Digha Nikaya - Dasuttara Sutta

Dasuttara Sutta

Thus have I heard: Once the Lord was staying at Campa beside the Gaggara lotus
pond, with a large company of some five hundred monks. Then the venerable
Shariputra addressed the monks: ‘Friends, monks!’
‘Friend!’ replied the monks, and the venerable Shariputra stated:
‘In growing groups from one to ten I’ll teach
Dhamma for the gaining of Nibbana,
That you may make an end of suffering,
And be free from all the ties that bind.
There is, friends,
1. One thing that greatly helps
2. One thing to be developed
3. One thing to be thoroughly known
4. One thing to be abandoned
5. One thing that conduces to diminution
6. One thing that conduces to distinction
7. One thing hard to penetrate
8. One thing to be made to arise
9. One thing to be thoroughly learnt
10. and One thing to be realized.
Now which one thing greatly helps?
1. Tirelessness in wholesome states.
Which one thing is to be developed?
2. Mindfulness with regard to the body, accompanied by pleasure.
Which one thing is to be thoroughly known?
3. Contact as a condition of the corruptions and of grasping.
Which one thing is to be abandoned?
4. Ego-conceit.
Which one thing conduces to diminution?
5. Unwise attention
Which one thing conduces to distinction?
6. Wise attention
Which one thing is hard to penetrate?
7. Uninterrupted mental concentration
Which one thing is to be made to arise?
8. Unshakable knowledge
Which one thing is to be thoroughly learnt?
9. All beings are maintained by nutriment
Which one thing is to be realized?
10. Unshakable deliverance of mind.
Two things greatly help; two things are to be developed… (as above)
Which two things greatly help?
1. Mindfulness and clear awareness
Which two things are to be developed?
2. Calm and Insight
Which two things are to be thoroughly known?
3. Mind and Body
Which two things are to be abandoned?
4. Ignorance and craving for existence
Which two things conduce to diminution?
5. Roughness and friendship with evil
Which two things conduce to distinction?
6. Gentleness and friendship with good
Which two things are hard to penetrate?
7. That which is the root, the condition of the defilement of beings, and that
which is the root, the condition of the purification of beings
Which two things are to be made to arise?
8. Knowledge of the destruction of the defilements and of their non-recurrence
…learnt?
9. Two Elements, the conditioned and the unconditioned
…realized?
10. Knowledge and liberation.
That makes twenty things that are real and true, so and not otherwise,
unerringly and perfectly realized by the Tathágata.
Three things greatly help; three things are to be developed… (as above.)
Which three things greatly help?
1. Association with good people, hearing the true Dharma, practice of the Dharma
in its entirety
Which three things are to be developed?
2. Three kinds of concentration.
…thoroughly known?
3. Three feelings
…abandoned?
4. Three kinds of craving
…conduce to diminution?
5. Three unwholesome roots
…conduce to distinction?
6. Three wholesome roots
…hard to penetrate?
7. Three elements for making deliverance:
a. Deliverance from sensuality
b. Deliverance from material forms
c. That is, the immaterial, whatever has become, is compounded, is conditionally
arisen – the deliverance from that is cessation.
…made to arise?
8. Three knowledges of past, present and future.
…thoroughly learnt?
9. Three elements: The element of sense-desire, the element of form, the
formless element.
…realized?
10. Three knowledges; of one’s past lives, of the decease and rebirth of beings,
of the destruction of the corruptions.
Four things greatly help, four things are to be developed…
Which four things greatly help?
1. Four "wheels"
a. A favorable place of residence
b. Association with good people
c. Perfect development of one’s personality
d. Past meritorious actions
Which four things are to be developed?
2. Four foundations: Four foundations of mindfulness: Here a monk abides
contemplating body as body, ardent, clearly aware and mindful, having put aside
hankering and fretting for the world; he abides contemplating feelings as
feelings...he abides contemplating mind as mind...he abides contemplating mind
objects as mind objects, ardent, clearly aware and mindful, having put aside
hankering and fretting for the world.
…thoroughly known?
3. Four Nutriments: Material, food, gross or subtle; contact as second; mental
volition as third, consciousness as fourth.
…to be abandoned?
4. Four Floods:
a. Sensuality,
b. Becoming,
c. Wrong Views
d. Ignorance.
…conducive to diminution?
5. Four Yokes
a. Sensuality,
b. Becoming,
c. Wrong Views
d. Ignorance
…conducive to distinction?
6. Four unyokings from’
a. Sensuality
b. Becoming
c. Views
d. Ignorance
…hard to penetrate?
7. Four concentrations:
a. Conducing to decline
b. Conducing to stasis
c. Conducing to distinction
d. Conducive to penetration
…made to arise?
8. Four knowledges: knowledge of Dhamma, of what is consonant with it, knowledge
of others minds, conventional knowledge.
…thoroughly learnt?
9. Four Noble Truths knowledge of suffering, it’s origin, it’s cessation, and
the path.
…to be realized?
10. Four fruits of the ascetic life: the fruits of stream entry, of the once
returner, of the non-returner, of Arahantship.
That makes forty things that are real and true, so and not otherwise, unerringly
and perfectly realized by the Tathágata.
Five things greatly help, five things are to be developed.
Which five things greatly help?
1. Five factors of endeavor: Here, a monk\
a. Has faith, trusting in the enlightenment of the Tathágata: ‘This Blessed Lord
is an Arahant, a fully enlightened Buddha, perfected in knowledge and conduct, a
well-farer, knower of the worlds, unequalled trainer of men to be tamed, teacher
of gods and humans, a Buddha, a Blessed Lord.’ He proclaims this world with its
gods, Maras, Brahmas, the world of ascetics and Brahmins with its princes and
people, having come to know it by his own knowledge. He teaches a Dhamma that is
ending, in the spirit and in the letter, and he displays the fully perfected,
thoroughly purified holy life. And indeed it is good to see such Arahants."
b. Is in good health, suffers little distress or sickness, having a good
digestion that is neither too cool nor too hot but is of a middling temperature
suitable for exertion,
c. Is not fraudulent or deceitful, showing himself as he really is to his
teacher or to the wise among his companions in the holy life
d. Keeps his energy constantly stirred up for abandoning unwholesome states and
arousing the wholesome states,
e. Is a man of wisdom endowed with wisdom concerning rising and cessation with
the Aryan penetration that leads to the complete destruction of suffering.
Which five things are to be developed?
2. Fivefold perfect concentration:
a. Suffusion with delight
b. Suffusion with happiness
c. Suffusion with will
d. Suffusion with light
e. The reviewing sign.
…thoroughly known?
3. Five aggregates of grasping:
a. Body
b. Feelings
c. Perceptions
d. Mental Formations
e. Consciousness
…to be abandoned?
4. Five Hindrances:
a. Sensuality
b. ill-will
c. sloth and torpor
d. worry and flurry
e. skeptical doubt
…conduce to diminution?
5. Five mental blockages: here a monk has doubts and hesitations
a. About the teacher, is dissatisfied and cannot settle his mind. Thus his mind
is not inclined toward ardor, devotion, persistence and effort
b. About the Dhamma, is dissatisfied and cannot settle his mind. Thus his mind
is not inclined toward ardor, devotion, persistence and effort
c. About the Sangha, is dissatisfied and cannot settle his mind. Thus his mind
is not inclined toward ardor, devotion, persistence and effort
d. About the Training, is dissatisfied and cannot settle his mind. Thus his mind
is not inclined toward ardor, devotion, persistence and effort
e. He is angry with his fellows in the holy life, he feels depressed and
negative towards them. Thus his mind is not inclined toward ardor, devotion,
persistence and effort
…conduce to distinction?
6. Five faculties:
a. Faith
b. Energy
c. Mindfulness
d. Concentration
e. Wisdom
…hard to penetrate?
7. Five elements making for deliverance:
a. a. Here, when a monk considered sense desires, his mind does not leap forward
and take satisfaction in them, fix on them or make free with them, but when he
considers renunciation it does leap forward, take satisfaction in it, fix on it,
and make free with it. And he gets this thought well set, well developed, well
raised up, well freed from the corruptions, the vexations and fevers that arise
from sense desires, and he does not feel that sensual feeling. This is called
the deliverance from sense desires. And the same applies to
b. Ill will
c. Cruelty
d. Forms
e. Personality
…made to arise?
8. The fivefold knowledge of right concentration: the knowledge that arises
within one that:
a. This concentration is both present happiness and productive of future
resultant happiness
b. This concentration is Ariyan and free from worldliness
c. This concentration is not practiced by the unworthy
d. This concentration is calm and perfect, has attained tranquillization, has
attained unification, and is not instigated , it cannot be denied or prevented,
e. I myself attain this concentration with mindfulness, and emerge from it with
mindfulness
…thoroughly learnt?
9. Five bases of deliverance: here
a. the teacher or a respected fellow disciple teaches a monk Dhamma. And as he
receives the teaching, he gains a grasp of both the spirit and the letter of the
teaching. At this, joy arises in him, and from this joy, delight; and by this
delight his senses are calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this
happiness his mind is established;
b. he has not heard it thus, but in the course of the teaching Dhamma to others
he has learnt it by heart as he has heard it, or
c. as he is chanting the Dhamma... or
d. ...when he applies his mind to the Dhamma, thinks and ponders over it and
concentrates his attention on it; or
e. When he has properly grasped some concentration sign, has well considered it,
applied his mind to it, and has well penetrated it with wisdom. At this, joy
arises in him; and from this joy, delight, and by this delight his senses are
calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this happiness his mind is
established.
…to be realized?
10. Five branches of Dhamma, as above, plus knowledge and vision of liberation.
That makes fifty things that are real and true, and not otherwise, unerringly
and perfectly realized by the Tathágata.
Six things greatly help, six things are to be developed…
Which six things greatly help?
1. Six things to be remembered: as long as monks both in public and in private
show living kindness to their fellows in acts of body, speech and
thought...share with their virtuous fellows whatever they receive as a rightful
gift, including the contents of their alms-bowls, which they do not keep for
themselves...keep consistently, unbroken and unaltered those rules of conduct
that are spotless, leading to liberation, praised by the wise, unstained and
conducive to concentration, and persist therein with their noble fellows in both
public and private...continue in that noble view that leads to liberation, to
the utter destruction of suffering, remaining in such awareness with their
fellows both in public and in private so long as in respect of what they receive
as due offerings, even the contents of their alms bowls, they do not make use of
them without sharing them with virtuous members of the community; so long as, in
company with their brethren, they train themselves, openly and in private, in
the rules of conduct, which are complete and perfect, spotless and pure,
liberating, praised by the wise, uninfluenced (by mundane concerns), and
favorable to concentration of mind; and in company with their brethren,
preserve, openly and in private, the insight that is noble and liberating, and
leads one who acts upon it to the utter destruction of suffering.
Which six things are to be developed?
2. Six subjects of recollection: The Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, Morality,
Renunciation, the Devas
…thoroughly known?
3. Six internal sense spheres:
a. Eye sphere
b. Ear sphere
c. Nose sphere
d. Tongue sphere
e. Body sphere
f. Mind Sense sphere
…to be abandoned?
4. Six groups of craving, one for each sense sphere.
…conducive to diminution?
5. Six kinds of disrespect: Here, a monk behaves disrespectfully and
discourteously towards the teacher, the Dhamma, the Sangha, the training, in
respect of earnestness, of hospitality.
…conducive to distinction?
6. Six kinds of respect: Here, a monk behaves respectfully and courteously
towards the teacher, the Dhamma, the Sangha, the training, in respect of
earnestness, of hospitality.
…hard to penetrate?
7. Six elements making for deliverance:
a. Here a monk might say, "I have developed the emancipation of the heart by
loving kindness, expanded it, made it a vehicle and a base, established, worked
well on it, set it will in train. And yet Ill-Will still grips my heart." He
should be told, "No! Do not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it
is not right to slander him thus, for he would not have said such a thing! Your
words are unfounded and impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart
through loving kindness, ill will has no chance to envelop your heart. This
emancipations through loving kindness is the cure for ill will."
b. Or he might say, "I have developed the emancipation of the heart through
compassion, and yet cruelty still grips my hearts..." He should be told, "No! Do
not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to slander
him thus, for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are unfounded and
impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart through compassion,
cruelty has no chance to envelop your heart. This emancipations through
compassion is the cure for cruelty."
c. Or he might say, "I have developed the emancipation of the heart through
equanimity, and yet lust grips my heart." He should be told, "No! Do not say
that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to slander him thus,
for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are unfounded and
impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart through equanimity,
lust has no chance to envelop your heart. This emancipations through equanimity
is the cure for lust."
d. Or he might say, "I have developed the emancipation of the heart through
sympathetic joy, and yet aversion still grips my heart..." He should be told,
"No! Do not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to
slander him thus, for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are
unfounded and impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart through
sympathetic joy, aversion has no chance to envelop your heart. This
emancipations through sympathetic joy is the cure for aversion."
e. Or he might say, "I have developed the sign-less emancipation of the heart
and yet my heart hankers after signs..." He should be told, "No! Do not say
that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to slander him thus,
for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are unfounded and
impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart through the sign-less
emancipation, hankering after signs has no chance to envelop your heart. This
emancipations through the sign-less emancipation is the cure for hankering after
signs."
f. Or he might say, "The idea "I am" is repellent to me, I pay no head to the
idea "I am this." Yet doubts, uncertainties and problems still grip my heart..."
He should be told, "No! Do not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord,
it is not right to slander him thus, for he would not have said such a thing!
Your words are unfounded and impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the
heart through void, the idea "I am this" has no chance to envelop your heart.
This emancipation through void is the cure for the idea "I am this."


Which six things are to be made to arise?
8. Six stable states: on seeing an object with the eye, hearing a sound with the
ear, smelling a smell with the nose, tasting a flavor with the tongue, touching
a tangible object with the body, or cognizing a mental object with the mind, one
is neither pleased not displeased, but remains equitable, mindful, and clearly
aware.
…thoroughly known?
9. Six unsurpassed things: certain sights, things heard, gains, trainings, forms
of service, objects of recollection.
…to be realized?
10. Here, a monk applies and bends his mind to, and enjoys different supernormal
powers:
a. Being one, he becomes many
b. With the divine ear he hears sounds both divine and human
c. He knows and distinguishes the minds of other beings
d. He remembers past existences
e. With the divine eye…he sees beings passing away and arising
f. He abides, in this life, by his own super-knowledge and realization, in the
attainment of the corruption-less liberation of heart and liberation through
wisdom.
That makes sixty things that are real and true, so and not otherwise, unerringly
and perfectly realized by the Tathágata.’
Seven things help greatly, seven things are to be developed…
Which seven things greatly help?
1. Seven Treasures:
a. Faith
b. Morality
c. Moral Shame
d. Moral Dread
e. Learning
f. Renunciation
g. Wisdom
…to be developed?
2. Seven factors of enlightenment:
a. Mindfulness
b. Investigation of phenomena
c. Energy
d. Delight
e. Tranquility
f. Concentration
g. Equanimity
…thoroughly known?
3. Seven stations of consciousness: beings
a. Different in Body, different in perception
b. Different in Body, alike in perception
c. Alike in body, different in perception
d. Alike in body, alike in perception
e. Who have attained to the sphere of infinite space
f. ...of infinite consciousness
g. ...of no-thing-ness
…abandoned?
4. Seven latent proclivities: Sensuous greed, resentment, views, doubt, conceit,
craving for becoming, and ignorance.
…conduce to diminution?
5. Seven wrong practices: here a monk
a. Lacks Faith
b. Lacks Moral Shame
c. Lacks Moral Dread
d. Has little Learning
e. Is slack
f. Is unmindful
g. Lacks wisdom
…conduce to distinction?
6. Seven right practices: here a monk has faith, moral shame and moral dread,
has much learning, has aroused vigor, has established mindfulness, possesses
wisdom.
…hard to penetrate?
7. Seven qualities of a true man: here a monk is a knower of the Dhamma, of
meanings, of self, of moderation, of the right time, of groups of persons.
…made to arise?
8. Seven perceptions: perception of impermanence, of not self, of foulness, of
danger, of abandonment, of dissipation, of cessation.
…thoroughly learnt?
9. Seven grounds for commendation: here a monk is keenly anxious
a. to undertake the training and wants to persist in this
b. To make a close study of the Dhamma
c. To get rid of desires
d. To find solitude
e. To arouse energy
f. To develop mindfulness and discrimination
g. To develop penetrative insight
…to be learnt?
10. Seven powers of an Arahant. Here, for a monk who has destroyed the
corruptions,
a. The impermanence of all compounded things is well seen, as it really is, by
perfect insight. This is one way whereby he recognizes that for him the
corruptions are destroyed
b. …sense-desires are well seen as being like a pit of glowing embers…
c. …his heart is bent on and inclined toward detachment and detachment is its
object; rejoicing in renunciation, his heart is totally unreceptive to all
things pertaining to the corruptions…
d. …the four foundations of mindfulness have been well and truly developed…
e. …the five faculties have been well developed…
f. …the seven factors of enlightenment have been well and truly developed…
g. The Noble Eightfold Path has been well and truly developed… this is one of
the powers whereby he recognizes that for him the corruptions are destroyed.
That makes seventy things that are real and true, so and not otherwise,
unerringly and perfectly realized by the Tathágata.
Eight things greatly help…
Which eight things greatly helps?
1. Eight causes, eight conditions conduce to wisdom in the fundamentals of the
holy life, to gaining what has not been gained and to increasing, expanding and
developing what has been gained. Here
a. One lives close to the teacher or to a fellow monk with the standing of a
teacher, being thus strongly established in moral shame and moral dread, in love
and veneration… He who is so placed
b. From time to time goes to his teacher, asks and interrogates him: "How is
that, Lord? What does this mean?" Thus his venerable teachers can reveal what is
hidden and clarify obscurities, in this way helping him to solve his problems.
c. Then, having heard Dhamma from them, he achieves withdrawal of body and mind.

d. Further, a monk is moral, he lives restrained according to the restraint of
the discipline, persisting in right behavior, seeing danger in the slightest
fault and keeping to the rules of training. Also
e. A monk, having learned much, remembers and bears in mind what he has learnt,
and those things that are beautiful in the beginning, in the middle, and in the
ending, which in spirit and letter proclaim the absolutely perfected and
purified holy life, he remembers and reflects on, and penetrates them with
vision. Again,
f. A monk, having stirred up energy, continues to dispel unwholesome states,
striving strongly and firmly, and not casting off the yoke of the wholesome.
Again,
g. A monk is mindful, with the highest mindfulness and discrimination,
remembering and bearing in mind what has been done or said in the past. Also,
h. A monk continually contemplates the rise and fall of the five aggregates of
grasping, thinking: "Such is material form, its arising and passing; such are
feelings, such are perceptions, such are the mental formations, such is
consciousness, its arising and passing.
…to be developed?
2. The Noble Eightfold Path.
…thoroughly known?
3. Eight worldly conditions: gain and loss, fame and shame, blame and praise,
happiness and misery.
…abandoned?
4. Eight wrong factors: wrong view, wrong thought, wrong action, wrong speech,
wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration.
…conduce to diminution?
5. Eight occasions of indolence: here a monk
a. Has a job to do. He thinks, "I have got this job to do, but it will make me
tired. I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir up enough energy to
complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the
unrealized, or
b. He has done some work. He thinks, "I have done this work, now I am tired.
I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir up enough energy to
complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the
unrealized. Or
c. He has to go on a journey, and thinks, He thinks, "I have to go on this
journey, it makes me tired. I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir
up enough energy to complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished,
to realize the unrealized. Or
d. He has been on a journey, and thinks, "He thinks, "I have done this work, now
I am tired. I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir up enough
energy to complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize
the unrealized. Or
e. He goes on the alms round in a village or town. He does not get his fill of
food. He thinks, "I’ve gone for alms, my body is tired and useless. I’ll have a
rest." So he lays down...
f. He goes on the alms round and gets his fill of food, and thinks, "I’ve gone
for alms, my body heavy and useless as if I were pregnant. I’ll have a rest" So
he lays down...
g. He has developed some slight indisposition, and he thinks, "I’d better have a
rest" so he lies down...
h. He is recuperating having not long recovered from an illness, and he thinks,
"My body is weak and useless, I’ll have a rest." So he lays down...
…conduce to distinction?
6. Eight occasions for making an effort. Here a monk
a. Has a job to do, he thinks, "I’ve got this job to do, but in doing it I wont
find it easy to pay attention to the teachings of the Buddhas. So I will stir up
sufficient energy to complete the uncompleted. To accomplish the unaccomplished,
to realize the unrealized. Or
b. He has done some work, he thinks, "Well, I did the job, but because of it I
was not able to pay sufficient attention to the teaching of the Buddhas, so I
will stir up sufficient energy..."
c. He has to go on a journey...
d. He has been on a journey... "I’ve been on this journey, but because of it, I
wasn’t able to pay sufficient attention...
e. He goes for alms without getting his fill, so he thinks, "My body is light
and fit, I’ll stir up energy..."
f. He goes for alms and gets his fill, so he things, "My body is strong and fit,
I’ll stir up energy..."
g. He has some slight indisposition, so he thinks, "This might get worse, so
I’ll stir up energy..."
h. He is recuperating having not long recovered, and he thinks, "it might be
that the illness with recur, so I’ll stir up energy..."
…hard to penetrate?
7. Eight unfortunate, inopportune times for leading the holy life here a monk
a. Has a job to do. He thinks, "I have got this job to do, but it will make me
tired. I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir up enough energy to
complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the
unrealized, or
b. He has done some work. He thinks, "I have done this work, now I am tired.
I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir up enough energy to
complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the
unrealized. Or
c. He has to go on a journey, and thinks, He thinks, "I have to go on this
journey, it makes me tired. I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir
up enough energy to complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished,
to realize the unrealized. Or
d. He goes on the alms round in a village or town. He does not get his fill of
food. He thinks, "I’ve gone for alms, my body is tired and useless. I’ll have a
rest." So he lays down...
e. He goes on the alms round and gets his fill of food, and thinks, "I’ve gone
for alms, my body heavy and useless as if I were pregnant. I’ll have a rest" So
he lays down...
f. He has developed some slight indisposition, and he thinks, "I’d better have a
rest" so he lies down...
g. He is recuperating having not long recovered from an illness, and he thinks,
"My body is weak and useless, I’ll have a rest." So he lays down...
…made to arise?
8. Eight thoughts of a great man: "This Dhamma is
a. For one of few wants, not one of many wants
b. For the contented, not for the discontented,
c. For the withdrawn, not for those delighting in company
d. For the energetic, not for the lazy,
e. For one of established mindfulness, not for one of lax mindfulness,
f. For one of concentrated mind, not for one who is not concentrated.
g. For one who has wisdom, not for one who lacks wisdom
h. For one who delights in non-proliferation, not for one who delights in
proliferation.
…thoroughly learnt?
9. Eight stages of mastery:
a. Perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms limited and beautiful or
ugly;
b. Perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms unlimited and beautiful
or ugly
c. Not perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms limited...
d. Not perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms unlimited...; not
perceiving forms internally, one perceives forms that are
i. Blue
ii. Yellow
iii. Red
iv. White...
…realized?
10. Eight liberations:
a. Possessing form one sees forms;
b. Not perceiving material forms in oneself, on sees them outside;
c. Thinking: "It is beautiful" one becomes intent on it;
d. One enters the sphere of infinite space;
e. The sphere of infinite consciousness
f. The sphere no-thing-ness
g. The sphere of neither perception or non-perception
h. The cessation of perception and feeling.
Nine things greatly help…
Which nine things greatly help?
1. Nine conditions rooted in wise consideration. When a monk practices wise
consideration,
a. Joy arises in him and
b. From his being joyful, delight arises, and
c. From his feeling delight, his senses are calmed;
d. As a result of this calming he feels happiness and;
e. From his feeling happy, his mind becomes concentrated;
f. With his mind thus concentrated, he knows and sees things as they really are;

g. With his thus knowing and seeing things as they really are, he becomes
disenchanted,
h. With disenchantment he becomes dispassionate, and
i. By dispassion he is liberated.
…to be developed?
2. Nine factors of effort for perfect purity:
a. The factor of effort for purity of morality
b. …for purity of mind
c. …for purity of view
d. …of purification by overcoming doubt
e. …of purification by knowledge and vision of path and not-path
f. …of purification by knowledge and vision of progress…
g. …of purification by knowledge and vision
h. …of purity of wisdom.
i. …of purity of deliverance.
…thoroughly known?
3. Nine abodes of beings:
a. Beings different in body and different in perception
b. Beings different in body and alike in perception
c. Beings alike in body and different in perception
d. Beings alike in body and like in perception
e. The realm of unconscious beings
f. The realm of neither perception nor non perception
g. Beings who have attained to the sphere of infinite space
h. Beings who have attained to the sphere of infinite consciousness
i. Beings who have attained to the sphere of no-thing-ness
…to be abandoned?
4. Nine things rooted in craving: Craving conditions searching…
acquisition…decision making…lustful
desire…attachment…appropriation…avarice…guarding of possessions, and because of
the guarding of possessions there arise the taking up of stick and sword,
quarrels… lying and other evil unskilled states.
…conduce to diminution?
5. Nine causes of malice: Malice is stirred up by the thought,
a. He has done me an injury
b. He is doing me an injury
c. He will do me an injury
d. He has done an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me
e. He is doing an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me
f. He will do an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me
g. He has done a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me
h. He is doing a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me
i. He will do a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me
…conduce to distinction?
6. Nine ways of overcoming malice: Malice is overcome by the thought:
a. He has done me an injury – what good would it do to harbor malice?
b. He is doing me an injury – what good would it do to harbor malice?
c. He will do me an injury – what good would it do to harbor malice?
d. He has done an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me – what good
would it do to harbor malice?
e. He is doing an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me – what good
would it do to harbor malice?
f. He will do an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me – what good
would it do to harbor malice?
g. He has done a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me – what
good would it do to harbor malice?
h. He is doing a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me – what
good would it do to harbor malice?
i. He will do a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me – what
good would it do to harbor malice?
…hard to penetrate?
7. Nine differences: Owing to difference of element there is difference of
contact, owing to the difference of contact there is feeling, owing to the
difference of feeling there is difference of perception; owing to the difference
of perception, there is difference of thought, owing to the difference of
thought there is difference of intention, owing to the difference of intention
there is difference in obsession, owing to the difference of obsession, there is
difference of quest, owing to the difference of quest, there is difference of
what is gained.
…made to arise?
8. Nine perceptions of the foul, of death, of the loathsomeness of food, of
distaste for the whole world, of impermanence, of the suffering in impermanence,
of impersonality in suffering, of relinquishment, of dispassion.
…thoroughly learnt?
9. Nine successive abidings: The Jhanas and spheres of infinite space, infinite
consciousness, no-thing-ness, neither perception nor non perception, and
cessation of perception and feeling.
…realized?
10. Nine successive cessations: By the attainment of the first Jhana,
perceptions of sensuality cease, by the attainment of the second jhana thinking
and pondering cease, by the attainment of the third Jhana delight ceases, by the
attainment of the fourth Jhana in and out breathing ceases, by the attainment of
the sphere of infinite space the perception of materiality ceases, by the
attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, the perception of the sphere
of infinite space ceases. By the attainment of the sphere of no-thing-ness the
perception of the sphere of infinite consciousness ceases. By the attainment of
the sphere of neither perception nor non perception, the perception of the
sphere of no-thing-ness ceases. By the attainment of the cessation of perception
and feeling, perception and feeling cease.
That makes ninety things that are real and true so and not otherwise, unerringly
and perfectly realized by the Tathágata.
Ten things greatly help…
Which ten things greatly help?
1. Ten things that give protection: Here a monk
a. Is moral, he lives restrained according to the restraint of the disciple,
persisting in right behavior, seeing danger in the slightest fault. He keeps to
the rules of training.
b. He has learnt much and bears in mind and retains what he has learnt. In these
teaching, beautiful in the beginning, the middle and the ending which in spirit
and in letter proclaim the absolutely perfected and purified holy life, he is
deeply learned, he remembers them, recites them, reflects on them, and
penetrates them with vision.
c. He is a friend, associate, and intimate of good people.
d. He is affable, endowed with gentleness and patience. Quick to grasp
instruction.
e. Whatever various jobs there are to be done for his fellow monks he is
skillful, not lax, using foresight in carrying them out, and is good at doing
and planning.
f. He loves the Dhamma and delights in hearing it. He is especially fond of the
advanced doctrine and discipline.
g. He is content with any kind of requisites, robes, alms food, lodgings,
medicines in case of illness.
h. He ever strives to arouse energy, to get rid of unwholesome states, to
establish wholesome states, untiringly and energetically striving to keep such
good states, and never shaking off the burden.
i. He is mindful, with a great capacity for clearly recalling things done and
said long ago.
j. He is wise with wise perception of arising and passing away, that Aryan
perception that leads to the complete destruction of suffering.
…be developed?
2. Ten objects for the attainment of absorption. He perceives the earth-kasina,
the water kasina, the fire kasina, the wind kasina, the blue kasina, the yellow
kasina, the red kasina, the white kasina, the space kasina, the consciousness
kasina, above, below, on all sides, undivided, unbounded.
…thoroughly known?
3. Ten sense spheres: eye and sight-object, ear and sound, nose and smell,
tongue and taste, body and tactile object.
…abandoned?
4. Eight wrong factors: wrong view, wrong thought, wrong action, wrong speech,
wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration, wrong
knowledge and wrong liberation.
…conduce to diminution?
5. Ten unwholesome courses of action. Taking life, taking what is not given,
sexual misconduct, lying speech, slander, rude speech, idle chatter, greed,
malevolence, wrong view.
…conduce to distinction?
6. Ten wholesome courses of action. Avoidance of taking life, avoidance of
taking what is not given, avoidance of sexual misconduct, avoidance of lying
speech, avoidance of slander, avoidance of rude speech, avoidance of idle
chatter, avoidance of greed, avoidance of malevolence, and avoidance of wrong
view.
…hard to penetrate?
7. Ten Aryan dispositions: here a monk
a. Has got rid of the five factors,
b. Possesses six factors
c. Has established one guard
d. Observes the four supports,
e. Has got rid of sectarian opinions
f. Has quite abandoned quest
g. Is pure of motive
h. Has tranquilized his emotions, Is well liberated
i. In heart
j. By wisdom.
...made to arise?
8. Nine perceptions of the foul, of death, of the loathsomeness of food, of
distaste for the whole world, of impermanence, of the suffering in impermanence,
of impersonality in suffering, of relinquishment, of dispassion and the
perception of cessation.
…thoroughly learnt?
9. Ten causes of wearing away: by right view wrong view is worn away, and
whatever evil and unwholesome states arise on the basis of wrong view are worn
away too. And by right view many wholesome states are developed and perfected.
By right thought, wrong thought is worn away… by right speech wrong speech is
worn away… right action… right livelihood… right effort… right mindfulness…
right concentration… right knowledge… right liberation… and by right liberation
many wholesome states are developed and perfected.
… to be realized?
10. Ten qualities of the non-learner: the non learners right view, right
thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration, right knowledge, right liberation.

That makes one hundred things that are real and true, so and not otherwise,
unerringly and perfectly realized by the Tathágata.
So said the Venerable Shariputra. And the monks were delighted and rejoiced at
his words.

Digha Nikaya - Sangiti Sutta

Sangiti Sutta

Thus Have I Heard:
Once the Lord was touring in the Malla country with a large company of about
five hundred monks. Having arrived at Pava, the Mallas’ capital, he stayed in
the Mango Grove of Cunda the Smith.
Now, at that time a new meeting hall of the Mallas of Pava, called Ubbhataka had
recently been built and it had not yet been occupied by any ascetic or Brahmin,
or indeed by any human being. Hearing that the Lord was staying in Cunda’s Mango
Grove, the Mallas of Pava went to see him. Having saluted him, they sat down to
one side and said:
"Lord, the Mallas of Pava have recently erected a new meeting hall called
Ubbhataka and it has not yet been occupied by any ascetic or Brahmin, or indeed
by any human being. May the Blessed Lord be the first to use it! Should he do so
that would be for the lasting good any happiness of the Mallas of Pava."
And the Lord consented by silence.
Noting his assent, the Mallas rose, saluted him, passed out to his right, and
went to the meeting hall. They spread mats all around, arranged seats, put out a
water pot and an oil lamp and then, returning to the Lord, saluted him, sat down
to one side and reported what they had done, saying,
"Whenever the Blessed Lord is ready."
Then the Lord dressed, took his robe and bowl, and went to the meeting hall with
his monks. There he washed his feet, entered the hall and sat down against the
central pillar facing east. The monks, having washed their feet, entered the
hall and sat down along the western wall facing east with the lord in front of
them. The Pava Mallas washed their feet, entered the hall, and sat down along
the eastern wall facing west with the Lord in front of them. Then the Lord spoke
to the Mallas on Dhamma far into the night, instructing, inspiring, firing and
delighting them. Then he dismissed them, saying,
"Vasetthas, the night has passed away. Now do as you think fit."
"Very good, Lord." Replied the Mallas, and they got up, saluted the lord, and
went out passing by him on the right.
As soon as the Mallas had gone, the Lord, surveying the monks sitting silently
all about said to venerable Shariputra,
"The monks are free from sloth and torpor, Shariputra, you think of a discourse
on Dhamma to give to them. My back aches, I want to stretch it."
"Very good, Lord." Replied Shariputra.
Then the Lord, having folded his robe in four, lay down on his right side in the
Lion posture, with one foot on the other, mindful and clearly aware and bearing
in mind the time to arise.
Now at that time the Nigantha Nataputta had just died at Pava and at his death
the Nigantha’s were split into two parties, quarreling and disputing. You would
have thought they were bent on killing each other. Even the white robed lay
followers were disgusted when they saw that their doctrine and discipline was so
ill-proclaimed…having proclaimed by one not fully enlightened, and now with it’s
support gone without an teacher.
And the Venerable Shariputra addressed the monks, referring to this situation
and said, "So ill-proclaimed was their teaching and discipline, so un-edifyingly
displayed, and so ineffectual in calming the passions, having been proclaimed by
one who was not fully enlightened. But friends, this Dhamma has been well
proclaimed by the Lord, the fully enlightened one and so we should all recite it
together without disagreement, so that this Holy Life may be enduring and
established for a long time, thus to be for the welfare and happiness of the
Multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare and
happiness of deva’s and humans. And what is this Dhamma that has been well
proclaimed by the Lord?
"There is one thing that was perfectly proclaimed by the Lord who knows and sees
the fully enlightened Buddha. So we should all recite together for the benefit,
welfare and happiness of devas and humans. What is this one thing? All beings
are maintained by nutriment, all beings are maintained by conditions.
"There are sets of two things that were perfectly proclaimed by the Lord…which
are they?
I. Mind and Body
II. Ignorance and Craving for Existence
III. Belief in Continued Existence and Belief in Non-Existence
IV. Lack of Moral Shame and Lack of Moral Dread
V. Moral Shame and Moral Dread
VI. Roughness and Friendship with Evil
VII. Gentleness and Friendship with Good
VIII. Skill in Knowing Offences and the Procedure for Rehabilitation From Them
IX. Skill in Entering and Returning from Jhana
X. Skill in Knowing the Eighteen Elements and in Paying Attention to Them
(Mindfulness)
Ø Six Senses, their Mind as the Sixth, Their Objects and Corresponding
Consciousnesses, (Eye, Sight-Object, and Eye Consciousness, etc)
XI. Skill in Knowing the Twelve Sense Spheres and Dependant Origination
XII. Skill in Knowing what are Causes and What are Not
XIII. Straightforwardness and Modesty
XIV. Patience and Gentleness
XV. Gentle Speech and Politeness
XVI. Non-harming and Purity
XVII. Lack of Mindfulness and Clear Awareness
XVIII. Mindfulness and Clear Awareness
XIX. Unguarded Sense Doors and Non-restrain in Eating
XX. Guarded Sense Doors and Restraint in Eating
XXI. Powers of Reflection and Mental Development
XXII. Powers of Mindfulness and Concentration
XXIII. Calm and Insight
XXIV. The Sign of Calm and Grasping the Sign
XXV. Exertion and Non-distraction
XXVI. Attainment of Morality and Right View
XXVII. Failure of Morality and Right View
XXVIII. Purity of Morality and Right View
XXIX. Purity of Right View and the Effort to Attain it
XXX. Being Moved to a Sense of Urgency By What Should Move One, And the
Systematic Effort of One So Moved
XXXI. Not Being Content with Wholesome Acts and Not Shrinking From Exertion
XXXII. Knowledge and Liberation
XXXIII. Knowledge of the Destruction of the Defilements and of Their
Non-Recurrence.
"These are the sets of two things that were perfectly proclaimed by the Lord, so
we should recite them together.
"There are sets of three things. Which are they?
I. Three Unwholesome Roots
a. Greed
b. Hatred
c. Delusion
II. Three Wholesome Roots
a. Non-greed
b. Non-hatred
c. Non-delusion
III. There are Three Kinds of Wrong Conduct in Body, Speech and Thought
IV. There are Three Kinds of Right Conduct in Body, Speech and Thought.
V. Three Kinds of Unwholesome Thought
a. Sensuality
b. Enmity
c. Cruelty
VI. Three Kinds of Wholesome Thought
a. Renunciation
b. Non-Enmity
c. Non-Cruelty
VII. Three Kinds of Unwholesome Motivation
a. Through Sensuality
b. Through Enmity
c. Through Cruelty
VIII. Three Kinds of Wholesome Motivation
a. Through Renunciation
b. Through Non-Enmity
c. Through Non-Cruelty
IX. Three Kinds of Unwholesome Perception
a. Of Sensuality
b. Of Enmity
c. Of Cruelty
X. Three Kinds of Wholesome Perception
a. Of Renunciation
b. Of non-Enmity
c. Of non-Cruelty
XI. Three Unwholesome Elements
a. Sensuality
b. Enmity
c. Cruelty
XII. Three Wholesome Elements
a. Renunciation
b. Non-Enmity
c. Non-Cruelty
XIII. Three More Elements
a. The Element of Sense Desire
b. The Element of Form
c. The Formless Element
XIV. Three More Elements
a. The Element of Form
b. The Formless Element
c. The Element of Cessation
XV. Three More Elements
a. The Low Element
b. The Middling Element
c. The Sublime Element
XVI. Three Kinds of Craving
a. Sensual Craving
b. Craving for Becoming
c. Craving for Extinction
XVII. Three More Kinds of Craving
a. Craving for the World of Sense Desires
b. Craving for the World of Form
c. Craving for the Formless World
XVIII. Three More Kinds of Craving
a. For the World of Form
b. For the Formless World
c. For Cessation
XIX. Three Fetters
a. Of Personality Belief
b. Of Doubt
c. Of Attachment of Rite and Ritual
XX. Three Corruption
a. Of Sense Desire
b. Of Becoming
c. Of Ignorance
XXI. Three Kinds of Becoming
a. In the World of Sense Desire
b. Of Form
c. In the Formless World
XXII. Three Quests
a. For Sense Desires
b. For Becoming
c. For the Holy Life
XXIII. Three Forms of Conceit
a. I am Better than…
b. I am Equal to…
c. I am Worse than…
XXIV. Three Times
a. Past
b. Future
c. Present
XXV. Three "Ends"
a. Personality
b. It’s Arising
c. It’s Cessation
XXVI. Three Feelings
a. Pleasant
b. Painful
c. Neutral
XXVII. Three Kinds of Suffering
a. As Pain
b. As Inherent In Formations
c. As Due to Change
XXVIII. Three Accumulations
a. Evil with Fixed Result
b. Good with Fixed Result
c. Indeterminate
XXIX. Three Obstruction
a. One Hesitates
b. One Vacillates, Is Undecided
c. Is Unsettled about the Past, the Future, and The Present
XXX. Three Things a Tathágata Has no Need to Guard Against
a. A Tathágata is Perfectly Pure in Bodily Conduct
b. …In Speech
c. …In Thought
d. There is No Misdeed of Body, Speech, or Thought which he must conceal lest
anyone should anyone get to hear about it.
XXXI. Three Obstacles
a. Lust
b. Hatred
c. Delusion
XXXII. Three Fires
a. Lust
b. Hatred
c. Delusion
XXXIII. Three More Fires
a. The Fire of Those to Be Revered
b. Of the Householder
c. Of those Worthy of Offerings
XXXIV. Threefold Classification of Matter
a. Visible and Resisting
b. Invisible and Resisting
c. Invisible and Unresisting
XXXV. Three Kinds of Karmic Formation
a. Meritorious
b. Demeritorious
c. Imperturbable
XXXVI. Three Types of Persons
a. The Learner
b. The Non-Learner
c. The One who is Neither
XXXVII. Three Types of Elders
a. Elder by Birth
b. …In Dhamma
c. …By Convention
XXXVIII. Three Grounds Based on Merit
a. That of Giving
b. That of Morality
c. That of Meditation
XXXIX. Three Grounds for Reproof
a. Based on What has been Seen
b. …Heard
c. …Suspected
XL. Three Kinds of Rebirth in the Realm of Sense Desire
a. There are Beings who Desire what Presents itself to Them and are in the Grip
of that Desire, such as Human Beings, some devas, and some in states of woe
b. There are Beings who Desire what they have Created, such as the Deva’s who
rejoice in their own creation
c. There are Beings who Rejoice in the Creations of Others, such as the Deva’s
having power over others creation
XLI. Three Happy Rebirths
a. There are Beings who, having continually produced happiness now dwell in
happiness, Such as the Devas of the Brahma Group
b. There are Beings who are overflowing with happiness, drenched with it, full
of it, immersed in it, so that they occasionally exclaim "O, What Bliss" such as
the Radiant Devas
c. There are Beings immersed in Happiness who are Supremely Blissful, experience
only Perfect Happiness, such as the Lustrous Devas
XLII. Three Kinds of Wisdom
a. Of the Learner
b. Of the Non-Learner
c. Of the One who is Neither
XLIII. Three More Kinds of Wisdom
a. Based on Thought
b. Based on Learning (Hearing)
c. Based on Mental Development (Meditation)
XLIV. Three Armaments
a. What one has Learnt
b. Detachment
c. Wisdom
XLV. Three Faculties
a. Of Knowing that One Will Know the Unknown
b. Of Highest Knowledge
c. Of the One who Knows
XLVI. Three Eyes
a. The Fleshy Eye
b. The Divine Eye
c. The Eye of Wisdom
XLVII. Three Kinds of Training
a. In Higher Morality
b. In Higher Thought
c. In Higher Wisdom
XLVIII. Three Kinds of Development
a. Of the Emotions
b. Of the Mind
c. Of Wisdom
XLIX. Three "Unsurpassables"
a. Of Vision
b. Of Practice
c. Of Liberation
L. Three Kinds of Concentration
a. With thinking and Pondering
b. With Pondering without Thinking
c. With Neither
LI. Three More Kinds of Concentration
a. On Emptiness
b. On the "Sign-less"
c. Desire-less
LII. Three Purities
a. Of Body
b. Of Speech
c. Of Mind
LIII. Three Qualities of the Sage
a. As to Body
b. As to Speech
c. As to Mind
LIV. Three Skills
a. In Going Forward
b. In Going Down
c. In Means to Progress
LV. Three Intoxications
a. With Health
b. With Youth
c. With Life
LVI. Three Predominant Influences
a. Oneself
b. The World
c. The Dhamma
LVII. Three Topics of Discussion
a. Talk May be of the Past, "That is how it used to be"
b. Talk May be of the Future, "That is how it will be"
c. Talk May be of the Present, "That is how it is now"
LVIII. Three Knowledge’s
a. Of One’s Past Lives
b. Of the Decease and Rebirth of Beings
c. Of the Destruction of the Corruptions
LIX. Three Abidings
a. Deva-Abiding
b. Brahma-Abiding
c. The Aryan-Abiding
LX. Three Miracles
a. Of Psychic Power
b. Of Telepathy
c. Of Instruction
"These are the Sets of Three things, so we should all recite together for the
Benefit, welfare, and happiness of devas and humans.
"There are Sets of Four Things which were perfectly proclaimed by the Lord.
I. "Four foundations of mindfulness: Here a monk abides contemplating body as
body, ardent, clearly aware and mindful, having put aside hankering and fretting
for the world; he abides contemplating feelings as feelings...he abides
contemplating mind as mind...he abides contemplating mind objects as mind
objects, ardent, clearly aware and mindful, having put aside hankering and
fretting for the world.
II. "Four great efforts: Here a monk rouses his will, makes an effort, stirs up
energy, exerts his mind and strives to prevent the arising of un-arisen evil
unwholesome mental states that have arisen. He rouses his will and strives to
overcome evil unwholesome mental states that have arisen. He rouses his will and
strives to produce un-arisen wholesome mental states. He rouses his will and
strives to maintain wholesome mental states that have arisen, not to let them
fade away, to bring them to greater growth, to the full perfection of
development.
III. "Four roads to power: Here a monk develops concentration of intention
accompanied by effort of will, concentration of energy...concentration of
consciousness, and concentration of investigation accompanied by effort of will.

IV. "Four Jhanas: here a monk, detached from all sense desires, detached from
unwholesome mental states, enters and remains in the first Jhana, which is with
thinking and pondering, born of detachment, filled with delight and joy. And
with the subsiding of thinking and pondering, by gaining inner tranquility and
oneness of mind, he enters and remains in the second Jhana, which is without
thinking and pondering, born of concentration, filled with delight and joy. And
with the fading away of delight, remaining imperturbable, mindful and clearly
aware, he experiences in himself that joy of which the Noble Ones say: "Happy is
he who dwells with equanimity and mindfulness," he enters and remains in the
third Jhana. And, having given up pleasure and pain, and with the disappearance
of former gladness and sadness, he enters and remains in the fourth Jhana which
is beyond pleasure and pain, and purified by equanimity and mindfulness.
V. "Four concentrative meditations. This meditation, when developed and
expanded, leads to
a. Happiness in the hear and now
b. Gaining knowledge and vision
c. Mindfulness and clear awareness and
d. The destruction of the corruptions.
i. How does this practice lead to happiness here and now? Here, a monk practices
the four Jhanas
ii. How does it lead to the gaining of knowledge and vision? Here, a monk
attends to the perception of light, he fixes his mind to the perception of day,
by night as by day, by day as by night. In this way, with a mind clear and
unclouded, he develops a state of mind that is full of brightness.
iii. How does it lead to mindfulness and clear awareness? Here, a monk knows
feelings as they arise remain and vanish.
iv. How does this practice to the destruction of corruptions? Here, a monk
abides in the contemplation of the rise and fall of the five aggregates of
grasping: "This is material form, this is its arising, this is its ceasing;
these are feelings, this is its arising, this is its ceasing; this perception,
this is its arising, this is its ceasing; these are mental formations, this is
its arising, this is its ceasing; this is consciousness, this is its arising,
this is its ceasing."
VI. "Found boundless states. Here a monk, with a heart filed with loving
kindness, pervades first one quarter, then the second, then the third and the
fourth. Thus he stays, spreading the thought of loving kindness above, below and
across, abundant, magnified, unbounded, without hatred or ill will. And likewise
with compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.
VII. "Four formless Jhanas. Here, a monk, by passing entirely beyond bodily
sensations, by the disappearance of all sense of resistance and by
non-attraction to the perception of diversity, seeing that space is infinite,
reaches and remains in the sphere of infinite space. And by passing entirely
beyond the sphere of infinite space, seeing that consciousness is infinite, he
reaches and remains in the sphere of infinite consciousness. And by passing
entirely beyond the sphere of infinite consciousness, seeing that there is
nothing ["no thing" can be used for better clarity—webmaster], he reaches and
remains in the sphere of nothingness. And by passing entirely beyond the sphere
of nothingness, he reaches and remains in the sphere of neither perception nor
non perception.
VIII. "Four supports: Here a monk judges that one thing is to be pursued, one
thing endured, one this avoided, one thing suppressed.
IX. "Four Aryan lineages. Here, a monk
a. Is content with any old robe, praises such contentment, and does not try to
obtain robes improperly or unsuitability. He does not worry if he does not get a
robe, and if he does, he is not full of greedy, blind desire, but makes use of
it, aware of such dangers and wisely aware of its true purpose. Nor is he
conceited about being thus content with any old robe, and he does not disparage
others. And one who is thus skilful, not lax, clearly aware and mindful, is
known as a monk who is true to the ancient, original Aryan lineage. Again,
b. A monk is content with any alms food he may get...Again,
c. A monk is content with any old lodging place...and again,
d. A monk, being fond of abandoning rejoices in abandoning, and being fond of
developing, rejoices in developing, is not therefore conceited...and one who is
thus skilful, not lax, clearly aware and mindful, is known as a monk who is true
to the ancient, original Aryan lineage.
X. "Four Efforts: The effort of
a. Restraint
b. Abandoning
c. Development
d. Preservation
i. What is the effort of restraint? Here, a monk, on seeing an object with the
eye does not grasp at the whole or its details, striving to restrain what might
cause evil, unwholesome states, such and hankering or sorrow, to flood in one
him. Thus he watches over the sense of sight and guards it. Here, a monk, on
smelling an object with his nose does not grasp at the whole of it or its
details...Thus he watches over the sense of smell and guards it. Here, a monk,
on hearing an object, tasting an object, or touching an object with his ears,
tongue, or flesh does not grasp at the whole of it or its details...Thus he
watches over [his senses] and guards [them].
ii. What is the effort of abandoning? Here, a monk does not assent to a thought
of lust, of hatred, of cruelty that had arisen, but abandons it, dispels it,
destroys it, makes it disappear.
iii. What is the effort of development? Here, a monk develops the enlightenment
factor of investigation of states...of energy...of delight...of tranquility...of
concentration...of equanimity, based on solitude, detachment, extinction,
leading to maturity of surrender.
iv. What is the effort of preservation? Here, a monk keeps firmly in his mind a
favorable object of concentration which has arisen, such as a skeleton or a
corpse that is full of worms, blue-black, full of holes and bloated. [Death
meditations: see "A Ghost in the Cloister"]
XI. "Four Knowledge’s: knowledge of Dhamma, of what is consonant with it,
knowledge of others minds, conventional knowledge.
XII. "Four more knowledge’s: knowledge of suffering, it’s origin, it’s
cessation, and the path.
XIII. "Four Factors of Stream Attainment: association with good people, hearing
the true Dhamma, thorough attention, practice of the Dhamma in its entirety.
XIV. "Four characteristics of a Stream Winner: Here, the Aryan disciple is
possessed of unwavering confidence in the Buddha, thus:
a. "This Blessed Lord is an Arahant, a fully enlightened Buddha, endowed with
Wisdom and conduct, the well-farer, knower of the worlds, incomparable Trainer
of men to be tamed, Teachers of gods and humans, enlightened and blessed."
b. He is possessed of unwavering confidence in the Dhamma thus: "Well-proclaimed
by the Lord is the Dhamma, visible hear and now, timeless, inviting inspection,
leading onwards, to be comprehended by the wise each one for himself."
c. He is possessed of unwavering confidence in the Sangha, thus: "Well directed
is the Sangha of the Lord’s disciples, of upright conduct, on the right path, on
the perfect path; that is to say the four pairs of persons, the eight kinds of
men. The Sangha of the Lords disciples is worthy of veneration, an unsurpassed
field of merit in the world." And
d. He is possessed of morality dear to the Noble Ones, unbroken, without defect,
unspotted, without inconsistency, liberating, praised by the wise, uncorrupted,
and conductive to concentration.
XV. "Four fruits of the ascetic life: the fruits of stream entry, of the once
returner, of the non-returner, of Arahantship.
XVI. "Four elements: the elements of earth, water, fire, and air.
XVII. "Four nutriments: Material, food, gross or subtle; contact as second;
mental volition as third, consciousness as fourth.
XVIII. "Four stations of consciousness: consciousness gains a footing either
a. In relation to materiality, with materiality as object and basis, as a place
of enjoyment, or similarly in regard to
b. Feelings
c. Perceptions
d. Mental Formations, and there it grows, increases, and flourishes.
XIX. "Four ways of going wrong: one goes wrong through desire, hatred, delusion,
fear.
XX. "Four arousals of craving: Craving arises in a monk because of robes, alms,
lodging, being and non being.
XXI. "Four kinds of progress:
a. painful progress with slow comprehension
b. painful progress with quick comprehension
c. pleasant progress with slow comprehension
d. pleasant progress with quick comprehension
XXII. "Four more kinds of progress:
a. Progress with impatience
b. Patient progress
c. Controlled progress
d. Calm progress
XXIII. "Four ways of Dhamma.
a. Without hankering
b. Without enmity
c. With right mindfulness
d. With right concentration
XXIV. "Four ways of undertaking Dhamma: There is the way that is
a. Painful in the present and brings painful future results
b. Painful in the present and brings pleasant future results
c. Pleasant in the present and brings painful future results
d. Pleasant in the present and brings pleasant future results.
XXV. "Four divisions of Dhamma:
a. Morality
b. Concentration
c. Wisdom
d. Liberation
XXVI. "Four Powers:
a. Energy
b. Mindfulness
c. Concentration
d. Wisdom
XXVII. "Four kinds of resolves:
a. Wisdom
b. Truth
c. Relinquishment
d. Tranquility.
XXVIII. "Four ways of answering questions: the question
a. To be answered directly
b. Requiring an explanation
c. Requiring a counter question
d. To be set aside
XXIX. "Found kinds of Kamma—There is:
a. Black Kamma with black result
b. Bright Kamma with bright result
c. Black and Bright Kamma with Black and Bright result
d. Kamma that is neither black nor bright.
XXX. "Four things to be realized by seeing:
a. Former lives, to be realized by recollections
b. Passing away and re-arising to be realized by the divine eye
c. The eight deliverances, to be realized with the mental body
d. The destruction of the corruptions to be realized by wisdom.
XXXI. "Four Floods:
a. Sensuality,
b. Becoming,
c. Wrong Views
d. Ignorance.
XXXII. "Four Yokes
XXXIII. "Four Un-yokings, from
a. sensuality
b. becoming
c. views
d. ignorance
XXXIV. "Four Ties:
a. The Body Tie of hankering
b. Ill-will
c. Attachment to rite and ritual
d. Dogmatic Fanaticism
XXXV. "Four clingings
a. to sensuality
b. to views
c. to rules and rituals
d. to ego-belief.
XXXVI. "Four Kinds of generation:
a. From an egg
b. From a womb
c. From moisture (Larva grown creatures)
d. Spontaneous Rebirth (Taking rebirth in the Deva realm)
XXXVII. "Four Aryan modes of speech: stating that one has not seen, heard,
sensed, known what one has not seen, heard, sensed, known.
XXXVIII. Ways of descent into the womb:
a. One descends into the mothers womb unknowing, stays there unknowing, and
leaves it unknowing
b. One enters the womb knowing, stays there unknowing, and leaves it unknowing
c. One enters the womb knowing, stays there knowing, and leaves it unknowing.
d. One enters the womb knowing, stays there knowing, and leaves it knowing.
XXXIX. "Four ways of getting a new personality. There us an acquisition of
personality that is brought about by
a. One’s own volition, not another’s
b. Another’s volition, not one’s own
c. Both
d. Neither
XL. "Four Purifications of offerings. There is the offering purified
a. By the giver but not by the recipient
b. By the recipient but not by the giver
c. By neither
d. By both.
XLI. "Four bases of sympathy
a. Generosity
b. Pleasing Speech
c. Beneficial Conduct
d. Impartiality
XLII. "Four un-Aryan modes of speech:
a. Refraining from lying
b. ...from slander
c. ...from abuse
d. ...from idle gossip.
XLIII. "Four more un-Aryan modes of speech: Claiming to have seen, Heard,
Sensed, Known what one has not seen, heard, sensed, known.
XLIV. "Four Aryan modes of speech: stating that one has not seen, heard, sensed,
known what one has not seen, heard, sensed, known.
XLV. "Four more un-Aryan modes of speech: claiming not to have seen, heard,
sensed, known what one has seen, heard, sensed, known.
XLVI. "Four Aryan modes of speech: stating that one has seen, heard, sensed,
known what one has seen, heard, sensed, known.
XLVII. "Four persons: Here a certain man
a. torments himself, is given to self tormenting
b. torments others, is given to tormenting others
c. torments himself and others, is given to self tormenting and tormenting
others
d. torments neither himself or others, is not given to self tormenting and
tormenting others. Thereby he dwells in this life without craving , released,
cool, enjoying bliss, become as Brahma.
XLVIII. "Four more persons. Here a man’s life benefits
a. himself but not others
b. others but not himself
c. neither
d. both
XLIX. "Four more persons:
a. Living in darkness and bound to stay
b. Living in darkness and bound for the light
c. Living in the light and bound for darkness
d. Living in the light and bound to stay
L. "Four more persons:
a. The unshakable ascetic
b. The blue-lotus ascetic
c. The white-lotus ascetic
d. The subtly perfect ascetic
"These are the sets of four things which were perfectly proclaimed by the
Lord...So we should all recite them together...for the benefit, welfare and
happiness of devas and humans."
[End of First Recitation Section] "There are sets of five things perfectly
proclaimed...
I. "Five aggregates:
a. Body
b. Feelings
c. Perceptions
d. Mental Formations
e. Consciousness
II. Five aggregates for grasping:
f. Body
g. Feelings
h. Perceptions
i. Mental Formations
j. Consciousness
III. "Five strands of sense desire:
a. A sight seen by the eye
b. A sound heard by the ear
c. A smell smelled by the nose
d. A flavor tasted by the tongue.
e. A tangible object felt by the body as being desirable, attractive, nice,
charming, associated with lust and arousing passion.
IV. "Five post-mortem destinies:
a. Hell
b. Animal Rebirth
c. The Realm of Hungry Ghosts
d. Humankind
e. The Deva Realm
V. "Five kinds of begrudging; as to
a. Dwelling places
b. Families
c. Gains
d. Beauty
e. Dhamma
VI. "Five Hindrances:
a. sensuality
b. ill-will
c. sloth and torpor
d. worry and flurry
e. skeptical doubt
VII. "Five lower fetters:
a. Personality Belief
b. Doubt
c. Attachment to rite and ritual
d. Sensuality
e. Ill-will
VIII. "Five higher fetters
a. craving for the world of form
b. craving for the formless world
c. conceit
d. restlessness
e. ignorance.
IX. "Five rules of training: refraining from
a. Taking Life
b. Taking what is not given
c. Sexual misconduct
d. Lying speech
e. Strong Drink and sloth producing drugs
X. "Five impossible things: an Arahant is incapable of
a. Deliberately taking the life of a living being
b. Taking what is not given in such a manner as to constitute theft
c. Sexual intercourse
d. Telling a deliberate lie
e. Storing up goods of sensual indulgence as he formerly did in the household
life.
XI. "Five kinds of loss:
a. Loss of relatives
b. Wealth
c. Health
d. Morality
e. Right View. No beings fall into an evil state, a hell state after death
because of the loss of relatives, health, or wealth; but beings do beings do
fall into such states by loss of morality and right view.
XII. "Five kinds of gain:
a. Gain of relatives
b. Wealth
c. Health
d. Morality
e. Right View. No beings arise in a happy, heavenly state after death because of
the gain of relatives, wealth, or health but beings are reborn in such states
because of gains in morality and right view.
XIII. "Five dangers to the immoral through lapsing from morality; The immoral
man, householders, by falling away from virtue, encounters five perils: great
loss of wealth through heedlessness; an evil reputation; a timid and troubled
demeanor in every society, be it that of nobles, Brahmins, householders, or
ascetics; death in bewilderment; and, at the breaking up of the body after
death, rebirth in a realm of misery, in an unhappy state, in the nether world,
in hell.
XIV. "Five blessings...accrue to the righteous man through his practice of
virtue: great increase of wealth through his diligence; a favorable reputation;
a confident deportment, without timidity, in every society, be it that of
nobles, Brahmins, householders, or ascetics; a serene death; and, at the
breaking up of the body after death, rebirth in a happy state, in a heavenly
world.
XV. "Five points to be borne in mind by a monk wishing to rebuke another:
a. I will speak at the proper time, not the wrong time
b. I will state the truth, not what is false
c. I will speak gently, not roughly
d. I will speak for his good, not for his harm
e. I will speak with love in my heard, not with enmity
XVI. "Five factors of endeavor: Here, a monk
a. Has faith, trusting in the enlightenment of the Tathágata: ‘This Blessed Lord
is an Arahant, a fully enlightened Buddha, perfected in knowledge and conduct, a
well-farer, knower of the worlds, unequalled trainer of men to be tamed, teacher
of gods and humans, a Buddha, a Blessed Lord.’ He proclaims this world with its
gods, Maras, Brahmas, the world of ascetics and Brahmins with its princes and
people, having come to know it by his own knowledge. He teaches a Dhamma that is
ending, in the spirit and in the letter, and he displays the fully perfected,
thoroughly purified holy life. And indeed it is good to see such Arahants."
b. Is in good health, suffers little distress or sickness, having a good
digestion that is neither too cool nor too hot but is of a middling temperature
suitable for exertion,
c. Is not fraudulent or deceitful, showing himself as he really is to his
teacher or to the wise among his companions in the holy life
d. Keeps his energy constantly stirred up for abandoning unwholesome states and
arousing the wholesome states,
e. Is a man of wisdom endowed with wisdom concerning rising and cessation with
the Aryan penetration that leads to the complete destruction of suffering.
XVII. "Five pure abodes:
a. Aviha
b. Unworried
c. Clearly visible
d. Clear Sighted
e. Peerless
XVIII. "Five kinds of non returner:
a. The Less than half timer
b. The more than half timer
c. The gainer without exertion
d. The gainer with exertion
e. He who goes upstream to the acme, the pinnacle
XIX. "Five mental blockages: here a monk has doubts and hesitations
a. About the teacher, is dissatisfied and cannot settle his mind. Thus his mind
is not inclined toward ardor, devotion, persistence and effort
b. About the Dhamma, is dissatisfied and cannot settle his mind. Thus his mind
is not inclined toward ardor, devotion, persistence and effort
c. About the Sangha, is dissatisfied and cannot settle his mind. Thus his mind
is not inclined toward ardor, devotion, persistence and effort
d. About the Training, is dissatisfied and cannot settle his mind. Thus his mind
is not inclined toward ardor, devotion, persistence and effort
e. He is angry with his fellows in the holy life, he feels depressed and
negative towards them. Thus his mind is not inclined toward ardor, devotion,
persistence and effort
XX. "Five mental bondages: Here a monk has not got rid of the passion, desire,
love, thirst, fever, craving
a. For sense desires: thus his mind is not inclined toward ardor, devotion,
persistence and effort
b. For the body: Thus his mind is not inclined toward ardor, devotion,
persistence and effort
c. For physical objects: Thus his mind is not inclined toward ardor, devotion,
persistence and effort, or
d. Having eaten as much as his belly will hold he abandons himself to the
pleasure of lying down, of contact, of sloth; or
e. He practices the holy life for the sake of becoming a member of some body of
devas, great or small. Thus his mind is not inclined toward ardor, devotion,
persistence and effort
XXI. Five Faculties: those of the
a. Eyes
b. Ears
c. Nose
d. Tongue
e. Body.
XXII. Five more faculties:
a. Pleasant bodily feeling
b. Pain
c. Gladness
d. Sadness
e. Indifferent feeling
XXIII. Five more faculties:
a. Faith
b. Energy
c. Mindfulness
d. Concentration
e. Wisdom
XXIV. Five elements making for deliverance.
a. Here, when a monk considered sense desires, his mind does not leap forward
and take satisfaction in them, fix on them or make free with them, but when he
considers renunciation it does leap forward, take satisfaction in it, fix on it,
and make free with it. And he gets this thought well set, well developed, well
raised up, well freed from the corruptions, the vexations and fevers that arise
from sense desires, and he does not feel that sensual feeling. This is called
the deliverance from sense desires. And the same applies to
b. Ill will
c. Cruelty
d. Forms
e. Personality
XXV. "Five bases of deliverance; here
a. the teacher or a respected fellow disciple teaches a monk Dhamma. And as he
receives the teaching, he gains a grasp of both the spirit and the letter of the
teaching. At this, joy arises in him, and from this joy, delight; and by this
delight his senses are calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this
happiness his mind is established;
b. he has not heard it thus, but in the course of the teaching Dhamma to others
he has learnt it by heart as he has heard it, or
c. as he is chanting the Dhamma... or
d. ...when he applies his mind to the Dhamma, thinks and ponders over it and
concentrates his attention on it; or
e. When he has properly grasped some concentration sign, has well considered it,
applied his mind to it, and has well penetrated it with wisdom. At this, joy
arises in him; and from this joy, delight, and by this delight his senses are
calmed, he feels happiness as a result, and with this happiness his mind is
established.
XXVI. "Five perceptions making for maturity of liberation: the perception of
impermanence, of suffering in impermanence, of impersonality in suffering, of
abandoning, of dispassion.
"These are sets of five things which were perfectly proclaimed by the lord..."
"There are sets of six things which were perfectly proclaimed by the Lord...
I. "Six internal sense spheres:
a. Eye sphere
b. Ear sphere
c. Nose sphere
d. Tongue sphere
e. Body sphere
f. Mind Sense sphere
II. Six external sense spheres:
a. Sight Object
b. Sound Object
c. Smell Object
d. Taste Object
e. Tangible Object
f. Mind Object
III. Six groups of consciousness
a. Sight Consciousness, Sound Consciousness etc
IV. Six groups of contact
a. Eye contact, ear contact, etc
V. Six groups of feeling
a. Feeling based on Eye Contact, Based on Ear contact, etc
VI. Six groups of perception:
a. Perception of sights, of sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mind objects.
VII. Six groups of volitions
a. Volition based on sights, sounds, etc
VIII. Six groups of craving
a. Craving for sights, sounds, etc
IX. Six kinds of disrespect: Here, a monk behaves disrespectfully and
discourteously towards the teacher, the Dhamma, the Sangha, the training, in
respect of earnestness, of hospitality.
X. Six kinds of respect: Here, a monk behaves respectfully and courteously
towards the teacher, the Dhamma, the Sangha, the training, in respect of
earnestness, of hospitality.
XI. Six pleasurable investigations: When, on seeing a sight object with the eye,
or hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, knowing a mind object [each with its
respective sense sphere] one investigates a corresponding object productive of
pleasure
XII. Six un-pleasurable investigations: When, on seeing a sight object with the
eye, or hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, knowing a mind object [each with
its respective sense sphere] one investigates a corresponding object productive
of displeasure
XIII. Six indifferent investigations: When, on seeing a sight object with the
eye, or hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, knowing a mind object [each with
its respective sense sphere] one investigates a corresponding object productive
of indifference
XIV. Six things conductive to communal living: as long as monks both in public
and in private show living kindness to their fellows in acts of body, speech and
thought...share with their virtuous fellows whatever they receive as a rightful
gift, including the contents of their alms-bowls, which they do not keep for
themselves...keep consistently, unbroken and unaltered those rules of conduct
that are spotless, leading to liberation, praised by the wise, unstained and
conducive to concentration, and persist therein with their noble fellows in both
public and private...continue in that noble view that leads to liberation, to
the utter destruction of suffering, remaining in such awareness with their
fellows both in public and in private so long as in respect of what they receive
as due offerings, even the contents of their alms bowls, they do not make use of
them without sharing them with virtuous members of the community; so long as, in
company with their brethren, they train themselves, openly and in private, in
the rules of conduct, which are complete and perfect, spotless and pure,
liberating, praised by the wise, uninfluenced (by mundane concerns), and
favorable to concentration of mind; and in company with their brethren,
preserve, openly and in private, the insight that is noble and liberating, and
leads one who acts upon it to the utter destruction of suffering.
XV. Six roots of contention: here, a monk is angry and bears ill-will, he is
disrespectful and discourteous to the Teacher, the Dhamma, and does not finish
his training. He stirs up contention within the Sangha, which brings woe and
sorrow to many, with evil consequences, misfortune and sorrow for devas and
humans. If, friends, you should discover such a root of contention among
yourselves or among others, you should strive to get rid of just that root of
contention. If you find no such root of contention...then you should work to
prevent its overcoming you in the future. Or if a monk is deceitful and
malicious...or if a monk is envious and mean...or if a monk is cunning and
devious...or if a monk is full of evil desires and wrong views...or if a monks
is opinionated, obstinate and tenacious. If, friends, you should discover such a
root of contention among yourselves or among others, you should strive to get
rid of just that root of contention. If you find no such root of
contention...then you should work to prevent its overcoming you in the future.
XVI. Six elements: the earth element, fire element, water element, air element,
space element, and the consciousness element.
XVII. Six elements making for deliverance:
a. Here a monk might say, "I have developed the emancipation of the heart by
loving kindness, expanded it, made it a vehicle and a base, established, worked
well on it, set it will in train. And yet Ill-Will still grips my heart." He
should be told, "No! Do not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it
is not right to slander him thus, for he would not have said such a thing! Your
words are unfounded and impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart
through loving kindness, ill will has no chance to envelop your heart. This
emancipations through loving kindness is the cure for ill will."
b. Or he might say, "I have developed the emancipation of the heart through
compassion, and yet cruelty still grips my hearts..." He should be told, "No! Do
not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to slander
him thus, for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are unfounded and
impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart through compassion,
cruelty has no chance to envelop your heart. This emancipations through
compassion is the cure for cruelty."
c. Or he might say, "I have developed the emancipation of the heart through
equanimity, and yet lust grips my heart." He should be told, "No! Do not say
that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to slander him thus,
for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are unfounded and
impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart through equanimity,
lust has no chance to envelop your heart. This emancipations through equanimity
is the cure for lust."
d. Or he might say, "I have developed the emancipation of the heart through
sympathetic joy, and yet aversion still grips my heart..." He should be told,
"No! Do not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to
slander him thus, for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are
unfounded and impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart through
sympathetic joy, aversion has no chance to envelop your heart. This
emancipations through sympathetic joy is the cure for aversion."
e. Or he might say, "I have developed the sign-less emancipation of the heart
and yet my heart hankers after signs..." He should be told, "No! Do not say
that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to slander him thus,
for he would not have said such a thing! Your words are unfounded and
impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the heart through the sign-less
emancipation, hankering after signs has no chance to envelop your heart. This
emancipations through the sign-less emancipation is the cure for hankering after
signs."
f. Or he might say, "The idea "I am" is repellent to me, I pay no head to the
idea "I am this." Yet doubts, uncertainties and problems still grip my heart..."
He should be told, "No! Do not say that! Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord,
it is not right to slander him thus, for he would not have said such a thing!
Your words are unfounded and impossible. If you develop the emancipation of the
heart through void, the idea "I am this" has no chance to envelop your heart.
This emancipation through void is the cure for the idea "I am this."
XVIII. Six unsurpassed things: certain sights, things heard, gains, trainings,
forms of service, objects of recollection.
XIX. Six subjects of recollection: The Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, Morality,
Renunciation, the Devas.
XX. Six stable states: on seeing an object with the eye, hearing a sound with
the ear, smelling a smell with the nose, tasting a flavor with the tongue,
touching a tangible object with the body, or cognizing a mental object with the
mind, one is neither pleased not displeased, but remains equitable, mindful, and
clearly aware.
XXI. Six species
a. Here, one born in dark conditions lives a dark life
b. One born in dark conditions lives a bright life
c. One born in dark conditions attains nibbána, which is neither dark nor bright

d. One born in bright conditions lives a dark life
e. One born in bright conditions lives a bright life
f. One born in bright conditions attains nibbána, which is neither dark nor
bright
XXII. Six perceptions conducive to penetration: the perception of impermanence,
of suffering in impermanence, of impersonality and suffering, of abandoning, of
dissipation and the perception of cessation.
These are the sets of six things, which were perfectly proclaimed by the lord.
There are sets of seven things which have been perfectly proclaimed by the lord.

I. Seven Aryan Treasures
a. Faith
b. Morality
c. Moral Shame
d. Moral Dread
e. Learning
f. Renunciation
g. Wisdom
II. Seven factors of enlightenment
a. Mindfulness
b. Investigation of phenomena
c. Energy
d. Delight
e. Tranquility
f. Concentration
g. Equanimity
III. Seven requisites of concentration:
a. Right View
b. Right Thought
c. Right Speech
d. Right Action
e. Right Livelihood
f. Right Effort
g. Right Mindfulness
IV. Seven wrong practices: here a monk
a. Lacks Faith
b. Lacks Moral Shame
c. Lacks Moral Dread
d. Has little Learning
e. Is slack
f. Is unmindful
g. Lacks wisdom
V. Seven Right Practices: here a monk has faith, moral shame and moral dread,
has much learning, has aroused vigor, has established mindfulness, possesses
wisdom.
VI. Seven qualities of a true man: here a monk is a knower of the Dhamma, of
meanings, of self, of moderation, of the right time, of groups of persons.
VII. Seven grounds for commendation: here a monk is keenly anxious
a. To undertake the training and wants to persist in this
b. To make a close study of the Dhamma
c. To get rid of desires
d. To find solitude
e. To arouse energy
f. To develop mindfulness and discrimination
g. To develop penetrative insight
VIII. Seven perceptions: perception of impermanence, of not self, of foulness,
of danger, of abandonment, of dissipation, of cessation.
IX. Seven powers: of faith, energy, moral shame, moral dread, mindfulness,
concentration, and wisdom.
X. Seven stations of consciousness: beings
a. Different in Body, different in perception
b. Different in Body, alike in perception
c. Alike in body, different in perception
d. Alike in body, alike in perception
e. Who have attained to the sphere of infinite space
f. ...of infinite consciousness
g. ...of no-thing-ness
XI. Seven persons worthy of offerings: ways liberated, the wisdom liberated, the
body witness, the vision attainer, the faith liberated, the Dhamma devotee, and
the Faith Devotee.
XII. Seven latent proclivities: Sensuous greed, resentment, views, doubt,
conceit, craving for becoming, and ignorance.
XIII. Seven fetters: complacence, resentment, views, doubt, conceit, craving for
becoming, and ignorance.
XIV. Seven rules for the pacification for the disputed questions that have been
raised:
a. Proceedings face to face
b. Recollection
c. Mental Derangement
d. Confession
e. Majority Verdict
f. Habitual Bad Character
g. Covering over with grass
These are the sets of seven things which were perfectly proclaimed by the lord
so we should all recite them for the benefit of devas and humans.
End of Second Recitation Section There are sets of eight things perfectly
proclaimed by the lord.
I. Eight wrong factors: wrong view, wrong thought, wrong action, wrong speech,
wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration.
II. Eight Right Factors: See above.
III. Eight persons worthy of offerings: The stream winner and one who had
practiced to gain the fruit of stream entry. The once returner and one who has
practiced to gain the fruit of once returner. The non returner...the Arahant...
IV. Eight occasions of indolence: here a monk
a. Has a job to do. He thinks, "I have got this job to do, but it will make me
tired. I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir up enough energy to
complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the
unrealized, or
b. He has done some work. He thinks, "I have done this work, now I am tired.
I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir up enough energy to
complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize the
unrealized. Or
c. He has to go on a journey, and thinks, He thinks, "I have to go on this
journey, it makes me tired. I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir
up enough energy to complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished,
to realize the unrealized. Or
d. He has been on a journey, and thinks, "He thinks, "I have done this work, now
I am tired. I’ll have a rest." So he lies down and does not stir up enough
energy to complete the uncompleted, to accomplish the unaccomplished, to realize
the unrealized. Or
e. He goes on the alms round in a village or town. He does not get his fill of
food. He thinks, "I’ve gone for alms, my body is tired and useless. I’ll have a
rest." So he lays down...
f. He goes on the alms round and gets his fill of food, and thinks, "I’ve gone
for alms, my body heavy and useless as if I were pregnant. I’ll have a rest" So
he lays down...
g. He has developed some slight indisposition, and he thinks, "I’d better have a
rest" so he lies down...
h. He is recuperating having not long recovered from an illness, and he thinks,
"My body is weak and useless, I’ll have a rest." So he lays down...
V. Eight occasions for making an effort. Here a monk
a. Has a job to do, he thinks, "I’ve got this job to do, but in doing it I wont
find it easy to pay attention to the teachings of the Buddhas. So I will stir up
sufficient energy to complete the uncompleted. To accomplish the unaccomplished,
to realize the unrealized. Or
b. He has done some work, he thinks, "Well, I did the job, but because of it I
was not able to pay sufficient attention to the teaching of the Buddhas, so I
will stir up sufficient energy..."
c. He has to go on a journey...
d. He has been on a journey... "I’ve been on this journey, but because of it, I
wasn’t able to pay sufficient attention...
e. He goes for alms without getting his fill, so he thinks, "My body is light
and fit, I’ll stir up energy..."
f. He goes for alms and gets his fill, so he things, "My body is strong and fit,
I’ll stir up energy..."
g. He has some slight indisposition, so he thinks, "This might get worse, so
I’ll stir up energy..."
h. He is recuperating having not long recovered, and he thinks, "it might be
that the illness with recur, so I’ll stir up energy..."
VI. Eight bases for giving: one gives
a. As occasion offers
b. From fear
c. Thinking "he gave me something"
d. Thinking "he will give me something"
e. Thinking "it is good to give"
f. Thinking "I am cooking something, they are not. It would not be right not to
give something to those who are not cooking."
g. Thinking "If I make this gift, I shall acquire a good reputation
h. In order to adorn and prepare one’s heart.
VII. Eight kinds of rebirth due to generosity
a. Here someone gives an ascetic or Brahmin food, drink, clothes, transport,
garlands, perfumes and ointments, sleeping accommodation, a dwelling, or lights,
and he hopes to receive a return for his gifts. He sees a rich Khattiya or
Brahmin or Householder living in full enjoyment of the pleasures of the five
senses and he thinks, "If only when I die I may be reborn as one of these rich
people." He sets his heart on this thought, fixes it, and develops it. And this
thought being launched at such a low level and not developed to a higher level
leads to rebirth right there. But I say this of a moral person, not of an
immoral one. The mental aspiration of a moral person is effective through its
purity. Or
b. He gives such gifts and having heard that the devas in the realm of the four
great kings live long, are good looking, and lead a happy life, he thinks, "If
only I could be reborn there!" Or he similarly aspires to rebirth in the heavens
of
c. The thirty three gods
d. The Yama Devas
e. The Tushita Devas
f. The Nimmanarati Devas
g. The Paramanimmita Vasavatti Devas. And this thought leads to rebirth right
there... The mental aspiration of a moral person is effective through its
purity. Or
h. He similarly aspires to rebirth in the world of Brahma... but I say this of a
moral person, not an immoral one. One freed from passion, not one still swayed
by passion. The mental aspiration of such a moral person is effective through
liberation from passion.
VIII. Eight Assemblies: The assembly of Khattiyas, Brahmins, Householders,
Ascetics, Devas of the Realm of the Four Great Kings, of the thirty three gods,
of Maras, of Brahmas.
IX. Eight worldly conditions: gain and loss, fame and shame, blame and praise,
happiness and misery.
X. Eight stages of mastery:
a. Perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms limited and beautiful or
ugly;
b. Perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms unlimited and beautiful
or ugly;
c. Not perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms limited...
d. Not perceiving forms internally, one sees external forms unlimited...; not
perceiving forms internally, one perceives forms that are
e. Blue
f. Yellow
g. Red
h. White...
XI. Eight liberations
a. Possessing form one sees forms;
b. Not perceiving material forms in oneself, on sees them outside;
c. Thinking: "It is beautiful" one becomes intent on it;
d. One enters the sphere of infinite space;
e. The sphere of infinite consciousness
f. The sphere no-thing-ness
g. The sphere of neither perception or non-perception
h. The cessation of perception and feeling.
These are the sets of eight things...
These are the sets of nine things...
I. Nine causes of malice: Malice is stirred up by the thought,
a. He has done me an injury
b. He is doing me an injury
c. He will do me an injury
d. He has done an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me
e. He is doing an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me
f. He will do an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me
g. He has done a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me
h. He is doing a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me
i. He will do a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me
II. Nine ways of overcoming malice: Malice is overcome by the thought:
a. He has done me an injury – what good would it do to harbor malice?
b. He is doing me an injury – what good would it do to harbor malice?
c. He will do me an injury – what good would it do to harbor malice?
d. He has done an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me – what good
would it do to harbor malice?
e. He is doing an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me – what good
would it do to harbor malice?
f. He will do an injury to someone who is dear and pleasant to me – what good
would it do to harbor malice?
g. He has done a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me – what
good would it do to harbor malice?
h. He is doing a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me – what
good would it do to harbor malice?
i. He will do a favor for someone who is hateful and unpleasant to me – what
good would it do to harbor malice?
III. Nine abodes of beings:
a. Beings different in body and different in perception
b. Beings different in body and alike in perception
c. Beings alike in body and different in perception
d. Beings alike in body and like in perception
e. The realm of unconscious beings
f. The realm of neither perception nor non perception
g. Beings who have attained to the sphere of infinite space
h. Beings who have attained to the sphere of infinite consciousness
i. Beings who have attained to the sphere of no-thing-ness
IV. Nine unfortunate, inopportune times for leading the holy life
a. A Tathágata has been born into the world, Arahant, fully enlightened Buddha,
and the Dhamma is taught which leads to calm and perfect Nibbána, which leads to
enlightenment as taught by the Well Farer, and this person is born in a hell
state.\
b. Among the animals
c. Among the Petas
d. Among the Asuras
e. In a long lived group of Devas
f. He is born in the border regions among foolish barbarians where there is no
access for monks and nuns, or male and female lay followers.
g. He is born in the middle country, but he has wrong views and distorted
vision, thinking, "there is no giving, offering, or sacrificing, there is no
fruit or result of good or bad deeds. There is not this world and the next
world, there are no parents and there is no spontaneous rebirth. There are no
ascetics and Brahmins in the world, who, having attained to the highest, and
realized for themselves the highest knowledge about this world and the next and
proclaim it" or
h. He is born in the middle country, but lacks wisdom and is stupid. Or is deaf
and dumb, and cannot tell whether something has been well said or has been
ill-said. Or else
i. No Tathágata has arisen and this person is born in the middle country and is
intelligent, not stupid, and not deaf or dumb, and well able to tell whether
something has been well said or ill said.
V. Nine successive abidings: The Jhanas and spheres of infinite space, infinite
consciousness, no-thing-ness, neither perception nor non perception, and
cessation of perception and feeling.
VI. Nine successive cessations: By the attainment of the first Jhana,
perceptions of sensuality cease, by the attainment of the second jhana thinking
and pondering cease, by the attainment of the third Jhana delight ceases, by the
attainment of the fourth Jhana in and out breathing ceases, by the attainment of
the sphere of infinite space the perception of materiality ceases, by the
attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, the perception of the sphere
of infinite space ceases. By the attainment of the sphere of no-thing-ness the
perception of the sphere of infinite consciousness ceases. By the attainment of
the sphere of neither perception nor non perception, the perception of the
sphere of no-thing-ness ceases. By the attainment of the cessation of perception
and feeling, perception and feeling cease.
These are the sets of nine things.
There are sets of ten things perfectly proclaimed by the lord.
I. Ten things that give protection. Here a monk
a. Is moral, he lives restrained according to the restraint of the disciple,
persisting in right behavior, seeing danger in the slightest fault. He keeps to
the rules of training.
b. He has learnt much and bears in mind and retains what he has learnt. In these
teaching, beautiful in the beginning, the middle and the ending which in spirit
and in letter proclaim the absolutely perfected and purified holy life, he is
deeply learned, he remembers them, recites them, reflects on them, and
penetrates them with vision.
c. He is a friend, associate, and intimate of good people.
d. He is affable, endowed with gentleness and patience. Quick to grasp
instruction.
e. Whatever various jobs there are to be done for his fellow monks he is
skillful, not lax, using foresight in carrying them out, and is good at doing
and planning.
f. He loves the Dhamma and delights in hearing it. He is especially fond of the
advanced doctrine and discipline.
g. He is content with any kind of requisites, robes, alms food, lodgings,
medicines in case of illness.
h. He ever strives to arouse energy, to get rid of unwholesome states, to
establish wholesome states, untiringly and energetically striving to keep such
good states, and never shaking off the burden.
i. He is mindful, with a great capacity for clearly recalling things done and
said long ago.
j. He is wise with wise perception of arising and passing away, that Aryan
perception that leads to the complete destruction of suffering.
II. Ten objects for the attainment of absorption. He perceives the earth-kasina,
the water kasina, the fire kasina, the wind kasina, the blue kasina, the yellow
kasina, the red kasina, the white kasina, the space kasina, the consciousness
kasina, above, below, on all sides, undivided, unbounded.
III. Ten unwholesome courses of action. Taking life, taking what is not given,
sexual misconduct, lying speech, slander, rude speech, idle chatter, greed,
malevolence, wrong view.
IV. Ten wholesome courses of action. Avoidance of taking life, avoidance of
taking what is not given, avoidance of sexual misconduct, avoidance of lying
speech, avoidance of slander, avoidance of rude speech, avoidance of idle
chatter, avoidance of greed, avoidance of malevolence, and avoidance of wrong
view.
V. Ten Aryan dispositions: here a monk
a. Has got rid of the five factors,
b. Possesses six factors
c. Has established one guard
d. Observes the four supports,
e. Has got rid of sectarian opinions
f. Has quite abandoned quest
g. Is pure of motive
h. Has tranquilized his emotions, Is well liberated
i. In heart
j. By wisdom.

a. How has he got rid of five factors? Here he has got rid of sensuality, ill
will, sloth and torpor, worry and flurry, and doubt.
b. What six factors does he possess? On seeing an object with the eye, hearing a
sound with the ear, smelling a smell with your nose, tasting a flavor with your
tongue, touching a tangible object, or cognizing a mental object with the mind,
he is neither pleased nor displeased, but remains equitable, mindful, and
clearly aware.
c. How has he established the one guard? By guarding his mind with mindfulness.
d. What are the four supports? He judges that one thing is to be pursued, one
thing endured, one thing avoided, and one thing suppressed.
e. How has he got rid of sectarian opinions, whatever individual opinions are
held by the majority of ascetics and Brahmins, he has dismissed, abandoned,
rejected, let go.
f. How is he one who had quite abandoned quests? He has abandoned the quest for
sense desires, for rebirth, for the holy life.
g. How is he pure of motive? He has abandoned thoughts of sensuality, ill will,
cruelty.
h. How is he one who has tranquilized his emotions? Because, having given up
pleasure and pain, with the disappearance of former gladness and sadness, he
enters into a state beyond pleasure and pain, which is purified by equanimity,
and this is the fourth Jhana.
i. How is he well emancipated in heart? He is liberated from the thought of
greed, hatred, and delusion.
j. How is he well liberated by wisdom? He understands, "For me, greed hatred and
delusion are abandoned, cut off at the room like a palm tree stump. Destroyed
and incapable of growing again.
VI. Ten qualities of the non-learner: the non learners right view, right
thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration, right knowledge, right liberation.
These are the sets of then things, which have been perfectly set forth by the
Lord who Knows and Sees, the fully enlightened Buddha. So we should all recite
them together without disagreement so that this holy life may be long lasting
and established for a long time to come. thus to be for the welfare and
happiness of the Multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit,
welfare and happiness of deva’s and humans. And then the Lord had stood up, he
said to the venerable Shariputra, "Good, Good, Shariputra, well indeed have you
proclaimed the way of chanting together for the monks."
These things were said by the venerable Shariputra, and the teacher confirmed
them, the monks were delighted and rejoiced at the venerable Shariputra’s words.