8.
The Discourse to Samaṇamuṇḍika
260. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Now at that time the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā, was dwelling at the debating hall in the Tinduka row, the single-halled park of Mallikā, together with a great assembly of wandering ascetics, about five hundred wandering ascetics. Then the carpenter Pañcakaṅga went out from Sāvatthī during the day to see the Blessed One. Then the carpenter Pañcakaṅga had this thought: "It is not the right time yet to see the Blessed One; the Blessed One is in seclusion. It is also not the right time to see the monks who cultivate the mind; the monks who cultivate the mind are in seclusion. What if I were to approach the debating hall in the Tinduka row, the single-halled park of Mallikā, where the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā, is?" Then the carpenter Pañcakaṅga approached the debating hall in the Tinduka row, the single-halled park of Mallikā, where the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā, was.
Now at that time the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā, was seated together with a great assembly of wandering ascetics, noisy, with loud noise and great noise, engaging in various kinds of pointless talk, as follows - talk about kings, talk about thieves, talk about ministers, talk about armies, talk about perils, talk about battles, talk about food, talk about drink, talk about clothes, talk about beds, talk about garlands, talk about odours, talk about relatives, talk about vehicles, talk about villages, talk about towns, talk about cities, talk about countries, talk about women, talk about heroes, talk about streets, talk about wells, talk about the dead, talk about diversity, speculations about the world, speculations about the sea, talk about existence and non-existence, and so on.
The wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā, saw the carpenter Pañcakaṅga coming from afar. Having seen him, he settled his own assembly - "Let the venerable ones be quiet, let the venerable ones not make a sound; this disciple of the ascetic Gotama, the carpenter Pañcakaṅga, is coming. As far as the lay disciples of the ascetic Gotama who are clad in white dwell at Sāvatthī, this carpenter Pañcakaṅga is one of them. These venerable ones desire quietness, are disciplined in quietness, and speak in praise of quietness; perhaps, having noticed that the assembly is quiet, he might think it fit to approach." Then those wandering ascetics became silent.
261. Then the carpenter Pañcakaṅga approached the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā; having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. To the carpenter Pañcakaṅga seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā, said this - "I, householder, declare a male person endowed with four qualities to be accomplished in the wholesome, supreme in the wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable. Which four? Here, householder, one does not commit evil action with the body, does not speak evil speech, does not think evil thoughts, does not pursue an evil livelihood - with these four qualities, householder, I declare a male person to be accomplished in the wholesome, supreme in the wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable."
Then the carpenter Pañcakaṅga neither delighted in nor protested against what the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā, had said. Without delighting in and without protesting against, he rose from his seat and departed - "I shall understand the meaning of this statement in the presence of the Blessed One." Then the carpenter Pañcakaṅga approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the carpenter Pañcakaṅga reported to the Blessed One all the friendly conversation he had with the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā.
262. When this was said, the Blessed One said this to the carpenter Pañcakaṅga - "This being so, carpenter, a young boy, dull, an infant lying on his back, will be accomplished in wholesomeness, supremely wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable, according to the words of the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā. For a young boy, carpenter, dull, an infant lying on his back, does not even have the notion of 'body', so from where will he commit evil action with the body, except for mere squirming! For a young boy, carpenter, dull, an infant lying on his back, does not even have the notion of 'speech', so from where will he speak evil speech, except for mere crying! For a young boy, carpenter, dull, an infant lying on his back, does not even have the notion of 'thought', so from where will he think evil thoughts, except for mere whimpering! For a young boy, carpenter, dull, an infant lying on his back, does not even have the notion of 'livelihood', so from where will he pursue an evil livelihood, except for mother's milk! This being so, carpenter, a young boy, dull, an infant lying on his back, will be accomplished in wholesomeness, supremely wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable, according to the words of the wandering ascetic Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā.
263. "I, carpenter, declare a male person endowed with four qualities to be neither accomplished in the wholesome, nor supreme in the wholesome, nor an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable, and yet he surpasses this young infant boy, helpless, lying on his back. Which four? Here, carpenter, one does not commit evil action with the body, does not speak evil speech, does not think evil thoughts, does not pursue an evil livelihood - with these four qualities, carpenter, I declare a male person to be neither accomplished in the wholesome, nor supreme in the wholesome, nor an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable, and yet he surpasses this young infant boy, helpless, lying on his back.
"I, carpenter, declare a male person endowed with ten qualities to be accomplished in the wholesome, supreme in the wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable. These are unwholesome moralities; that, carpenter, I say should be known. From this is the origin of unwholesome moralities; that, carpenter, I say should be known. Here unwholesome moralities cease without remainder; that, carpenter, I say should be known. One practising thus is practising for the cessation of unwholesome moralities; that, carpenter, I say should be known.
"These are wholesome moralities; that, carpenter, I say should be known. From this is the origin of wholesome moralities; that, carpenter, I say should be known. Here wholesome moralities cease without remainder; that, carpenter, I say should be known. One practising thus is practising for the cessation of wholesome moralities; that, carpenter, I say should be known.
"These are unwholesome thoughts; that, carpenter, I say should be known. From this is the origin of unwholesome thoughts; that, carpenter, I say should be known. Here unwholesome thoughts cease without remainder; that, carpenter, I say should be known. One practising thus is practising for the cessation of unwholesome thoughts; that, carpenter, I say should be known.
"These are wholesome thoughts; that, carpenter, I say should be known. Wholesome thoughts have their origin from this; that, carpenter, I say should be known. Here wholesome thoughts cease without remainder; that, carpenter, I say should be known. One practising thus is practising for the cessation of wholesome thoughts; that, carpenter, I say should be known.
264. "And what, carpenter, are unwholesome moralities? Unwholesome bodily action, unwholesome verbal action, evil livelihood - these are called, carpenter, unwholesome moralities.
"And what, carpenter, is the origin of these unwholesome moralities? Their origin too has been stated. It should be said 'consciousness-originated'. Which consciousness? For consciousness is indeed many, of various kinds, of different types. That consciousness which is with lust, with hate, with delusion - from this is the origin of unwholesome moralities.
"And where, carpenter, do these unwholesome moralities cease without remainder? Their cessation too has been stated. Here, carpenter, a monk, having abandoned bodily misconduct, develops bodily good conduct, having abandoned verbal misconduct, develops good verbal conduct, having abandoned mental misconduct, develops good mental conduct, having abandoned wrong livelihood, earns his living by right livelihood - here these unwholesome moralities cease without remainder.
"How has one practised, carpenter, who is practising for the cessation of unwholesome moralities? Here, carpenter, a monk generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; he generates desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives. One practising thus, carpenter, is practising for the cessation of unwholesome moralities.
265. "And what, carpenter, are wholesome moralities? Wholesome bodily action, wholesome verbal action, and purity of livelihood too I, carpenter, declare to be in morality. These are called, carpenter, wholesome moralities.
"And what, carpenter, is the origin of these wholesome moralities? Their origin too has been stated. It should be said 'consciousness-originated'. Which consciousness? For consciousness is indeed many, of various kinds, of different types. That consciousness which is without lust, without hate, without delusion - from this is the origin of wholesome moralities.
"And where, carpenter, do these wholesome moralities cease without remainder? Their cessation too has been stated. Here, carpenter, a monk is virtuous but not made of morality, and he understands as it really is that liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom - where those wholesome moralities cease without remainder.
"And how has one practised, carpenter, who is practising for the cessation of wholesome moralities? Here, carpenter, a monk generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, etc. for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, etc. he generates desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives. One practising thus, carpenter, is practising for the cessation of wholesome moralities.
266. "And what, carpenter, are unwholesome thoughts? Thought of sensuality, thought of anger, thought of violence - these are called, carpenter, unwholesome thoughts.
"And what, carpenter, is the origin of these unwholesome thoughts? Their origin too has been stated. It should be said 'perception-originated'. Which perception? For perceptions too are many, of various kinds, of different types. Perception of sensuality, perception of anger, perception of violence - from this is the origin of unwholesome thoughts.
"And where, carpenter, do these unwholesome thoughts cease without remainder? Their cessation too has been stated. Here, carpenter, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption; here these unwholesome thoughts cease without remainder.
"And how has one practised, carpenter, who is practising for the cessation of unwholesome thoughts? Here, carpenter, a monk generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, etc. for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, etc. he generates desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives. One practising thus, carpenter, is practising for the cessation of unwholesome thoughts.
267. "And what, carpenter, are wholesome thoughts? Thought of renunciation, thought of non-anger, thought of non-violence - these are called, carpenter, wholesome thoughts.
"And what, carpenter, is the origin of these wholesome thoughts? Their origin too has been stated. It should be said 'perception-originated'. Which perception? For perceptions too are many, of various kinds, of different types. Perception of renunciation, perception of non-anger, perception of non-violence - wholesome thoughts have their origin from this.
"And where, carpenter, do these wholesome thoughts cease without remainder? Their cessation too has been stated. Here, carpenter, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, a monk... etc. he enters and dwells in the second meditative absorption; here these wholesome thoughts cease without remainder.
"And how has one practised, carpenter, who is practising for the cessation of wholesome thoughts? Here, carpenter, a monk generates desire for the non-arising of unarisen evil unwholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives; for the abandoning of arisen evil unwholesome mental states, etc. for the arising of unarisen wholesome mental states, etc. he generates desire for the presence, non-decay, increase, expansion, development, and fulfilment of arisen wholesome mental states, he strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives. One practising thus, carpenter, is practising for the cessation of wholesome thoughts.
268. "And with which ten qualities, carpenter, do I declare a male person to be accomplished in the wholesome, supreme in the wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable? Here, carpenter, a monk is endowed with the right view of one beyond training, is endowed with the right thought of one beyond training, is endowed with the right speech of one beyond training, is endowed with the right action of one beyond training, is endowed with the right livelihood of one beyond training, is endowed with the right effort of one beyond training, is endowed with the right mindfulness of one beyond training, is endowed with the right concentration of one beyond training, is endowed with the right knowledge of one beyond training, is endowed with the right liberation of one beyond training - with these ten qualities, carpenter, I declare a male person to be accomplished in the wholesome, supreme in the wholesome, an ascetic who has attained the highest attainment, unconquerable."
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the carpenter Pañcakaṅga rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on Samaṇamuṇḍika is concluded as eighth.