{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an10.85/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an10.85","id":"suttacentral_an10.85","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an10.85/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"At one time Venerable Mah\u0101cunda was staying in the land of the Cet\u012bs at Sahaj\u0101ti. There he addressed the mendicants: \u201cReverends, mendicants!\u201d \u201cReverend,\u201d they replied. Venerable Mah\u0101cunda said this: \u201cTake a mendicant who boasts and brags about their achievements: \u2018I enter and emerge from the first absorption, the second absorption, the third absorption, and the fourth absorption. And I enter and emerge from the dimensions of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception. And I enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.\u2019 They\u2019re pursued, pressed, and grilled by the Realized One, or by one of his disciples who has the absorptions, and is skilled in attainments, in the minds of others, and in encompassing another\u2019s mind. Grilled in this way they get stuck or lose their way. They fall to ruin and disaster. The Realized One or one of his disciples encompasses their mind and investigates: \u2018Why does this venerable boast and brag about their achievements, saying, \u201cI enter and emerge from the first absorption \u2026 and the cessation of perception and feeling.\u201d\u2019 They understand, \u2018For a long time this venerable\u2019s deeds have been broken, tainted, spotty, and marred. Their deeds and behavior are inconsistent. This venerable is unethical, and unethical conduct means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One. This venerable is unfaithful, and lack of faith means decline \u2026 This venerable is unlearned and unpracticed, and lack of learning means decline \u2026 This venerable is hard to admonish, and being hard to admonish means decline \u2026 This venerable has bad friends, and bad friends mean decline \u2026 This venerable is lazy, and laziness means decline \u2026 This venerable is unmindful, and unmindfulness means decline \u2026 This venerable is deceptive, and deceitfulness means decline \u2026 This venerable is burdensome, and being burdensome means decline \u2026 This venerable is witless, and lack of wisdom means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.\u2019 Suppose one friend was to say to another: \u2018My dear, when you need money for some payment, just ask me and I\u2019ll give it.\u2019 Then when some payment falls due, that friend says to their friend: \u2018I need some money, my dear. Give me some.\u2019 They\u2019d say: \u2018Well then, my dear, dig here.\u2019 So they dig there, but don\u2019t find anything. They\u2019d say: \u2018You lied to me, my dear, you spoke hollow words when you told me to dig here.\u2019 They\u2019d say: \u2018My dear, I didn\u2019t lie or speak hollow words. Well then, dig here.\u2019 So they dig there as well, but don\u2019t find anything. They\u2019d say: \u2018You lied to me, my dear, you spoke hollow words when you said dig here.\u2019 They\u2019d say: \u2018My dear, I didn\u2019t lie or speak hollow words. Well then, dig here.\u2019 So they dig there as well, but don\u2019t find anything. They\u2019d say: \u2018You lied to me, my dear, you spoke hollow words when you said dig here.\u2019 They\u2019d say: \u2018My dear, I didn\u2019t lie or speak hollow words. But I had gone mad, I was out of my mind.\u2019 In the same way, take a mendicant who boasts and brags about their achievements: \u2018I enter and emerge from the first absorption \u2026 and the cessation of perception and feeling.\u2019 They\u2019re pursued, pressed, and grilled by the Realized One, or by one of his disciples \u2026 Grilled in this way they get stuck or lose their way. They fall to ruin and disaster. The Realized One or one of his disciples encompasses their mind and investigates: \u2018Why does this venerable boast and brag about their achievements, saying, \u201cI enter and emerge from the first absorption \u2026 and the cessation of perception and feeling.\u201d\u2019 They understand, \u2018For a long time this venerable\u2019s deeds have been broken, tainted, spotty, and marred. Their deeds and behavior are inconsistent. This venerable is unethical, and unethical conduct means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One. This venerable is unfaithful \u2026 unlearned and unpracticed \u2026 hard to admonish \u2026 with bad friends \u2026 lazy \u2026 unmindful \u2026 deceptive \u2026 burdensome \u2026 This venerable is witless, and lack of wisdom means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.\u2019 It is quite impossible for a mendicant to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training without giving up these ten qualities. It is quite possible for a mendicant to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training after giving up these ten qualities.\u201d","title":"A Boaster","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":749}