Passages from the Pali Canon
§ 49. There are these four right exertions. Which four? There is the case
where a monk generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds &
exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities
that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful
qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities
that have not yet arisen...(and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase,
plenitude, development, & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen.
These are the four right exertions.
Just as the River Ganges flows to the east, slopes to the east, inclines to
the east, in the same way when a monk develops & pursues the four right
exertions, he flows to Unbinding, slopes to Unbinding, inclines to Unbinding.
-- S.XLIX.1
§ 50. There are these four exertions. Which four? The exertion to guard,
the exertion to abandon, the exertion to develop, & the exertion to maintain.
And what is the exertion to guard? There is the case where a monk, on seeing
a form with the eye, does not grasp at any theme or variations by which -- if
he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye -- evil, unskillful
qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint.
He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty
of the eye. (Similarly with the ear, nose, tongue, body, & intellect.) This
is called the exertion to guard.
And what is the exertion to abandon? There is the case where a monk does not
acquiesce to a thought of sensuality that has arisen [in him]. He abandons it,
destroys it, dispels it, wipes it out of existence. He does not acquiesce to
a thought of ill will... a thought of harmfulness... any evil, unskillful qualities
that have arisen [in him]. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, wipes
them out of existence. This is called the exertion to abandon.
And what is the exertion to develop? There is the case where a monk develops
the mindfulness factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion... dispassion...
cessation, resulting in letting go. He develops the investigation of qualities
factor for Awakening... the persistence factor for Awakening... the rapture
factor for Awakening... the serenity factor for Awakening... the concentration
factor for Awakening... the equanimity factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion...
dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go. This is called the exertion
to develop.
And what is the exertion to maintain? There is the case where a monk maintains
a favorable theme of concentration -- the skeleton perception, the worm-eaten
perception, the livid perception, the festering perception, the falling-apart
perception, the bloated perception. This is called the exertion to maintain.
[§30]
These are the four exertions.
Guarding & abandoning,
developing & maintaining:
these four exertions, taught
by the Kinsman of the Sun
[the Buddha].
A monk who strives
ardently at them
reaches the ending
of stress.
-- A.IV.14
§ 51. The ending of the effluents is for one who knows & sees, I tell
you, not for one who does not know & does not see. For one who knows what
& sees what? Appropriate attention & inappropriate attention. When a
monk attends inappropriately, unarisen effluents arise, and arisen effluents
increase. When a monk attends appropriately, unarisen effluents do not arise,
and arisen effluents are abandoned. There are effluents that are to be abandoned
by seeing, those that are to be abandoned by restraining, those that are to
be abandoned by using, those that are to be abandoned by tolerating, those that
are to be abandoned by avoiding, those that are to be abandoned by destroying,
and those that are to be abandoned by developing.
And what are the effluents that are to be abandoned by seeing? There is the
case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person... does not discern what
ideas are fit for attention, or what ideas are unfit for attention. This being
so, he does not attend to ideas fit for attention, and attends [instead] to
ideas unfit for attention. And what are the ideas unfit for attention that he
attends to? Whatever ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen
effluent of sensuality arises, and the arisen effluent of sensuality increases;
the unarisen effluent of becoming... the unarisen effluent of ignorance arises,
and the arisen effluent of ignorance increases... This is how he attends inappropriately:
'Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I
in the past? Having been what, what was I in the past? Shall I be in the future?
Shall I not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be
in the future? Having been what, what shall I be in the future?' Or else he
is inwardly perplexed about the immediate present: 'Am I? Am I not? What am
I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where is it bound?'
As he attends inappropriately in this way, one of six kinds of view arises in
him: The view I have a self arises in him as true & established, or the
view I have no self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive
self... or the view It is precisely by means of self that I perceive not-self...
or the view It is precisely by means of not-self that I perceive self arises
in him as true & established, or else he has a view like this: This very
self of mine -- the knower that is sensitive here & there to the ripening
of good & bad actions -- is the self of mine that is constant, everlasting,
eternal, not subject to change, and will endure as long as eternity. This is
called a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing
of views, a fetter of views. Bound by a fetter of views, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill
person is not freed from birth, aging, & death, from sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, & despair. He is not freed, I tell you, from stress. [§218]
The well-taught disciple of the noble ones... discerns what ideas are fit for
attention, and what ideas are unfit for attention. This being so, he does not
attend to ideas unfit for attention, and attends [instead] to ideas fit for
attention... And what are the ideas fit for attention that he attends to? Whatever
ideas such that, when he attends to them, the unarisen effluent of sensuality
does not arise, and the arisen effluent of sensuality is abandoned; the unarisen
effluent of becoming... the unarisen effluent of ignorance does not arise, and
the arisen effluent of ignorance is abandoned... He attends appropriately, This
is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress...
This is the way leading to the cessation of stress. As he attends appropriately
in this way, three fetters are abandoned in him: identity-view, doubt, and grasping
at precepts & practices. These are called the effluents that are to be abandoned
by seeing.
And what are the effluents that are to be abandoned by restraining? There is
the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, dwells restrained with the
restraint of the eye-faculty. The effluents, vexation, or fever that would arise
if he were to dwell unrestrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty do not
arise for him when he dwells restrained with the restraint of the eye-faculty.
(Similarly with the ear, nose, tongue, body, & intellect-faculties.) These
are called the effluents that are to be abandoned by restraining.
And what are the effluents that are to be abandoned by using? There is the case
where a monk, reflecting appropriately, uses the robe simply to counteract cold,
to counteract heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun,
& reptiles; simply for the purpose of covering the parts of the body that
cause shame.
Reflecting appropriately, he uses almsfood, not playfully, nor for intoxication,
nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification; but simply for the survival
& continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support
of the holy life, thinking, 'Thus will I destroy old feelings [of hunger] and
not create new feelings [from overeating]. I will maintain myself, be blameless,
& live in comfort.'
Reflecting appropriately, he uses lodging simply to counteract cold, to counteract
heat, to counteract the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles;
simply for protection from the inclemencies of weather and for the enjoyment
of seclusion.
Reflecting appropriately, he uses medicinal requisites for curing illness simply
to counteract any pains of illness that have arisen and for maximum freedom
from disease.
The effluents, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not to use these
things [in this way] do not arise for him when he uses them [in this way]. These
are called the effluents that are to be abandoned by using.
And what are the effluents that are to be abandoned by tolerating? There is
the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, endures. He tolerates cold,
heat, hunger, & thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, &
reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words & bodily feelings that, when they
arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, &
menacing to life. The effluents, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were
not to tolerate these things do not arise for him when he tolerates them. These
are called the effluents that are to be abandoned by tolerating.
And what are the effluents that are to be abandoned by avoiding? There is the
case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, avoids a wild elephant, a wild
horse, a wild bull, a wild dog, a snake, a stump, a bramble patch, a chasm,
a cliff, a cesspool, an open sewer. Reflecting appropriately, he avoids sitting
in the sorts of unsuitable seats, wandering to the sorts of unsuitable habitats,
and associating with the sorts of bad friends that would make his knowledgeable
friends in the holy life suspect him of evil conduct. The effluents, vexation,
or fever that would arise if he were not to avoid these things do not arise
for him when he avoids them. These are called the effluents that are to be abandoned
by avoiding.
And what are the effluents that are to be abandoned by destroying? There is
the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, does not tolerate an arisen
thought of sensuality. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, & wipes
it out of existence. (Similarly with thoughts of ill will, thoughts of cruelty,
& evil, unskillful mental qualities.) The effluents, vexation, or fever
that would arise if he were not to destroy these things do not arise for him
when he destroys them. These are called the effluents that are to be abandoned
by destroying.
And what are the effluents that are to be abandoned by developing? There is
the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, develops the mindfulness as
a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion... dispassion... cessation, resulting
in letting go. He develops the analysis of qualities as a factor for Awakening...
the persistence as a factor for Awakening... the rapture as a factor for Awakening...
the serenity as a factor for Awakening... the concentration as a factor for
Awakening... the equanimity as a factor for Awakening dependent on seclusion...
dispassion... cessation, resulting in letting go. The effluents, vexation, or
fever that would arise if he were not to develop these qualities do not arise
for him when he develops them. These are called the effluents that are to be
abandoned by developing.
When a monk's effluents that should be abandoned by seeing have been abandoned
by seeing, his effluents that should be abandoned by restraining have been abandoned
by restraining,
his effluents that should be abandoned by using have been abandoned by using,
his effluents that should be abandoned by tolerating have been abandoned by
tolerating,
his effluents that should be abandoned by avoiding have been abandoned by avoiding,
his effluents that should be abandoned by destroying have been abandoned by
destroying,
his effluents that should be abandoned by developing have been abandoned by
developing,
then he is called a monk who dwells restrained with the restraint of all the
effluents. He has severed craving, thrown off the fetters, and -- through the
right penetration of conceit -- has made an end of suffering & stress.
-- M.2
§ 52. These are the five factors for exertion. Which five?
[a] There is the case where a monk has conviction, is convinced of the Tathagata's
Awakening: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate
in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled
as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine & human
beings, awakened, blessed.' [§§71-72]
[b] The monk is free from illness & discomfort, endowed with good digestion
-- not too cold, not too hot, of moderate strength -- fit for exertion.
[c] He is neither fraudulent nor deceitful. He declares himself to the Teacher
or to his wise friends in the holy life in line with what he actually is.
[d] He keeps his persistence aroused for abandoning unskillful mental qualities
and taking on skillful mental qualities. He is steadfast, solid in his effort,
not shirking his duties with regard to skillful mental qualities.
[e] He is discerning, endowed with discernment leading to the arising of the
goal -- noble, penetrating, leading to the right ending of stress.
These are the five factors for exertion.
-- A.V.53
§ 53. With regard to internal factors, I do not envision any other single
factor so helpful as appropriate attention for a monk who is a learner, who
has not attained the heart's goal but remains intent on the unexcelled security
from bondage. A monk who attends appropriately abandons what is unskillful and
develops what is skillful. [§96]
The quality of appropriate attention
in a learning monk:
Nothing else is so helpful
for attaining the supreme goal.
A monk, striving appropriately,
reaches the ending of stress.
-- ITI.16
§ 54. With regard to external factors, I do not envision any other single
factor like friendship with admirable people in being so helpful for a monk
who is a learner, who has not attained the heart's goal but remains intent on
the unexcelled security from bondage. A monk who is a friend with admirable
people abandons what is unskillful and develops what is skillful. [§§115;
125]
A monk who is a friend
to admirable people,
-- one reverential, respectful,
doing what his friends advise --
alert, mindful,
attains step by step
the ending of all fetters.
-- ITI.17
§ 55. A person without ardor, without concern, is incapable of self-awakening,
incapable of Unbinding, incapable of attaining the unexcelled security from
bondage. A person ardent & concerned is capable of self-awakening, capable
of Unbinding, capable of attaining the unexcelled security from bondage.
Without ardor, without concern,
lazy, with weak persistence,
full of sloth & drowsiness,
shameless, without respect:
This sort of monk is incapable
of touching the supreme self-awakening.
But whoever is mindful & wise,
absorbed in jhana,
ardent, concerned, & heedful,
cutting the fetter of birth & aging,
touches right here & now
the unexcelled self-awakening.
-- ITI.34
§ 56. Sariputta: It is said, friend, that a person without ardor, without
concern, is incapable of self-awakening, incapable of Unbinding, incapable of
attaining the unexcelled security from bondage. Now, how is a person without
ardor, without concern, incapable of self-awakening, incapable of Unbinding,
incapable of attaining the unexcelled security from bondage? And how is a person
ardent & concerned capable of self-awakening, capable of Unbinding, capable
of attaining the unexcelled security from bondage?
Maha Kassapa: There is the case where a monk thinks, 'The arising of unarisen
evil, unskillful qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,' yet he arouses
no ardor. 'The non-abandoning of arisen evil, unskillful qualities would lead
to what is unbeneficial,' yet he arouses no ardor. 'The non-arising of unarisen
skillful qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,' yet he arouses no ardor.
'The ceasing of arisen skillful qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,'
yet he arouses no ardor. This is what it means to be a person without ardor.
And how is one a person without concern? There is the case where a monk thinks,
'The arising of unarisen evil, unskillful qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,'
yet he feels no concern. 'The non-abandoning of arisen evil, unskillful qualities...
The non-arising of unarisen skillful qualities... The ceasing of arisen skillful
qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,' yet he feels no concern. This
is what it means to be a person without concern. This is how a person without
ardor, without concern, is incapable of self-awakening, incapable of Unbinding,
incapable of attaining the unexcelled security from bondage.
And how is a person ardent? There is the case where a monk thinks, 'The arising
of unarisen evil, unskillful qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,'
and he arouses ardor. 'The non-abandoning of arisen evil, unskillful qualities...
The non-arising of unarisen skillful qualities... The ceasing of arisen skillful
qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,' and he arouses ardor. This is
what it means to be ardent.
And how is a person concerned? There is the case where a monk thinks, 'The arising
of unarisen evil, unskillful qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,'
and he feels concern. 'The non-abandoning of arisen evil, unskillful qualities...
The non-arising of unarisen skillful qualities... The ceasing of arisen skillful
qualities would lead to what is unbeneficial,' and he feels concern. This is
what it means to be concerned. This is how a person ardent & concerned is
capable of self-awakening, capable of Unbinding, capable of attaining the unexcelled
security from bondage.
-- S.XVI.2
§ 57. Sariputta: Imagine a bronze bowl brought back from a shop or a smith
all covered with dust & dirt, that the owners would neither use nor clean,
but would throw away in the dust. Wouldn't that bronze bowl eventually become
even more dirty & defiled with time?
Maha Moggallana: Yes, my friend.
Sariputta: In the same way, when an individual with an internal blemish does
not discern, as it actually is, that 'I have an internal blemish,' it can be
expected of him that he will not generate desire, endeavor, or arouse persistence
for the abandoning of that blemish. He will die with passion, aversion, delusion
-- blemished & with a mind defiled...
Now imagine a bronze bowl brought back from a shop or a smith all covered with
dust & dirt, that the owners would both use & clean, and would not throw
away in the dust. Wouldn't that bronze bowl eventually become clean & pure
with time?
Maha Moggallana: Yes, my friend.
Sariputta: In the same way, when an individual with an internal blemish discerns,
as it actually is, that 'I have an internal blemish,' it can be expected of
him that he will generate desire, endeavor, & arouse persistence for the
abandoning of that blemish. He will die without passion, aversion, delusion
-- unblemished & with a mind undefiled...
Now imagine a bronze bowl brought back from a shop or a smith all clean &
pure, that the owners would neither use nor clean, but would throw away in the
dust. Wouldn't that bronze bowl eventually become dirty & defiled with time?
Maha Moggallana: Yes, my friend.
Sariputta: In the same way, when an individual with no internal blemish does
not discern, as it actually is, that 'I have no internal blemish,' it can be
expected of him that he will attend to the theme of beauty. As he attends to
the theme of beauty, passion will despoil his mind. He will die with passion,
aversion, delusion -- blemished & with a mind defiled...
Now imagine a bronze bowl brought back from a shop or a smith all clean &
pure, that the owners would both use & clean, and would not throw away in
the dust. Wouldn't that bronze bowl eventually become even more clean &
pure with time?
Maha Moggallana: Yes, my friend.
Sariputta: In the same way, when an individual with no internal blemish discerns,
as it actually is, that 'I have no internal blemish,' it can be expected of
him that he will not attend to the theme of beauty. As he does not attend to
the theme of beauty, passion will not despoil his mind. He will die without
passion, aversion, delusion -- unblemished & with a mind undefiled. This
is the reason, this is the cause why, of the two individuals who are blemished,
one [the first] is reckoned to be inferior, and the other superior... and why,
of the two individuals who are unblemished, one [the first] is reckoned to be
inferior, and the other superior.
Maha Moggallana: Now this word, 'blemish, blemish.' What is the meaning of blemish?
Sariputta: Consorting with evil, unskillful wishes -- this is the meaning of
'blemish.'
-- M.5
§ 58. Even if a monk is not skilled in the ways of the minds of others
(not skilled in reading the minds of others), he should train himself: 'I will
be skilled in reading my own mind.'
And how is a monk skilled in reading his own mind? Imagine a young woman --
or man -- fond of adornment, examining the image of her own face in a bright,
clean mirror or bowl of clear water: If she saw any dirt or blemish there, she
would try to remove it. If she saw no dirt or blemish there, she would be pleased,
her resolves fulfilled: 'How fortunate I am! How clean I am!' In the same way,
a monk's self-examination is very productive in terms of skillful qualities
[if he conducts it in this way]: Do I usually remain covetous or not? With thoughts
of ill will or not? Overcome by sloth & drowsiness or not? Restless or not?
Uncertain or gone beyond uncertainty? Angry or not? With soiled thoughts or
unsoiled thoughts? With my body aroused or unaroused? Lazy or with persistence
aroused? Unconcentrated or concentrated?'
If, on examination, a monk knows, 'I usually remain covetous, with thoughts
of ill will, overcome by sloth & drowsiness, restless, uncertain, angry,
with soiled thoughts, with my body aroused, lazy, or unconcentrated,' then he
should put forth extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness,
& alertness for the abandoning of those very same evil, unskillful qualities,
just as when a person whose turban or head was on fire would put forth extra
desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, undivided mindfulness, & alertness
to put out the fire on his turban or head...
But if, on examination, a monk knows, 'I usually remain uncovetous, without
thoughts of ill will... & concentrated,' then his duty is to make an effort
in establishing ('tuning') those very same skillful qualities to a higher degree
for the ending of the effluents.
-- A.X.51
§ 59. "And how is striving fruitful, how is exertion fruitful? There
is the case where a monk, when not loaded down, does not load himself down with
pain, nor does he reject pleasure that accords with the Dhamma, although he
is not infatuated with that pleasure. He discerns that 'When I exert a [mental]
fabrication against this cause of stress, then from the fabrication of exertion
there is dispassion (fading away). When I look on with equanimity at that cause
of stress, then from the development of equanimity there is dispassion.' So
he exerts a mental fabrication against the [first] cause of stress... and develops
equanimity with regard to the [second] cause of stress... Thus the stress [coming
from any cause of the first sort] is abolished... & the stress [coming from
any cause of the second sort] is abolished.
"Suppose that a man is in love with a woman, his mind ensnared with intense
desire & passion. He sees her standing with another man, chatting, joking,
& laughing. What do you think, monks: Would he... feel sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, & despair?"
"Yes, lord..."
"Now suppose the thought were to occur to him, 'I am in love with this
woman... When I see her standing with another man, chatting, joking, & laughing,
I feel sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Why don't I abandon
my desire & passion for that woman?' So he abandons his desire & passion
for that woman, and afterwards sees her standing with another man, chatting,
joking, & laughing. What do you think, monks: Would he... feel sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, & despair?"
"No, lord..."
"In the same way, the monk, when not loaded down, does not load himself
down with pain, nor does he reject pleasure that accords with the Dhamma, although
he is not infatuated with that pleasure... He exerts a mental fabrication against
the [first] cause of stress... and develops equanimity with regard to the [second]
cause of stress... Thus the stress [coming from any cause of the first sort]
is abolished... & the stress [coming from any cause of the second sort]
is abolished.
"Furthermore, the monk notices this: 'When I live according to my pleasure,
unskillful mental qualities increase in me & skillful qualities decline.
When I exert myself with stress & pain, though, unskillful qualities decline
in me & skillful qualities increase. Why don't I exert myself with stress
& pain?' So he exerts himself with stress & pain, and while he is exerting
himself with stress & pain, unskillful qualities decline in him, & skillful
qualities increase. Then at a later time he would no longer exert himself with
stress & pain. Why is that? Because he has attained the goal for which he
was exerting himself with stress & pain...
"Suppose that a fletcher were to heat & warm an arrow shaft between
two flames, making it straight & pliable. Then at a later time he would
no longer heat & warm the shaft between two flames, making it straight &
pliable. Why is that? Because he has attained the goal for which he was heating
& warming the shaft... In the same way, the monk... no longer exerts himself
with stress & pain. Why is that? Because he has attained the goal for which
he was exerting himself with stress & pain."
-- M.101
§ 60. Udayin, there are these four types of people to be found existing
in the world. Which four? There is the case where a certain person is practicing
for the abandoning & relinquishing of acquisitions. As he is practicing
for the abandoning & relinquishing of the acquisitions, memories & resolves
associated with acquisitions assail him. He tolerates them. He does not abandon
them, destroy them, dispel them, or wipe them out of existence. I tell you,
Udayin, that this sort of person is associated, not dissociated. Why is that?
Because I have known the diversity of faculties with regard to this type of
person.
Again, there is the case where a certain person practicing for the abandoning
& relinquishing of acquisitions... is assailed by memories & resolves
associated with acquisitions. He does not tolerate them. He abandons them, destroys
them, dispels them, & wipes them out of existence. I tell you, Udayin, that
this sort of person is associated, not dissociated. Why is that? Because I have
known the diversity of faculties with regard to this type of person.
Again, there is the case where a certain person is practicing for the abandoning
& relinquishing of acquisitions... Owing to lapses in mindfulness from time
to time, he is assailed by memories & resolves associated with acquisitions.
Slow is the arising of his mindfulness, but then he quickly abandons [those
memories & resolves], destroys them, dispels them, & wipes them out
of existence. Just as when two or three drops of water fall onto an iron pan
heated all day: Slow is the falling of the drops of water, but they quickly
vanish & disappear. In the same way... slow is the arising of his mindfulness,
but then he quickly abandons [those memories & resolves], destroys them,
dispels them, & wipes them out of existence. I tell you, Udayin, that this
sort of person is associated, not dissociated. Why is that? Because I have known
the diversity of faculties with regard to this type of person. [§181]
Again, there is the case where a certain person, realizing that acquisitions
are the root of suffering & stress, is without acquisitions, released in
the ending of acquisitions. I tell you, Udayin, that this sort of person is
dissociated, not associated. Why is that? Because I have known the diversity
of faculties with regard to this type of person.
-- M.66
§ 61. Pañcakanga the carpenter went to where Uggahamana, a follower
of Mundika the contemplative (or: the shaven contemplative -- a Jain?), was
staying and on arrival, after exchanging pleasantries, sat down to one side.
As he was sitting there, Uggahamana said to him, 'I describe an individual endowed
with four qualities as being consummate in what is skillful, foremost in what
is skillful, an invincible contemplative attained to the highest attainments.
Which four? There is the case where he does no evil action with his body, speaks
no evil speech, resolves on no evil resolve, and maintains himself with no evil
means of livelihood. An individual endowed with these four qualities I designate
as being consummate in what is skillful... an invincible contemplative attained
to the highest attainments.'
Then Pañcakanga the carpenter neither delighted in Uggahamana's words
nor did he scorn them. Expressing neither delight nor scorn, he got up from
his seat & left, thinking, 'I will learn the meaning of this statement in
the presence of the Blessed One.'
Then the carpenter went to where the Blessed One was staying and on arrival,
after bowing down to him, sat down to one side. As he was sitting there, he
told the Blessed One the entire conversation he had had with Uggahamana.
When this was said, the Blessed One addressed Pañcakanga, saying, 'In
that case, then according to Uggahamana's words a stupid baby boy, lying on
its back, is consummate in what is skillful, foremost in what is skillful, an
invincible contemplative attained to the highest attainments. For even the thought
"body" does not occur to a stupid baby boy lying on its back, so from
where would it do any evil action with its body, aside from a little kicking?
Even the thought "speech" does not occur to it, so from where would
it speak any evil speech, aside from a little crying? Even the thought "resolve"
does not occur to it, so from where would it resolve on any evil resolve, aside
from a little bad temper? Even the thought "livelihood" does not occur
to it, so from where would it maintain itself with any evil means of livelihood,
aside from its mother's milk? So according to Uggahamana's words a stupid baby
boy, lying on its back, is... an invincible contemplative attained to the highest
attainments.
'If an individual is endowed with these four qualities, I do not designate him
as... an invincible contemplative attained to the highest attainments. Rather,
he stands on the same level as a stupid baby boy lying on its back...
'I describe an individual endowed with ten qualities as being consummate in
what is skillful, foremost in what is skillful, an invincible contemplative
attained to the highest attainments. He should know from experience that "These
are unskillful habits," I say. He should know from experience that "That
is the cause of unskillful habits," I say. He should know from experience
that "Here unskillful habits cease without remainder," I say. He should
know from experience that "This sort of practice is the practice leading
to the cessation of unskillful habits," I say.
'He should know from experience that "These are skillful habits"...
"That is the cause of skillful habits"... "Here skillful habits
cease without remainder"... "This sort of practice is the practice
leading to the cessation of skillful habits," I say.
'He should know from experience that "These are unskillful resolves"...
"That is the cause of unskillful resolves"... "Here unskillful
resolves cease without remainder"... "This sort of practice is the
practice leading to the cessation of unskillful resolves" I say.
'He should know from experience that "These are skillful resolves"...
"That is the cause of skillful resolves"... "Here skillful resolves
cease without remainder"... "This sort of practice is the practice
leading to the cessation of skillful resolves," I say.
'Now what are unskillful habits? Unskillful bodily actions, unskillful verbal
actions, evil means of livelihood... What is the cause of unskillful habits?...
The mind... Which mind? -- for the mind has many modes & permutations...
Any mind with passion, aversion or delusion: That is the cause of unskillful
habits. Now where do unskillful habits cease without remainder?... There is
the case where a monk abandons wrong bodily conduct & develops right bodily
conduct, abandons wrong verbal conduct & develops right verbal conduct,
abandons wrong livelihood & maintains his life with right livelihood. This
is where unskillful habits cease without remainder. And what sort of practice
is the practice leading to the cessation of unskillful habits? There is the
case where a monk generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds
& exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful
qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil,
unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful
qualities that have not yet arisen...(and) for the maintenance, non-confusion,
increase, plenitude, development & culmination of skillful qualities that
have arisen. This sort of practice is the practice leading to the cessation
of unskillful habits.
'And what are skillful habits? Skillful bodily actions, skillful verbal actions,
purity of livelihood... What is the cause of skillful habits?... The mind...
Which mind? -- for the mind has many modes & permutations... Any mind without
passion, without aversion, without delusion: That is the cause of skillful habits.
Now where do skillful habits cease without remainder?... There is the case where
a monk is virtuous, but is not entirely defined by his virtue. He discerns,
as it actually is, the release of awareness & release of discernment where
his skillful habits cease without remainder. And what sort of practice is the
practice leading to the cessation of skillful habits? There is the case where
a monk generates desire... for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful
qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil,
unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful
qualities that have not yet arisen... (and) for the... development & culmination
of skillful qualities that have arisen. This sort of practice is the practice
leading to the cessation of skillful habits.
'And what are unskillful resolves? Being resolved on sensuality, on ill will,
on harmfulness... What is the cause of unskillful resolves?... Perception...
Which perception? -- for perception has many modes & permutations... Any
sensuality-perception, ill will-perception or harmfulness-perception: That is
the cause of unskillful resolves. Now where do unskillful resolves cease without
remainder?... There is the case where a monk, quite withdrawn from sensuality,
withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, enters & remains in the first
jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed
thought & evaluation. This is where unskillful resolves cease without remainder.
And what sort of practice is the practice leading to the cessation of unskillful
resolves? There is the case where a monk generates desire... for the sake of
the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for
the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen...
for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen...(and)
for the... development & culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen.
This sort of practice is the practice leading to the cessation of unskillful
resolves.
'And what are skillful resolves? Being resolved on renunciation (freedom from
sensuality), on non-ill will, on harmlessness... What is the cause of skillful
resolves?... Perception... Which perception? -- for perception has many modes
& permutations... Any renunciation-perception, non-ill will-perception or
harmlessness-perception: That is the cause of skillful resolves. Now where do
skillful resolves cease without remainder?... There is the case where a monk,
with the stilling of directed thought & evaluation, enters & remains
in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of
awareness free from directed thought & evaluation -- internal assurance.
This is where skillful resolves cease without remainder. And what sort of practice
is the practice leading to the cessation of skillful resolves? There is the
case where a monk generates desire... for the sake of the non-arising of evil,
unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning
of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising
of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen...(and) for the... development
& culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. This sort of practice
is the practice leading to the cessation of skillful resolves.
'Now, an individual endowed with which ten qualities is one whom I describe
as being consummate in what is skillful, foremost in what is skillful, an invincible
contemplative attained to the highest attainments. He is endowed with the right
view of one beyond training, the right resolve of one beyond training, the right
speech... the right action... the right livelihood... the right effort... the
right mindfulness... the right concentration... the right knowledge... the right
release of one beyond training. [§106] An individual endowed with these
ten qualities I designate as being consummate in what is skillful, foremost
in what is skillful, an invincible contemplative attained to the highest attainments.'
That is what the Blessed One said. Glad at heart, Pañcakanga the carpenter
delighted in the Blessed One's words.
-- M.78
§ 62. A deva: Tell me, dear sir, how you crossed over the flood.
The Buddha: I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying
in place.
The deva: But how did you cross over the flood without pushing forward, without
staying in place?
The Buddha: When I pushed forward, I was whirled about. When I stayed in place,
I sank. And so I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying
in place.
The deva:
At long last I see
an honorable one, totally unbound,
whowithout pushing forward,
without staying in place,
has crossed over
the entanglements of the world.
-- S.I.1