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    BANNER OF THE ARAHANTS

    APPENDIX I - DISCOURSES TO OR ABOUT BHIKKHUS

    DISCOURSE ON SETTING IN MOTION THE WHEEL OF DHAMMA

    Thus have I heard. At one time the Exalted One was staying at Benares in the Deer Park at Isipatana (theResort of Seers). There he addressed the Bhikkhus of the group of five: -

    Bhikkhus, these two extremes ought not to be cultivated by one gone forth to homelessness. What are thetwo? There is devotion to indulgence of pleasure in the objects of sensual desire, which is inferior, low,vulgar, ignoble, and leads to no good; and there is devotion to self-torment, which is painful, ignoble,

    and leads to no good.

    The middle way discovered by a Perfect One avoids both these extremes: it gives vision, it givesknowledge, and it leads to peace, to direct acquaintance, to discovery, to Nibbna. And what is thatmiddle way? It is simply the noble eightfold path, that is to say, right view, right intention, right speech,right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. That is the middle waydiscovered by a Perfect One, which gives vision, which gives knowledge, and which leads to peace, to

    direct acquaintance, to discovery, to Nibb

    na.

    Suffering,[1] as a noble truth, is this: Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, sickness is suffering, death issuffering, sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering, association with the loathed issuffering, dissociation from the loved is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering - in short,suffering is the five grasped-at groups.

    The origin of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is the craving that produces renewal of being,accompanied by enjoyment and lust, and enjoying this and that; in other words, craving for sensualdesire, craving for being, craving for non-being.

    Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is remainder less fading and ceasing, giving up,relinquishing, letting go and rejecting, of that same craving.

    The way leading to cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is simply the noble Eightfold path,that is to hay, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort right

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    mindfulness, right concentration.

    Suffering, as a noble truth, is this: such was the vision, the knowledge, the understanding, the finding,the light, that arose in regard to dhammas not heard by me before. This suffering, as a noble truth, canbe diagnosed: such was the vision, the knowledge, the understanding, the finding, the light, that arose inregard to dhammas not heard by me before. This suffering, as a noble truth, has been diagnosed: such

    was the vision, the knowledge, the understanding, the finding, the light, that arose in regard to dhammasnot heard by me before.

    The origin of sufferings, as a noble truth, is this: such was the vision This origin of suffering, as anoble truth, can be abandoned: such was the vision This origin of suffering as a noble truth, hasbeen abandoned: such was the vision This cessation of suffering as a noble truth, can be verified:such was the vision This cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, has been verified: such was thevision in regard to dhammas not heard by me before.

    The way leading to cessation of suffering as a noble truth, is this: such was the vision This wayleading to cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, can be developed: such was the vision This wayleading to cessation of suffering as a noble truth, has been developed: such was the vision, theknowledge, the understanding, the finding, the light, that arose in regard to dhammas not heard by mebefore.

    As long, Bhikkhus, as my knowledge and insight according to reality was not quite purified in thesetwelve aspects - in these three phases of each of the four noble truths - I did not claim to have discoveredthe full awakening that is supreme in the world with its gods, its angels of death and high divinity, in thisgeneration with its monks and divines, with its princes and men. But as soon as my knowledge andinsight according to reality was quite purified in these twelve aspects - in these three phases of each ofthe four noble truths - then I claimed to have discovered the full awakening that is supreme in the worldwith its gods, its angels of death and high divinity, in this generation with its monks and divines, with itsprinces and men. Knowing and seeing arose in me thus: My hearts deliverance is unassailable. This is

    the last birth. Now there is no renewal of being.

    Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, the Bhikkhus of the group of five rejoiced in the Exalted Ones words.

    Now during this utterance, there arose in the venerable Konda the spotless, immaculate vision of theDhamma: Whatever is subject to arising, all that is subject to cessation.

    When the Wheel of Dhamma had thus been set rolling by the Exalted One the earth-gods raised the cry:

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    At Benares, in the Deer Park at Isipatana, the incomparable wheel of Dhamma has been set rolling bythe Exalted One, not to be stopped by monk or divine or god or death-angel or high divinity or anyone inthe world.

    On hearing the earth-gods cry, all the gods in turn in the six paradises of the sensual sphere took up thecry till it reached beyond the Retinue of High Divinity in the sphere of pure form. And so indeed in that

    hour, at the moment, the cry soared up to the World Of High Divinity, and this ten-thousand-fold world-element shook and rocked and quaked, and a great, measureless radiance surpassing the very nature ofthe gods was displayed in the world.

    Then the Exalted On uttered the exclamation: Truly Konda knows! Indeed Konda knows! andthat is how that venerable one acquired the name, Aa-Konda - Konda who knows.

    (Related Collection, LV1, II. Based on the translation by

    namoli Thera. See Wheel 17, B.P.S.)

    DISCOURSE ON THE NOBLE LINEAGES

    Thus have I heard. At one time the Exalted One was staying near Svatthi at the Jeta Grove,Anthapindikas monastery. Then the Exalted One addressed the Bhikkhus, saying: O Bhikkhus.Lord, they replied. The Exalted One spoke thus:

    Here (in-this Teaching), Bhikkhus, are these four lineages of the Noble Ones, known as highest, knownas oldest, known as the (true) lineage, pure from ancient times, unstained of old, neither suspect now norwill they be suspect in future, and not despised by samanas, brahmins and (other) wise men. What arethe four?

    1. Here, a Bhikkhu is content with this or that robe and he speaks in praise of contentment with anysort of robe. For the sake of a robe he does not go about seeking it wrongly, in an unbecoming way. If hedoes not obtain a robe he is not worried while if he gets it he is not attached, not infatuated, not inbondage to it but seeing this danger he knows how to use it as a support (for his life). Yet he does notexalt himself because of contentment with any sort of robe, nor does he disparage others. Whoever isskilful in this matter, not lazy but clearly understanding and mindful, he is called a Bhikkhu who standsfirm in this ancient and highest lineage of the Noble Ones.

    2. Then again, a Bhikkhu is content with this or that alms food and he speaks in praise of contentment

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    with any sort of alms food. For the sake of alms food he does not go about seeking it wrongly, in anunbecoming way. If he does not obtain alms food, he is not worried while if he gets it he is not attached,not infatuated, not in bondage to it, but seeing this danger he knows how to use it as a support. Yet hedoes not exalt himself because of contentment with any sort of alms food, nor does he disparage others.Whoever is skilful in this matter, not lazy but clearly understanding and mindful, he is called a Bhikkhuwho stands firm in this ancient and highest lineage of the Noble Ones.

    3. Then again, a Bhikkhu is content with this or that lodging and he speaks in praise of contentmentwith any sort of lodging. For the sake of a lodging he does not go about seeking it wrongly, in anunbecoming way. If he does not obtain a lodging he is not worried while if he gets it he is not attached,not infatuated, not in bondage to it but seeing this danger he knows how to use it as a support. Yet hedoes not exalt himself because of contentment with any sort of lodging, nor does he disparage others.Whoever is skilful in this matter, not lazy but clearly understanding and mindful, he is called a Bhikkhuwho stands firm in this ancient and highest lineage of the Noble Ones.

    4. Then again, a Bhikkhu enjoys development (of good mental states[2]*) and delights in it; he enjoysabandonment (of evil mental states) and delights in it. Yet because of his enjoyment and delight indevelopment and because of his enjoyment and delight in abandonment he does not exalt himself, nordoes he disparage others. Whoever is skilful in this matter, not lazy but clearly understanding andmindful, he is called a Bhikkhu who stands firm in this ancient and highest lineage of the Noble Ones.

    These, Bhikkhus, are the four lineages of the Noble Ones, known as highest, known as oldest, known asthe (true) lineage, pure from ancient times, unstained of old, neither suspect now nor will they be suspectin future, and not despised by samanas, brahmins and other wise men.

    A Bhikkhu having these four lineages of the Noble Ones may dwell in the East or in the West, in theNorth or in the South and wherever he dwells, aversion (to wholesome mental states, boredom withhelpful environments) does not overpower him but he overcomes aversion. For what reason? Thesteadfast sage, O Bhikkhus, has overcome both aversion and delight.

    Thus spoke the Exalted One. the Wellfarer, the Teacher then further said:

    Not by aversion is the steadfast sage overcome,not by aversion, for the sage is steadfast, firm.The steadfast sage aversion overcomes,

    indeed is the sage aversions conqueror.What obstructions can there be,for him, all kamma rejected, given up?Who could blame him as worthy as

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    an ornament of Jambu gold -even the devas praise him,even by brahmas he is praised!

    Numeral Collection, Book of the Fours, Discourse 28.

    [1]This is dukkha, as used in the body of the book.

    [2] including meditation.