6.
The Chapter on Direct Knowledge
1.
The Discourse on Direct Knowledge
254. "Monks, there are these four mental states. Which four? There are, monks, mental states to be fully understood through direct knowledge; there are, monks, mental states to be abandoned through direct knowledge; there are, monks, mental states to be developed through direct knowledge; there are, monks, mental states to be realized through direct knowledge.
And what, monks, are the mental states to be fully understood through direct knowledge? Five aggregates of clinging - these are called, monks, the mental states to be fully understood through direct knowledge.
And what, monks, are the mental states to be abandoned through direct knowledge? Ignorance and craving for existence - these are called, monks, the mental states to be abandoned through direct knowledge.
And what, monks, are the mental states to be developed through direct knowledge? Serenity and insight - these are called, monks, the mental states to be developed through direct knowledge.
And what, monks, are the mental states to be realized through direct knowledge? True knowledge and liberation - these are called, monks, the mental states to be realized through direct knowledge. These, monks, are the four mental states." The first.
2.
The Discourse on the Quest
255. "There are, monks, these four ignoble quests. What are the four? Here, monks, someone being himself subject to ageing seeks what is also subject to ageing; being himself subject to disease seeks what is also subject to disease; being himself subject to death seeks what is also subject to death; being himself subject to defilement seeks what is also subject to defilement. These, monks, are the four ignoble quests.
"There are, monks, these four noble quests. What are the four? Here, monks, someone being himself subject to ageing, having understood the danger in what is subject to ageing, seeks the ageless, the unsurpassed freedom from bondage, Nibbāna; being himself subject to disease, having understood the danger in what is subject to disease, seeks the disease-free, the unsurpassed freedom from bondage, Nibbāna; being himself subject to death, having understood the danger in what is subject to death, seeks the deathless, the unsurpassed freedom from bondage, Nibbāna; being himself subject to defilement, having understood the danger in what is subject to defilement, seeks the undefiled, the unsurpassed freedom from bondage, Nibbāna. These, monks, are the four noble quests." The second.
3.
The Discourse on Ways of Supporting Others
256. "There are, monks, these four ways of supporting others. What are the four? Giving, endearing speech, beneficent conduct, impartiality - these, monks, are the four ways of supporting others."
4.
The Discourse on Mālukyaputta
257. Then the Venerable Mālukyaputta 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 Mālukyaputta said this to the Blessed One -
"It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Teaching in brief, so that having heard the Teaching from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute." "Here now, Mālukyaputta, what shall we say to the young monks; when indeed you who are old, aged, elderly, request exhortation in brief from the Truth-finder!" "Let the Blessed One teach me the Teaching in brief, venerable sir; let the Fortunate One teach me the Teaching in brief. Perhaps I might understand the meaning of the Blessed One's saying; perhaps I might become an heir to the Blessed One's saying."
"Mālukyaputta, there are these four arisings of craving where craving when arising arises in a monk. Which four? Mālukyaputta, craving when arising arises in a monk because of robes. Or, Mālukyaputta, craving when arising arises in a monk because of almsfood. Or, Mālukyaputta, craving when arising arises in a monk because of lodging. Or, Mālukyaputta, craving when arising arises in a monk because of this or that existence. These, Mālukyaputta, are the four arisings of craving where craving when arising arises in a monk. When, Mālukyaputta, for a monk craving has been abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future, this is called, Mālukyaputta, 'a monk who has cut off craving, turned back the mental fetters, through the complete full realization of conceit has made an end of suffering.'"
Then the Venerable Mālukyaputta, exhorted by the Blessed One with this exhortation, having risen from his seat, having paid respect to the Blessed One, having circumambulated him keeping him on his right, departed. Then the Venerable Mālukyaputta, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, before long - that unsurpassed goal 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 Mālukyaputta became one of the Worthy Ones. The fourth.
5.
The Discourse on the Family
258. "Whatever families, monks, having attained greatness in wealth, do not last long, all of them are so due to four reasons, or one or other of them. Which four? They do not seek what is lost, they do not repair what is worn out, they are unlimited in their drinking and eating, they place an immoral woman or man in authority. Whatever families, monks, having attained greatness in wealth, do not last long, all of them are so due to these four reasons, or one or other of them.
"Whatever families, monks, having attained greatness in wealth, last long, all of them are so due to four reasons, or one or other of them. Which four? They seek what is lost, they repair what is worn out, they are limited in their drinking and eating, they place a virtuous woman or man in authority. Whatever families, monks, having attained greatness in wealth, last long, all of them are so due to these four reasons, or one or other of them." The fifth.
6.
The First Discourse on the Thoroughbred
259. "Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of four factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself. Which four? Here, monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse is endowed with beauty, endowed with strength, endowed with speed, and endowed with height and girth. Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of these four factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself.
"Just so, monks, a monk possessed of four qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which four? Here, monks, a monk is endowed with beauty, endowed with strength, endowed with speed, and endowed with height and girth.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with beauty? Here, monks, a monk is virtuous, etc. having accepted the training rules he trains in them. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with beauty.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with strength? Here, monks, a monk dwells putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with strength.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with speed? Here, monks, a monk 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.' Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with speed.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with height and girth? Here, monks, a monk is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine for the sick. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with height and girth.
"Monks, a monk possessed of these four qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The sixth.
7.
The Second Discourse on the Thoroughbred
260. "Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of four factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself. Which four? Here, monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse is endowed with beauty, endowed with strength, endowed with speed, and endowed with height and girth. Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of these four factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself.
"Just so, monks, a monk possessed of four qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which four? Here, monks, a monk is endowed with beauty, endowed with strength, endowed with speed, and endowed with height and girth.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with beauty? Here, monks, a monk is virtuous, etc. having accepted the training rules he trains in them. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with beauty.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with strength? Here, monks, a monk dwells putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with strength.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with speed? Here, monks, a monk, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, etc. having realised, having attained, dwells. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with speed.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with height and girth? Here, monks, a monk is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine for the sick. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with height and girth.
"Monks, a monk possessed of these four qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The seventh.
8.
The Discourse on the Powers
261. "There are, monks, these four powers. What are the four? The power of energy, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, the power of wisdom - these, monks, are the four powers." The eighth.
9.
The Discourse on the Forest
262. "Monks, a monk possessed of four qualities is not able to resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings. Which four? With sensual thought, with thought of anger, with thought of violence, he is unwise, dull, an idiot - monks, a monk possessed of these four qualities is not able to resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings.
"Monks, a monk possessed of four qualities is able to resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings. Which four? With thought of renunciation, with thought of non-anger, with thought of non-violence, he is wise, not dull, not an idiot - monks, a monk possessed of these four qualities is able to resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings." The ninth.
10.
The Discourse on Action
263. "Monks, a foolish, inexperienced bad person possessed of four qualities maintains himself injured and damaged, is blameable and censurable by the wise, and generates much demerit. Which four? With blameworthy bodily action, with blameworthy verbal action, with blameworthy mental action, with blameworthy view - Monks, a foolish, inexperienced bad person possessed of these four qualities maintains himself injured and damaged, is blameable and censurable by the wise, and generates much demerit.
"Monks, a wise, accomplished good person possessed of four qualities maintains himself uninjured and undamaged, is faultless and beyond censure by the wise, and generates much merit. Which four? With blameless bodily action, with blameless verbal action, with blameless mental action, with blameless view - Monks, a wise, accomplished good person possessed of these four qualities maintains himself uninjured and undamaged, is faultless and beyond censure by the wise, and generates much merit." The tenth.
The Sixth is the Chapter on Direct Knowledge.
Its summary:
Family, two on thoroughbreds, power, and forest action.