous, dwells openly and privately among his fellow-disciples, that is an occasion of fraternity, causing affection and regard, and conducing to concord, absence of strife, harmony, union. Lastly, when a brother lives with his religious life [guided by] that Ariyan, safe-guarding belief, which leads him who so lives to the perfect destruction of sorrow,— when he thus equipped lives among his fellow-disciples publicly and in private, that is an occasion of fraternity … like the foregoing.

Six roots of contention. Herein, friends, take a brother who gets angry and cherishes rancour, and in this mood becomes irreverent and insolent toward the Master, the Norm, the Order, and does not accomplish the training. Such a one stirs up contention in the Order, and that contention is fraught with ill and misery for multitudes, with disadvantage, ill and sorrow for devas and men. If you, friends, should discern such a root of contention among yourselves or in other communities, then should ye strive to get just that evil root of contention eliminated. And if ye do not discern any such root, so work that it may not come to overwhelm you in the future. Such is the eliminating, such is the future averting of that evil root of contention. The other five roots of contention are (2) when a brother conceals other’s good deeds, and is hypocritical … (3) is envious and mean … (4) is deceitful and crafty … (5) is full of evil wishes and false opinions … (6) is infatuated with his own opinion, clutching it tenaciously and is loathe to renounce it.

Six elements, to wit, those of extension, cohesion, heat and mobility [in matter], space and consciousness.

Six elements tending to deliverance. Herein, friends, a brother might say: ‘Lo! I have developed mental emancipation by love, I have multiplied it, made it a vehicle, and a base. I have brought it out, accumulated and set it well going. Nevertheless malevolence persistently possesses my heart.’ To him it should be said: ‘Not so! Say not so, your reverence! Do not misrepresent the Exalted One! It is not well to calumniate the Exalted One! Surely he would not say this was so! This is a baseless and uncalled-for statement, friend. Things cannot be as you say. Emancipation of the heart through love, brother, this is how you become delivered from malevolence. In the same way a brother might wrongly complain that after cultivating emancipation of the heart through pity, he was still possessed by cruelty, or that after cultivating emancipation of the heart through sympathetic joy, or through equanimity, he was still possessed by disgust, and passion respectively. Next, friends, a brother might say: ‘Lo! I have developed mental emancipation from the power of any object to catch the fancy and incite lust, I have multiplied that emancipation, made it a vehicle and a base I have brought it out, accumulated and set it well going. Nevertheless my mind still pursues seductive objects. Or again he may say: ‘Lo! The notion “I am” is offensive to me! I pay no heed to the notion “This ‘I’ exists!” Nevertheless doubts and queries and debating still possess my mind.’ To these answer should be made as before. He should be assured that such cannot really be the case; that it is by emancipating the heart through equanimity, or again, through the expulsion of the conceit of the existence of an ‘I,’ that he becomes delivered from lust and from doubts and queries and debatings.

Six unsurpassable experiences, to wit, certain sights, certain things heard, certain gains, certain trainings, certain ministries, certain memories.

Six matters for recollection, to wit, the Buddha, the Norm, the Order, the moral precepts, renunciation, the devas.

Six chronic states. Herein, friends, a brother on occasion of any of the five kinds of sensation, as well as on that of any impression or idea, is neither delighted nor displeased, but remains equable, mindful and deliberate.

Six modes of heredity. Herein, friends, some persons being reborn in dark circumstances lead dark lives, others so born lead bright lives, and other so born bring Nibbāna to pass, which is neither dark nor bright. Again, others born in bright circumstances lead bright lives, or dark lives, or bring Nibbāna to pass, which is neither dark nor bright.

Six ideas conducing to Nibbāna, to wit, the idea of impermanence, of ill in impermanence, of soullessness in ill, of elimination of passionlessness, of cessation.

These Sixfold Doctrines, friends, have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One … for the happiness of devas and men.

Sevens

There are Sevens in the Doctrine, friends, which have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees … Here should there be chanting by all in concord, not wrangling … for the happiness of devas and men. Which are they?

Seven treasures, to wit, the treasure of faith, of morals, of conscientiousness, of discretion, of learning, of self-denial, of insight.

Seven factors of enlightenment, to wit, the factor of mindfulness, of study of doctrines, of energy, of zest, of serenity, of concentration, of equanimity.

Seven requisites of concentration, to wit, right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness.

Seven vicious qualities, to wit, want of faith, unconscientiousness, indiscretion, want of doctrinal knowledge, slackness, muddle-headedness, want of insight.

Seven virtuous qualities, to wit, the opposites of the foregoing.

Seven qualities of the good, to wit, knowledge of the Dhamma, of the meaning [contained in its doctrines], knowledge of self, knowledge how to be temperate, how to choose and keep time, knowledge of groups of persons, and of individuals.

Seven bases of Arahantship. Herein, friends, a brother is keenly desirous of entering the training, and longs to continue doing so. He feels similarly with regard to insight into the doctrine, to the suppression of hankerings, to [the need of] solitude, to evoking energy, to mindfulness and perspicacity, to intuition of the truth.

Seven perceptions, to wit, that of impermanence, of soullessness, of ugliness, of evil [in the world], of elimination, of passionlessness, of cessation.

Seven powers, to wit, the power of faith, energy, conscientiousness, discretion, mindfulness, concentration, insight.

Seven stations of consciousness. There are beings, brethren, who are diverse both in body and in mind, such as mankind, certain devas and some who have gone to an evil doom. This is the first station (or persistence) for [re-born] consciousness. Other beings are diverse of body, but uniform in mind, such as the devas of the Brahma-world, reborn there from [practice here of] first [Jhāna]. Others are uniform in body, diverse in intelligence, such as the Radiant Devas. Others are uniform both in body and in intelligence, such as the All-Lustrous Devas. Others there are who, by having passed wholly beyond all consciousness of matter, by the dying out of the consciousness of sense-reaction, by having turned the attention away from any consciousness of the manifold and become conscious only of ‘space as infinite’ are dwellers in the realm of infinite space. Others there are who, by having passed wholly beyond the realm of infinite space and become conscious only of consciousness as infinite are dwellers in the realm of infinite consciousness. Others there are who, having passed wholly beyond the realm of infinite consciousness, and become conscious only that ‘there is nothing whatever,’ are dwellers in the realm of nothingness. Such are the remaining stations of consciousness.

Seven [types of] persons worthy of offerings, to wit, the freed-both-ways, the freed by insight, they who have bodily testimony, they who have won the view, they who are freed by confidence, the followers of wisdom, and the followers of confidence.

Seven kinds of latent bias, to wit, the bias of sensual passion, of enmity, of false opinion, of doubt, of conceit, of lust for rebirth, of ignorance.

Seven fetters, to wit, compliance, opposition, false opinion, doubt, conceit, lust for rebirth, ignorance.

Seven rules for the pacifying and suppression of disputed questions that have been raised, to wit, the proceeding face-to-face must be performed, the proceeding for the consciously innocent must be performed, the proceeding in the case of those who are no longer out of their mind must be performed, the proceeding on confession of guilt must be carried out, the proceeding by a majority of the Chapter, or the proceeding for the obstinate, or the proceeding by covering over as with grass.

These, friends, are the Double Doctrines perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Hereon there should be a chanting by all in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may persist and be long maintained. That may be for the welfare and happiness of many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and of men.

Eights

There are ‘Eights in the Doctrine,’ friends, [similarly] set forth. … Which are they?

Eight wrong factors of character and conduct, to wit, wrong views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration.

Eight right factors of character and conduct, to wit, right views, right intentions, etc. … right concentration.

Eight types of persons worthy of offerings, to wit, one who has ‘attained the stream’ [or First Path]. One who has worked for the realizing of the Fruit of stream-attainment. One who is a Once-returner. One who has worked for the realizing of the Fruit of Once-returning. One who is a Never-returner. One who has worked for the realizing of the Fruit of Never-returning. One who is Arahant. One who has worked for the realizing of Arahantship.

Eight bases of slackness. Herein, friends, (1) let a brother have some work to do. He thinks: ‘There’s that work I have to do, but the doing of it will tire me. Well then, I shall lie down.’ He lies down; he stirs up no energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized. (2) Or he has been working, and thinks: ‘I have been working, and the doing of my work has tired me. Well then, I shall lie down.’ He lies down; he stirs up no energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized. (3) Or he has to make a journey, and he thinks: ‘I have to make a journey, and that will tire me. Well then, I shall lie down.’ He lies down; he stirs up no energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized. (4) Or he has gone on his journey, and reflects: ‘I have gone on a journey, and that has tired me. Well then, I shall lie down.’ He lies down; he stirs up no energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized. (5) Or he tours about a village or township for alms and does not obtain his fill of poor or rich food, and thinks: ‘I’ve gone about village, about township for alms and have not obtained my fill of poor or rich food. This body of me is tired and good for naught. Well then, I’ll lie down.’ He lies down; he stirs up no energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized. (6) Or he tours about a village or township for alms and does obtain his fill of poor or rich food and thinks: ‘I’ve gone about a village or township for alms and have obtained my fill of poor or rich food. This body of me is heavy and good for naught, seems to me like a load of soaked beans. Well then, I’ll lie down’ He lies down; he stirs up no energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized. (7) Or in him some slight ailment has arisen, and he thinks: In this state it is fit I lie down. He lies down; he stirs up no energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized. (8) Or he has recovered from illness, has recently arisen from some indisposition. And he thinks his body is weak and good for naught and lies down nor stirs up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.

Eight bases of setting afoot an undertaking. Herein, brethren, (1) let a brother have some work to do. He thinks: ‘There is that work I have to do, but in doing it, I shall not find it easy to attend to the religion of the Buddhas. Well then, I will stir up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.’ (2) Or he has done a task, and thinks: ‘I have been working, but I could not attend to the religion of the Buddhas. Well then, I will stir up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.’ (3) Or he has to go on a journey, and thinks it will not be easy for him, on his way, to attend to the religion of the Buddhas, and resolves: ‘Well then, I will stir up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.’ (4) Or he has been on a journey, but has not been able to attend to the religion of the Buddhas, and resolves: Well then, I will stir up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.’ (5) Or he has toured about village or township for alms and has not obtained his fill of poor or rich food. And he thinks that, under the circumstances, his body is light and fit for work and resolves: Well then, I will stir up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.’ (6) Or he has toured and has obtained his fill and thinks that, under the circumstances, his body is strong and fit to work and resolves: Well then, I will stir up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.’ (7) Or in him some slight ailment has arisen. And he thinks it is possible that the ailment may grow worse, so that he must stir up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.’ (8) Or he has recovered from illness, has recently arisen from some indisposition. And he thinks: I have recovered from illness, I have recently arisen from my indisposition. It is possible that the illness may recur. Well then, I will stir up energy to finish that which is not done, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the unrealized.’

Eight bases of giving gifts:—One gives (1) because [an object of hospitality] has approached; (2) from fear; (3) because ‘he gave to me’; (4) because ‘he will give to me’; (5) because one thinks ‘giving is blessed’; (6) because one thinks ‘I cook; these do not cook; it is not fit that I who cook should give nothing to those who do not cook’; (7) because one thinks: ‘from the giving of this gift by me an excellent report will spread abroad’; (8) because one wishes to adorn and equip one’s heart.

Eight rebirths due to giving gifts. Herein, friends, (1) a certain person gives a gift to a recluse or brahmin in the shape of food, drink, raiment, vehicle, wreaths, perfumes and ointments, bedding, dwelling and lights. That which he gives, he hopes to receive in his turn. He sees a wealthy noble or brahmin or householder surrounded and attended by, and enjoying the five forms of sensuous pleasures. And he thinks: ‘Ah! If only I may be reborn at the dissolution of the body after death as one amongst wealthy nobles, or brahmins, or householders!” This thought he holds fixed, firmly established, and expands it. This thought set free in a lower range, and not expanded to anything higher, conduces to rebirth within that range. And this, I affirm, only in the case of a moral person, not of one who is vicious. The mental aspiration, friends, of a moral person succeeds because of its purity. (2) Another person giving similar gifts, and similarly hoping, may have learnt thus: ‘Devas in the realm of the four kings of the firmament are long-lived, splendid in appearance and lead a blissful existence.’ He aspires to be reborn among them, and holds the thought fixed … .This … conduces to rebirth within that [lower] range. And this, I affirm, only in the case of a moral person. … The mental aspiration, brethren, of a moral person succeeds because of its purity. (3–7) Or one so giving may have learnt similar lore about other heavens:—the Three-and Thirty gods, the Yāma, the Tusita, the Nimmānarati, the Paranimmita-vasavatti gods, or (8) about the gods of the Brahma world he may have learnt in similar terms. He thinks: ‘Ah! Would that after death I might be reborn as one among them!’ That thought he holds fixed, that thought he firmly establishes, that thought he expands. That thought set free in a lower range, and not expanded to anything higher, conduces to rebirth within that range. And this, I affirm, only in the case of a moral person, not of one who is vicious, in the case of one who has got rid of the passions, not of one still beset by them. The mental aspiration, friends, of a moral person succeeds because it is void of lustful passion.

Eight assemblies, to wit, those of nobles, brahmins, householders, religious orders, four-king devas, Three-and-Thirty devas, Māra devas and Brahma devas.

Eight matters of worldly concern, to wit, gains and losses, fame and obscurity, blame and praise, pleasures and pains.

Eight positions of mastery. (1) When anyone pictures to himself some material feature of his person and sees [corresponding] features in others, lovely or ugly, as small, transcending this [object] he is aware of doing so, [thinks] ‘I know, I see!’ (2) Or when he has the same experience, but sees those features not as small, but as infinitely great, and nevertheless transcending this [object], and is aware of doing so [thinks]: ‘I know, I see!’ (3) Or when he sees the features in others lovely or ugly, as small, without first picturing any material feature of his own transcending this [object] he is aware of doing so, [thinks] ‘I know, I see!’ (4) Or when he sees the features in others but sees those features not as small, but as infinitely great, and nevertheless transcending this [object], and is aware of doing so [thinks]: ‘I know, I see!’ (5) Or when without the personal preliminary, he sees external shapes of indigo, indigo in colour, indigo in visible expanse, indigo in lustre, as is the ummā flower, or a Benares muslin delicately finished on both sides transcending this [object] he is aware of doing so, [thinks] ‘I know, I see!’ (6) or shapes of yellow, yellow in colour, yellow in visible expanse, yellow in lustre, as is the kaṇikāra flower, or Benares muslin delicately finished on both sides transcending this [object] he is aware of doing so, [thinks] ‘I know, I see!’ (7) or shapes of red, red in colour, red in visible expanse, red in lustre, as is the bandhujīvaka flower, or Benares muslin delicately finished on both sides transcending this [object] he is aware of doing so, [thinks] ‘I know, I see!’ (8) or shapes of white, white in color, white in visible expanse, white in lustre as is the morning star, or Benares muslin delicately finished on both sides transcends this [object] and is aware of doing so, [thinks]: ‘I know, I see!’

Eight deliverances, to wit, (1) He, picturing any material feature of himself, sees such material features [as they really are]. (2) Not picturing any such, he sees material features external to his own. (3) He decides that it is beautiful. (4) By passing wholly beyond all consciousness of material qualities, by the dying out of the awareness of sensory reaction, by the unheeding of any awareness of difference, he enters into and abides in that rapt ecstasy which is a consciousness of infinite space. (5) By passing wholly beyond such a sphere of consciousness, he enters into and abides in that rapt ecstasy which is a consciousness of infinitude of consciousness itself. (6) By passing wholly beyond such a sphere of consciousness, he enters into and abides in that rapt ecstasy which regards consciousness itself as nothing whatever, a sphere of nothingness. (7) By passing wholly beyond such a sphere, he enters into and abides in that rapt consciousness which neither is, nor yet is not to be called conscious. (8) By passing wholly beyond such a sphere, he enters into and abides in a state of unconsciousness, wherein awareness and feeling cease.

These, Eights in the Doctrine, friends, have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. … Hereon should there be chanting by all in concord …

Nines

There are Nines in the Doctrine, friends, which have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Hereon should there be chanting in concord by all, not wrangling … for the happiness of devas and men. Which are they?

Nine bases of quarrelling, thus: — quarrelling is stirred up at the thought: ‘he has done me an injury,’ or ‘he is doing me an injury,’ or ‘he will do me an injury,’ or ‘he has done, is doing, will do an injury to one I love,’ or ‘he has bestowed a benefit, is bestowing, will bestow a benefit on one I dislike.’

Nine suppressions of quarrelling, thus: — quarrelling is suppressed by the thought: ‘He has done, is doing, will do me an injury, or ‘he has done, is doing, will do an injury to one I love’, or ‘he has bestowed, is bestowing, will bestow a benefit on one I dislike’, true, but what gain would there be to either of us if I quarrelled about it?’

Nine spheres inhabited by beings. The first four are described in terms verbatim of the first four stations of consciousness. (5) There are beings without perception or feeling. These live in the sphere of the ‘unconscious devas.’ (6) There are beings who having passed wholly beyond awareness of material qualities, by the dying out of sensory reaction, by unheeding the awareness of difference, have attained to the sphere of infinite space with a consciousness thereof. (7–9) Similarly other beings have attained to the sphere of infinite consciousness, of nothingness, of neither consciousness nor yet unconsciousness.

Nine untimely unseasonable intervals for life in a religious order, (1) A Tathāgata, friends, is born into the world, Arahant Buddha Supreme. The Norm is taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, declared by the Well-Farer. And this person is reborn at that time in purgatory. This is the first untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (2) A Tathāgata, friends, is born into the world, Arahant Buddha Supreme. The Norm is taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, declared by the Well-Farer. And this person is reborn at that time in the animal kingdom. This is the second untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (3) A Tathāgata, friends, is born into the world, Arahant Buddha Supreme. The Norm is taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, declared by the Well-Farer. And this person is reborn at that time among the Petas. This is the third untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (4) A Tathāgata, friends, is born into the world, Arahant Buddha Supreme. The Norm is taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, declared by the Well-Farer. And this person is reborn at that time among the Asūras. This is the fourth untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (5) A Tathāgata, friends, is born into the world, Arahant Buddha Supreme. The Norm is taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, declared by the Well-Farer. And this person is reborn at that time among some long-lived deva community. This is the fifth untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (6) A Tathāgata, friends, is born into the world, Arahant Buddha Supreme. The Norm is taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, declared by the Well-Farer. And this person is reborn at that time in the border countries among unintelligent barbarians, where there is no opening for members of the Order or lay-brethren. This is the sixth untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (7) A Tathāgata, friends, is born into the world, Arahant Buddha Supreme. The Norm is taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, declared by the Well-Farer. And this person is reborn at that time in the middle countries, but he holds wrong opinions and has perverted vision, holding that gifts, offerings, oblations are as naught, for there is no fruit nor result of deeds well or ill done; there are no parents nor birth without them; there are no recluses or brahmins in the world who have attained the highest, leading perfect lives, and who, having known and realized each for himself the truth as to this and the next world, do reveal it. This is the seventh untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (8) A Tathāgata, friends, is born into the world, Arahant Buddha Supreme. The Norm is taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, declared by the Well-Farer. And though reborn at the time in the Middle countries, he is stupid, dull, or deaf and dumb, unable to know whether a matter has been well said or ill said. This is the eighth untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (9) Or finally, friends, a Tathāgata has not arisen in the world as Arahant Buddha Supreme, the Norm is not taught, quenching [the passions], extinguishing [the passions], leading to enlightenment, as revealed by the Well-Farer; and this person is [in that interval] reborn in the Middle country, is intelligent, bright of wit, nor deaf-mute, able to know whether a matter has been well said or ill said. This is the nineth untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order.

Nine successional states, to wit, the Four Jhānas [of Rūpa-world consciousness], the Four Jhānas of Arūpa-world consciousness and complete trance.

Nine successional cessations, thus:—Taking each of the foregoing nine in order, by the attainment of (1) First Jhāna, sensuous perceptions cease, (2) Second Jhāna, applied and sustained thought ceases, (3) Third Jhāna zest ceases, (4) Fourth Jhāna, respiration ceases, (5) by the perception of infinite space, perception of material things ceases, (6) by the perception of infinite consciousness, perception of infinite space ceases, (7) by the perception of nothingness, perception of infinite consciousness ceases, (8) by the perception that is neither conscious nor yet unconscious, perception of nothingness ceases, (9) by the cessation of perception and feeling, perception that is neither conscious nor yet unconscious ceases.

These Nines in the Doctrine, friends, have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One, etc. … Herein should there be chanting by all in concord …

Tens

There are Tens in the Doctrine, friends, which have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees. Here should there be chanting by all in concord, not wrangling … for the happiness of devas and men. Which are the tens?

Ten doctrines conferring protection.

(1) Herein friends, a brother is virtuous, lives self-controlled according to the self-control prescribed in the Vinaya, he has entered on a proper range of conduct, he sees danger in the least of the things he should avoid, he adopts and trains himself in the precepts. (2) He learns much, and remembers and stores up what he has learnt. Those doctrines which, excellent at the start, in the middle, at the end, in the letter and in their contents, declare the absolutely perfect and pure religious life, these he learns to a great extent bears them in mind, treasures them by repetition, ponders them in mind, penetrates them by intuition. (3) He is a friend, an associate, an intimate of men of good character. (4) He is affable, endowed with gentleness and humility; he is patient and receives admonition with deference. (5) Where there are duties to be done for the seniors among his fellow-disciples, he therein is industrious, not slothful, and exercises forethought in methods for discharging them, is capable of accomplishing, capable of organizing. (6) And furthermore, friends, he loves the doctrine, the utterance of it is dear to him, he finds exceeding joy in the advanced teaching of both Doctrine and Discipline. (7) Furthermore, friends, he is content with necessaries of any quality, whether it be raiment, alms, lodging, drugs and provision against sickness. (8) Furthermore, friends, he is continually stirring up effort to eliminate bad qualities, evoke good qualities, making dogged and vigorous progress in good things, never throwing off the burden. (9) Furthermore, friends, he is mindful, and possessed of supreme lucidity and perspicacity in following mentally and recollecting deeds and words long past. (10) Furthermore, friends, he is intelligent, endowed with insight into the rise and passing away [of things], insight which is of that Ariyan penetration which leads to the complete destruction of pain.

Ten objects for self-hypnosis. These, perceived severally as above, below or across, and as homogeneous, and without limits, are a piece of earth [extended matter], water, fire, air, indigo, yellow, red, white, space, consciousness.

Ten bad channels of action, to wit, taking life, theft, inchastity, lying, abuse, slander, idle talk, covetousness, malevolence, wrong views.

Ten good channels of action, to wit, abstention from all the foregoing.

Ten Ariyan methods of living. Herein, friends, a brother has got rid of five factors, is possessed of six factors, has set the one guard, carries out the four bases of observance, has put away sectarian opinions, has utterly given up quests, is candid in his thoughts, has calmed the restlessness of his body, and is well emancipated in heart and intellect. (1) What five factors has he got rid of? Sensuality, malevolence, sloth and torpor, excitement and worry, doubt. (2) What six factors is he possessed of? The six ‘chronic states.’ (See p. 234) (3) How has he set the one guard? By the mental guard of mindfulness. (4) What are the four bases of observance? Herein a brother judges that something is to be (i) habitually pursued, (ii) endured, (iii) avoided, (iv) suppressed. (5) How does he become ‘one who has put away sectarian opinions? All those many opinions of the mass of recluses and brahmins which are held by individuals as dogmas:—all these he has dismissed, put away, given up, ejected, let go, eliminated, abandoned. (6) How is he one whose questing is utterly given up? He has eliminated the questing after worldly desires, the questing for rebirth, the questing for religious life. (7) How is he candid in his thoughts? He has eliminated occupying his mind with sensual or malicious or cruel ideas. (8) How does he tranquillize the activity of the body? Because of eliminating the being affected pleasurably or painfully, because of the dying out of previous impressions as joyful or sorrowful, he attains to and abides in a state of neutral feeling, of very pure indifference and mental lucidity, namely, the state called Fourth Jhāna. (9) How does he become well emancipated in heart? He becomes emancipated in heart from passion, hate, and illusion. (10) How does he become well emancipated in intellect? He understands his emancipated condition, namely, in the thought: Passion … hate … illusion … for me are eliminated, cut off at the root, become as a palm tree stump, become non-existent, unable to grow again in future.

Ten qualities belonging to the adept, to wit, the right (or perfect) views, intentions, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration, insight and emancipation as held by adepts.

These Tens in the Doctrine, friends, have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One, who knows, who sees. Here should there be chanting by all in concord, not wrangling, in order that the holy life may live and be long established. Thus will it be for the welfare, for the happiness of multitudes, a kindness to the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and men.


Now when the Exalted One had arisen he addressed the venerable Sāriputta saying: ‘Excellent, Sāriputta, excellent! Excellently, Sāriputta, have you uttered the scheme of chanting together for the brethren.’ These things were spoken by the venerable Sāriputta. The Master signified his assent. The brethren were pleased and delighted with the venerable Sāriputta’s discourse.

- Translator: T.W. & C.A.F. Rhys Davids

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato


Reciting in Concert

mind …
Four supports.
“Please, sir, come at your convenience.”
Guarding the sense doors and moderation in eating.
The power of reflection and the power of development.
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Mallas together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants when he arrived at a Mallian town named Pāvā.
There he stayed in Cunda the smith’s mango grove.
Now at that time a new town hall named Ubbhaṭaka had recently been constructed for the Mallas of Pāvā. It had not yet been occupied by an ascetic or brahmin or any person at all.
The Mallas of Pāvā also heard that the Buddha had arrived and was staying in Cunda’s mango grove.
Then they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,
“Sir, a new town hall named Ubbhaṭaka has recently been constructed for the Mallas of Pāvā. It has not yet been occupied by an ascetic or brahmin or any person at all.
May the Buddha be the first to use it, and only then will the Mallas of Pāvā use it.
That would be for the lasting welfare and happiness of the Mallas of Pāvā.”
The Buddha consented in silence.
Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, the Mallas got up from their seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right. Then they went to the new town hall, where they spread carpets all over, prepared seats, set up a water jar, and placed a lamp. Then they went back to the Buddha,
bowed, stood to one side,
and told him of their preparations, saying,

Then the Buddha robed up and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the new town hall together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. Having washed his feet he entered the town hall and sat against the central column facing east.
The Saṅgha of mendicants also washed their feet, entered the town hall, and sat against the west wall facing east, with the Buddha right in front of them.
The Mallas of Pāvā also washed their feet, entered the town hall, and sat against the east wall facing west, with the Buddha right in front of them.
The Buddha spent most of the night educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the Mallas with a Dhamma talk. Then he dismissed them,
“The night is getting late, Vāseṭṭhas.
Please go at your convenience.”
“Yes, sir,” replied the Mallas. They got up from their seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right, before leaving.
Soon after they left, the Buddha looked around the Saṅgha of mendicants, who were so very silent. He addressed Venerable Sāriputta,
“Sāriputta, the Saṅgha of mendicants is rid of dullness and drowsiness.
Give them some Dhamma talk as you feel inspired.
My back is sore,
I’ll stretch it.”
“Yes, sir,” Sāriputta replied.
And then the Buddha spread out his outer robe folded in four and laid down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up.
Now at that time the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta had recently passed away at Pāvā.
With his passing the Jain ascetics split, dividing into two factions, arguing, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words:
“You don’t understand this teaching and training. I understand this teaching and training. What, you understand this teaching and training? You’re practicing wrong. I’m practicing right. I stay on topic, you don’t. You said last what you should have said first. You said first what you should have said last. What you’ve thought so much about has been disproved. Your doctrine is refuted. Go on, save your doctrine! You’re trapped; get yourself out of this—if you can!”
You’d think there was nothing but slaughter going on among the Jain ascetics.
And the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta’s white-clothed lay disciples were disillusioned, dismayed, and disappointed in the Jain ascetics. They were equally disappointed with a teaching and training so poorly explained and poorly propounded, not emancipating, not leading to peace, proclaimed by someone who is not a fully awakened Buddha, with broken monument and without a refuge.
Then Sāriputta told the mendicants about these things. He went on to say,


“That’s what happens, reverends, when a teaching and training is poorly explained and poorly propounded, not emancipating, not leading to peace, proclaimed by someone who is not a fully awakened Buddha.
But this teaching is well explained and well propounded to us by the Blessed One, emancipating, leading to peace, proclaimed by someone who is a fully awakened Buddha.
You should all recite this in concert, without disputing, so that this spiritual path may last for a long time. That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.
And what is that teaching?

1. Ones
There are teachings grouped by one that have been rightly explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert, without disputing, so that this spiritual path may last for a long time. That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.
What are the teachings grouped by one?
‘All sentient beings are sustained by food.’
‘All sentient beings are sustained by conditions.’
These are the teachings grouped by one that have been rightly explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert, without disputing, so that this spiritual path may last for a long time. That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.
2. Twos
There are teachings grouped by two that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by two?
Name and form.
Ignorance and craving for continued existence.
Views favoring continued existence and views favoring ending existence.
Lack of conscience and prudence.
Conscience and prudence.
Being hard to admonish and having bad friends.
Being easy to admonish and having good friends.
Skill in offenses and skill in rehabilitation from offenses.
Skill in meditative attainments and skill in emerging from those attainments.
Skill in the elements and skill in attention.
Skill in the sense fields and skill in dependent origination.
Skill in what is possible and skill in what is impossible.
Integrity and scrupulousness.
Patience and gentleness.
Friendliness and hospitality.
Harmlessness and purity.
Lack of mindfulness and lack of situational awareness.
Mindfulness and situational awareness.
Not guarding the sense doors and eating too much.
The power of mindfulness and the power of immersion.
Serenity and discernment.
The foundation of serenity and the foundation of exertion.
Exertion, and not being distracted.
Failure in ethics and failure in view.
Accomplishment in ethics and accomplishment in view.
Purification of ethics and purification of view.
Purification of view and making an effort in line with that view.
Inspiration, and making a suitable effort when inspired by inspiring places.
To never be content with skillful qualities, and to never stop trying.
Knowledge and freedom.
Knowledge of ending and knowledge of non-arising.
These are the teachings grouped by two that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
3. Threes
There are teachings grouped by three that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by three?
Three unskillful roots:
greed, hate, and delusion.
Three skillful roots:
non-greed, non-hate, and non-delusion.
Three ways of performing bad conduct:
by body, speech, and mind.
Three ways of performing good conduct:
by body, speech, and mind.
Three unskillful thoughts:
sensuality, malice, and cruelty.
Three skillful thoughts:
renunciation, good will, and harmlessness.
Three unskillful intentions:
sensuality, malice, and cruelty.
Three skillful intentions:
renunciation, good will, and harmlessness.
Three unskillful perceptions:
sensuality, malice, and cruelty.
Three skillful perceptions:
renunciation, good will, and harmlessness.
Three unskillful elements:
sensuality, malice, and cruelty.
Three skillful elements:
renunciation, good will, and harmlessness.
Another three elements:
sensuality, form, and formlessness.
Another three elements:
form, formlessness, and cessation.
Another three elements:
lower, middle, and higher.
Three cravings:
for sensual pleasures, to continue existence, and to end existence.
Another three cravings:
sensuality, form, and formlessness.
Another three cravings:
form, formlessness, and cessation.
Three fetters:
identity view, doubt, and misapprehension of precepts and observances.
Three defilements:
sensuality, desire for continued existence, and ignorance.
Three realms of existence:
sensual, form, and formless.
Three searches:
for sensual pleasures, for continued existence, and for a spiritual path.
Three kinds of discrimination:
‘I’m better’, ‘I’m equal’, and ‘I’m worse’.
Three periods:
past, future, and present.
Three extremes:
identity, the origin of identity, and the cessation of identity.
Three feelings:
pleasure, pain, and neutral.
Three forms of suffering:
the suffering inherent in painful feeling, the suffering inherent in conditions, and the suffering inherent in perishing.
Three heaps:
inevitability regarding the wrong way, inevitability regarding the right way, and lack of inevitability.
Three darknesses:
one is doubtful, uncertain, undecided, and lacking confidence about the past, future, and present.
Three things a Realized One need not hide.
The Realized One’s behavior by way of body, speech, and mind is pure. He has no misconduct in these three ways that need be hidden, thinking:
‘Don’t let others find this out about me!’




Three possessions:
greed, hate, and delusion.
Three fires:
greed, hate, and delusion.
Another three fires:
a fire for those worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, a fire for householders, and a fire for those worthy of a religious donation.
A threefold classification of the physical:
visible and resistant, invisible and resistant, and invisible and non-resistant.
Three choices:
good choices, bad choices, and imperturbable choices.
Three individuals:
a trainee, an adept, and one who is neither a trainee nor an adept.
Three seniors:
a senior by birth, a senior in the teaching, and a senior by convention.
Three grounds for making merit:
giving, ethical conduct, and meditation.
Three grounds for accusations:
what is seen, heard, and suspected.
Three kinds of sensual rebirth.
There are sentient beings who desire what is present. They fall under the sway of presently arisen sensual pleasures. Namely, humans, some gods, and some beings in the underworld.
This is the first kind of sensual rebirth.
There are sentient beings who desire to create. Having repeatedly created, they fall under the sway of sensual pleasures. Namely, the Gods Who Love to Create.
This is the second kind of sensual rebirth.
There are sentient beings who desire what is created by others. They fall under the sway of sensual pleasures created by others. Namely, the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others.
This is the third kind of sensual rebirth.
Three kinds of pleasant rebirth.
There are sentient beings who, having repeatedly given rise to it, dwell in pleasure. Namely, the gods of Brahmā’s Host.
This is the first pleasant rebirth.
There are sentient beings who are drenched, steeped, filled, and soaked with pleasure.
Every so often they feel inspired to exclaim:
‘Oh, what bliss! Oh, what bliss!’ Namely, the gods of streaming radiance.
This is the second pleasant rebirth.
There are sentient beings who are drenched, steeped, filled, and soaked with pleasure.
Since they’re truly content, they experience pleasure. Namely, the gods replete with glory.
This is the third pleasant rebirth.
Three kinds of wisdom:
the wisdom of a trainee, the wisdom of an adept, and the wisdom of one who is neither a trainee nor an adept.
Another three kinds of wisdom:
wisdom produced by thought, learning, and meditation.
Three weapons:
learning, seclusion, and wisdom.
Three faculties:
the faculty of understanding that one’s enlightenment is imminent, the faculty of enlightenment, and the faculty of one who is enlightened.
Three eyes:
the eye of the flesh, the eye of clairvoyance, and the eye of wisdom.
Three trainings:
in higher ethics, higher mind, and higher wisdom.
Three kinds of development:
the development of physical endurance, the development of the mind, and the development of wisdom.
Three unsurpassable things:
unsurpassable seeing, practice, and freedom.
Three kinds of immersion.
Immersion with placing the mind and keeping it connected. Immersion without placing the mind, but just keeping it connected. Immersion without placing the mind or keeping it connected.
Another three kinds of immersion:
emptiness, signless, and undirected.
Three purities:
purity of body, speech, and mind.
Three kinds of sagacity:
sagacity of body, speech, and mind.
Three skills:
skill in progress, skill in regress, and skill in means.
Three vanities:
the vanity of health, the vanity of youth, and the vanity of life.
Three ways of putting something in charge:
putting oneself, the world, or the teaching in charge.
Three topics of discussion.
You might discuss the past:
‘That is how it was in the past.’
You might discuss the future:
‘That is how it will be in the future.’
Or you might discuss the present:
‘This is how it is at present.’
Three knowledges:
recollection of past lives, knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings, and knowledge of the ending of defilements.
Three meditative abidings:
the meditation of the gods, the meditation of Brahmā, and the meditation of the noble ones.
Three demonstrations:
a demonstration of psychic power, a demonstration of revealing, and an instructional demonstration.
These are the teachings grouped by three that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
4. Fours
There are teachings grouped by four that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by four?
Four kinds of mindfulness meditation.
It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …
principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.
Four right efforts.
A mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise.
They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up.
They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise.
They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are completed by development.
Four bases of psychic power.
A mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort.
They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development, and active effort.
They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy, and active effort.
They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to inquiry, and active effort.
Four absorptions.
A mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.
As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.
And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’
Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.
Four ways of developing immersion further.
There is a way of developing immersion further that leads to blissful meditation in the present life.
There is a way of developing immersion further that leads to gaining knowledge and vision.
There is a way of developing immersion further that leads to mindfulness and awareness.
There is a way of developing immersion further that leads to the ending of defilements.
And what is the way of developing immersion further that leads to blissful meditation in the present life?
It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption …
second absorption …
fourth absorption.
This is the way of developing immersion further that leads to blissful meditation in the present life.
And what is the way of developing immersion further that leads to gaining knowledge and vision?
A mendicant focuses on the perception of light, concentrating on the perception of day regardless of whether it’s night or day.
And so, with an open and unenveloped heart, they develop a mind that’s full of radiance.
This is the way of developing immersion further that leads to gaining knowledge and vision.
And what is the way of developing immersion further that leads to mindfulness and awareness?
A mendicant knows feelings as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.
They know perceptions as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.
They know thoughts as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away.
This is the way of developing immersion further that leads to mindfulness and awareness.
And what is the way of developing immersion further that leads to the ending of defilements?
A mendicant meditates observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates.
‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form.
Such are feelings …
perceptions …
choices …
consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’
This is the way of developing immersion further that leads to the ending of defilements.
Four immeasurables.
A mendicant meditates spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
They meditate spreading a heart full of compassion …
rejoicing …
equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
Four formless states.
A mendicant, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space.
Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness.
Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
After appraisal, a mendicant uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and gets rid of some things.
Four noble traditions.
A mendicant is content with any kind of robe, and praises such contentment. They don’t try to get hold of a robe in an improper way. They don’t get upset if they don’t get a robe. And if they do get a robe, they use it untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawback, and understanding the escape. And on account of that they don’t glorify themselves or put others down.
A mendicant who is deft, tireless, aware, and mindful in this is said to stand in the ancient, primordial noble tradition.
Furthermore, a mendicant is content with any kind of almsfood …

Furthermore, a mendicant is content with any kind of lodgings …

Furthermore, a mendicant enjoys giving up and loves to give up. They enjoy meditation and love to meditate. But they don’t glorify themselves or put down others on account of their love for giving up and meditation.
A mendicant who is deft, tireless, aware, and mindful in this is said to stand in the ancient, primordial noble tradition.
Four efforts.
The efforts to restrain, to give up, to develop, and to preserve.
And what is the effort to restrain?
When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, they don’t get caught up in the features and details.
If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of desire and aversion would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint.
When they hear a sound with their ears …
When they smell an odor with their nose …
When they taste a flavor with their tongue …
When they feel a touch with their body …
When they know a thought with their mind, they don’t get caught up in the features and details.
If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of desire and aversion would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint.
This is called the effort to restrain.
And what is the effort to give up?
It’s when a mendicant doesn’t tolerate a sensual,
malicious,
or cruel thought that’s arisen, but gives it up, gets rid of it, eliminates it, and obliterates it.
They don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them.
This is called the effort to give up.
And what is the effort to develop?
It’s when a mendicant develops the awakening factors of mindfulness,
investigation of principles,
energy,
rapture,
tranquility,
immersion,
and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.
This is called the effort to develop.
And what is the effort to preserve?
It’s when a mendicant preserves a meditation subject that’s a fine foundation of immersion: the perception of a skeleton, a worm-infested corpse, a livid corpse, a split open corpse, or a bloated corpse.
This is called the effort to preserve.
Four knowledges:
knowledge of the present phenomena, inferential knowledge, knowledge of others’ minds, and conventional knowledge.
Another four knowledges:
knowing about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.
Four factors of stream-entry:
associating with good people, listening to the true teaching, proper attention, and practicing in line with the teaching.
Four factors of a stream-enterer.
A noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha:
‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’
They have experiential confidence in the teaching:
‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’
They have experiential confidence in the Saṅgha:
‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, methodical, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’
And a noble disciple’s ethical conduct is loved by the noble ones, unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion.
Four fruits of the ascetic life:
stream-entry, once-return, non-return, and perfection.
Four elements:
earth, water, fire, and air.
Four foods:
solid food, whether coarse or fine; contact is the second, mental intention the third, and consciousness the fourth.
Four bases for consciousness to remain.
Four ignoble expressions:
As long as consciousness remains, it remains involved with form, supported by form, founded on form. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it grows, increases, and matures.
Or consciousness remains involved with feeling …
Or consciousness remains involved with perception …
Or as long as consciousness remains, it remains involved with choices, supported by choices, grounded on choices. And with a sprinkle of relishing, it grows, increases, and matures.
Four prejudices:
making decisions prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice.
Four things that give rise to craving.
Craving arises in a mendicant for the sake of robes,
almsfood,
lodgings,
or rebirth in this or that state.
Four ways of practice:
painful practice with slow insight, painful practice with swift insight, pleasant practice with slow insight, and pleasant practice with swift insight.
Another four ways of practice:
impatient practice, patient practice, taming practice, and calming practice.
Four footprints of the Dhamma:
contentment, good will, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
Four ways of taking up practices.
There is a way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.
There is a way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure.
There is a way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain.
There is a way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure.
Four spectrums of the teaching:
ethics, immersion, wisdom, and freedom.
Four powers:
energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.
Four foundations:
the foundations of wisdom, truth, generosity, and peace.
Four ways of answering questions.
There is a question that should be answered definitively. There is a question that should be answered analytically. There is a question that should be answered with a counter-question. There is a question that should be set aside.
Four deeds.
There are deeds that are dark with dark result.
There are deeds that are bright with bright result.
There are deeds that are dark and bright with dark and bright result.
There are neither dark nor bright deeds with neither dark nor bright results, which lead to the ending of deeds.
Four things to be realized.
Past lives are to be realized with recollection.
The passing away and rebirth of sentient beings is to be realized with vision.
The eight liberations are to be realized with direct meditative experience.
The ending of defilements is to be realized with wisdom.
Four floods:
sensuality, desire for rebirth, views, and ignorance.
Four bonds:
sensuality, desire for rebirth, views, and ignorance.
Four detachments:
detachment from the bonds of sensuality, desire for rebirth, views, and ignorance.
Four ties:
the personal ties to covetousness, ill will, misapprehension of precepts and observances, and the insistence that this is the only truth.
Four kinds of grasping:
grasping at sensual pleasures, views, precepts and observances, and theories of a self.
Four kinds of reproduction:
reproduction for creatures born from an egg, from a womb, from moisture, or spontaneously.
Four kinds of conception.
Someone is unaware when conceived in their mother’s womb, unaware as they remain there, and unaware as they emerge. This is the first kind of conception.
Furthermore, someone is aware when conceived in their mother’s womb, but unaware as they remain there, and unaware as they emerge. This is the second kind of conception.
Furthermore, someone is aware when conceived in their mother’s womb, aware as they remain there, but unaware as they emerge. This is the third kind of conception.
Furthermore, someone is aware when conceived in their mother’s womb, aware as they remain there, and aware as they emerge. This is the fourth kind of conception.
Four kinds of reincarnation.
There is a reincarnation where only one’s own intention is effective, not that of others.
There is a reincarnation where only the intention of others is effective, not one’s own.
There is a reincarnation where both one’s own and others’ intentions are effective.
There is a reincarnation where neither one’s own nor others’ intentions are effective.
Four ways of purifying a religious donation.
There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the giver, not the recipient.
There’s a religious donation that’s purified by the recipient, not the giver.
There’s a religious donation that’s purified by neither the giver nor the recipient.
There’s a religious donation that’s purified by both the giver and the recipient.
Four ways of being inclusive:
giving, kindly words, taking care, and equality.
speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical.
Four noble expressions:
refraining from speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical.
Another four ignoble expressions:
saying you’ve seen, heard, thought, or known something, but you haven’t.
Another four noble expressions:
saying you haven’t seen, heard, thought, or known something, and you haven’t.
Another four ignoble expressions:
saying you haven’t seen, heard, thought, or known something, and you have.
Another four noble expressions:
saying you’ve seen, heard, thought, or known something, and you have.
Four persons.
One person mortifies themselves, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves.
One person mortifies others, committed to the practice of mortifying others.
One person mortifies themselves and others, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others.
One person doesn’t mortify either themselves or others, committed to the practice of not mortifying themselves or others.
They live without wishes in the present life, extinguished, cooled, experiencing bliss, having become holy in themselves.
Another four persons.
One person practices to benefit themselves, but not others.
One person practices to benefit others, but not themselves.
One person practices to benefit neither themselves nor others.
One person practices to benefit both themselves and others.
Another four persons:
the dark bound for darkness, the dark bound for light, the light bound for darkness, and the light bound for light.
Another four persons:
the confirmed ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the pink lotus ascetic, and the exquisite ascetic of ascetics.
These are the teachings grouped by four that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
The first recitation section is finished.
5. Fives
There are teachings grouped by five that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by five?
Five aggregates:
form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Five grasping aggregates:
form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.
Five kinds of sensual stimulation.
Sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Sounds known by the ear …
Smells known by the nose …
Tastes known by the tongue …
Touches known by the body that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Five destinations:
hell, the animal realm, the ghost realm, humanity, and the gods.
Five kinds of stinginess:
stinginess with dwellings, families, material possessions, praise, and the teachings.
Five hindrances:
sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.
Five lower fetters:
identity view, doubt, misapprehension of precepts and observances, sensual desire, and ill will.
Five higher fetters:
desire for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, desire for rebirth in the formless realm, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance.
Five precepts:
refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking alcohol, which is a basis for negligence.
Five things that can’t be done.
A mendicant with defilements ended can’t deliberately take the life of a living creature, take something with the intention to steal, have sex, tell a deliberate lie, or store up goods for their own enjoyment like they did as a lay person.
Five losses:
loss of relatives, wealth, health, ethics, and view.
It is not because of loss of relatives, wealth, or health that sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
It is because of loss of ethics or view that sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
Five endowments:
endowment with relatives, wealth, health, ethics, and view.
It is not because of endowment with family, wealth, or health that sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
It is because of endowment with ethics or view that sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
Five drawbacks for an unethical person because of their failure in ethics.
Firstly, an unethical person loses substantial wealth on account of negligence.
This is the first drawback.
Furthermore, an unethical person gets a bad reputation.
This is the second drawback.
Furthermore, an unethical person enters any kind of assembly timid and embarrassed, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.
This is the third drawback.
Furthermore, an unethical person feels lost when they die.
This is the fourth drawback.
Furthermore, an unethical person, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
This is the fifth drawback.
Five benefits for an ethical person because of their accomplishment in ethics.
Firstly, an ethical person gains substantial wealth on account of diligence.
This is the first benefit.
Furthermore, an ethical person gets a good reputation.
This is the second benefit.
Furthermore, an ethical person enters any kind of assembly bold and self-assured, whether it’s an assembly of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or ascetics.
This is the third benefit.
Furthermore, an ethical person dies not feeling lost.
This is the fourth benefit.
Furthermore, when an ethical person’s body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
This is the fifth benefit.
A mendicant who wants to accuse another should first establish five things in themselves.
I will speak at the right time, not at the wrong time.
I will speak truthfully, not falsely.
I will speak gently, not harshly.
I will speak beneficially, not harmfully.
I will speak lovingly, not from secret hate.
A mendicant who wants to accuse another should first establish these five things in themselves.
Five factors that support meditation.
A mendicant has faith in the Realized One’s awakening:
‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’
They are rarely ill or unwell. Their stomach digests well, being neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and fit for meditation.
They’re not devious or deceitful. They reveal themselves honestly to the Teacher or sensible spiritual companions.
They live with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They’re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities.
They’re wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering.
Five pure abodes:
Aviha, Atappa, the Gods Fair to See, the Fair Seeing Gods, and Akaniṭṭha.
Five non-returners:
one who is extinguished between one life and the next, one who is extinguished upon landing, one who is extinguished without extra effort, one who is extinguished with extra effort, and one who heads upstream, going to the Akaniṭṭha realm.
Five kinds of emotional barrenness.
Firstly, a mendicant has doubts about the Teacher. They’re uncertain, undecided, and lacking confidence.
This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the first kind of emotional barrenness.
Furthermore, a mendicant has doubts about the teaching …
the Saṅgha …
the training …
A mendicant is angry and upset with their spiritual companions, resentful and closed off.
This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving. This is the fifth kind of emotional barrenness.
Five emotional shackles.
Firstly, a mendicant isn’t free of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for sensual pleasures.

This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving.
This is the first emotional shackle.
Furthermore, a mendicant isn’t free of greed for the body …
They’re not free of greed for form …
They eat as much as they like until their bellies are full, then indulge in the pleasures of sleeping, lying down, and drowsing …
They lead the spiritual life hoping to be reborn in one of the orders of gods, thinking: ‘By this precept or observance or mortification or spiritual life, may I become one of the gods!’
This being so, their mind doesn’t incline toward keenness, commitment, persistence, and striving.
This is the fifth emotional shackle.
Five faculties:
eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.
Another five faculties:
pleasure, pain, happiness, sadness, and equanimity.
Another five faculties:
faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.
Five elements of escape.
Take a case where a mendicant focuses on sensual pleasures, but their mind isn’t eager, confident, settled, and decided about them.
But when they focus on renunciation, their mind is eager, confident, settled, and decided about it.
Their mind is in a good state, well developed, well risen, well freed, and well detached from sensual pleasures.
They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of sensual pleasures, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.
This is how the escape from sensual pleasures is explained.
Tasting a flavor with the tongue …
Take another case where a mendicant focuses on ill will, but their mind isn’t eager …
But when they focus on good will, their mind is eager …
Their mind is in a good state … well detached from ill will.
They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of ill will, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.
This is how the escape from ill will is explained.
Take another case where a mendicant focuses on harming, but their mind isn’t eager …
But when they focus on compassion, their mind is eager …
Their mind is in a good state … well detached from harming.
They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of harming, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.
This is how the escape from harming is explained.
Take another case where a mendicant focuses on form, but their mind isn’t eager …
But when they focus on the formless, their mind is eager …
Their mind is in a good state … well detached from forms.
They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of form, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.
This is how the escape from forms is explained.
Take a case where a mendicant focuses on identity, but their mind isn’t eager, confident, settled, and decided about it.
But when they focus on the ending of identity, their mind is eager, confident, settled, and decided about it.
Their mind is in a good state, well developed, well risen, well freed, and well detached from identity.
They’re freed from the distressing and feverish defilements that arise because of identity, so they don’t experience that kind of feeling.
This is how the escape from identity is explained.
Five opportunities for freedom.
Firstly, the Teacher or a respected spiritual companion teaches Dhamma to a mendicant.
That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how the Teacher or a respected spiritual companion teaches it.
Feeling inspired, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, one feels bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed.
This is the first opportunity for freedom.
Furthermore, it may be that neither the Teacher nor a respected spiritual companion teaches Dhamma to a mendicant. But the mendicant teaches Dhamma in detail to others as they learned and memorized it. …
Or the mendicant recites the teaching in detail as they learned and memorized it. …
Or the mendicant thinks about and considers the teaching in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized it. …
Or a meditation subject as a foundation of immersion is properly grasped, attended, borne in mind, and comprehended with wisdom.
That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how a meditation subject as a foundation of immersion is properly grasped, attended, borne in mind, and comprehended with wisdom.
Feeling inspired, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, one feels bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed.
This is the fifth opportunity for freedom.
Five perceptions that ripen in freedom:
the perception of impermanence, the perception of suffering in impermanence, the perception of not-self in suffering, the perception of giving up, and the perception of fading away.
These are the teachings grouped by five that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
6. Sixes
There are teachings grouped by six that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by six?
Six interior sense fields:
eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
Six exterior sense fields:
sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts.
Six classes of consciousness:
eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind consciousness.
Six classes of contact:
contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
Six classes of feeling:
feeling born of contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
Six classes of perception:
perceptions of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts.
Six bodies of intention:
intention regarding sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts.
Six classes of craving:
craving for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts.
Six kinds of disrespect.
A mendicant lacks respect and reverence for the Teacher, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, the training, diligence, and hospitality.
Six kinds of respect.
A mendicant has respect and reverence for the Teacher, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, the training, diligence, and hospitality.
Six preoccupations with happiness.
Seeing a sight with the eye, one is preoccupied with a sight that’s a basis for happiness.
Hearing a sound with the ear …
Smelling an odor with the nose …
Feeling a touch with the body …
Knowing a thought with the mind, one is preoccupied with a thought that’s a basis for happiness.
Six preoccupations with sadness.
Seeing a sight with the eye, one is preoccupied with a sight that’s a basis for sadness. …
Knowing a thought with the mind, one is preoccupied with a thought that’s a basis for sadness.
Six preoccupations with equanimity.
Seeing a sight with the eye, one is preoccupied with a sight that’s a basis for equanimity. …
Knowing a thought with the mind, one is preoccupied with a thought that’s a basis for equanimity.
Six warm-hearted qualities.
Firstly, a mendicant consistently treats their spiritual companions with bodily kindness, both in public and in private.
This warm-hearted quality makes for fondness and respect, conducing to inclusion, harmony, and unity, without quarreling.
Furthermore, a mendicant consistently treats their spiritual companions with verbal kindness, both in public and in private.
This too is a warm-hearted quality.
Furthermore, a mendicant consistently treats their spiritual companions with mental kindness, both in public and in private.
This too is a warm-hearted quality.
Furthermore, a mendicant shares without reservation any material possessions they have gained by legitimate means, even the food placed in the alms-bowl, using them in common with their ethical spiritual companions.
This too is a warm-hearted quality.
Furthermore, a mendicant lives according to the precepts shared with their spiritual companions, both in public and in private. Those precepts are unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion.
This too is a warm-hearted quality.
They live according to the view shared with their spiritual companions, both in public and in private. That view is noble and emancipating, and brings one who practices it to the complete ending of suffering.
This warm-hearted quality too makes for fondness and respect, conducing to inclusion, harmony, and unity, without quarreling.
Six roots of arguments.
Firstly, a mendicant is irritable and hostile.
Such a mendicant lacks respect and reverence for the Teacher, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, and they don’t fulfill the training.
They create a dispute in the Saṅgha, which is for the hurt and unhappiness of the people, for the harm, hurt, and suffering of gods and humans.
If you see such a root of arguments in yourselves or others, you should try to give up this bad thing.
If you don’t see it, you should practice so that it doesn’t come up in the future.
That’s how to give up this bad root of arguments, so it doesn’t come up in the future.
Furthermore, a mendicant is offensive and contemptuous …
They’re jealous and stingy …
They’re devious and deceitful …
They have wicked desires and wrong view …
They’re attached to their own views, holding them tight, and refusing to let go.


If you see such a root of arguments in yourselves or others, you should try to give up this bad thing.
If you don’t see it, you should practice so that it doesn’t come up in the future.
That’s how to give up this bad root of arguments, so it doesn’t come up in the future.
Six elements:
earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness.
Six elements of escape.
Take a mendicant who says:
‘I’ve developed the heart’s release by love. I’ve cultivated it, made it my vehicle and my basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it.
Yet somehow ill will still occupies my mind.’
They should be told, ‘Not so, venerable! Don’t say that. Don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for misrepresentation of the Buddha is not good. And the Buddha would not say that.
It’s impossible, reverend, it cannot happen that the heart’s release by love has been developed and properly implemented,
yet somehow ill will still occupies the mind.
For it is the heart’s release by love that is the escape from ill will.’
Take another mendicant who says:
‘I’ve developed the heart’s release by compassion. I’ve cultivated it, made it my vehicle and my basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it.
Yet somehow the thought of harming still occupies my mind.’
They should be told, ‘Not so, venerable! …


For it is the heart’s release by compassion that is the escape from thoughts of harming.’
Take another mendicant who says:
‘I’ve developed the heart’s release by rejoicing. I’ve cultivated it, made it my vehicle and my basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it.
Yet somehow discontent still occupies my mind.’
They should be told, ‘Not so, venerable! …


For it is the heart’s release by rejoicing that is the escape from discontent.’
Take another mendicant who says:
‘I’ve developed the heart’s release by equanimity. I’ve cultivated it, made it my vehicle and my basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it.
Yet somehow desire still occupies my mind.’
They should be told, ‘Not so, venerable! …


For it is the heart’s release by equanimity that is the escape from desire.’
Take another mendicant who says:
‘I’ve developed the signless release of the heart. I’ve cultivated it, made it my vehicle and my basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it.
Yet somehow my consciousness still follows after signs.’
They should be told, ‘Not so, venerable! …


For it is the signless release of the heart that is the escape from all signs.’
Take another mendicant who says:
‘I’m rid of the conceit “I am”. And I don’t regard anything as “I am this”.
Yet somehow the dart of doubt and indecision still occupies my mind.’
They should be told, ‘Not so, venerable! Don’t say that. Don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for misrepresentation of the Buddha is not good. And the Buddha would not say that.
It’s impossible, reverend, it cannot happen that the conceit “I am” has been done away with, and nothing is regarded as “I am this”,
yet somehow the dart of doubt and indecision still occupy the mind.
For it is the uprooting of the conceit “I am” that is the escape from the dart of doubt and indecision.’
Six unsurpassable things:
the unsurpassable seeing, listening, acquisition, training, service, and recollection.
Six topics for recollection:
the recollection of the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, ethics, generosity, and the deities.
Six consistent responses.
A mendicant, seeing a sight with their eyes, is neither happy nor sad. They remain equanimous, mindful and aware.
Hearing a sound with their ears … Smelling an odor with their nose … Tasting a flavor with their tongue … Feeling a touch with their body …
Knowing a thought with their mind, they’re neither happy nor sad. They remain equanimous, mindful and aware.
Six classes of rebirth.
Someone born into a dark class gives rise to a dark result.
Someone born into a dark class gives rise to a bright result.
Someone born into a dark class gives rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright.
Someone born into a bright class gives rise to a bright result.
Someone born into a bright class gives rise to a dark result.
Someone born into a bright class gives rise to extinguishment, which is neither dark nor bright.
Six perceptions that help penetration:
the perception of impermanence, the perception of suffering in impermanence, the perception of not-self in suffering, the perception of giving up, the perception of fading away, and the perception of cessation.
These are the teachings grouped by six that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
7. Sevens
There are teachings grouped by seven that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by seven?
Seven kinds of noble wealth:
the wealth of faith, ethics, conscience, prudence, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
Seven awakening factors:
mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.
Seven prerequisites for immersion:
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, and right mindfulness.
Seven bad qualities:
a mendicant is faithless, shameless, imprudent, unlearned, lazy, unmindful, and witless.
Seven good qualities:
a mendicant is faithful, conscientious, prudent, learned, energetic, mindful, and wise.
Seven aspects of the teachings of the good persons:
a mendicant knows the teachings, knows the meaning, knows themselves, knows moderation, knows the right time, knows assemblies, and knows people.
Seven qualifications for graduation.
A mendicant has a keen enthusiasm to undertake the training …
to examine the teachings …
to get rid of desires …
for retreat …
to rouse up energy …
for mindfulness and alertness …
to penetrate theoretically. And they don’t lose these desires in the future.
Seven perceptions:
the perception of impermanence, the perception of not-self, the perception of ugliness, the perception of drawbacks, the perception of giving up, the perception of fading away, and the perception of cessation.
Seven powers:
faith, energy, conscience, prudence, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.
Seven planes of consciousness.
There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and diverse in perception, such as human beings, some gods, and some beings in the underworld.
This is the first plane of consciousness.
There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and unified in perception, such as the gods reborn in Brahmā’s Host through the first absorption.
This is the second plane of consciousness.
There are sentient beings that are unified in body and diverse in perception, such as the gods of streaming radiance.
This is the third plane of consciousness.
There are sentient beings that are unified in body and unified in perception, such as the gods replete with glory.
This is the fourth plane of consciousness.
There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond perceptions of form. With the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they have been reborn in the dimension of infinite space.
This is the fifth plane of consciousness.
There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite space. Aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they have been reborn in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
This is the sixth plane of consciousness.
There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they have been reborn in the dimension of nothingness.
This is the seventh plane of consciousness.
Seven persons worthy of a religious donation:
one freed both ways, one freed by wisdom, a personal witness, one attained to view, one freed by faith, a follower of the teachings, and a follower by faith.
Seven underlying tendencies:
sensual desire, repulsion, views, doubt, conceit, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.
Seven fetters:
attraction, repulsion, views, doubt, conceit, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.
Seven principles for the settlement of any disciplinary issues that might arise.
Removal in the presence of those concerned is applicable. Removal by accurate recollection is applicable. Removal due to recovery from madness is applicable. The acknowledgement of the offense is applicable. The decision of a majority is applicable. A verdict of aggravated misconduct is applicable. Covering over with grass is applicable.
These are the teachings grouped by seven that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
The second recitation section is finished.
8. Eights
There are teachings grouped by eight that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by eight?
Eight wrong ways:
wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong immersion.
Eight right ways:
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
Eight persons worthy of a religious donation.
The stream-enterer and the one practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry. The once-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of once-return. The non-returner and the one practicing to realize the fruit of non-return. The perfected one, and the one practicing for perfection.
Eight grounds for laziness.
Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do.
They think:
‘I have some work to do. But while doing it my body will get tired. I’d better have a lie down.’
They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.
This is the first ground for laziness.
Furthermore, a mendicant has done some work.
They think:
‘I’ve done some work. But while working my body got tired. I’d better have a lie down.’
They lie down, and don’t rouse energy…
This is the second ground for laziness.
Furthermore, a mendicant has to go on a journey.
They think:
‘I have to go on a journey. But while walking my body will get tired. I’d better have a lie down.’
They lie down, and don’t rouse energy…
This is the third ground for laziness.
Furthermore, a mendicant has gone on a journey.
They think:
‘I’ve gone on a journey. But while walking my body got tired. I’d better have a lie down.’
They lie down, and don’t rouse energy…
This is the fourth ground for laziness.
Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, but they didn’t get to fill up on as much food as they like, rough or fine.
They think:
‘I’ve wandered for alms, but I didn’t get to fill up on as much food as I like, rough or fine. My body is tired and unfit for work. I’d better have a lie down.’
They lie down, and don’t rouse energy…
This is the fifth ground for laziness.
Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, and they got to fill up on as much food as they like, rough or fine.
They think:
‘I’ve wandered for alms, and I got to fill up on as much food as I like, rough or fine. My body is heavy and unfit for work, like I’ve just eaten a load of beans. I’d better have a lie down.’
They lie down, and don’t rouse energy…
This is the sixth ground for laziness.
Furthermore, a mendicant feels a little sick.
They think:
‘I feel a little sick. Lying down would be good for me. I’d better have a lie down.’

They lie down, and don’t rouse energy…
This is the seventh ground for laziness.
Furthermore, a mendicant has recently recovered from illness.
They think:
‘I’ve recently recovered from illness. My body is weak and unfit for work. I’d better have a lie down.’
They lie down, and don’t rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.
This is the eighth ground for laziness.
Eight grounds for arousing energy.
Firstly, a mendicant has some work to do.
They think:
‘I have some work to do. While working it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’
They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.
This is the first ground for arousing energy.
Furthermore, a mendicant has done some work.
They think:
‘I’ve done some work. While I was working I wasn’t able to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy.’
They rouse up energy…
This is the second ground for arousing energy.
Furthermore, a mendicant has to go on a journey.
They think:
‘I have to go on a journey. While walking it’s not easy to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy.’

They rouse up energy…
This is the third ground for arousing energy.
Furthermore, a mendicant has gone on a journey.
They think:
‘I’ve gone on a journey. While I was walking I wasn’t able to focus on the instructions of the Buddhas. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy.’
They rouse up energy…
This is the fourth ground for arousing energy.
Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, but they didn’t get to fill up on as much food as they like, rough or fine.
They think:
‘I’ve wandered for alms, but I didn’t get to fill up on as much food as I like, rough or fine. My body is light and fit for work. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy.’
They rouse up energy…
This is the fifth ground for arousing energy.
Furthermore, a mendicant has wandered for alms, and they got to fill up on as much food as they like, rough or fine.
They think:
‘I’ve wandered for alms, and I got to fill up on as much food as I like, rough or fine. My body is strong and fit for work. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy.’
They rouse up energy…
This is the sixth ground for arousing energy.
Furthermore, a mendicant feels a little sick.
They think:
‘I feel a little sick. It’s possible this illness will worsen. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy.’
They rouse up energy…
This is the seventh ground for arousing energy.
Furthermore, a mendicant has recently recovered from illness.
They think:
‘I’ve recently recovered from illness. It’s possible the illness will come back. I’d better preemptively rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’
They rouse energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.
This is the eighth ground for arousing energy.
Eight reasons to give.
A person might give a gift after insulting the recipient. Or they give out of fear. Or they give thinking, ‘They gave to me.’ Or they give thinking, ‘They’ll give to me.’ Or they give thinking, ‘It’s good to give.’ Or they give thinking, ‘I cook, they don’t. It wouldn’t be right for me to not give to them.’ Or they give thinking, ‘By giving this gift I’ll get a good reputation.’ Or they give thinking, ‘This is an adornment and requisite for the mind.’

Eight rebirths by giving.
First, someone gives to ascetics or brahmins such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.
Whatever they give, they expect something back.
They see an affluent aristocrat or brahmin or householder amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.
They think:
‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of well-to-do aristocrats or brahmins or householders!’
They settle on that thought, concentrate on it and develop it. As they’ve settled for less and not developed further, their thought leads to rebirth there.
But I say that this is only for those of ethical conduct, not for the unethical.
The heart’s wish of an ethical person succeeds because of their purity.
Next, someone gives to ascetics or brahmins.
Whatever they give, they expect something back.
And they’ve heard:
‘The Gods of the Four Great Kings are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’
They think:
‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the Gods of the Four Great Kings!’
They settle on that thought, concentrate on it and develop it. As they’ve settled for less and not developed further, their thought leads to rebirth there.
But I say that this is only for those of ethical conduct, not for the unethical.
The heart’s wish of an ethical person succeeds because of their purity.
Next, someone gives to ascetics or brahmins.
Whatever they give, they expect something back.
And they’ve heard:
‘The Gods of the Thirty-Three …
the Gods of Yama …
the Joyful Gods …
the Gods Who Love to Create …
the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’
They think:
‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others!’
They settle on that thought, concentrate on it and develop it. As they’ve settled for less and not developed further, their thought leads to rebirth there.
But I say that this is only for those of ethical conduct, not for the unethical.
The heart’s wish of an ethical person succeeds because of their purity.
Next, someone gives to ascetics or brahmins such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.
Whatever they give, they expect something back.
And they’ve heard:
‘The Gods of Brahmā’s Host are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy.’
They think:
‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of the Gods of Brahmā’s Host!’
They settle on that thought, concentrate on it and develop it. As they’ve settled for less and not developed further, their thought leads to rebirth there.
But I say that this is only for those of ethical conduct, not for the unethical.
And for those free of desire, not those with desire.
The heart’s wish of an ethical person succeeds because of their freedom from desire.
Eight assemblies:
the assemblies of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, and ascetics. An assembly of the gods under the Four Great Kings. An assembly of the gods under the Thirty-Three. An assembly of Māras. An assembly of Brahmās.
Eight worldly conditions:
gain and loss, fame and disgrace, blame and praise, pleasure and pain.
Eight dimensions of mastery.
Perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limited, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
This is the first dimension of mastery.
Perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’

This is the second dimension of mastery.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limited, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
This is the third dimension of mastery.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
This is the fourth dimension of mastery.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally that are blue, with blue color, blue hue, and blue tint.
They’re like a flax flower that’s blue, with blue color, blue hue, and blue tint. Or a cloth from Bāraṇasī that’s smoothed on both sides, blue, with blue color, blue hue, and blue tint.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
This is the fifth dimension of mastery.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally that are yellow, with yellow color, yellow hue, and yellow tint.
They’re like a champak flower that’s yellow, with yellow color, yellow hue, and yellow tint. Or a cloth from Bāraṇasī that’s smoothed on both sides, yellow, with yellow color, yellow hue, and yellow tint.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
This is the sixth dimension of mastery.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally that are red, with red color, red hue, and red tint.
They’re like a scarlet mallow flower that’s red, with red color, red hue, and red tint. Or a cloth from Bāraṇasī that’s smoothed on both sides, red, with red color, red hue, and red tint.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
This is the seventh dimension of mastery.
Not perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally that are white, with white color, white hue, and white tint.
They’re like the morning star that’s white, with white color, white hue, and white tint. Or a cloth from Bāraṇasī that’s smoothed on both sides, white, with white color, white hue, and white tint.
Mastering them, they perceive: ‘I know and see.’
This is the eighth dimension of mastery.
Eight liberations.
Having physical form, they see visions.
This is the first liberation.
Not perceiving physical form internally, they see visions externally.
This is the second liberation.
They’re focused only on beauty.
This is the third liberation.
Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space.
This is the fourth liberation.
Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
This is the fifth liberation.
Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness.
This is the sixth liberation.
Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
This is the seventh liberation.
Going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception and feeling.
This is the eighth liberation.
These are the teachings grouped by eight that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
9. Nines
There are teachings grouped by nine that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by nine?
Nine grounds for resentment.
Thinking: ‘They did wrong to me,’ you harbor resentment.
Thinking: ‘They are doing wrong to me’ …
‘They will do wrong to me’ …
‘They did wrong by someone I love’ …
‘They are doing wrong by someone I love’ …
‘They will do wrong by someone I love’ …
‘They helped someone I dislike’ …
‘They are helping someone I dislike’ …
Thinking: ‘They will help someone I dislike,’ you harbor resentment.
Nine methods to get rid of resentment.
Thinking: ‘They did wrong to me, but what can I possibly do?’ you get rid of resentment.
Thinking: ‘They are doing wrong to me …’ …
‘They will do wrong to me …’ …
‘They did wrong by someone I love …’ …
‘They are doing wrong by someone I love …’ …
‘They will do wrong by someone I love …’ …
‘They helped someone I dislike …’ …
‘They are helping someone I dislike …’ …
Thinking: ‘They will help someone I dislike, but what can I possibly do?’ you get rid of resentment.
Nine abodes of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and diverse in perception, such as human beings, some gods, and some beings in the underworld.
This is the first abode of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and unified in perception, such as the gods reborn in Brahmā’s Host through the first absorption.
This is the second abode of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that are unified in body and diverse in perception, such as the gods of streaming radiance.
This is the third abode of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that are unified in body and unified in perception, such as the gods replete with glory.
This is the fourth abode of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that are non-percipient and do not experience anything, such as the gods who are non-percipient beings.
This is the fifth abode of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond perceptions of form. With the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they have been reborn in the dimension of infinite space.
This is the sixth abode of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite space. Aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they have been reborn in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
This is the seventh abode of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they have been reborn in the dimension of nothingness.
This is the eighth abode of sentient beings.
There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of nothingness. They have been reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
This is the ninth abode of sentient beings.
Nine lost opportunities for spiritual practice.
Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.
But a person has been reborn in hell.
This is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn in the animal realm.
This is the second lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn in the ghost realm.
This is the third lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn among the demons.
This is the fourth lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods.
This is the fifth lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But a person has been reborn in the borderlands, among strange barbarian tribes, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go.
This is the sixth lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
And a person is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective:
‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is well attained and practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’
This is the seventh lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
And a person is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, stupid, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the eighth lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And a person is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the ninth lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Nine progressive meditations.
A mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.
As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.
And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’
Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.
Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space.
Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness.
Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
Going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception and feeling.
Nine progressive cessations.
For someone who has attained the first absorption, sensual perceptions have ceased.
For someone who has attained the second absorption, the placing of the mind and keeping it connected have ceased.
For someone who has attained the third absorption, rapture has ceased.
For someone who has attained the fourth absorption, breathing has ceased.
For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite space, the perception of form has ceased.
For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite consciousness, the perception of the dimension of infinite space has ceased.
For someone who has attained the dimension of nothingness, the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness has ceased.
For someone who has attained the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, the perception of the dimension of nothingness has ceased.
For someone who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have ceased.
These are the teachings grouped by nine that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
10. Tens
There are teachings grouped by ten that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert.
What are the teachings grouped by ten?
Ten qualities that serve as protector.
Firstly, a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and seeking alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

This is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant is very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reinforcing them by recitation, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant has good friends, companions, and associates.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant is easy to admonish, having qualities that make them easy to admonish. They’re patient, and take instruction respectfully.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant is deft and tireless in a diverse spectrum of duties for their spiritual companions, understanding how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant loves the teachings and is a delight to converse with, being full of joy in the teaching and training.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant is content with any kind of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant lives with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They are strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant is mindful. They have utmost mindfulness and alertness, and can remember and recall what was said and done long ago.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Furthermore, a mendicant is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering.

This too is a quality that serves as protector.
Ten universal dimensions of meditation.
Someone perceives the meditation on universal earth above, below, across, undivided and limitless.
They perceive the meditation on universal water …
the meditation on universal fire …
the meditation on universal air …
the meditation on universal blue …
the meditation on universal yellow …
the meditation on universal red …
the meditation on universal white …
the meditation on universal space …
They perceive the meditation on universal consciousness above, below, across, undivided and limitless.
Ten ways of doing unskillful deeds:
killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; covetousness, ill will, and wrong view.
Ten ways of doing skillful deeds:
refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; refraining from speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; contentment, good will, and right view.
Ten noble abodes.
A mendicant has given up five factors, possesses six factors, has a single guard, has four supports, has eliminated idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth, has totally given up searching, has unsullied intentions, has stilled the physical process, and is well freed in mind and well freed by wisdom.
And how has a mendicant given up five factors?
It’s when a mendicant has given up sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.
That’s how a mendicant has given up five factors.
And how does a mendicant possess six factors?
A mendicant, seeing a sight with their eyes, is neither happy nor sad. They remain equanimous, mindful and aware.
Hearing a sound with their ears … Smelling an odor with their nose … Tasting a flavor with their tongue … Feeling a touch with their body …
Knowing a thought with their mind, they’re neither happy nor sad. They remain equanimous, mindful and aware.
That’s how a mendicant possesses six factors.
And how does a mendicant have a single guard?
It’s when a mendicant’s heart is guarded by mindfulness.
That’s how a mendicant has a single guard.
And how does a mendicant have four supports?
After appraisal, a mendicant uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and gets rid of some things.
That’s how a mendicant has four supports.
And how has a mendicant eliminated idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth?
Different ascetics and brahmins have different idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth. A mendicant has dispelled, eliminated, thrown out, rejected, let go of, given up, and relinquished all these.
That’s how a mendicant has eliminated idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth.
And how has a mendicant totally given up searching?
It’s when they’ve given up searching for sensual pleasures, for continued existence, and for a spiritual path.
That’s how a mendicant has totally given up searching.
And how does a mendicant have unsullied intentions?
It’s when they’ve given up sensual, malicious, and cruel intentions.
That’s how a mendicant has unsullied intentions.
And how has a mendicant stilled the physical process?
It’s when, giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.
That’s how a mendicant has stilled the physical process.
And how is a mendicant well freed in mind?
It’s when a mendicant’s mind is freed from greed, hate, and delusion.
That’s how a mendicant is well freed in mind.
And how is a mendicant well freed by wisdom?
It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘I’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so they’re unable to arise in the future.’


That’s how a mendicant’s mind is well freed by wisdom.
Ten qualities of an adept:
an adept’s right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom.
Reverends, these are the teachings grouped by ten that have been rightly explained by the Buddha.
You should all recite these in concert, without disputing, so that this spiritual path may last for a long time. That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.”
Then the Buddha got up and said to Venerable Sāriputta,
“Good, good, Sāriputta!
It’s good that you’ve taught this exposition of the reciting in concert.”
That is what Venerable Sāriputta said, and the teacher approved.
Satisfied, the mendicants were happy with what Sāriputta said.