81 (1) Mindfulness1797
“Bhikkhus, (1) when there is no mindfulness and clear comprehension, for one deficient in mindfulness and clear comprehension, (2) the sense of moral shame and moral dread lack their proximate cause. When there is no sense of moral shame and moral dread, for one deficient in a sense of moral shame and moral dread, (3) restraint of the sense faculties lacks its proximate cause. When there is no restraint of the sense faculties, for one deficient in restraint of the sense faculties, (4) virtuous behavior lacks its proximate cause. When there is no virtuous behavior, for one deficient in virtuous behavior, (5) right concentration lacks its proximate cause. When there is no right concentration, for one deficient in right concentration, (6) the knowledge and vision of things as they really are lacks its proximate cause. When there is no knowledge and vision of things as they really are, for one deficient in the knowledge and vision of things as they really are, (7) disenchantment and dispassion lack their proximate cause. When there is no disenchantment and dispassion, for one deficient in disenchantment and dispassion, (8) the knowledge and vision of liberation lacks its proximate cause.
“Suppose there is a tree deficient in branches and foliage. Then its shoots do not grow to fullness; also its bark, softwood, and heartwood do not grow to fullness. So too, when there is no mindfulness and clear comprehension, for one deficient in mindfulness and clear comprehension, the sense of moral shame and moral dread lack their proximate cause. When there is no sense of moral shame and moral dread … the knowledge and vision of liberation lacks its proximate cause.
“Bhikkhus, (1) when there is mindfulness and clear comprehension, for one possessing mindfulness and clear comprehension, (2) the sense of moral shame and moral dread possess their proximate cause. When there is a sense of moral shame and moral dread, for one possessing a sense of moral shame and moral dread, (3) restraint of the sense faculties possesses its proximate cause. When there is restraint of the sense faculties, for one who exercises restraint over the sense faculties, (4) virtuous behavior possesses its proximate cause. When there is virtuous behavior, for one whose behavior is virtuous, (5) right concentration possesses its proximate cause. When there is right concentration, for one possessing right concentration, (6) the knowledge and vision of things as they really are possesses its proximate cause. When there is the knowledge and vision of things as they really are, for one possessing the knowledge and vision of things as they really are, (7) disenchantment and dispassion possess their proximate cause. [337] When there is disenchantment and dispassion, for one possessing disenchantment and dispassion, (8) the knowledge and vision of liberation possesses its proximate cause.
“Suppose there is a tree possessing branches and foliage. Then its shoots grow to fullness; also its bark, softwood, and heartwood grow to fullness. So too, when there is mindfulness and clear comprehension, for one possessing mindfulness and clear comprehension, the sense of moral shame and moral dread possess their proximate cause. When there is a sense of moral shame and moral dread … the knowledge and vision of liberation possesses its proximate cause.”
82 (2) Puṇṇiya
Then the Venerable Puṇṇiya approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Bhante, why is it that at times the Tathāgata is disposed to teach the Dhamma and at times is not disposed to teach?”1798
(1) “When, Puṇṇiya, a bhikkhu is endowed with faith but does not approach him, the Tathāgata is not disposed to teach the Dhamma. (2) But when a bhikkhu is endowed with faith and approaches him, the Tathāgata is disposed to teach.
(3) “When a bhikkhu is endowed with faith and approaches him, but he does not attend on him … (4) When he attends on him but does not ask questions … (5) When he asks questions but does not listen to the Dhamma with eager ears … (6) When he listens to the Dhamma with eager ears, but having heard it, does not retain it in mind … (7) When, having heard it, he retains it in mind but does not examine the meaning of the teachings that have been retained in mind … (8) When he examines the meaning of the teachings that have been retained in mind but does not understand the meaning and the Dhamma and then practice in accordance with the Dhamma, the Tathāgata is not disposed to teach the Dhamma.
“But, Puṇṇiya, (1) when a bhikkhu is endowed with faith, [338] (2) approaches [the Tathāgata], (3) attends [on the Tathāgata], (4) asks questions, and (5) listens to the Dhamma with eager ears; and (6) having heard the Dhamma, he retains it in mind, (7) examines the meaning of the teachings he has retained in mind, and (8) understands the meaning and the Dhamma and then practices in accordance with the Dhamma, the Tathāgata is disposed to teach the Dhamma. When, Puṇṇiya, one possesses these eight qualities, the Tathāgata is entirely disposed to teach the Dhamma.”1799
83 (3) Rooted
“Bhikkhus, wanderers of other sects may ask you: (1) ‘In what, friends, are all things rooted? (2) Through what do they come into being? (3) From what do they originate?1800 (4) Upon what do they converge? (5) By what are they headed? (6) What exercises authority over them? (7) What is their supervisor? (8) What is their core?’ If you are asked thus, how would you answer them?”
“Bhante, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, take recourse in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One would clear up the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the bhikkhus will retain it in mind.”
“Then listen, bhikkhus, and attend closely. I will speak.”
“Yes, Bhante,” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, if wanderers of other sects should ask you: ‘What, friends, are all things rooted in? … [339] … What is their essence?’ you should answer them as follows.
“‘Friends, (1) all things are rooted in desire. (2) They come into being through attention. (3) They originate from contact. (4) They converge upon feeling. (5) They are headed by concentration. (6) Mindfulness exercises authority over them. (7) Wisdom is their supervisor. (8) Liberation is their core.’1801
“If you are asked these questions, it is in such a way that you should answer those wanderers of other sects.”
84 (4) A Thief
“Bhikkhus, possessing eight factors, a master thief quickly gets into trouble and does not last long. What eight? (1) He attacks one who does not attack him. (2) He steals without leaving anything behind. (3) He kills a woman. (4) He rapes a young girl. (5) He robs a monk. (6) He robs the royal treasury. (7) He does his work in his neighborhood. And (8) he is not skilled in hiding [his plunder].1802 Possessing these eight factors, a master thief quickly gets into trouble and does not last long.
“Bhikkhus, possessing eight factors, a master thief does not quickly get into trouble and lasts long. What eight? (1) He does not attack one who does not attack him. (2) He does not steal without leaving anything behind. (3) He does not kill a woman. (4) He does not rape a young girl. (5) He does not rob a monk. (6) He does not rob the royal treasury. (7) He does not do his work in his neighborhood. And (8) he is skilled in hiding [his plunder]. Possessing these eight factors, a master thief does not quickly get into trouble and lasts long.” [340]
85 (5) Designations
“Bhikkhus, (1) ‘Ascetic’ is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. (2) ‘Brahmin’ is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. (3) ‘Healer’ … (4) ‘Master of knowledge’1803 … (5) ‘One unstained’ … (6) ‘Stainless one’ … (7) ‘Knower’ … (8) ‘Liberated one’ is a designation for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One.”
That highest state to be attained by an ascetic,1804
by a brahmin who has lived the spiritual life,
to be attained by a master of knowledge and a healer—
that highest state to be attained by one unstained,
by a stainless one who is purified,
to be attained by a knower, by one liberated—
[over that] I am triumphant in battle;
freed, I free others from bondage.
I am a nāga, supremely tamed,1805
one beyond training, attained to nibbāna.
86 (6) Nāgita1806
On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on tour among the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhus when he reached the Kosalan brahmin village named Icchānaṅgala. There the Blessed One dwelled in the Icchānaṅgala woodland thicket. The brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala heard: “It is said that the ascetic Gotama, the son of the Sakyans who went forth from a Sakyan family, has arrived at Icchānaṅgala and is now dwelling [341] in the Icchānaṅgala woodland thicket. Now a good report about that Master Gotama has circulated thus: ‘That Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened … [as in 6:42] … he reveals a spiritual life that is perfectly complete and pure.’ Now it is good to see such arahants.”
Then, when the night had passed, the brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala took abundant food of various kinds and went to the Icchānaṅgala woodland thicket. They stood outside the entrance making an uproar and a racket. Now on that occasion the Venerable Nāgita was the Blessed One’s attendant. The Blessed One then addressed the Venerable Nāgita: “Who is making such an uproar and a racket, Nāgita? One would think it was fishermen at a haul of fish.”
“Bhante, these are the brahmin householders of Icchānaṅgala who have brought abundant food of various kinds. They are standing outside the entrance, [wishing to offer it] to the Blessed One and the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.”
“Let me never come upon fame, Nāgita, and may fame never catch up with me. One who does not gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, this bliss of renunciation, bliss of solitude, bliss of peace, bliss of enlightenment that I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, might accept that vile pleasure, that slothful pleasure, the pleasure of gain, honor, and praise.”
“Let the Blessed One now consent, Bhante, let the Fortunate One consent. This is now the time for the Blessed One to consent. Wherever the Blessed One will go now, the brahmin householders of town and countryside will incline in the same direction. Just as, [342] when thick drops of rain are pouring down, the water flows down along the slope, so too, wherever the Blessed One will go now, the brahmin householders of town and country will incline in the same direction. For what reason? Because of the Blessed One’s virtuous behavior and wisdom.”
“Let me never come upon fame, Nāgita, and may fame never catch up with me. One who does not gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, this bliss of renunciation … might accept that vile pleasure, that slothful pleasure, the pleasure of gain, honor, and praise.
“Even some deities, Nāgita, may not gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, this bliss of renunciation, bliss of solitude, bliss of peace, bliss of enlightenment that I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty.
(1) “When,1807 Nāgita, you come together and meet, intent on companionship, it occurs to me: ‘Surely, these venerable ones do not gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, this bliss of renunciation, bliss of solitude, bliss of peace, bliss of enlightenment that I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty; for when they [343] come together and meet, they are intent upon companionship.
(2) “I see, Nāgita, bhikkhus laughing and playing by poking one another with the fingers. It then occurs to me: ‘Surely, these venerable ones do not gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, this bliss of renunciation … which I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty; for these venerable ones laugh and play by poking one another with the fingers.’
(3) “I see, Nāgita, bhikkhus who, having eaten as much as they want until their bellies are full, yield to the pleasure of rest, the pleasure of sloth, the pleasure of sleep. It then occurs to me: ‘Surely, these venerable ones do not gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, this bliss of renunciation … which I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty. For having eaten as much as they want until their bellies are full, they yield to the pleasure of rest, the pleasure of sloth, the pleasure of sleep.’
(4) “I see, Nāgita, a bhikkhu dwelling on the outskirts of a village sitting in a state of concentration. It then occurs to me: ‘Now a monastery attendant or a novice will return to this venerable one and cause him to fall away from that concentration.’1808 [344] For this reason I am not pleased with this bhikkhu’s dwelling on the outskirts of a village.
(5) “I see, Nāgita, a forest-dwelling bhikkhu sitting dozing in the forest. It then occurs to me: ‘Now this venerable one will dispel this sleepiness and fatigue and attend only to the perception of forest, [a state of] oneness.’ For this reason I am pleased with this bhikkhu’s dwelling in the forest.
(6) “I see, Nāgita, a forest-dwelling bhikkhu sitting in the forest in an unconcentrated state. It then occurs to me: ‘Now this venerable one will concentrate his unconcentrated mind or guard his concentrated mind.’ For this reason I am pleased with this bhikkhu’s dwelling in the forest.
(7) “I see, Nāgita, a forest-dwelling bhikkhu sitting in the forest in a state of concentration. It then occurs to me: ‘Now this venerable one will liberate his unliberated mind or guard his liberated mind.’ For this reason I am pleased with this bhikkhu’s dwelling in the forest.
(8) “When, Nāgita, I am traveling on a highway and do not see anyone ahead of me or behind me, even if it is just for the purpose of defecating and urinating, on that occasion I am at ease.”
87 (7) Almsbowl
“Bhikkhus, when a lay follower possesses eight qualities, the Saṅgha, if it so wishes, may overturn the almsbowl on him.1809 What eight? [345] (1) He tries to prevent bhikkhus from acquiring gains; (2) he tries to bring harm to bhikkhus; (3) he tries to prevent bhikkhus from residing [in a certain place]; (4) he insults and reviles bhikkhus; (5) he divides bhikkhus from each other; (6) he speaks dispraise of the Buddha; (7) he speaks dispraise of the Dhamma; (8) he speaks dispraise of the Saṅgha. When a lay follower possesses these eight qualities, the Saṅgha, if it so wishes, may overturn the almsbowl on him.
“Bhikkhus, when a lay follower possesses eight qualities, the Saṅgha, if it so wishes, may turn the almsbowl upright on him. What eight? (1) He does not try to prevent bhikkhus from acquiring gains; (2) he does not try to bring harm to bhikkhus; (3) he does not try to prevent bhikkhus from residing [nearby]; (4) he does not insult and revile bhikkhus; (5) he does not divide bhikkhus from each other; (6) he speaks praise of the Buddha; (7) he speaks praise of the Dhamma; (8) he speaks praise of the Saṅgha. When a lay follower possesses these eight qualities, the Saṅgha, if it so wishes, may turn the almsbowl upright on him.”
88 (8) Lack of Confidence
“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu possesses eight qualities, lay followers, if they wish, may proclaim their lack of confidence in him.1810 What eight? (1) He tries to prevent laypeople from acquiring gains; (2) he tries to bring harm to laypeople; (3) he insults and reviles laypeople; (4) he divides laypeople from each other; (5) he speaks dispraise of the Buddha; (6) he speaks dispraise of the Dhamma; (7) he speaks dispraise of the Saṅgha; (8) they see him at an improper resort.1811 When a bhikkhu possesses these eight qualities, lay followers, if they wish, may proclaim their lack of confidence in him. [346]
“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu possesses eight qualities, lay followers, if they wish, may proclaim their confidence in him. What eight? (1) He does not try to prevent laypeople from acquiring gains; (2) he does not try to bring harm to laypeople; (3) he does not insult and revile laypeople; (4) he does not divide laypeople from each other; (5) he speaks praise of the Buddha; (6) he speaks praise of the Dhamma; (7) he speaks praise of the Saṅgha; (8) they see him at a [proper] resort. When a bhikkhu possesses these eight qualities, lay followers, if they wish, may proclaim their confidence in him.”
89 (9) Reconciliation
“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu possesses eight qualities, the Saṅgha, if it wishes, may enjoin an act of reconciliation on him.1812 What eight? (1) He tries to prevent laypeople from acquiring gains; (2) he tries to bring harm to laypeople; (3) he insults and reviles laypeople; (4) he divides laypeople from each other; (5) he speaks dispraise of the Buddha; (6) he speaks dispraise of the Dhamma; (7) he speaks dispraise of the Saṅgha; (8) he does not fulfill a legitimate promise to laypeople. When a bhikkhu possesses these eight qualities, the Saṅgha, if it wishes, may enjoin an act of reconciliation on him.
“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu possesses eight qualities, the Saṅgha, if it wishes, may revoke an act of reconciliation [previously imposed on him]. What eight? (1) He does not try to prevent laypeople from acquiring gains; (2) he does not try to bring harm to laypeople; (3) he does not insult and revile laypeople; (4) he does not divide laypeople from each other; (5) he speaks praise of the Buddha; [347] (6) he speaks praise of the Dhamma; (7) he speaks praise of the Saṅgha; (8) he fulfills a legitimate promise to laypeople. When a bhikkhu possesses these eight qualities, the Saṅgha, if it wishes, may revoke an act of reconciliation [previously imposed on him].”
90 (10) Behavior
“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu charged with aggravated misconduct1813 should behave rightly with respect to eight principles. (1) He should not give full ordination; (2) he should not give dependence;1814 (3) he should not have a novice attend upon him; (4) he should not accept an agreement to serve as an exhorter of bhikkhunīs; (5) even if he is agreed upon, he should not exhort bhikkhunīs; (6) he should not accept any agreement [to serve as an officer] in the Saṅgha; (7) he should not be placed in any chief position; (8) he should not give rehabilitation [in a case] with that root.1815 A bhikkhu charged with aggravated misconduct should behave rightly with respect to these eight principles.”
1797 An expanded parallel of 5:24, 6:50, and 7:65.
1798 Tathāgataṃ dhammadesanā paṭibhāti. Here I render this peculiar Pāli idiom in accordance with the context as “is disposed to teach.” Literally, it would be rendered “a Dhamma teaching shines upon [or ‘occurs to’] the Tathāgata.”
1799 Ekantapaṭibhānā tathāgataṃ dhammadesanā hoti.
1800 A distinction between sambhava (in question 2) and samudaya (in question 3) is hard to pinpoint, since in the suttas the two words are often used almost synonymously. Mp derives samudaya from the verb form samudenti and glosses this with rāsī bhavanti, “to accumulate, to become a heap.”
1801 Brahmāli (in a private communication) offers a fine explanation of this cryptic sutta: “I understand sabbe dhammā to be a reference to the world of personal experience. The meaning would then be as follows: All elements of our experience are rooted in desire (chandamūlakā) in the sense that we exist due to desire (taking chanda as equivalent to craving). They come into being through attention (manasikārasambhavā) in the sense that we only experience what we attend to. They originate from contact (phassasamudayā) because without contact we don’t experience anything at all. They converge upon feeling (vedanāsamosaraṇā) in the sense that feeling is the most important aspect of our experience, the basic motivating factor in everything we do. They are headed by concentration (samādhippamukhā) in the sense that concentration is a controlling faculty (an indriya) whose lead all elements of our experience must follow. They are under the authority of mindfulness (satādhipateyyā) because mindfulness is another controlling faculty which directs us in whatever we do or experience. All things have wisdom as supervisor (paññuttarā) because wisdom is the chief of the controlling faculties; wisdom, more than anything else, controls our experience (the last three factors are what allow us to get a sense of being in charge of our lives). That liberation is their core (vimuttisārā), the most excellent of all things, is self-explanatory.”
1802 Mp clarifies some of these points. (1) An unskilled thief attacks those who should not be attacked, such as old people, children, and virtuous people who are not his enemies and who don’t attack him. (2) A skillful thief should take only half of what is available; for example, if there are two articles of clothing he should take only one; of portions of food, he should take one for himself and leave the other (he can take the superior item for himself). (7) An unskilled thief commits theft in a nearby village, town, or city. (8) An unskilled thief does not purify the path to the other world by “depositing” a portion of his spoils in gifts to those “worthy of offerings” (yaṃ laddhaṃ, taṃ dakkhiṇeyye nidahituṃ cheko na hoti, paralokamaggaṃ na sodheti). Presumably a skillful thief will “deposit” part of his plunder by offering it to worthy monks and thereby “purify the path to the other world.”
1803 I follow Ce here. Be and Ee put vedagū before bhisakko.
1804 The verse as preserved seems incomplete because the relative clauses beginning with yaṃ are not explicitly completed by a demonstrative clause. I thus follow Vanarata’s suggestion that an implicit demonstrative corresponding to anuttaraṃ pattabbaṃ should be read into the concluding verse. It seems that vijitasaṅgamo refers precisely to this, and I have thus added “over that” in brackets.
1805 Ce paramo danto; Be paramadanto; Ee paramaṃ danto. The gloss in Mp, paramadamathena dantattā paramadanto nāma, suggests that parama qualifies danto, not nāgo as in Ce.
1806 The opening framework of this sutta is the same as that of 5:30 and 6:42 but the content of the discourse partly differs.
1807 In what follows, factors §§4–7 are identical with §§1–4 of 6:42. In Ce and Ee, §§5–6 of 6:42 are excluded from this sutta, but the last sentence of 6:42, not a numerical factor there, here becomes §8. Be includes §§5–6 of 6:42, which then become §§8–9. The final sentence of the sutta would then either be unnumbered or counted as §10. If Be is followed, it is hard to account for this sutta being in the Eights rather than in the Nines or Tens. §§1–3 of the present sutta have no counterparts in the previous versions. Brahmāli suggests numbering the sentence that begins “Even some deities” as §1 and treating the final sentence of the sutta as unnumbered, which would be consistent with 6:42. However, I here follow the numbering of Ce, my primary source text.
1808 The Ce reading here agrees more closely with the Be reading of 6:42 than with the Ce reading of the latter. But here Ce has the verb paccessati, “to return” (absent in Ce 6:42), whereas in both suttas Be has upaṭṭhahissati, “will serve.” Ee’s saccessati is likely to be a misreading of paccessati. This version has no mention of sahadhammika, a co-religionist, as in 6:42.
1809 Pattaṃ nikkujjeyya. The procedures of overturning the alms-bowl and turning it upright are authorized at Vin II 124–27. See Ṭhānissaro 2007b: 411–12. Mp: “May overturn the almsbowl on him: They do not actually turn the almsbowl upside down in front of him, but they enact the motion of ‘overturning the almsbowl,’ which means that they do not accept gifts from this person. Similarly, they might decide to abolish this act by enacting a motion to turn the bowl upright (ukkujjeyya), which entitles them to receive his gifts again.” This procedure was used in Burma during the tumultuous period of late 2007 when the monks decided that the behavior of the military junta toward the Saṅgha merited such a penalty. The monks walked down the streets with their bowls actually turned upside down to express disapproval of the rulers’ actions.
1810 Appasāda. Mp: “When this has been proclaimed, they need not rise up from their seat for him, or pay homage to him, or go out to meet him, or give him gifts.”
1811 Mp mentions the “five unsuitable resorts,” probably a reference to those at 5:102.
1812 Paṭisāraṇiyakamma. When this is imposed, the bhikkhu must go to the householder, accompanied by another bhikkhu, and apologize to him. If he fails to win the householder’s forgiveness, his companion should try to reconcile them. The background story is at Vin II 15–18, with the legal stipulations at Vin II 18–21. For details, see Ṭhānissaro 2007b: 407–11.
1813 Tassapāpiyasikakamma. The grounds for this penalty are discussed at Vin II 85–86. See, too, Ṭhānissaro 2007a: 549–51, where it is rendered “further-punishment transaction.” According to the origin story, this penalty is imposed on a bhikkhu who speaks evasively or reacts aggressively when charged with a grave offense (an offense of the saṅghādisesa class) and then admits to it only under pressure.
1814 See pp. 1732–33, note 1085.
1815 Na ca tena mūlena vuṭṭhāpetabbo. Mp says: “He does not get to do an act of rehabilitation [in a case] that takes that root” (taṃ mūlaṃ katvā abbhānakammaṃ kātuṃ na labhati). The exact meaning is unclear. I follow Brahmāli’s suggestion that mūla here is “the root offense,” that is, the original offense that led to the formal charge of aggravated misconduct.