5.
The Discourse on One Without Mental Blemishes
57. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks: "Friends, monks!" "Friend," those monks assented to the Venerable Sāriputta. The Venerable Sāriputta said this -
"Friends, there are these four persons existing and found in the world. Which four? Here, friends, a certain person with a blemish does not understand as it really is 'there is a blemish internally in me.' But here, friends, a certain person with a blemish understands as it really is 'there is a blemish internally in me.' Here, friends, a certain person without blemish does not understand as it really is 'there is no blemish internally in me.' But here, friends, a certain person without blemish understands as it really is 'there is no blemish internally in me.' Therein, friends, that person with a blemish who does not understand as it really is 'there is a blemish internally in me,' this one of these two persons who have blemishes is declared to be the inferior person. Therein, friends, that person with a blemish who understands as it really is 'there is a blemish internally in me,' this one of these two persons who have blemishes is declared to be the excellent person. Therein, friends, that person without blemish who does not understand as it really is 'there is no blemish internally in me,' this one of these two persons who are without blemishes is declared to be the inferior person. Therein, friends, that person without blemish who understands as it really is 'there is no blemish internally in me,' this one of these two persons who are without blemishes is declared to be the excellent person."
58. When this was said, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this to the Venerable Sāriputta -
"What now, friend Sāriputta, is the cause, what is the condition whereby of these two persons who have blemishes, one is declared to be an inferior person, one is declared to be an excellent person? But what, friend Sāriputta, is the cause, what is the condition whereby of these two persons who are without blemishes, one is declared to be an inferior person, one is declared to be an excellent person?"
59. "Therein, friend, that person who, being with a blemish, does not understand as it really is 'there is a blemish internally in me,' for him this is to be expected - he will not generate desire, will not strive, will not arouse energy for the abandoning of that blemish; he will die with lust, with hate, with delusion, with a blemish, with a defiled mind. Just as, friend, a bronze dish brought from a shop or from a smith's family, covered with dust and stain. If the owners would neither use it nor clean it, and would put it down in a dusty place. Thus indeed, friend, would that bronze dish at a later time become more defiled and stain-covered?" "Yes, friend." "Just so, friend, that person who, being with a blemish, does not understand as it really is 'there is a blemish internally in me,' for him this is to be expected - he will not generate desire, will not strive, will not arouse energy for the abandoning of that blemish; he will die with lust, with hate, with delusion, with a blemish, with a defiled mind.
"Therein, friend, that person who, being with a blemish, understands as it really is 'there is a blemish internally in me,' for him this is to be expected - he will generate desire, will strive, will arouse energy for the abandoning of that blemish; he will die without lust, without hate, without delusion, without blemish, with an undefiled mind. Just as, friend, a bronze dish brought from a shop or from a smith's family, covered with dust and stain. If the owners would both use it and clean it, and would not put it down in a dusty place. Thus indeed, friend, would that bronze dish at a later time become purer and cleaner?" "Yes, friend." "Just so, friend, that person who, being with a blemish, understands as it really is 'there is a blemish internally in me,' for him this is to be expected - he will generate desire, will strive, will arouse energy for the abandoning of that blemish; he will die without lust, without hate, without delusion, without blemish, with an undefiled mind.
"Therein, friend, that person who, being without blemish, does not understand as it really is 'there is no blemish internally in me,' for him this is to be expected - he will attend to the sign of the beautiful, and through his attention to the sign of the beautiful, lust will corrupt his mind; he will die with lust, with hate, with delusion, with a blemish, with a defiled mind. Just as, friend, a bronze dish brought from a shop or from a smith's family, pure and clean. If the owners would neither use it nor clean it, and would put it down in a dusty place. Thus indeed, friend, would that bronze dish at a later time become more defiled and stain-covered?" "Yes, friend." "Just so, friend, that person who, being without blemish, does not understand as it really is 'there is no blemish internally in me,' for him this is to be expected - he will attend to the sign of the beautiful, and through his attention to the sign of the beautiful, lust will corrupt his mind; he will die with lust, with hate, with delusion, with a blemish, with a defiled mind.
"Therein, friend, that person who, being without blemish, understands as it really is 'there is no blemish internally in me,' for him this is to be expected - he will not attend to the sign of the beautiful, and through his inattention to the sign of the beautiful, lust will not corrupt his mind; he will die without lust, without hate, without delusion, without blemish, with an undefiled mind. Just as, friend, a bronze dish brought from a shop or from a smith's family, pure and clean. If the owners would both use it and clean it, and would not put it down in a dusty place. Thus indeed, friend, would that bronze dish at a later time become purer and cleaner?" "Yes, friend." "Just so, friend, that person who, being without blemish, understands as it really is 'there is no blemish internally in me,' for him this is to be expected - he will not attend to the sign of the beautiful, and through his inattention to the sign of the beautiful, lust will not corrupt his mind; he will die without lust, without hate, without delusion, without blemish, with an undefiled mind.
"This, friend Moggallāna, is the cause, this is the condition whereby of these two persons who have blemishes, one is declared to be an inferior person, one is declared to be an excellent person. But this, friend Moggallāna, is the cause, this is the condition whereby of these two persons who are without blemishes, one is declared to be an inferior person, one is declared to be an excellent person."
60. "'Blemish, blemish', friend, is said. Of what indeed, friend, is this a designation, namely 'blemish'?" "This, friend, is a designation for evil unwholesome spheres of desire, namely 'blemish'."
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'If only I had committed an offence, and the monks would not know that I have committed an offence.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that the monks would know that monk - 'He has committed an offence.' 'The monks know me as one who has committed an offence' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'If only I had committed an offence, and the monks would accuse me in private, not in the midst of the Community.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that the monks would accuse that monk in the midst of the Community, not in private. 'The monks accuse me in the midst of the Community, not in private' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'If only I had committed an offence, and an equal would accuse me, not one without equal.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that one without equal would accuse that monk, not an equal. 'One without equal accuses me, not an equal' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, if only the Teacher would teach the Teaching to the monks by questioning me again and again, and the Teacher would not teach the Teaching to the monks by questioning another monk again and again.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that the Teacher would teach the Teaching to the monks by questioning another monk again and again, and the Teacher would not teach the Teaching to the monks by questioning that monk again and again. 'The Teacher teaches the Teaching to the monks by questioning another monk again and again, the Teacher does not teach the Teaching to the monks by questioning me again and again' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, if only the monks would enter the village for a meal putting me in front again and again, and the monks would not enter the village for a meal putting another monk in front again and again.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that the monks would enter the village for a meal putting another monk in front again and again, and the monks would not enter the village for a meal putting that monk in front again and again. 'The monks enter the village for a meal putting another monk in front again and again, the monks do not enter the village for a meal putting me in front again and again' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, may I alone obtain the best seat, the best water, the best almsfood in the refectory, may no other monk obtain the best seat, the best water, the best almsfood in the refectory.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that another monk might obtain the best seat, the best water, the best almsfood in the refectory, and that monk might not obtain the best seat, the best water, the best almsfood in the refectory. 'Another monk obtains the best seat, the best water, the best almsfood in the refectory, I do not obtain the best seat, the best water, the best almsfood in the refectory' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, may I alone, having eaten in the refectory, give thanks, may no other monk, having eaten in the refectory, give thanks.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that another monk, having eaten in the refectory, might give thanks, and that monk, having eaten in the refectory, might not give thanks. 'Another monk, having eaten in the refectory, gives thanks, I, having eaten in the refectory, do not give thanks' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, may I alone teach the Teaching to the monks who have come to the monastery, may no other monk teach the Teaching to the monks who have come to the monastery.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that another monk might teach the Teaching to the monks who have come to the monastery, and that monk might not teach the Teaching to the monks who have come to the monastery. 'Another monk teaches the Teaching to the monks who have come to the monastery, I do not teach the Teaching to the monks who have come to the monastery' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, may I alone teach the Teaching to the nuns who have come to the monastery, etc. may I teach the Teaching to the male lay followers, etc. may I teach the Teaching to the female lay followers, may no other monk teach the Teaching to the female lay followers who have come to the monastery.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that another monk might teach the Teaching to the female lay followers who have come to the monastery, and that monk might not teach the Teaching to the female lay followers who have come to the monastery. 'Another monk teaches the Teaching to the female lay followers who have come to the monastery, I do not teach the Teaching to the female lay followers who have come to the monastery' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, may monks honour me alone, respect me, revere me, venerate me, may monks not honour another monk, not respect, not revere, not venerate him.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that monks might honour another monk, respect, revere, venerate him, and monks might not honour that monk, not respect, not revere, not venerate him. 'Monks honour another monk, respect, revere, venerate him, monks do not honour me, do not respect, do not revere, do not venerate me' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, may nuns alone, etc. male lay followers, etc. female lay followers honour me, respect me, revere me, venerate me, may female lay followers not honour another monk, not respect, not revere, not venerate him.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that female lay followers might honour another monk, respect, revere, venerate him, and female lay followers might not honour that monk, not respect, not revere, not venerate him. 'Female lay followers honour another monk, respect, revere, venerate him, female lay followers do not honour me, do not respect, do not revere, do not venerate me' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, may I alone be an obtainer of superior robes, may no other monk be an obtainer of superior robes.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that another monk might be an obtainer of superior robes, and that monk might not be an obtainer of superior robes. 'Another monk is an obtainer of superior robes, I am not an obtainer of superior robes' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"Now, friend, there is this possibility that here for a certain monk such a desire might arise - 'Oh indeed, may I alone be an obtainer of superior almsfood... etc. of superior lodgings... etc. of superior requisites of medicines for the sick, may no other monk be an obtainer of superior requisites of medicines for the sick.' Now, friend, there is this possibility that another monk might be an obtainer of superior requisites of medicines for the sick, and that monk might not be an obtainer of superior requisites of medicines for the sick. 'Another monk is an obtainer of superior requisites of medicines for the sick, I am not an obtainer of superior requisites of medicines for the sick' - thus he is angry and displeased. Now, friend, whatever irritation and whatever displeasure - both of these are a blemish.
"This, friend, is the designation for these evil unwholesome spheres of desire, that is to say, blemish."
61. "For whatever monk, friend, these evil unwholesome spheres of desire are not abandoned, are both seen and heard, even though he is a forest-dweller, dwelling in a secluded resting place, an almsfood eater, one who walks successively for alms, a wearer of rag-robes, one wearing coarse robes, yet his fellow monks do not honour him, do not respect him, do not revere him, do not venerate him. What is the reason for this? For those evil unwholesome spheres of desire of that venerable one, not abandoned, are both seen and heard. Just as, friend, a bronze dish brought from a shop or from a smith's family, pure and clean. If the owners, having filled it with a snake's carcass or a dog's carcass or a human carcass, having covered it with another bronze dish, would go to the market place. People, having seen it, would say thus - 'Hey, what is this being carried, like something fine and pure?' Having risen up and having opened it, one would look. Together with seeing it, disagreeableness would arise, loathsomeness would arise, disgust would arise; even for the hungry there would be no desire to eat, how much more for the satisfied. Just so, friend, for whatever monk these evil unwholesome spheres of desire are not abandoned, are both seen and heard, even though he is a forest-dweller, dwelling in a secluded resting place, an almsfood eater, one who walks successively for alms, a wearer of rag-robes, one wearing coarse robes, yet his fellow monks do not honour him, do not respect him, do not revere him, do not venerate him. What is the reason for this? For those evil unwholesome spheres of desire of that venerable one, not abandoned, are both seen and heard.
62. "For whatever monk, friend, these evil unwholesome spheres of desire are abandoned, are both seen and heard, even though he is a village-border dweller, one who accepts invitations, one wearing robes given by householders, yet his fellow monks honour him, respect him, revere him, venerate him. What is the reason for this? For those evil unwholesome spheres of desire of that venerable one, abandoned, are both seen and heard. Just as, friend, a bronze dish brought from a shop or from a smith's family, pure and clean. If the owners, having arranged rice of fine rice with the dark grains picked out, with various curries, with various vegetables, having covered it with another bronze dish, would go to the market place. People, having seen it, would say thus - 'Hey, what is this being carried, like something fine and pure?' Having risen up and having opened it, one would look. Together with seeing it, agreeableness would arise, non-loathsomeness would arise, non-disgust would arise; even for the satisfied there would be a desire to eat, how much more for the hungry. Just so, friend, for whatever monk these evil unwholesome spheres of desire are abandoned, are both seen and heard, even though he is a village-border dweller, one who accepts invitations, one wearing robes given by householders, yet his fellow monks honour him, respect him, revere him, venerate him. What is the reason for this? For those evil unwholesome spheres of desire of that venerable one, abandoned, are both seen and heard."
63. When this was said, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this to the Venerable Sāriputta - "A simile occurs to me, friend Sāriputta." "Let it occur to you, friend Moggallāna." "On one occasion, friend, I was dwelling at Rājagaha in Giribbaja. Then, friend, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking my bowl and robe, I entered Rājagaha for almsfood. Now at that time Samīti, the wheelwright's son, was planing the rim of a chariot. Paṇḍuputta, a naked ascetic, the son of a former wheelwright, was standing by him. Then, friend, this reflection arose in the mind of Paṇḍuputta, the naked ascetic, the son of a former wheelwright - 'Oh, if only this Samīti, the wheelwright's son, would plane away this bend and this crookedness and this flaw from this rim, then this rim would be free from bend, free from crookedness, free from flaw, pure, established in its core.' In whatever way, friend, the reflection arose in the mind of Paṇḍuputta, the naked ascetic, the son of a former wheelwright, in that way Samīti, the wheelwright's son, planed away that bend and that crookedness and that flaw from that rim. Then, friend, Paṇḍuputta, the naked ascetic, the son of a former wheelwright, delighted, uttered words of delight - 'He planes as if knowing heart with heart.'
"Just so, friend, those persons who are faithless, who have gone forth from home into homelessness for the sake of livelihood, not through faith, who are fraudulent, deceitful, treacherous, agitated, arrogant, fickle, garrulous, of loose speech, with unguarded doors in the faculties, not knowing moderation in food, not devoted to wakefulness, without regard for asceticism, without keen respect for the training, luxurious, lax, forerunners in falling away, having laid down the responsibility for solitude, lazy, lacking in energy, unmindful, not fully aware, unconcentrated, with wandering minds, unwise, idiots - for them the Venerable Sāriputta, with this exposition of the Teaching, planes as if knowing heart with heart.
"But those sons of good family who have gone forth from home into homelessness through faith, who are not fraudulent, not deceitful, not treacherous, not agitated, not arrogant, not fickle, not garrulous, not of loose speech, with guarded doors in the faculties, knowing moderation in food, devoted to wakefulness, with regard for asceticism, with keen respect for the training, not luxurious, not lax, having laid down the responsibility for falling away, forerunners in solitude, putting forth strenuous energy, resolute, mindful, fully aware, concentrated, with unified minds, wise, not idiots - they, having heard this exposition of the Teaching from the Venerable Sāriputta, drink it in, methinks, devour it, methinks, with speech and with mind - 'Good indeed, sir, our fellow in the holy life, having raised us up from the unwholesome, establishes us in the wholesome.' Just as, friend, a woman or a man, young, youthful, fond of adornment, having bathed the head, having obtained a garland of blue lotuses or a garland of jasmine or a garland of atimuttaka flowers, having received it with both hands, would place it on the head, the highest part - just so, friend, those sons of good family who have gone forth from home into homelessness through faith, who are not fraudulent, not deceitful, not treacherous, not agitated, not arrogant, not fickle, not garrulous, not of loose speech, with guarded doors in the faculties, knowing moderation in food, devoted to wakefulness, with regard for asceticism, with keen respect for the training, not luxurious, not lax, having laid down the responsibility for falling away, forerunners in solitude, putting forth strenuous energy, resolute, mindful, fully aware, concentrated, with unified minds, wise, not idiots - they, having heard this exposition of the Teaching from the Venerable Sāriputta, drink it in, methinks, devour it, methinks, with speech and with mind - 'Good indeed, sir, our fellow in the holy life, having raised us up from the unwholesome, establishes us in the wholesome.' Thus those two great beings gave thanks to each other's well-spoken words."
The Discourse on Without Blemish is concluded as fifth.