5.
The Chapter on Perils of Offenses
1.
The Discourse on the Schismatic
243. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. To the Venerable Ānanda seated to one side, the Blessed One said this - "Has that legal case been settled, Ānanda?" "How could that legal case be settled, venerable sir! The Venerable Anuruddha's co-resident pupil named Bāhiya is standing almost entirely for schism in the Community. Therein the Venerable Anuruddha does not think even a single announcement should be spoken."
"But when, Ānanda, does Anuruddha engage in legal cases in the midst of the Community! Is it not, Ānanda, that whatever legal cases arise, all of them you yourselves settle, and Sāriputta and Moggallāna too.
"Seeing these four reasons, Ānanda, an evil monk rejoices in schism in the Community. Which four? Here, Ānanda, an evil monk 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 thinks thus: 'If the monks were to know me - 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 - being united they would remove me; but being divided they would not remove me.' This, Ānanda, is the first reason seeing which an evil monk rejoices in schism in the Community.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, an evil monk holds wrong views and is possessed of an extreme view. He thinks thus: 'If the monks were to know me - holding wrong views, possessed of an extreme view - being united they would remove me; but being divided they would not remove me.' This, Ānanda, is the second reason seeing which an evil monk rejoices in schism in the Community.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, an evil monk has wrong livelihood, earns his living by wrong livelihood. He thinks thus: 'If the monks were to know me - having wrong livelihood, earning his living by wrong livelihood - being united they would remove me; but being divided they would not remove me.' This, Ānanda, is the third reason seeing which an evil monk rejoices in schism in the Community.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, an evil monk is desirous of material gain, desirous of honour, desirous of not being despised. He thinks thus: 'If the monks were to know me - desirous of material gain, desirous of honour, desirous of not being despised, being in unity they will not honour me, they will not respect me, they will not revere me, they will not venerate me; but being divided they will honour me, they will respect me, they will revere me, they will venerate me.' This, Ānanda, is the fourth reason seeing which an evil monk rejoices in schism in the Community. These indeed, Ānanda, are the four reasons seeing which an evil monk rejoices in schism in the Community." The first.
2.
The Discourse on the Peril of Offences
244. "There are, monks, these four fears of offence. What are the four? Just as, monks, having seized a thief, a criminal, they might show him to the king - 'This, Sire, is a thief, a criminal. Let the Sire decree punishment for him.' The king might speak to him thus - 'Go, sirs, having bound this man with his hands tied behind his back with a strong rope, tightly bound, having shaved his head, having led him from road to road, from crossroads to crossroads with a harsh-sounding drum, having departed by the southern gate, to the south of the city, cut off his head.' The king's men, having bound that man with his hands tied behind his back with a strong rope, tightly bound, having shaved his head, having led him from road to road, from crossroads to crossroads with a harsh-sounding drum, having departed by the southern gate, to the south of the city, might cut off his head. There, it might occur to a certain man standing nearby - 'Evil indeed, friend, this man did a deed, blameworthy, resulting in decapitation. Inasmuch as the king's men, having bound him with his hands tied behind his back with a strong rope, tightly bound, having shaved his head, having led him from road to road, from crossroads to crossroads with a harsh-sounding drum, having departed by the southern gate, to the south of the city, will cut off his head! Surely I should not do such an evil deed, blameworthy, resulting in decapitation.' Just so, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, such a sharp perception of fear is present regarding offences involving expulsion. This is to be expected for it - either not having committed an offence involving expulsion, he will not commit one, or having committed an offence involving expulsion, he will make amends according to the Teaching.
Just as, monks, a man, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having placed a pestle on his shoulder, having approached a great multitude of people, might say thus - 'I, venerable sirs, did an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the pestle; I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' There, it might occur to a certain man standing nearby - 'Evil indeed, friend, this man did a deed, blameworthy, deserving the pestle. Inasmuch as, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having placed a pestle on his shoulder, having approached a great multitude of people, he will say thus - 'I, venerable sirs, did an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the pestle; I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' Surely I should not do such an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the pestle.' Just so, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, such a sharp perception of fear is present regarding offences entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community, this is to be expected for that one - either not having committed an offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community, he will not commit one, or having committed an offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community, he will make amends according to the Teaching.
Just as, monks, a man, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having placed a container of ashes on his shoulder, having approached a great multitude of people, might say thus - 'I, venerable sirs, did an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the ashes. I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' There, it might occur to a certain man standing nearby - 'Evil indeed, friend, this man did a deed, blameworthy, deserving the ashes. Inasmuch as, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having placed a container of ashes on his shoulder, having approached a great multitude of people, he will say thus - 'I, venerable sirs, did an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the ashes; I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' Surely I should not do such an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the ashes.' Just so, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, such a sharp perception of fear is present regarding offences requiring expiation, this is to be expected for that one - either not having committed an offence requiring expiation, he will not commit one, or having committed an offence requiring expiation, he will make amends according to the Teaching.
"Just as, monks, a man, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having approached a great multitude of people, would say thus - 'I, venerable sir, have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure. I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' There, it might occur to a certain man standing nearby - 'Evil indeed, friend, this man has done a deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure. Inasmuch as, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having approached a great multitude of people, he will say thus - I, venerable sir, have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure; I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' Surely I should not do such an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure.' Just so, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, such a sharp perception of fear is established regarding rules requiring acknowledgement, for that one this is to be expected - either not having committed a rule requiring acknowledgement, he will not commit it, or having committed a rule requiring acknowledgement, he will make amends according to the Teaching. These, monks, are the four fears of offence." The second.
3.
The Discourse on the Benefits of Training
245. "This holy life, monks, is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its higher goal, with liberation as its core, with mindfulness as its authority. And how, monks, does it have training as its benefit? Here, monks, training in the fundamentals of conduct has been laid down by me for disciples, for the confidence of those without confidence, for the increase of those with confidence. In whatever way, monks, training in the fundamentals of conduct has been laid down by me for disciples, for the confidence of those without confidence, for the increase of those with confidence, in that way he is one who does not make breaks in that training, one who does not make holes, one who does not make blemishes, one who does not make stains, having accepted the training rules he trains in them.
"Furthermore, monks, training fundamental to the holy life has been laid down by me for disciples for the complete destruction of suffering in every respect. In whatever way, monks, training fundamental to the holy life has been laid down by me for disciples for the complete destruction of suffering in every respect, in that way he is one who does not make breaks in that training, one who does not make holes, one who does not make blemishes, one who does not make stains, having accepted the training rules he trains in them. Thus, monks, it has training as its benefit.
"And how, monks, does it have wisdom as its higher goal? Here, monks, teachings have been taught by me for disciples for the complete destruction of suffering in every respect. In whatever way, monks, teachings have been taught by me for disciples for the complete destruction of suffering in every respect, in that way those teachings are examined by him with wisdom. Thus, monks, it has wisdom as its higher goal.
"And how, monks, does it have liberation as its core? Here, monks, teachings have been taught by me for disciples for the complete destruction of suffering in every respect. In whatever way, monks, teachings have been taught by me for disciples for the complete destruction of suffering in every respect, in that way those teachings are touched by him through liberation. Thus, monks, it has liberation as its core.
"And how, monks, does it have mindfulness as its authority? 'Thus I shall fulfil the incomplete training in the fundamentals of conduct, or I shall support with wisdom here and there the complete training in the fundamentals of conduct' - mindfulness is well established internally. 'Thus I shall fulfil the incomplete training fundamental to the holy life, or I shall support with wisdom here and there the complete training fundamental to the holy life' - mindfulness is well established internally. 'Thus I shall examine with wisdom the teaching not yet examined, or I shall support with wisdom here and there the teaching already examined' - mindfulness is well established internally. 'Thus I shall touch through liberation the teaching not yet touched, or I shall support with wisdom here and there the teaching already touched' - mindfulness is well established internally. Thus, monks, it has mindfulness as its authority. 'This holy life, monks, is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its higher goal, with liberation as its core, with mindfulness as its authority' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that." The third.
4.
The Discourse on Sleeping Places
246. "There are, monks, these four sleeping places. What are the four? The ghost's sleeping place, the enjoyer of sensual pleasures' sleeping place, the lion's sleeping place, the Truth-finder's sleeping place. And what, monks, is the ghost's sleeping place? Mostly, monks, ghosts sleep lying on their backs; this is called, monks, the ghost's sleeping place.
"And what, monks, is the enjoyer of sensual pleasures' sleeping place? Mostly, monks, enjoyers of sensual pleasures sleep on their left side; this is called, monks, the enjoyer of sensual pleasures' sleeping place.
"And what, monks, is the lion's sleeping place? Monks, a lion, the king of beasts, prepares his sleeping place on his right side, overlapping foot upon foot, having inserted his tail between his thighs. He, having awakened, having raised the front part of his body, surveys the hind part of his body. If, monks, the lion, the king of beasts, sees anything of his body distracted or spread out, on account of that, monks, the lion, the king of beasts, is displeased. But if, monks, the lion, the king of beasts, does not see anything of his body distracted or spread out, on account of that, monks, the lion, the king of beasts, is pleased. This is called, monks, the lion's sleeping place.
"And what, monks, is the Truth-finder's sleeping place? Here, monks, the Truth-finder, quite secluded from sensual pleasures... etc. he enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. This is called, monks, the Truth-finder's sleeping place. These, monks, are the four sleeping places." The fourth.
5.
The Discourse on Those Worthy of a Stupa
247. "Monks, there are these four who are worthy of a monument. Which four? A Truth-finder, a Worthy One, a One Enlightened by himself is worthy of a monument; an Individually Enlightened One is worthy of a monument; a disciple of the Truth-finder is worthy of a monument; a wheel-turning monarch is worthy of a monument - these, monks, are the four who are worthy of a monument." The fifth.
6.
The Discourse on the Growth of Wisdom
248. "Monks, these four things lead to the increase of wisdom. Which four? Associating with good persons, hearing the Good Teaching, wise attention, practice in accordance with the Teaching - these, monks, are the four things that lead to the increase of wisdom." The sixth.
7.
The Discourse on Being Very Helpful
249. "Monks, these four things are of great service to one who has become a human being. Which four? Associating with good persons, hearing the Good Teaching, wise attention, practice in accordance with the Teaching - these, monks, are the four things of great service to one who has become a human being." The seventh.
8.
The First Discourse on Conventional Expression
250. "Monks, there are these four ignoble statements. Which four? Claiming to have seen what has not been seen, claiming to have heard what has not been heard, claiming to have sensed what has not been sensed, claiming to have cognised what has not been cognised - these, monks, are the four ignoble statements." The eighth.
9.
The Second Discourse on Conventional Expression
251. "Monks, there are these four noble statements. Which four? Claiming not to have seen what has not been seen, claiming not to have heard what has not been heard, claiming not to have sensed what has not been sensed, claiming not to have cognised what has not been cognised - these, monks, are the four noble statements." The ninth.
10.
The Third Discourse on Conventional Expression
252. "Monks, there are these four ignoble statements. Which four? Claiming not to have seen what has been seen, claiming not to have heard what has been heard, claiming not to have sensed what has been sensed, claiming not to have cognised what has been cognised - these, monks, are the four ignoble statements." The tenth.
11.
The Fourth Discourse on Conventional Expression
253. "Monks, there are these four noble statements. Which four? Claiming to have seen what has been seen, claiming to have heard what has been heard, claiming to have sensed what has been sensed, claiming to have cognised what has been cognised - these, monks, are the four noble statements." The eleventh.
The Fear of Offences Chapter is the fifth.
Its summary:
Growth of wisdom, of great service, four statements are contained.
The Fifth Fifty is complete.