1.
The Chapter on Faculties
1.
The Discourse on the Faculties
151. "There are, monks, these four faculties. What are the four? The faith faculty, the energy faculty, the mindfulness faculty, the concentration faculty - these, monks, are the four faculties." The first.
2.
The Discourse on the Power of Faith
152. "There are, monks, these four powers. What are the four? The power of faith, the power of energy, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration - these, monks, are the four powers." The second.
3.
The Discourse on the Power of Wisdom
153. "There are, monks, these four powers. What are the four? The power of wisdom, the power of energy, the power of blamelessness, the power of inclusiveness - these, monks, are the four powers." The third.
4.
The Discourse on the Power of Mindfulness
154. "There are, monks, these four powers. What are the four? The power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, the power of blamelessness, the power of inclusiveness - these, monks, are the four powers." The fourth.
5.
The Discourse on the Power of Reflection
155. "There are, monks, these four powers. What are the four? The power of reflection, the power of meditative development, the power of blamelessness, the power of inclusiveness - these, monks, are the four powers." The fifth.
6.
The Discourse about Kappa
156. "There are, monks, these four incalculables of a cosmic cycle. What are the four? When, monks, a cosmic cycle contracts, it is not easy to reckon - so many years, or so many hundreds of years, or so many thousands of years, or so many hundreds of thousands of years.
When, monks, a cosmic cycle remains contracted, it is not easy to reckon - so many years, or so many hundreds of years, or so many thousands of years, or so many hundreds of thousands of years.
When, monks, a cosmic cycle expands, it is not easy to reckon - so many years, or so many hundreds of years, or so many thousands of years, or so many hundreds of thousands of years.
When, monks, a cosmic cycle remains expanded, it is not easy to reckon - so many years, or so many hundreds of years, or so many thousands of years, or so many hundreds of thousands of years. These, monks, are the four incalculables of a cosmic cycle." The sixth.
7.
The Discourse on Disease
157. "There are these two illnesses, monks. Which two? Bodily illness and mental illness. Beings are seen, monks, who claim health from bodily illness for even one year, who claim health for two years, who claim health for three years, who claim health for four years, who claim health for five years, who claim health for ten years, who claim health for twenty years, who claim health for thirty years, who claim health for forty years, who claim health for fifty years, who claim health for a hundred years, and even longer. Those beings, monks, are very rare in the world who claim health from mental illness even for a moment, except for those who have eliminated the mental corruptions.
"There are these four illnesses of one gone forth, monks. Which four? Here, monks, a monk is greedy, with vexation, discontented with whatsoever requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. He, being greedy, with vexation, discontented with whatsoever requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick, directs an evil wish for the attainment of non-contempt, for the attainment of material gain, honour and fame. He stands up, strives, and endeavours for the attainment of non-contempt, for the attainment of material gain, honour and fame. He approaches families with reckoning, he sits down with reckoning, he speaks the Teaching with reckoning, he holds back excrement and urine with reckoning. These, monks, are the four illnesses of one gone forth.
"Therefore, monks, you should train thus - 'We will not be greedy, with vexation, discontented with whatsoever requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick; we will not direct an evil wish for the attainment of non-contempt, for the attainment of material gain, honour and fame; we will not stand up, we will not strive, we will not endeavour for the attainment of non-contempt, for the attainment of material gain, honour and fame; we will be patient with cold and heat, with hunger and thirst, with the contact of gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping creatures, with ill-spoken and ill-expressed ways of speech; we will be ones who by nature endure arisen bodily feelings that are painful, sharp, rough, severe, disagreeable, unpleasant, and life-threatening.' Thus indeed, monks, should you train." The seventh.
8.
The Discourse on Decline
158. There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks: "Friends, monks!" "Friend," those monks assented to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this -
"Whoever indeed, friends, whether monk or nun, regards four qualities within oneself, the conclusion should be reached here - 'I am declining from wholesome mental states.' This is decline, declared by the Blessed One. Which four? Expansion of lust, expansion of hate, expansion of delusion, and his eye of wisdom does not penetrate the profound matters of the possible and impossible. Whoever indeed, friends, whether monk or nun, regards these four qualities within oneself, the conclusion should be reached here - 'I am declining from wholesome mental states.' This is decline, declared by the Blessed One.
"Whoever indeed, friends, whether monk or nun, regards four qualities within oneself, the conclusion should be reached here - 'I am not declining from wholesome mental states.' This is non-decline, declared by the Blessed One. Which four? Diminution of lust, diminution of hate, diminution of delusion, and his eye of wisdom penetrates the profound matters of the possible and impossible. Whoever indeed, friends, whether monk or nun, regards these four qualities within oneself, the conclusion should be reached here - 'I am not declining from wholesome mental states.' This is non-decline, declared by the Blessed One." The eighth.
9.
The Discourse on the Nun
159. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park. Then a certain nun addressed a certain man - "Come, my good man, go to where the noble Ānanda is; having approached, in my name pay respect with your head at the noble Ānanda's feet - 'The nun of such and such a name, venerable sir, is sick, afflicted, severely ill. She pays respect with her head at the noble Ānanda's feet.' And say this: 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the noble Ānanda would approach the nuns' quarters where that nun is, out of compassion.'" "Yes, lady," that man replied to that nun and approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he paid respect to the Venerable Ānanda and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, that man said this to the Venerable Ānanda -
"The nun of such and such a name, venerable sir, is sick, afflicted, severely ill. She pays respect with her head at the Venerable Ānanda's feet, and says thus - 'It would be good, venerable sir, if the Venerable Ānanda would approach the nuns' quarters where that nun is, out of compassion.'" The Venerable Ānanda consented by silence.
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having dressed, taking his bowl and robe, approached the nuns' quarters where that nun was. That nun saw the Venerable Ānanda coming from afar. Having seen him, she covered herself up to the head and lay down on the small bed. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached that nun; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Venerable Ānanda said this to that nun -
"This body, sister, has arisen from nutriment, in dependence on nutriment. Nutriment is to be abandoned. This body, sister, has arisen from craving, in dependence on craving. Craving is to be abandoned. This body, sister, has arisen from conceit, in dependence on conceit. Conceit is to be abandoned. This body, sister, has arisen from sexual intercourse. And the destruction of the bridge to sexual intercourse has been spoken of by the Blessed One.
"This body, sister, has arisen from nutriment, in dependence on nutriment. Nutriment is to be abandoned" - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, sister, a monk, having reflected wisely, takes food - "Not for amusement, not for intoxication, not for adornment, not for beautification, only for the presence and sustenance of this body, for the cessation of harm, for the support of the holy life. Thus: I shall ward off the old feeling and shall not give rise to a new feeling. And there will be for me progress, blamelessness, and comfortable dwelling." He, at a later time, in dependence on nutriment, abandons nutriment. "This body, sister, has arisen from nutriment, in dependence on nutriment. Nutriment is to be abandoned" - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"This body, sister, has arisen from craving, in dependence on craving. Craving is to be abandoned" - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, sister, a monk 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 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!' He, at a later time, in dependence on craving, abandons craving. "This body, sister, has arisen from craving, in dependence on craving. Craving is to be abandoned" - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"This body, sister, has arisen from conceit, in dependence on conceit. Conceit is to be abandoned" - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, sister, a monk 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 thinks thus: "That venerable one indeed, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, will dwell in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions; why then not I!" He, at a later time, in dependence on conceit, abandons conceit. "This body, sister, has arisen from conceit, in dependence on conceit. Conceit is to be abandoned" - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"This body, sister, is arisen from sexual intercourse. And destruction of the bridge to sexual intercourse has been spoken of by the Blessed One."
Then that nun, having risen from the bed, having arranged her upper robe on one shoulder, having fallen at the Venerable Ānanda's feet with her head, said this to the Venerable Ānanda - "A transgression overcame me, venerable sir, as one who was foolish, as one who was confused, as one who was unwholesome, in that I acted thus. May the noble Ānanda accept my transgression as a transgression for the sake of restraint in the future." "Truly, sister, a transgression overcame you as one who was foolish, as one who was confused, as one who was unwholesome, in that you acted thus. But since you, sister, having seen the transgression as a transgression, make amends according to the Teaching, we accept it from you. For this is growth, sister, in the Noble One's discipline: whoever, having seen a transgression as a transgression, makes amends according to the Teaching, and commits to restraint in the future." The ninth.
10.
The Discourse on the Fortunate One's Discipline
160. "Whether the Fortunate One is staying in the world or the discipline of the Fortunate One, that would be for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.
"And what, monks, is the Fortunate One? Here, monks, a Truth-finder arises in the world, a Worthy One, a One Enlightened by himself, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. This, monks, is the Fortunate One.
"And what, monks, is the discipline of the Fortunate One? He teaches the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; he reveals the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. This, monks, is the discipline of the Fortunate One. Thus whether the Fortunate One is staying in the world or the discipline of the Fortunate One, that would be for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans."
"There are these four things, monks, that lead to the decay and disappearance of the Good Teaching. Which four? Here, monks, monks learn a discourse that has been misapprehended, with wrongly placed phrasing. For wrongly placed phrasing, monks, the meaning too is wrongly inferred. This, monks, is the first thing that leads to the decay and disappearance of the Good Teaching.
"Furthermore, monks, monks are difficult to admonish, endowed with qualities that make them difficult to admonish, impatient, not receiving instruction respectfully. This, monks, is the second thing that leads to the decay and disappearance of the Good Teaching.
"Furthermore, monks, those monks who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices, they do not carefully teach the discourse to others. With their passing away, the discourse becomes cut off at the root, without refuge. This, monks, is the third thing that leads to the decay and disappearance of the Good Teaching.
"Furthermore, monks, the elder monks are luxurious, lax, forerunners in falling away, having laid down the responsibility for solitude, they do not arouse energy for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised. Their later generation follows the example of what they have seen. They too are luxurious, lax, forerunners in falling away, having laid down the responsibility for solitude, they do not arouse energy for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised. This, monks, is the fourth thing that leads to the decay and disappearance of the Good Teaching. These, monks, are the four things that lead to the decay and disappearance of the Good Teaching."
"There are these four things, monks, that lead to the presence, non-decay, and non-disappearance of the Good Teaching. Which four? Here, monks, monks learn a discourse that has been rightly taken, with rightly placed phrasing. For rightly placed phrasing, monks, the meaning too is rightly inferred. This, monks, is the first thing that leads to the presence, non-decay, and non-disappearance of the Good Teaching.
"Furthermore, monks, monks are easy to admonish, endowed with qualities that make for being easy to admonish, patient, receiving instruction respectfully. This, monks, is the second thing that leads to the presence, non-decay, and non-disappearance of the Good Teaching.
"Furthermore, monks, those monks who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices, they carefully teach the discourses to others. Upon their passing, the discourse is not cut off at the root, it has a refuge. This, monks, is the third factor that leads to the presence, non-decay, and non-disappearance of the Good Teaching.
"Furthermore, monks, the elder monks are not luxurious, not lax, having laid down the responsibility for falling away, forerunners in solitude, they arouse energy for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised. Their later generation follows the example of what they have seen. They too are not luxurious, not lax, having laid down the responsibility for falling away, forerunners in solitude, they arouse energy for the attainment of the unattained, for the achievement of the unachieved, for the realisation of the unrealised. This, monks, is the fourth factor that leads to the presence, non-decay, and non-disappearance of the Good Teaching. These, monks, are the four factors that lead to the presence, non-decay, and non-disappearance of the Good Teaching." The tenth.
The Faculty Chapter is the first.
Its summary:
Cosmic cycle, illness, decline, nun, and with the Fortunate One.