6.
The Greater Discourse on Undertaking Practices
473. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks - "Monks." "Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this - "Mostly, monks, beings have such wishes, such desires, such intentions - 'Oh indeed, may undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things decline, may desirable, pleasant, agreeable things increase!' For those beings, monks, having such wishes, having such desires, having such intentions, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things increase, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things decline. Therein, monks, what reason do you understand for this?" "The teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir, have the Blessed One as their guide, have the Blessed One as their refuge. It would be good indeed, venerable sir, if the meaning of this statement would occur to the Blessed One himself; having heard from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it." "If so, monks, listen, pay close attention, I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
474. "Here, monks, an ignorant worldling, who does not see the noble ones, who is not skilled in the noble teaching, who is undisciplined in the noble teaching, who does not see good persons, who is not skilled in the teaching of good persons, who is undisciplined in the teaching of good persons, does not know things that should be associated with, does not know things that should not be associated with, does not know things that should be kept company with, does not know things that should not be kept company with. He, not knowing things that should be associated with, not knowing things that should not be associated with, not knowing things that should be kept company with, not knowing things that should not be kept company with, associates with things that should not be associated with, does not associate with things that should be associated with, keeps company with things that should not be kept company with, does not keep company with things that should be kept company with. For him, associating with things that should not be associated with, not associating with things that should be associated with, keeping company with things that should not be kept company with, not keeping company with things that should be kept company with, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things increase, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things decline. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a fool.
"But, monks, a learned noble disciple, who sees the noble ones, who is skilled in the noble teaching, who is well disciplined in the noble teaching, who sees good persons, who is skilled in the teaching of good persons, who is well disciplined in the teaching of good persons, knows things that should be associated with, knows things that should not be associated with, knows things that should be kept company with, knows things that should not be kept company with. He, knowing things that should be associated with, knowing things that should not be associated with, knowing things that should be kept company with, knowing things that should not be kept company with, does not associate with things that should not be associated with, associates with things that should be associated with, does not keep company with things that should not be kept company with, keeps company with things that should be kept company with. For him, not associating with things that should not be associated with, associating with things that should be associated with, not keeping company with things that should not be kept company with, keeping company with things that should be kept company with, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things decline, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things increase. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a wise man.
475. "Monks, there are these four undertakings of practice. What are the four? There is, monks, an undertaking of practice that is painful in the present and has painful results in the future. There is, monks, an undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present but has painful results in the future. There is, monks, an undertaking of practice that is painful in the present but has pleasant results in the future. There is, monks, an undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future.
476. "There, monks, this undertaking of practice that is painful in the present and has painful results in the future, that one not knowing, gone to ignorance, does not understand as it really is - 'This undertaking of practice is painful in the present and has painful results in the future.' That one not knowing, gone to ignorance, not understanding as it really is, practises it, does not avoid it. For him practising it, not avoiding it, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things increase, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things decline. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a fool.
"There, monks, this undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present but has painful results in the future, that one not knowing, gone to ignorance, does not understand as it really is - 'This undertaking of practice is pleasant in the present but has painful results in the future.' That one not knowing, gone to ignorance, not understanding as it really is, practises it, does not avoid it. For him practising it, not avoiding it, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things increase, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things decline. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a fool.
"There, monks, this undertaking of practice that is painful in the present but has pleasant results in the future, that one not knowing, gone to ignorance, does not understand as it really is - 'This undertaking of practice is painful in the present but has pleasant results in the future.' That one not knowing, gone to ignorance, not understanding as it really is, does not practise it, avoids it. For him not practising it, avoiding it, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things increase, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things decline. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a fool.
"There, monks, this undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future, that one not knowing, gone to ignorance, does not understand as it really is - 'This undertaking of practice is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future.' That one not knowing, gone to ignorance, not understanding as it really is, does not practise it, avoids it. For him not practising it, avoiding it, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things increase, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things decline. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a fool.
477. "There, monks, this undertaking of practice that is painful in the present and has painful results in the future, that one knowing, gone to true knowledge, understands as it really is - 'This undertaking of practice is painful in the present and has painful results in the future.' That one knowing, gone to true knowledge, understanding as it really is, does not practise it, avoids it. For him not practising it, avoiding it, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things decline, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things increase. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a wise man.
"There, monks, this undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present but has painful results in the future, that one knowing, gone to true knowledge, understands as it really is - 'This undertaking of practice is pleasant in the present but has painful results in the future.' That one knowing, gone to true knowledge, understanding as it really is, does not practise it, avoids it. For him not practising it, avoiding it, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things decline, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things increase. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a wise man.
"There, monks, this undertaking of practice that is painful in the present but has pleasant results in the future, that one knowing, gone to true knowledge, understands as it really is - 'This undertaking of practice is painful in the present but has pleasant results in the future.' That one knowing, gone to true knowledge, understanding as it really is, practises it, does not avoid it. For him practising it, not avoiding it, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things decline, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things increase. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a wise man.
"There, monks, this undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future, that one knowing, gone to true knowledge, understands as it really is - 'This undertaking of practice is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future.' That one knowing, gone to true knowledge, understanding as it really is, practises it, does not avoid it. For him practising it, not avoiding it, undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable things decline, desirable, pleasant, agreeable things increase. What is the reason for this? For this is so, monks, as is natural for a wise man.
478. "And what, monks, is the undertaking of practice that is painful in the present and has painful results in the future? Here, monks, a certain one, together with suffering, together with displeasure, is a killer of living beings, and on account of killing living beings he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he is a taker of what is not given, and on account of taking what is not given he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he engages in sexual misconduct, and on account of sexual misconduct he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he is a liar, and on account of lying he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he is a speaker of divisive speech, and on account of divisive speech he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he is a speaker of harsh speech, and on account of harsh speech he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he is a speaker of idle chatter, and on account of idle chatter he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he is covetous, and on account of covetousness he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he has a mind of ill-will, and on account of anger he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he holds wrong view, and on account of wrong view he experiences suffering and displeasure. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. This is called, monks, the undertaking of practice that is painful in the present and has painful results in the future.
479. "And what, monks, is the undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present but has painful results in the future? Here, monks, a certain one, together with happiness, together with pleasure, is a killer of living beings, and on account of killing living beings he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he is a taker of what is not given, and on account of taking what is not given he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he engages in sexual misconduct, and on account of sexual misconduct he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he is a liar, and on account of lying he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he is a speaker of divisive speech, and on account of divisive speech he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he is a speaker of harsh speech, and on account of harsh speech he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he is a speaker of idle chatter, and on account of idle chatter he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he is covetous, and on account of covetousness he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he has a mind of ill-will, and on account of anger he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he holds wrong view, and on account of wrong view he experiences happiness and pleasure. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. This is called, monks, the undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present but has painful results in the future.
480. "And what, monks, is the undertaking of practice that is painful in the present but has pleasant results in the future? Here, monks, a certain one, together with suffering, together with displeasure, abstains from killing living beings, and on account of abstention from killing living beings he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he abstains from taking what is not given, and on account of abstention from taking what is not given he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he abstains from sexual misconduct, and on account of abstention from sexual misconduct he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he abstains from lying, and on account of abstention from lying he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he abstains from divisive speech, and on account of abstention from divisive speech he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he abstains from harsh speech, and on account of abstention from harsh speech he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he abstains from idle chatter, and on account of abstention from idle chatter he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he is non-covetous, and on account of non-covetousness he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he has a mind without ill-will, and on account of non-anger he experiences suffering and displeasure; together with suffering, together with displeasure, he holds right view, and on account of right view he experiences suffering and displeasure. Upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. This is called, monks, the undertaking of practice that is painful in the present but has pleasant results in the future.
481. "And what, monks, is the undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future? Here, monks, a certain one, together with happiness, together with pleasure, abstains from killing living beings, and on account of abstention from killing living beings he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he abstains from taking what is not given, and on account of abstention from taking what is not given he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he abstains from sexual misconduct, and on account of abstention from sexual misconduct he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he abstains from lying, and on account of abstention from lying he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he abstains from divisive speech, and on account of abstention from divisive speech he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he abstains from harsh speech, and on account of abstention from harsh speech he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he abstains from idle chatter, and on account of abstention from idle chatter he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he is non-covetous, and on account of non-covetousness he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he has a mind without ill-will, and on account of non-anger he experiences happiness and pleasure; together with happiness, together with pleasure, he holds right view, and on account of right view he experiences happiness and pleasure. Upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. This is called, monks, the undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future. These, monks, are the four undertakings of practice.
482. "Just as, monks, a bitter gourd conjoined with poison. Then a man might come along, wishing to live, not wishing to die, wishing for happiness, averse to suffering. They might say to him thus - 'Hey man, this bitter gourd is conjoined with poison; if you wish, drink it. As you drink it, it will not be agreeable to you in colour, in odour, or in flavour; and having drunk it, you will undergo death or suffering like death.' He, without reflecting, might drink it, might not give it up. As he drank it, it would not be agreeable to him in colour, in odour, or in flavour; and having drunk it, he might undergo death or suffering like death. I say this undertaking of practice is similar to that, monks, this undertaking of practice that is painful in the present and has painful results in the future.
483. "Just as, monks, a drinking bowl endowed with colour, endowed with odour, endowed with flavour. And it is conjoined with poison. Then a man might come along, wishing to live, not wishing to die, wishing for happiness, averse to suffering. They might say to him thus - 'Hey man, this drinking bowl is endowed with colour, endowed with odour, endowed with flavour. And it is conjoined with poison; if you wish, drink it. As you drink it, it will be agreeable to you in colour, in odour, and in flavour; and having drunk it, you will undergo death or suffering like death.' He, without reflecting, might drink it, might not give it up. As he drank it, it would be agreeable to him in colour, in odour, and in flavour; and having drunk it, he might undergo death or suffering like death. I say this undertaking of practice is similar to that, monks, this undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present but has painful results in the future.
484. "Just as, monks, cattle-urine conjoined with various medicines. Then a man might come along suffering from jaundice. They might say to him thus - 'Hey man, this cattle-urine is conjoined with various medicines; if you wish, drink it. As you drink it, it will not be agreeable to you in colour, in odour, or in flavour; but having drunk it, you will be happy.' He, having reflected, might drink it, might not give it up. As he drank it, it would not be agreeable to him in colour, in odour, or in flavour; but having drunk it, he would be happy. I say this undertaking of practice is similar to that, monks, this undertaking of practice that is painful in the present but has pleasant results in the future.
485. "Just as, monks, curds and honey and ghee and molasses conjoined together. Then a man might come along suffering from bloody diarrhoea. They might say to him thus - 'Hey man, this curds and honey and ghee and molasses conjoined together, if you wish, drink it. As you drink it, it will be agreeable to you in colour, in odour, and in flavour; and having drunk it, you will be happy.' He, having reflected, might drink it, might not give it up. As he drank it, it would be agreeable to him in colour, in odour, and in flavour; and having drunk it, he would be happy. I say this undertaking of practice is similar to that, monks, this undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future.
486. "Just as, monks, in the last month of the rains, in the autumn season, when the sky is clear and free from clouds, the sun ascending into the sky, having dispelled all the darkness in space, shines and burns and is brilliant; just so, monks, this undertaking of practice that is pleasant in the present and has pleasant results in the future, having dispelled the other doctrines of the various ascetics and brahmins, shines and burns and is brilliant."
This is what the Blessed One said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on the Greater Undertaking of Teachings is concluded as sixth.