"There are these three roots of what is unskillful. Which three? Greed as a root of what is unskillful, aversion as a root of what is unskillful, delusion as a root of what is unskillful. There are the three roots of what is unskillful."
Greed, aversion, & delusion
destroy the evil-minded person
from which they are born,
like the fruiting of the bamboo.
"There are these three feelings. Which three? A feeling of pleasure, a feeling of pain, a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain. These are the three feelings."
Concentrated, alert, mindful,
the disciple of the Awakened One
discerns feelings,
feelings' origin,
where they cease,
& the path to their ending.With the ending of feelings,
a monk free of want
is totally unbound.
"There are these three feelings. Which three? A feeling of pleasure, a feeling of pain, a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain. A feeling of pleasure should be seen as stressful. A feeling of pain should be seen as a stinger. A feeling of neither pleasure nor pain should be seen as inconstant. When a monk has seen a feeling of pleasure as stressful, a feeling of pain as a stinger, and a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain as inconstant, then he is called a monk who is noble, who has seen rightly, who has cut off craving, destroyed the fetter, and who -- from the right breaking-through of conceit -- has put an end to suffering & stress."
Whoever sees
pleasure as stress,
pain as a stinger,
and peaceful neither-pleasure-nor-pain
as inconstant,
is a monk who has seen rightly.
From that he is there set free:
a master of direct knowledge,
at peace,
a sage gone beyond
the yoke.
"There are these three searches. Which three? The search for sensuality, the search for becoming, the search for a holy life. These are the three searches."
Sensual search, becoming-search,
together with the holy-life search --
i.e., grasping at truth
based on the accumulation of viewpoints.
Through the relinquishment of searches
& the abolishing of viewpoints
of one dispassionate to all passion,
and released in the ending of craving,
through the ending of searches, the monk
is devoid of perplexity & desire.
"There are these three effluents. Which three? The effluent of sensuality, the effluent of becoming, the effluent of ignorance. These are the three effluents."
Concentrated, alert, mindful,
the disciple of the Awakened One
discerns effluents,
effluents' origin,
where they cease,
& the path to their ending.
With the ending of effluents,
a monk free of want
is totally unbound.
"There are these three effluents. Which three? The effluent of sensuality, the effluent of becoming, the effluent of ignorance. These are the three effluents."
One whose effluent of sensuality
is ended,
whose ignorance is cleansed,
whose effluent of becoming
is exhausted,
is free of acquisitions, his mind totally released.
He bears his last body,
having conquered Mara & his mount.
"There are these three cravings. Which three? Craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming. These are the three cravings."
Those joined with the yoke of craving,
their minds smitten with becoming & non-,
are yoked with the yoke of Mara --
people with no rest from the yoke,
beings going through the wandering-on,
headed for birth & death.
While those who've abandoned craving,
free from the craving for becoming & non-,
reaching the ending of effluents,
though in the world,
have gone beyond.
"Endowed with three qualities a monk has passed beyond Mara's domain and shines like the sun. Which three? There is the case where a monk is endowed with the aggregate of virtue of one beyond training [i.e., an Arahant], the aggregate of concentration of one beyond training, the aggregate of discernment of one beyond training. Endowed with these three qualities a monk has passed beyond Mara's domain and shines like the sun."
Virtue, concentration, & discernment:
One in whom these are well-developed,
passing beyond Mara's domain,
shines, shines
like the sun.
"There are these three grounds for meritorious activity. Which three? The ground for meritorious activity made of generosity, the ground for meritorious activity made of virtue, and the ground for meritorious activity made of development [meditation]. These are the three grounds for meritorious activity."
Train just in the merit
that yields bliss for a long time to come.
Develop generosity, a life in-tune,
& a mind of good-will.
Having developed these qualities
-- the three that yield bliss --
the wise one reappears in a world
of bliss unafflicted.
"There are these three eyes. Which three? The eye of flesh, the heavenly eye [clairvoyance], & the eye of discernment. These are the three eyes."
The eye of flesh, the heavenly eye,
& the unexcelled eye of discernment:
These three eyes were taught
by the One Awakened,
supreme among men.
The arising of the eye of flesh
is the path to the heavenly eye.
From the unexcelled eye of discernment
knowledge
arises.
Whoever gains this eye
is -- from suffering & stress --
set free.
"There are these three faculties. Which three? The faculty of 'I am about to know what is not yet finally known,' the faculty of final knowledge, the faculty of one who has finally known. These are the three faculties."
For a learner in training
along the straight path,
the knowledge of ending arises first
and from that immediately
final knowledge.
From that final knowledge,
in one who is Such,
released
with the ending of the fetter of becoming,
there is the knowledge:
'My release is unshaken.'
One thus consummate in these faculties,
peaceful, enjoying the peaceful state,
bears his final body,
having defeated Mara & his mount.
"There are these three times. What three? Past time, future time, and present time. These are the three times."
Perceiving in terms of signs, beings
take a stand on signs.
Not fully comprehending signs,
they come into the bonds of death.
But fully comprehending signs,
one does not construe a signifier.
Touching liberation with the mind,
the unsurpassed state of peace,
consummate in terms of signs,
calm,
enjoying the calm state,
standing on Dhamma,
he, the Expert, uses classifications
without entering into them.
"Anyone -- monk or nun -- in whom passion is unabandoned, aversion is unabandoned, & delusion is unabandoned, is said not to have crossed the ocean with its waves, breakers, & whirlpools, its sharks & demons. Anyone -- monk or nun -- in whom passion is abandoned, aversion is abandoned, & delusion is abandoned, is said to have crossed the ocean with its waves, breakers, & whirlpools, its sharks & demons. Having crossed over, having reached the far shore, he/she stands on high ground, a brahmin."
One whose passion, aversion, & ignorance
are washed away,
has crossed over this ocean
with its sharks,
demons,
& dangerous waves,
so hard to cross.Free from acquisitions --
bonds surmounted
death abandoned --
he has abandoned stress
with no further becoming.Having gone to the goal
he is undefined.
He has outwitted, I tell you,
the King of Death.
"I have seen beings who -- endowed with bad conduct of body, endowed with bad conduct of speech, endowed with bad conduct of mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views -- on the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. It is not from having heard this from other priests and contemplatives that I tell you that I have seen beings who -- endowed with bad conduct of body, endowed with bad conduct of speech, endowed with bad conduct of mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views -- on the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. It is from having known it myself, seen it myself, realized it myself that I tell you that I have seen beings who -- endowed with bad conduct of body, endowed with bad conduct of speech, endowed with bad conduct of mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views -- on the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell."
With mind wrongly directed,
speaking wrong speech,
doing wrong deeds with the body
-- a person here --
of little learning,
a doer of evil
here in this life so short,
with the break-up of the body,
undiscerning,
re-appears in hell.
"I have seen beings who -- endowed with good conduct of body, endowed with good conduct of speech, endowed with good conduct of mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views -- on the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destination, the heavenly world. It is not from having heard this from other priests and contemplatives that I tell you that I have seen beings who -- endowed with good conduct of body, endowed with good conduct of speech, endowed with good conduct of mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views -- on the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destination, the heavenly world. It is from having known it myself, seen it myself, realized it myself that I tell you that I have seen beings who -- endowed with good conduct of body, endowed with good conduct of speech, endowed with good conduct of mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views -- on the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destination, the heavenly world."
With mind rightly directed,
speaking right speech,
doing right deeds with the body
-- a person here --
of much learning,
a doer of merit
here in this life so short,
with the break-up of the body,
discerning,
re-appears in heaven.
"There are these three properties for escape. Which three? This is the escape from sensuality: renunciation. This is the escape from form: formlessness. And as for whatever has come into being, is fabricated & dependently co-arisen, the escape from that is cessation. These are the three properties for escape."
Knowing the escape from sensuality,
the overcoming of forms
-- always ardent --
touching the stilling
of all fabrications:He is a monk
who sees rightly, so
there he's released.
Having mastered direct knowing,
calm,
having gone beyond bondage, he
is a sage.
"Formless phenomena are more peaceful than forms; cessation, more peaceful than formless phenomena."
Those beings headed to forms,
and those standing in the formless,
with no knowledge of cessation,
return to further becoming.
But those who comprehend forms
without getting stuck
in formless phenomena,
are released into cessation,
leaving death far behind.Having, through his body,
touched the deathless property,
with no acquisitions
-- having witnessed
the relinquishing of acquisitions --
effluent-free,
the Rightly Self-awakened One
teaches the state
free of sorrow,
of dust.
"There are these three types of sons & daughters existing in the world. Which three? One of heightened birth, one of similar birth, one of lowered birth.
"And how is a son or daughter of heightened birth? There is the case where a son or daughter's parents have not gone to the Buddha for refuge, have not gone to the Dhamma for refuge, have not gone to the Sangha for refuge. They do not abstain from taking life, from stealing, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, from fermented & distilled liquors that cause heedlessness. They are unprincipled & evil by nature. However, their son or daughter has gone to the Buddha for refuge, has gone to the Dhamma for refuge, has gone to the Sangha for refuge. He/she abstains from taking life, from stealing, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, from fermented & distilled liquors that cause heedlessness. He/she is principled & admirable by nature. This is called a son or daughter of heightened birth.
"And how is a son or daughter of similar birth? There is the case where a son or daughter's parents have gone to the Buddha for refuge, have gone to the Dhamma for refuge, have gone to the Sangha for refuge. They abstain from taking life, from stealing, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, from fermented & distilled liquors that cause heedlessness. They are principled & admirable by nature. Their son or daughter has also gone to the Buddha for refuge, has gone to the Dhamma for refuge, has gone to the Sangha for refuge. He/she abstains from taking life, from stealing, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, from fermented & distilled liquors that cause heedlessness. He/she is principled & admirable by nature. This is called a son or daughter of similar birth.
"And how is a son or daughter of lowered birth? There is the case where a son or daughter's parents have gone to the Buddha for refuge, have gone to the Dhamma for refuge, have gone to the Sangha for refuge. They abstain from taking life, from stealing, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, from fermented & distilled liquors that cause heedlessness. They are principled & admirable by nature. However, their son or daughter has not gone to the Buddha for refuge, has not gone to the Dhamma for refuge, has not gone to the Sangha for refuge. He/she does not abstain from taking life, from stealing, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, from fermented & distilled liquors that cause heedlessness. He/she is unprincipled & evil by nature. This is called a son or daughter of lowered birth."
The wise hope for a child
of heightened or similar birth,
not for one of lowered birth,
a disgrace to the family.These children in the world,
lay-followers,
consummate in virtue & conviction,
generous & free from stinginess,
shine forth in any gathering
like the moon when freed from a cloud.
This was said by the Lord....
"Bhikkhus, these three kinds of persons are found existing in the world. What three? One who is like a rainless cloud, one who rains locally, and one who rains everywhere.
"Now what kind of person, bhikkhus, is like a rainless cloud? Here, a certain person is not a giver to anyone; he does not give food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, lodging, and lamps to recluses and brahmins, to the poor, destitute, and needy. This kind of person is like a rainless cloud.
"Now what, bhikkhus, is the kind of person who rains locally? Here, a certain person is a giver to some but not a giver to others. Food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, lodging, and lamps he gives only to some recluses and brahmins, to some of the poor, destitute, and needy, but not to others. This is the kind of person who rains locally.
"Now what, bhikkhus, is the kind of person who rains everywhere? Here, a certain person gives to all. He gives food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, lodging, and lamps to all recluses and brahmins, to the poor, destitute, and needy. This is the kind of person who rains everywhere.
"These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons found existing in the world."
Neither to recluses nor brahmins
Nor to the poor and destitute
Does he distribute his store
Of food and drink and goods;
That base person is called
"One like a rainless cloud."To some he does not give,
To some he offers alms;
That one wise people call
"One who rains only locally."A person renowned for his bounty,
Compassionate towards all beings,
Distributes alms gladly.
"Give! Give!" he says.Like a great storm cloud
That thunders and rains down
Filling the levels and hollows,
Saturating the earth with water,
Even so is such a person.Having righteously gathered wealth
Which he obtains by his own effort,
He fully satisfies with food and drink
Whatever beings live in need.
"This body falls apart; consciousness is subject to fading; all acquisitions are inconstant, stressful, subject to change."
Knowing the body as falling apart,
& consciousness as dissolving,
seeing the danger in acquisitions,
one has gone beyond
birth & death.
Having reached the foremost peace,
one bides one's time,
composed.
"It is in accordance with their properties that beings come together & associate with one another. Beings of low dispositions come together & associate with beings of low dispositions. Beings of admirable dispositions come together & associate with beings of admirable dispositions. In the past, it was in accordance with their properties that beings came together & associated with one another...In the future, it will be in accordance with their properties that beings will come together & associate with one another...And now at present, it is in accordance with their properties that beings come together & associate with one another. Beings of low dispositions come together & associate with beings of low dispositions. Beings of admirable dispositions come together & associate with beings of admirable dispositions."
The underbrush born
of association
is cut away
by non-association.
Just as one riding
a small wooden plank
sinks
in the great sea,
so does one of right living
sink,
associating with the lazy.So avoid the lazy,
those with little persistence,
Live with the noble ones --
secluded, resolute, absorbed in jhana,
their persistence constantly aroused:
the wise.
"These three divine sounds sound forth among the devas on appropriate occasions. Which three? When a noble disciple, shaving off his hair and beard, clothing himself in the ochre robe, makes up his mind to go forth from the home life into homelessness, on that occasion the divine sound sounds forth among the devas: 'This noble disciple has made up his mind to do battle with Mara.' This is the first divine sound that sounds forth among the devas on appropriate occasions.
"When a noble disciple lives engaged in developing the seven [sets of] qualities that are wings to awakening, on that occasion the divine sound sounds forth among the devas: 'This noble disciple is doing battle with Mara.' This is the second divine sound that sounds forth among the devas on appropriate occasions.
"When a noble disciple, through the ending of effluents dwells in the release of awareness and release of discernment that are free from effluent, having known and made them manifest for himself in the here and now, on that occasion the divine sound sounds forth among the devas: 'This noble disciple has won the battle. Having been in the front lines of the battle, he now dwells victorious.' This is the third divine sound that sounds forth among the devas on appropriate occasions.
"These are the three divine sounds that sound forth among the devas on appropriate occasions."
Seeing that he has won the battle
-- the disciple of the rightly
self-awakened one --
even the devas pay homage
to this great one, thoroughly mature.
"Homage to you, O thoroughbred of a man,
you who have won the hard victory,
defeating the army of Death,
unhindered in emancipation."Thus the devas pay homage
to one who has reached the heart's goal,
for they see no means in him
that would bring him under Death's sway.
"These three persons, appearing in the world, appear for the benefit of many, the happiness of many, in sympathy for the world -- for the welfare, the benefit, the happiness of beings human & divine. Which three?
"There is the case where a Tathagata appears in the world, worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unsurpassed trainer of tamable people, teacher of beings human & divine, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its end. He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. This is the first person who, appearing in the world, appears for the benefit of many, the happiness of many, in sympathy for the world -- for the welfare, the benefit, the happiness of beings human & divine.
"Furthermore, there is the disciple of that Teacher who is a worthy one, his mental effluents ended, who has reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who is released through right gnosis. He teaches the Dhamma admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its end. He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. This is the second person who, appearing in the world, appears for the benefit of many, the happiness of many, in sympathy for the world -- for the welfare, the benefit, the happiness of beings human & divine.
"Furthermore, there is the disciple of that Teacher who is a learner, following the way, erudite, endowed with [good] practices & principles. He, too, teaches the Dhamma admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its end. He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. This is the third person who, appearing in the world, appears for the benefit of many, the happiness of many, in sympathy for the world -- for the welfare, the benefit, the happiness of beings human & divine.
"These are the three persons who, appearing in the world, appear for the benefit of many, the happiness of many, in sympathy for the world -- for the welfare, the benefit, the happiness of beings human & divine."
The Teacher,
the great seer,
is first in the world;
following him, the disciple
composed.
And then the learner,
following the way, erudite,
endowed with good practices,
principles.These three, chief
among beings human & divine,
giving light, proclaiming the Dhamma,
throw open the door to the Deathless,
release many
from the yoke.
Those who follow the path,
well-taught by the Caravan leader
unsurpassed,
will put an end to stress
right here --
those heeding the bidding
of the One Well-gone.
"Remain focused, monks, on the foulness of the body. Have mindfulness of in-and-out breathing well established to the fore within you. Remain focused on the inconstancy of all fabrications. For one who remains focused on the foulness of the body, the latent tendency to passion for the property of beauty is abandoned. For one who has mindfulness of in-and-out breathing well established to the fore within oneself, annoying external thoughts and inclinations don't exist. For one who remains focused on the inconstancy of all fabrications, ignorance is abandoned, and clear knowing arises."
Focusing on foulness
with regard to the body,
mindful
of in & out breathing,
seeing
the stilling of all fabrications
-- always ardent --
the right-seeing monk,
when released there,
is truly a master
of direct knowledge.
Calm.
He is truly a sage
gone beyond bonds.
"With reference to a monk who practices the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, it is this way of according with the Dhamma that he should be described as practicing the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma. When speaking, he speaks Dhamma and not non-Dhamma. When thinking, he thinks about Dhamma and not about non-Dhamma. Avoiding both these things, he stays equanimous, mindful, alert."
Dhamma his dwelling,
Dhamma his delight,
a monk pondering Dhamma,
calling Dhamma to mind,
does not fall away
from true Dhamma.Whether walking, standing,
sitting, or lying down
-- his mind restrained within --
he arrives
right at peace.
"There are these three kinds of unskillful thinking that produce blindness, produce lack of vision, produce lack of knowledge, lead to the cessation of discernment, side with vexation, and are not conducive to Unbinding. Which three? Thinking imbued with sensuality...Thinking imbued with ill-will...Thinking imbued with harmfulness produces blindness, produces lack of vision, produces lack of knowledge, leads to the cessation of discernment, sides with vexation, and is not conducive to Unbinding. These are the three kinds of unskillful thinking that produce blindness, produce lack of vision, produce lack of knowledge, lead to the cessation of discernment, side with vexation, and are not conducive to Unbinding.
"There are these three kinds of skillful thinking that produce non-blindness, produce vision, produce knowledge, foster discernment, side with non-vexation, and are conducive to Unbinding. Which three? Thinking imbued with renunciation...Thinking imbued with non-ill-will...Thinking imbued with harmlessness produces non-blindness, produces vision, produces knowledge, fosters discernment, sides with non-vexation, and is conducive to Unbinding. These are the three kinds of skillful thinking that produce non-blindness, produce vision, produce knowledge, foster discernment, side with non-vexation, and are conducive to Unbinding."
Three skillful thoughts should be thought,
three unskillful thoughts rejected.
Whoever stills sustained thoughts
-- as rain would, a cloud of dust --
through an awareness with thinking stilled,
attains right here
the state of peace.
"There are these three inside stains, inside enemies, inside foes, inside murderers, inside adversaries. Which three? Greed is an inside stain, inside enemy, inside foe, inside murderer, inside adversary. Aversion is an inside stain...Delusion is an inside stain, inside enemy, inside foe, inside murderer, inside adversary. These are the three inside stains, inside enemies, inside foes, inside murderers, inside adversaries."
Greed causes harm.
Greed provokes the mind.
People don't realize it
as a danger born from within.A person, when greedy,
doesn't know his own benefit,
doesn't see Dhamma.
Overcome with greed,
he's in the dark & blind.But when one, abandoning greed,
feels no greed
for what would merit greed,
greed gets shed from him --
like a drop of water
off a lotus leaf.Aversion causes harm.
Aversion provokes the mind.
People don't realize it
as a danger born from within.A person, when aversive,
doesn't know his own benefit,
doesn't see Dhamma.
Overcome with aversion
he's in the dark & blind.But when one, abandoning aversion,
feels no aversion
for what would merit aversion,
aversion drops away from him --
like a palm leaf from its stem.Delusion causes harm.
Delusion provokes the mind.
People don't realize it
as a danger born from within.A person, when deluded,
doesn't know his own benefit,
doesn't see Dhamma.
Overcome with delusion
he's in the dark & blind.But when one, abandoning delusion,
feels no delusion
for what would merit delusion,
he disperses all delusion --
as the rising of the sun, the dark.
"There are these three supreme objects of confidence. Which three?
"Among whatever beings there may be -- footless, two-footed, four-footed, many footed; with form or formless; percipient, non-percipient, neither percipient nor non-percipient -- the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Rightly Self-awakened One is considered supreme. Those who have confidence in the Awakened One have confidence in what is supreme; and for those with confidence in the supreme, supreme is the result.
"Among whatever qualities there may be, fabricated or unfabricated, the quality of dispassion -- the subduing of intoxication, the elimination of thirst, the uprooting of attachment, the breaking of the round, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, the realization of Unbinding -- is considered supreme. Those who have confidence in the quality of dispassion have confidence in what is supreme; and for those with confidence in the supreme, supreme is the result.
"Among whatever fabricated qualities there may be, the Noble Eightfold Path -- right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration -- is considered supreme. Those who have confidence in the Noble Eightfold Path have confidence in what is supreme; and for those with confidence in the supreme, supreme is the result.
"Among whatever communities or groups there may be, the Sangha of the Tathagata's disciples is considered supreme -- i.e., the four [groups of noble disciples] when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as individuals. Those who have confidence in the Sangha have confidence in what is supreme; and for those with confidence in the supreme, supreme will be the result.
"These, monks, are the three supreme objects of confidence."
For one with confidence,
realizing the supreme Dhamma to be supreme,
with confidence in the supreme Buddha,
unsurpassed in deserving offerings,
with confidence in the supreme Dhamma,
the bliss of dispassion, stilling,
with confidence in the supreme Sangha,
unsurpassed as a field of merit,
having given gifts to the supreme,
one develops supreme merit,
supreme long life & beauty,
status, honor, happiness, strength.
Having given to the supreme,
the wise person, firm in the supreme Dhamma,
whether becoming a deva or a human being,
rejoices, having attained the supreme.
"Suppose a monk, taking hold of my outer cloak, were to follow right behind me, placing his feet in my footsteps, yet if he were to be greedy for sensual objects, strong in his passions, malevolent in mind, corrupt in his resolves, his mindfulness muddled, unalert, uncentered, his mind scattered, & his faculties uncontrolled, then he would be far from me, and I from him. Why is that? Because he does not see the Dhamma. Not seeing the Dhamma, he does not see me.
"But suppose a monk were to live one hundred leagues away, yet if he were to have no greed for sensual objects, were not strong in his passions, not malevolent in mind, uncorrupt in his resolves, his mindfulness established, alert, centered, his mind at singleness, & his faculties well-restrained, then he would be near to me, and I to him. Why is that? Because he sees the Dhamma. Seeing the Dhamma, he sees me."
Though following right behind,
full of desire, vexation:
See how far he is! --
the perturbed from the unperturbed,
the bound from the Unbound,
the greedy one
from the one with no greed.But the wise person who, through
direct knowledge of the Dhamma,
gnosis of the Dhamma,
grows still & unperturbed
like a lake unruffled by wind:
See how close he is! --
the unperturbed to the unperturbed,
the Unbound to the Unbound,
the greedless one
to the one with no greed.
"Monks, there are these three fires. Which three? The fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. These, monks, are the three fires."
The fire of passion burns in a man
excited with sensual desires;
the fire of aversion, in an angry man
taking life;
the fire of delusion, in a bewildered man
ignorant of the Noble Teaching.Not understanding these fires, people
-- fond of self-identity --
unreleased from the shackles of death,
swell the ranks of hell,
the wombs of common animals, demons,
the realm of the hungry shades.While those who, day & night, follow the teachings
of the One Rightly Self-awakened,
put out the fire of passion,
constantly percipient of the foul.
They, the highest men, put out the fire of aversion
with mercy,
and the fire of delusion
with the discernment leading to penetration.They, the masterful, by night & day,
having put out [the fires],
are totally unbound
without remainder,
having totally comprehended stress
without remainder.They, the wise, with an attainer-of-wisdom's
noble vision
with regard to right gnosis,
fully knowing the ending of birth,
return to no further becoming.
"A monk should investigate in such a way that -- his consciousness neither externally scattered & diffused, nor internally fixated -- he is, from lack of clinging/sustenance, unagitated, and there is no seed for the origination of future birth, aging, death, or stress."
For a monk who has abandonedNote: The "seven attachments" are passion, aversion, delusion, views, conceit, defilement, and misconduct. The "guide" is craving, which leads to becoming. For an explanation of this passage, see M. 138, translated in The Mind Like Fire Unbound, pp. 114-115 (where it is mis-identified as M.137).
seven attachments*
and cut the guide,
the wandering on in birth
is finished,
there is no further becoming.
"Tied by the yoke of sensuality and the yoke of becoming, one is a returner, returning to this state. Untied from the yoke of sensuality but tied by the yoke of becoming, one is a non-returner, not returning to this state. Untied from [both] the yoke of sensuality and from the yoke of becoming, one is an Arahant whose effluents are ended."
Tied by both
the yoke of sensuality
& the yoke of becoming,
beings continue in transmigration,
returning to birth & death.Those who have abandoned sensuality
without reaching the ending of the effluents,
are bound by the yoke of becoming:
Non-returners they are called.While those who have cut off doubt
have no more conceit
or renewal of becoming.
They who have reached
the ending of the effluents,
while in the world
have gone beyond.
"A monk who has admirable virtue, admirable qualities, and admirable discernment is called, in this doctrine and discipline, one who is complete, fulfilled, supreme among men.
"And how is a monk a person with admirable virtue? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior and sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults. In this way a monk is a person with admirable virtue. Thus he is of admirable virtue.
"And how is a monk a person with admirable qualities? There is the case where a monk lives engaged in developing of the seven [sets of] qualities that are wings to awakening. In this way a monk is a person with admirable qualities. Thus he is of admirable virtue and admirable qualities.
"And how is a monk a person with admirable discernment? There is the case where a monk, through the ending of effluents, dwells in the release of awareness and release of discernment that are free from effluent, having known and made them manifest for himself in the here and now. In this way a monk is a person with admirable discernment. Thus he is of admirable virtue, admirable qualities, admirable discernment. In this doctrine and discipline he is called one who is complete, fulfilled, supreme among men."
One devoid of wrong-doing
in thought, word, or deed,
is called a person of admirable virtue:
the conscientious monk.
One well-developed in the qualities
that go to the attainment of self-awakening,
is called a person of admirable qualities:
the unassuming monk.
One discerning right here for himself
the ending of stress
is called a person of admirable discernment:
the monk without effluent.
One consummate in these things,
untroubled, with doubt cut away,
unattached in all the world,
is called one who has abandoned
the All.
"There are these two kinds of gifts: a gift of material things and a gift of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: a gift of the Dhamma. There are these two kinds of sharing: sharing of material things and sharing of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: sharing of the Dhamma. There are these two kinds of help: help with material things and help with the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: help with the Dhamma."
The gift he describes
as foremost & unsurpassed,
the sharing the Blessed One has extolled:
Who -- confident in the supreme field of merit,
wise, discerning --
would not give it at appropriate times?Both for those who proclaim it
and those who listen,
confident in the bidding of the One Well-gone:
it purifies their foremost benefit --
those heeding the bidding
of the One Well-gone.