7.
The Discourse on the Dog-Duty Ascetic
78. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Koliyans, where there was a market town of the Koliyans named Haliddavasana. Then Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son, who practised the ox-duty, and the naked ascetic Seniyo, who practised the dog-duty, approached the Blessed One; having approached, Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son, who practised the ox-duty, paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. But the naked ascetic Seniyo, who practised the dog-duty, exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he crouched down like a dog and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son, who practised the ox-duty, said this to the Blessed One - "This naked ascetic Seniyo, venerable sir, who practises the dog-duty, does what is difficult to do; he eats food thrown on the ground. That dog-duty of his has been completely taken upon himself for a long time. What is his destination, what is his future life?" "Enough, Puṇṇa, let this be; do not ask me this." For the second time Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son, who practised the ox-duty, etc. For the third time Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son, who practised the ox-duty, said this to the Blessed One - "This naked ascetic Seniyo, venerable sir, who practises the dog-duty, does what is difficult to do; he eats food thrown on the ground. That dog-duty of his has been completely taken upon himself for a long time. What is his destination, what is his future life?"
79. "Certainly indeed I cannot obtain this from you, Puṇṇa. Enough, Puṇṇa, let this be; do not ask me this." But I will explain to you. Here, Puṇṇa, a certain one develops the dog-duty completely and uninterruptedly, develops the dog-morality completely and uninterruptedly, develops the dog-mind completely and uninterruptedly, develops the dog-deportment completely and uninterruptedly. He, having developed the dog-duty completely and uninterruptedly, having developed the dog-morality completely and uninterruptedly, having developed the dog-mind completely and uninterruptedly, having developed the dog-deportment completely and uninterruptedly, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of dogs. But if he has such a view - 'By this morality or by this ascetic practice or by this austerity or by this holy life I shall become a god or an inferior deity,' that is his wrong view. For one of wrong view, Puṇṇa, I declare one of two destinations - either hell or the animal realm. Thus indeed, Puṇṇa, the dog-duty when succeeding leads to the company of dogs, when failing to hell." When this was said, the naked ascetic Seniyo who practised the dog-duty wailed and shed tears.
Then the Blessed One said this to Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son who practised the ox-duty - "This indeed I did not obtain from you, Puṇṇa. Enough, Puṇṇa, let this be; do not ask me this." "I am not, venerable sir, weeping because the Blessed One said thus to me; but, venerable sir, this dog-duty of mine has been completely taken upon myself for a long time. This, venerable sir, is Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son who practises the ox-duty. That ox-duty of his has been completely taken upon himself for a long time. What is his destination, what is his future life?" "Enough, Seniyo, let this be; do not ask me this." For the second time the naked ascetic Seniyo... etc. For the third time the naked ascetic Seniyo who practised the dog-duty said this to the Blessed One - "This, venerable sir, is Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son who practises the ox-duty. That ox-duty of his has been completely taken upon himself for a long time. What is his destination, what is his future life?"
80. "Certainly indeed I cannot obtain this from you, Seniyo. Enough, Seniyo, let this be; do not ask me this." But I will explain to you. Here, Seniyo, a certain one develops the ox-duty completely and uninterruptedly, develops the ox-morality completely and uninterruptedly, develops the ox-mind completely and uninterruptedly, develops the ox-deportment completely and uninterruptedly. He, having developed the ox-duty completely and uninterruptedly, having developed the ox-morality completely and uninterruptedly, having developed the ox-mind completely and uninterruptedly, having developed the ox-deportment completely and uninterruptedly, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in the company of cattle. But if he has such a view - 'By this morality or by this ascetic practice or by this austerity or by this holy life I shall become a god or an inferior deity,' that is his wrong view. For one of wrong view, Seniyo, I declare one of two destinations - either hell or the animal realm. Thus indeed, Seniyo, the ox-duty when succeeding leads to the company of cattle, when failing to hell." When this was said, Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son, who practised the ox-duty, wailed and shed tears.
Then the Blessed One said this to the naked ascetic Seniyo who practised the dog-duty - "This indeed I did not obtain from you, Seniyo. Enough, Seniyo, let this be; do not ask me this." "I am not, venerable sir, weeping because the Blessed One said thus to me; but, venerable sir, this ox-duty of mine has been completely taken upon myself for a long time. Thus confident am I, venerable sir, in the Blessed One; the Blessed One is able to teach the Teaching in such a way that I might abandon this ox-duty, and this naked ascetic Seniyo who practises the dog-duty might abandon that dog-duty." "If so, Puṇṇa, listen, pay close attention, I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son, who practised the ox-duty, assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
81. "Puṇṇa, there are these four actions that I have realised by direct knowledge myself and proclaimed. What are the four? There is, Puṇṇa, action that is dark with dark result; there is, Puṇṇa, action that is bright with bright result; there is, Puṇṇa, action that is dark and bright with dark and bright result; there is, Puṇṇa, action that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, which leads to the elimination of action.
"And what, Puṇṇa, is action that is dark with dark result? Here, Puṇṇa, a certain one generates afflictive bodily activity, generates afflictive verbal activity, generates afflictive mental activity. He, having generated afflictive bodily activity, having generated afflictive verbal activity, having generated afflictive mental activity, is reborn in an afflictive world. When he has been reborn in an afflictive world, afflictive contacts touch him. He, being touched by afflictive contacts, feels afflictive feeling, exclusively painful, just as beings in hell. Thus indeed, Puṇṇa, rebirth of a being comes from what has come to be; by what one does, by that one is reborn; contacts touch one who has been reborn. Thus I say, Puṇṇa, 'beings are heirs to their actions.' This is called, Puṇṇa, action that is dark with dark result.
"And what, Puṇṇa, is action that is bright with bright result? Here, Puṇṇa, a certain one generates non-afflictive bodily activity, generates non-afflictive verbal activity, generates non-afflictive mental activity. He, having generated non-afflictive bodily activity, having generated non-afflictive verbal activity, having generated non-afflictive mental activity, is reborn in a non-afflictive world. When he has been reborn in a non-afflictive world, non-afflictive contacts touch him. He, being touched by non-afflictive contacts, feels non-afflictive feeling, exclusively pleasant, just as the gods of streaming radiance. Thus indeed, Puṇṇa, rebirth of a being comes from what has come to be; by what one does, by that one is reborn; contacts touch one who has been reborn. Thus I say, Puṇṇa, 'beings are heirs to their actions.' This is called, Puṇṇa, action that is bright with bright result.
"And what, Puṇṇa, is action that is dark and bright with dark and bright result? Here, Puṇṇa, a certain one generates bodily activity that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, generates verbal activity that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, generates mental activity that is both afflictive and non-afflictive. He, having generated bodily activity that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, having generated verbal activity that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, having generated mental activity that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, is reborn in a world that is both afflictive and non-afflictive. When he has been reborn in a world that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, contacts that are both afflictive and non-afflictive touch him. He, being touched by contacts that are both afflictive and non-afflictive, feels feeling that is both afflictive and non-afflictive, mingled pleasure and pain, just as human beings, some gods, and some beings in states of misfortune. Thus indeed, Puṇṇa, rebirth of a being comes from what has come to be; by what one does, by that one is reborn. Contacts touch one who has been reborn. Thus I say, Puṇṇa, 'beings are heirs to their actions.' This is called, Puṇṇa, action that is dark and bright with dark and bright result.
"And what, Puṇṇa, is action that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, which leads to the elimination of action? Therein, Puṇṇa, whatever volition there is for the abandoning of this action that is dark with dark result, whatever volition there is for the abandoning of this action that is bright with bright result, whatever volition there is for the abandoning of this action that is dark and bright with dark and bright result - this is called, Puṇṇa, action that is neither dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result, which leads to the elimination of action. These, Puṇṇa, are the four actions that I have realised by direct knowledge myself and proclaimed."
82. When this was said, Puṇṇa the Koliyan's son, who practised the ox-duty, said this to the Blessed One: "Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, etc. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life." But the naked ascetic Seniyo, who practised the dog-duty, said this to the Blessed One: "Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, etc. made clear. I, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May I, venerable sir, receive the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination." "Whoever, Seniyo, was formerly of another sect and wishes for the going forth in this Teaching and discipline, wishes for full ordination, he undergoes probation for four months. After the elapse of four months, monks having won the favour give the going forth and give full ordination for monkhood. But here the difference among individuals is known to me."
"If, venerable sir, those formerly of other sects wishing for the going forth in this Teaching and discipline, wishing for full ordination, undergo probation for four months, and after the elapse of four months monks having won the favour give the going forth and give full ordination for monkhood, I will undergo probation for four years. After the elapse of four years, let monks having won the favour give the going forth and give full ordination for monkhood." The naked ascetic Seniyo, who practised the dog-duty, received the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, he received full ordination. Not long after being fully ordained, the Venerable Seniyo, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, before long - that unsurpassed final goal of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness - the final goal of the holy life, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwelt. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being." And the Venerable Seniyo became one of the Worthy Ones.
The Discourse on the Dog-duty Ascetic is concluded as seventh.