121 (1) Self-Reproach
“Bhikkhus, there are these four perils. What four? The peril of self-reproach, the peril of reproach by others, the peril of punishment, and the peril of a bad destination.
(1) “And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of self-reproach? Here, someone reflects thus: ‘If I were to engage in bodily, verbal, or mental misconduct, wouldn’t I reprove myself because of my behavior?’ Afraid of the peril of self-reproach, he abandons bodily misconduct and develops bodily good conduct; he abandons verbal misconduct and develops verbal good conduct; he abandons mental misconduct and develops mental good conduct; he maintains himself in purity. This is called the peril of self-reproach.
(2) “And what is the peril of reproach by others? [122] Here, someone reflects thus: ‘If I were to engage in bodily, verbal, or mental misconduct, wouldn’t others reprove me because of my behavior?’ Afraid of the peril of reproach by others, he abandons bodily misconduct and develops bodily good conduct; he abandons verbal misconduct and develops verbal good conduct; he abandons mental misconduct and develops mental good conduct; he maintains himself in purity. This is called the peril of reproach by others.
(3) “And what is the peril of punishment?803 Here, someone sees that when kings arrest a thief who has committed a crime, they subject him to various punishments: they have him flogged with whips, beaten with canes, beaten with clubs; they have his hands cut off, his feet cut off, his hands and feet cut off; his ears cut off, his nose cut off, his ears and nose cut off; they have him subjected to the ‘porridge pot,’ to the ‘polished-shell shave,’ to the ‘Rāhu’s mouth,’ to the ‘fiery wreath,’ to the ‘flaming hand,’ to the ‘blades of grass,’ to the ‘bark dress,’ to the ‘antelope,’ to the ‘meat hooks,’ to the ‘coins,’ to the ‘lye pickling,’ to the ‘pivoting pin,’ to the ‘rolled-up palliasse’; and they have him splashed with boiling oil, and they have him devoured by dogs, and they have him impaled alive on a stake, and they have his head cut off with a sword.
“It occurs to him: ‘When kings have arrested a thief who has committed a crime, they subject him to various punishments because of such bad deeds: they have him flogged with whips … they have his head cut off with a sword. Now if I were to commit such an evil deed, and if kings were to arrest me, they would subject me to the same punishments. They would have me flogged with whips … they would have my head cut off with a sword.’ Afraid of the peril of punishment, he does not go about plundering the belongings of others. This is called the peril of punishment. [123]
(4) “And what is the peril of a bad destination? Here, someone reflects thus: ‘Bodily misconduct has bad results804 in future lives; verbal misconduct has bad results in future lives; mental misconduct has bad results in future lives. Now if I were to engage in misconduct with body, speech, and mind, then with the breakup of the body, after death, I would be reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell.’ Afraid of the peril of a bad destination, he abandons bodily misconduct and develops bodily good conduct; he abandons verbal misconduct and develops verbal good conduct; he abandons mental misconduct and develops mental good conduct; he maintains himself in purity. This is called the peril of a bad destination.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four perils.”805
122 (2) Waves806
“Bhikkhus, there are these four perils to be expected for one who enters the water. What four? The peril of waves, the peril of crocodiles, the peril of whirlpools, and the peril of fierce fish. These are the four perils to be expected for one who enters the water. So too, there are these four perils to be expected for a clansman who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness in this Dhamma and discipline. What four? The peril of waves, the peril of crocodiles, the peril of whirlpools, and the peril of fierce fish.
(1) “And what, bhikkhus, is the peril of waves? Here, a clansman has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness with the thought: ‘I am immersed in birth, old age, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, dejection, and anguish. I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be attained.’ Then, after he has thus gone forth, his fellow monks exhort and instruct him: ‘You should go forward in this way, return in this way; [124] look ahead in this way, look aside in this way; draw in your limbs in this way, extend them in this way; you should wear your robes and carry your outer robe and bowl in this way.’ He thinks: ‘Formerly, when I was a layman, I exhorted and instructed others. But now these [monks], who are young enough to be my sons or grandsons, presume to exhort and instruct me.’ Being angry and displeased, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. This is called a bhikkhu who has given up the training and reverted to the lower life because of the peril of waves. ‘The peril of waves’ is a designation for anger and irritation. This is called the peril of waves.
(2) “And what is the peril of crocodiles? Here, a clansman has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness with the thought: ‘I am immersed in birth, old age, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, dejection, and anguish. I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be attained.’ Then, after he has thus gone forth, his fellow monks exhort and instruct him: ‘You may consume this but not that; you may eat this but not that;807 you may taste this but not that; you may drink this but not that. You can consume, eat, taste, and drink what is allowable, not what is unallowable. You may consume, eat, taste, and drink within the proper time, not outside the proper time.’ He thinks: ‘Formerly, when I was a layman, I consumed whatever I wanted to consume and did not consume anything I did not wish to consume. I ate whatever I wanted to eat and did not eat anything I did not wish to eat. I tasted whatever I wanted to taste and did not taste anything I did not wish to taste. I drank whatever I wanted to drink and did not drink anything I did not wish to drink. I consumed, ate, tasted, and drank both what was allowable and what was not allowable. I consumed, ate, tasted, and drank both within the proper time and outside the proper time. [125] But now when faithful householders give us delicious things to consume and eat during the day outside the proper time, these [monks] seem to put a gag over our mouths.’ Being angry and displeased, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. This is called a bhikkhu who has given up the training and reverted to the lower life because of the peril of crocodiles. ‘The peril of crocodiles’ is a designation for gluttony. This is called the peril of crocodiles.
(3) “And what is the peril of whirlpools? Here, a clansman has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness with the thought: ‘I am immersed in birth, old age, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, dejection, and anguish. I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be attained.’ Then, after he has thus gone forth, in the morning he dresses, takes his bowl and robe, and enters a village or town for alms, with body, speech, and mind unguarded, without having established mindfulness, his sense faculties unrestrained. He sees a householder or a householder’s son there enjoying himself, furnished and endowed with the five objects of sensual pleasure. It occurs to him: ‘Formerly, when I was a layman, I enjoyed myself, furnished and endowed with the five objects of sensual pleasure. My family has wealth. I can both enjoy that wealth and do meritorious deeds. Let me now give up the training and revert to the lower life so that I can both enjoy that wealth and do meritorious deeds.’ So he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. This is called a bhikkhu who has given up the training and reverted to the lower life because of the peril of whirlpools. ‘The peril of whirlpools’ is a designation for the five objects of sensual pleasure. This is called the peril of whirlpools.
(4) “And what is the peril of fierce fish? Here, a clansman has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness with the thought: ‘I am immersed in birth, old age, and death; in sorrow, lamentation, pain, dejection, and anguish. I am immersed in suffering, afflicted by suffering. Perhaps an ending of this entire mass of suffering can be attained.’ Then, after he has thus gone forth, in the morning he dresses, takes his bowl and robe, and enters a village or town for alms, [126] with body, speech, and mind unguarded, without having established mindfulness, his sense faculties unrestrained. There he sees women with their dress in disarray and loosely attired. When he sees them, lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and reverts to the lower life. This is called a bhikkhu who has given up the training and reverted to the lower life because of the peril of fierce fish. ‘The peril of fierce fish’ is a designation for women. This is called the peril of fierce fish.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four perils to be expected for a clansman who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness in this Dhamma and discipline.”
123 (3) Difference (1)
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?
(1) “Here, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, some person enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which consists of rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by thought and examination. He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of Brahmā’s company. The life span of the devas of Brahmā’s company is an eon.808 The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the sphere of afflicted spirits.809 But the Blessed One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he attains final nibbāna in that very same state of existence.810 This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.811 [127]
(2) “Again, some person, with the subsiding of thought and examination, enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal placidity and unification of mind and consists of rapture and pleasure born of concentration, without thought and examination. He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of streaming radiance. The life span of the devas of streaming radiance is two eons.812 The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the sphere of afflicted spirits. But the Blessed One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he attains final nibbāna in that very same state of existence. This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.
(3) “Again, some person, with the fading away as well of rapture, dwells equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, he experiences pleasure with the body; he enters and dwells in the third jhāna of which the noble ones declare: ‘He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells happily.’ He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of refulgent glory. The life span of the devas of refulgent glory is four eons.813 The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the sphere of afflicted spirits. But the Blessed One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he attains final nibbāna in that very same state of existence. This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.
(4) “Again, some person, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and dejection, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, neither painful nor pleasant, which has purification of mindfulness by equanimity. He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. [128] If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of great fruit. The life span of the devas of great fruit is five hundred eons.814 The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the sphere of afflicted spirits. But the Blessed One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he attains final nibbāna in that very same state of existence. This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.”
124 (4) Difference (2)
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?
(1) “Here, bhikkhus, secluded from sensual pleasures … some person enters and dwells in the first jhāna…. He contemplates whatever phenomena there pertain to form, feeling, perception, volitional activities, and consciousness as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self.815 With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of the pure abodes.816 This is a rebirth not shared with worldlings.
(2) “Again, some person, with the subsiding of thought and examination, enters and dwells in the second jhāna…. (3) With the fading away as well of rapture … he enters and dwells in the third jhāna…. (4) With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and dejection, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, neither painful nor pleasant, which has purification of mindfulness by equanimity. He contemplates whatever phenomena there pertain to form, feeling, perception, volitional activities, and consciousness as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of the pure abodes. This is a rebirth not shared with worldlings.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.”
125 (5) Loving-Kindness (1)
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?
(1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, [129] likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of Brahmā’s company.817 The life span of the devas of Brahmā’s company is an eon. The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the sphere of afflicted spirits. But the Blessed One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he attains final nibbāna in that very same state of existence. This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.
(2) “Again, some person dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with compassion, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of streaming radiance. The life span of the devas of streaming radiance is two eons. The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the sphere of afflicted spirits. But the Blessed One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he attains final nibbāna in that very same state of existence. This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.
(3) “Again, some person dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with altruistic joy, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with altruistic joy, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of refulgent glory. The life span of the devas of refulgent glory is four eons. The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the sphere of afflicted spirits. But the Blessed One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he attains final nibbāna in that very same state of existence. This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.
(4) “Again, some person here dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with equanimity, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. He relishes it, desires it, and finds satisfaction in it. If he is firm in it, focused on it, often dwells in it, and has not lost it when he dies, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of great fruit. The life span of the devas of great fruit is five hundred eons. The worldling remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he goes to hell, to the animal realm, or to the sphere of afflicted spirits. But the Blessed One’s disciple remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire life span of those devas, he attains final nibbāna in that very same state of existence. This is the distinction, the disparity, the difference between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, when there is future destination and rebirth.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.” [130]
126 (6) Loving-Kindness (2)
“Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four?
(1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. He contemplates whatever phenomena there pertain to form, feeling, perception, volitional activities, and consciousness as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of the pure abodes. This is a rebirth not shared with worldlings.
(2) “Again, some person dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion … (3) … altruistic joy … (4) … equanimity, likewise the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, measureless, without enmity, without ill will. He contemplates whatever phenomena there pertain to form, feeling, perception, volitional activities, and consciousness as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as non-self. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the devas of the pure abodes. This is a rebirth not shared with worldlings.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four kinds of persons found existing in the world.”
127 (7) Astounding (1)
“Bhikkhus, with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, four astounding and amazing things become manifest.818 What four?
(1) “When, bhikkhus, a bodhisatta passes away from the Tusita heaven and mindfully and with clear comprehension enters his mother’s womb, then in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, a measureless glorious radiance becomes manifest, surpassing the divine majesty of the devas. Even in those world intervals, vacant and abysmal, regions of gloom and impenetrable darkness where the light of the sun and moon, so powerful and mighty, does not reach,819 there too a measureless glorious radiance becomes manifest, surpassing the divine majesty of the devas. Those beings who have been reborn there perceive one another by this radiance and say: ‘Indeed, it seems there are other beings who have been reborn here.’820 [131] This is the first astounding and amazing thing that becomes manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
(2) “Again, when a bodhisatta mindfully and with clear comprehension emerges from his mother’s womb, then in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, a measureless glorious radiance becomes manifest, surpassing the divine majesty of the devas. Even in those world intervals … [beings] say: ‘Indeed, it seems there are other beings who have been reborn here.’ This is the second astounding and amazing thing that becomes manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
(3) “Again, when a Tathāgata awakens to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, then in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, a measureless glorious radiance becomes manifest, surpassing the divine majesty of the devas. Even in those world intervals … [beings] say: ‘Indeed, it seems there are other beings who have been reborn here.’ This is the third astounding and amazing thing that becomes manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
(4) “Again, when a Tathāgata sets in motion the unsurpassed wheel of the Dhamma, then in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, a measureless glorious radiance becomes manifest, surpassing the divine majesty of the devas. Even in those world intervals, vacant and abysmal, regions of gloom and impenetrable darkness where the light of the sun and moon, so powerful and mighty, does not reach, there too a measureless glorious radiance becomes manifest, surpassing the divine majesty of the devas. Those beings who have been reborn there perceive one another by this radiance and say: ‘Indeed, it seems there are other beings who have been reborn here.’ This is the fourth astounding and amazing thing that becomes manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four astounding and amazing things that become manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.”
128 (8) Astounding (2)
“Bhikkhus, with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, four astounding and amazing things become manifest. What four?
(1) “People delight in attachment,821 take delight in attachment, rejoice in attachment. But when a Tathāgata is teaching the Dhamma about non-attachment,822 people wish to listen, and they lend an ear and set their minds on understanding it. This is the first astounding and amazing thing that becomes manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
(2) “People delight in conceit, take delight in conceit, rejoice in conceit. [132] But when a Tathāgata is teaching the Dhamma for the removal of conceit, people wish to listen, and they lend an ear and set their minds on understanding it. This is the second astounding and amazing thing that becomes manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
(3) “People delight in excitement,823 take delight in excitement, rejoice in excitement. But when a Tathāgata is teaching the Dhamma that leads to peace, people wish to listen, and they lend an ear and set their minds on understanding it. This is the third astounding and amazing thing that becomes manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
(4) “People are immersed in ignorance, become like an egg, completely enveloped.824 But when a Tathāgata is teaching the Dhamma for the removal of ignorance, people wish to listen, and they lend an ear and set their minds on understanding it. This is the fourth astounding and amazing thing that becomes manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four astounding and amazing things that become manifest with the manifestation of a Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One.”
129 (9) Astounding (3)825
“Bhikkhus, there are these four astounding and amazing things about Ānanda. What four?
(1) “If an assembly of bhikkhus comes to see Ānanda, they are elated when they see him. If Ānanda speaks to them on the Dhamma, they are also elated by his speech, and that assembly of bhikkhus is still unsated when Ānanda falls silent.
(2) “If an assembly of bhikkhunīs comes to see Ānanda, they are elated when they see him. If Ānanda speaks to them on the Dhamma, they are also elated by his speech, and that assembly of bhikkhunīs is still unsated when Ānanda falls silent.
(3) “If an assembly of male lay followers comes to see Ānanda, they are elated when they see him. If Ānanda speaks to them on the Dhamma, they are also elated by his speech, and that assembly of male lay followers is still unsated when Ānanda falls silent.
(4) “If an assembly of female lay followers comes to see Ānanda, they are elated when they see him. If Ānanda speaks to them on the Dhamma, they are also elated by his speech, and that assembly of female lay followers is still unsated when Ānanda falls silent.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four astounding and amazing things about Ānanda.” [133]
130 (10) Astounding (4)
“Bhikkhus, there are these four astounding and amazing things about a wheel-turning monarch. What four?
(1) “If an assembly of khattiyas comes to see a wheel-turning monarch, they are elated when they see him. If the wheel-turning monarch speaks to them, they are also elated by his speech, and that assembly of khattiyas is still unsated when the wheel-turning monarch falls silent.
(2) “If an assembly of brahmins comes to see a wheel-turning monarch, they are elated when they see him. If the wheel-turning monarch speaks to them, they are also elated by his speech, and that assembly of brahmins is still unsated when the wheel-turning monarch falls silent.
(3) “If an assembly of householders comes to see a wheel-turning monarch, they are elated when they see him. If the wheel-turning monarch speaks to them, they are also elated by his speech, and that assembly of householders is still unsated when the wheel-turning monarch falls silent.
(4) “If an assembly of ascetics comes to see a wheel-turning monarch, they are elated when they see him. If the wheelturning monarch speaks to them, they are also elated by his speech, and that assembly of ascetics is still unsated when the wheel-turning monarch falls silent.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four astounding and amazing things about a wheel-turning monarch.
“So too, bhikkhus, there are these four astounding and amazing things about Ānanda. What four? … [complete as in 4:129] …
“These, bhikkhus, are the four astounding and amazing things about Ānanda.”
803 What follows is also at 2:1.
804 What follows parallels the passage on “the fault pertaining to the future life” in 2:1, but it describes this simply as “a bad result” (pāpako vipāko) where 2:1 has “a bad, painful result” (pāpako dukkho vipāko). Since 2:11 also lacks dukkho, it is possible dukkho was originally a commentator’s gloss on pāpako that made its way into the text of 2:1 itself.
805 Mp: “Among these perils, (1) for one who reflects on the peril in self-reproach, a sense of moral shame is established inwardly. This produces in him restraint in the three doors, and such restraint is the fourfold purified virtuous behavior. Based on this virtuous behavior, he develops insight and attains the highest fruit. (2) For one who reflects on the peril of reproach by others, moral dread is established with respect to the external. This produces in him restraint in the three doors, and such restraint is the fourfold purified virtuous behavior. Based on this virtuous behavior, he develops insight and attains the highest fruit. (4) For one who reflects on the peril of a bad destination, a sense of shame is established with respect to the external. This produces in him restraint in the three doors, and such restraint is the fourfold purified virtuous behavior. Based on this virtuous behavior, he develops insight and attains the highest fruit.” The third case does not lead directly to the highest fruit but merely to abstinence from breaches of the five precepts.
806 Also at MN 67.14–20, I 459–62.
807 Pāli recognizes two classes of food items: khādanīya and bhojanīya. The latter comprises rice, porridge, other grains, fish, and meat; the former comprises virtually all other edibles. Hence, corresponding to these two types of foods, two gerundives are used here to designate what may be eaten: khāditabba and bhunjitabba, which I render, respectively, “things that may be consumed” and “things that may be eaten.”
808 Mp: “The first jhāna may be of an inferior grade, a middling grade, and a superior grade. For those reborn through an inferior grade, the life span is a third of an eon; for those reborn through the middling grade, the life span is half an eon; and for those reborn through a superior grade, the life span is an eon. This is said with reference to the last.” For details on the life spans in the various realms according to the developed Theravāda model, see Vibh 422–26 (Be §§1022–28); CMA 196–99.
809 Mp: “He ‘goes to hell’ in some subsequent life, insofar as he has not abandoned kamma that leads to hell; not in the sense that he goes there in his immediately following life.” According to the Abhidhamma, one passing away from the form realm does not immediately take rebirth in one of the three lower realms; see CMA 226–27.
810 Tasmiṃyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Mp: “He attains final nibbāna while remaining in that same form-realm existence; he does not descend lower.”
811 See pp. 1671–72, note 581.
812 The devas of streaming radiance (devā ābhassarā) are the highest class of devas associated with the second jhāna. Mp: “Thesecond jhāna is threefold, as stated above [for the first jhāna]. For those reborn by a superior grade, the life span is eight eons; by a middling grade, four eons; and by an inferior grade, two eons. The text refers to the last.”
813 The devas of refulgent glory (devā subhakiṇhā) are the highest class of devas associated with the third jhāna. According to the Abhidhamma system, the life spans of the three planes corresponding to the third jhāna are respectively sixteen, thirty-two, and sixty-four eons. Since this is contradicted by the sutta, Mp explains that what is intended here is the lowest plane among those planes reached by rebirth through attainment of the third jhāna. However, according to Mp, the devas of refulgent glory are actually the highest among these realms, with a life span of sixty-four eons. There thus seems to be a contradiction between the sutta and the systematic Theravāda determination of life spans.
814 These are the devā vehapphalā, the sole realm of rebirth corresponding to the mundane fourth jhāna. This figure is in agreement with the stipulation of the Abhidhamma.
815 Te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. Mp: “Of these eleven terms, two—impermanent and disintegrating—signify the characteristic of impermanence. Two—empty and non-self—signify the characteristic of non-self. The rest signify the characteristic of suffering. By ascribing the three characteristics to the five aggregates and seeing them thus, he achieves three paths and fruits. Having developed the fourth jhāna, firm in it, ‘he is reborn in companionship with the devas of the pure abodes.’”
816 The pure abodes (suddhāvāsā) are five planes of existence in the form realm into which only non-returners can be reborn. Non-returners attain arahantship there without ever returning to lower realms. See CMA 192–93.
817 In this sutta, loving-kindness is correlated with the first jhāna, compassion with the second, altruistic joy with the third, and equanimity with the fourth. According to the developed Theravāda system, however, any of the first three immeasurable meditations can lead to all three jhānas, excluding the fourth; only immeasurable equanimity can lead to the fourth jhāna. See Vism 322,5–12, Ppn 9.111.
818 For various wonders occurring at the bodhisatta’s conception and birth, see too MN 123.
819 Mp: “Between every three world systems there is one world interval, which is like the space in the middle of three cart wheels or petals placed so that they touch one another. This world-interval hell (lokantarikanirayo) measures eight thousand yojanas in size.”
820 Mp: “Those beings who have been reborn there: Through what kamma have those beings been reborn in the world-interval hell? They arise there because they have committed terrible crimes against their parents and against righteous ascetics and brahmins, and through other violent deeds such as killing living beings day after day…. Their bodies are three gāvutas long (appx. five miles) and they have long fingernails like bats. As bats hang in trees, these beings hang by their fingernails on the foot of the world-system mountain. When creeping along, they stay in arm’s length of one another. Then, thinking, ‘We have gained food,’ they bustle around, roll over, and fall into the water that supports the world; they are just like honey fruits which, when struck by the wind, break off and fall into the water. As soon as they have fallen, they dissolve like a lump of flour in extremely caustic water…. This radiance [when the bodhisatta enters his mother’s womb] does not even last long enough to take a sip of porridge, but only long enough for them to awaken from sleep and cognize the object. But the Dīgha Nikāya reciters say that, like a flash of lightning, it shows forth merely for the time of a finger snap and disappears even while they are saying, ‘What is that?’”
821 Ālaya. Mp explains this narrowly as the five objects of sensual pleasure, or more broadly, as the entire round of saṃsāra.
822 Anālaye dhamme. Mp: “The noble Dhamma opposed to attachment, based on the ending of the round.”
823 Anupasama. Lit., “lack of peace.”
824 Avijjāgatā, bhikkhave, pajā aṇḍabhūtā pariyonaddhā. This is the reading in Ce and Be, but Ee has andhabhūtā, “become blind.” The latter, at first glance, seems more likely to have been original, but the simile of the hen at 8:11, IV 176,15–16 supports aṇḍabhūtā, “become an egg.” Mp too accepts this reading with its gloss, “being enveloped by the shell of ignorance, it has become like an egg” (avijjaṇḍakosena pariyonaddhattā aṇḍaṃ viya bhūtā ti aṇḍabhūtā).
825 Also at DN 16.5.16, II 145–46.