3.
The Chapter on Persons
1.
The Discourse on Samiddha
21. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Then the Venerable Samiddha and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika approached the Venerable Sāriputta; having approached, they exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, they sat down to one side. To the Venerable Samiddha seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said this -
"There are these three persons, friend Samiddha, existing and found in the world. Which three? A body-witness, one attained to right view, one liberated by faith. These, friend, are the three persons existing and found in the world. Of these three persons, friend, which person do you prefer as more brilliant and more sublime?"
"There are these three persons, friend Sāriputta, existing and found in the world. Which three? A body-witness, one attained to right view, one liberated by faith. These, friend, are the three persons existing and found in the world. Of these three persons, friend, that person who is liberated by faith, this person I prefer of these three persons as more brilliant and more sublime. What is the reason for this? This person's, friend, faith faculty is exceeding."
Then the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika - "There are these three persons, friend Koṭṭhika, existing and found in the world. Which three? A body-witness, one attained to right view, one liberated by faith. These, friend, are the three persons existing and found in the world. Of these three persons, friend, which person do you prefer as more brilliant and more sublime?"
"There are these three persons, friend Sāriputta, existing and found in the world. Which three? A body-witness, one attained to right view, one liberated by faith. These, friend, are the three persons existing and found in the world. Of these three persons, friend, that person who is a body-witness, this person I prefer of these three persons as more brilliant and more sublime. What is the reason for this? This person's, friend, concentration faculty is exceeding."
Then the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika said this to the Venerable Sāriputta - "There are these three persons, friend Sāriputta, existing and found in the world. Which three? A body-witness, one attained to right view, one liberated by faith. These, friend, are the three persons existing and found in the world. Of these three persons, friend, which person do you prefer as more brilliant and more sublime?"
"There are these three persons, friend Koṭṭhika, existing and found in the world. Which three? A body-witness, one attained to right view, one liberated by faith. These, friend, are the three persons existing and found in the world. Of these three persons, friend, the person who is one attained to right view, this person I approve of as more brilliant and more sublime among these three persons. What is the reason for this? This person's wisdom faculty, friend, is exceeding."
Then the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Venerable Samiddha and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika - "It has been answered indeed, friends, by all of us each according to his own discernment. Come, friends, let us go to where the Blessed One is; having approached, we will report this matter to the Blessed One. As the Blessed One answers us, so we will remember it." "Yes, friend," the Venerable Samiddha and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika assented to the Venerable Sāriputta. Then the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Samiddha and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta reported to the Blessed One all the friendly conversation he had with the Venerable Samiddha and the Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika.
"It is not easy here, Sāriputta, to answer definitively - 'This one among these three persons is more brilliant and more sublime.' For there is this possibility, Sāriputta, that the person who is liberated-by-faith may be practising for arahantship, while the person who is a body-witness may be a once-returner or a non-returner, and the person who is one attained to right view may also be a once-returner or a non-returner.
"It is not easy here, Sāriputta, to answer definitively - 'This one among these three persons is more brilliant and more sublime.' For there is this possibility, Sāriputta, that the person who is a body-witness may be practising for arahantship, while the person who is liberated-by-faith may be a once-returner or a non-returner, and the person who is one attained to right view may also be a once-returner or a non-returner.
"It is not easy here, Sāriputta, to answer definitively - 'This one among these three persons is more brilliant and more sublime.' For there is this possibility, Sāriputta, that the person who is one attained to right view may be practising for arahantship, while the person who is liberated-by-faith may be a once-returner or a non-returner, and the person who is a body-witness may also be a once-returner or a non-returner.
"It is not easy here, Sāriputta, to answer definitively - 'This one among these three persons is more brilliant and more sublime.'" The first.
2.
The Discourse on the Sick
22. "Monks, there are these three sick persons existing and found in the world. Which three? Here, monks, a certain sick person, whether obtaining suitable foods or not obtaining suitable foods, whether obtaining suitable medicines or not obtaining suitable medicines, whether obtaining a proper attendant or not obtaining a proper attendant, does not recover from that illness.
Here again, monks, a certain sick person, whether obtaining suitable foods or not obtaining suitable foods, whether obtaining suitable medicines or not obtaining suitable medicines, whether obtaining a proper attendant or not obtaining a proper attendant, recovers from that illness.
Here again, monks, a certain sick person, only obtaining suitable foods and not without obtaining them, only obtaining suitable medicines and not without obtaining them, only obtaining a proper attendant and not without obtaining one, recovers from that illness.
There, monks, that sick person who only obtaining suitable foods and not without obtaining them, only obtaining suitable medicines and not without obtaining them, only obtaining a proper attendant and not without obtaining one, recovers from that illness - dependent on this sick person, monks, meal for the sick has been allowed, medicine for the sick has been allowed, attendant of the sick has been allowed. And dependent on this sick person, monks, other sick persons too should be attended to. These, monks, are the three sick persons existing and found in the world.
Just so, monks, there are these three persons like the sick existing and found in the world. Which three? Here, monks, a certain person, whether obtaining the seeing of the Truth-finder or not obtaining the seeing of the Truth-finder, whether obtaining the hearing of the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder or not obtaining the hearing of the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder, does not enter upon the fixed course, the right path, in wholesome mental states.
Here again, monks, a certain person, whether obtaining the seeing of the Truth-finder or not obtaining the seeing of the Truth-finder, whether obtaining the hearing of the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder or not obtaining the hearing of the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder, enters upon the fixed course, the right path, in wholesome mental states.
Here again, monks, a certain person, only obtaining the seeing of the Truth-finder and not without obtaining it, only obtaining the hearing of the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder and not without obtaining it, enters upon the fixed course, the right path, in wholesome mental states.
There, monks, that person who only obtaining the seeing of the Truth-finder and not without obtaining it, only obtaining the hearing of the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder and not without obtaining it, enters upon the fixed course, the right path, in wholesome mental states - dependent on this person, monks, the proclamation of the Teaching has been allowed. And dependent on this person, monks, the Teaching should be taught to others too. These, monks, are the three persons like the sick existing and found in the world." The second.
3.
The Discourse on Activities
23. "Monks, there are these three persons existing and found in the world. Which three? Here, monks, a certain person 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.
Here again, monks, a certain person 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.
Here again, monks, a certain person 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. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found in the world." The third.
4.
The Discourse on Being Very Helpful
24. "Monks, there are these three persons of great service to a person. Which three? Monks, that person, having come to whom, a person has gone for refuge to the Buddha, has gone for refuge to the Teaching, has gone for refuge to the Community; this, monks, is a person of great service to this person.
"Furthermore, monks, that person, having come to whom, a person understands as it really is: 'This is suffering'; understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of suffering'; understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering'; this, monks, is a person of great service to this person.
"Furthermore, monks, that person, having come to whom, a person, 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; this, monks, is a person of great service to this person. These, monks, are the three persons of great service to a person.
"And further, monks, I say there is no other person of greater service to this person than these three persons. And further, monks, I say there is no easy repayment by this person to these three persons, that is to say, by paying respect, rising up in respect, salutation with joined palms, doing the proper duties, and providing robes, almsfood, lodging, and requisites of medicine for the sick." The fourth.
5.
The Discourse on the Diamond Simile
25. "Monks, there are these three persons existing and found in the world. Which three? The person with a mind like a sore, the person with a mind like lightning, the person with a mind like a diamond. And what, monks, is the person with a mind like a sore? Here, monks, a certain person is prone to wrath, abundantly given to anguish; even when spoken to a little, he becomes attached, becomes angry, is repelled, becomes obstinate, and manifests irritation, hate, and displeasure. Just as, monks, a festering sore, when struck by a stick or a potsherd, discharges even more exceedingly; just so, monks, here a certain person is prone to wrath, abundantly given to anguish; even when spoken to a little, he becomes attached, becomes angry, is repelled, becomes obstinate, and manifests irritation, hate, and displeasure. This is called, monks, the person with a mind like a sore.
"And what, monks, is the person with a mind like lightning? Here, monks, a certain person understands as it really is: 'This is suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering'. Just as, monks, a man with eyes in the darkness of the night might see forms by a flash of lightning; just so, monks, here a certain person understands as it really is: 'This is suffering', etc. he understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' This is called, monks, the person with a mind like lightning.
"And what, monks, is the person with a mind like a diamond? Here, monks, a certain person, 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. Just as, monks, there is nothing that a diamond cannot pierce, whether gem or stone; just so, monks, here a certain person, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, etc. enters and dwells. This is called, monks, the person with a mind like a diamond. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found in the world." The fifth.
6.
The Discourse on Who Should Be Associated With
26. "Monks, there are these three persons existing and found in the world. Which three? There is, monks, a person who should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon. There is, monks, a person who should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon. There is, monks, a person who, having honoured and respected, should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon. And what, monks, is the person who should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon? Here, monks, a certain person is inferior in morality, concentration, and wisdom. Such a person, monks, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon, except out of sympathy, except out of compassion.
"And what, monks, is the person who should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon? Here, monks, a certain person is similar in morality, concentration, and wisdom. Such a person, monks, should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon. What is the reason for this? For us who have attained similarity in morality, there will be talk about morality, and that will flow on for us, and that will be comfortable for us. For us who have attained similarity in concentration, there will be talk about concentration, and that will flow on for us, and that will be comfortable for us. For us who have attained similarity in wisdom, there will be talk about wisdom, and that will flow on for us, and that will be comfortable for us. Therefore such a person should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon.
"And what, monks, is the person who, having honoured and respected, should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon? Here, monks, a certain person is superior in morality, concentration, and wisdom. Such a person, monks, having honoured and respected, should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon. What is the reason for this? Thus: 'I shall fulfil the incomplete aggregate of morality, or I shall support with wisdom here and there the complete aggregate of morality; I shall fulfil the incomplete aggregate of concentration, or I shall support with wisdom here and there the complete aggregate of concentration; I shall fulfil the incomplete aggregate of wisdom, or I shall support with wisdom here and there the complete aggregate of wisdom.' Therefore such a person, having honoured and respected, should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found in the world."
And one associating with an equal would never decline;
Approaching the excellent, one rises quickly,
Therefore one should associate with those superior to oneself." The sixth.
7.
The Discourse on What Should Be Detested
27. "Monks, there are these three persons existing and found in the world. Which three? There is, monks, a person who should be shunned, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon. There is, monks, a person who should be looked upon with indifference, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon. There is, monks, a person who should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon. And what, monks, is the person who should be shunned, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon? Here, monks, a certain person 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. Such a person, monks, should be shunned, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon. What is the reason for this? Although, monks, one does not follow the example of what one has seen in such a person, yet a bad reputation arises about him - 'This male person has evil friends, evil companions, evil associates.' Just as, monks, a snake that has gone into excrement, although it does not bite, yet it smears one; just so, monks, although one does not follow the example of what one has seen in such a person, yet a bad reputation arises about him - 'This male person has evil friends, evil companions, evil associates.' Therefore such a person should be shunned, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon.
"And what, monks, is the person who should be looked upon with indifference, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon? Here, monks, a certain person is prone to wrath, abundantly given to anguish; even when spoken to a little, he becomes attached, becomes angry, is repelled, becomes obstinate, and manifests irritation, hate, and displeasure. Just as, monks, a festering sore, when struck by a stick or a potsherd, discharges even more exceedingly; just so, monks, etc. just as, monks, a firebrand of tinduka wood, when struck by a stick or a potsherd, hisses and sizzles even more exceedingly; just so, monks, etc. just as, monks, a pit of excrement, when struck by a stick or a potsherd, becomes even more foul-smelling; just so, monks, here a certain person is prone to wrath, abundantly given to anguish; even when spoken to a little, he becomes attached, becomes angry, is repelled, becomes obstinate, and manifests irritation, hate, and displeasure. Such a person, monks, should be looked upon with indifference, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon. What is the reason for this? 'He might revile me, he might abuse me, he might do me harm.' Therefore such a person should be looked upon with indifference, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon.
"And what, monks, is the person who should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon? Here, monks, a certain person is moral, of good character. Such a person, monks, should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon. What is the reason for this? Although, monks, one does not follow the example of what one has seen in such a person, yet a good reputation arises about him - 'This male person has good friends, good companions, good associates.' Therefore such a person should be associated with, should be kept company with, should be attended upon. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found in the world."
And one associating with an equal would never decline;
Approaching the excellent, one rises quickly,
Therefore one should associate with those superior to oneself." The seventh.
8.
The Discourse on One Who Speaks Excrement
28. "Monks, there are these three persons existing and found in the world. Which three? One of foul speech, one of flower-like speech, one of honey-like speech. And what, monks, is the person of foul speech? Here, monks, a certain person, having gone to an assembly, or having gone to a company, or having gone among relatives, or having gone among a guild, or having gone among the royal court, being brought forward and questioned as a witness - 'Come, good man, tell what you know' - he, not knowing, says 'I know,' or knowing, says 'I do not know,' or not seeing, says 'I see,' or seeing, says 'I do not see'; thus for his own sake, or for another's sake, or for the sake of some trifling material gain, he becomes a conscious speaker of falsehood. This is called, monks, the person of foul speech.
"And what, monks, is the person of flower-like speech? Here, monks, a certain person, having gone to an assembly, or having gone to a company, or having gone among relatives, or having gone among a guild, or having gone among the royal court, being brought forward and questioned as a witness - 'Come, good man, tell what you understand' - he, not knowing, says 'I do not know,' or knowing, says 'I know,' or not seeing, says 'I do not see,' or seeing, says 'I see'; thus for his own sake, or for another's sake, or for the sake of some trifling material gain, he does not become a conscious speaker of falsehood. This is called, monks, the person of flower-like speech.
"And what, monks, is the person of honey-like speech? Here, monks, a certain person, having abandoned harsh speech, abstains from harsh speech; he speaks such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, affectionate, going to the heart, urbane, pleasing and agreeable to many people. This is called, monks, the person of honey-like speech. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found in the world." The eighth.
9.
The Discourse on the Blind
29. "Monks, there are these three persons existing and found in the world. Which three? The blind, the one-eyed, the two-eyed. And what, monks, is the blind person? Here, monks, a certain person does not have such an eye by which eye he might acquire wealth not yet acquired or make prosper wealth already acquired; and he does not have such an eye by which eye he might know wholesome and unwholesome mental states, might know blameworthy and blameless mental states, might know inferior and superior mental states, might know mental states that have dark and bright counterparts. This is called, monks, the blind person.
"And what, monks, is the one-eyed person? Here, monks, a certain person has such an eye by which eye he might acquire wealth not yet acquired or make prosper wealth already acquired; but he does not have such an eye by which eye he might know wholesome and unwholesome mental states, might know blameworthy and blameless mental states, might know inferior and superior mental states, might know mental states that have dark and bright counterparts. This is called, monks, the one-eyed person.
"And what, monks, is the two-eyed person? Here, monks, a certain person has such an eye by which eye he might acquire wealth not yet acquired, or make prosper wealth already acquired; and he has such an eye by which eye he might know wholesome and unwholesome mental states; might know blameworthy and blameless mental states, might know inferior and superior mental states, might know mental states that have dark and bright counterparts. This is called, monks, the two-eyed person. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found in the world."
A losing throw in both respects, for the blind one whose eye is destroyed.
By rule and not by rule, fraudulently, he seeks wealth.
He is skilled in accumulating, a young man enjoying sensual pleasures;
Having gone from here to hell, the one-eyed one suffers.
With wealth righteously acquired, riches obtained through effort.
He goes to a fortunate state, where having gone he does not grieve.
But one should associate with the two-eyed, the foremost male person." The ninth.
10.
The Discourse on Facing Downwards
30. "Monks, there are these three persons existing and found in the world. Which three? The person of overturned wisdom, the person of lap-like wisdom, the person of broad wisdom. And what, monks, is the person of overturned wisdom? Here, monks, a certain person is one who goes to the monastery often to the monks for the hearing of the Teaching. The monks teach him the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; they reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. He, seated on that seat, does not attend to the beginning of that talk, does not attend to the middle, does not attend to the end. Even having risen from that seat, he does not attend to the beginning of that talk, does not attend to the middle, does not attend to the end. Just as, monks, a water-pot turned upside down - water poured into it runs off, does not remain. Just so, monks, here a certain person is one who goes to the monastery often to the monks for the hearing of the Teaching. The monks teach him the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; they reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. He, seated on that seat, does not attend to the beginning of that talk, does not attend to the middle, does not attend to the end. Even having risen from that seat, he does not attend to the beginning of that talk, does not attend to the middle, does not attend to the end. This is called, monks, the person of overturned wisdom.
"And what, monks, is the person of lap-like wisdom? Here, monks, a certain person is one who goes to the monastery often to the monks for the hearing of the Teaching. The monks teach him the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; they reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. He, seated on that seat, attends to the beginning of that talk, attends to the middle, attends to the end. But having risen from that seat, he does not attend to the beginning of that talk, does not attend to the middle, does not attend to the end. Just as, monks, various edibles are scattered on a person's lap - sesame seeds, rice grains, sweets, jujube fruits. He, rising from that seat, through forgetfulness of mindfulness, might scatter them. Just so, monks, here a certain person is one who goes to the monastery often to the monks for the hearing of the Teaching. The monks teach him the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; they reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. He, seated on that seat, attends to the beginning of that talk, attends to the middle, attends to the end. But having risen from that seat, he does not attend to the beginning of that talk, does not attend to the middle, does not attend to the end. This is called, monks, the person of lap-like wisdom.
"And what, monks, is the person of broad wisdom? Here, monks, a certain person is one who goes to the monastery often to the monks for the hearing of the Teaching. The monks teach him the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; they reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. He, seated on that seat, attends to the beginning of that talk, attends to the middle, attends to the end. Even having risen from that seat, he attends to the beginning of that talk, attends to the middle, attends to the end. Just as, monks, a water-pot set upright - water poured into it remains, does not run off. Just so, monks, here a certain person is one who goes to the monastery often to the monks for the hearing of the Teaching. The monks teach him the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; they reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure. He, seated on that seat, attends to the beginning of that talk, attends to the middle, attends to the end. Even having risen from that seat, he attends to the beginning of that talk, attends to the middle, attends to the end. This is called, monks, the person of broad wisdom. These, monks, are the three persons existing and found in the world."
Even if he constantly goes near the monks.
Is unable to learn, for wisdom is not found in him.
Even if he constantly goes near the monks.
Seated on that seat, having learnt the phrasing;
Having risen, he does not understand, what was grasped by him is forgotten.
Even if he constantly goes near the monks.
Seated on that seat, having learnt the phrasing.
Practising in accordance with the Teaching, he may be one who makes an end of suffering." The tenth.
The Chapter on Persons is third.
Its summary:
Associating, disgust, of foul speech, blind, and face-downward.