“Bhikkhus, there are these four things. What four? (1) There are things to be fully understood by direct knowledge. (2) There are things to be abandoned by direct knowledge. (3) There are things to be developed by direct knowledge. (4) There are things to be realized by direct knowledge.
(1) “And what, bhikkhus, are the things to be fully understood by direct knowledge? The five aggregates subject to clinging. These are called the things to be fully understood by direct knowledge.
(2) “And what are the things to be abandoned by direct knowledge? Ignorance and craving for existence. These are called the things to be abandoned by direct knowledge.
(3) “And what are the things to be developed by direct knowledge? Serenity and insight. These are called the things to be developed by direct knowledge.
(4) “And what are the things to be realized by direct knowledge? True knowledge and liberation. These are called the things to be realized by direct knowledge.
“These, bhikkhus, are the four things.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four ignoble quests. What four?
(1) Here, someone who is himself subject to old age seeks only what is subject to old age; (2) who is himself subject to illness seeks only what is subject to illness; (3) who is himself subject to death seeks only what is subject to death; and (4) who is himself subject to defilement seeks only what is subject to defilement. These are the four ignoble quests.
“There are, bhikkhus, these four noble quests. What four? (1) Here, someone who is himself subject to old age, having understood the danger in what is subject to old age, seeks the unaging, unsurpassed security from bondage, nibbāna; (2) who is himself subject to illness, having understood the danger in what is subject to illness, seeks the illness-free, unsurpassed security from bondage, nibbāna; (3) who is himself subject to death, having understood the danger in what is subject to death, seeks the deathless, unsurpassed security from bondage, nibbāna; (4) who is himself subject to defilement, having understood the danger in what is subject to defilement, seeks the undefiled, unsurpassed security from bondage, nibbāna. These are the four noble quests.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four means of sustaining a favorable relationship. What four? Giving, endearing speech, beneficent conduct, and impartiality. These are the four means of sustaining a favorable relationship.”
Then the Venerable Māluṅkyāputta approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said:
“Bhante, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, heedful, ardent, and resolute.”
“Here now, Māluṅkyāputta, what should we say to the young bhikkhus when an old man like you, decrepit and advanced in years, asks for a brief exhortation from the Tathāgata?”
“Bhante, let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma in brief! Let the Fortunate One teach me the Dhamma in brief! Perhaps I can understand the meaning of the Blessed One’s statement; perhaps I can become an heir of the Blessed One’s statement.” “There are, Māluṅkyāputta, these four sources of craving for a bhikkhu. What four? Craving arises in a bhikkhu because of robes, almsfood, lodgings, or for the sake of life here or elsewhere. These are the four sources of craving for a bhikkhu.
When, Māluṅkyāputta, a bhikkhu has abandoned craving, 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 called a bhikkhu who has cut off craving, stripped off the fetter, and by completely breaking through conceit, has made an end of suffering.”
Then the Venerable Māluṅkyāputta, exhorted in this way by the Blessed One, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping the right side toward him, and departed.
Then, dwelling alone, withdrawn, heedful, ardent, and resolute, in no long time the Venerable Māluṅkyāputta realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the spiritual life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, he dwelled in it. He directly knew: “Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.” And the Venerable Māluṅkyāputta became one of the arahants.
“Bhikkhus, whatever families do not last long after attaining abundance of wealth, all do not last long for four reasons, or a particular one among them. What four? (1) They do not seek what has been lost; (2) they do not repair what has become decrepit; (3) they overindulge in eating and drinking; or (4) they appoint an immoral woman or man to be their chief. Whatever families do not last long after attaining abundance of wealth, all do not last long for these four reasons, or a particular one among them.
“Bhikkhus, whatever families last long after attaining abundance of wealth, all last long for four reasons, or a particular one among them. What four? (1) They seek what has been lost; (2) they repair what has become decrepit; (3) they are moderate in eating and drinking; and (4) they appoint a virtuous woman or man to be their chief. Whatever families last long after attaining abundance of wealth, all last long for these four reasons, or a particular one among them.”
“Bhikkhus, possessing four factors a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king, an accessory of a king, and reckoned as a factor of kingship. What four? Here, a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse possesses beauty, strength, speed, and the right proportions. Possessing these four factors, a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse is ... reckoned as a factor of kingship.
“So too, bhikkhus, possessing four 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 four? Here, a bhikkhu possesses beauty, strength, speed, and the right proportions.
(1) “And how does a bhikkhu possess beauty? 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. It is in this way that a bhikkhu possesses beauty.
(2) “And how does a bhikkhu possess strength? Here, a bhikkhu 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. It is in this way that a bhikkhu possesses strength.
(3) “And how does a bhikkhu possess speed? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the origin of suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; he understands as it really is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ It is in this way that a bhikkhu possesses speed.
(4) “And how does a bhikkhu possess the right proportions? Here, a bhikkhu is one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick. It is in this way that a bhikkhu possesses the right proportions.
“Possessing these four 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.”
[All as in 4:259, with only the following difference:]
(3) “And how does a bhikkhu possess speed? Here, with the destruction of the taints, a bhikkhu 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 bhikkhu possesses speed.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these four powers. What four? The power of energy, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, and the power of wisdom. These are the four powers.”
“Bhikkhus, possessing four qualities a bhikkhu is not fit to resort to remote lodgings in forests and jungle groves. What four? [He thinks] (1) sensual thoughts, (2) thoughts of ill will, and (3) thoughts of harming; and (4) he is unwise, stupid, dull. Possessing these four qualities a bhikkhu is not fit to resort to remote lodgings in forests and jungle groves.
“Possessing four [other] qualities a bhikkhu is fit to resort to remote lodgings in forests and jungle groves. What four? [He thinks] (1) thoughts of renunciation, (2) good will, and (3) harmlessness; and (4) he is wise, not stupid or dull. Possessing these four qualities a bhikkhu is fit to resort to remote lodgings in forests and jungle groves.”
“Bhikkhus, possessing four qualities, the foolish, incompetent, bad person maintains himself in a maimed and injured condition; he is blameworthy and subject to reproach by the wise; and he generates much demerit. What four? Blameworthy bodily action, blameworthy verbal action, blameworthy mental action, and blameworthy view. Possessing these four qualities ... he generates much demerit.
“Bhikkhus, possessing four [other] qualities, the wise, competent, good person preserves himself unmaimed and uninjured; he is blameless and beyond reproach by the wise; and he generates much merit. What four? Blameless bodily action, blameless verbal action, blameless mental action, and blameless view. Possessing these four qualities ... he generates much merit.”