“Bhikkhus, there are these five qualities that make for self-confidence in a trainee. What five? Here, a bhikkhu is endowed with faith and is virtuous, learned, energetic, and wise. (1) Whatever timidity there is in one without faith does not exist in one endowed with faith; therefore this quality makes for selfconfidence in a trainee. (2) Whatever timidity there is in one who is immoral does not exist in one who is virtuous; therefore this quality makes for self-confidence in a trainee. (3) Whatever timidity there is in one who is unlearned does not exist in one who is learned; therefore this quality makes for self-confidence in a trainee. (4) Whatever timidity there is in one who is lazy does not exist in one who is energetic; therefore this quality makes for self-confidence in a trainee. (5) Whatever timidity there is in one who is unwise does not exist in one who is wise; therefore this quality makes for self-confidence in a trainee. These are the five qualities that make for self-confidence in a trainee.”
“Bhikkhus, on five grounds a bhikkhu is suspected and distrusted as ‘an evil bhikkhu’ though he be of unshakable character. What five? Here, a bhikkhu often visits prostitutes, widows, unmarried women, eunuchs, or bhikkhunīs. On these five grounds a bhikkhu is suspected and distrusted as ‘an evil bhikkhu’ though he be of unshakable character.”
“Bhikkhus, possessing five factors, a master thief breaks into houses, plunders wealth, commits banditry, and ambushes highways. What five? Here, a master thief (1) depends upon the uneven, (2) on thickets, and (3) on powerful people; (4) he offers bribes, and (5) he moves alone.
(1) “And how does a master thief depend on the uneven? Here, a master thief depends on rivers that are hard to cross and rugged mountains. It is in this way that a master thief depends on the uneven.
(2) “And how does a master thief depend on thickets? Here, a master thief depends on a thicket of cane, a thicket of trees, a coppice, or a large dense jungle. It is in this way that a master thief depends on thickets.
(3) “And how does a master thief depend on powerful people? Here, a master thief depends on kings or royal ministers. He thinks: ‘If anyone accuses me of anything, these kings or royal ministers will dismiss the case.’ If anyone accuses him of anything, those kings or royal ministers dismiss the case. It is in this way that a master thief depends on powerful people.
(4) “And how does a master thief offer bribes? Here, a master thief is rich, with great wealth and property. He thinks: ‘If anyone should accuse me of anything, I’ll placate him with a bribe.’ If anyone accuses him of anything, he placates him with a bribe. It is in this way that a master thief offers bribes.
(5) “And how does a master thief move alone? Here, a master thief executes his raids all alone. For what reason? [With the thought:] ‘My secret deliberations shouldn’t spread to others!’ It is in this way that a master thief moves alone.
“It is by possessing these five factors that a master thief breaks into houses, plunders wealth, commits banditry, and ambushes highways.
“So too, bhikkhus, possessing five qualities, an evil bhikkhu maintains himself in a maimed and injured condition, is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise, and generates much demerit. What five? Here, an evil bhikkhu (1) depends on the uneven, (2) depends on thickets, and (3) depends on powerful people; (4) he offers bribes and (5) moves alone.
(1) “And how does an evil bhikkhu depend on the uneven? Here, an evil bhikkhu engages in unrighteous bodily, verbal, and mental action. It is in this way that an evil bhikkhu depends on the uneven.
(2) “And how does an evil bhikkhu depend on thickets? Here, an evil bhikkhu holds wrong view; he has adopted an extremist view. It is in this way that an evil bhikkhu depends upon thickets.
(3) “And how does an evil bhikkhu depend on powerful people? Here, an evil bhikkhu depends on kings or royal ministers. He thinks: ‘If anyone should accuse me of anything, these kings or royal ministers will dismiss the case.’ If anyone accuses him of anything, those kings or royal ministers dismiss the case. It is in this way that an evil bhikkhu depends on the powerful people.
(4) “And how does an evil bhikkhu offer bribes? Here, an evil bhikkhu gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick. He thinks: ‘If anyone should accuse me of anything, I’ll placate him with one of these gains.’ If anyone accuses him of anything, he placates him with one of his gains. It is in this way that an evil bhikkhu offers bribes.
(5) “And how does an evil bhikkhu move alone? Here, an evil bhikkhu sets up a solitary residence for himself in the borderlands. Approaching families there, he obtains gains. It is in this way that an evil bhikkhu moves alone.
“It is by possessing these five qualities that an evil bhikkhu maintains himself in a maimed and injured condition, is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise, and generates much demerit.”
“Bhikkhus, possessing five qualities, a bhikkhu is a delicate ascetic among ascetics. What five? (1) He usually uses a robe that has been specifically offered to him, seldom one that has not been specifically offered to him; he usually eats almsfood that has been specifically offered to him, seldom almsfood that has not been specifically offered to him; he usually uses a lodging that has been specifically offered to him, seldom one that has not been specifically offered to him; he usually uses medicines and provisions for the sick that have been specifically offered to him, seldom those that have not been specifically offered to him. (2) His fellow monks, those with whom he dwells, usually behave toward him in agreeable ways by body, speech, and mind, seldom in disagreeable ways. They usually present him what is agreeable, seldom what is disagreeable. (3) Discomfort originating from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination; discomfort produced by change of climate; discomfort produced by careless behavior; discomfort produced by assault; or discomfort produced as the result of kamma — these do not often arise in him. He is seldom ill. (4) He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. (5) With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. It is by possessing these five qualities that a bhikkhu is a delicate ascetic among ascetics.
“If, bhikkhus, one could rightly say of anyone: ‘He is a delicate ascetic among ascetics,’ it is precisely of me that one might say this. (1) For I usually use a robe that has been specifically offered to me, seldom one that has not been specifically offered to me; I usually eat almsfood that has been specifically offered to me, seldom almsfood that has not been specifically offered to me; I usually use a lodging that has been specifically offered to me, seldom one that has not been specifically offered to me; I usually use medicines and provisions for the sick that have been specifically offered to me, seldom those that have not been specifically offered to me. (2) Those bhikkhus with whom I dwell usually behave toward me in agreeable ways by body, speech, and mind, seldom in disagreeable ways. They usually present me what is agreeable, seldom what is disagreeable. (3) Discomfort originating from bile, phlegm, wind, or their combination; discomfort produced by change of climate; discomfort produced by careless behavior; discomfort produced by assault; or discomfort produced as the result of kamma — these do not often arise in me. I am seldom ill.
(4) I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. (5) With the destruction of the taints, I have realized for myself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, I dwell in it. If, bhikkhus, one could rightly say of anyone: ‘He is a delicate ascetic among ascetics,’ it is precisely of me that one might say this.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these five means of dwelling at ease. What five? (1) Here, a bhikkhu maintains bodily acts of lovingkindness toward his fellow monks, both openly and privately.
(2) He maintains verbal acts of loving-kindness toward his fellow monks, both openly and privately. (3) He maintains mental acts of loving-kindness toward his fellow monks, both openly and privately. (4) He dwells both openly and privately possessing in common with his fellow monks virtuous behavior that is unbroken, flawless, unblemished, unblotched, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, leading to concentration. (5) He dwells both openly and privately possessing in common with his fellow monks the view that is noble and emancipating, which leads one who acts upon it to the complete destruction of suffering. These, bhikkhus, are the five means of dwelling at ease.”
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita’s Park. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said:
“(1) Bhante, in what way can a bhikkhu dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha?”
“When, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is himself accomplished in virtuous behavior but does not exhort others in regard to virtuous behavior, to this extent he can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha.”
(2) “But, Bhante, might there be another way by which a bhikkhu can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha?”
“There can be, Ānanda. When a bhikkhu is himself accomplished in virtuous behavior but does not exhort others in regard to virtuous behavior, and he examines himself but does not examine others, to this extent he can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha.”
(3) “But, Bhante, might there be another way by which a bhikkhu can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha?”
“There can be, Ānanda. When a bhikkhu is himself accomplished in virtuous behavior but does not exhort others in regard to virtuous behavior, and he examines himself but does not examine others, and he is not well known but is not agitated by lack of renown, to this extent he can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha.”
(4) “But, Bhante, might there be another way by which a bhikkhu can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha?”
“There can be, Ānanda. When a bhikkhu is himself accomplished in virtuous behavior but does not exhort others in regard to virtuous behavior; and he examines himself but does not examine others; and he is not well known but is not agitated by lack of renown; and he gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life, to this extent he can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha.”
(5) “But, Bhante, might there be another way by which a bhikkhu can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha?”
“There can be, Ānanda. When a bhikkhu is himself accomplished in virtuous behavior but does not exhort others in regard to virtuous behavior; and he examines himself but does not examine others; and he is not well known but is not agitated by lack of renown; and he gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life; and, with the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it, to this extent he can dwell at ease while living in the Saṅgha. And, Ānanda, I say there is no other way of dwelling at ease more excellent or sublime than this.”
“Bhikkhus, possessing five qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What five? Here, a bhikkhu is accomplished in virtuous behavior, accomplished in concentration, accomplished in wisdom, accomplished in liberation, and accomplished in the knowledge and vision of liberation. Possessing these five qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
“Bhikkhus, possessing five qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts ... an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What five? Here, a bhikkhu possesses the aggregate of virtuous behavior of one beyond training, the aggregate of concentration of one beyond training, the aggregate of wisdom of one beyond training, the aggregate of liberation of one beyond training, the aggregate of the knowledge and vision of liberation of one beyond training. Possessing these five qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts ... an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”
109 (9) At Home in the Four Quarters
“Bhikkhus, possessing five qualities, a bhikkhu is at home in the four quarters. What five? (1) Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the Pātimokkha, possessed of good conduct and resort, seeing danger in minute faults. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. (2) He has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and accumulates what he has learned. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, which proclaim the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life — such teachings as these he has learned much of, retained in mind, recited verbally, mentally investigated, and penetrated well by view. (3) He is content with any kind of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick. (4) He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. (5) With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. Possessing these five qualities, a bhikkhu is at home in the four quarters.”
“Bhikkhus, possessing five qualities, a bhikkhu is fit to resort to remote lodgings in forests and jungle groves. What five?
(1) Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous ... he trains in them. (2) He has learned much ... and penetrated well by view. (3) He has aroused energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities and acquiring wholesome qualities; he is strong, firm in exertion, not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities. (4) He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. (5) With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. Possessing these five qualities, a bhikkhu is fit to resort to remote lodgings in forests and jungle groves.”