1.
The Discourse on a Single Excellent Night
272. 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 - "I will teach you, monks, the synopsis and analysis of one who has an auspicious night. Listen to that, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
What is past has been abandoned, and the future has not yet arrived.
Unshakable, unagitated, knowing that, one should develop it.
For there is no bargaining with that one, Death with his great army.
That one indeed is called 'one who has an auspicious night,' the peaceful sage declares."
273. "And how, monks, does one follow after the past? 'I was of such matter in the past period of time,' therein one pursues delight; 'I was of such feeling in the past period of time,' therein one pursues delight; 'I was of such perception in the past period of time,' therein one pursues delight; 'I was of such activities in the past period of time,' therein one pursues delight; 'I was of such consciousness in the past period of time,' therein one pursues delight - Thus, monks, one follows after the past.
"And how, monks, does one not follow after the past? 'I was of such matter in the past period of time,' therein one does not pursue delight; 'I was of such feeling in the past period of time,' therein one does not pursue delight; 'I was of such perception in the past period of time,' therein one does not pursue delight; 'I was of such activities in the past period of time,' therein one does not pursue delight; 'I was of such consciousness in the past period of time,' therein one does not pursue delight - Thus, monks, one does not follow after the past.
274. "And how, monks, does one long for the future? 'May I be of such matter in the future period of time,' therein one pursues delight; 'May I be of such feeling,' etc. 'May I be of such perception,' 'May I be of such activities,' 'May I be of such consciousness in the future period of time,' therein one pursues delight - thus, monks, one longs for the future.
"And how, monks, does one not long for the future? 'May I be of such matter in the future period of time,' therein one does not pursue delight; 'May I be of such feeling,' 'May I be of such perception,' 'May I be of such activities,' 'May I be of such consciousness in the future period of time,' therein one does not pursue delight - thus, monks, one does not long for the future.
275. "And how, monks, is one drawn away regarding present phenomena? Here, monks, an ignorant worldling, who does not see the noble ones, who is not skilled in the noble teaching, who is undisciplined in the noble teaching, who does not see good persons, who is not skilled in the teaching of good persons, who is undisciplined in the teaching of good persons, regards matter as self, or self as possessing matter, or matter as in self, or self as in matter; feeling... etc. perception... activities... he regards consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness - thus, monks, one is drawn away regarding present phenomena.
"And how, monks, is one not drawn away regarding present phenomena? Here, monks, a learned noble disciple, who sees the noble ones, who is skilled in the noble teaching, who is well disciplined in the noble teaching, who sees good persons, who is skilled in the teaching of good persons, who is well disciplined in the teaching of good persons, does not regard matter as self, nor self as possessing matter, nor matter as in self, nor self as in matter; not feeling... not perception... not activities... he does not regard consciousness as self, nor self as possessing consciousness, nor consciousness as in self, nor self as in consciousness - thus, monks, one is not drawn away regarding present phenomena.
What is past has been abandoned, and the future has not yet arrived.
Unshakable, unagitated, knowing that, one should develop it.
For there is no bargaining with that one, Death with his great army.
That one indeed is called 'one who has an auspicious night,' the peaceful sage declares."
"'I will teach you, monks, the synopsis and analysis of one who has an auspicious night' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that."
This is what the Blessed One said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on the Auspicious Single Night is concluded as first.