{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn51/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn51","id":"suttacentral_mn51","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn51/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Camp\u0101 on the banks of the Gaggar\u0101 Lotus Pond together with a large Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants. Then Pessa the elephant marshal\u2019s son and Kandaraka the wanderer went to the Buddha. When they had approached, Pessa bowed and sat down to one side. But the wanderer Kandaraka exchanged greetings with the Buddha and stood to one side. He looked around the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha, who were so very silent, and said to the Buddha: \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, worthy Gotama, it\u2019s amazing! How the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha has been led to practice properly by the worthy Gotama! The perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas in the past or the future who lead the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha to practice properly at best do so like the worthy Gotama does in the present.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s so true, Kandaraka! That\u2019s so true! The perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas in the past or the future who lead the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha to practice properly at best do so like I do in the present. For in this mendicant Sa\u1e45gha there are perfected mendicants, who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart\u2019s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and are rightly freed through enlightenment. And in this mendicant Sa\u1e45gha there are trainee mendicants who are consistently ethical, living consistently, alert, living alertly. They meditate with their minds firmly established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. What four? It\u2019s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body\u2014keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings\u2014keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of the mind\u2014keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of principles\u2014keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.\u201d When he had spoken, Pessa said to the Buddha: \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, sir, it\u2019s amazing! How well described by the Buddha are the four kinds of mindfulness meditation! They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment. For we white-clothed laypeople also from time to time meditate with our minds well established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. We meditate observing an aspect of the body \u2026 feelings \u2026 mind \u2026 principles\u2014keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. It\u2019s incredible, sir, it\u2019s amazing! How the Buddha knows what\u2019s best for sentient beings, even though humans continue to be so shady, rotten, and tricky. For human beings are shady, sir, while beasts are obvious. For I can drive an elephant in training, and while going back and forth in Camp\u0101 it\u2019ll try all the tricks, bluffs, ruses, and feints that it can. But my bondservants, servants, and workers behave one way by body, another by speech, and their minds another. It\u2019s incredible, sir, it\u2019s amazing! How the Buddha knows what\u2019s best for sentient beings, even though humans continue to be so shady, rotten, and tricky. For human beings are shady, sir, while beasts are obvious.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s so true, Pessa! That\u2019s so true! For human beings are shady, while beasts are obvious. Pessa, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One individual mortifies themselves, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves. One individual mortifies others, committed to the practice of mortifying others. One individual mortifies themselves and others, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others. One individual doesn\u2019t mortify either themselves or others, committed to the practice of not mortifying themselves or others. They live without wishes in this very life, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine. Which one of these four individuals do you like the sound of?\u201d \u201cSir, I don\u2019t like the sound of the first three individuals. I only like the sound of the last individual, who doesn\u2019t mortify either themselves or others.\u201d \u201cBut why don\u2019t you like the sound of those three individuals?\u201d \u201cSir, the individual who mortifies themselves does so even though they want to be happy and recoil from pain. That\u2019s why I don\u2019t like the sound of that individual. The individual who mortifies others does so even though others want to be happy and recoil from pain. That\u2019s why I don\u2019t like the sound of that individual. The individual who mortifies themselves and others does so even though both themselves and others want to be happy and recoil from pain. That\u2019s why I don\u2019t like the sound of that individual. The individual who doesn\u2019t mortify either themselves or others\u2014living without wishes, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine\u2014does not torment themselves or others, both of whom want to be happy and recoil from pain. That\u2019s why I like the sound of that individual. Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.\u201d \u201cPlease, Pessa, go at your convenience.\u201d And then Pessa the elephant marshal\u2019s son approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving. Then, not long after he had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants: \u201cMendicants, Pessa the elephant marshal\u2019s son is astute. He has great wisdom. If he had sat here an hour so that I could have analyzed these four individuals in detail, he would have greatly benefited. Still, even with this much he has already greatly benefited.\u201d \u201cNow is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One! May the Buddha analyze these four individuals in detail. The mendicants will listen and remember it.\u201d \u201cWell then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d they replied. The Buddha said this: \u201cAnd what individual mortifies themselves, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves? It\u2019s when an individual goes naked, ignoring conventions. They lick their hands, and don\u2019t come or wait when called. They don\u2019t consent to food brought to them, or food prepared for them, or an invitation for a meal. They don\u2019t receive anything from a pot or bowl; or from someone who keeps sheep, or who has a weapon or a shovel in their home; or where a couple is eating; or where there is a woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or who lives with a man; or where there\u2019s a hound waiting or flies buzzing. They accept no fish or meat or beer or wine, and drink no fermented gruel. They go to just one house for alms, taking just one mouthful, or two houses and two mouthfuls, up to seven houses and seven mouthfuls. They feed on one saucer a day, two saucers a day, up to seven saucers a day. They eat once a day, once every second day, up to once a week, and so on, even up to once a fortnight. They live committed to the practice of eating food at set intervals. They eat herbs, millet, wild rice, poor rice, water lettuce, rice bran, scum from boiling rice, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. They survive on forest roots and fruits, or eating fallen fruit. They wear robes of sunn hemp, mixed hemp, corpse-wrapping cloth, rags, lodh tree bark, antelope hide (whole or in strips), kusa grass, bark, wood-chips, human hair, horse-tail hair, or owls\u2019 wings. They tear out their hair and beard, committed to this practice. They constantly stand, turning down seats. They squat, committed to the endeavor of squatting. They lie on a mat of thorns, making a mat of thorns their bed. They\u2019re devoted to ritual bathing three times a day, including at dusk. And so they live committed to practicing these various ways of mortifying and tormenting the body. This is called an individual who mortifies themselves, being committed to the practice of mortifying themselves. And what individual mortifies others, committed to the practice of mortifying others? It\u2019s when an individual is a slaughterer of sheep, pigs, or poultry, a hunter or trapper, a fisher, a bandit, an executioner, a butcher, a jailer, or someone with some other kind of cruel livelihood. This is called an individual who mortifies others, being committed to the practice of mortifying others. And what individual mortifies themselves and others, being committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others? It\u2019s when an individual is an anointed aristocratic king or a well-to-do brahmin. He has a new ceremonial hall built to the east of the citadel. He shaves off his hair and beard, dresses in a rough antelope hide, and smears his body with ghee and oil. Scratching his back with antlers, he enters the hall with his chief queen and the brahmin high priest. There he lies on the bare ground strewn with grass. The king feeds on the milk from one teat of a cow that has a calf of the same color. The chief queen feeds on the milk from the second teat. The brahmin high priest feeds on the milk from the third teat. The milk from the fourth teat is served to the sacred flame. The calf feeds on the leftovers. He says: \u2018Slaughter this many bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats, rams, and horses for the sacrifice! Fell this many trees and reap this much grass for the sacrificial equipment!\u2019 His bondservants, servants, and workers do their jobs under threat of punishment and danger, weeping with tearful faces. This is called an individual who mortifies themselves and others, being committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others. And what individual doesn\u2019t mortify either themselves or others, but lives without wishes, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine? It\u2019s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He has realized with his own insight this world\u2014with its gods, M\u0101ras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans\u2014and he makes it known to others. He teaches Dhamma that\u2019s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that\u2019s entirely full and pure. A householder hears that teaching, or a householder\u2019s child, or someone reborn in a good family. They gain faith in the Realized One and reflect: \u2018Life at home is cramped and dirty, life gone forth is wide open. It\u2019s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don\u2019t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness?\u2019 After some time they give up a large or small fortune, and a large or small family circle. They shave off hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness. Once they\u2019ve gone forth, they take up the training and livelihood of the mendicants. They give up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. They\u2019re scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings. They give up stealing. They take only what\u2019s given, and expect only what\u2019s given. They keep themselves clean by not thieving. They give up unchastity. They are chaste, set apart, refraining from the vulgar act of sex. They give up lying. They speak the truth and stick to the truth. They\u2019re honest and dependable, and don\u2019t trick the world with their words. They give up backbiting. They don\u2019t repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, they reconcile those who are divided and support those who are united, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony. They give up harsh speech. They speak in a way that\u2019s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, and likable and agreeable to the people. They give up talking nonsense. Their words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. They say things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial. They refrain from injuring plants and seeds. They eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night and food at the wrong time. They refrain from seeing shows of dancing, singing, and music. They refrain from attiring and adorning themselves with garlands, fragrance, and makeup. They refrain from high and luxurious beds. They refrain from receiving gold and currency, raw grains, raw meat, women and girls, male and female bondservants, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, elephants, cows, horses, and mares, and fields and land. They refrain from running errands and messages; buying and selling; falsifying weights, metals, or measures; bribery, fraud, cheating, and duplicity; mutilation, murder, abduction, banditry, plunder, and violence. They\u2019re content with robes to look after the body and almsfood to look after the belly. Wherever they go, they set out taking only these things. They\u2019re like a bird: wherever it flies, wings are its only burden. In the same way, a mendicant is content with robes to look after the body and almsfood to look after the belly. Wherever they go, they set out taking only these things. When they have this spectrum of noble ethics, they experience a blameless happiness inside themselves. When they see a sight with their eyes, they don\u2019t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint. When they hear a sound with their ears \u2026 When they smell an odor with their nose \u2026 When they taste a flavor with their tongue \u2026 When they feel a touch with their body \u2026 When they know an idea with their mind, they don\u2019t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint. When they have this noble sense restraint, they experience an unsullied bliss inside themselves. They act with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent. When they have this spectrum of noble ethics, this noble contentment, this noble sense restraint, and this noble mindfulness and situational awareness, they frequent a secluded lodging\u2014a wilderness, the root of a tree, a hill, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a forest, the open air, a heap of straw. After the meal, they return from almsround, sit down cross-legged, set their body straight, and bring mindfulness to the present. Giving up covetousness for the world, they meditate with a heart rid of covetousness, cleansing the mind of covetousness. Giving up ill will, they meditate with a mind rid of ill will, full of sympathy for all living beings, cleansing the mind of ill will and malevolence. Giving up dullness and drowsiness, they meditate with a mind rid of dullness and drowsiness, perceiving light, mindful and aware, cleansing the mind of dullness and drowsiness. Giving up restlessness and remorse, they meditate without restlessness, their mind settled internally, cleansing the mind of restlessness and remorse. Giving up doubt, they meditate having gone beyond doubt, not undecided about skillful qualities, cleansing the mind of doubt. They give up these five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. Then, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, \u2018Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.\u2019 With the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward recollection of past lives. They recollect many kinds of past lives, that is, one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. They remember: \u2018There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.\u2019 And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn\u2014inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: \u2018These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.\u2019 And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn\u2014inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. They truly understand: \u2018This is suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the origin of suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the cessation of suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering\u2019. They truly understand: \u2018These are defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the origin of defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the cessation of defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements\u2019. Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When they\u2019re freed, they know they\u2019re freed. They understand: \u2018Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.\u2019 This is called an individual who neither mortifies themselves or others, being committed to the practice of not mortifying themselves or others. They live without wishes in this very life, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine.\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.","title":"With Kandaraka","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":3416}