3.
The Discourse on Expectation
13. "Monks, there are these three persons existing and found in the world. Which three? The desireless, the hopeful, and the one free from desire. And what, monks, is the desireless person? Here, monks, a certain person is reborn in a low family, in an outcast family or a basket-maker's family or a hunter's family or a chariot-maker's family or a refuse-scavenger's family, poor, with little food and drink, with a difficult livelihood, where food and clothing are obtained with difficulty. And he is ugly, unsightly, dwarfish, sickly, blind or crippled or lame or paralysed, not an obtainer of food, drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, perfumes and ointments, bedding, lodging and lighting. He hears - 'The noble of such and such a name, it is said, has been consecrated by the nobles with the noble consecration.' He does not think thus - 'When indeed will the nobles consecrate me too with the noble consecration!' This is called, monks, the desireless person.
"And what, monks, is the hopeful person? Here, monks, the eldest son of a king of the warrior caste, anointed on the head, is fit for consecration, unconsecrated, having attained stability. He hears - 'The noble of such and such a name, it is said, has been consecrated by the nobles with the noble consecration.' He thinks thus: 'When indeed will the nobles consecrate me too with the noble consecration!' This is called, monks, the hopeful person.
"And what, monks, is the person free from desire? Here, monks, there is a king of the warrior caste, anointed on the head. He hears - 'The noble of such and such a name, it is said, has been consecrated by the nobles with the noble consecration.' He does not think thus - 'When indeed will the nobles consecrate me too with the noble consecration!' What is the reason for this? Whatever desire for consecration he had formerly when unconsecrated, that has been calmed. This is called, monks, the person free from desire. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found in the world.
"Just so, monks, there are three persons existing and found among monks. Which three? The desireless, the hopeful, and the one free from desire. And what, monks, is the desireless person? Here, monks, a certain person is immoral, of bad character, impure, of suspicious conduct, of concealed actions, not a recluse though claiming to be a recluse, not a practitioner of the holy life though claiming to be a practitioner of the holy life, rotten inside, filled with desire, rubbish-born. He hears - 'The monk of such and such a name, it is said, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.' He does not think thus - 'When indeed will I too, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge myself, having attained, dwell in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions!' This is called, monks, the desireless person.
"And what, monks, is the hopeful person? Here, monks, a monk is moral, of good character. He hears: 'With the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, one dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.' He thinks thus: 'When indeed will I too, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge myself, having attained, dwell in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions!' This is called, monks, the hopeful person.
"And what, monks, is the person free from desire? Here, monks, a monk is a Worthy One, one who has eliminated the mental corruptions. He hears - 'The monk of such and such a name, it is said, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.' He does not think thus - 'When indeed will I too, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, etc. having realised, having attained, dwell!' What is the reason for this? Because, monks, whatever hope for liberation he formerly had when unliberated, that has been calmed. This is called, monks, the person free from desire. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found among monks." The third.