7.
The Chapter on Deities
1.
The Discourse on the Fruition of Non-Returning
65. "Monks, without abandoning six qualities, one is incapable of realizing the fruition of non-returning. Which six? Faithlessness, shamelessness, moral fearlessness, idleness, forgetfulness, and lacking wisdom - these, monks, without abandoning these six qualities, one is incapable of realizing the fruition of non-returning.
"Monks, having abandoned six qualities, one is capable of realizing the fruition of non-returning. Which six? Faithlessness, shamelessness, moral fearlessness, idleness, forgetfulness, and lacking wisdom - these, monks, having abandoned these six qualities, one is capable of realizing the fruition of non-returning." The first.
2.
The Discourse on Arahantship
66. "Monks, without abandoning six qualities, one is incapable of realizing arahantship. Which six? Sloth, torpor, restlessness, remorse, faithlessness, negligence - these, monks, without abandoning these six qualities, one is incapable of realizing arahantship.
"Monks, having abandoned six qualities, one is capable of realizing arahantship. Which six? Sloth, torpor, restlessness, remorse, faithlessness, negligence - these, monks, having abandoned these six qualities, one is capable of realizing arahantship." The second.
3.
The Discourse on a Friend
67. "That indeed, monks, a monk who has evil friends, evil companions, evil associates, who is associating with, keeping company with, attending on evil friends, and following their example, 'will fulfil the fundamentals of conduct' - this is impossible. 'Without fulfilling the fundamentals of conduct, he will fulfil the trainee state' - this is impossible. 'Without fulfilling the trainee state, he will fulfil the moralities' - this is impossible. 'Without fulfilling the moralities, he will abandon sensual lust or lust for material form or lust for immaterial existence' - this is impossible.
"That indeed, monks, a monk who has good friends, good companions, good associates, who is associating with, keeping company with, attending on good friends, and following their example, 'will fulfil the fundamentals of conduct' - this is possible. 'Having fulfilled the fundamentals of conduct, he will fulfil the trainee state' - this is possible. 'Having fulfilled the trainee state, he will fulfil the moralities' - this is possible. 'Having fulfilled the moralities, he will abandon sensual lust or lust for material form or lust for immaterial existence' - this is possible." The third.
4.
The Discourse on Delighting in Society
68. "That indeed, monks, a monk who delights in company, who is devoted to company, who is given to delight in company, who delights in a group, who is devoted to a group, who is given to delight in a group, will find pleasure alone in solitude - this is impossible. 'Not finding pleasure alone in solitude, he will grasp the sign of the mind' - this is impossible. 'Not grasping the sign of the mind, he will fulfil right view' - this is impossible. 'Without fulfilling right view, he will fulfil right concentration' - this is impossible. 'Without fulfilling right concentration, he will abandon the mental fetters' - this is impossible. 'Without abandoning the mental fetters, he will realize Nibbāna' - this is impossible.
"That indeed, monks, a monk who does not delight in company, who is not devoted to company, who is not given to delight in company, who does not delight in a group, who is not devoted to a group, who is not given to delight in a group, will find pleasure alone in solitude - this is possible. 'Finding pleasure alone in solitude, he will grasp the sign of the mind' - this is possible. 'Grasping the sign of the mind, he will fulfil right view' - this is possible. 'Having fulfilled right view, he will fulfil right concentration' - this is possible. 'Having fulfilled right concentration, he will abandon the mental fetters' - this is possible. 'Having abandoned the mental fetters, he will realize Nibbāna' - this is possible." The fourth.
5.
The Discourse on Deities
69. Then a certain deity, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated almost the entire Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, that deity said this to the Blessed One - "There are these six things, venerable sir, that lead to the non-decline of a monk. Which six? Respect for the Teacher, respect for the Teaching, respect for the Community, respect for the training, being easy to admonish, good friendship - these, venerable sir, are the six things that lead to the non-decline of a monk." This that deity said. The Teacher was approving. Then that deity, thinking "The Teacher approves of me," having paid respect to the Blessed One and circumambulated him keeping him on his right, disappeared right there.
Then the Blessed One, after that night had passed, addressed the monks - "This night, monks, a certain deity, when the night was far advanced, with surpassing beauty, having illuminated almost the entire Jeta's Grove, approached me; having approached, he paid respect to me and stood to one side. Standing to one side, monks, that deity said this to me - 'There are these six things, venerable sir, that lead to the non-decline of a monk. Which six? Respect for the Teacher, respect for the Teaching, respect for the Community, respect for the training, being easy to admonish, good friendship - these, venerable sir, are the six things that lead to the non-decline of a monk.' This, monks, that deity said. Having said this, having paid respect to me, having circumambulated me keeping me on his right, he disappeared right there."
When this was said, the Venerable Sāriputta, having paid respect to the Blessed One, said this - "I, venerable sir, understand in detail the meaning of what the Blessed One has spoken in brief thus. Here, venerable sir, a monk himself is respectful towards the Teacher and speaks in praise of respect for the Teacher. And those other monks who are not respectful towards the Teacher, he encourages them to respect for the Teacher. And those other monks who are respectful towards the Teacher, he speaks their praise - factual, true, at the right time. He himself is respectful towards the Teaching, etc. is respectful towards the Community, is respectful towards the training, is easy to admonish, has good friends and speaks in praise of good friendship. And those other monks who do not have good friends, he encourages them to good friendship. And those other monks who have good friends, he speaks their praise - factual, true, at the right time. I, venerable sir, understand in detail the meaning of what the Blessed One has spoken in brief thus."
"Good, good, Sāriputta! Good indeed, Sāriputta, you understand in detail the meaning of what was spoken by me in brief. Here, Sāriputta, a monk himself has respect for the Teacher and speaks in praise of respect for the Teacher. And those other monks who are not respectful towards the Teacher, he encourages them to respect for the Teacher. And those other monks who are respectful towards the Teacher, he speaks their praise - factual, true, at the right time. He himself is respectful towards the Teaching, etc. is respectful towards the Community, is respectful towards the training, is easy to admonish, has good friends and speaks in praise of good friendship. And those other monks who do not have good friends, he encourages them to good friendship. And those other monks who have good friends, he speaks their praise - factual, true, at the right time. This, Sāriputta, is how the meaning of what was spoken by me in brief should be seen in detail." The fifth.
6.
The Discourse on Concentration
70. "That indeed, monks, a monk with concentration that is not peaceful, not sublime, not obtained through cessation, not attained through unification of mind, will experience the various kinds of supernormal power - having been one, he will become many; having been many, he will become one, etc. he will exercise mastery with his body even as far as the Brahma world" - this is impossible. "With the divine ear element, purified and surpassing the human, he will hear both sounds - divine and human, whether far or near" - this is impossible. "He will understand the minds of other beings, of other persons, having encompassed them with his own mind - he will understand a mind with lust as 'a mind with lust', etc. he will understand a liberated mind as 'a liberated mind'" - this is impossible. "He will recollect manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms he will recollect manifold past lives" - this is impossible. "With the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he will see beings, etc. he will understand beings according to their actions" - this is impossible. "With the elimination of the mental corruptions, etc. having realised, having attained, he will dwell" - this is impossible.
"That indeed, monks, a monk with concentration that is peaceful, sublime, obtained through cessation, attained through unification of mind, will experience the various kinds of supernormal power, etc. he will exercise mastery with his body even as far as the Brahma world" - this is possible. "With the divine ear element, purified and surpassing the human, he will hear both sounds - divine and human, whether far or near" - this is possible. "He will understand the minds of other beings, of other persons, having encompassed them with his own mind - he will understand a mind with lust as 'a mind with lust', etc. he will understand a liberated mind as 'a liberated mind'" - this is possible. "He will recollect manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms he will recollect manifold past lives" - this is possible. "With the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he will see beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he will understand beings according to their actions" - this is possible. "With the elimination of the mental corruptions, the liberation of mind that is without mental corruptions, etc. having realised, having attained, he will dwell" - this is possible. The sixth.
7.
The Discourse on Being Capable of Realising
71. "Monks, a monk possessed of six qualities is unable to attain the ability to witness in each and every case, when there is a basis for mindfulness. Which six? Here, monks, a monk does not understand as it really is: 'These are qualities conducive to relinquishment', does not understand as it really is: 'These are qualities connected with duration', does not understand as it really is: 'These are qualities leading to distinction', does not understand as it really is: 'These are qualities partaking of penetration', and he is one who acts inattentively and one who does what is not suitable. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is unable to attain the ability to witness in each and every case, when there is a basis for mindfulness.
"Monks, a monk possessed of six qualities is able to attain the ability to witness in each and every case, when there is a basis for mindfulness. Which six? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is: 'These are qualities conducive to relinquishment', understands as it really is: 'These are qualities connected with duration', understands as it really is: 'These are qualities leading to distinction', understands as it really is: 'These are qualities partaking of penetration', and he is one who acts carefully and one who does what is suitable. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is able to attain the ability to witness in each and every case, when there is a basis for mindfulness." The seventh.
8.
The Discourse on the Powers
72. "Monks, a monk possessed of six qualities is unable to attain power in concentration. Which six? Here, monks, a monk is not skilled in attainment of concentration, is not skilled in duration of concentration, is not skilled in emergence from concentration, and he is one who acts inattentively, one who acts without perseverance, and one who does what is not suitable. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is unable to attain power in concentration.
"Monks, a monk possessed of six qualities is able to attain power in concentration. Which six? Here, monks, a monk is skilled in attainment of concentration, skilled in duration of concentration, skilled in emergence from concentration, and he is one who acts carefully, one who acts with perseverance, and one who does what is suitable. Monks, a monk possessed of these six qualities is able to attain power in concentration." The eighth.
9.
The First Discourse on That Meditative Absorption
73. "Monks, without abandoning six qualities, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first meditative absorption. Which six? Sensual desire, anger, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, sceptical doubt. And the danger in sensual pleasures is not well seen by him as it really is with right wisdom. These, monks, without abandoning these six qualities, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first meditative absorption.
"Monks, having abandoned six qualities, one is capable of entering and dwelling in the first meditative absorption. Which six? Sensual desire, anger, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, sceptical doubt, and the danger in sensual pleasures is not well seen by him as it really is with right wisdom. These, monks, having abandoned these six qualities, one is capable of entering and dwelling in the first meditative absorption." The ninth.
10.
The Second Discourse on That Meditative Absorption
74. "Monks, without abandoning six qualities, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first meditative absorption. Which six? Sensual thought, thought of anger, thought of violence, perception of sensuality, perception of anger, perception of violence - these, monks, without abandoning these six qualities, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first meditative absorption.
"Monks, having abandoned six qualities, one is capable of entering and dwelling in the first meditative absorption. Which six? Sensual thought, thought of anger, thought of violence, perception of sensuality, perception of anger, perception of violence - these, monks, having abandoned these six qualities, one is capable of entering and dwelling in the first meditative absorption." The tenth.
The Deities Chapter is the seventh.
Its summary:
Concentration, Witness, Capable, Power, Related to Meditative Absorption, the other two.