3.
The Chapter on the Unmistakable
1.
The Discourse on Striving
71. "Monks, a monk possessed of four qualities is practising the unmistakable practice, and the source has been initiated for him for the elimination of mental corruptions. Which four? Here, monks, a monk is virtuous, is very learned, is putting forth strenuous energy, is wise. Monks, a monk possessed of these four qualities is practising the unmistakable practice, and the source has been initiated for him for the elimination of mental corruptions." The first.
2.
The Discourse on Right View
72. "Monks, a monk possessed of four qualities is practising the unmistakable practice, and the source has been initiated for him for the elimination of mental corruptions. Which four? With thought of renunciation, with thought of non-anger, with thought of non-violence, with right view - Monks, a monk possessed of these four qualities is practising the unmistakable practice, and the source has been initiated for him for the elimination of mental corruptions." The second.
3.
The Discourse on the Good Person
73. "Monks, a bad person should be known as possessed of four qualities. Which four? Here, monks, a bad person, whatever disrepute there is of another, he manifests it even when not asked, what then to say when asked! But when asked, brought to the question, without omitting, taking hold of it, he becomes one who speaks the disrepute of another completely and in detail. This should be known, monks: 'This person is a bad person.'
"Furthermore, monks, a bad person, whatever praise there is of another, he does not manifest it even when asked, what then to say when not asked! But when asked, brought to the question, having omitted, having held back, he becomes one who speaks the praise of another incompletely and without detail. This should be known, monks: 'This person is a bad person.'
"Furthermore, monks, a bad person, whatever disrepute there is of oneself, he does not manifest it even when asked, what then to say when not asked! But when asked, brought to the question, having omitted, having held back, he becomes one who speaks the disrepute of oneself incompletely and without detail. This should be known, monks: 'This person is a bad person.'
"Furthermore, monks, a bad person, whatever praise there is of oneself, he manifests it even when not asked, what then to say when asked! But when asked, brought to the question, without omitting, taking hold of it, he becomes one who speaks the praise of oneself completely and in detail. This should be known, monks: 'This person is a bad person.' Monks, a bad person should be known as possessed of these four qualities.
"Monks, a good person should be known as possessed of four qualities. Which four? Here, monks, a good person, whatever disrepute there is of another, he does not manifest it even when asked, what then to say when not asked! But when asked, brought to the question, having omitted, having held back, he becomes one who speaks the disrepute of another incompletely and without detail. This should be known, monks: 'This person is a good person.'
"Furthermore, monks, a good person, whatever praise there is of another, he manifests it even when not asked, what then to say when asked! But when asked, brought to the question, without omitting, taking hold of it, he becomes one who speaks the praise of another completely and in detail. This should be known, monks: 'This person is a good person.'
"Furthermore, monks, a good person, whatever disrepute there is of oneself, he manifests it even when not asked, what then to say when asked! But when asked, brought to the question, without omitting, taking hold of it, he becomes one who speaks the disrepute of oneself completely and in detail. This should be known, monks: 'This person is a good person.'
"Furthermore, monks, a good person, whatever praise there is of oneself, he does not manifest it even when asked, what then to say when not asked! But when asked, brought to the question, having omitted, having held back, he becomes one who speaks the praise of oneself incompletely and without detail. This should be known, monks: 'This person is a good person.' Monks, a good person should be known as possessed of these four qualities.
"Just as, monks, a young wife, on whatever night or day she is brought, at that very moment strong shame and moral fear is present in her towards her mother-in-law, father-in-law, and husband, and even towards the slaves, workmen and servants. She, at a later time, through living together and through intimacy, speaks thus to her mother-in-law, father-in-law, and husband - 'Go away, what do you know!' Just so, monks, here a certain monk, on whatever night or day he has gone forth from home into homelessness, at that very moment strong shame and moral fear is present in him towards monks, nuns, male lay followers, and female lay followers, and even towards monastery attendants and novices. He, at a later time, through living together and through intimacy, speaks thus to his teacher and preceptor - 'Go away, what do you know!' Therefore, monks, you should train thus - 'We will dwell with a mind like a newly arrived young wife.' Thus indeed, monks, should you train." The third.
4.
The First Discourse on the Foremost
74. "There are, monks, these four highest things. What are the four? The highest morality, the highest concentration, the highest wisdom, the highest liberation - these, monks, are the four highest things." The fourth.
5.
The Second Discourse on the Foremost
75. "There are, monks, these four highest things. What are the four? The highest in matter, the highest in feeling, the highest in perception, the highest in existence - these, monks, are the four highest things." The fifth.
6.
The Discourse on Kusinārā
76. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kusinārā in the Upavattana, in the Sāla grove of the Mallas, between the twin Sāla trees, at the time of his final Nibbāna. There the Blessed One addressed the monks - "Monks." "Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
"Perhaps, monks, even for one monk there may be uncertainty or doubt about the Buddha, or the Teaching, or the Community, or the path, or the practice. Ask, monks, do not be remorseful afterwards - 'The Teacher was present before us, yet we were not able to question the Blessed One face to face.'" When this was said, those monks remained silent. For the second time the Blessed One addressed the monks - "Perhaps, monks, even for one monk there may be uncertainty or doubt about the Buddha, or the Teaching, or the Community, or the path, or the practice. Ask, monks, do not be remorseful afterwards - 'The Teacher was present before us, yet we were not able to question the Blessed One face to face.'" For the second time those monks remained silent. For the third time the Blessed One addressed the monks - "Perhaps, monks, even for one monk there may be uncertainty or doubt about the Buddha, or the Teaching, or the Community, or the path, or the practice. Ask, monks, do not be remorseful afterwards - 'The Teacher was present before us, yet we were not able to question the Blessed One face to face.'" For the third time those monks remained silent.
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Perhaps, monks, out of respect for the Teacher you would not ask. Let a friend inform a friend, monks." When this was said, those monks remained silent. Then the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "Wonderful, Venerable Sir, marvellous, Venerable Sir! Thus confident am I, Venerable Sir! There is not in this community of monks even for one monk any uncertainty or doubt about the Buddha, or the Teaching, or the Community, or the path, or the practice."
"You speak out of confidence, Ānanda. But here, Ānanda, the Truth-finder has knowledge - 'There is not in this community of monks even for one monk any uncertainty or doubt about the Buddha, or the Teaching, or the Community, or the path, or the practice.' For, Ānanda, of these five hundred monks, the last monk is a stream-enterer, no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment." The sixth.
7.
The Discourse on the Incomprehensible
77. "There are, monks, these four incomprehensible things that should not be considered; which, if one were to consider them, one would become a partaker of madness and vexation. What are the four? The domain of the Buddhas, monks, is incomprehensible, it should not be considered; which, if one were to consider it, one would become a partaker of madness and vexation. The domain of meditative absorption of one who meditates, monks, is incomprehensible, it should not be considered; which, if one were to consider it, one would become a partaker of madness and vexation. The result of action, monks, is incomprehensible, it should not be considered; which, if one were to consider it, one would become a partaker of madness and vexation. Speculation about the world, monks, is incomprehensible, it should not be considered; which, if one were to consider it, one would become a partaker of madness and vexation. These, monks, are the four incomprehensible things that should not be considered; which, if one were to consider them, one would become a partaker of madness and vexation." The seventh.
8.
The Discourse on Offering
78. "There are, monks, these four purifications of offerings. What are the four? There is, monks, an offering that becomes pure on account of the donor, not on account of the recipient; there is, monks, an offering that becomes pure on account of the recipient, not on account of the donor; there is, monks, an offering that becomes pure neither on account of the donor nor on account of the recipient; there is, monks, an offering that becomes pure both on account of the donor and on account of the recipient.
"And how, monks, does an offering become pure on account of the donor, not on account of the recipient? Here, monks, the donor is moral, of good character; the recipients are immoral, of bad character. Thus, monks, an offering becomes pure on account of the donor, not on account of the recipient.
"And how, monks, does an offering become pure on account of the recipient, not on account of the donor? Here, monks, the donor is immoral, of bad character; the recipients are moral, of good character. Thus, monks, an offering becomes pure on account of the recipient, not on account of the donor.
"And how, monks, does an offering become pure neither on account of the donor nor on account of the recipient? Here, monks, the donor is immoral, of bad character; the recipients too are immoral, of bad character. Thus, monks, an offering becomes pure neither on account of the donor nor on account of the recipient.
"And how, monks, does an offering become pure both on account of the donor and on account of the recipient? Here, monks, the donor is moral, of good character; the recipients too are moral, of good character. Thus, monks, an offering becomes pure both on account of the donor and on account of the recipient. These, monks, are the four purifications of offerings." The eighth.
9.
The Discourse on Trade
79. Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said this to the Blessed One - "What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, whereby for some person here the same trade undertaken leads to failure? But what, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, whereby for some person here the same trade undertaken does not turn out according to intention? What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, whereby for some person here the same trade undertaken turns out according to intention? But what, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, whereby for some person here the same trade undertaken turns out beyond intention?"
"Here, Sāriputta, a certain person, having approached an ascetic or a brahmin, invites him - 'Let the venerable sir speak about requisites.' That with which he invites, that he does not give. If he, having passed away from there, comes to this state of being, whatever trade he undertakes, that leads to failure for him.
"Here again, Sāriputta, a certain person, having approached an ascetic or a brahmin, invites him - 'Let the venerable sir speak about requisites.' That with which he invites, that he does not give according to intention. If he, having passed away from there, comes to this state of being, whatever trade he undertakes, that does not turn out according to intention for him.
"Here again, Sāriputta, a certain person, having approached an ascetic or a brahmin, invites him - 'Let the venerable sir speak about requisites.' That with which he invites, that he gives according to intention. If he, having passed away from there, comes to this state of being, whatever trade he undertakes, that turns out according to intention for him.
"Here, Sāriputta, a certain person, having approached an ascetic or a brahmin, invites him - 'Let the venerable sir speak about requisites.' That with which he invites, that he gives beyond intention. If he, having passed away from there, comes to this state of being, whatever trade he undertakes, that turns out beyond intention for him.
"This, Sāriputta, is the cause, this is the condition, whereby for some person here the same trade undertaken leads to failure. But this, Sāriputta, is the cause, this is the condition, whereby for some person here the same trade undertaken does not turn out according to intention. But this, Sāriputta, is the cause, this is the condition, whereby for some person here the same trade undertaken turns out according to intention. But this, Sāriputta, is the cause, this is the condition, whereby for some person here the same trade undertaken turns out beyond intention." The ninth.
10.
The Discourse on Kamboja
80. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One -
"What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, whereby a woman neither sits in an assembly, nor engages in work, nor goes to Kamboja?" "A woman is prone to wrath, Ānanda; a woman is envious, Ānanda; a woman is stingy, Ānanda; a woman is unwise, Ānanda - this, Ānanda, is the cause, this is the condition, whereby a woman neither sits in an assembly, nor engages in work, nor goes to Kamboja." The tenth.
The Unmistakable Chapter is the third.
Its summary:
Kusinārā, Incomprehensible, Offering, Trade, and Kamboja.