1.
The Chapter on Those Worthy of Gifts
1.
The First Discourse on Those Worthy of Gifts
1. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks - "Monks." "Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
"Monks, a monk possessed of six qualities is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which six? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is neither glad nor unhappy, he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Having heard a sound with the ear, he is neither glad nor unhappy, he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Having smelled an odour with the nose, he is neither glad nor unhappy, he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Having tasted a flavour with the tongue, he is neither glad nor unhappy, he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Having touched a tangible object with the body, he is neither glad nor unhappy, he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is neither glad nor unhappy, he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world."
This is what the Blessed One said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said. The first.
2.
The Second Discourse on Those Worthy of Gifts
2. "Monks, a monk possessed of six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which six? Here, monks, a monk experiences the various kinds of supernormal power - having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one; appearing and vanishing; he goes unhindered through walls, through ramparts, through mountains, just as through space; he dives in and out of the earth just as in water; he goes on water without breaking it just as on earth; he travels cross-legged through space just as a winged bird; he fondles and strokes with his hand even the moon and sun, so mighty and powerful; He exercises mastery with his body even as far as the Brahma world.
"With the divine ear element, purified and surpassing the human, he hears both sounds - divine and human, whether far or near.
"He understands the minds of other beings, of other persons, having encompassed them with his own mind. He understands a mind with lust as 'a mind with lust', a mind without lust, etc. a mind with hate, a mind without hate, a mind with delusion, a mind without delusion, a contracted mind, a distracted mind, an exalted mind, a not exalted mind, a surpassed mind, an unsurpassed mind, a concentrated mind, an unconcentrated mind, a liberated mind, he understands an unliberated mind as 'an unliberated mind'.
"He recollects manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. Thus with aspects and terms he recollects manifold past lives.
"With the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands beings according to their actions - 'These beings indeed, sirs, endowed with bodily misconduct, endowed with verbal misconduct, endowed with mental misconduct, revilers of the noble ones, holding wrong views, undertaking actions based on wrong views, upon the body's collapse at death, they have arisen in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But these beings, sirs, endowed with bodily good conduct, endowed with verbal good conduct, endowed with mental good conduct, not revilers of the noble ones, holding right views, undertaking actions based on right views, upon the body's collapse at death, they have arisen in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world.' Thus with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands beings according to their actions.
With the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.
"Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The second.
3.
The Discourse on the Faculties
3. "Monks, a monk possessed of six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which six? With the faith faculty, the energy faculty, the mindfulness faculty, the concentration faculty, the wisdom faculty, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The third.
4.
The Discourse on the Powers
4. "Monks, a monk possessed of six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which six? With the power of faith, the power of energy, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, the power of wisdom, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The fourth.
5.
The First Discourse on the Thoroughbred
5. "Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of six factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself.
Which six? Here, monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse is patient with forms, patient with sounds, patient with odours, patient with flavours, patient with tangible objects, and is endowed with beauty. Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of these six 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 six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which six? Here, monks, a monk is patient with forms, patient with sounds, patient with odours, patient with flavours, patient with tangible objects, patient with mental objects. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The fifth.
6.
The Second Discourse on the Thoroughbred
6. "Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of six factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself. Which six? Here, monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse is patient with forms, patient with sounds, patient with odours, patient with flavours, patient with tangible objects, and is endowed with strength. Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of these six 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 six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which six? Here, monks, a monk is patient with forms, etc. patient with mental objects. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The sixth.
7.
The Third Discourse on the Thoroughbred
7. "Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of six factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself. Which six? Here, monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse is patient with forms, patient with sounds, patient with odours, patient with flavours, patient with tangible objects, and is endowed with speed. Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of these six 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 six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which six? Here, monks, a monk is patient with forms, etc. patient with mental objects. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The seventh.
8.
The Discourse on the Unsurpassed
8. "There are, monks, these six unsurpassed things. What are the six? The unsurpassed in seeing, the unsurpassed in hearing, the unsurpassed in material gain, the unsurpassed in training, the unsurpassed in service, the unsurpassed in recollection - these, monks, are the six unsurpassed things." The eighth.
9.
The Discourse on the Bases of Recollection
9. "There are, monks, these six states of recollection. What are the six? Recollection of the Buddha, recollection of the Teaching, recollection of the Community, recollection of morality, recollection of generosity, recollection of the deities - these, monks, are the six states of recollection." The ninth.
10.
The Discourse on Mahānāma
10. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Monastery. Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Mahānāma the Sakyan said this to the Blessed One - "Venerable sir, a noble disciple who has attained the fruit, who has understood the teaching, with which abiding does he frequently dwell?"
"Mahānāma, a noble disciple who has attained the fruit, who has understood the teaching, frequently dwells with this abiding. Here, Mahānāma, a noble disciple recollects the Truth-finder - 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One: the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' Mahānāma, at the time when a noble disciple recollects the Truth-finder, at that time his mind is not pervaded by lust, his mind is not pervaded by hate, his mind is not pervaded by delusion; at that time his mind is upright, based on the Truth-finder. And, Mahānāma, a noble disciple whose mind is upright obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching. In one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. This is called, Mahānāma - 'A noble disciple who dwells having attained evenness among a generation gone to unevenness, who dwells without affliction among a generation with affliction, who has attained the stream of the Teaching, develops recollection of the Buddha.'
"Furthermore, Mahānāma, a noble disciple recollects the Teaching - 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the wise.' Mahānāma, at the time when a noble disciple recollects the Teaching, at that time his mind is not pervaded by lust, his mind is not pervaded by hate, his mind is not pervaded by delusion; at that time his mind is upright, based on the Teaching. And, Mahānāma, a noble disciple whose mind is upright obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching. In one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. This is called, Mahānāma - 'A noble disciple who dwells having attained evenness among a generation gone to unevenness, who dwells without affliction among a generation with affliction, who has attained the stream of the Teaching, develops recollection of the Teaching.'
"Furthermore, Mahānāma, a noble disciple recollects the Community - 'The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing uprightly, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing by the true method, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing properly, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individual persons; this Community of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.' Mahānāma, at the time when a noble disciple recollects the Community, at that time his mind is not pervaded by lust, his mind is not pervaded by hate, his mind is not pervaded by delusion; at that time his mind is upright, based on the Community. And, Mahānāma, a noble disciple whose mind is upright obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching. In one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. This is called, Mahānāma - 'A noble disciple who dwells having attained evenness among a generation gone to unevenness, who dwells without affliction among a generation with affliction, who has attained the stream of the Teaching, develops recollection of the Community.'
"Furthermore, Mahānāma, a noble disciple recollects one's own moral practices that are unbroken, without holes, unspotted, unblemished, liberating, praised by the wise, not adhered to, and conducive to concentration. At the time, Mahānāma, when a noble disciple recollects morality, at that time his mind is not pervaded by lust, his mind is not pervaded by hate, his mind is not pervaded by delusion; at that time his mind is upright, based on morality. And, Mahānāma, a noble disciple whose mind is upright obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching. In one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. This is called, Mahānāma - 'a noble disciple who dwells having attained evenness among a generation gone to unevenness, who dwells without affliction among a generation with affliction, who having attained the stream of the Teaching, develops the recollection of morality.'
"Furthermore, Mahānāma, a noble disciple recollects one's own generosity - 'It is a gain for me indeed, it is well-gained for me indeed! I who, among a generation pervaded by the stain of stinginess, dwell at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, generous in giving, with purified hands, delighting in relinquishment, accessible to requests, delighting in giving and sharing.' At the time, Mahānāma, when a noble disciple recollects generosity, at that time his mind is not pervaded by lust, his mind is not pervaded by hate, his mind is not pervaded by delusion; at that time his mind is upright, based on generosity. And, Mahānāma, a noble disciple whose mind is upright obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching. In one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. This is called, Mahānāma - 'a noble disciple who dwells having attained evenness among a generation gone to unevenness, who dwells without affliction among a generation with affliction, who having attained the stream of the Teaching, develops the recollection of generosity.'
"Furthermore, Mahānāma, a noble disciple develops the recollection of the deities - 'There are the gods ruled by the four great kings, there are the gods of the Thirty-three, there are the Yāma gods, there are the Tusita gods, there are the gods who delight in creation, there are the gods who wield power over others' creations, there are the gods of Brahmā's retinue, there are gods beyond that. Endowed with such faith as those deities were endowed with, having passed away from here, they were reborn there; such faith is also found in me. Endowed with such morality as those deities were endowed with, having passed away from here, they were reborn there; such morality is also found in me. Endowed with such learning as those deities were endowed with, having passed away from here, they were reborn there; such learning is also found in me. Endowed with such generosity as those deities were endowed with, having passed away from here, they were reborn there; such generosity is also found in me. Endowed with such wisdom as those deities were endowed with, having passed away from here, they were reborn there; such wisdom is also found in me.' At the time, Mahānāma, when a noble disciple recollects the faith and morality and learning and generosity and wisdom of oneself and of those deities, at that time his mind is not pervaded by lust, his mind is not pervaded by hate, his mind is not pervaded by delusion; at that time his mind is upright, based on those deities. And, Mahānāma, a noble disciple whose mind is upright obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching. In one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. This is called, Mahānāma - 'a noble disciple who dwells having attained evenness among a generation gone to unevenness, who dwells without affliction among a generation with affliction, who having attained the stream of the Teaching, develops the recollection of the deities.'
"Mahānāma, that noble disciple who has attained the fruit, who has understood the teaching, frequently dwells with this abiding." The tenth.
The Worthy of Offerings Chapter is the first.
Its summary:
Unsurpassed things, recollections, with Mahānāma - these are ten.