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Itivuttaka 4

The Group Of Fours
(selected suttas)

For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma


102.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

"For one knowing and seeing, I tell you, there is the ending of effluents, not for one not knowing and seeing. For one knowing what and seeing what is there the ending of effluents? For one knowing and seeing, 'This is stress,' there is the ending of effluents. For one knowing and seeing, 'This is the origination of stress,' there is the ending of effluents. For one knowing and seeing, 'This is the cessation of stress,' there is the ending of effluents. For one knowing and seeing, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' there is the ending of effluents. Thus it is that for one knowing and seeing there is the ending of effluents."

For a learner in training
along the straight path,
the knowledge of ending arises first,
and from that the final knowledge,
    unexcelled.
From that final knowledge,
    to one released
there arises the knowledge of ending,
the supreme knowledge of release:
    'Ended are the fetters.'
Certainly not by the lazy fool
    uncomprehending,
is there attained
    Unbinding,
    the loosing of all ties.

103.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

"Any priests or contemplatives who do not discern, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress,'...that 'This is the origination of stress,'...that 'This is the cessation of stress,' who do not discern, as it actually is present, that 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': to me these priests & contemplatives are not counted as priests among priests or as contemplatives among contemplatives. Furthermore, they do not enter & remain in the goal of the priestly life or the goal of the contemplative life, having directly known & realized it for themselves in the here & now.

"But any priests or contemplatives who discern, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress,'...that 'This is the origination of stress,'...that 'This is the cessation of stress,' who discern, as it actually is present, that 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': to me these priests & contemplatives are counted as priests among priests and as contemplatives among contemplatives. Furthermore, they enter & remain in the goal of the priestly life & the goal of the contemplative life, having directly known & realized it for themselves in the here & now."

Those who don't discern stress,
the cause of stress,
& where stress disbands entirely,
    without trace,
who don't know the path,
the way to the stilling of stress:
Their release of awareness is lowly,
as is their release of discernment.
Incapable of putting an end to stress,
    they are headed
    to birth & aging.

But those who discern stress,
the cause of stress,
& where stress disbands entirely,
    without trace,
who discern the path,
the way to the stilling of stress:
Their release of awareness is consummate,
as is their release of discernment.
Capable of putting an end to stress,
    they are not headed
    to birth & aging.


106.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

"Living with Brahma are those families where, in the home, mother and father are revered by the children. Living with the first devas are those families where, in the home, mother and father are revered by the children. Living with the first teachers are those families where, in the home, mother and father are revered by the children. Living with those worthy of gifts are those families where, in the home, mother and father are revered by the children. 'Brahma' is a designation for mother and father. 'The first devas' is a designation for mother and father. 'The first teachers' is a designation for mother and father. 'Those worthy of gifts' is a designation for mother and father. Why is that? Mother and father do much for their children. They care for them, nourish them, introduce them to this world."

Mother & father
compassionate to their family
are called
    Brahma,
    the first teachers
    those worthy of gifts from their children.
So the sage should pay them
        homage
        honor
    with food & drink
    clothing & bedding
    anointing & bathing
    & washing their feet.
Performing these services to their parents, the wise
    are praised here & now
    and after death
    rejoice in heaven.

107.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

"Monks, brahmins and householders are very helpful to you, as they provide you with the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medical requisites for the sick. And you, monks, are very helpful to brahmins and householders, as you teach them the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, and admirable in the end, as you expound the holy life both in its particulars and in its essence, entirely complete, surpassingly pure. In this way the holy life is lived in mutual dependence, for the purpose of crossing over the flood, for making a right end to stress."

Householders & the homeless
in dependence on one another
both accomplish the true Dhamma --
    the unexcelled rest from the yoke.
From householders, the homeless
receive requisites -- robes, lodgings,
protection from inclemencies.
While in dependence on those well-gone,
home-loving householders
have conviction in Arahants
    of noble discernment,
    absorbed in jhana.
Here practicing the Dhamma,
the path leading to good destinations,
those wishing for pleasure rejoice
in delight in the heavenly world.

110.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

"If, while he is walking, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he does not quickly abandon, dispel, demolish, or wipe that thought out of existence, then a monk walking with such a lack of ardency & concern is called continually & continuously lethargic & low in his persistence.

"If, while he is standing...

"If, while he is sitting...

"If, while he is lying down, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he does not quickly abandon, dispel, demolish, or wipe that thought out of existence, then a monk lying down with such a lack of ardency & concern is called continually & continuously lethargic & low in his persistence.

"But if, while he is walking, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he quickly abandons, dispels, demolishes, & wipes that thought out of existence, then a monk walking with such ardency & concern is called continually & continuously resolute, one with persistence aroused.

"If, while he is standing...

"If, while he is sitting...

"If, while he is lying down, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he quickly abandons, dispels, demolishes, & wipes that thought out of existence, then a monk lying down with such ardency & concern is called continually & continuously resolute, one with persistence aroused."

Whether walking, standing,
sitting, or lying down,
whoever thinks evil thoughts,
related to the household life,
    he is following no path at all,
    infatuated with delusory things.
Such a monk is incapable
of touching the highest Awakening.

But whoever --
walking, standing,
sitting, or lying down --
overcomes thought,
delighting in the stilling of thought:
Such a monk is capable
of touching the highest Awakening.


111.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

"Be consummate in virtue, monks, and consummate in the Patimokkha. Dwell restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in your behavior & sphere of activity. Train yourselves, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults.

"When one is consummate in virtue, consummate in the Patimokkha; dwelling restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in one's behavior & sphere of activity; training oneself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults -- what more is to be done?

"If, while he is walking, any greed in a monk is done away with, any ill will, any sloth & torpor, any restlessness & anxiety, any uncertainty is done away with; if his persistence is aroused and not lax; if his mindfulness is established & unmuddled; if his body is calm & unaroused; if his mind is centered & unified: then a monk walking with such ardency & concern is called continually & continuously resolute, one with persistence aroused.

"If, while he is standing...

"If, while he is sitting...

"If, while he is lying down, any greed in a monk is done away with, any ill will, any sloth & torpor, any restlessness & anxiety, any uncertainty is done away with; if his persistence is aroused and not lax; if his mindfulness is established & unmuddled; if his body is calm & unaroused; if his mind is centered & unified: then a monk lying down with such ardency & concern is called continually & continuously resolute, one with persistence aroused."

Controlled in walking,
controlled in standing,
controlled in sitting,
controlled in lying down,
controlled in flexing & extending his limbs
    -- above, around, & below,
        as far as the worlds extend --
    observing the arising & passing away
        of phenomena,
        of aggregates:
A monk who dwells thus ardently,
with quiet conduct and calm --
always mindfully
training in the mastery
of the tranquillity
    of awareness --
is said to be continually
        resolute.

112.

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard:

"The world has been fully awakened to by the Tathagata. From the world, the Tathagata is disjoined. The origination of the world has been fully awakened to by the Tathagata. The origination of the world has, by the Tathagata, been abandoned. The cessation of the world has been fully awakened to by the Tathagata. The cessation of the world has, by the Tathagata, been realized. The path leading to the cessation of the world has been fully awakened to by the Tathagata. The path leading to the cessation of the world has, by the Tathagata, been developed.

Whatever in this world -- with its gods, Maras, and Brahmas, its generations complete with contemplatives and priests, princes and men -- is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, pondered by the intellect, that has been fully awakened to by the Tathagata. Thus he is called the Tathagata.

From the night the Tathagata fully awakens to the unsurpassed Right Self-awakening to the night he is totally unbound in the Unbinding property with no fuel remaining, whatever the Tathagata has said, spoken, explained is just so (tatha) and not otherwise. Thus he is called the Tathagata.

The Tathagata is one who does in line with (tathaa) what he teaches, one who teaches in line with what he does. Thus he is called the Tathagata.

In this world with its gods, Maras, and Brahmas, its generations complete with contemplatives and priests, princes and men, the Tathagata is the conqueror, unconquered, all-seeing, the wielder of power. Thus he is called the Tathagata." This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So with regard to this it was said:

Directly knowing all the world,
all the world as is actually is,
    from all the world disjoined,
    in all the world unmatched:

Absolute conqueror of all, wise,
released from all bonds,
he touches the highest peace --
    Unbinding, which is free from fear.

He is effluent-free,
    awakened,
    trouble-free,
    his doubts demolished,
has attained the ending of action,
is released in the destruction of acquisitions.

He is the Blessed One, awakened,
he is a lion, unexcelled.
In the world with its devas
he set the Brahma-wheel in motion.

Thus human and heavenly beings
who have gone to the Buddha for refuge,
on meeting him, pay homage
to the great one, fully mature.

Tamed, he's the best
of those who can be tamed;
calm, the seer
    of those who can be calmed;
released, supreme
    among those who can be released;
crossed, the foremost
    of those who can cross.

Thus do they pay homage
to the great one, fully mature:
"In this world with its devas,
there is no one to compare with you."

This, too, was the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One, so I have heard.
Revised: Sat 17 October 1998