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dn.34 Dīgha Nikāya (Long Discourses)

Pāṭika Chapter

The Tenfold Series

Thus have I heard. The Exalted One was once staying at Campā, on the banks of Lake Gaggara, with a great company of the brethren, about five hundred in number. There the venerable Sāriputta addressed them, saying, ‘Friends, brethren!’

‘Yes, friend,’ responded the brethren.

And the venerable Sāriputta spake thus:—

In groups from one to ten will I declare The Norm, that so ye may Nibbāna win, that ye may make an end of ill and pain, that ye may be from every bond set free.

Ones

There is One thing, friends, that helpeth much, One thing that is to be developed, One that is to be understood, One that is to be eliminated, One that belongs to disaster, One that leads to distinction, One that is hard to penetrate, One that is to be brought to pass, One that is to be thoroughly learnt, One that is to be realized.

i. Which One thing helpeth much?

Zeal in things that are good.

ii. Which One thing is to be developed?

Mindfulness with respect to the bodily factors, accompanied by pleasurable feeling.

iii. Which One thing is to be understood?

Contact as a condition of intoxicants (Āsavas) and of grasping.

iv. Which One thing is to be eliminated?

The conceit: ‘I am.’

v. Which One thing belongs to decline?

Disorderly thinking.

vi. Which One thing leads to distinction?

Orderly thinking.

vii. Which One thing is hard to penetrate?

Immediacy of succession in mental concentration.

viii. Which One thing is to be brought to pass?

Sure and unshakeable knowledge.

ix. Which One thing is to be thoroughly learnt?

All beings are maintained by causes.

x. Which One thing is to be realized?

Sure and unshakeable emancipation of mind.

Now these ten things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathāgata.


Twos

There are Two things, friends, that helpeth much, Two things that are to be developed, Two things that are to be understood, Two things that are to be eliminated, Two things that belong to disaster, Two things that lead to distinction, Two things that are hard to penetrate, Two things that are to be brought to pass, Two things that are to be thoroughly learnt, Two things that are to be realized.

i. Which Two help much?

Mindfulness and deliberation.

ii. Which Two are to be developed?

Calm and insight.

iii. Which Two are to be understood?

Mind and body.

iv. Which Two are to be eliminated?

Ignorance and the craving for rebirth.

v. Which Two belong to decline?

Contumacy and friendship with evil.

vi. Which Two lead to distinction?

Suavity and friendship with good.

vii. Which Two are hard to penetrate?

That which is the condition, the cause of the corruption of beings, and that which is the condition, the cause of their purification.

viii. Which Two are to be brought to pass?

Insight into extinction, and insight into not coming to be.

ix. Which Two are to be thoroughly learnt?

Two elements, to wit, the Conditioned and the Unconditioned.

x. Which Two are to be realized?

Supernormal knowledge and emancipation.

Now these Twofold things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, and perfectly comprehended by the Tathāgata.


Threes

There are Three things, friends, that helpeth much, Three things that are to be developed, Three things that are to be understood, Three things that are to be eliminated, Three things that belong to disaster, Three things that lead to distinction, Three things that are hard to penetrate, Three things that are to be brought to pass, Three things that are to be thoroughly learnt, Three things that are to be realized.

i. Which Three help much?

Intercourse with noble-minded persons, hearing the good Doctrine, progress in doctrine and minor doctrines.

ii. Which Three are to be developed?

The three modes of concentrative thought, to wit, mental application followed by sustained thought, sustained thought without mental application, concentrative thought without either.

iii. Which Three are to be understood?

Three modes of feeling, to wit, pleasurable, painful, and neutral feeling.

iv. Which Three are to be eliminated?

Three cravings, to wit, sensual, worldly craving, craving for rebirth, craving to end life.

v. Which Three belong to decline?

Three roots of demerit, to wit, greed, hate, illusion.

vi. Which Three lead to distinction?

Three roots of merit, to wit, disinterestedness, love, intelligence.

vii. Which Three are hard to penetrate?

Three elements of deliverance, to wit, renunciation;—this is the escape from all worldly desires; the immaterial:—this is the escape from material things; but whatever has become, is conditioned, has arisen from a cause:—the escape from that is cessation.

viii. Which Three are to be brought to pass?

Three knowledges, to wit, as to the past, the future and the present.

ix. Which Three are to be thoroughly learnt?

Three elements, to wit, the element of sensuous desires, of Rūpa, of Arūpa.

x. Which Three are to be realized?

Three branches of wisdom, to wit, intuition of former births, intuition of the deceases and rebirths of beings, intuition of the extinction of ‘intoxicants.’

Now these Three Things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathagata.


Fours

There are Four things, friends, that helpeth much, Four things that are to be developed, Four things that are to be understood, Four things that are to be eliminated, Four things that belong to disaster, Four things that lead to distinction, Four things that are hard to penetrate, Four things that are to be brought to pass, Four things that are to be thoroughly learnt, Four things that are to be realized.

i. Which Four help much?

Four ‘wheels,’ to wit, the orbit of a favourable place of residence, the orbit of association with the good, perfect adjustment of one’s self, the cycle of merit wrought in the past.

ii. Which Four are to be developed?

The Four Applications of Mindfulness, to wit:—Herein, friends, a brother as to the body, feelings, thought, and ideas, continues so to look upon [each of these four groups], that he remains ardent, self-possessed and mindful, and can suppress both the hankering and the dejection common in the world.

iii. Which Four are to be understood?

The Four Nutriments, to wit, solid nutriment, gross or subtle; contact as second, the purposes of the mind as third, [rebirth-] consciousness as fourth.

iv. Which Four are to be eliminated?

The Four Floods of sensuous desires, re-becoming, erroneous opinions, ignorance.

v. Which Four belong to decline?

The Four Bonds of sensuous desires, re-becoming, erroneous opinions, ignorance.

vi. Which Four lead to distinction?

The Four Detachments, to wit, detachment from sensuous desires, re-becoming, erroneous opinions, ignorance.

vii. Which Four are hard to penetrate?

The Four Concentrations, to wit, that leading to decline, that leading to maintenance, that leading to distinction, that leading to Nibbāna.

viii. Which Four are to be brought to pass?

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

ix. Which Four are to be thoroughly learnt?

The Four Ariyan Truths, to wit, the Ariyan Truth as to Ill, and the Ariyan Truths as to the Genesis of Ill, the Cessation of Ill, the Path leading to the Cessation of Ill.

x. Which Four are to be realized?

The Four Fruits of the Recluse’s Life, to wit, the Fruit of each Path:—that of the Stream-winning, of Once-Returning, of Never-Returning, of Arahantship.

Now these Four Things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathagata.


Fives

There are Five things, friends, that helpeth much, Five things that are to be developed, Five things that are to be understood, Five things that are to be eliminated, Five things that belong to disaster, Five things that lead to distinction, Five things that are hard to penetrate, Five things that are to be brought to pass, Five things that are to be thoroughly learnt, Five things that are to be realized.

i. Which Five help much?

Five factors in spiritual wrestling confidence (or faith), good health, honesty, energy, insight.

ii. Which Five are to be developed?

The five factors of perfect concentration, to wit, suffusion of rapture, suffusion of easeful bliss, suffusion of [telepathic] consciousness, suffusion of light, and images for retrospective thought.

iii. Which Five are to be understood?

The five aggregates of grasping, to wit, material qualities, feeling, perception, volitional and other complexes, consciousness.

iv. Which Five are to be eliminated?

The Five Hindrances, to wit, sensuality, malevolence, sloth and torpor, excitement and worry, doubt.

v. Which Five belong to decline?

The five spiritual barrennesses, to wit, (1) herein, a brother doubts, is perplexed about the Master, comes to no definite choice, is not satisfied. He being thus, his mind does not incline (lit. bend) towards ardour, devotion, perseverance, exertion:—this is the first barrenness. (2–4) When he doubts, is perplexed about the Doctrine, the Order, the Training, these are, in order, the second, third and fourth barrennesses. (5) When he is offended with his fellow-disciples, vexed, agitated, sterile towards them, he being thus, his mind does not incline towards ardour, etc.

vi. Which Five belong to distinction?

The five spiritual faculties, to wit, faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, insight.

vii. Which Five are hard to penetrate?

(1) The five elements favourable to deliverance, to wit, 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.

(2) Again, friends, when a brother is contemplating [Ed.: thoughts of] ill will, 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 ill will.

And those intoxicants, whose miseries, those fevers which arise in consequence of ill will, from all these he is freed, nor does he feel that sort of feeling.

This is pronounced to be the second deliverance.

(3) Again, friends, when a brother is contemplating [Ed.: thoughts of] cruelty, 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 cruelty.

And those intoxicants, whose miseries, those fevers which arise in consequence of cruelty, from all these he is freed, nor does he feel that sort of feeling.

This is pronounced to be the third deliverance.

(4) Again, friends, when a brother is contemplating external objects, 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 external objects.

And those intoxicants, whose miseries, those fevers which arise in consequence of external objects, from all these he is freed, nor does he feel that sort of feeling.

This is pronounced to be the fourth deliverance.

(5) Again, friends, when a brother is contemplating [Ed.: thoughts of] individuality, 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 [Ed.: thoughts of] individuality.

And those intoxicants, whose miseries, those fevers which arise in consequence of [Ed.: thoughts of] individuality, from all these he is freed, nor does he feel that sort of feeling.

This is pronounced to be the fifth deliverance.

viii. Which Five are to be brought to pass?

The fivefold intuition of perfect concentration, to wit:—As a personal experience the intuition arises that (1) ‘this rapture is both a present happiness and a future result of happiness;’ (2) ‘this rapture is Ariyan, is unworldly;’ (3) ‘this rapture is not a pursuit of any but the noblest men;’ (4) ‘this rapture is good, excellent, has won tranquillization, has attained to mental uplift and concentration, and is not instigated nor opposed nor foiled; (5) ‘this rapture I myself with mental clarity attain, and from it with mental clarity emerge.’

ix. Which Five are to be thoroughly learnt?

The five occasions of emancipation, to wit: (1) herein, 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.

(2) 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 and he 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 second occasion.

(3) 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 and he 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 third occasion.

(4) 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 he comes to know both the matter of the doctrine, and the text of the doctrine, and sustains protracted meditation on it and contemplates it in mind. 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 fourth occasion.

(5) 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.

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 fifth occasion.

x. Which Five are to be realized?

The five bodies of doctrine, to wit, morals, concentrative exercise, insight, emancipation, knowledge and insight requisite for emancipation.

Now these Five Things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathāgata.


Sixes

There are Six things, friends, that helpeth much, Six things that are to be developed, Six things that are to be understood, Six things that are to be eliminated, Six things that belong to disaster, Six things that lead to distinction, Six things that are hard to penetrate, Six things that are to be brought to pass, Six things that are to be thoroughly learnt, Six things that are to be realized.

i. Which Six help much?

The six occasions of fraternal living, to wit: (1) 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.

(2–3) The second and third occasions are those of kindly speech and kind thoughts. (4) 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. (5) 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. (6) 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. ii. Which Six are to be developed?

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

iii. Which Six are to be understood?

The six (organs of sense or) fields of personal experience, to wit, sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and mind.

iv. Which Six are to be eliminated?

The six groups of cravings, to wit, the five kinds of sense-objects, and phenomena.

v. Which Six belong to decline?

The six forms of irreverence, to wit, 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.

vi. Which Six belong to distinction?

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

vii. Which Six are hard to penetrate?

The six elements tending to deliverance, to wit: (1) 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. (2–4) 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. (5) 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. (6) 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. viii. Which Six are to be brought to pass?

The six chronic states, to wit, (1–5) Herein, friends, a brother on occasion of any of the five kinds of sensation, (6) as well as on that of any impression or idea, is neither delighted nor displeased, but remains equable, mindful and deliberate.

ix. Which Six are to be thoroughly learnt?

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

x. Which Six are to be realized?

The six super-knowledges. Herein, friends, a brother (1) enjoys the wondrous gift in its various modes: — being one he becomes many, or having become many becomes one again; he becomes visible or invisible; he goes, feeling no obstruction, to the further side of a wall or rampart or hill, as if through air; he penetrates up and down through solid ground, as if through water; he walks on water without breaking through, as if on solid ground; he travels cross-legged in the sky, like the birds on wing; even the Moon and the Sun, so potent, so mighty though they be, does he touch and feel with his hand; he reaches in the body even up to the heaven of Brahmā.

(2) With that clear Heavenly Ear surpassing the ear of men he hears sounds both human and celestial, whether far or near.

(3) Penetrating with his own heart the hearts of other beings, of other men, he knows them. He discerns—

The passionate mind to be passionate, and the calm mind calm; the angry mind to be angry, and the peaceful mind peaceful; the dull mind to be dull, and the alert mind alert; the attentive mind to be attentive, and the wandering mind wandering; the broad mind to be broad, and the narrow mind narrow; the mean mind to be mean, and the lofty mind lofty; the steadfast mind to be steadfast, and the wavering mind to be wavering; the free mind to be free, and the enslaved mind enslaved.

(4) He recalls to mind his various temporary states in days gone by—one birth, or two or three or four or five births, or ten or twenty or thirty or forty or fifty or a hundred or a thousand or a hundred thousand births, through many an aeon of dissolution, many an aeon of evolution, many an aeon of both dissolution and evolution. “In such a place such was my name, such my family, such my caste, such my food, such my experience of discomfort or of ease, and such the limits of my life.

When I passed away from that state, I took form again in such a place. There I had such and such a name and family and caste and food and experience of discomfort or of ease, such was the limit of my life.

When I passed away from that state I took form again here.”—thus does he call to mind his temporary states in days gone by in all their details, and in all their modes.

(5) With the pure Heavenly Eye, surpassing that of men, he sees beings as they pass away from one form of existence and take shape in another; he recognises the mean and the noble, the well favoured and the ill favoured, the happy and the wretched, passing away according to their deeds: “Such and such beings, my brethren, evil-doers in act and word and thought, revilers of the noble ones, holding to wrong views, acquiring for themselves that Karma which results from wrong views, they, on the dissolution of the body, after death, are reborn in some unhappy state of suffering or woe.

But such and such beings, my brethren, well-doers in act and word and thought, not revilers of the noble ones, holding to right views, acquiring for themselves that Karma that results from right views, they, on the dissolution of the body, after death, are reborn in some happy state in heaven.”

Thus with the pure Heavenly Eye, surpassing that of men, he sees beings as they pass away from one state of existence, and take form in another; he recognises the mean and the noble, the well favoured and the ill favoured, the happy and the wretched, passing away according to their deeds.

(6) He lives in the attainment, the personal knowledge and realization, through the extinction of the intoxicants, of sane and immune freedom of heart and mind.

Now these Six Things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathāgata.


Sevens

There are Seven things, friends, that helpeth much, Seven things that are to be developed, Seven things that are to be understood, Seven things that are to be eliminated, Seven things that belong to disaster, Seven things that lead to distinction, Seven things that are hard to penetrate, Seven things that are to be brought to pass, Seven things that are to be thoroughly learnt, Seven things that are to be realized.

i. Which Seven help much?

The seven treasures, to wit: The treasure of faith, of morals, of conscientiousness, of discretion, of learning, of self-denial, of insight.

ii. Which Seven are to be developed?

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

iii. Which Seven are to be understood?

Seven stations of consciousness.

(1) 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. (2) 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]. (3) Others are uniform in body, diverse in intelligence, such as the Radiant Devas. (4) Others are uniform both in body and in intelligence, such as the All-Lustrous Devas. (5) 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. (6) 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. (7) 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.

iv. Which Seven are to be eliminated?

The seven forms 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.

v. Which Seven belong to decline?

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

vi. Which Seven are belong to increase?

The seven virtuous qualities, to wit, the opposites of the foregoing.

vii. Which Seven are hard to penetrate?

The 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.

viii. Which Seven are to be brought to pass?

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

ix. Which Seven are to be thoroughly understood?

The 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. x. Which Seven are to be realized?

The seven powers of the Arahant. Herein, friends, for a brother who is Arahant:

(1) the impermanence of all conditioned things is well seen as it really is by perfect insight. This is one of his powers, on account of which he recognizes that for him the ‘Intoxicants’ are destroyed. (2) That sensuous worldly desires are like coals of fire” is well seen as it really is etc. … (as above) destroyed. (3) His heart is inclined to, set upon detachment; he has made detachment its mountain-cave, its object; his heart loves renunciation, and has become entirely non-existent for all opportunities of incoming intoxicants. This is one, etc. … (4) the four applications of mindfulness have been developed and well developed. This, etc. … (5) so also for the five spiritual faculties, (6) the seven factors of enlightenment, (7) the Ariyan Eightfold Path. In that this and those have been developed and well developed, these are powers of the Arahant brother, on account of which he recognizes that for him the ‘Intoxicants’ are destroyed.

Now these Seven Things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathāgata.

Here endeth the first Portion for Recitation.

Eights

There are Eight things, friends, that helpeth much, Eight things that are to be developed, Eight things that are to be understood, Eight things that are to be eliminated, Eight things that belong to disaster, Eight things that lead to distinction, Eight things that are hard to penetrate, Eight things that are to be brought to pass, Eight things that are to be thoroughly learnt, Eight things that are to be realized.

i. Which Eight help much?

The eight conditions, the eight causes which conduce to attaining that wisdom in those fundamentals of religious life which have not been attained, to multiplying, expanding, developing, perfecting those that have been attained. Herein, friends, (1) one dwells near the Master, or near a fellow-disciple occupying the place of teacher, whereby he is strongly established in conscientiousness, prudence, love, and respect. (2) Under such circumstances he approaches his teachers from time to time and asks and considers, saying: ‘Lord, how is this? What does this mean?’ And to him those reverend ones reveal what is hidden, make plain what is obscure, and dispel any doubts in perplexing matters.

(3) When he has heard their doctrine, he succeeds in obtaining a double serenity, that of body and of mind. (4) Moreover, friends, a brother, virtuous, habitually self-restrained with the self-restraint of the Canon law, proficient in behaviour and propriety, seeing danger in the smallest offence, undertakes to train himself in the stages of the training. This is the fourth condition, the eighth cause of such as conduce to attaining that wisdom in the fundamentals of religious life which have not been attained, to multiplying, expanding, developing, perfecting those that have been attained. (5) Moreover, friends, a brother having learnt much, bears what he has heard in mind and stores it up. And whatever doctrines, lovely in the beginning, in the middle, at the end, both in the letter and in the spirit, commend a religious life that is absolutely fulfilled and made quite pure, those doctrines are by such a brother much learnt, remembered, treasured by repetition, pondered in mind, well penetrated by intuition. This is the fifth condition, the eighth cause of such as conduce to attaining that wisdom in the fundamentals of religious life which have not been attained, to multiplying, expanding, developing, perfecting those that have been attained. (6) Moreover, friends, a brother is habitually stirring up energy for the elimination of bad qualities, the evoking of good qualities, indomitable, strongly progressing and never shirking with respect to what is good. This is the sixth condition, the eighth cause of such as conduce to attaining that wisdom in the fundamentals of religious life which have not been attained, to multiplying, expanding, developing, perfecting those that have been attained. (7) Moreover, friends, he is clear-minded, supremely heedful and discriminating, noting and remembering what has long since been done and spoken. This is the seventh condition, the eighth cause of such as conduce to attaining that wisdom in the fundamentals of religious life which have not been attained, to multiplying, expanding, developing, perfecting those that have been attained. (8) Moreover, friends, a brother is habitually contemplating the rise and passing away of the five aggregates of grasping, to wit: ‘Such is the material [aggregate], such its cause, its cessation.’ Similarly for the four mental aggregates. This is the eighth condition, the eighth cause of such as conduce to attaining that wisdom in the fundamentals of religious life which have not been attained, to multiplying, expanding, developing, perfecting those that have been attained. ii. Which Eight are to be developed?

The Aryan Eightfold Path, to wit, right views, intentions, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration.

iii. Which Eight are to be understood?

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

iv. Which Eight are to be eliminated?

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

v. Which Eight belonging to decline?

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.

vi. Which Eight belonging to distinction?

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.’

vii. Which Eight are hard to penetrate?

Eight 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 some long-lived deva community. 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 in the border countries among unintelligent barbarians, where there is no opening for members of the Order or lay-brethren. 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 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 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 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 seventh untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order. (8) 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 eighth untimely, unseasonable period for living in a religious order.

viii. Which Eight are to be brought to pass?

The eight thoughts of a superman.

This Norm is for one of little wants, not for one of great wants; for one who is serenely content, not for the discontented; for one who is detached, not for one who is fond of society; for one who is energetic, not for the slacker; for one who has presence of mind, not a confused mind; for one whose mind is concentrated, not distracted; for one who has insight, not for the unintelligent; for one who delights not in conceit, craving and opinion, not for one who delights therein.

ix. Which Eight are to be thoroughly learnt?

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!’

x. Which Eight are to be realized?

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.

Now these Eight Things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathāgata.

Nines

There are Nine things, friends, that helpeth much, Nine things that are to be developed, Nine things that are to be understood, Nine things that are to be eliminated, Nine things that belong to disaster, Nine things that lead to distinction, Nine things that are hard to penetrate, Nine things that are to be brought to pass, Nine things that are to be thoroughly learnt, Nine things that are to be realized.

i. Which Nine help much?

The nine states of mind and body which are rooted in orderly thinking :—To one so thinking, gladness arises, in him gladdened, rapture arises, his mind enraptured the body is satisfied, one whose body is thus appeased is at ease, he being happily at ease, the mind is stayed, with mind thus stayed, concentrated, he knows he sees [things] as they really are, and he thus knowing thus seeing turns in repulsion, repelled he becomes passionless; hence he is set free.

ii. Which Nine are to be developed?

The nine factors in wrestling for utter purity, to wit, the purification of morals, of the mind, of views, the purification of escaping from doubt, that of intuition and insight into what is the [genuine] path, and what is not, that of intuition and insight into progress, the purification which is intuition and insight, that which is understanding, that which is emancipation.

iii. Which Nine are to be understood?

Nine spheres inhabited by beings.

(1) ‘There are beings differing in body and differing in intelligence, for instance, human beings and certain of the gods and some of those in purgatory. This is the first resting place for Cognition. (2) ‘There are beings differing in body but of uniform intelligence, for instance, the gods of the Brahma-heaven who are there reborn by means of the First [Jhāna]. This is the second resting-place for Cognition. (3) ‘There are beings uniform in body and differing in intelligence, for instance, the Luminous Gods. This is the third resting place for Cognition. (4) ‘There are beings uniform in body and of uniform intelligence, for instance, the All-Lustrous Gods. This is the fourth resting place for Cognition.’ (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) by passing wholly beyond such a sphere of consciousness, enter into and abides in that rapt ecstasy which is a consciousness of infinitude of consciousness itself, (8) by passing wholly beyond such a sphere of consciousness, enter into and abides in that rapt ecstasy which regards consciousness itself as nothing whatever, a sphere of nothingness, (9) by passing wholly beyond such a sphere, enter into and abides in that rapt consciousness which neither is, nor yet is not to be called conscious.

iv. Which Nine are to be eliminated?

The nine things springing from craving, to wit, pursuit caused by craving, gain because of pursuit, decision because of gain, desire and passion because of decision, tenacity because of desire and passion, possession because of tenacity, avarice because of possession, watch and ward because of avarice, and many a bad and wicked state of things arising from keeping watch and ward over possessions:—blows and wounds, strife, contradiction and retort, quarrelling, slander and lies.

v. Which Nine are belong to decline?

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.’

vi. Which Nine are belong to distinction?

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?’

vii. Which Nine are hard to penetrate?

The nine differences:—on account of difference in the [sensory] element, a different contact takes place, on account of difference in contact difference in feeling arises, hence difference in perception, hence difference in purposive thought, hence difference in active desire, hence difference in greed, hence difference in pursuit, hence difference in gain.

viii. Which Nine are to be brought to pass?

The nine perceptions, to wit, perception of ugliness, of death, revulsion from nutriment (physical, sensory, mental), disaffection with everything worldly, impermanence, suffering in impermanence, no-soul in that which suffers, elimination, passionlessness.

ix. Which Nine are to be thoroughly learnt?

Herein, friends, a brother, (1) 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.

(2) 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. (3) Thirdly, when a brother, no longer fired with zest, abides calmly contemplative, while mindful and self-possessed he feels 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. (4) 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. (5) 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. (6) 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. (7) 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. (8) 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. (9) By passing wholly beyond such a sphere, he enters into and abides in a state of unconsciousness, wherein awareness and feeling cease.

x. Which Nine are to be realized?

The 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.

Now these Nine Things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathāgata.

Tens

There are Ten things, friends, that helpeth much, Ten things that are to be developed, Ten things that are to be understood, Ten things that are to be eliminated, Ten things that belong to disaster, Ten things that lead to distinction.

Ten things that are hard to penetrate. Ten things that are to be brought to pass. Ten things that are to be thoroughly learnt. Ten things that are to be realized.

i. Which Ten help much?

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. (as detailed in X, i onwards of the Saṅgīti Sutta).

ii. Which Ten must be developed?

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. (as detailed in X, ii onwards of the Sangiti Sutta).

iii. Which Ten must be understood?

The ten areas [of sense-contact], to wit, the five organs of special sense and the five kinds of sense-objects.

iv. Which Ten must be eliminated?

The ten wrong factors [of character and conduct], to wit, wrong views, wrong purposes, wrong speech, action and livelihood, wrong effort, mindfulness and concentrative practice, wrong knowledge, wrong emancipation.

v. Which Ten belong to decline?

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

vi. Which Ten belong to distinction?

The ten good channels of action, to wit, abstention from taking life, abstention from theft, abstention from inchastity, abstention from lying, abstention from abuse, abstention from slander, abstention from idle talk, abstention from covetousness, abstention from malevolence, abstention from wrong views. .

vii. Which Ten are hard to perpetrate?

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.’ Herein, friends, a brother on occasion (1–5) of any of the five kinds of sensation, (6) as well as on that of any impression or idea, is neither delighted nor displeased, but remains equable, mindful and deliberate. (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 habitually pursued, endured, avoided, 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 for me is eliminated, cut off at the root, become as a palm-tree stump, become non-existent, unable to grow again in future. Hate for me is eliminated, cut off at the root, become as a palm-tree stump, become non-existent, unable to grow again in future. Illusion for me is eliminated, cut off at the root, become as a palm-tree stump, become non-existent, unable to grow again in future.

viii. Which Ten must be brought to pass?

The ten perceptions, to wit, perception of ugliness, of death, revulsion from nutriment (physical, sensory, mental), disaffection with everything worldly, impermanence, suffering in impermanence, no-soul in that which suffers, elimination, passionlessness, and of cessation.

ix. Which Ten are to be thoroughly learnt?

The ten causes of wearing away:—by right views wrong views are worn away; whatever manifold bad and wicked qualities, proceeding from those wrong views, take shape, they are worn away in you.

And many good qualities, caused by right views, become developed and brought to perfection. The same wearing away is wrought by the other nine factors of the tenfold Path on the opposed nine wrong factors of character and conduct.

x. Which Ten are to be realized?

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.

Now these Ten Things are genuine, true, thus, not otherwise, not different, perfectly comprehended by the Tathāgata.

Thus spake the venerable Sāriputta. And pleased in mind those brethren delighted in his words.

Here ends the Dasuttara Sutta

To compass utter end of ill;
To bring to pass true happiness;
Haven ambrosial to win
Under the Sovereign of the Norm.

Here ends the Collection of Long Discourses

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

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato


Up to Ten

Seven bad qualities:
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Campā on the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants.
There Sāriputta addressed the mendicants:
“Reverends, mendicants!”
“Reverend,” they replied.
Sāriputta said this:
“I will relate the teachings
up to ten for attaining extinguishment,
for making an end of suffering,
the release from all ties.
1. Groups of One
Reverends, one thing is helpful, one thing should be developed, one thing should be completely understood, one thing should be given up, one thing makes things worse, one thing leads to distinction, one thing is hard to comprehend, one thing should be produced, one thing should be directly known, one thing should be realized.
What one thing is helpful?
Diligence in skillful qualities.

What one thing should be developed?
Mindfulness of the body that is full of pleasure.

What one thing should be completely understood?
Contact, which is accompanied by defilements and is prone to being grasped.

What one thing should be given up?
The conceit ‘I am’.

What one thing makes things worse?
Improper attention.

What one thing leads to distinction?
Proper attention.

What one thing is hard to comprehend?
The heart’s immersion of immediate result.

What one thing should be produced?
Unshakable knowledge.

What one thing should be directly known?
All sentient beings are sustained by food.

What one thing should be realized?
The unshakable release of the heart.

So these ten things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
2. Groups of Two
Two things are helpful, two things should be developed, two things should be completely understood, two things should be given up, two things make things worse, two things lead to distinction, two things are hard to comprehend, two things should be produced, two things should be directly known, two things should be realized.
What two things are helpful?
Mindfulness and situational awareness.

What two things should be developed?
Serenity and discernment.

What two things should be completely understood?
Name and form.

What two things should be given up?
Ignorance and craving for continued existence.

What two things make things worse?
Being hard to admonish and having bad friends.

What two things lead to distinction?
Being easy to admonish and having good friends.

What two things are hard to comprehend?
What are the causes and reasons for the corruption of sentient beings, and what are the causes and reasons for the purification of sentient beings.

What two things should be produced?
Two knowledges:
knowledge of ending, and knowledge of non-arising.

What two things should be directly known?
Two elements:
the conditioned element and the unconditioned element.

What two things should be realized?
Knowledge and freedom.

So these twenty things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
3. Groups of Three
Three things are helpful, etc.
What three things are helpful?
Associating with good people, listening to the true teaching, and practicing in line with the teaching.

What three things should be developed?
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.

What three things should be completely understood?
Three feelings:
pleasant, painful, and neutral.

What three things should be given up?
Three cravings:
craving for sensual pleasures, craving for continued existence, and craving to end existence.

What three things make things worse?
Three unskillful roots:
greed, hate, and delusion.

What three things lead to distinction?
Three skillful roots:
non-greed, non-hate, and non-delusion.

What three things are hard to comprehend?
Three elements of escape.
Renunciation is the escape from sensual pleasures. The formless is the escape from form. Cessation is the escape from whatever is created, conditioned, and dependently originated.

What three things should be produced?
Three knowledges:
regarding the past, future, and present.

What three things should be directly known?
Three elements:
sensuality, form, and formlessness.

What three things should be realized?
Three knowledges:
recollection of past lives, knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings, and knowledge of the ending of defilements.

So these thirty things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
4. Groups of Four
Four things are helpful, etc.
What four things are helpful?
Four situations:
living in a suitable region, relying on good people, being rightly resolved in oneself, and past merit.

What four things should be developed?
The four kinds of mindfulness meditation.
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 …
mind …
principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world.

What four things should be completely understood?
Four foods:
solid food, whether coarse or fine; contact is the second, mental intention the third, and consciousness the fourth.

What four things should be given up?
Four floods:
sensuality, desire for rebirth, views, and ignorance.

What four things make things worse?
Four bonds:
sensuality, desire for rebirth, views, and ignorance.

What four things lead to distinction?
Four kinds of detachment:
detachment from the bonds of sensuality, desire for rebirth, views, and ignorance.

What four things are hard to comprehend?
Four kinds of immersion:
immersion liable to decline, stable immersion, immersion that leads to distinction, and immersion that leads to penetration.

What four things should be produced?
Four knowledges:
knowledge of the present phenomena, inferential knowledge, knowledge of others’ minds, and conventional knowledge.

What four things should be directly known?
The four noble truths:
suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

What four things should be realized?
Four fruits of the ascetic life:
stream-entry, once-return, non-return, and perfection.

So these forty things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
5. Groups of Five
Five things are helpful, etc.
What five things are helpful?
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.

What five things should be developed?
Right immersion with five factors:
pervaded with rapture, pervaded with pleasure, pervaded with mind, pervaded with light, and the foundation for reviewing.

What five things should be completely understood?
Five grasping aggregates:
form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

What five things should be given up?
Five hindrances:
sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt.

What five things make things worse?
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.

What five things lead to distinction?
Five faculties:
faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

What five things are hard to comprehend?
Five elements of escape.
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.
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.

What five things should be produced?
Right immersion with five knowledges.
The following knowledges arise for you personally: ‘This immersion is blissful now, and results in bliss in the future.’
‘This immersion is noble and spiritual.’
‘This immersion is not cultivated by sinners.’
‘This immersion is peaceful and sublime and tranquil and unified, not held in place by forceful suppression.’
‘I mindfully enter into and emerge from this immersion.’

What five things should be directly known?
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.
That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how they teach it in detail to others as they learned and memorized 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 second opportunity for freedom.
Furthermore, it may be that neither the Teacher nor … the mendicant teaches Dhamma. But the mendicant recites the teaching in detail as they learned and memorized it.
That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how they recite it in detail as they learned and memorized 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 third opportunity for freedom.
Furthermore, it may be that neither the Teacher nor … the mendicant teaches Dhamma … nor does the mendicant recite the teaching.
But the mendicant thinks about and considers the teaching in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized it.
That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how they think about and consider it in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized 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 fourth opportunity for freedom.
Furthermore, it may be that neither the Teacher nor … the mendicant teaches Dhamma … nor does the mendicant recite the teaching … or think about it.
But 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.

What five things should be realized?
Five spectrums of the teaching:
ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and knowledge and vision of freedom.

So these fifty things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
6. Groups of Six
Six things are helpful, etc.
What six things are helpful?
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.
Furthermore, a mendicant consistently treats their spiritual companions with mental kindness.
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.
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.
Furthermore, a mendicant lives according to the view shared with their spiritual companions, both in public and in private. That view is noble and emancipating, and leads one who practices it to the complete ending of suffering.
This warm-hearted quality makes for fondness and respect, conducing to inclusion, harmony, and unity, without quarreling.

What six things should be developed?
Six topics for recollection:
the recollection of the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, ethics, generosity, and the deities.

What six things should be completely understood?
Six interior sense fields:
eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

What six things should be given up?
Six classes of craving:
craving for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and thoughts.

What six things make things worse?
Six kinds of disrespect.
A mendicant lacks respect and reverence for the Teacher, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, the training, diligence, and hospitality.

What six things lead to distinction?
Six kinds of respect.
A mendicant has respect and reverence for the Teacher, the teaching, and the Saṅgha, the training, diligence, and hospitality.

What six things are hard to comprehend?
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. …
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. …
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. …
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.’

What six things should be produced?
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.

What six things should be directly known?
Six unsurpassable things:
the unsurpassable seeing, listening, acquisition, training, service, and recollection.

What six things should be realized?
Six direct knowledges.
A mendicant wields the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again; appearing and disappearing; going unimpeded through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.
With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, they hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.
They understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with their own mind.
They recollect many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.
They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

So these sixty things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
7. Groups of Seven
Seven things are helpful, etc.
What seven things are helpful?
Seven kinds of wealth of noble ones:
the wealth of faith, ethics, conscience, prudence, learning, generosity, and wisdom.

What seven things should be developed?
Seven awakening factors:
mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.

What seven things should be completely understood?
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.

What seven things should be given up?
Seven underlying tendencies:
sensual desire, repulsion, views, doubt, conceit, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.

What seven things make things worse?
a mendicant is faithless, shameless, imprudent, unlearned, lazy, unmindful, and witless.

What seven things lead to distinction?
Seven good qualities:
a mendicant is faithful, conscientious, prudent, learned, energetic, mindful, and wise.

What seven things are hard to comprehend?
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.

What seven things should be produced?
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.

What seven things should be directly known?
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.

What seven things should be realized?
Seven powers of one who has ended the defilements.
Firstly, a mendicant with defilements ended has clearly seen with right wisdom all conditions as truly impermanent.
This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim: ‘My defilements have ended.’
Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has clearly seen with right wisdom that sensual pleasures are truly like a pit of glowing coals. …

Furthermore, the mind of a mendicant with defilements ended slants, slopes, and inclines to seclusion. They’re withdrawn, loving renunciation, and they’ve totally done with defiling influences. …

Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. …

Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the five faculties. …

Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the seven awakening factors. …

Furthermore, a mendicant with defilements ended has well developed the noble eightfold path. …
This is a power that a mendicant who has ended the defilements relies on to claim:
‘My defilements have ended.’

So these seventy things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
The first recitation section is finished.
8. Groups of Eight
Eight things are helpful, etc.
What eight things are helpful?
There are eight causes and reasons that lead to acquiring the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life, and to its increase, growth, development, and fulfillment once it has been acquired.
What eight?
It’s when a mendicant lives relying on the Teacher or a spiritual companion in a teacher’s role. And they set up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for them, with warmth and respect.
This is the first cause.
When a mendicant lives relying on the Teacher or a spiritual companion in a teacher’s role—with a keen sense of conscience and prudence for them, with warmth and respect—from time to time they go and ask them questions:
‘Why, sir, does it say this?
What does that mean?’
Those venerables clarify what is unclear, reveal what is obscure, and dispel doubt regarding the many doubtful matters.
This is the second cause.
After hearing that teaching they perfect withdrawal of both body and mind.
This is the third cause.
Furthermore, 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 the fourth cause.
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 is the fifth cause.
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 is the sixth cause.
Furthermore, a mendicant is mindful. They have utmost mindfulness and alertness, and can remember and recall what was said and done long ago.
This is the seventh cause.
Furthermore, 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 is feeling, such is the origin of feeling, such is the ending of feeling.
Such is perception, such is the origin of perception, such is the ending of perception.
Such are choices, such is the origin of choices, such is the ending of choices.
Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’
This is the eighth cause.

What eight things should be developed?
The noble eightfold path, that is:
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

What eight things should be completely understood?
Eight worldly conditions:
gain and loss, fame and disgrace, blame and praise, pleasure and pain.

What eight things should be given up?
Eight wrong ways:
wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong immersion.

What eight things make things worse?
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.’…
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, 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…
This is the eighth ground for laziness.

What eight things lead to distinction?
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.’…
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.’…
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.’…
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.’…
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.’…

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.’…
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.

What eight things are hard to comprehend?
Eight 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 person has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods.
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 the borderlands, among strange barbarian tribes, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go.
This is the fifth 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 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’re witless, dull, stupid, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the seventh 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 announced 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 eighth lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

What eight things should be produced?
Eight thoughts of a great man.
‘This teaching is for those of few wishes, not those of many wishes.
It’s for the contented, not those who lack contentment.
It’s for the secluded, not those who enjoy company.
It’s for the energetic, not the lazy.
It’s for the mindful, not the unmindful.
It’s for those with immersion, not those without immersion.
It’s for the wise, not the witless.
This teaching is for those who don’t enjoy proliferating, not for those who enjoy proliferating.’
What eight things should be directly known?
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.

What eight things should be realized?
Eight liberations.
Having physical form, they see visions.
This is the first liberation.
Not perceiving physical form internally, someone 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.

So these eighty things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
9. Groups of Nine
Nine things are helpful, etc.
What nine things are helpful?
Nine things rooted in proper attention. When you attend properly, joy springs up. When you’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, you feel bliss. And when you’re blissful, the mind becomes immersed. When your mind is immersed, you truly know and see. When you truly know and see, you grow disillusioned. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away you’re freed.

What nine things should be developed?
Nine factors of trying to be pure.
The factors of trying to be pure in ethics, mind, view, overcoming doubt, knowledge and vision of the variety of paths, knowledge and vision of the practice, knowledge and vision, wisdom, and freedom.

What nine things should be completely understood?
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.

What nine things should be given up?
Nine things rooted in craving.
Craving is a cause of seeking. Seeking is a cause of gaining material possessions. Gaining material possessions is a cause of assessing. Assessing is a cause of desire and lust. Desire and lust is a cause of attachment. Attachment is a cause of ownership. Ownership is a cause of stinginess. Stinginess is a cause of safeguarding. Owing to safeguarding, many bad, unskillful things come to be: taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, arguments, disputes, accusations, divisive speech, and lies.

What nine things make things worse?
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.

What nine things lead to distinction?
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.

What nine things are hard to comprehend?
Nine kinds of diversity.
Diversity of elements gives rise to diversity of contacts. Diversity of contacts gives rise to diversity of feelings. Diversity of feelings gives rise to diversity of perceptions. Diversity of perceptions gives rise to diversity of thoughts. Diversity of thoughts gives rise to diversity of desires. Diversity of desires gives rise to diversity of passions. Diversity of passions gives rise to diversity of searches. Diversity of searches gives rise to diversity of gains.

What nine things should be produced?
Nine perceptions:
the perceptions of ugliness, death, repulsiveness in food, dissatisfaction with the whole world, impermanence, suffering in impermanence, not-self in suffering, giving up, and fading away.

What nine things should be directly known?
Nine progressive meditations.
A mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption …
second absorption …
third absorption …
fourth absorption.
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.

What nine things should be realized?
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.

So these ninety things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.
10. Groups of Ten
Ten things are helpful, ten things should be developed, ten things should be completely understood, ten things should be given up, ten things make things worse, ten things lead to distinction, ten things are hard to comprehend, ten things should be produced, ten things should be directly known, ten things should be realized.
What ten things are helpful?
Ten qualities that serve as protector.
First, 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 learned.

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 is energetic.

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.

What ten things should be developed?
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.

What ten things should be completely understood?
Ten sense fields:
eye and sights, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and touches.

What ten things should be given up?
Ten wrong ways:
wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom.

What ten things make things worse?
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.

What ten things lead to distinction?
Ten ways of doing skillful deeds:
refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; avoiding speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; contentment, good will, and right view.

What ten things are hard to comprehend?
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?
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.

What ten things should be produced?
Ten perceptions:
the perceptions of ugliness, death, repulsiveness in food, dissatisfaction with the whole world, impermanence, suffering in impermanence, not-self in suffering, giving up, fading away, and cessation.

What ten things should be directly known?
Ten grounds for wearing away.
For one of right view, wrong view is worn away.
And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong view are worn away.
For one of right intention, wrong intention is worn away. …
For one of right speech, wrong speech is worn away. …
For one of right action, wrong action is worn away. …
For one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is worn away. …
For one of right effort, wrong effort is worn away. …
For one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is worn away. …
For one of right immersion, wrong immersion is worn away. …
For one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is worn away. …
For one of right freedom, wrong freedom is worn away.
And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong freedom are worn away.

What ten things should be realized?
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.

So these hundred things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.”
This is what Venerable Sāriputta said.
Satisfied, the mendicants were happy with what Sāriputta said.












The Long Discourses are completed.