mn.6 Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Discourses)

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

“Bhikkhus, dwell possessed of virtue, possessed of the Pātimokkha, restrained with the restraint of the Pātimokkha, perfect in conduct and resort, and seeing fear in the slightest fault, train by undertaking the training precepts.

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I be dear and agreeable to my companions in the holy life, respected and esteemed by them,’ let him fulfil the precepts, be devoted to internal serenity of mind, not neglect meditation, be possessed of insight, and dwell in empty huts.

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I be one to obtain robes, almsfood, resting place, and medicinal requisites,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May the services of those whose robes, almsfood, resting place, and medicinal requisites I use bring them great fruit and benefit,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘When my kinsmen and relatives who have passed away and died remember me with confidence in their minds, may that bring them great fruit and great benefit, ’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I become a conqueror of discontent and delight, and may discontent not conquer me; may I abide transcending discontent whenever it arises,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I become a conqueror of fear and dread, and may fear and dread not conquer me; may I abide transcending fear and dread whenever they arise,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I become one to obtain at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and provide a pleasant abiding here and now,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I contact with the body and abide in those liberations that are peaceful and immaterial, transcending forms,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I, with the destruction of three fetters, become a stream-enterer, no longer subject to perdition, bound for deliverance, headed for enlightenment,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I, with the destruction of three fetters and with the attenuation of lust, hate, and delusion, become a once-returner, returning once to this world to make an end of suffering,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, become due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes and there attain final Nibbāna, without ever returning from that world,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I wield the various kinds of supernormal power: having been one, may I become many; having been many, may I become one; may I appear and vanish; may I go unhindered through a wall, through an enclosure, through a mountain as though through space; may I dive in and out of the earth as though it were water; may I walk on water without sinking as though it were earth; seated cross-legged, may I travel in space like a bird; with my hand may I touch and stroke the moon and sun so powerful and mighty; may I wield bodily mastery, even as far as the Brahma-world,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I, with the divine ear element, which is purified and surpasses the human, hear both kinds of sounds, the divine and the human, those that are far as well as near,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I understand the minds of other beings, of other persons, having encompassed them with my own mind. May I understand a mind affected by lust as affected by lust and a mind unaffected by lust as unaffected by lust; may I understand a mind affected by hate as affected by hate and a mind unaffected by hate as unaffected by hate; may I understand a mind affected by delusion as affected by delusion and a mind unaffected by delusion as unaffected by delusion; may I understand a contracted mind as contracted and a distracted mind as distracted; may I understand an exalted mind as exalted and an unexalted mind as unexalted; may I understand a surpassed mind as surpassed and an unsurpassed mind as unsurpassed; may I understand a concentrated mind as concentrated and an unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated; may I understand a liberated mind as liberated and an unliberated mind as unliberated,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I recollect my manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births…as Sutta 4, §27…Thus with their aspects and their particulars may I recollect my manifold past lives,’ let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, see beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate; may I understand how beings pass on according to their actions thus:’…as Sutta 4, §29…let him fulfil the precepts…

“If a bhikkhu should wish: ‘May I, by realising for myself with direct knowledge, here and now enter upon and abide in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints,’ let him fulfil the precepts, be devoted to internal serenity of mind, not neglect meditation, be possessed of insight, and dwell in empty huts.

“So it was with reference to this that it was said: ‘Bhikkhus, dwell possessed of virtue, possessed of the Pātimokkha, restrained with the restraint of the Pātimokkha, perfect in conduct and resort, and seeing fear in the slightest fault, train by undertaking the training precepts.’”

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. While he was there the Lord addressed the monks, saying:

“Monks.”

“Revered one,” these monks answered the Lord in assent. The Lord spoke thus:

“Fare along, monks, possessed of moral habit, possessed of the Obligations, fare along controlled by the control of the Obligations, possessed of right conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; undertaking them rightly, train yourselves in the rules of training.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May I be agreeable to my fellow Brahma-farers, liked by them, revered and respected,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May I be one who receives the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines for the sick,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May these services of those from whom I enjoy the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodgings, requisites for the sick, be of great merit, of great advantage,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May this be a great fruit, a great advantage to those of my kith and kin who, their minds pleased, recollect the departed who have passed away,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May I be one who overcomes aversion and liking, and may aversion not overcome me, may I fare along constantly conquering any aversion that has arisen,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May I be one who overcomes fear and dread, and may fear and dread not overcome me, may I fare along constantly conquering any fear and dread that has arisen,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May I be one who, at will, without trouble, without difficulty, acquires the four meditations which are of the purest mentality, abidings in ease here-now,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘Those incorporeal deliverances which are calmed, transcending forms, may I fare along having realised them while in the body,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘By the total destruction of the three fetters may I be a stream-attainer, not liable to the Downfall, assured, bound for awakening,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘By the total destruction of the three fetters, by the reduction of attachment, aversion, confusion, may I be a once-returner; having come back once only to this world, may I make an end of anguish,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘By the total destruction of the five fetters that bind one to the lower world, may I be of spontaneous uprising, one who has utterly attained to Nibbāna there, not liable to return from that world,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May I experience the various forms of psychic power: Having been one may I be manifold, having been manifold may I be one; manifest or invisible may I go unhindered through a wall, through a rampart, through a mountain as if through air; may I plunge into the ground and shoot up again as if in water; may I walk upon the water without parting it as if on the ground; sitting cross-legged may I travel through the air like a bird on the wing; with my hand may I rub and stroke this moon and sun although they are of such mighty power and majesty; and even as far as the Brahma-world may I have power in respect of my body,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘By the purified deva-like hearing which surpasses that of men, may I hear both (kinds of) sounds: deva-like ones and human ones, whether they be far or near,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May I know intuitively by mind the minds of other beings, of other individuals, so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is full of attachment that it is full of attachment; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is without attachment, that it is without attachment; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is full of aversion, that it is full of aversion; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is without aversion, that it is without aversion; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is full of confusion, that it is full of confusion; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is without confusion, that it is without confusion; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is contracted that it is contracted; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is distracted that it is distracted; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that has become great that it has become great; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that has not become great that it has not become great; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind with (some other mental state) superior to it that it has (some other mental state) superior to it; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that has no (other mental state) superior to it that it has no (other mental state) superior to it; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is composed that it is composed; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is not composed that it is not composed; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is freed that it is freed; or so that I may know intuitively of a mind that is not freed that it is not freed,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘May I recollect (my) manifold former habitations, that is to say, one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many an eon of integration, many an eon of disintegration, many an eon of integration-disintegration; such a one was I by name, having such and such a clan, such and such a colour, so was I nourished, such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine, so did the span of life end. Passing from this, I came to be in another state where such a one was I by name, having such and such a clan, such and such a colour, so was I nourished, such and such pleasant and painful experiences were mine, so did the span of life end. Passing from this I arose here. Thus may I remember (my) divers former habitations in all their modes and detail,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘With the purified deva-vision surpassing that of men, may I behold beings as they pass hence or come to be, mean, excellent, fair, foul, in a good bourn, in a bad bourn, according to the consequences of their deeds; may I comprehend: Indeed these worthy beings were possessed of wrong conduct in body, speech and thought, they were scoffers at the ariyans, holding a wrong view, incurring deeds consequent on a wrong view, these, at the breaking up of the body after dying, have arisen in a sorrowful state, a bad bourn, the abyss, Niraya Hell. But these worthy beings who were possessed of good conduct in body, speech and thought, who were not scoffers at the ariyans, holding a right view, incurring deeds consequent on a right view, these at the breaking up of the body after dying have arisen in a good bourn, a heaven world. Thus, with the purified deva-vision surpassing that of men may I behold beings as they pass hence, as they arise, mean, excellent, fair, foul, in a good bourn, in a bad bourn, according to the consequences of their deeds,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

Monks, if a monk should wish: ‘By the destruction of the cankers, having realised by my own super-knowledge here and now the freedom of mind, and freedom through wisdom that are cankerless, entering thereon, may I abide therein,’ he should be one who fulfils the moral habits, who is intent on mental tranquillity within, whose meditation is uninterrupted, who is endowed with vision, a cultivator of empty places.

That of which I have spoken thus was spoken in relation to this: Fare along, monks, possessed of moral habit, possessed of the Obligations, fare along controlled by the control of the Obligations, possessed of right conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults; undertaking them rightly, train yourselves in the rules of training.”

Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, these monks rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

Discourse on What one may Wish: The Sixth

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthi, at Jeta‘s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika‘s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks!” “Auspicious sir,” those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:

“Monks, live with¹ virtue, with adherence to the Pātimokkha; live with restraint in accordance with the Pātimokkha, with good behavior, seeing danger in even small errors; train yourselves in the training-rules.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘May I be loved, appreciated, respected, and honored by my fellow spiritual practitioners,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed² to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘May I acquire robes, food, dwellings, and medicine,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘When I use those robes, food, dwellings, and medicine, may it be very fruitful and beneficial for the donors,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘When my deceased family members and relatives remember me with a clear mind, may it be very fruitful and beneficial for them,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘May I overcome discontent and preference, may discontent not overcome me, and may I continue defeating discontent whenever it arises,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘May I overcome fear and terror, may fear and terror not overcome me, and may I continue defeating fear and terror whenever they arise,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘May I easily gain the four Jhānas, aspects of the higher mind which are pleasant abidings here and now, without trouble or difficulty,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘May I live having personally contacted those peaceful, non-physical liberations which transcend physicality,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘With the complete elimination of three fetters, may I be a Stream-Enterer, one who is not capable of downfall, one who will certainly reach complete Awakening,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘With the complete elimination of three fetters and the attenuation of lust and hatred, may I be a Once-Returner, one who will return just once to this world and reach the end of suffering,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘With the complete elimination of the five lower fetters, may I be a celestial being³, there to attain enlightenment⁴ without returning from that world,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘May I manifest various kinds of psychic powers: having been one, may I be many; having been many, may I be one; may I appear and disappear; may I move unobstructed through walls, fences, and mountains as if it was space; may I dive in and out of the earth as if it was water; may I move across water without sinking, as if it was earth; may I move cross-legged through the sky like a bird; with my hand may I touch and hold the sun and moon, so powerful and majestic; may I personally extend my authority as far as the Brahma-world,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘With the divine ear-element, which is purified and transcends human hearing, may I hear both kinds of sounds – celestial and human, far and near,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘Using my own mind, may I know the minds of other beings and other individuals: may I know a lustful mind as a lustful mind, or a lust-free mind as a lust-free mind; may I know a hate-filled mind as a hate-filled mind, or a hate-free mind as a hate-free mind; may I know a delusional mind as a delusional mind, or a delusion-free mind as a delusion-free mind; may I know a contracted mind as a contracted mind, or a scattered mind as a scattered mind; may I know an expanded mind as an expanded mind, or an unexpanded mind as an unexpanded mind; may I know a surpassable mind as a surpassable mind, or an unsurpassable mind as an unsurpassable mind; may I know a concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, or an unconcentrated mind as an unconcentrated mind; may I know a liberated mind as a liberated mind, or a non-liberated mind as a non-liberated mind,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘May I remember numerous past lives – one life, two lives, three lives… a hundred lives… a hundred thousand lives… many eons of universal expansion… many eons of universal contraction… many eons of universal expansion and contraction – “At that place I had this name, this family, this appearance, this food, this experience of pleasure and pain, this death. Falling from there, I appeared over there, where I had that name, that family, that appearance, that food, that experience of pleasure and pain, that death. Falling from there, I appeared here.” In this way, may I remember numerous past lives and their characteristics in detail,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘With divine vision, which is purified and transcends human vision, may I see beings falling and appearing – inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in good places and bad places; may I understand how beings fare according to their actions: “These honorable beings engaged in physical, verbal, and mental misconduct; they disparaged noble beings, they held wrong view, and they based their actions on wrong view. When they were separated from their bodies after death, they appeared in deprivation, a bad destination, downfall – hell. However, these honorable beings engaged in good physical, verbal, and mental conduct; they did not disparage noble beings, they held right view, and they based their actions on right view. When they were separated from their bodies after death, they appeared in a good destination – a heavenly world.” In this way, with divine vision, which is pure and surpasses human vision, may I see beings falling and appearing – inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in good places and bad places; may I understand how beings fare according to their actions,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, if a monk wishes, ‘With the elimination of the corruptions, may I here and now reach and dwell in the corruption-free mental liberation – liberation by wisdom – having personally realized⁵ it with higher knowledge,’ then he should be completely virtuous, be devoted to internal mental serenity, not neglect Jhāna, be committed to insight, and live in an empty dwelling.

“Monks, ‘Live with virtue, with adherence to the Pātimokkha; live with restraint in accordance with the Pātimokkha, with good behavior, seeing danger in even small errors; train yourselves in the training-rules’ – this is what was said, and this is what it refers to.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Satisfied, those monks delighted in the Blessed One‘s speech.