11 (1) Underlying Tendencies (1)

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven underlying tendencies. What seven? The underlying tendency to sensual lust, the underlying tendency to aversion, the underlying tendency to views, the underlying tendency to doubt, the underlying tendency to conceit, the underlying tendency to lust for existence, and the underlying tendency to ignorance. These are the seven underlying tendencies.”

12 (2) Underlying Tendencies (2)

“Bhikkhus, the spiritual life is lived to abandon and eradicate the seven underlying tendencies. What seven? The underlying tendency to sensual lust, the underlying tendency to aversion, the underlying tendency to views, the underlying tendency to doubt, the underlying tendency to conceit, the underlying tendency to lust for existence, and the underlying tendency to ignorance. The spiritual life is lived to abandon and eradicate these seven underlying tendencies.

“When a bhikkhu has abandoned the underlying tendency to sensual lust, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising; when he has abandoned the underlying tendency to aversion ... the underlying tendency to views ... the underlying tendency to doubt ... the underlying tendency to conceit ... the underlying tendency to lust for existence ... the underlying tendency to ignorance, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it so that it is no more subject to future arising, he is then called a bhikkhu without underlying tendencies, one who has cut off craving, stripped off the fetter, and by completely breaking through conceit, has made an end of suffering.”

13 (3) Families

“Bhikkhus, possessing seven factors, a family that has not yet been approached is not worth approaching, or one that has been approached is not worth sitting with. What seven? (1) They do not rise up in an agreeable way. (2) They do not pay homage in an agreeable way. (3) They do not offer a seat in an agreeable way. (4) They hide what they have from one. (5) Even when they have much, they give little. (6) Even when they have excellent things, they give coarse things. (7) They give without respect, not respectfully. Possessing these seven factors, a family that has not yet been approached is not worth approaching, or one that has been approached is not worth sitting with.

“Bhikkhus, possessing seven factors, a family that has not yet been approached is worth approaching or one that has been approached is worth sitting with. What seven? (1) They rise up in an agreeable way. (2) They pay homage in an agreeable way. (3) They offer a seat in an agreeable way. (4) They do not hide what they have from one. (5) When they have much, they give much. (6) When they have excellent things, they give excellent things. (7) They give respectfully, not without respect. Possessing these seven factors, a family that has not yet been approached is worth approaching, or one that has been approached is worth sitting with.”

14 (4) Persons

“Bhikkhus, these seven persons are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven? The one liberated in both respects, the one liberated by wisdom, the body witness, the one attained to view, the one liberated by faith, the Dhamma follower, and the faith follower. These seven persons are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”

15 (5) Similar to Those in Water

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons found existing in the world similar to those in water. What seven? (1) Here, some person has gone under once and remains under. (2) Some person has risen up and then goes under. (3) Some person has risen up and stays there. (4) Some person has risen up, sees clearly, and looks around. (5) Some person has risen up and crosses over. (6) Some person has risen up and gained a firm foothold. (7) Some person has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a brahmin who stands on high ground.

(1) “And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who has gone under once and remains under? Here, some person possesses exclusively black, unwholesome qualities. In this way a person is one who has gone under once and remains under.

(2) “And how is a person one who has risen up and then goes under? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral shame in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is moral dread in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is energy in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ However, his faith does not become stable or grow but rather diminishes. His sense of moral shame ... moral dread ... energy ... wisdom does not become stable or grow but rather diminishes. In this way a person is one who has risen up and then goes under.

(3) “And how is a person one who has risen up and stays put? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities ... good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ His faith neither diminishes nor grows; it just stays put. His sense of moral shame ... his moral dread ... his energy ... his wisdom neither diminishes nor grows; it just stays put. In this way a person is one who has risen up and stays put.

(4) “And how is a person one who has risen up, sees clearly, and looks around? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities ... good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ With the utter destruction of three fetters, this person is a stream-enterer, no longer subject to [rebirth in] the lower world, fixed in destiny, heading for enlightenment. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up, sees clearly, and looks around.

(5) “And how is a person one who has risen up and is crossing over? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities ... good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ With the utter destruction of three fetters and with the diminishing of greed, hatred, and delusion, this person is a once-returner who, after coming back to this world only one more time, will make an end of suffering. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up and is crossing over.

(6) “And how is a person one who has risen up and attained a firm foothold? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]:

‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities ... good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he is of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without returning from that world. It is in this way that a person is one who has risen up and gained a firm foothold.

(7) “And how is a person one who has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a brahmin who stands on high ground? Here, some person has risen up, [thinking]: ‘Good is faith in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is a sense of moral shame in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is moral dread in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is energy in [cultivating] wholesome qualities; good is wisdom in [cultivating] wholesome qualities.’ 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 in this way that a person is one who has risen up, crossed over, and gone beyond, a brahmin who stands on high ground.

“These, bhikkhus, are the seven kinds of persons found existing in the world similar to those in water.”

16 (6) Impermanence

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?

(1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. 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. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.

(2) “Again, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. For him the exhaustion of the taints and the exhaustion of life occur simultaneously. This is the second kind of person worthy of gifts... .

(3) “Again, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna in the interval. This is the third kind of person worthy of gifts... .

(4) “. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna upon landing. This is the fourth kind of person worthy of gifts... .

(5) “. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna without exertion. This is the fifth kind of person worthy of gifts... .

(6) “. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes an attainer of nibbāna through exertion. This is the sixth kind of person worthy of gifts... .

(7) “Again, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving impermanence, experiencing impermanence, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. With the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he becomes one bound upstream, heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm. This is the seventh kind of person worthy of gifts... .

“These, bhikkhus, are the seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”

17 (7) Suffering

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?

(1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating suffering in all conditioned phenomena, perceiving suffering, experiencing suffering, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. 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. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.” [The rest as in 7:16, but based on contemplating suffering in all conditioned phenomena.]

18 (8) Non-Self

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?

(1) “Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating non-self in all phenomena, perceiving non-self, experiencing non-self, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. 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. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”

[The rest as in 7:16, but based on contemplating non-self in all phenomena.]

19 (9) Happiness

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What seven?

“Here, bhikkhus, some person dwells contemplating the happiness in nibbāna, perceiving such happiness, experiencing such happiness, constantly, continuously, and uninterruptedly focusing on it with the mind, fathoming it with wisdom. 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. This is the first kind of person worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”

[The rest as in 7:16, but based on contemplating the happiness in nibbāna.]

20 (10) Bases for [Being] “Ten-less”

“Bhikkhus, there are these seven bases for [being] ‘ten-less.’ What seven?

“Here, (1) a bhikkhu has a keen desire to undertake the training and does not lose his fondness for undertaking the training in the future. (2) He has a strong desire to attend to the Dhamma and does not lose his fondness for attending to the Dhamma in the future. (3) He has a strong desire to remove vain wishes and does not lose his fondness for removing vain wishes in the future. (4) He has a strong desire for seclusion and does not lose his fondness for seclusion in the future. (5) He has a strong desire to arouse energy and does not lose his fondness for arousing energy in the future. (6) He has a strong desire for mindfulness and alertness and does not lose his fondness for mindfulness and alertness in the future. (7) He has a strong desire to penetrate by view and does not lose his fondness for penetrating by view in the future. These are the seven bases for [being] ‘ten-less.’”