5.
The Discourse on the Many Kinds of Elements
124. 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 -
"Whatever fears arise, monks, all of them arise from the fool, not from the wise person; whatever misfortunes arise, all of them arise from the fool, not from the wise person; whatever dangers arise, all of them arise from the fool, not from the wise person. Just as, monks, fire released from a reed hut or a grass hut burns even pinnacled buildings that are plastered inside and out, sheltered from the wind, with bolts fastened and shutters closed; just so, monks, whatever fears arise, all of them arise from the fool, not from the wise person; whatever misfortunes arise, all of them arise from the fool, not from the wise person; whatever dangers arise, all of them arise from the fool, not from the wise person. Thus indeed, monks, the fool is one with fear, the wise person is one without fear; the fool is one with misfortune, the wise person is one without misfortune; the fool is one with danger, the wise person is one without danger. There is no fear, monks, from the wise person, there is no misfortune from the wise person, there is no danger from the wise person. Therefore, monks, 'We shall be wise, investigators' - thus indeed, monks, should you train."
When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "In what respect, venerable sir, is a wise monk fit to be called 'an investigator'?" "Since, Ānanda, a monk is skilled in the elements, skilled in the sense bases, skilled in dependent origination, and skilled in what is possible and what is impossible - to this extent, Ānanda, a wise monk is fit to be called 'an investigator'."
125. "But to what extent, venerable sir, is it fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'?" "There are these eighteen elements, Ānanda - eye-element, material element, eye-consciousness element; ear-element, sound element, ear-consciousness element; nose element, odour element, nose-consciousness element; tongue-element, flavour element, tongue-consciousness element; body element, touch element, body-consciousness element; mind-element, element of phenomena, mind-consciousness element. Since, Ānanda, one knows and sees these eighteen elements - to this extent too, Ānanda, it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'."
"But might there be, venerable sir, another method by which it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'?" "There might be, Ānanda. There are these six elements, Ānanda - the solid element, the liquid element, the heat element, the air element, the space element, the consciousness element. Since, Ānanda, one knows and sees these six elements - to this extent too, Ānanda, it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'."
"But might there be, venerable sir, another method by which it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'?" "There might be, Ānanda. There are these six elements, Ānanda - the pleasure element, the pain element, the pleasure element, the displeasure element, the equanimity element, the ignorance element. Since, Ānanda, one knows and sees these six elements - to this extent too, Ānanda, it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'."
"But might there be, venerable sir, another method by which it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'?" "There might be, Ānanda. There are these six elements, Ānanda - the sensual element, the renunciation element, the element of anger, the non-anger element, the violence element, the non-violence element. Since, Ānanda, one knows and sees these six elements - to this extent too, Ānanda, it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'."
"But might there be, venerable sir, another method by which it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'?" "There might be, Ānanda. There are these three elements, Ānanda - sensual element, fine-material sphere element, immaterial sphere element. Since, Ānanda, one knows and sees these three elements - to this extent too, Ānanda, it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'."
"But might there be, venerable sir, another method by which it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'?" "There might be, Ānanda. Ānanda, there are these two elements - the conditioned element, the unconditioned element. Since, Ānanda, one knows and sees these two elements - to this extent too, Ānanda, it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the elements'."
126. "But to what extent, venerable sir, is it fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the sense bases'?" "There are, Ānanda, these six internal and external sense bases - eye and forms, ear and sounds, nose and odours, tongue and flavours, body and tangible objects, mind and mental phenomena. Since, Ānanda, one knows and sees these six internal and external sense bases - to this extent, Ānanda, is it fitting to say 'a monk skilled in the sense bases'."
"But to what extent, venerable sir, is it fitting to say 'a monk skilled in dependent origination'?" "Here, Ānanda, a monk thus understands: 'When this exists, that comes to be; from the arising of this, that arises; when this is absent, this does not exist; from the cessation of this, this ceases, that is to say - with ignorance as condition, activities; with activities as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, mentality-materiality; with mentality-materiality as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and anguish come to be. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. But from the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of activities; from the cessation of activities comes the cessation of consciousness; from the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of mentality-materiality; from the cessation of mentality-materiality comes the cessation of the six sense bases; from the cessation of the six sense bases comes the cessation of contact; from the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling; from the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving; from the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging; from the cessation of clinging comes the cessation of existence; from the cessation of existence comes the cessation of birth; from the cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and anguish cease. Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.' To this extent, Ānanda, is it fitting to say 'a monk skilled in dependent origination'."
127. "But to what extent, venerable sir, is it fitting to say 'a monk skilled in what is possible and what is impossible'?" "Here, Ānanda, a monk understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a person accomplished in right view should approach any activity as permanent - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a worldling should approach any activity as permanent - this is possible.' He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a person accomplished in right view should approach any activity as happiness - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a worldling should approach any activity as happiness - this is possible.' He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a person accomplished in right view should approach any phenomenon as self - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a worldling should approach any phenomenon as self - this is possible.'
128. He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a person accomplished in right view should deprive his mother of life - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a worldling should deprive his mother of life - this is possible.' 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a person accomplished in right view should deprive his father of life... etc. should deprive a Worthy One of life - this is possible.' He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a person accomplished in right view with a malicious mind should shed the Truth-finder's blood - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a worldling with a malicious mind should shed the Truth-finder's blood - this is possible.' He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a person accomplished in right view should break the Community - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a worldling should break the Community - this is possible.' He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a person accomplished in right view should point to another teacher - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a worldling should point to another teacher - this is possible.'
129. He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that two Worthy Ones, Fully Enlightened by themselves, should arise simultaneously in one world system - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that one Worthy One, a One Enlightened by himself, should arise in one world system - this is possible.' He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that two kings, universal monarchs, should arise simultaneously in one world system - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that one king, a universal monarch, should arise in one world system - this is possible.'
130. He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a woman should be a Worthy One, a One Enlightened by himself - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a man should be a Worthy One, a One Enlightened by himself - this is possible.' He understands: 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a woman should be a king, a universal monarch - this is impossible.' He understands: 'But there is indeed the possibility that a man should be a king, a universal monarch - this is possible.' 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a woman should attain the position of Sakka... should attain the position of Māra... should attain the position of Brahmā - this is impossible,' he understands. 'But there is indeed the possibility that a man should attain the position of Sakka... should attain the position of Māra... should attain the position of Brahmā - this is possible,' he understands.
131. 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that a desirable, pleasant, agreeable result should arise from bodily misconduct - this is impossible,' he understands; 'But there is indeed the possibility that an undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable result should arise from bodily misconduct - this is possible,' he understands. 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that from verbal misconduct... etc. that a desirable, pleasant, agreeable result should arise from mental misconduct - this is impossible,' he understands; 'But there is indeed the possibility that from verbal misconduct... etc. that an undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable result should arise from mental misconduct - this is possible,' he understands. 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that an undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable result should arise from bodily good conduct - this is impossible,' he understands; 'But there is indeed the possibility that a desirable, pleasant, agreeable result should arise from bodily good conduct - this is possible,' he understands. 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that from good verbal conduct... etc. that an undesirable, unpleasant, disagreeable result should arise from good mental conduct - this is impossible,' he understands; 'But there is indeed the possibility that from good verbal conduct... etc. that a desirable, pleasant, agreeable result should arise from good mental conduct - this is possible,' he understands.
'This is impossible, there is no chance, that one possessing bodily misconduct, with that as source, with that as condition, upon the body's collapse at death, should be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world - this is impossible,' he understands; 'But there is indeed the possibility that one possessing bodily misconduct, with that as source, with that as condition, upon the body's collapse at death, should be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell - this is possible,' he understands. 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that one possessing verbal misconduct... etc. that one possessing mental misconduct, with that as source, with that as condition, upon the body's collapse at death, should be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world - this is impossible,' he understands; 'But there is indeed the possibility that one possessing verbal misconduct... etc. that one possessing mental misconduct, with that as source, with that as condition, upon the body's collapse at death, should be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell - this is possible,' he understands. 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that one possessing bodily good conduct, with that as source, with that as condition, upon the body's collapse at death, should be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell - this is impossible,' he understands; 'But there is indeed the possibility that one possessing bodily good conduct, with that as source, with that as condition, upon the body's collapse at death, should be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world - this is possible,' he understands. 'This is impossible, there is no chance, that one possessing good verbal conduct... etc. that one possessing good mental conduct, with that as source, with that as condition, upon the body's collapse at death, should be reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell - this is impossible,' he understands; 'But there is indeed the possibility that one possessing good verbal conduct... etc. that one possessing good mental conduct, with that as source, with that as condition, upon the body's collapse at death, should be reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world - this is possible,' he understands. To this extent indeed, Ānanda, it is fitting to say 'a monk skilled in what is possible and what is impossible'."
132. When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One - "Wonderful, Venerable Sir, marvellous, Venerable Sir! What, Venerable Sir, is the name of this exposition of the Teaching?" "Therefore, Ānanda, remember this exposition of the Teaching as 'The Many Elements', remember it as 'The Four Turnings', remember it as 'The Mirror of the Teaching', remember it as 'The Drum of the Deathless', remember it also as 'The Unsurpassed Victory in Battle'."
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the Venerable Ānanda rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on the Many Elements is concluded as fifth.