{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn77/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn77","id":"suttacentral_mn77","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn77/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near R\u0101jagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels\u2019 feeding ground. Now at that time several very well-known wanderers were residing in their monastery in the peacocks\u2019 feeding ground. They included Annabh\u0101ra, Varadhara, Sakulud\u0101y\u012b, and other very well-known wanderers. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered R\u0101jagaha for alms. Then it occurred to him, \u201cIt\u2019s too early to wander for alms in R\u0101jagaha. Why don\u2019t I visit the wanderer Sakulud\u0101y\u012b at the monastery for the wanderers in the peacocks\u2019 feeding ground?\u201d So the Buddha went to the monastery for the wanderers. Now at that time, Sakulud\u0101y\u012b was sitting together with a large assembly of wanderers making an uproar, a colossal racket. They engaged in all kinds of low talk, such as talk about kings, bandits, and chief ministers; talk about armies, threats, and wars; talk about food, drink, clothes, and beds; talk about garlands and fragrances; talk about family, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and countries; talk about women and heroes; talk at the street market and the place for water pots; talk about the departed; motley talk; tales of land and sea; and talk about being reborn in this or that place. Sakulud\u0101y\u012b saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, and hushed his own assembly, \u201cBe quiet, good fellows, don\u2019t make a sound. Here comes the ascetic Gotama. The venerable likes quiet and praises quiet. Hopefully if he sees that our assembly is quiet he\u2019ll see fit to approach.\u201d Then those wanderers fell silent. Then the Buddha approached Sakulud\u0101y\u012b, who said to him, \u201cLet the Blessed One come, sir! Welcome to the Blessed One, sir! It\u2019s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here. Please, sir, sit down, this seat is ready.\u201d The Buddha sat down on the seat spread out, while Sakulud\u0101y\u012b took a low seat and sat to one side. The Buddha said to him, \u201cUd\u0101y\u012b, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?\u201d \u201cSir, leave aside what we were sitting talking about just now. It won\u2019t be hard for you to hear about that later. Sir, a few days ago several ascetics and brahmins who follow various other religions were sitting together at the debating hall, and this discussion came up among them: \u2018The people of A\u1e45ga and Magadha are so fortunate, so very fortunate! For there are these ascetics and brahmins who lead an order and a community, and tutor a community. They\u2019re well-known and famous religious founders, deemed holy by many people. And they have come down for the rainy season residence at R\u0101jagaha. They include P\u016bra\u1e47a Kassapa, the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gos\u0101la, Ajita of the hair blanket, Pakudha Kacc\u0101yana, Sa\u00f1jaya Bela\u1e6d\u1e6dhiputta, and the Jain ascetic of the \u00d1\u0101tika clan. This ascetic Gotama also leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He\u2019s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. And he too has come down for the rains residence at R\u0101jagaha. Which of these ascetics and brahmins is honored, respected, revered, and venerated by their disciples? And how do their disciples, honoring and respecting them, remain loyal?\u2019 Some of them said: \u2018This P\u016bra\u1e47a Kassapa leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He\u2019s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. But he\u2019s not honored, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples. And his disciples, not honoring and respecting him, don\u2019t remain loyal to him. Once it so happened that he was teaching an assembly of many hundreds. Then one of his disciples made a noise, \u201cMy good fellows, don\u2019t ask P\u016bra\u1e47a Kassapa about that. He doesn\u2019t know that. I know it. Ask me about it, and I\u2019ll answer you.\u201d Once it so happened that P\u016bra\u1e47a Kassapa didn\u2019t get his way, though he called out with raised arms, \u201cBe quiet, good fellows, don\u2019t make a sound. They\u2019re not asking you, they\u2019re asking me! I\u2019ll answer you!\u201d Indeed, many of his disciples have left him after refuting his doctrine: \u201cYou don\u2019t understand this teaching and training. I understand this teaching and training. What, you understand this teaching and training? You\u2019re practicing wrong. I\u2019m practicing right. I stay on topic, you don\u2019t. You said last what you should have said first. You said first what you should have said last. What you\u2019ve thought so much about has been disproved. Your doctrine is refuted. Go on, save your doctrine! You\u2019re trapped; get yourself out of this\u2014if you can!\u201d That\u2019s how P\u016bra\u1e47a Kassapa is not honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed by his disciples. On the contrary, his disciples, not honoring and respecting him, don\u2019t remain loyal to him. Rather, he\u2019s reviled, and rightly so.\u2019 Others said: \u2018This bamboo-staffed ascetic Gos\u0101la \u2026 Ajita of the hair blanket \u2026 Pakudha Kacc\u0101yana \u2026 Sa\u00f1jaya Bela\u1e6d\u1e6dhiputta \u2026 This Jain ascetic of the \u00d1\u0101tika clan leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He\u2019s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. But he\u2019s not honored, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples. And his disciples, not honoring and respecting him, don\u2019t remain loyal to him. Once it so happened that he was teaching an assembly of many hundreds. Then one of his disciples made a noise, \u201cMy good fellows, don\u2019t ask the Jain \u00d1\u0101tika about that. He doesn\u2019t know that. I know it. Ask me about it, and I\u2019ll answer you.\u201d Once it so happened that the Jain \u00d1\u0101tika didn\u2019t get his way, though he called out with raised arms, \u201cBe quiet, good fellows, don\u2019t make a sound. They\u2019re not asking you, they\u2019re asking me! I\u2019ll answer you!\u201d Indeed, many of his disciples have left him after refuting his doctrine: \u201cYou don\u2019t understand this teaching and training. I understand this teaching and training. What, you understand this teaching and training? You\u2019re practicing wrong. I\u2019m practicing right. I stay on topic, you don\u2019t. You said last what you should have said first. You said first what you should have said last. What you\u2019ve thought so much about has been disproved. Your doctrine is refuted. Go on, save your doctrine! You\u2019re trapped; get yourself out of this\u2014if you can!\u201d That\u2019s how the Jain \u00d1\u0101tika is not honored, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples. On the contrary, his disciples, not honoring and respecting him, don\u2019t remain loyal to him. Rather, he\u2019s reviled, and rightly so.\u2019 Others said: \u2018This ascetic Gotama leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He\u2019s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. He\u2019s honored, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples. And his disciples, honoring and respecting him, remain loyal to him. Once it so happened that he was teaching an assembly of many hundreds. Then one of his disciples cleared their throat. And one of their spiritual companions nudged them with their knee, to indicate, \u201cHush, venerable, don\u2019t make sound! Our teacher, the Blessed One, is teaching!\u201d While the ascetic Gotama is teaching an assembly of many hundreds, there is no sound of his disciples coughing or clearing their throats. That large crowd is poised expectantly at the ready, thinking, \u201cWhatever the Buddha teaches, we shall listen to it.\u201d It\u2019s like when there\u2019s a person at the crossroads pressing out pure dwarf-bee honey, and a large crowd is poised expectantly at the ready. In the same way, while the ascetic Gotama is teaching an assembly of many hundreds, there is no sound of his disciples coughing or clearing their throats. That large crowd is poised expectantly at the ready, thinking, \u201cWhatever the Buddha teaches, we shall listen to it.\u201d Even when disciples of the ascetic Gotama, having clashed with their spiritual companions, resign the training and return to a lesser life, they speak only praise of the Teacher, the teaching, and the Sa\u1e45gha. They blame only themselves, not others: \u201cWe were unlucky, we had little merit. For even after going forth in such a well explained teaching and training we weren\u2019t able to practice for life the perfectly full and pure spiritual life.\u201d They become monastery workers or lay followers, and they proceed having undertaken the five precepts. That\u2019s how the ascetic Gotama is honored, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples. And that\u2019s how his disciples, honoring and respecting him, remain loyal to him.\u2019\u201d \u201cBut Ud\u0101y\u012b, how many qualities do you see in me, because of which my disciples honor, respect, revere, and venerate me; and honoring and respecting me, they remain loyal to me?\u201d \u201cSir, I see five such qualities in the Buddha. What five? The Buddha eats little and praises eating little. This is the first such quality I see in the Buddha. Furthermore, the Buddha is content with any kind of robe, and praises such contentment. This is the second such quality I see in the Buddha. Furthermore, the Buddha is content with any kind of almsfood, and praises such contentment. This is the third such quality I see in the Buddha. Furthermore, the Buddha is content with any kind of lodging, and praises such contentment. This is the fourth such quality I see in the Buddha. Furthermore, the Buddha is secluded, and praises seclusion. This is the fifth such quality I see in the Buddha. These are the five qualities I see in the Buddha, because of which his disciples honor, respect, revere, and venerate him; and honoring and respecting him, they remain loyal to him.\u201d \u201cSuppose, Ud\u0101y\u012b, my disciples were loyal to me because I eat little. Well, there are disciples of mine who eat a tumbler of food, or half a tumbler; they eat a wood-apple, or half a wood-apple. But sometimes I even eat this bowl full to the brim, or even more. So if it were the case that my disciples are loyal to me because I eat little, then those disciples who eat even less would not be loyal to me. Suppose my disciples were loyal to me because I\u2019m content with any kind of robe. Well, there are disciples of mine who have rag robes, wearing shabby robes. They gather scraps from charnel grounds, rubbish dumps, and shops, make them into a patchwork robe and wear it. But sometimes I wear robes offered by householders that are strong, yet next to which bottle-gourd down is coarse. So if it were the case that my disciples are loyal to me because I\u2019m content with any kind of robe, then those disciples who wear rag robes would not be loyal to me. Suppose my disciples were loyal to me because I\u2019m content with any kind of almsfood. Well, there are disciples of mine who eat only almsfood, wander indiscriminately for almsfood, happy to eat whatever they glean. When they\u2019ve entered an inhabited area, they don\u2019t consent when invited to sit down. But sometimes I even eat by invitation boiled fine rice with the dark grains picked out, served with many soups and sauces. So if it were the case that my disciples are loyal to me because I\u2019m content with any kind of almsfood, then those disciples who eat only almsfood would not be loyal to me. Suppose my disciples were loyal to me because I\u2019m content with any kind of lodging. Well, there are disciples of mine who stay at the root of a tree, in the open air. For eight months they don\u2019t go under a roof. But sometimes I even stay in bungalows, plastered inside and out, draft-free, with doors fastened and windows shuttered. So if it were the case that my disciples are loyal to me because I\u2019m content with any kind of lodging, then those disciples who stay at the root of a tree would not be loyal to me. Suppose my disciples were loyal to me because I\u2019m secluded and I praise seclusion. Well, there are disciples of mine who live in the wilderness, in remote lodgings. Having ventured deep into remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest, they live there, coming down to the midst of the Sa\u1e45gha each fortnight for the recitation of the monastic code. But sometimes I live crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. So if it were the case that my disciples are loyal to me because I\u2019m secluded and praise seclusion, then those disciples who live in the wilderness would not be loyal to me. So, Ud\u0101y\u012b, it\u2019s not because of these five qualities that my disciples honor, respect, revere, and venerate me; and honoring and respecting me, they remain loyal to me. There are five other qualities because of which my disciples honor, respect, revere, and venerate me; and honoring and respecting me, they remain loyal to me. What five? Firstly, my disciples esteem me for the higher ethics: \u2018The ascetic Gotama is ethical. He possesses the entire spectrum of ethical conduct to the highest degree.\u2019 Since this is so, this is the first quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me. Furthermore, my disciples esteem me for my excellent knowledge and vision: \u2018The ascetic Gotama only claims to know when he does in fact know. He only claims to see when he really does see. He teaches based on direct knowledge, not without direct knowledge. He teaches based on reason, not without reason. He teaches with a demonstrable basis, not without it.\u2019 Since this is so, this is the second quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me. Furthermore, my disciples esteem me for my higher wisdom: \u2018The ascetic Gotama is wise. He possesses the entire spectrum of wisdom to the highest degree. It\u2019s not possible that he would fail to foresee grounds for future criticism, or to legitimately and completely refute the doctrines of others that come up.\u2019 What do you think, Ud\u0101y\u012b? Would my disciples, knowing and seeing this, break in and interrupt me?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s because I don\u2019t expect to be instructed by my disciples. Invariably, my disciples expect instruction from me. Since this is so, this is the third quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me. Furthermore, my disciples come to me and ask how the noble truth of suffering applies to the suffering in which they are swamped and mired. And I provide them with a satisfying answer to their question. They ask how the noble truths of the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering apply to the suffering  in which they are swamped and mired. And I provide them with satisfying answers to their questions. Since this is so, this is the fourth quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. 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 \u2026 mind \u2026 principles\u2014keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the four right efforts. It\u2019s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don\u2019t arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fully developed. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the four bases of psychic power. It\u2019s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort. They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy, and active effort. They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development, and active effort. They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to inquiry, and active effort. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the five faculties. It\u2019s when a mendicant develops the faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, which lead to peace and awakening. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the five powers. It\u2019s when a mendicant develops the powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom, which lead to peace and awakening. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the seven awakening factors. It\u2019s when a mendicant develops the awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the noble eightfold path. It\u2019s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the eight liberations. Having physical form, they see forms. This is the first liberation. Not perceiving form internally, they see forms externally. This is the second liberation. They\u2019re focused only on beauty. This is the third liberation. Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that \u2018space is infinite\u2019, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space. This is the fourth liberation. Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that \u2018consciousness is infinite\u2019, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness. This is the fifth liberation. Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that \u2018there is nothing at all\u2019, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness. This is the sixth liberation. Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the seventh liberation. Going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception and feeling. This is the eighth liberation. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the eight dimensions of mastery. Perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limited, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: \u2018I know and see.\u2019 This is the first dimension of mastery. Perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: \u2018I know and see.\u2019 This is the second dimension of mastery. Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limited, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: \u2018I know and see.\u2019 This is the third dimension of mastery. Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly. Mastering them, they perceive: \u2018I know and see.\u2019 This is the fourth dimension of mastery. Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, blue, with blue color and blue appearance. They\u2019re like a flax flower that\u2019s blue, with blue color and blue appearance. Or a cloth from Varanasi that\u2019s smoothed on both sides, blue, with blue color and blue appearance. In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally, blue, with blue color and blue appearance. Mastering them, they perceive: \u2018I know and see.\u2019 This is the fifth dimension of mastery. Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally that are yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance. They\u2019re like a champak flower that\u2019s yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance. Or a cloth from Varanasi that\u2019s smoothed on both sides, yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance. In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally that are yellow, with yellow color and yellow appearance. Mastering them, they perceive: \u2018I know and see.\u2019 This is the sixth dimension of mastery. Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally that are red, with red color and red appearance. They\u2019re like a scarlet mallow flower that\u2019s red, with red color and red appearance. Or a cloth from Varanasi that\u2019s smoothed on both sides, red, with red color and red appearance. In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally that are red, with red color and red appearance. Mastering them, they perceive: \u2018I know and see.\u2019 This is the seventh dimension of mastery. Not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally that are white, with white color and white appearance. They\u2019re like the morning star that\u2019s white, with white color and white appearance. Or a cloth from Varanasi that\u2019s smoothed on both sides, white, with white color and white appearance. In the same way, not perceiving form internally, someone sees forms externally that are white, with white color and white appearance. Mastering them, they perceive: \u2018I know and see.\u2019 This is the eighth dimension of mastery. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the ten universal dimensions of meditation. Someone perceives the meditation on universal earth above, below, across, undivided and limitless. They perceive the meditation on universal water \u2026 the meditation on universal fire \u2026 the meditation on universal air \u2026 the meditation on universal blue \u2026 the meditation on universal yellow \u2026 the meditation on universal red \u2026 the meditation on universal white \u2026 the meditation on universal space \u2026 the meditation on universal consciousness above, below, across, undivided and limitless. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the four absorptions. It\u2019s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. They drench, steep, fill, and spread themselves with rapture and bliss born of seclusion. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread with rapture and bliss born of seclusion. It\u2019s like when a deft bathroom attendant or their apprentice pours bath powder into a bronze dish, sprinkling it little by little with water. They knead it until the ball of bath powder is soaked and saturated with moisture, spread through inside and out; yet no moisture oozes out. In the same way, a mendicant drenches, steeps, fills, and spreads themselves with rapture and bliss born of seclusion. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread with rapture and bliss born of seclusion. Furthermore, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, a mendicant enters and remains 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. They drench, steep, fill, and spread themselves with rapture and bliss born of immersion. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread with rapture and bliss born of immersion. It\u2019s like a deep lake fed by spring water. There\u2019s no inlet to the east, west, north, or south, and the heavens would not properly bestow showers from time to time. But the stream of cool water welling up in the lake drenches, steeps, fills, and spreads throughout the lake. There\u2019s no part of the lake that\u2019s not spread through with cool water. In the same way, a mendicant drenches, steeps, fills, and spreads themselves with rapture and bliss born of immersion. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread with rapture and bliss born of immersion. Furthermore, with the fading away of rapture, a mendicant enters and remains in the third absorption. 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 They drench, steep, fill, and spread themselves with bliss free of rapture. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread with bliss free of rapture. It\u2019s like a pool with blue water lilies, or pink or white lotuses. Some of them sprout and grow in the water without rising above it, thriving underwater. From the tip to the root they\u2019re drenched, steeped, filled, and soaked with cool water. There\u2019s no part of them that\u2019s not soaked with cool water. In the same way, a mendicant drenches, steeps, fills, and spreads themselves with bliss free of rapture. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread with bliss free of rapture. Furthermore, with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, a mendicant enters and remains in the fourth absorption. It is without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. They sit spreading their body through with pure bright mind. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread with pure bright mind. It\u2019s like someone sitting wrapped from head to foot with white cloth. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread over with white cloth. In the same way, they sit spreading their body through with pure bright mind. There\u2019s no part of the body that\u2019s not spread with pure bright mind. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to understand this: \u2018This body of mine is formed. It\u2019s made up of the four principal states, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction. And this consciousness of mine is attached to it, tied to it.\u2019 Suppose there was a beryl gem that was naturally lustrous, eight-faceted, well-worked, transparent and clear, endowed with all good qualities. And it was strung with a thread of blue, yellow, red, white, or golden brown. And a person with clear eyes were to take it in their hand and examine it: \u2018This beryl gem is naturally lustrous, eight-faceted, well-worked, transparent and clear, endowed with all good qualities. And it\u2019s strung with a thread of blue, yellow, red, white, or golden brown.\u2019 In the same way, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to understand this: \u2018This body of mine is formed. It\u2019s made up of the four principal states, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction. And this consciousness of mine is attached to it, tied to it.\u2019 And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to create from this body another body\u2014formed, mind-made, whole in its major and minor limbs, not deficient in any faculty. Suppose a person was to draw a reed out from its sheath. They\u2019d think: \u2018This is the reed, this is the sheath. The reed and the sheath are different things. The reed has been drawn out from the sheath.\u2019 Or suppose a person was to draw a sword out from its scabbard. They\u2019d think: \u2018This is the sword, this is the scabbard. The sword and the scabbard are different things. The sword has been drawn out from the scabbard.\u2019 Or suppose a person was to draw a snake out from its slough. They\u2019d think: \u2018This is the snake, this is the slough. The snake and the slough are different things. The snake has been drawn out from the slough.\u2019 In the same way, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to create from this body another body\u2014formed, mind-made, whole in its major and minor limbs, not deficient in any faculty. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. They control the body as far as the realm of divinity. Suppose a deft potter or their apprentice had some well-prepared clay. They could produce any kind of pot that they like. Or suppose a deft ivory-carver or their apprentice had some well-prepared ivory. They could produce any kind of ivory item that they like. Or suppose a deft goldsmith or their apprentice had some well-prepared gold. They could produce any kind of gold item that they like. In the same way, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to wield the many kinds of psychic power \u2026 And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use so that, with clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, they hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far. Suppose there was a powerful horn blower. They\u2019d easily make themselves heard in the four quarters. In the same way, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use so that, with clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, they hear both kinds of sounds, human and heavenly, whether near or far. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having encompassed them with their own mind. They understand mind with greed as \u2018mind with greed\u2019, and mind without greed as \u2018mind without greed\u2019; mind with hate as \u2018mind with hate\u2019, and mind without hate as \u2018mind without hate\u2019; mind with delusion as \u2018mind with delusion\u2019, and mind without delusion as \u2018mind without delusion\u2019; constricted mind as \u2018constricted mind\u2019, and scattered mind as \u2018scattered mind\u2019; expansive mind as \u2018expansive mind\u2019, and unexpansive mind as \u2018unexpansive mind\u2019; mind that is not supreme as \u2018mind that is not supreme\u2019, and mind that is supreme as \u2018mind that is supreme\u2019; mind immersed in sam\u0101dhi as \u2018mind immersed in sam\u0101dhi\u2019, and mind not immersed in sam\u0101dhi as \u2018mind not immersed in sam\u0101dhi\u2019; freed mind as \u2018freed mind\u2019, and unfreed mind as \u2018unfreed mind\u2019. Suppose there was a woman or man who was young, youthful, and fond of adornments, and they check their own reflection in a clean bright mirror or a clear bowl of water. If they had a spot they\u2019d know \u2018I have a spot\u2019, and if they had no spots they\u2019d know \u2018I have no spots\u2019. In the same way, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having encompassed them with their own mind \u2026 And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to recollect the 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. \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. Suppose a person was to leave their home village and go to another village. From that village they\u2019d go to yet another village. And from that village they\u2019d return to their home village. They\u2019d think: \u2018I went from my home village to another village. There I stood like this, sat like that, spoke like this, or kept silent like that. From that village I went to yet another village. There too I stood like this, sat like that, spoke like this, or kept silent like that. And from that village I returned to my home village.\u2019 In the same way, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to recollect the many kinds of past lives. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use so that, 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. Suppose there were two houses with doors. A person with clear eyes standing in between them would see humans entering and leaving a house and wandering to and fro. In the same way, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use so that, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn \u2026 And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. Suppose that in a mountain glen there was a lake that was transparent, clear, and unclouded. A person with clear eyes standing on the bank would see the clams and mussels, pebbles and gravel, and schools of fish swimming about or staying still. They\u2019d think: \u2018This lake is transparent, clear, and unclouded. And here are the clams and mussels, pebbles and gravel, and schools of fish swimming about or staying still.\u2019 In the same way, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight. This is the fifth quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me. These are the five qualities because of which my disciples honor, respect, revere, and venerate me; and honoring and respecting me, they remain loyal to me.\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the wanderer Sakulud\u0101y\u012b approved what the Buddha said.","title":"The Longer Discourse with Sakulud\u0101y\u012b","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":6207}