51 (1) With Verses

(The prose portion is the same as §46.)

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“When one has faith in the Tathāgata,
Unshakable and well established,
And good conduct built on virtue,
Dear to the noble ones and praised;

“When one has confidence in the Saṅgha
And view that has been rectified,
They say that one is not poor,
That one’s life is not vain.

“Therefore the person of intelligence,
Remembering the Buddha’s Teaching,
Should be devoted to faith and virtue,
To confidence and vision of the Dhamma.”

52 (2) One Who Spent the Rains

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapindika’s Park. Now on that occasion a certain Bhikkhu who had spent the rains in Sāvatthi had arrived in Kapilavatthu on some business. The Sakyans of Kapilavatthu heard: “A certain Bhikkhu, it is said, who spent the rains in Sāvatthi has arrived in Kapilavatthu.”

Then the Sakyans of Kapilavatthu approached that Bhikkhu and paid homage to him, after which they sat down to one side and said to him:

“We hope, venerable sir, that the Blessed One is healthy and robust.”

“The Blessed One, friends, is healthy and robust.”

“We hope, venerable sir, that Sāriputta and Moggallāna are healthy and robust.”

“Sāriputta and Moggallāna, friends, are healthy and robust.”

“We hope, venerable sir, that the Bhikkhus of the Saṅgha are healthy and robust.”

“The Bhikkhus of the Saṅgha, friends, are healthy and robust.” “Did you hear and learn anything, venerable sir, in the presence of the Blessed One during this rains?”

“In the presence of the Blessed One, friends, I heard and learnt this: ‘Bhikkhus, those Bhikkhus are few who, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life enter and dwell in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge. Those Bhikkhus are more numerous who, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, have become of spontaneous birth, due to attain Nibbāna there without returning from that world.’

“Further, friends, in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learnt this: ‘Bhikkhus, those Bhikkhus are few who … have become of spontaneous birth.… Those Bhikkhus are more numerous who, with the utter destruction of three fetters and with the diminishing of greed, hatred, and delusion, have become once-returners who, after coming back to this world only one more time, will make an end to suffering.’

“Further, friends, in the presence of the Blessed One I heard and learnt this: ‘Those Bhikkhus are few who … have become once-returners.… Those Bhikkhus are more numerous who, with the utter destruction of three fetters, have become stream-enterers, no longer bound to the nether world, fixed in destiny, with enlightenment as their destination.’”

53 (3) Dhammadinna

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at BārāṇasI in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then the lay follower Dhammadinna, together with five hundred lay followers, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the lay follower Dhammadinna then said to the Blessed One: “Let the Blessed One, venerable sir, exhort us and instruct us in a way that may lead to our welfare and happiness for a long time.”

“Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus: ‘From time to time we will enter and dwell upon those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness.’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.”

“Venerable sir, it is not easy for us—dwelling in a home crowded with children, enjoying Kāsian sandalwood, wearing garlands, scents, and unguents, receiving gold and silver—from time to time to enter and dwell upon those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness. As we are established in the five training rules, let the Blessed One teach us the Dhamma further.”

“Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will possess confirmed confidence in the Buddha … in the Dhamma … in the Saṅgha.… We will possess the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken … leading to concentration.’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.”

“Venerable sir, as to these four factors of stream-entry taught by the Blessed One, these things exist in us, and we live in conformity with those things. For, venerable sir, we possess confirmed confidence in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha. We possess the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken … leading to concentration.”

“It is a gain for you, Dhammadinna! It is well gained by you, Dhammadinna! You have declared the fruit of stream-entry.”

54 (4) Ill

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in Nigrodha’s Park. Now on that occasion a number of Bhikkhus were making a robe for the Blessed One, thinking: “After the three months, with his robe completed, the Blessed One will set out on tour.”

Mahānāma the Sakyan heard: “A number of Bhikkhus, it is said, are making a robe for the Blessed One, thinking that after the three months, with his robe completed, the Blessed One will set out on tour.”

Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Venerable sir, I heard that a number of Bhikkhus are making a robe for the Blessed One.… Now I have not heard and learnt in the presence of the Blessed One how a wise lay follower who is sick, afflicted, and gravely ill should be exhorted by another wise lay follower.”

“A wise lay follower, Mahānāma, who is sick, afflicted, and gravely ill should be consoled by another wise lay follower with four consolations: ‘Let the venerable one be consoled. You have confirmed confidence in the Buddha thus: “The Blessed One is … teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.” You have confirmed confidence in the Dhamma … in the Saṅgha.… You have the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken … leading to concentration.’

“After a wise lay follower, who is sick, afflicted, and gravely ill has been consoled by a wise lay follower with these four consolations, he should be asked: ‘Are you anxious about your mother and father?’ If he says: ‘I am,’ he should be told: ‘But, good sir, you are subject to death. Whether you are anxious about your mother and father or not, you will die anyway. So please abandon your anxiety over your mother and father.’

“If he says: ‘I have abandoned my anxiety over my mother and father,’ he should be asked: ‘Are you anxious about your wife and children?’ If he says: ‘I am,’ he should be told: ‘But, good sir, you are subject to death. Whether you are anxious about your wife and children or not, you will die anyway. So please abandon your anxiety over your wife and children.’

“If he says: ‘I have abandoned my anxiety over my wife and children,’ he should be asked: ‘Are you anxious about the five cords of human sensual pleasure?’ If he says: ‘I am,’ he should be told: ‘Celestial sensual pleasures, friend, are more excellent and sublime than human sensual pleasures. So please withdraw your mind from human sensual pleasures and resolve on the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings.’

“If he says: ‘My mind has been withdrawn from human sensual pleasures and resolved on the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings,’ he should be told: ‘The Tāvatiṃsa devas, friend, are more excellent and sublime than the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings. So please withdraw your mind from the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings and resolve on the Tāvatiṃsa devas.’

“If he says: ‘My mind has been withdrawn from the devas of the realm of the Four Great Kings and resolved on the Tāvatiṃsa devas,’ he should be told: ‘More excellent and sublime, friend, than the Tāvatiṃsa devas are the Yāma devas … the Tusita devas … the Nimmānarati devas … the Paranimmitavasavattī devas.…

The brahmā world, friend, is more excellent and sublime than the Paranimmitavasavattī devas. So please withdraw your mind from the Paranimmitavasavattī devas and resolve on the brahmā world.’

“If he says: ‘My mind has been withdrawn from the Paranimmitavasavattī devas and resolved on the brahmā world,’ he should be told: ‘Even the brahmā world, friend, is impermanent, unstable, included in identity. So please withdraw your mind from the brahmā world and direct it to the cessation of identity.’

“If he says: ‘My mind has been withdrawn from the brahmā world; I have directed my mind to the cessation of identity,’ then, Mahānāma, I say there is no difference between a lay follower who is thus liberated in mind and a Bhikkhu who has been liberated in mind for a hundred years, that is, between one liberation and the other.”

55 (5) The Fruit of Stream-Entry

“Bhikkhus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of stream-entry. What four? Association with superior persons, hearing the true Dhamma, careful attention, practice in accordance with the Dhamma. These four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of stream-entry.”

56 (6) The Fruit of Once-Returning

“Bhikkhus, these four things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the realization of the fruit of once-returning. What four?…” (as above).

57 (7) The Fruit of Nonreturning

“ … lead to the realization of the fruit of nonreturning.…”

58 (8) The Fruit of Arahantship

“ … lead to the realization of the fruit of arahantship.…”

59 (9) The Obtaining of Wisdom

“ … lead to the obtaining of wisdom.…”

60 (10) The Growth of Wisdom

“ … lead to the growth of wisdom.…”

61 (11) The Expansion of Wisdom

“ … lead to the expansion of wisdom.…”