9.

The First Discourse on the Shopkeeper

19. "Monks, a shopkeeper possessed of three factors is unable to acquire wealth not yet acquired or to make prosper wealth already acquired. With which three? Here, monks, a shopkeeper does not carefully determine his work in the earlier period of the day, does not carefully determine his work in the noon period of the day, does not carefully determine his work in the afternoon period of the day. Monks, a shopkeeper possessed of these three factors is unable to acquire wealth not yet acquired or to make prosper wealth already acquired.

"So too, monks, a monk possessed of three qualities is unable to attain a wholesome mental state not yet attained or to make prosper a wholesome mental state already attained. With which three? Here, monks, a monk does not carefully determine the sign of concentration in the earlier period of the day, does not carefully determine the sign of concentration in the noon period of the day, does not carefully determine the sign of concentration in the afternoon period of the day. Monks, a monk possessed of these three qualities is unable to attain a wholesome mental state not yet attained or to make prosper a wholesome mental state already attained.

"Monks, a shopkeeper possessed of three factors is able to acquire wealth not yet acquired or to make prosper wealth already acquired. With which three? Here, monks, a shopkeeper carefully determines his work in the earlier period of the day, in the noon period of the day, etc. carefully determines his work in the afternoon period of the day. Monks, a shopkeeper possessed of these three factors is able to acquire wealth not yet acquired or to make prosper wealth already acquired.

"So too, monks, a monk possessed of three qualities is able to attain a wholesome mental state not yet attained or to make prosper a wholesome mental state already attained. With which three? Here, monks, a monk carefully determines the sign of concentration in the earlier period of the day, in the noon period of the day, etc. carefully determines the sign of concentration in the afternoon period of the day. Monks, a monk possessed of these three qualities is able to attain a wholesome mental state not yet attained or to make prosper a wholesome mental state already attained." The ninth.