4.
The Discourse to Potaliya
31. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Aṅguttarāpans, where there was a market town of the Aṅguttarāpans named Āpaṇa. Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Āpaṇa for almsfood. Having walked for almsfood in Āpaṇa, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, he approached a certain jungle thicket for the day residence. Having plunged into that jungle thicket, he sat down for the day residence at the foot of a certain tree. Now the householder Potaliya, fully dressed with inner and outer robes, with umbrella and sandals, walking up and down for leg exercise, wandering about, approached that jungle thicket; having approached, having plunged into that jungle thicket, he approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he stood to one side. To the householder Potaliya standing to one side, the Blessed One said this - "There are indeed, householder, seats; if you wish, sit down." When this was said, the householder Potaliya, thinking "The ascetic Gotama addresses me with the term 'householder'," angry and displeased, remained silent. For the second time the Blessed One... etc. For the third time the Blessed One said this to the householder Potaliya - "There are indeed, householder, seats; if you wish, sit down." When this was said, the householder Potaliya, thinking "The ascetic Gotama addresses me with the term 'householder'," angry and displeased, said this to the Blessed One - "This, Master Gotama, is not proper, this is not fitting, that you address me with the term 'householder'." "But you have, householder, the characteristics, the marks, the signs as those of a householder." "Because, Master Gotama, all my business activities have been rejected, all my dealings have been cut off." "But in what way, householder, have all your business activities been rejected, all your dealings been cut off?" "Here, Master Gotama, whatever wealth or grain or silver or gold I had, all that has been handed over as inheritance to my sons; there I dwell without advising, without criticising, with food and clothing as my highest concern. Thus, Master Gotama, all my business activities have been rejected, all my dealings have been cut off." "You speak of the cutting off of dealings in one way, householder, but in the Noble One's discipline the cutting off of dealings is another way." "But in what way, venerable sir, is there the cutting off of dealings in the Noble One's discipline? It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Teaching in such a way that there is the cutting off of dealings in the Noble One's discipline." "If so, householder, listen, pay close attention, I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," the householder Potaliya assented to the Blessed One.
32. The Blessed One said this - "Householder, there are these eight principles that lead to the eradication of dealings in the Noble One's discipline. What are the eight? In dependence on non-killing of living beings, killing living beings is to be abandoned; in dependence on taking what is given, taking what is not given is to be abandoned; in dependence on truthful speech, lying is to be abandoned; in dependence on non-divisive speech, divisive speech is to be abandoned; in dependence on non-greedy attachment, greedy attachment is to be abandoned; in dependence on non-blaming anger, blaming anger is to be abandoned; in dependence on non-wrath and anguish, wrath and anguish is to be abandoned; in dependence on non-arrogance, arrogance is to be abandoned. These, householder, are the eight principles stated in brief, not analysed in detail, that lead to the eradication of dealings in the Noble One's discipline." "Venerable sir, these eight principles that have been stated in brief by the Blessed One, not analysed in detail, that lead to the eradication of dealings in the Noble One's discipline - it would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would analyse these eight principles in detail, out of compassion." "If so, householder, listen, pay close attention, I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," the householder Potaliya assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
33. "'In dependence on non-killing of living beings, killing living beings is to be abandoned' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Whatever mental fetters because of which I would be one who kills living beings, I am practising for the abandoning and eradication of those mental fetters. If I were one who kills living beings, I myself would censure myself on account of killing living beings, the wise, having investigated, would censure me on account of killing living beings, upon the body's collapse at death an unfortunate realm is to be expected on account of killing living beings. This itself indeed is a mental fetter, this is a mental hindrance, namely killing living beings. And whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers would arise on account of killing living beings, for one who abstains from killing living beings, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist.' 'In dependence on non-killing of living beings, killing living beings is to be abandoned' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
34. "'In dependence on taking what is given, taking what is not given is to be abandoned' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Whatever mental fetters because of which I would be one who takes what is not given, I am practising for the abandoning and eradication of those mental fetters. If I were one who takes what is not given, I myself would censure myself on account of taking what is not given, the wise, having investigated, would censure me on account of taking what is not given, upon the body's collapse at death an unfortunate realm is to be expected on account of taking what is not given. This itself indeed is a mental fetter, this is a mental hindrance, namely taking what is not given. And whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers would arise on account of taking what is not given, for one who abstains from taking what is not given, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist.' 'In dependence on taking what is given, taking what is not given is to be abandoned' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
35. "'In dependence on truthful speech, lying is to be abandoned' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Whatever mental fetters because of which I would be a liar, I am practising for the abandoning and eradication of those mental fetters. If I were a liar, I myself would censure myself on account of lying, the wise, having investigated, would censure me on account of lying, upon the body's collapse at death an unfortunate realm is to be expected on account of lying. This itself indeed is a mental fetter, this is a mental hindrance, namely lying. And whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers would arise on account of lying, for one who abstains from lying, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist.' 'In dependence on truthful speech, lying is to be abandoned' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
36. "'In dependence on non-divisive speech, divisive speech is to be abandoned' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Whatever mental fetters because of which I would be one who speaks divisively, I am practising for the abandoning and eradication of those mental fetters. If I were one who speaks divisively, I myself would censure myself on account of divisive speech, the wise, having investigated, would censure me on account of divisive speech, upon the body's collapse at death an unfortunate realm is to be expected on account of divisive speech. This itself indeed is a mental fetter, this is a mental hindrance, namely divisive speech. And whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers would arise on account of divisive speech, for one who abstains from divisive speech, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist.' 'In dependence on non-divisive speech, divisive speech is to be abandoned' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
37. "'In dependence on non-greedy attachment, greedy attachment is to be abandoned' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Whatever mental fetters because of which I would be one with greedy attachment, I am practising for the abandoning and eradication of those mental fetters. If I were one with greedy attachment, I myself would censure myself on account of greedy attachment, the wise, having investigated, would censure me on account of greedy attachment, upon the body's collapse at death an unfortunate realm is to be expected on account of greedy attachment. This itself indeed is a mental fetter, this is a mental hindrance, namely greedy attachment. And whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers would arise on account of greedy attachment, for one who abstains from greedy attachment, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist.' 'In dependence on non-greedy attachment, greedy attachment is to be abandoned' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
38. "'In dependence on non-blaming anger, blaming anger is to be abandoned' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Whatever mental fetters because of which I would be one who blames with anger, I am practising for the abandoning and eradication of those mental fetters. If I were one who blames with anger, I myself would censure myself on account of blaming anger, the wise, having investigated, would censure me on account of blaming anger, upon the body's collapse at death an unfortunate realm is to be expected on account of blaming anger. This itself indeed is a mental fetter, this is a mental hindrance, namely blaming anger. And whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers would arise on account of blaming anger, for one who is without blaming anger, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist.' 'In dependence on non-blaming anger, blaming anger is to be abandoned' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
39. "'In dependence on non-wrath and anguish, wrath and anguish is to be abandoned' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Whatever mental fetters because of which I would be one with wrath and anguish, I am practising for the abandoning and eradication of those mental fetters. If I were one with wrath and anguish, I myself would censure myself on account of wrath and anguish, the wise, having investigated, would censure me on account of wrath and anguish, upon the body's collapse at death an unfortunate realm is to be expected on account of wrath and anguish. This itself indeed is a mental fetter, this is a mental hindrance, namely wrath and anguish. And whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers would arise on account of wrath and anguish, for one without wrath and anguish, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist.' 'In dependence on non-wrath and anguish, wrath and anguish is to be abandoned' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
40. "'In dependence on non-arrogance, arrogance is to be abandoned' - thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Here, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Whatever mental fetters because of which I would be arrogant, I am practising for the abandoning and eradication of those mental fetters. If I were arrogant, I myself would censure myself on account of arrogance, the wise, having investigated, would censure me on account of arrogance, upon the body's collapse at death an unfortunate realm is to be expected on account of arrogance. This itself indeed is a mental fetter, this is a mental hindrance, namely arrogance. And whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers would arise on account of arrogance, for one who is not arrogant, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist.' 'In dependence on non-arrogance, arrogance is to be abandoned' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
41. "These, householder, are the eight principles stated in brief, analysed in detail, that lead to the eradication of dealings in the Noble One's discipline; but there is not yet the complete eradication of dealings in every way whatsoever in the Noble One's discipline."
"But in what way, venerable sir, is there the complete eradication of dealings in every way whatsoever in the Noble One's discipline? It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Teaching in such a way that there is the complete eradication of dealings in every way whatsoever in the Noble One's discipline." "If so, householder, listen, pay close attention, I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," the householder Potaliya assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
The Talk on the Danger in Sensual Pleasures
42. "Just as, householder, a dog overcome by hunger and weakness might be present at a butcher's slaughterhouse. A skilled butcher or a butcher's apprentice might throw towards him a skeleton well-scraped, scraped, fleshless, smeared with blood. What do you think, householder, would that dog, licking that skeleton well-scraped, scraped, fleshless, smeared with blood, dispel his hunger and weakness?"
"No, Venerable Sir."
"What is the reason for this?"
"Because, venerable sir, that skeleton is well-scraped, scraped, fleshless, smeared with blood. That dog would only become a partaker of weariness and vexation." "Just so, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One as like a skeleton, having much suffering, much anguish, the danger here is greater.' Having seen this as it really is with right wisdom, having avoided that equanimity which is of diversity, based on diversity, he develops that equanimity which is of unity, based on unity, where all clinging to worldly gains ceases without remainder.
43. "Just as, householder, a vulture or a heron or a hawk, having taken a slice of flesh, might fly up. Other vultures, herons, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, might tear at it and pull it away. What do you think, householder, if that vulture or heron or hawk did not quickly give up that slice of flesh, on that account it might undergo death or suffering like death?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Just so, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One as like a slice of flesh, having much suffering, much anguish, the danger here is greater.' Having seen this as it really is with right wisdom, having avoided that equanimity which is of diversity, based on diversity, he develops that equanimity which is of unity, based on unity, where all clinging to worldly gains ceases without remainder.
44. "Just as, householder, a man having taken a blazing grass torch might go against the wind. What do you think, householder, if that man did not quickly give up that blazing grass torch, that blazing grass torch would burn his hand or burn his arm or burn one or another of his limbs, on that account he might undergo death or suffering like death?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Just so, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One as like a grass torch, having much suffering, much anguish, the danger here is greater.' Having seen this as it really is with right wisdom, etc. he develops that very equanimity.
45. "Just as, householder, there might be a charcoal pit, more than a man's height deep, full of glowing embers, without flame, without smoke. Then a man might come along, wishing to live, not wishing to die, wishing for happiness, averse to suffering. Two strong men, having seized him by both arms, might drag him towards the charcoal pit. What do you think, householder, would that man twist his body this way and that?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"What is the reason for this?"
"It is known, venerable sir, to that man: 'I will fall into this charcoal pit, on that account I will undergo death or suffering like death.'" "Just so, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One as like a charcoal pit, having much suffering, much anguish, the danger here is greater.' Having seen this as it really is with right wisdom, etc. he develops that very equanimity.
46. "Just as, householder, a man might see a dream of a pleasant park, a pleasant forest, pleasant ground, a pleasant pond. He, having awakened, would see nothing. "Just so, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One as like a dream, having much suffering, much anguish, the danger here is greater.' Etc. he develops that very equanimity.
47. "Just as, householder, a man having borrowed goods, having asked for a vehicle or excellent jewelled earrings. He, honoured and surrounded by those borrowed goods, might proceed to the market place. People, having seen it, would say thus - 'A wealthy man indeed, friend, this person is, thus indeed do wealthy people enjoy their wealth.' The owners, wherever they might see him, right there they would take away their own things. What do you think, householder, would that be enough for that man's distress?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"What is the reason for this?"
"Because, venerable sir, the owners are taking away their own things." "Just so, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One as like borrowed goods, having much suffering, much anguish, the danger here is greater.' Etc. he develops that very equanimity.
48. "Just as, householder, not far from a village or a town there might be a dense jungle thicket. There might be a tree with ripe fruit and abundant fruit, and there might be no fruits fallen on the ground. Then a man might come along, desiring fruit, seeking fruit, wandering about in search of fruit. He, having plunged into that jungle thicket, might see that tree with ripe fruit and abundant fruit. He would think thus - 'This tree has ripe fruit and abundant fruit, and there are no fruits fallen on the ground. But I know how to climb a tree. What if I were to climb this tree and eat as much as I like and fill my lap?' He, having climbed that tree, would eat as much as he likes and fill his lap. Then a second man might come along, desiring fruit, seeking fruit, wandering about in search of fruit, having taken a sharp axe. He, having plunged into that jungle thicket, might see that tree with ripe fruit and abundant fruit. He would think thus - 'This tree has ripe fruit and abundant fruit, and there are no fruits fallen on the ground. But I do not know how to climb a tree. What if I were to cut this tree at the root and eat as much as I like and fill my lap?' He would cut that tree at the very root. What do you think, householder, if that man who had first climbed the tree did not quickly come down, would that tree, falling, break his hand or break his foot or break one or another of his limbs, and on that account might he undergo death or suffering like death?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Just so, householder, a noble disciple considers thus: 'Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One as like tree fruits, having much suffering, much anguish, the danger here is greater.' Having seen this as it really is with right wisdom, having avoided that equanimity which is of diversity, based on diversity, he develops that equanimity which is of unity, based on unity, where all clinging to worldly gains ceases without remainder.
49. "That noble disciple, householder, having come to this very unsurpassed purity of mindfulness due to equanimity, recollects manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms he recollects manifold past lives.
"That noble disciple, householder, having come to this very unsurpassed purity of mindfulness due to equanimity, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, sees beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, etc. he understands beings according to their actions.
"That noble disciple, householder, having come to this very unsurpassed purity of mindfulness due to equanimity, 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. To this extent indeed, householder, there is the complete eradication of dealings in every way whatsoever in the Noble One's discipline.
50. "What do you think, householder, just as in the Noble One's discipline there is the complete eradication of dealings in every way whatsoever, do you perceive such eradication of dealings in yourself?" "Who am I, venerable sir, and what is the complete eradication of dealings in every way whatsoever in the Noble One's discipline! I am far, venerable sir, from the complete eradication of dealings in every way whatsoever in the Noble One's discipline. For we, venerable sir, formerly imagined heterodox wandering ascetics, though being of inferior breed, to be of good breed; though being of inferior breed, we fed them food fit for those of good breed; though being of inferior breed, we placed them in a position fit for those of good breed; but we, venerable sir, imagined monks, though being of good breed, to be of inferior breed; though being of good breed, we fed them food fit for those of inferior breed; though being of good breed, we placed them in a position fit for those of inferior breed; but now we, venerable sir, will know heterodox wandering ascetics, being of inferior breed, as of inferior breed; being of inferior breed, we will feed them food fit for those of inferior breed; being of inferior breed, we will place them in a position fit for those of inferior breed. But we, venerable sir, will know monks, being of good breed, as of good breed; being of good breed, we will feed them food fit for those of good breed; being of good breed, we will place them in a position fit for those of good breed. The Blessed One has indeed, venerable sir, aroused in me love for ascetics towards ascetics, confidence in ascetics towards ascetics, respect for ascetics towards ascetics. Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, one might set upright what had been overturned, or reveal what had been concealed, or point out the path to one who was lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms; just so, venerable sir, the Teaching has been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. I, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life."
The Discourse on Potaliya is concluded as fourth.