I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then a certain devatā, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said to him, “Tell me, dear sir, how you crossed over the flood.”

“I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place.”

“But how, dear sir, did you cross over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place?”

“When I pushed forward, I was whirled about. When I stayed in place, I sank. And so I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place.”

That is what the devatā said. The Teacher approved. Realizing that “The Teacher has approved of me,” she bowed down to him, circumambulated him — keeping him to her right — and then vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī… Then a certain devatā, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said to him, “Do you know, dear sir, freedom, liberation, seclusion for beings?”

“Yes, friend, I know freedom, liberation, seclusion for beings.”

“But how, dear sir, do you know freedom, liberation, seclusion for beings?”

Standing to one side, a devatā addressed the Blessed One with a verse:

Standing to one side, a devatā addressed the Blessed One with a verse:

Standing to one side, a devatā addressed the Blessed One with a verse:

Standing to one side, a devatā addressed the Blessed One with a verse:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha at Tapodā monastery. Then Ven. Samiddhi, as night was ending, got up & went to the Tapodā Hot Springs to bathe his limbs. Having bathed his limbs and gotten out of the springs, he stood wearing only his lower robe, letting his limbs dry.

Then a certain devatā, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entire Tapodā Hot Springs, went to Ven. Samiddhi. On arrival, while standing in the air, she addressed him with this verse:

Then the devatā, coming down to earth, said to Ven. Samiddhi, “You have gone forth while young, monk — black-haired, endowed with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life — without having played with sensuality. Enjoy human sensuality, monk. Don’t drop what is visible here & now in pursuit of what’s subject to time.”

“My friend, I’m not dropping what’s visible here & now in pursuit of what’s subject to time. I’m dropping what’s subject to time in pursuit of what’s visible here & now. For the Blessed One has said that sensuality is subject to time, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks; whereas this Dhamma is well taught by the Blessed One, visible here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be experienced by the observant for themselves.”

“But, monk, in what way has the Blessed One said that sensuality is subject to time, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks? And how is this Dhamma visible here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be experienced by the observant for themselves?”

“I’m new, my friend, not long gone forth, only recently come to this Dhamma & discipline. I can’t explain it in detail. But the Blessed One, worthy & rightly self-awakened, is staying here near Rājagaha at Tapodā monastery. Having gone to him, ask him this matter. As he explains it, that’s how you should remember it.”

“Monk, it’s not easy for us to go to the Blessed One, as he is surrounded by other devas of great influence. But if you go to the Blessed One and ask him this matter, I will come along to hear the Dhamma.”

Responding to the devatā, “As you say, my friend,” Ven. Samiddhi went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there [he told the Blessed One his entire conversation with the devatā]. “Now, lord, if that devatā was telling the truth, she is not far from here.”

When this was said, the devatā said to Ven. Samiddhi, “Ask, monk! Ask! I’ve gotten through.”

Then the Blessed One recited this verse to the devatā:

“I don’t understand, lord, the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement. It would be good if the Blessed One would speak in such a way that I would understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement.”

“I don’t understand, lord, the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement. It would be good if the Blessed One would speak in such a way that I would understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement.”

“Lord, here’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Blessed One’s brief statement:

As she was standing there, the devatā recited this verse in the Blessed One’s presence:

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then many devatās of the Satullapa host, in the far extreme of the night, their extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side. As they were standing there, one devatā recited these verses in the Blessed One’s presence:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Maddakucchi Deer Reserve. Now at that time his foot had been pierced by a stone sliver. Excruciating were the bodily feelings that developed within him — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — but he endured them mindful, alert, & unperturbed. Having had his outer robe folded in four and laid out, he lay down on his right side in the lion’s posture, with one foot placed on top of the other, mindful & alert.

Then 700 devatās from the Satullapa retinue, in the far extreme of the night, their extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Maddakucchi, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, they stood to one side.

As she was standing there, one of the devatās exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a nāga is Gotama the contemplative! And like a nāga, when bodily feelings have arisen — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — he endures them mindful, alert, & unperturbed!”

Then another devatā exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a lion is Gotama the contemplative! And like a lion, when bodily feelings have arisen — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — he endures them mindful, alert, & unperturbed!”

Then another devatā exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a thoroughbred is Gotama the contemplative! And like a thoroughbred, when bodily feelings have arisen — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — he endures them mindful, alert, & unperturbed!”

Then another devatā exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a peerless bull is Gotama the contemplative! And like a peerless bull, when bodily feelings have arisen — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — he endures them mindful, alert, & unperturbed!”

Then another devatā exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a strong burden-carrier is Gotama the contemplative! And like a strong burden-carrier, when bodily feelings have arisen — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — he endures them mindful, alert, & unperturbed!”

Then another devatā exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a tamed one is Gotama the contemplative! And like a tamed one, when bodily feelings have arisen — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — he endures them mindful, alert, & unperturbed!”

Then another devatā exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “See a concentration well-developed, a mind well released — neither pressed down nor forced back, nor with mental fabrication kept blocked or suppressed. Whoever would think that such a nāga of a man, lion of a man, thoroughbred of a man, peerless bull of a man, strong burden-carrier of a man, such a tamed man should be violated: What else is that if not blindness?”

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then a certain devatā, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side. As she was standing there, she recited these verses in the Blessed One’s presence:

As she was standing to one side, a devatā recited this verse to the Blessed One:

Near Sāvatthi in the monastery… Standing to one side, Kassapa the deva’s son recited this verse in the Blessed One’s presence:

Then Dāmali the deva’s son, in the far extreme of the night, his extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side. As he was standing there, he recited these verses in the Blessed One’s presence:

Near Sāvatthī. As he was standing to one side, Pañcālacaṇḍa the deva’s son recited this verse in the Blessed One’s presence:

Then Tāyana the deva’s son, formerly of another religious sect, in the far extreme of the night, his extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side. As he was standing there, he recited these verses in the Blessed One’s presence:

That is what Tāyana the deva’s son said. Having said it, he bowed down to the Blessed One and, circling him on the right, vanished right there.

Then, toward the end of the night, the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Last night, monks, Tāyana the deva’s son, formerly of another religious sect, in the far extreme of the night, his extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, came to me and, on arrival, having bowed down to me, stood to one side. As he was standing there, he recited these verses in my presence:

That is what Tāyana the deva’s son said. Having said it, he bowed down to me and, circling me on the right, vanished right there.

“Learn Tāyana’s verses, monks. Master Tāyana’s verses, monks. Remember Tāyana’s verses, monks. Connected with the goal are Tāyana’s verses, monks, and basic to the holy life.”

Standing to one side, Subrahma the deva’s son recited this verse to the Blessed One:

That is what the Blessed One said… the deva disappeared right there.

Near Rājagaha. As he was standing to one side, Uttara the deva’s son recited this verse in the Blessed One’s presence:

Standing to one side, Khema the deva’s son recited these verses in the Blessed One’s presence.

As he was standing there, Serī the deva’s son recited these verses in the Blessed One’s presence:

“How amazing, lord! How astounding! How well this was stated by the Lord Blessed One!”

“In the past, lord, I was a king named Serī — a donor, a lord of giving, one who spoke in praise of giving. At my four gates I had gifts given to contemplatives & brahmans, poor people & travelers, mendicants & beggars.

“Then my harem women came to me and said, ‘Your majesty, you give gifts, but we don’t give gifts. It would be good if, depending on you, we gave gifts & did deeds of merit.’

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Here I am, a donor, a lord of giving, one who speaks in praise of giving. So when they say, “Let us give gifts,” what am I to say?’ So I gave the first gate to the harem women. There the harem women gave gifts, and my gifts returned to me.

“Then my noble-warrior subordinates came to me and said, ‘Your majesty, you give gifts, the harem women give gifts, but we don’t give gifts. It would be good if, depending on you, we gave gifts & did deeds of merit.’

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Here I am, a donor, a lord of giving, one who speaks in praise of giving. So when they say, “Let us give gifts,” what am I to say?’ So I gave the second gate to my noble-warrior subordinates. There the noble-warrior subordinates gave gifts, and my gifts returned to me.

“Then my troops came to me and said, ‘Your majesty, you give gifts, the harem women give gifts, the noble-warrior subordinates give gifts, but we don’t give gifts. It would be good if, depending on you, we gave gifts & did deeds of merit.’

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Here I am, a donor, a lord of giving, one who speaks in praise of giving. So when they say, “Let us give gifts,” what am I to say?’ So I gave the third gate to my troops. There the troops gave gifts, and my gifts returned to me.

“Then brahmans & householders came to me and said, ‘Your majesty, you give gifts, the harem women give gifts, the noble-warrior subordinates give gifts, the troops give gifts, but we don’t give gifts. It would be good if, depending on you, we gave gifts & did deeds of merit.’

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Here I am, a donor, a lord of giving, one who speaks in praise of giving. So when they say, “Let us give gifts,” what am I to say?’ So I gave the fourth gate to the brahmans & householders. There the brahmans & householders gave gifts, and my gifts returned to me.

“Then my men came to me and said, ‘Now your majesty isn’t giving any gifts.’

“When that was said, I said to my men, ‘In that case, I say, bring half of the revenue generated in the outlying districts into the city, and give half of it as gifts to contemplatives & brahmans, poor people & travelers, mendicants & beggars.’

“And so, lord, in the meritorious deeds I did for such a long time, in the skillful deeds I did for such a long time, I didn’t reach a limit of ‘so much merit’ or ‘so much fruit of merit’ or ‘so long I should stay in heaven.’

“How amazing, lord! How astounding! How well this was stated by the lord Blessed One!”

I have heard that on one occasion many monks were staying among the Kosalans in wilderness huts: high-strung, rowdy, unruly, talkative, of loose words & muddled mindfulness, unalert, unconcentrated, their minds scattered, their faculties left wide open.

Then Jantu the deva’s son, on the uposatha of the fifteenth, went to those monks and, on arrival, addressed them in verses.

Dwelling at Sāvatthī. As he was standing to one side, Rohitassa the deva’s son said to the Blessed One: “Is it possible, lord, by traveling, to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away or reappear?”

“I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.”

“It’s amazing, lord, and astounding, how well that has been said by the Lord Blessed One: ‘I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.’ Once I was a seer named Rohitassa, a student of Bhoja, a powerful sky-walker. My speed was as fast as that of a strong archer — well trained, a practiced hand, a practiced sharpshooter — shooting a light arrow across the shadow of a palm tree. My stride stretched as far as the east sea is from the west. To me, there came the desire: ‘I will go traveling to the end of the cosmos.’ I — endowed with such speed, such a stride, with a one-hundred year life, a one-hundred year span — spent one hundred years traveling — apart from the time spent on eating, drinking, chewing & tasting, urinating & defecating, and sleeping to fight off weariness — but without reaching the end of the cosmos I died along the way.[21] So it’s amazing, lord, and astounding, how well that has been said by the Lord Blessed One: ‘I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear.’”

[When this was said, the Blessed One responded:] “I tell you, friend, that it isn’t possible by traveling to know or see or reach a far end of the cosmos where one doesn’t take birth, age, die, pass away, or reappear. But at the same time, I tell you that there is no making an end of suffering & stress without reaching the end of the cosmos. Yet it is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception & intellect, that I declare that there is the cosmos, the origination of the cosmos, the cessation of the cosmos, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of the cosmos.”

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: “Now then, does Master Gotama claim, ‘I have awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening’?”

“If, great king, one speaking rightly could say of anyone, ‘He has awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening,’ one could rightly say that of me. For I, great king, have awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening.”

“But Master Gotama, those contemplatives & brahmans, each with his group, each with his community, each the teacher of his group, an honored leader, well-regarded by people at large — i.e., Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sañjaya Velaṭṭhaputta, and the Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta: Even they, when I asked them whether they claimed to have awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening, didn’t make that claim. So who is Master Gotama to do so when he is still young & newly gone forth?”

“There are these four things, great king, that shouldn’t be despised & disparaged for being young. Which four? A noble warrior, great king, shouldn’t be despised & disparaged for being young. A snake… A fire… And a monk shouldn’t be despised & disparaged for being young. These are the four things that shouldn’t be despised & disparaged for being young.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

When this was said, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.”

Near Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Lord, what qualities, arising in a man, arise for his harm, suffering, & discomfort?”

“Three qualities, great king, arising in a man, arise for his harm, suffering, & discomfort. Which three?

“Greed is a quality that, arising in a man, arises for his harm, suffering, & discomfort.

“Aversion is a quality that, arising in a man, arises for his harm, suffering, & discomfort.

“Delusion is a quality that, arising in a man, arises for his harm, suffering, & discomfort.

“These are the three qualities, great king, that, arising in a man, arise for his harm, suffering, & discomfort.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “For one who is born, lord, is there anything other than aging & death?”

“For one who is born, great king, there is nothing other than aging & death.

“Even for those who are affluent noble warriors — rich, with great wealth & property, with vast amounts of gold & silver, vast amounts of valuables & commodities, vast amounts of wealth & grain: Even for them, when born, there is nothing other than aging & death.

“Even for those who are affluent brahmans — rich, with great wealth & property, with vast amounts of gold & silver, vast amounts of valuables & commodities, vast amounts of wealth & grain: Even for them, when born, there is nothing other than aging & death.

“Even for those who are Worthy Ones whose effluents are ended, who have reached fulfillment, done the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, laid to waste the fetter of becoming, and who are released through right gnosis: Even for them, this body is subject to breaking up, subject to being cast away.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Just now, lord, while I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in my awareness: ‘Who are dear to themselves, and who are not dear to themselves?’ Then it occurred to me: ‘Those who engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct are not dear to themselves. Even though they may say, “We are dear to ourselves,” still they aren’t dear to themselves. Why is that? Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as an enemy would act toward an enemy; thus they aren’t dear to themselves. But those who engage in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct are dear to themselves. Even though they may say, “We aren’t dear to ourselves,” still they are dear to themselves. Why is that? Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as a dear one would act toward a dear one; thus they are dear to themselves.’”

“That’s the way it is, great king! That’s the way it is! Those who engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct are not dear to themselves. Even though they may say, ‘We are dear to ourselves,’ still they aren’t dear to themselves. Why is that? Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as an enemy would act toward an enemy; thus they aren’t dear to themselves. But those who engage in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct are dear to themselves. Even though they may say, ‘We aren’t dear to ourselves,’ still they are dear to themselves. Why is that? Of their own accord, they act toward themselves as a dear one would act toward a dear one; thus they are dear to themselves.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Just now, lord, while I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in my awareness: ‘Who have themselves protected, and who leave themselves unprotected?’ Then it occurred to me: ‘Those who engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct leave themselves unprotected. Even though a squadron of elephant troops might protect them, a squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, a squadron of infantry troops might protect them, still they leave themselves unprotected. Why is that? Because that’s an external protection, not an internal one. Therefore they leave themselves unprotected. But those who engage in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct have themselves protected. Even though neither a squadron of elephant troops, a squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, nor a squadron of infantry troops might protect them, still they have themselves protected. Why is that? Because that’s an internal protection, not an external one. Therefore they have themselves protected.’”

“That’s the way it is, great king! That’s the way it is! Those who engage in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct leave themselves unprotected. Even though a squadron of elephant troops might protect them, a squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, a squadron of infantry troops might protect them, still they leave themselves unprotected. Why is that? Because that’s an external protection, not an internal one. Therefore they leave themselves unprotected. But those who engage in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct have themselves protected. Even though neither a squadron of elephant troops, a squadron of cavalry troops, a squadron of chariot troops, nor a squadron of infantry troops might protect them, still they have themselves protected. Why is that? Because that’s an internal protection, not an external one. Therefore they have themselves protected.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Just now, lord, while I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in my awareness: ‘Few are those people in the world who, when acquiring lavish wealth, don’t become intoxicated & heedless, don’t become greedy for sensuality, and don’t mistreat other beings. Many more are those who, when acquiring lavish wealth, become intoxicated & heedless, become greedy for sensuality, and mistreat other beings.’”

“That’s the way it is, great king! That’s the way it is! Few are those people in the world who, when acquiring lavish wealth, don’t become intoxicated & heedless, don’t become greedy for sensuality, and don’t mistreat other beings. Many more are those who, when acquiring lavish wealth, become intoxicated & heedless, become greedy for sensuality, and mistreat other beings.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Just now, lord, as I was sitting in judgment, I saw that even affluent nobles, affluent brahmans, & affluent householders — rich, with great wealth & property, with vast amounts of gold & silver, vast amounts of valuables & commodities, vast amounts of wealth & grain — tell deliberate lies with sensuality as the cause, sensuality as the reason, simply for the sake of sensuality. Then, the thought occurred to me: ‘I’ve had enough of this judging! Let some other fine fellow be known for his judgments!’”

“That’s the way it is, great king! That’s the way it is! Even affluent nobles, affluent brahmans, & affluent householders… tell deliberate lies with sensuality as the cause, sensuality as the reason, simply for the sake of sensuality. That will lead to their long-term harm & pain.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. On that occasion King Pasenadi Kosala had gone with Queen Mallikā to the upper palace. Then he said to her, “Mallikā, is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?”

“No, great king. There is no one dearer to me than myself. And what about you, great king? Is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?”

“No, Mallikā. There is no one dearer to me than myself.”

Then the king, descending from the palace, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, “Just now, lord, when I had gone with Queen Mallikā to the upper palace, I said to her, ‘Mallikā, is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?’

“When this was said, she said to me, ‘No, great king. There is no one dearer to me than myself. And what about you, great king? Is there anyone dearer to you than yourself?’

“When this was said, I said to her, ‘No, Mallikā. There is no one dearer to me than myself.’”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One at that time said this verse:

At Sāvatthī. Now on that occasion a great sacrifice had been arranged for King Pasenadi Kosala. Five hundred bulls, five hundred bullocks, five hundred cows, five hundred goats, & five hundred rams had been led to the pillar for the sacrifice. And his slaves, servants, & workers — threatened with punishment, threatened with danger — were making preparations, weeping, their faces stained with tears.

Then in the early morning, a large number of monks adjusted their under robes and — carrying their bowls & outer robes — went into Sāvatthī for alms. Having gone for alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, returning from their alms round, they went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One, “Lord, a great sacrifice has now been arranged for King Pasenadi Kosala. Five hundred bulls, five hundred bullocks, five hundred cows, five hundred goats, & five hundred rams have been led to the pillar for the sacrifice. And his slaves, servants, & workers — threatened with punishment, threatened with danger — are making preparations, weeping, their faces stained with tears.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion spoke these verses:

At Sāvatthī. Now on that occasion a great group of people had been put into bondage by King Pasenadi Kosala — some with ropes, some with wooden shackles, some with chains.

Then in the early morning, a large number of monks adjusted their under robes and — carrying their bowls & outer robes — went into Sāvatthī for alms. Having gone for alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, returning from their alms round, they went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One, “Lord, a great group of people has now been put into bondage by King Pasenadi Kosala — some with ropes, some with wooden shackles, some with chains.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion spoke these verses:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migāra’s mother. And on that occasion the Blessed One, having emerged from his seclusion in the late afternoon, was sitting outside the doorway of the porch. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.

Now on that occasion seven coiled-hair ascetics, seven Jain ascetics, seven cloth-less ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, & seven wanderers — their nails, armpit-hair, & body-hair grown long, carrying containers on poles [over their shoulders] — walked past, not far from the Blessed One. Then King Pasenadi got up from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt down with his right knee on the ground, paid homage to the seven coiled-hair ascetics, seven Jain ascetics, seven cloth-less ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, & seven wanderers with his hands palm-to-palm in front his heart, and announced his name three times: “I am the king, venerable sirs, Pasenadi Kosala. I am the king, venerable sirs, Pasenadi Kosala. I am the king, venerable sirs, Pasenadi Kosala.”

Then not long after the seven coiled-hair ascetics, seven Jain ascetics, seven cloth-less ascetics, seven one-cloth ascetics, & seven wanderers had passed, King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “Of those in the world who are arahants or on the path to arahantship, are these among them?”

“Great king, as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures; living confined with children; using Kāsi fabrics & sandalwood; wearing garlands, scents, & creams; handling gold & silver, it’s hard for you to know whether these are arahants or on the path to arahantship.

“It’s through living together that a person’s virtue may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“It’s through trading with a person that his purity may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“It’s through adversity that a person’s endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“It’s through discussion that a person’s discernment may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.”

“Amazing, lord! Astounding! — how well that was put by the Blessed One! ‘Great king, as a layman enjoying sensual pleasures; living confined with children; using Kāsi fabrics & sandalwood; wearing garlands, scents, & creams; handling gold & silver, it’s hard for you to know whether these are arahants or on the path to arahantship.

“‘It’s through living together that a person’s virtue may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“‘It’s through trading with a person that his purity may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“‘It’s through adversity that a person’s endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.

“‘It’s through discussion that a person’s discernment may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning.’

“These men, lord, are my spies, my scouts, returning after going out through the countryside. They having gone out first, I go out afterward. Now, when they have scrubbed off the dirt & mud, are well-bathed & well-perfumed, have trimmed their hair and beards, and have put on white clothes, they will go about endowed and provided with the five strings of sensuality.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion recited these verses:

Dwelling at Sāvatthī… Now, on that occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala ate a gallon-measure of rice. Then, having just finished his meal and breathing heavily, he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.

Then the Blessed One, sensing that King Pasenadi of Kosala had just finished his meal and was breathing heavily, recited this verse:

Now, on that occasion the young brahman Sudassana was standing behind King Pasenadi of Kosala. So the king addressed him, “Come now, my dear Sudassana. Having learned this verse in the Blessed One’s presence, recite it during the time I am taking my meal, and I will bestow on you a daily stipend of one hundred kahapaṇa.”

Saying, “As you say, your majesty,” the young brahman Sudassana and learning the verse in the Blessed One’s presence, he recited it during the time when King Pasenadi was taking his meal:

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala step-by-step restrained himself to at most a quart-measure of rice. At a later time, when he had become quite slim, he stroked his limbs with his hand and exclaimed, “O, how the Blessed One has shown sympathy for my benefit of both sorts: for that in the present life, and that in the life to come!”[26]

Staying near Sāvatthī. Then King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, raising a fourfold army, marched toward Kāsi against King Pasenadi Kosala. King Pasenadi heard, “King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, they say, has raised a fourfold army and is marching toward Kāsi against me.” So King Pasenadi, raising a fourfold army, launched a counter-attack toward Kāsi against King Ajātasattu. Then King Ajātasattu & King Pasenadi fought a battle, and in that battle King Ajātasattu defeated King Pasenadi. King Pasenadi, defeated, marched back to his capital at Sāvatthī.

Then in the early morning, a large number of monks, having adjusted their lower robes, and taking their bowls & outer robes, went into Sāvatthī for alms. Having gone for alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, returning from their alms round, they went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One: “Just now, lord, King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, raising a fourfold army, marched toward Kāsi against King Pasenadi Kosala. King Pasenadi heard, ‘King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, they say, has raised a fourfold army and is marching toward Kāsi against me.’ So King Pasenadi, raising a fourfold army, launched a counter-attack toward Kāsi against King Ajātasattu. Then King Ajātasattu & King Pasenadi fought a battle, and in that battle King Ajātasattu defeated King Pasenadi. King Pasenadi, defeated, marched back to his capital at Sāvatthī.”

“Monks, King Ajātasattu has evil friends, evil comrades, evil companions, whereas King Pasenadi has fine friends, fine comrades, fine companions. Yet for now, King Pasenadi will lie down tonight in pain, defeated.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Staying near Sāvatthī. Then King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, raising a fourfold army, marched toward Kāsi against King Pasenadi Kosala. King Pasenadi heard, “King Ajātasattu of Magadha, the son of Queen Videha, they say, has raised a fourfold army and is marching toward Kāsi against me.” So King Pasenadi, raising a fourfold army, launched a counter-attack toward Kāsi against King Ajātasattu. Then King Ajātasattu & King Pasenadi fought a battle, and in that battle King Pasenadi defeated King Ajātasattu and captured him alive.

The thought then occurred to King Pasenadi: “Even though King Ajātasattu has wronged me when I have done him no wrong, still he is my nephew. What if I, having confiscated all his elephant troops, all his cavalry, all his chariots, & all his infantry, were to let him go with just his life?” So King Pasenadi — having confiscated all his elephant troops, cavalry, chariots, & infantry — let King Ajātasattu go with just his life.

Then in the early morning, a large number of monks, having adjusted their lower robes and taking their bowls & outer robes, went into Sāvatthī for alms. Having gone for alms in Sāvatthī, after the meal, returning from their alms round, they went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they [reported these events to the Blessed One].

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

Near Sāvatthī. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Is there, lord, any one quality that keeps both kinds of benefits secure — benefits in this life & benefits in lives to come?”

“There is one quality, great king, that keeps both kinds of benefits secure — benefits in this life & benefits in lives to come.”

“But what, lord, is that one quality… ?”

“Heedfulness, great king. Just as the footprints of all living beings with legs can be encompassed by the footprint of the elephant, and the elephant’s footprint is declared to be supreme among them in terms of its great size; in the same way, heedfulness is the one quality that keeps both kinds of benefits secure — benefits in this life & benefits in lives to come.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One in the middle of the day and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there the Blessed One said to him, “Well now, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Just now, lord, a money-lending householder died in Sāvatthī. I have come from conveying his heirless fortune to the royal palace: eight million in silver, to say nothing of the gold. But even though he was a money-lending householder, his enjoyment of food was like this: He ate broken rice & pickle brine. His enjoyment of clothing was like this: He wore three lengths of hempen cloth. His enjoyment of a vehicle was like this: He rode in a dilapidated little cart with an awning of leaves.”

“That’s the way it is, great king. That’s the way it is. When a person of no integrity acquires lavish wealth, he doesn’t provide for his own pleasure & satisfaction, nor for the pleasure & satisfaction of his parents, nor for the pleasure & satisfaction of his wife & children; nor for the pleasure & satisfaction of his slaves, servants, & assistants; nor for the pleasure & satisfaction of his friends. He doesn’t institute for contemplatives & brahmans offerings of supreme aim, heavenly, resulting in happiness, leading to heaven. When his wealth isn’t properly put to use, kings make off with it, or thieves make off with it, or fire burns it, or water sweeps it away, or hateful heirs make off with it. Thus his wealth, not properly put to use, goes to waste and not to any good use.

“Just as with a pond in a place haunted by non-human beings, with clear water, cool water, fresh water, clean, with good fords, delightful: No people would draw water from it or drink it or bathe in it or apply it to their needs. And so that water, not properly put to use, would go to waste and not to any good use. In the same way, when a person of no integrity acquires lavish wealth… his wealth, not properly put to use, goes to waste and not to any good use.

“But when a person of integrity acquires lavish wealth, he provides for his own pleasure & satisfaction, for the pleasure & satisfaction of his parents, the pleasure & satisfaction of his wife & children; the pleasure & satisfaction of his slaves, servants, & assistants; and the pleasure & satisfaction of his friends. He institutes for contemplatives & brahmans offerings of supreme aim, heavenly, resulting in happiness, leading to heaven. When his wealth is properly put to use, kings don’t make off with it, thieves don’t make off with it, fire doesn’t burn it, water doesn’t sweep it away, and hateful heirs don’t make off with it. Thus his wealth, properly put to use, goes to a good use and not to waste.

“Just as with a pond not far from a town or village, with clear water, cool water, fresh water, clean, with good fords, delightful. People would draw water from it or drink it or bathe in it or apply it to their needs. And so that water, properly put to use, would go to a good use and not to waste. In the same way, when a person of integrity acquires lavish wealth… his wealth, properly put to use, goes to a good use and not to waste.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One in the middle of the day and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there the Blessed One said to him, “Well now, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Just now, lord, a money-lending householder died in Sāvatthī. I have come from conveying his heirless fortune to the royal palace: ten million in silver, to say nothing of the gold. But even though he was a money-lending householder, his enjoyment of food was like this: He ate broken rice & pickle brine. His enjoyment of clothing was like this: He wore three lengths of hempen cloth. His enjoyment of a vehicle was like this: He rode in a dilapidated little cart with an awning of leaves.”

“That’s the way it is, great king. That’s the way it is. Once in the past that money-lending householder provided alms for the Private Buddha named Tagarasikhi. Saying (to his servant), ‘Give alms to the contemplative,’ he got up from his seat and left. After giving, though, he felt regret: ‘It would have been better if my slaves or servants had eaten those alms.’ And he also murdered his brother’s only heir for the sake of his fortune. Now, the result of his action in having provided alms for the Private Buddha named Tagarasikhi was that he appeared seven times in a good destination, a heavenly world. And through the remaining result of that action he acted as moneylender seven times in this very same Sāvatthī. But the result of his action in feeling regret after giving (those) alms — ‘It would have been better if my slaves or servants had eaten those alms’ — was that his mind didn’t lend itself to the lavish enjoyment of food, didn’t lend itself to the lavish enjoyment of clothing, didn’t lend itself to the lavish enjoyment of a vehicle, didn’t lend itself to the lavish enjoyment of the five strings of sensuality. The result of his action in having murdered his brother’s only heir for the sake of his fortune was that he boiled in hell for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, many hundred-thousands of years. And through the remaining result of that action he has left this seventh heirless fortune to the royal treasury.

“Now, because of the wasting away of that money-lending householder’s old merit and his non-accumulation of new merit, he is today boiling in the Great Roruva hell.”

“So he has reappeared in the Great Roruva hell, lord?”

“Yes, great king. He has reappeared in the Great Roruva hell.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “Great king, there are these four types of people to be found existing in the world. Which four? One in darkness who is headed for darkness, one in darkness who is headed for light, one in light who is headed for darkness, and one in light who is headed for light.

“And how is one the type of person in darkness who is headed for darkness? There is the case where a person is born into a lower class family — the family of a scavenger, a hunter, a basket-weaver, a wheelwright, or a sweeper — a family that is poor, with little food or drink, living in hardship, where food & clothing are hard to come by. And he is ugly, misshapen, stunted, & sickly: half-blind or deformed or lame or crippled. He doesn’t receive any (gifts of) food, drink, clothing, or vehicles; garlands, perfumes, or ointments; bedding, shelter, or lamps. He engages in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct. Having engaged in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct, he — on the break-up of the body, after death — reappears in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell.

“Just as if a person were to go from obscurity to obscurity, from darkness to darkness, from a blood stain to a blood stain: This person, I tell you, is similar to that. This is the type of person in darkness who is headed for darkness.

“And how is one the type of person in darkness who is headed for light? There is the case where a person is born into a lower class family — the family of a scavenger, a hunter, a basket-weaver, a wheelwright, or a sweeper — a family that is poor, with little food or drink, living in hardship, where food & clothing are hard to come by. And he is ugly, misshapen, stunted, & sickly: half-blind or deformed or lame or crippled. He doesn’t receive any (gifts of) food, drink, clothing, or vehicles; garlands, perfumes, or ointments; bedding, shelter, or lamps. He engages in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct. Having engaged in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct, he — on the break-up of the body, after death — reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world.

“Just as if a person were to ascend from the ground to a platform, or from a platform to horseback, or from horseback to an elephant’s shoulder, or from an elephant’s shoulder to a palace: This person, I tell you, is similar to that. This is the type of person in darkness who is headed for light.

“And how is one the type of person in light who is headed for darkness? There is the case where a person is born into an upper class family — a noble warrior family, a brahman family, a prosperous householder family — a family that is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions, with a great deal of money, a great many accoutrements of wealth, a great many commodities. And he is well-built, handsome, extremely inspiring, endowed with a lotus-like complexion. He receives (gifts of) food, drink, clothing, & vehicles; garlands, perfumes, & ointments; bedding, shelter, & lamps. He engages in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct. Having engaged in bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, & mental misconduct, he — on the break-up of the body, after death — reappears in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell.

“Just as if a person were to descend from a palace to an elephant’s shoulder, or from an elephant’s shoulder to horseback, or from horseback to a platform, or from a platform to the ground, or from the ground into an underground obscurity: This person, I tell you, is similar to that. This is the type of person in light who is headed for darkness.

“And how is one the type of person in light who is headed for light? There is the case where a person is born into an upper class family — a noble warrior family, a brahman family, a prosperous householder family — a family that is rich, with much wealth, with many possessions, with a great deal of money, a great many accoutrements of wealth, a great many commodities. And he is well-built, handsome, extremely inspiring, endowed with a lotus-like complexion. He receives (gifts of) food, drink, clothing, & vehicles; garlands, perfumes, & ointments; bedding, shelter, & lamps. He engages in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct. Having engaged in good bodily conduct, good verbal conduct, & good mental conduct, he — on the break-up of the body, after death — reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world.

“Just as if a person were to cross over from a platform to a platform, or from horseback to horseback, or from an elephant’s shoulder to an elephant’s shoulder, or from a palace to a palace: This person, I tell you, is similar to that. This is the type of person in light who is headed for light.

“These, great king, are the four types of people to be found existing in the world.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him: “Well now, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Lord, my grandmother has died. She was old aged, advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life, 120 years old. My grandmother was dear to me & beloved. If I could get it so that, in exchange for a gem of an elephant, my grandmother wouldn’t die, I would give a gem of an elephant. If I could get it so that, in exchange for a gem of a horse… for a foremost village… for the country, my grandmother wouldn’t die, I would give the country.

“It’s amazing, lord. It’s astounding — how well it was said by the Blessed One: ‘All beings are subject to death, have death as their end, have not gone beyond death.’”

“That’s the way it is, great king. That’s the way it is. All beings are subject to death, have death as their end, have not gone beyond death. Just as all a potter’s vessels — whether baked or unbaked — are subject to breaking, have breaking as their end, and have not gone beyond breaking, in the same way all beings are subject to death, have death as their end, have not gone beyond death.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “How many qualities of the world that, when arising, arise for harm, stress, & discomfort?”

“Three qualities of the world, great king, when arising, arise for harm, stress, & discomfort. Which three? Greed, great king, is a quality of the world that, when arising, arises for harm, stress, & discomfort. Aversion… Delusion is a quality of the world that, when arising, arises for harm, stress, & discomfort. These are the three qualities of the world, great king, that when arising, arise for harm, stress, & discomfort.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Where, lord, should a gift be given?”

“Wherever the mind feels confidence, great king.”[27]

“But a gift given where, lord, bears great fruit?”

“This (question) is one thing, great king —‘Where should a gift be given?’ — while this — ‘A gift given where bears great fruit?’ — is something else entirely. What is given to a virtuous person — rather than to an unvirtuous one — bears great fruit. In that case, great king, I will ask you a counter-question. Answer as you see fit.

“What do you think, great king? There is the case where you have a war at hand, a battle imminent. A noble-warrior youth would come along — untrained, unpracticed, undisciplined, undrilled, fearful, terrified, cowardly, quick to flee. Would you take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?”

“No, lord, I wouldn’t take him on. I wouldn’t have any use for a man like that.”

“Then a brahman youth… a merchant youth… a laborer youth would come along — untrained, unpracticed, undisciplined, undrilled, fearful, terrified, cowardly, quick to flee. Would you take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?”

“No, lord, I wouldn’t take him on. I wouldn’t have any use for a man like that.”

“Now, what do you think, great king? There is the case where you have a war at hand, a battle imminent. A noble-warrior youth would come along — trained, practiced, disciplined, drilled, fearless, unterrified, not cowardly, not quick to flee. Would you take him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?”

“Yes, lord, I would take him on. I would have use for a man like that.”

“Then a brahman youth… a merchant youth… a laborer youth would come along — trained, practiced, disciplined, drilled, fearless, unterrified, not cowardly, not quick to flee. Would take you him on? Would you have any use for a man like that?”

“Yes, lord, I would take him on. I would have use for a man like that.”

“In the same way, great king. When someone has gone forth from the home life into homelessness — no matter from what clan — and he has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five, what is given to him bears great fruit.

“And which five factors has he abandoned? He has abandoned sensual desire… ill will… sloth & drowsiness… restlessness & anxiety… uncertainty. These are the five factors he has abandoned. And with which five factors is he endowed? He is endowed with the aggregate of virtue of one beyond training… the aggregate of concentration of one beyond training… the aggregate of discernment of one beyond training… the aggregate of release of one beyond training… the aggregate of knowledge & vision of release of one beyond training. These are the five factors with which he is endowed.

“What is given to one who has abandoned five factors and is endowed with five factors in this way bears great fruit.”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Near Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi Kosala went to the Blessed One in the middle of the day and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him: “Well now, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Just now, lord, I was engaged in the sort of royal affairs typical of head-anointed noble-warrior kings intoxicated with the intoxication of sovereignty, obsessed by greed for sensuality, who have attained stable control in their country, and who rule having conquered a great sphere of territory on earth.”

“What do you think, great king? Suppose a trustworthy, reliable man were to come to you from the east. On arrival he would say to you, ‘May it please your majesty to know, I have come from the east. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings (in its path). Do whatever you think should be done.’ Then a second man were to come to you from the west… Then a third man were to come to you from the north… Then a fourth trustworthy, reliable man were to come to you from the south. On arrival he would say to you, ‘May it please your majesty to know that I have come from the south. There I saw a great mountain, as high as the clouds, coming this way, crushing all living beings. Do whatever you think should be done.’ If, your majesty, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life — the human state being so hard to obtain — what should be done?”

“If, lord, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life — the human state being so hard to obtain — what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?”

“I inform you, great king, I announce to you, great king: aging & death are rolling in on you. When aging & death are rolling in on you, what should be done?”

“As aging & death are rolling in on me, lord, what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?

“There are, lord, elephant battles (fought by) head-anointed noble-warrior kings intoxicated with the intoxication of sovereignty, obsessed by greed for sensuality, who have attained stable control in their country, and who rule having conquered a great sphere of territory on earth; but there is no use for those elephant battles, no scope for them, when aging & death are rolling in. There are cavalry battles… chariot battles… infantry battles… but there is no use for those infantry battles, no scope for them, when aging & death are rolling in. In this royal court there are counselors who, when the enemies arrive, are capable of dividing them by their wits; but there is no use for those battles of wits, no scope for them, when aging & death are rolling in. In this royal court there is abundant bullion & gold stored in vaults & depositories, and with such wealth we are capable of buying off enemies when they come; but there is no use for those battles of wealth, no scope for them, when aging & death are rolling in. As aging & death are rolling in on me, lord, what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?”

“So it is, great king! So it is, great king! As aging & death are rolling in on you, what else should be done but Dhamma-conduct, right conduct, skillful deeds, meritorious deeds?”

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, further said this:

I have heard that on one occasion, when the Blessed One was newly self-awakened, he was dwelling near Uruvelā on the bank of the Nerañjarā River, at the root of the Goatherd's Banyan Tree.

Then, when the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in his awareness, “Released am I from that practice of extreme austerities! How good that I’m released from that useless practice of extreme austerities! How good that I’m released, that I have attained awakening!”

Then Māra the Evil One, having known with his awareness the train of thought in the Blessed One's awareness, went to the Blessed One and addressed him in verse:

Then, having understood that “This is Mara the Evil One,” the Blessed One replied to him in verses:

Then Mara the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “The Blessed One knows me, the One Well-Gone knows me” — vanished right there.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Māra the Evil One went to the Blessed One and recited this verse in his presence:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “The Blessed One knows me; the One Well-Gone knows me” — vanished right there.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Maddakucchi Deer Reserve. Now at that time his foot had been pierced by a stone sliver. Excruciating were the bodily feelings that developed within him — painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable — but he endured them mindful, alert, & unperturbed. Having had his outer robe folded in four and laid out, he lay down on his right side in the lion’s posture — with one foot placed on top of the other — mindful & alert.

Then Māra the Evil One went to the Blessed One and recited this verse in his presence:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “The Blessed One knows me; the One Well-Gone knows me” — vanished right there.

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Magadhans near the brahman village of Pañcasālā. And on that occasion there were young people’s presents (being given) in Pañcasālā. Then early in the morning, the Blessed One, having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe, went into Pañcasālā for alms. And at that time Māra, the Evil One, had taken possession of the brahman householders of Pañcasālā [with the thought,] “Don’t let Gotama the contemplative get alms.” Then the Blessed One left Pañcasālā with his bowl as clean as it had been when he entered.

Then Māra the Evil One went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, said to him, “Did you get any alms, contemplative?”

“So was it you, Evil One, who arranged that I didn’t get alms?”

“In that case, lord, let the Blessed One go into Pañcasālā a second time. I’ll arrange that you get alms.”[29]

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “The Blessed One knows me; the One Well-gone knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Now at that time the Blessed One was instructing, urging, rousing, & encouraging the monks with a Dhamma talk concerning unbinding. The monks — attentive, interested, lending ear, focusing their entire awareness — were listening to the Dhamma.

Then the thought occurred to Māra, the Evil One: “Gotama the contemplative is instructing, urging, rousing, & encouraging the monks with a Dhamma talk concerning unbinding. The monks — attentive, interested, lending ear, focusing their entire awareness — are listening to the Dhamma. What if I were to go to Gotama the contemplative to obscure his vision?”

Then Māra the Evil One, taking on the form of a farmer with a large plowshare over his shoulder, carrying a long goad stick — his hair disheveled, his clothes made of coarse hemp, his feet splattered with mud — went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, said, “Hey, contemplative. Have you seen my oxen?”

“And what are your oxen, Evil One?”

“Mine alone is the eye, contemplative. Mine are forms, mine is the dimension of consciousness & contact at the eye. Where can you go to escape me? Mine alone is the ear… the nose… the tongue… the body… Mine alone is the intellect, contemplative. Mine are ideas, mine is the dimension of consciousness & contact at the intellect. Where can you go to escape me?”

“Yours alone is the eye, Evil One. Yours are forms, yours is the sphere of consciousness & contact at the eye. Where no eye exists, no forms exist, no dimension of consciousness & contact at the eye exists: There, Evil One, you cannot go. Yours alone is the ear… the nose… the tongue… the body… Yours alone is the intellect, Evil One. Yours are ideas, yours is the dimension of consciousness & contact at the intellect. Where no intellect exists, no ideas exist, no dimension of consciousness & contact at the intellect exists: There, Evil One, you cannot go.”

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “The Blessed One knows me; the One Well-Gone knows me” — vanished right there.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Kosalans in a wilderness hut in a Himalayan district. Then, as he was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in his awareness: “Is it possible to exercise rulership without killing or causing others to kill, without dispossessing or causing others to dispossess, without sorrowing or causing others sorrow — righteously?”

Then Māra, the Evil One, knowing with his awareness the train of thought in the Blessed One’s awareness, went to him and on arrival said to him: “Exercise rulership, Blessed One! Exercise rulership, O One Well-Gone! — without killing or causing others to kill, without dispossessing or causing others to dispossess, without sorrowing or causing others sorrow — righteously!”

“But what do you see in me, Evil One, that you say to me, ‘Exercise rulership, Blessed One! Exercise rulership, O One Well-Gone! — without killing or causing others to kill, without dispossessing or causing others to dispossess, without sorrowing or causing others sorrow — righteously!’?”

“Lord, the Blessed One has developed the four bases of power,[31] pursued them, given them a means of transport, given them a grounding, steadied them, consolidated them, and undertaken them well. If he wanted to, he could resolve on the Himalayas, king of mountains, as gold, and it would become a mountain of gold.”[32]

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “The Blessed One knows me; the One Well-Gone knows me” — vanished right there.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyans at Silāvatī. And on that occasion a large number of monks were staying not far from the Blessed One: heedful, ardent, & resolute.

Then Māra the Evil One, assuming the appearance of a brahman — with a large coiled top-knot, clad in an antelope hide, aged, crooked like a roof support, wheezing, holding a staff of fig wood — went to the monks and, on arrival, said to them, “You have gone forth while young, masters — black-haired, endowed with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life — without having played with sensuality. Enjoy human sensuality, monks. Don’t drop what is visible here-&-now in pursuit of what’s subject to time.”

“Brahman, we’re not dropping what’s visible here-&-now in pursuit of what’s subject to time. We’re dropping what’s subject to time in pursuit of what’s visible here-&-now. For the Blessed One has said that sensuality is subject to time, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks; whereas this Dhamma is visible here-&-now, not subject to time, inviting all to come & see, pertinent, to be known by the observant for themselves.”

When this was said, Māra the Evil One — shaking his head, wagging his tongue, raising his eyebrows so that his forehead was wrinkled in three furrows — left, leaning on his stick.

So the monks went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there they [told him what had happened].

“That wasn’t a brahman, monks. That was Māra the Evil One, come to blind you.”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion spoke these verses:

I have heard that on one occasion, when the Blessed One was newly self-awakened, he was dwelling near Uruvelā on the bank of the Nerañjarā River, at the root of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree.

And at that time, Māra the Evil One had been following the Blessed One for seven years, looking for an opening, but unable to find one.

Then Māra the Evil One went to the Blessed One and addressed him in verse:

“Suppose, lord, that not far from a village or town was a pond. There in it was a crab. Then a number of boys & girls, leaving the village or town, would go to the pond and, on arrival, would take the crab out of the water and place it on the ground. And whenever the crab extended a leg, the boys or girls would cut it off, break it, and smash it with sticks or stones right there, so that the crab — with all its legs cut off, broken, & smashed — would be unable to get back in the pond as before.

“In the same way, whatever writhings, tricks, & contortions [there are], the Blessed One has cut them off, broken them, and smashed them all. Now I’m unable to approach the Blessed One, looking for an opening.”

Then Māra the Evil One recited these verses of dejection in the Blessed One’s presence:

Then Māra the Evil One, having recited these verses of dejection in the Blessed One’s presence, left that place and sat on the ground not far from the Blessed One, silent, abashed, with his shoulders drooping, his head down, brooding, at a loss for words, drawing in the dirt with a stick.

Then Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — went to Māra the Evil One and, on arrival, addressed him in verse:

Then Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, said to him, “We serve you at your feet, contemplative.”

But the Blessed One paid them no attention, as he was released in the unexcelled ending of acquisitions.

But the Blessed One paid them no attention, as he was released in the unexcelled ending of acquisitions.

Then Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — went off to one side and considered, “Various are the appetites of men. Why don’t we each assume the form of a hundred girls?”

So Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — having each assumed the form of a hundred girls, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, said to him, “We serve you at your feet, contemplative.”

Again, the Blessed One paid them no attention, as he was released in the unexcelled ending of acquisitions.

So Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — went off to one side and considered, “Many & varied are the appetites of men. Why don’t we each assume the form of a hundred women who have never given birth?”

So Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — having each assumed the form of a hundred women who had never given birth, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, said to him, “We serve you at your feet, contemplative.” Again, the Blessed One paid them no attention, as he was released in the unexcelled ending of acquisitions.

Then Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — went off to one side and considered, “Many & varied are the appetites of men. Why don’t we each assume the form of a hundred women who have borne one child … a hundred women who have borne two children … a hundred middle-aged women … a hundred older women?” So Māra’s daughters—Craving, Discontent, & Passion—having each assumed the form of a hundred older women, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, said to him, “We serve you at your feet, contemplative.” Again, the Blessed One paid them no attention, as he was released in the unexcelled ending of acquisitions.

Then Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — went off to one side and said, “Wow, it’s true what our father said:

“Any contemplative or brahman who hadn’t gone beyond passion, if we were to approach him with this approach: His heart would split or he would cough up hot blood or he would go mad, out of his mind. Just as a green reed cut down would dry out, wither, & fade, in the same way, he would dry out, wither, & fade.”

Then Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, stood to one side. As she was standing there, Māra’s daughter Craving addressed the Blessed One with verses:

Then Māra’s daughter Discontent addressed the Blessed One in verse:

Then Māra’s daughter Passion addressed the Blessed One in verse:

Then Māra’s daughters — Craving, Discontent, & Passion — went to Māra the Evil One. He saw them coming from afar and, on seeing them, addressed them with verses:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then, early in the morning, Āḷavikā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind, aiming at seclusion.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

Then the thought occurred to Āḷavikā the nun: “Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Māra the Evil One who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from seclusion.”

Then, having understood that “This is Māra the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Āḷavikā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Somā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

Then the thought occurred to Somā the nun: “Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Māra the Evil One who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration.”

Then, having understood that “This is Māra the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Somā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Kisā Gotamī the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

Then the thought occurred to Kisā Gotamī the nun: “Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Māra the Evil One who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration.”

Then, having understood that “This is Māra the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Kisā Gotamī the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Vijayā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

Then the thought occurred to Vijayā the nun: “Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Māra the Evil One who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration.”

Then, having understood that “This is Māra the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Vijayā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Uppalavaṇṇā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she stood at the root of a flowering Sal tree.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

Then the thought occurred to Uppalavaṇṇā the nun: “Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Māra the Evil One who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration.”

Then, having understood that “This is Māra the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Uppalavaṇṇā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Cālā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & said, “What is it that you don’t approve of, nun?”

“I don’t approve of birth, my friend.”

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Cālā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Upacālā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & said, “Where do you want to reappear [be reborn], nun?”

“I don’t want to reappear anywhere, my friend.”

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Upacālā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Sīsupacālā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One approached her & said, “Whose philosophy do you approve of, nun?”

“I don’t approve of anyone’s philosophy, my friend.”

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Sīsupacālā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Selā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

Then the thought occurred to Selā the nun: “Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Māra the Evil One who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration.”

Then, having understood that “This is Māra the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Selā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

Near Sāvatthī. Then, early in the morning, Vajirā the nun adjusted her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When she had gone for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day’s abiding.

Then Māra the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

Then the thought occurred to Vajirā the nun: “Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Māra the Evil One who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration.”

Then, having understood that “This is Māra the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

Then Māra the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Vajirā the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

I have heard that on one occasion, when the Blessed One was newly self-awakened, he was staying near Uruvelā on the bank of the Nerañjarā River, at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree. Then, while he was alone & in seclusion, this line of thinking arose in his awareness: “This Dhamma that I have attained is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the observant. But this generation delights in attachment, is excited by attachment, enjoys attachment. For a generation delighting in attachment, excited by attachment, enjoying attachment, this/that conditionality & dependent co-arising are hard to see. This state, too, is hard to see: the pacification of all fabrications, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; unbinding. And if I were to teach the Dhamma and if others would not understand me, that would be tiresome for me, troublesome for me.”

Just then these verses, unspoken in the past, unheard before, occurred to the Blessed One:

As the Blessed One reflected thus, his mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.

Then Brahmā Sahampati, having known with his own awareness the line of thinking in the Blessed One’s awareness, thought: “The world is lost! The world is destroyed! The mind of the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Rightly Self-awakened One inclines to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma!” Then, just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Brahmā Sahampati disappeared from the Brahmā world and reappeared in front the Blessed One. Arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt down with his right knee on the ground, saluted the Blessed One with his hands before his heart, and said to him: “Lord, let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma! Let the One-Well-Gone teach the Dhamma! There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dhamma. There will be those who will understand the Dhamma.”

That is what Brahmā Sahampati said. Having said that, he further said this:

Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahmā’s invitation, out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As he did so, he saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace & danger in the other world. Just as in a pond of blue or red or white lotuses, some lotuses — born & growing in the water — might flourish while immersed in the water, without rising up from the water; some might stand at an even level with the water; while some might rise up from the water and stand without being smeared by the water — so too, surveying the world with the eye of an Awakened One, the Blessed One saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace & danger in the other world.

Having seen this, he answered Brahmā Sahampati in verse:

“Then Brahmā Sahampati, thinking, ‘I’m the one who created the opportunity for the teaching of the Dhamma by the Blessed One!’ bowed down to me and, circling me on the right, disappeared right there.

I have heard that on one occasion, when the Blessed One was newly self-awakened, he was staying near Uruvelā on the bank of the Nerañjarā River, at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree. Then, while he was alone & in seclusion, this line of thinking arose in his awareness: “One suffers if dwelling without reverence or deference. Now on what contemplative or brahman can I dwell in dependence, honoring & respecting him?”

Then the thought occurred to him: “It would be for the sake of perfecting an unperfected aggregate of virtue that I would dwell in dependence on another contemplative or brahman, honoring & respecting him. However, in this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk, I do not see another contemplative or brahman more consummate in virtue than I, on whom I could dwell in dependence, honoring & respecting him.

“It would be for the sake of perfecting an unperfected aggregate of concentration that I would dwell in dependence on another contemplative or brahman, honoring & respecting him. However, in this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk, I do not see another contemplative or brahman more consummate in concentration than I, on whom I could dwell in dependence, honoring & respecting him.

“It would be for the sake of perfecting an unperfected aggregate of discernment that I would dwell in dependence on another contemplative or brahman, honoring & respecting him. However, in this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk, I do not see another contemplative or brahman more consummate in discernment than I, on whom I could dwell in dependence, honoring & respecting him.

“It would be for the sake of perfecting an unperfected aggregate of release that I would dwell in dependence on another contemplative or brahman, honoring & respecting him. However, in this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk, I do not see another contemplative or brahman more consummate in release than I, on whom I could dwell in dependence, honoring & respecting him.

“It would be for the sake of perfecting an unperfected aggregate of knowledge & vision of release that I would dwell in dependence on another contemplative or brahman, honoring & respecting him. However, in this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk, I do not see another contemplative or brahman more consummate in knowledge & vision of release than I, on whom I could dwell in dependence, honoring & respecting him.

“What if I were to dwell in dependence on this very Dhamma to which I have fully awakened, honoring & respecting it?”

Then, having known with his own awareness the line of thinking in the Blessed One’s awareness — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — Brahmā Sahampati disappeared from the Brahmā world and reappeared in front of the Blessed One. Arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, he saluted the Blessed One with his hands before his heart and said to him: “So it is, Blessed One! So it is, One-Well-Gone! Those who were arahants, Rightly Self-awakened Ones in the past — they, too, dwelled in dependence on the very Dhamma itself, honoring & respecting it. Those who will be arahants, Rightly Self-awakened Ones in the future — they, too, will dwell in dependence on the very Dhamma itself, honoring & respecting it. And let the Blessed One, who is at present the arahant, the Rightly Self-awakened One, dwell in dependence on the very Dhamma itself, honoring & respecting it.”

That is what Brahmā Sahampati said. Having said that, he further said this:

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Magadhans in Andhakavinda. And on that occasion he was sitting out in the open in the thick darkness of night while the rain fell in scattered drops.

Then, Brahmā Sahampati in the far extreme of the night, his extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Andhakavinda, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side. As he was standing there, he recited these verses in the Blessed One’s presence:

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthī. There he addressed the monks, “Monks!”

“Yes, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said, “In the past, monks, was a king named Aruṇavant whose royal city was named Aruṇavatī. And in dependence on that royal city of Aruṇavatī there dwelled Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened. And Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, had a pair of disciples named Abhibhū & Sambhava as his foremost pair, his excellent pair.

“Then Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, addressed the monk Abhibhū ‘Come, brahman, let’s go to a certain Brahmā world until the time for the meal.’

“‘As you say, lord,’ the monk Abhibhū responded to Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened.

“Then — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, & the monk Abhibhū disappeared from the royal city of Aruṇavatī and reappeared in that Brahmā world.

“Then Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, addressed the monk Abhibhū: ‘Let a Dhamma talk come to you, brahman, for Brahmā, Brahmā’s retinue, & Brahmā’s assembly.’

“Responding, ‘As you say, lord,’ to Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, the monk Abhibhū instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged Brahmā, Brahmā’s retinue, & Brahmā’s assembly with a Dhamma talk.

“With that, Brahmā, Brahmā’s retinue, & Brahmā’s assembly were indignant, annoyed, & complained: ‘Isn’t it amazing, good sirs! Isn’t it astounding! How can this disciple, in the presence of his teacher, teach the Dhamma?’

“Then Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, addressed the monk Abhibhū: ‘Brahmā, Brahmā’s retinue, & Brahmā’s assembly are indignant & annoyed with you. They complain: “Isn’t it amazing, good sirs! Isn’t it astounding! How can this disciple, in the presence of his teacher, teach the Dhamma?” Very well then, strike terror in Brahmā, Brahmā’s retinue, & Brahmā’s assembly to an even greater degree.’

“Responding, ‘As you say, lord,’ to Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, the monk Abhibhū taught the Dhamma with his body visible, taught the Dhamma with his body invisible, taught the Dhamma with the lower half of his body visible & the upper half invisible, taught the Dhamma with the upper half of his body visible & the lower half invisible.

“With that, the minds of Brahmā, Brahmā’s retinue, & Brahmā’s assembly were overcome with amazement & astonishment: ‘Isn’t it amazing, good sirs! Isn’t it astounding! — the contemplative’s great power & great might!’

“Then the monk Abhibhū said to Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, ‘I recall, lord, having made this statement while standing in the midst of the Saṅgha of monks: “I can, friends, while standing in the Brahmā world, make my voice heard throughout the thousand-fold cosmos.”’

“‘This is the time, brahman! This is the time, brahman, for you, while standing in the Brahmā world, to make your voice heard throughout the thousand-fold cosmos!’

“Responding, ‘As you say, lord,’ to Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, the monk Abhibhū, while standing in the Brahmā world, recited these verses:

“Then — having struck terror in Brahmā, Brahmā’s retinue, & Brahmā’s assembly — Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, & the monk Abhibhū — just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm — disappeared from that Brahmā world and reappeared in the royal city of Aruṇavatī.

“Then, monks, Sikhī the Blessed One, worthy & fully self-awakened, addressed the monks, ‘Monks, did you hear the monk Abhibhū reciting verses while standing in the Brahmā world?’

“‘Lord, we heard the monk Abhibhū reciting verses while standing in the Brahmā world.’

“‘But what verses did you hear the monk Abhibhū reciting while standing in the Brahmā world?’

“‘Lord, we heard the monk Abhibhū reciting these verses while standing in the Brahmā world:

“‘These, lord, are the verses we heard the monk Abhibhū reciting while standing in the Brahmā world.’

“‘Good, monks. It’s good that you heard the monk Abhibhū reciting verses while standing in the Brahmā world.’”

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Kusinārā in Upavattana, the Sal Tree Forest of the Mallans, on the occasion of his total unbinding. Then the Blessed One addressed the monks, “I exhort you, monks: All fabrications are subject to decay. Reach consummation through heedfulness.” That was the Tathāgata’s last statement.

Then the Blessed One entered the first jhāna. Emerging from that he entered the second jhāna. Emerging from that, he entered the third… the fourth jhāna… the dimension of the infinitude of space… the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness… the dimension of nothingness… the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Emerging from that, he entered the cessation of perception & feeling.

Then emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, he entered the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Emerging from that, he entered the dimension of nothingness… the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness… the dimension of the infinitude of space… the fourth jhāna… the third… the second… the first jhāna. Emerging from the first jhāna he entered the second… the third… the fourth jhāna. Emerging from the fourth jhāna, he immediately totally unbound.

When the Blessed One totally unbound, simultaneously with the total unbinding, Sahampati Brahmā uttered this verse:

When the Blessed One totally unbound, simultaneously with the total unbinding, Sakka, ruler of the gods, uttered this verse:

When the Blessed One totally unbound, simultaneously with the total unbinding, Ven. Ānanda uttered this verse:

When the Blessed One totally unbound, simultaneously with the total unbinding, Ven. Anuruddha uttered this verse:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. Then the brahman Akkosaka [“Insulter”] Bhāradvāja heard that a brahman of the Bhāradvāja clan had gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the presence of the Blessed One. Angered & displeased, he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, insulted & cursed him with rude, harsh words.

When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: “What do you think, brahman? Do friends & colleagues, relatives & kinsmen come to you as guests?”

“Yes, Master Gotama, sometimes friends & colleagues, relatives & kinsmen come to me as guests.”

“And what do you think? Do you serve them with staple & non-staple foods & delicacies?”

“Yes, sometimes I serve them with staple & non-staple foods & delicacies.”

“And if they don’t accept them, to whom do those foods belong?”

“If they don’t accept them, Master Gotama, those foods are all mine.”

“In the same way, brahman, that with which you have insulted me, who is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating: that I don’t accept from you. It’s all yours, brahman. It’s all yours.

“Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am neither eating together nor sharing your company, brahman. It’s all yours. It’s all yours.”

“The king together with his court know this of Master Gotama — ‘Gotama the contemplative is an arahant’ — and yet still Master Gotama gets angry.”[38]

When this was said, the brahman Akkosaka Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotaman — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. Let me obtain the Going-forth in Master Gotama’s presence, let me obtain Acceptance (into the Saṅgha of monks).”

Then the brahman Akkosaka Bhāradvāja received the Going-forth in the Blessed One’s presence, he gained the Acceptance. And not long after his Acceptance—dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute — he in no long time entered & remained in the supreme goal of the holy life, for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, directly knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now. He knew: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.” And so Ven. Bhāradvāja became another one of the arahants.

Near Sāvatthī. Then the brahman Jaṭā [“Tangle”] Bhāradvāja went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he addressed the Blessed One with a verse:

When this was said, the brahman Jaṭā Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. Let me obtain the Going-forth in Master Gotama’s presence, let me obtain Acceptance.”

Then the brahman Jaṭā Bhāradvāja received the Going-forth in the Blessed One’s presence, he gained the Acceptance. And not long after his Acceptance — dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute — he in no long time entered & remained in the supreme goal of the holy life, for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, directly knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now. He knew: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.” And so Ven. Bhāradvāja became another one of the arahants.

Near Sāvatthī. Then early in the morning, the Blessed One, having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe, went to the home of the brahman Udaya. The brahman Udaya filled the Blessed One’s bowl with rice.

Then a second time, [on the next day,] the Blessed One, having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe, went to the home of the brahman Udaya. And a second time, the brahman Udaya filled the Blessed One’s bowl with rice.

Then a third time, [on the following day,] the Blessed One, having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe, went to the home of the brahman Udaya. And a third time, the brahman Udaya, having filled the Blessed One’s bowl with rice, said to him, “This pesky Gotama contemplative keeps coming again & again.”

When this was said, the brahman Udaya said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.”

Near Sāvatthī. Then a certain very rich brahman — shabby, shabbily dressed — went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there the Blessed One said to him, “Why, brahman, are you shabby & shabbily dressed?”

“Just now, Master Gotama, my four sons — at their wives instigation — threw me out of the house.”

“In that case, brahman, memorize these verses and then recite them when a large assembly of people have gathered in the town hall and your sons are sitting there, too.

Then the very rich brahman, having memorized these verses in the presence of the Blessed One, recited them when a large assembly of people had gathered in the town hall and his sons were sitting there, too:

Then the brahman’s sons, having led him home, bathed him, and each provided him in a pair of cloths. So the brahman, taking one pair of cloths, went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After this exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “We brahmans, Master Gotama, look for a teacher’s fee for our teacher. May Master Gotama accept this teacher’s portion from me.”

The Blessed One accepted it out of sympathy.

Then the very rich brahman said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.”

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion a brahman named Paccanikasāta (Enjoyer of Contradiction) was living in Sāvatthī. Then the thought occurred to the brahman Paccanikasāta, “Let’s go to the contemplative Gotama and contradict whatever he says.”

Now, at that time the Blessed One was doing walking meditation in the open air. So the brahman Paccanikasāta went to the Blessed One and, following behind the Blessed One as he was doing walking meditation, said to him, “Speak Dhamma, contemplative.”

When this was said, the brahman Paccanikasāta said to the Blessed One, “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.”

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Kosalans in a certain forest grove. Now at that time the brahman Navakammika [“Builder”] Bhāradvāja was getting some work done in that forest grove. He saw the Blessed One sitting under a Sal tree — his legs folded crosswise, his body held erect, with mindfulness set to the fore. On seeing him, the thought occurred to the brahman: “Here I am, taking delight in getting work done in this forest grove. But what does this contemplative take delight in getting done?”

So he went to the Blessed One and on arrival recited this verse:

When this was said, the brahman Navakammika Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has Master Gotama — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the Saṅgha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, for life.”

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Kosalans in a certain forest grove. Then a large number of firewood-gathering youths — students of a certain brahman of the Bhāradvāja clan — went to the forest grove. On arrival, they saw the Blessed One sitting in the grove — his legs folded crosswise, his body set straight, mindfulness established to the fore. On seeing him, they went to the brahman of the Bhāradvāja clan and, on arrival, said to him, “Sir, you should know that Gotama the contemplative is in that grove over there, sitting with his legs folded crosswise, his body set straight, mindfulness established to the fore.

So the brahman of the Bhāradvāja clan, together with the youths, went to the forest grove. On arrival, he saw the Blessed One sitting in the grove — his legs folded crosswise, his body set straight, mindfulness established to the fore. On seeing him, he went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, addressed him in verse:

On one occasion Ven. Ānanda was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then early in the morning, having adjusted his lower robe and taking his bowl & outer robe, he went into Sāvatthī for alms with Ven. Vaṅgīsa as his attendant monk. Now at that time dissatisfaction (with the celibate life) had arisen in Ven. Vaṅgīsa. Lust invaded his mind. So he addressed Ven. Ānanda with this verse:

I have heard that on one occasion a certain monk was staying among the Kosalans in a forest grove. Now at that time, as he had gone to spend the day (in the grove), he was thinking unskillful thoughts, connected with the household life.

Then the devatā inhabiting the forest grove, feeling sympathy for the monk, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and addressed him with this verse:

The monk, chastened by the devatā, came to his senses.

On one occasion Ven. Kassapa Gotta was staying among the Kosalans in a forest grove. Now at that time, as he had gone to spend the day (in the grove), he was exhorting a certain hunter.

Then the devatā inhabiting the forest grove, feeling sympathy for Ven. Kassapa Gotta, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and recited verses:

Then Ven. Kassapa Gotta, chastened by the devatā, came to his senses.

On one occasion many monks were staying among the Kosalans in a forest grove. Then, at the end of the Rains, they left to go on a three-month wandering tour.

And at that time, the devatā living in that forest grove, lamenting from not seeing those monks, recited this verse:

When this was said, another devatā recited a verse for that devatā:

On one occasion Ven. Ānanda was staying among the Kosalans in a forest grove. Now at that time, he was spending too much time devoted to instructing laypeople.

Then the devatā inhabiting the forest grove, feeling sympathy for Ven. Ānanda, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and recited a verse:

Then Ven. Ānanda, chastened by the devatā, came to his senses.

I have heard that on one occasion Ven. Anuruddha was staying among the Kosalans in a forest grove. Now at that time, a devatā from the retinue of the heaven of the Thirty-three named Jālinī, one of Ven. Anuruddha’s former consorts, went to him and, on arrival, addressed him with this verse:

On one occasion a certain monk, a Vajjian princeling, was staying near Vesālī in a forest grove. And on that occasion an all-night festival was being held in Vesālī. The monk — lamenting as he heard the resounding din of wind music, string music, & gongs coming from Vesālī, on that occasion recited this verse:

Then the devatā inhabiting the forest grove, feeling sympathy for the monk, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and addressed him with this verse:

The monk, chastened by the devatā, came to his senses.

I have heard that on one occasion a certain monk was staying among the Kosalans in a forest grove. Now at that time, he spent the day’s abiding thinking evil, unskillful thoughts: i.e., thoughts of sensuality, thoughts of ill will, thoughts of doing harm.

Then the devatā inhabiting the forest grove, feeling sympathy for the monk, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and addressed him with this verse:

The monk, chastened by the devatā, came to his senses.

I have heard that on one occasion a certain monk was staying among the Kosalans in a forest grove. Now at that time, after his meal, returning from his almsround, he went down to a lotus pond and sniffed a red lotus.

Then the devatā inhabiting the forest grove, feeling sympathy for the monk, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and addressed him with this verse:

The monk, chastened by the devatā, came to his senses.

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Magadhans at the Jewel-stand Shrine, the haunt of the yakkha-spirit, Maṇibhadda [Auspicious Jewel].

Then Maṇibhadda the yakkha-spirit went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, recited this verse:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Forest. Now at that time Anāthapiṇḍika the householder had arrived in Rājagaha on some business. He heard, “An Awakened One, they say, has appeared in the world,” and he wanted to go right then to see the Blessed One. Then the thought occurred to him, “Today is not the proper time to go to see the Blessed One. Tomorrow I will go to see the Blessed One at the proper time.” With his mindfulness immersed in the Awakened One he lay down to sleep. Three times he got up during the night, thinking it was light. Then he went to the gate to the charnel ground. Non-human beings opened the gate.

When Anāthapiṇḍika the householder had left the city, the light vanished and darkness appeared. Fear, terror, & horripilation arose, and because of that he wanted to turn back. Then Sivaka the yakkha-spirit, invisible, proclaimed:

The darkness then vanished for Anāthapiṇḍika and the light appeared. The fear, terror, & horripilation he had felt subsided.

For a second time… a third time, the light vanished and darkness appeared. Fear, terror, & horripilation arose, and because of that Anāthapiṇḍika wanted to turn back. Then for a third time, Sivaka the yakkha-spirit, invisible, proclaimed:

The darkness then vanished for Anāthapiṇḍika and the light appeared. The fear, terror, & horripilation he had felt subsided.

So Anāthapiṇḍika went to the Cool Forest. Now at that time, the Blessed One — having gotten up as the night was ending — was pacing back & forth in the open air. He saw Anāthapiṇḍika the householder coming from afar. On seeing him, he got down from his meditation path and sat on a seat made ready. As he was sitting there he said to Anāthapiṇḍika, “Come, Sudatta.”

Then Anāthapiṇḍika, (thinking,) “The Blessed One is calling me by my given name!” threw himself down right there at the Blessed One’s feet and said to him, “Lord, I hope the Blessed One has slept in ease.”

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Āḷavī in the haunt of the Āḷavaka yakkha. Then the Āḷavaka yakkha went to the Blessed One and on arrival said to him: “Get out, contemplative!”

(Saying,) “All right, my friend,” the Blessed One went out.

“Come in, contemplative!”

(Saying,) “All right, my friend,” the Blessed One went in.

A second time… A third time, the Āḷavaka yakkha said to the Blessed One, “Get out, contemplative!”

(Saying,) “All right, my friend,” the Blessed One went out.

“Come in, contemplative!”

(Saying,) “All right, my friend,” the Blessed One went in.

Then a fourth time, the Āḷavaka yakkha said to the Blessed One, “Get out, contemplative!”

“I won’t go out, my friend. Do what you have to do.”

“I will ask you a question, contemplative. If you can’t answer me, I will possess your mind or rip open your heart or, grabbing you by the feet, hurl you across the Ganges.”

“My friend, I see no one in the cosmos with its devas, Māras & Brahmās, its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk, who could possess my mind or rip open my heart or, grabbing me by the feet, hurl me across the Ganges. But nevertheless, ask me what you wish.”

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There he addressed the monks: “Monks!”

“Yes, lord!” the monks responded to him.

The Blessed One said: “Once, monks, the devas & asuras were arrayed for battle. Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed the Devas of the Thirty-three: ‘If, dear sirs, when the devas are engaged in battle, there should arise fear, terror, or horripilation, then on that occasion you should look up at the top of my standard. For when you look up at the top of my standard, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“‘If you don’t look up at the top of my standard, then you should look up at the top of the standard of Pajāpati the deva-king. For when you look up at the top of the standard of Pajāpati the deva-king, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“‘If you don’t look up at the top of the standard of Pajāpati the deva-king, then you should look up at the top of the standard of Varuṇa the deva-king. For when you look up at the top of the standard of Varuṇa the deva-king, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“‘If you don’t look up at the top of the standard of Varuṇa the deva-king, then you should look up at the top of the standard of Īsāna the deva-king. For when you look up at the top of the standard of Īsāna the deva-king, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“Monks, in those who look up at the top of the standard of Sakka, lord of the devas; in those who look up at the top of the standard of Pajāpati the deva-king; in those who look up at the top of the standard of Varuṇa, the deva-king; or in those who look up at the top of the standard of Īsāna, the deva-king, any fear, terror, or horripilation they may have might be abandoned, or it might not. Why is that? Because Sakka, lord of the devas, is not free of passion, free of aversion, or free of delusion. He can be frightened, terrorized, cowardly, quick to flee.

“But, monks, I tell you this: If, when you have gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, there should arise fear, terror, or horripilation, then on that occasion you should recollect me thus: ‘Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy & rightly self-awakened, consummate in clear-knowing & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed.’ For when you recollect me, monks, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“If you don’t recollect me, then you should recollect the Dhamma thus: ‘The Dhamma is well taught by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, leading out, to be experienced by the observant for themselves.’ For when you recollect the Dhamma, monks, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“If you cannot recollect the Dhamma, then you should recollect the Saṅgha thus: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples who have practiced well, practiced straightforwardly, practice methodically, practiced masterfully, i. e., the four pairs, the eight-types (of noble ones): That is the Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples — deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, the unexcelled field of merit for the world.’ For when you recollect the Saṅgha, monks, any fear, terror, or horripilation you may have will be abandoned.

“Why is that? Because the Tathāgata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, is free of passion, free of aversion, free of delusion. He is fearless, cannot be terrorized, bold, not quick to flee.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, further said this:

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There he addressed the monks, “Monks!”

“Yes, lord,” the monks responded to him.

The Blessed One said, “Once in the past the devas & asuras[43] were arrayed for battle. Then Vepacitti the asura-king said to Sakka the deva-king: ‘Let there be victory through what is well spoken.’

“‘Yes, Vepacitti, let there be victory through what is well spoken.’

“So the devas & asuras appointed a panel of judges, (thinking,) ‘These will decide for us what is well spoken & poorly spoken.’

“Then Vepacitti the asura-king said to Sakka the deva-king, ‘Say a verse, deva-king!’

“When this was said, Sakka the deva-king said to Vepacitti the asura-king, ‘But you are the senior deity here, Vepacitti. You say a verse.’

“When this was said, Vepacitti recited this verse:

“When Vepacitti had said this verse, the asuras applauded but the devas were silent. So Vepacitti said to Sakka, ‘Say a verse, deva-king!’

“When this was said, Sakka recited this verse:

“When Sakka had said this verse, the devas applauded but the asuras were silent. So Sakka said to Vepacitti, ‘Say a verse, Vepacitti!’

“When this was said, Vepacitti recited this verse:

“When Vepacitti had said this verse, the asuras applauded but the devas were silent. So Vepacitti said to Sakka, ‘Say a verse, deva-king!’

“When this was said, Sakka recited this verse:

“When Sakka had said this verse, the devas applauded but the asuras were silent. Then the deva & asura panel of judges said, ‘The verses said by Vepacitti the asura-king lie in the sphere of swords & weapons — thence arguments, quarrels, & strife. Whereas the verses said by Sakka the deva-king lie outside the sphere of swords & weapons — thence no arguments, no quarrels, no strife. The victory through what is well spoken goes to Sakka the deva-king.’

“And that, monks, is how the victory through what was well spoken went to Sakka the deva-king.”

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary. There he addressed the monks: “Monks!”

“Yes, lord,” the monks responded to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said, “Monks, once there was a man living in this very Rājagaha — a poor, pitiful wretch of a person.[45 He undertook conviction in the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Blessed One, undertook virtue, undertook learning, undertook relinquishment, undertook discernment. He — having undertaken conviction in the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Blessed One, having undertaken virtue, having undertaken learning, having undertaken relinquishment, having undertaken discernment — on the breakup of the body, after death, reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the company of the devas of the Thirty-three. There he outshone the other devas in beauty & in rank.

“Then the devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, & complained: ‘Isn’t it amazing, good sirs! Isn’t it astounding! Before, this young deva, when he was a human being, was a poor, pitiful wretch of a person. But now, with the breakup of the body, after death, he has reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the company of the devas of the Thirty-three. There he outshines the other devas in beauty & in rank.’

“Then Sakka the deva-king addressed the devas of the Thirty-three, ‘Dear sirs, don’t be indignant with this young deva. Before, this young deva, when he was a human being, undertook conviction in the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Blessed One, undertook virtue, undertook learning, undertook relinquishment, undertook discernment. He — having undertaken conviction in the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Blessed One, having undertaken virtue, having undertaken learning, having undertaken relinquishment, having undertaken discernment — on the breakup of the body, after death, has reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world, in the company of the devas of the Thirty-three. There he outshines the other devas in beauty & in rank.’

“Then, conciliating the devas of the Thirty-three, Sakka the deva-king on that occasion recited these verses:

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Sakka the deva-king went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side. As he was standing there, he said to the Blessed One, “What, lord, is a delightful place?”

Near Sāvatthī. “Once, monks, a certain yakkha — ugly & misshapen — sat down on Sakka the deva-king’s seat. Then the devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, & complained: ‘Isn’t it amazing, good sirs! Isn’t it astounding! This yakkha — ugly & misshapen — has sat down on Sakka’s seat!’ But the more the devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, & complained, the more well-formed that yakkha became, the more good-looking & inspiring.

“Then the devas of the Thirty-three went to Sakka the deva-king and, on arrival, said to him, ‘Just now, dear sir, a certain yakkha — ugly & misshapen — sat down on your seat. The devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, & complained: “Isn’t it amazing, good sirs! Isn’t it astounding! This yakkha — ugly & misshapen — has sat down on Sakka’s seat!” But the more the devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, & complained, the more well-formed that yakkha became, the more good-looking & inspiring.’

“‘Then, dear sirs, he must be an anger-eating yakkha.’

“So Sakka the deva-king approached the anger-eating yakkha and, on arrival, arranging his upper robe over one shoulder & kneeling with one knee on the ground, raised his hands palm-to-palm over his heart toward the anger-eating yakkha and announced his name three times, ‘I, dear sir, am Sakka the deva-king! I, dear sir, am Sakka the deva-king! I, dear sir, am Sakka the deva-king!’[48 The more Sakka the deva-king announced his name, the uglier & more misshapen the yakkha became. Then, having become uglier & more misshapen, he disappeared right there.

“Then Sakka the deva-king, sitting down on his seat & conciliating the devas of the Thirthy-three, on that occasion recited these verses:

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion two monks were quarreling, and one of them committed a transgression. So, in the presence of the other, he confessed his transgression as a transgression, but the other didn’t pardon him.

So a large number of monks went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One, “Just now, lord, two monks were quarreling, and one of them committed a transgression. So, in the presence of the other, he confessed his transgression as a transgression, but the other didn’t pardon him.

“Monks, there are these two fools. Which two? The one who doesn’t see his transgression as a transgression, and the one who doesn’t rightfully pardon another who has confessed his transgression. These two are fools.

“There are these two wise people. Which two? The one who sees his transgression as a transgression, and the one who rightfully pardons another who has confessed his transgression. These two are wise people.

“Once, monks, Sakka the deva-king, having conciliated the devas of the Thirty-three in the Sudhamma assembly hall, on that occasion recited this verse: