{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an4.191/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an4.191","id":"suttacentral_an4.191","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an4.191/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"\u201cMendicants, you can expect four benefits when the teachings have been followed by ear, consolidated by voice, examined by the mind, and well penetrated theoretically. What four? Take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching\u2014 statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. They\u2019ve followed those teachings by ear, consolidated them by voice, examined them by the mind, and well penetrated them theoretically. But they die unmindful and are reborn in one of the orders of gods. Being happy there, passages of the teaching come back to them. Memory comes up slowly, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. This is the first benefit you can expect when the teachings have been followed by ear, consolidated by voice, examined by the mind, and well penetrated theoretically. Furthermore, take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching\u2014 statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. They\u2019ve followed those teachings by ear, consolidated them by voice, examined them by the mind, and well penetrated them theoretically. But they die unmindful and are reborn in one of the orders of gods. Though they\u2019re happy there, passages of the teaching don\u2019t come back to them. However, a mendicant with psychic powers, who has achieved mastery of the mind, teaches Dhamma to the assembly of gods. They think: \u2018I used to lead the spiritual life in this same teaching and training.\u2019 Memory comes up slowly, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose a person was skilled in the sound of drums. While traveling along a road they hear the sound of drums. They wouldn\u2019t have any doubts or uncertainties about whether that was the sound of drums or not. They\u2019d just conclude, \u2018That\u2019s the sound of drums.\u2019 In the same way, take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching \u2026 But they die unmindful and are reborn in one of the orders of gods. \u2026 Memory comes up slowly, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. This is the second benefit you can expect when the teachings have been followed by ear, consolidated by voice, examined by the mind, and well penetrated theoretically. Furthermore, take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching\u2014 statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. They\u2019ve followed those teachings by ear, consolidated them by voice, examined them by the mind, and well penetrated them theoretically. But they die unmindful and are reborn in one of the orders of gods. But passages of the teaching don\u2019t come back to them when they\u2019re happy, nor does a mendicant with psychic powers \u2026 teach Dhamma to the assembly of gods. However, a godling teaches Dhamma to the assembly of gods. They think: \u2018I used to lead the spiritual life in this same teaching and training.\u2019 Memory comes up slowly, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose a person was skilled in the sound of horns. While traveling along a road they hear the sound of horns. They wouldn\u2019t have any doubt about whether that was the sound of horns or not. They\u2019d just conclude, \u2018That\u2019s the sound of horns.\u2019 In the same way, take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching \u2026 But they die unmindful and are reborn in one of the orders of gods. \u2026 Memory comes up slowly, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. This is the third benefit you can expect when the teachings have been followed by ear, consolidated by voice, examined by the mind, and well penetrated theoretically. Furthermore, take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching\u2014 statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations. They\u2019ve followed those teachings by ear, consolidated them by voice, examined them by the mind, and well penetrated them theoretically. But they die unmindful and are reborn in one of the orders of gods. But passages of the teaching don\u2019t come back to them when they\u2019re happy, and neither a mendicant with psychic powers \u2026 nor a godling teaches Dhamma to the assembly of gods. But a being who has been reborn spontaneously reminds another such being: \u2018Do you remember, good fellow? Do you remember where we used to lead the spiritual life?\u2019 He says: \u2018I remember, good fellow, I remember!\u2019 Memory comes up slowly, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. Suppose there were two friends who had played together in the sand. Some time or other they\u2019d meet. And one friend would say to the other: \u2018Do you remember this, my dear? Do you remember that, my dear?\u2019 They\u2019d say: \u2018I remember, my dear, I remember!\u2019 In the same way, take a mendicant who memorizes the teaching \u2026 But they die unmindful and are reborn in one of the orders of gods. \u2026 Memory comes up slowly, but then that being quickly reaches distinction. This is the fourth benefit you can expect when the teachings have been followed by ear, consolidated by voice, examined by the mind, and well penetrated theoretically. You can expect these four benefits when the teachings have been followed by ear, consolidated by voice, examined by the mind, and well penetrated theoretically.\u201d","title":"Followed by Ear","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":872}