“Bhikkhus, these five perceptions, when developed and cultivated, are of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as their consummation. What five? The perception of unattractiveness, the perception of death, the perception of danger, the perception of the repulsiveness of food, and the perception of non-delight in the entire world. These five perceptions, when developed and cultivated, are of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as their consummation.”
“Bhikkhus, these five perceptions, when developed and cultivated, are of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as their consummation. What five? The perception of impermanence, the perception of non-self, the perception of death, the perception of the repulsiveness of food, and the perception of non-delight in the entire world.
These five perceptions, when developed and cultivated, are of great fruit and benefit, culminating in the deathless, having the deathless as their consummation.”
“Bhikkhus, growing in five ways, a male noble disciple grows by a noble growth, and he absorbs the essence and the best of this life. What five? He grows in faith, virtuous behavior, learning, generosity, and wisdom. Growing in these five ways, a male noble disciple grows by a noble growth, and he absorbs the essence and the best of this life.”
He who grows in faith and virtuous behavior,
in wisdom, generosity, and learning —
such a discerning superior man
absorbs for himself the essence of this life.
“Bhikkhus, growing in five ways, a female noble disciple grows by a noble growth, and she absorbs the essence and the best of this life. What five? She grows in faith, virtuous behavior, learning, generosity, and wisdom. Growing in these five ways, a female noble disciple grows by a noble growth, and she absorbs the essence and the best of this life.”
She who grows in faith and virtuous behavior,
in wisdom, generosity, and learning —
such a virtuous female lay follower
absorbs for herself the essence of this life.
“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu possesses five qualities, it is fitting for his fellow monks to hold a discussion with him. What five?
(1) Here, a bhikkhu is himself accomplished in virtuous behavior, and he answers questions that come up in a discussion on accomplishment in virtuous behavior. (2) He is himself accomplished in concentration, and he answers questions that come up in a discussion on accomplishment in concentration. (3) He is himself accomplished in wisdom, and he answers questions that come up in a discussion on accomplishment in wisdom. (4) He is himself accomplished in liberation, and he answers questions that come up in a discussion on accomplishment in liberation. (5) He is himself accomplished in the knowledge and vision of liberation, and he answers questions that come up in a discussion on accomplishment in the knowledge and vision of liberation. When a bhikkhu possesses these five qualities, it is fitting for his fellow monks to hold a discussion with him.”
“Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu possesses five qualities, it is fitting for his fellow monks to live together with him. What five? (1) Here, a bhikkhu is himself accomplished in virtuous behavior, and he answers questions posed during a discussion on accomplishment in virtuous behavior. (2) He is himself accomplished in concentration, and he answers questions posed during a discussion on accomplishment in concentration. (3) He is himself accomplished in wisdom, and he answers questions posed during a discussion on accomplishment in wisdom. (4) He is himself accomplished in liberation, and he answers questions posed during a discussion on accomplishment in liberation (5) He is himself accomplished in the knowledge and vision of liberation, and he answers questions posed during a discussion on accomplishment in the knowledge and vision of liberation. When a bhikkhu possesses these five qualities, it is fitting for his fellow monks to live together with him.”
67 (7) Bases for Psychic Potency (1)
“Bhikkhus, when any bhikkhu or bhikkhunī develops and cultivates five things, one of two fruits is to be expected: either final knowledge in this very life or, if there is a residue remaining, the state of non-returning. What five?
“(1) Here, a bhikkhu develops the basis for psychic potency that possesses concentration due to desire and activities of striving. (2) He develops the basis for psychic potency that possesses concentration due to energy and activities of striving. (3) He develops the basis for psychic potency that possesses concentration due to mind and activities of striving. (4) He develops the basis for psychic potency that possesses concentration due to investigation and activities of striving. (5) Enthusiasm itself is the fifth.
“When, bhikkhus, any bhikkhu or bhikkhunī develops and cultivates these five things, one of two fruits is to be expected: either final knowledge in this very life or, if there is a residue remaining, the state of non-returning.”
68 (8) Bases for Psychic Potency (2)
“Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was just a bodhisatta, not yet fully enlightened, I developed and cultivated five things. What five?
“(1) I developed the basis for psychic potency that possesses concentration due to desire and activities of striving. (2) I developed the basis for psychic potency that possesses concentration due to energy and activities of striving. (3) I developed the basis for psychic potency that possesses concentration due to mind and activities of striving. (4) I developed the basis for psychic potency that possesses concentration due to investigation and activities of striving. (5) Enthusiasm itself was the fifth.
“Because I had developed and cultivated these things with enthusiasm as the fifth, there being a suitable basis, I was capable of realizing any state realizable by direct knowledge toward which I inclined my mind.
“If I wished: ‘May I wield the various kinds of psychic potency: having been one, may I become many ... [as in 5:23] ... may I exercise mastery with the body as far as the brahmā world,’ I was capable of realizing it, there being a suitable basis ... [as in 5:23] ...
“If I wished: ‘May I, with the destruction of the taints, in this very life realize for myself with direct knowledge the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, may I dwell in it,’ I was capable of realizing it, there being a suitable basis.”
“Bhikkhus, these five things, when developed and cultivated, lead exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to nibbāna. What five? Here, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the unattractiveness of the body, perceiving the repulsiveness of food, perceiving non-delight in the entire world, contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena; and he has the perception of death well established internally. These five things, when developed and cultivated, lead exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to nibbāna.”
70 (10) Destruction of the Taints
“Bhikkhus, these five things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the destruction of the taints. What five? Here, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the unattractiveness of the body, perceiving the repulsiveness of food, perceiving non-delight in the entire world, contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena; and he has the perception of death well established internally. These five things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the destruction of the taints.”