him with the threefold robes, and he clothed each Monk with a set of
garments.
Then The Perfectly Enlightened One, having instructed, roused, gladdened
and delighted the Brāhmin of Verañjā with talk on The Teachings, rose from
his seat and departed.
And The Perfectly Enlightened One, having risen early, went with robe and
bowl and attended by his Monks to Kūțadanta’s place of sacrifice and sat
down on the prepared seat. And Kūțadanta served The Buddha and his
Monks with the finest foods with his own hands until they were satisfied. And
when The Perfectly Enlightened One had eaten and taken his hand away
from the bowl, Kūțadanta took a low stool and sat down to one side.
Then The Perfectly Enlightened One, having instructed Kūțadanta with a talk
on The Teachings, inspired him, aroused him with enthusiasm and delighted
him, rose from his seat and departed.
When he has eaten, he sits in silence for a while, but he does not let the time
for the thanks go by. When he has eaten and gives thanks, he does not do
so criticizing the meal or expecting another meal; he instructs, urges, rouses,
and gladdens that audience with talk purely on The Teachings. When he has
done so, he rises from his seat and departs.
He walks neither too fast nor too slow, and he does not go as one who
wants to get away.
(Reference: MN 81)
What Should Monks Do When in the Midst of The Community
In the midst of The Community, he does not engage in rambling and
pointless talk. Either he himself speaks on The Teachings, or he requests
someone else to do so, or he adopts noble silence.
This is the seventh cause and condition that leads to obtaining the wisdom
fundamental to the spiritual life when it has not been obtained and to its
increase, maturation, and fulfillment by development after it has been
obtained.
(This was taken from the eight causes and conditions that lead to obtaining
the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life when it has not been obtained.)
Good, Monks. It is fitting for you clansmen who have gone forth out of
confidence from the home life into homelessness to sit together to discuss
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The Teachings. When you gather together, Monks, you should do either of
two things: hold discussion on The Teachings or maintain noble silence.
(Reference: AN 8.2)
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares guidance for Ordained Practitioner of
how to conduct themselves when invited into the home of a Household Practitioner.
This was not the only guidance The Buddha shared related to this topic but are some of
the key Teachings to help Ordained Practitioners understand how to conduct themselves
when invited into homes of Household Practitioners.
This would have been important Teachings for Ordained Practitioners as The Buddha
would be fulfilling the role, much like a parent, for those Students who left home to learn
with him.
It was The Buddha’s responsibly to provide Ordained Practitioners with The Teachings
that lead to Enlightenment and Teachings to help them conduct themselves in everyday
situations.
Being invited into the home of Household Practitioners would have been an everyday
occurrence for Ordained Practitioners during the lifetime of The Buddha. Household
Practitioners would provide food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical supplies as
donations for the Ordained Practitioners. As an exchange, the Ordained Practitioners
would provide Teachings that benefit the Household Practitioners to improve the
condition of their mind and their life.
In this way, Ordained Practitioners did not need to have a standard career, but instead,
through living on the generosity of The Community they support, they would be able to
dedicate significant amounts of time, effort, energy, and resources to deeply learning,
reflecting, and practicing these Teachings with The Buddha. Then, with gratitude,
appreciation, and respect, the Ordained Practitioners would share the wisdom they
acquired with Household Practitioners to benefit them in their development of their life
practice.
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Chapter 50
Things Monks Should Give High Consideration
Those Acting for the Peacefulness or Suffering of Many People
(First Discourse)
Monks, possessing three qualities, a well-known Monk is acting for the harm
of many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and
suffering of many people, of heavenly beings and human beings.
What three?
He encourages them in unwholesome bodily action, unwholesome verbal
action, and unwholesome [mental] qualities.
Possessing these three qualities, a well-known Monk is acting for the harm
of many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and
suffering of many people, of heavenly beings and human beings.
Monks, possessing three qualities, a well-known Monk is acting for the
welfare of many people, for the peacefulness of many people, for the good,
welfare, and peacefulness of many people, of heavenly beings and human
beings.
What three?
He encourages them in wholesome bodily action, wholesome verbal action,
and wholesome [mental] qualities.
Possessing these three qualities, a well-known Monk is acting for the welfare
of many people, for the peacefulness of many people, for the good, welfare,
and peacefulness of many people, of heavenly beings and human beings.
(Reference: AN 3.11)


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Those Acting for the Peacefulness or Suffering of Many People
(Second Discourse)
Monks, possessing five qualities, an elder Monk is acting for the harm of
many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and
suffering of many people, of heavenly beings and humans.
What five?
(1) An elder is of long standing and has long gone forth.
(2) He is well-known and famous and has a community of many people,
including Household Practitioners and Ordained Practitioners.
(3) He gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the
sick.
(4) He has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and accumulates
what he has learned. Those Teachings that are good in the beginning, good
in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing,
which proclaim the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life - such
Teachings as these he has learned much of, retained in mind, recited
verbally, mentally investigated, and penetrated well by view.
(5) He holds wrong view and has a distorted perspective. He draws many
people away from the wholesome Teachings and establishes them in
unwholesome teachings. Thinking, The elder Monk is of long standing and
has long gone forth, they follow his example. Thinking, The elder Monk is
well-known and famous and has a community of many people, including
Household Practitioners and Ordained Practitioners, they follow his example.
Thinking, The elder Monk gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines
and provisions for the sick, they follow his example. Thinking, The elder
Monk has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and accumulates
what he has learned; they follow his example.
Possessing these five qualities, an elder Monk is acting for the harm of many
people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering
of many people, of heavenly beings and humans.
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Monks, possessing five [other] qualities, an elder Monk is acting for the
welfare of many people, for the peacefulness of many people, for the good,
welfare, and peacefulness of many people, of heavenly beings and human
beings.
What five?
(1) An elder is of long standing and has long gone forth.
(2) He is well known and famous and has a Community of many people,
including Household Practitioners and Ordained Practitioners.
(3) He gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the
sick.
(4) He has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and accumulates
what he has learned. Those Teachings that are good in the beginning, good
in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing,
which proclaim the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life - such
Teachings as these he has learned much of, retained in mind, recited
verbally, mentally investigated, and penetrated well by view.
(5) He holds Right View and has a correct perspective.
He draws many people away from unwholesome teachings and establishes
them in the wholesome Teachings. Thinking, The elder Monk is of long
standing and has long gone forth, they follow his example. Thinking, The
elder Monk is well known and famous and has a Community of many people,
including Household Practitioners and Ordained Practitioners, they follow his
example. Thinking, The elder Monk gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and
medicines and provisions for the sick, they follow his example. Thinking, The
elder Monk has learned much, remembers what he has learned, and
accumulates what he has learned, they follow his example.
Possessing these five qualities, an elder Monk is acting for the welfare of
many people, for the peacefulness of many people, for the good, welfare,
and peacefulness of many people, of heavenly beings and humans.
(Reference: AN 5.88)
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Demonstration of Monks of The Perfectly Enlightened One
Monks, those Monks who are deceivers, stubborn, talkers, imposters,
arrogant, and unconcentrated are not Monks of mine.
They have strayed from The Teachings and Discipline, and they do not
achieve growth, progress, and maturity in these Teachings and Discipline.
But those Monks who are honest, sincere, steadfast, cooperative, and well
concentrated are Monks of mine.
They have not strayed from these Teachings and Discipline, and they achieve
growth, progress, and maturity in these Teachings and Discipline.
(Reference: AN 4.26)
What Makes a Monk
Monks, suppose a donkey was following right behind a herd of cattle,
[thinking]: I’m a cow too, I am a cow too. But his appearance would not be
like that of the cows, his whinny would not be like that of the cows, and his
footprint would not be like that of the cows. Yet he follows right behind a
herd of cattle, [thinking}: I am a cow too, I’m a cow too.
So too, a Monk might be following right behind The Community of Monks,
[thinking]: I am a Monk too, I am a Monk too. But his enthusiasm to
undertake the training in the higher virtuous behavior (moral conduct) is not
like that of the other Monks; his enthusiasm to undertake the training in the
higher mind (mental disciple) is not like that of the other Monks; his
enthusiasm to undertake the training in the higher wisdom is not like that of
the other Monks. Yet he follows right behind The Community of Monks,
[thinking]: I am a Monk too, I’m a Monk too.
Therefore, Monks, you should train yourselves thus: We will have a
determined interest to undertake the training in the higher virtuous behavior
(moral conduct); we will have a determined interest to undertake the training
in the higher mind (mental discipline); we will have a determined interest to
undertake the training in the higher wisdom. It is in this way that you should
train yourselves.
(Reference: AN 3.82)
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One Who Sees The Teachings Sees The Tathāgata
Monks, even if a Monk, taking hold of my outer robe, were to follow right
behind me, placing his feet in my footsteps, yet if he were to be craving for
sensual pleasures, strong in his passions, evil in mind, corrupt in his decision
making, his mindfulness muddled, unalert, uncentered, his mind scattered,
and his sense bases uncontrolled, then he would be far from me, and I from
him.
Why is that?
Because he does not see The Teachings. Not seeing The Teachings, he does
not see me.
But even if a Monk were to live one hundred leagues away, yet if he were to
have no craving for sensual objects, were not strong in his passions, not evil
in mind, uncorrupt in his decision making, his mindfulness established, alert,
centered, his mind at singleness, and his sense bases well-restrained, then
he would be near to me, and I to him.
Why is that?
Because he sees The Teachings. Seeing The Teachings, he sees me.
(Reference: ITI 92)
Demonstration of the Four Noble Traditions
Monks, there are these four noble traditions, primal, of long standing,
traditional, ancient, untainted and never before tainted, which are not being
tainted and will not be tainted, which are not rejected by wise Ascetics and
Brāhmins.
What four?
(1) Here, a Monk is content with any kind of robe, and he speaks in praise of
contentment with any kind of robe, and he does not engage in a wrong
search, in what is improper, for the sake of a robe. If he does not get a robe
he is not agitated, and if he gets one he uses it without being tied to it,
obsessed with it, and blindly absorbed in it, seeing the danger in it and
understanding the escape from it. Yet he does not praise himself or
disparage others because of this. Any Monk who is skillful in this, diligent,
clearly comprehending and ever mindful, is said to be standing in an ancient,
primal noble tradition.
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(2) Again, a Monk is content with any kind of almsfood, and he speaks in
praise of contentment with any kind of almsfood, and he does not engage in
a wrong search. in what is improper, for the sake of almsfood. If he does not
get almsfood he is not agitated, and if he gets some he uses it without being
tied to it, obsessed with it. and blindly absorbed in it, seeing the danger in it
and understanding the escape from it. Yet he does not praise himself or
disparage others because of this. Any Monk who is skillful in this, diligent,
clearly comprehending and ever mindful, is said to be standing in an ancient,
primal noble tradition.
(3) Again, a Monk is content with any kind of lodging, and he speaks in
praise of contentment with any kind of lodging, and he does not engage in a
wrong search, in what is improper, for the sake of lodging. If he does not get
lodging he is not agitated, and if he gets it he uses it without being tied to it,
obsessed with it, and blindly absorbed in it, seeing the danger in it and
understanding the escape from it. Yet he does not praise himself or
disparage others because of this. Any Monk who is skillful in this, diligent,
clearly comprehending and ever mindful, is said to be standing in an ancient,
primal noble tradition.
(4) Again, a Monk finds enjoyment in development of the mind, is joyful with
development of the mind, finds enjoyment in abandoning, is joyful with
abandoning. Yet he does not praise himself or disparage others because of
this. Any Monk who is skillful in this, diligent, clearly comprehending and
ever mindful, is said to be standing in an ancient, primal noble tradition.
These, Monks, are the four noble traditions, primal, of long standing,
traditional, ancient, untainted and never before tainted, which are not being
tainted and will not be tainted, which are not rejected by wise Ascetics and
Brāhmins.
Monks, when a Monk possesses these four noble traditions, if he dwells in
the east he vanquishes discontentedness, discontentedness does not
vanquish him; if he dwells in the west he vanquishes discontentedness,
discontentedness does not vanquish him; if he dwells in the north he
vanquishes discontentedness, discontentedness does not vanquish him; if
he dwells in the south he vanquishes discontentedness, discontentedness
does not vanquish him.
For what reason?
Because he is a steadfast one who vanquishes discontentedness and
excitement.
(Reference: AN 4.28)
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Those Acting for the Peacefulness or Suffering of Many People
(First Discourse)
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner can act for the harm
of others or for the welfare of others based on three criteria.
If a Practitioner encourages unwholesome bodily conduct, verbal conduct, and mental
qualities, they would be “acting for the harm of many people, for the unhappiness of
many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of heavenly beings and
human beings” because through practice of unwholesome bodily conduct, verbal
conduct, and mental qualities, they would cause harm in the world and harm would come
to them. They would be unable to experience the Enlightened mind.
Conversely, if a Practitioner encourages wholesome bodily conduct, verbal conduct, and
mental qualities, they would be “acting for the welfare of many people, for the
peacefulness of many people, for the good, welfare, and peacefulness of many people, of
heavenly beings and human beings” because through practice of wholesome bodily
conduct, verbal conduct, and mental qualities, they would be practicing harmlessness in
the world and no harm would come to them. They would be able to experience the
Enlightened mind.
It is the senior members of a Community, both Ordained and Household Practitioners,
who set the example for everyone of how to progress forward on The Path to
Enlightenment. Through the elders of a Community practicing these wholesome
Teachings and the wholesome qualities of these Teachings, others will find it more straight
forward to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings. The example and role model
provided by senior members of a Community, those who have been learning and
practicing the longest, will provide a clear example for newer members of a Community to
become well established on The Path to Enlightenment. Together as a Community,
individuals will be able to support and encourage each others progress towards
Enlightenment through setting an example of how to learn, reflect, and practice these
wholesome Teachings.
Those Acting for the Peacefulness or Suffering of Many People
(Second Discourse)
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares five qualities a senior Monk could
possess that would cause harm of others or improve the welfare of others.
The fifth criteria is what would determine if the actions taken are unwholesome or
wholesome. The Buddha is encouraging Ordained Practitioners to establish “Right View”
and have a “correct perspective” regarding The Teachings as other members of The
Community would use this example to model their life practice. Not only is it wise for
Ordained Practitioners to have “Right View” and have a “correct perspective” regarding
The Teachings, but also for Household Practitioners.
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Demonstration of Monks of The Perfectly Enlightened One
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how Ordained Practitioners “who are
deceivers, stubborn, talkers, imposters, arrogant, and unconcentrated” are not Students
that are learning from him. Instead, he shares that Ordained Practitioners “who are
honest, sincere, steadfast, cooperative, and well concentrated” are Students that are
learning with him.
The Buddha is encouraging development on The Path to Enlightenment and for his
Students to not fall towards unwholesomeness or complacency. Instead, he is guiding
them to grow, progress, and mature through learning, reflecting, and practicing these
Teachings.
What Makes a Monk
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how just because an individual is
wearing a robe and looks like an Ordained Practitioner, that does not mean they are a
wholesome and virtuous (practicing moral conduct) Ordained Practitioner.
Again, he is encouraging Students to eliminate any complacency through arising
“determined interest to undertake the training in the higher virtuous behavior (moral
conduct); we will have a determined interest to undertake the training in the higher mind
(mental discipline); we will have a determined interest to undertake the training in the
higher wisdom”. When you see The Buddha referring to “higher virtuous behavior, higher
mind, and higher wisdom”, he is pointing to The Eight Fold Path as it is categorized using
wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline.
An individual is determined to be an Ordained Practitioner not by whether they are
wearing a robe and have shaved their head, but instead, through their actions to learn,
reflect, practice, and share these Teachings with others to benefit the world.
Namely, an Ordained Practitioner will need to deeply learn and practice The Eight Fold
Path, in order to gain the wisdom needed to develop their own life practice and then
share these Teachings with others.
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One Who Sees The Teachings Sees The Tathāgata
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how he considers a Practitioner who
has deeply learned and is practicing these Teachings to be close to him no matter how far
the physical distance. Even if a Practitioner was physically extremely far away from The
Buddha, he considered them to be close to him if they were practicing his Teachings.
He explains “because he sees the Teachings. Seeing the Teachings, he sees me” because
in order to be able to “see The Buddha”, one would need to deeply understand and
practice his Teachings. Doing so, a Practitioner would be able to observe The Teachings
in the world around them at all times. The Buddha taught The Natural Laws of Existence,
therefore, his Teachings exist in the world around us. We can observe The Three Universal
Truths, The Four Noble Truths, and others, through learning, reflecting, and practicing
them. By observing The Teachings Gotama Buddha taught in the world, a Practitioner can
know with 100% certainty that The Buddha did exist, he did live, he did teach, and he
was Enlightened. This can help to develop confidence and eliminate doubt (i.e. the
second fetter of The Ten Fetters), therefore, it will aid a Practitioner in their journey to
Enlightenment.
But, if one does not learn, reflect, and practice, they will be unable to observe The Natural
Laws of Existence (i.e. The Buddha’s Teachings) in the world around them. Therefore,
their mind would be muddled, unalert, uncentered, scattered, and the sense bases would
be uncontrolled. The mind would be experiencing discontentedness and unable to
observe The Buddha’s Teachings in the world.
Demonstration of the Four Noble Traditions
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares four noble traditions “which are not
rejected by wise Ascetics and Brāhmins”.
- Content with any robe.
- Content with any kind of almsfood.
- Content with any kind of lodging.
- Finds enjoyment in development of the mind.
The Buddha explains that an Ordained Practitioner who “does not praise himself or
disparage others because of this. Any Monk who is skillful in this, diligent, clearly
comprehending and ever mindful” is practicing this noble tradition that is “not rejected by
wise Ascetics and Brāhmins”.
He shares that these noble traditions are not tainted (i.e. polluted).
The Buddha further explains that through “possessing these four noble traditions”, an
Ordained Practitioner can eliminate discontentedness. Through remaining diligent and
“steadfast one vanquishes discontentedness”.
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Chapter 51
Household Practitioners
When One Sees One’s Wrongdoing as a Wrongdoing
Make Apologies for It in Accordance with The Teachings
(An example of King Ajātasattu who killed his own father)
‘...as I was, in that I for the sake of the throne deprived my father
'Wrongdoing overcame me, Fortunate One, foolish, having done wrong and
wicked as I was, in that I for the sake of the throne deprived my father, that
good man and just King, of his life. May The Perfectly Enlightened One
accept my confession of my evil (unwholesome) deed that I may restrain
myself in the future!’
Indeed, Sir, wrongdoing overcame you when you deprived your father, that
good man and just King, of his life. But since you have acknowledged the
wrongdoing and confessed it as is right, we will accept it. For he who
acknowledges his wrongdoing as such and confesses it for betterment in the
future, will grow in The Noble Discipline.
(Reference: DN 2)


How to Behave Towards Monks
Monks, whenever virtuous (practicing moral conduct) monastics come to a
home, the people there generate much merit on five grounds.
What five?
(1) When people see virtuous (practicing moral conduct) monastics come to
their home and they arouse hearts of confidence [toward them], on that
occasion that family is practicing the way conducive to heaven.
(2) When people rise, pay homage (respect), and offer a seat to virtuous
(practicing moral conduct) monastics who come to their home, on that
occasion that family is practicing the way conducive to birth in high families.
(3) When people remove the stain of selfishness toward virtuous (practicing
moral conduct) monastics who come to their home, on that occasion that
family is practicing the way conducive to great influence.
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(4) When, according to their means, people share what they have with
virtuous (practicing moral conduct) monastics who come to their home, on
that occasion that family is practicing the way conducive to great wealth.
(5) When people question virtuous (practicing moral conduct) monastics who
come to their home, make inquiries about The Teachings, and listen to The
Teachings, on that occasion that family is practicing the way conducive to
great wisdom.
Monks, whenever virtuous (practicing moral conduct) monastics come to a
home, the people there generate much merit on these five grounds.
(Reference: AN 5.199)
An Outcast of a Household Practitioner
Monks, possessing five qualities, a Household Practitioner is an outcast of a
Household Practitioner, a stain of a Household Practitioner; the last among
Household Practitioners.
What five?
(1) He is devoid of confidence;
(2) he is immoral (unwholesome);
(3) he is superstitious and believes in auspicious signs, not understanding
Kamma;
(4) he seeks outside here for a person worthy of offerings; and
(5) he first does [meritorious] deeds there.
Possessing these five qualities, a Household Practitioner is an outcast of a
Household Practitioner, a stain of a Household Practitioner, the last among
Household Practitioners.
(Reference: AN 5.175)
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A Brilliant of a Household Practitioner
Monks, possessing five qualities, a Household Practitioner is a brilliant
Household Practitioner, a gem of a Household Practitioner, a fine flower of a
Household Practitioner.
What five?
(1) He is endowed with confidence;
(2) he is virtuous (practicing moral conduct);
(3) he is not superstitious and does not believe in auspicious signs,
understanding Kamma;
(4) he does not seek outside here for a person worthy of offerings; and
(5) he first does [meritorious] deeds here.
Possessing these five qualities, a Household Practitioner is a brilliant
Household Practitioner, a gem of a Household Practitioner, a fine flower of a
Household Practitioner.
(Reference: AN 5.175)
Benefits of the Act of Giving
But here, Student, some man or woman gives food, drink, clothing,
carriages, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwelling, and lamps to
Ascetics or Brāhmins.
Because of performing and undertaking such action, on the dissolution of
the body, after death, he reappears in a happy destination, even in the
heavenly world.
But if instead he comes back to the human state, then wherever he is reborn
he is wealthy.
This is the way, Student, that leads to wealth, namely, one gives food, drink,
clothing, carriages, garlands, scents, ointments, beds, dwelling, and lamps
to Ascetics or Brāhmins.
(Reference: MN 135)
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When Unwholesome Monks Are Strong
Wholesome Monks Are Weak
Monks, when robbers are strong, Kings are weak. At that time the King is not
at ease when re-entering [his capital], or when going out, or when touring the
outlying provinces. At that time Brāhmins and Householders, too, are not at
ease when re-entering [their towns and villages], or when going out, or when
attending to work outside.
So too, when unwholesome Monks are strong, wholesome Monks are weak.
At that time the wholesome Monks sit silently in the midst of The
Community, or they resort to the outlying provinces. This is for the harm of
many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and
suffering of many people, of heavenly beings and human beings.
Monks, when Kings are strong, robbers are weak. At that time the King is at
ease when re-entering |his capital], and when going out, and when touring
the outlying provinces. At that time Brāhmins and Householders, too, are at
ease when re-entering [their towns and villages], and when going out, and
when attending to work outside.
So too, when wholesome Monks are strong, unwholesome Monks are weak.
At that time the unwholesome Monks sit silently in the midst of The
Community, or they depart for other regions. This is for the welfare of many
people, for the peacefulness of many people, for the good, welfare, and
peacefulness of many people, of heavenly beings and human beings.
(Reference: AN 2.39)
Ways to Eliminate Unwholesome People
(The Perfectly Enlightened One told the Brāhmin Kūțadanta about the story
of the King Mahāvijita calling his chaplain to instruct him on how to make a
great sacrifice.)
The chaplain replied: Your Majesty’s country is overrun by thieves. It is
severely damaged; villages and towns are being destroyed; the countryside
is infested with criminals. If Your Majesty were to tax this region, that would
be the wrong thing to do. Suppose Your Majesty were to think: ‘I will get rid
of this disease of robbers by executions and imprisonment, or by
confiscation, threats, and punishment by sending them away from the
country,’ the disease would not be properly ended. Those who survived
would later harm Your Majesty’s country.
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However, with this plan you can completely eliminate the disease.
To those in the Kingdom who are engaged in cultivating crops and raising
cattle, let Your Majesty distribute grain and food for livestock; to those in
trade, give capital; to those in government service assign proper living
wages.
Then those people, being intent on their own occupations, will not harm the
Kingdom. Your Majesty’s revenues will be great; the land will be tranquil and
not overrun by thieves; and the people, with joy in their hearts, playing with
their children, will reside in open houses.
(Reference: DN 5)
The Monks of Kosambī
At that time a certain Monk accused another Monk that he had fallen into a
wrongdoing and did not see that wrongdoing as a wrongdoing.
He and a group of Monks who took part with this Monk carried out a (formal)
act of suspension against that specific Monk for not seeing the wrongdoing.
Then there were also a group of Monks who took the side of the suspended
Monk and sided with him. The Community of Monks was divided. They could
not carry out the observance together.
Now at that time Monks, causing fights, causing arguments, falling into
disputes in the dining hall in the middle of the house, behaved unsuitably
towards one another in actions, in speech; they came to blows...
Having expressed disapproval of them, having given reasoned talk, The
Perfectly Enlightened One addressed the Monks, saying: …
Enough, Monks; no arguments, no fights, no contention, no disputing.
When he had spoken thus, a certain Monk who spoke what was not The
Teachings spoke thus to The Perfectly Enlightened One: “Venerable Sir, let
The Perfectly Enlightened One, the Master of The Teachings wait; Venerable
Sir, let The Perfectly Enlightened One, unconcerned, live intent on residing in
ease here and now; we will be (held) accountable for this argument, fight,
contention, disputing.”
And a second time The Perfectly Enlightened One spoke thus to these
Monks:
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Enough, Monks; no arguments, no fights, no contention, no disputing.
And a second time the Monk who spoke what was not The Teachings spoke
thus to The Perfectly Enlightened One: “Venerable Sir, let The Perfectly
Enlightened One, the Master of The Teachings wait; Venerable Sir, let The
Perfectly Enlightened One, unconcerned, live intent on residing in ease here
and now; we will be (held) accountable for this argument, fight, contention,
disputing.”
Then The Perfectly Enlightened One addressed the Monks setting Prince
Dīghāvu’s story as an example. Brahmnadatta, the King of Kāsi, had done
him much mischief. He had killed the Prince’s parents. As Prince Dīghāvu
had opportunity to show his anger by killing Brahmnadatta, the King of
Kāsi, he thought of his father’s last words.
Do not you, dear Dīghãvu, look far or close for, dear Dīghāvu, angry moods
are not calmed by anger: angry moods, dear Dīghãvu, are calmed by non-
anger.
[‘do not look far’ means: do not bear anger long.]
[‘do not look close’ means: do not hastily break with a friend.]
Thus the life of Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, was granted by Prince
Dīghāvu.
Then Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi gave back the Prince’s troops and
vehicles and territory and storehouses and barns of grain, and he gave him
his daughter.
Now, Monks, if such is the patience and gentleness of Kings who wield the
scepter, who wield the sword, herein, Monks, let your light shine forth so that
you who have gone forth in these Teachings and discipline which are thus
well taught may be equally patient and gentle.
But none of these Monks listened to The Perfectly Enlightened One.
Then The Perfectly Enlightened One, having dressed in the morning, taking
his bowl and robe, entered Kosambī for almsfood; having walked for
almsfood in Kosambī, bringing back his alms bowl after his meal, having
packed away his lodging, taking his bowl and robe and standing in the midst
of The Community, he spoke these verses:
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When all together they shout out, none feels unwise,
though The Community is divided, one might think otherwise.
With wandering wisdom, the wise one understands all the field of talk;
with mouths wide open to full extent, what leads them on they know not.
They who (in thought) argue this: That man has abused me, has hurt, has
defeated me, has me devastated: these angers not calmed.
They who do not argue this: That man has abused me, has hurt, has
defeated me, has me devastated: in them anger is calmed.
No, not by anger are angry moods calmed here (and) at any time,
but by non-anger are they calmed: this is an (ageless) endless natural law.
People do not understand that here we are confused (in life, in time),
but they who herein do understand, thereby their fights are calmed.
Criminals who injure and kill, steal cattle, horses and wealth, who plunder the
countryside; for there is unity.
Why should there not be for you?
If one finds a friend with whom to go forward fascinated in the well-residing
(of these Teachings), appropriately, surmounting dangers one and all, with
joy go forward with him mindfully.
Finding none appropriate with whom to go forward, none in the well-residing
fascinated (in these Teachings), as King quits the conquered country, go
forward lonely as a bull-elephant in an elephant jungle.
Better to go forward one alone, there is no companionship with the unwise.
Go forward lonely, unconcerned, doing no evil as a bull-elephant in an
elephant-jungle.
Then The Perfectly Enlightened One, having spoken these verses as he was
standing in the midst of The Community, approached Bālakalonakāra village,
and the Eastern Bamboo Grove. Along the way he had met a few of his
senior disciples. Walking on tour in due course he arrived at Pārileyya. The
Perfectly Enlightened One stayed there at Pārileyya in the Guarded Woodland
Thicket at the root of the lovely sāl-tree. There was a large bull-elephant
named Pārileyya approached The Perfectly Enlightened One. Having
approached, he set out by means of his trunk drinking water for The Perfectly
Enlightened One and water for washing, and he kept the grass down.
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Then The Perfectly Enlightened One set out on tour for Sāvatthi.
… Then the Household Practitioners of Kosambī thought: “These masters,
the Monks of Kosambī, have done us much mischief: The Perfectly
Enlightened One is departing, harassed by these; come, we should neither
greet the masters, the Monks of Kosambī, nor should we stand up before
them, nor should we greet them with joined palms or perform the proper
duties; we should not appreciate, respect, admire or honor them, and neither
should we give them almsfood when they come (to us); thus they, when they
are neither appreciated, respected, admired nor honored by us, will depart
unappreciated, or they will leave The Community, or they will restore friendly
relations for themselves to The Perfectly Enlightened One.
Then the Monks of Kosambī, as they were not being appreciated, respected,
admired or honored by the Household Practitioners of Kosambī,, spoke thus:
‘Come now, you Venerable Sirs, let us, having gone to Sāvatthī, settle this
moral question in The Perfectly Enlightened One’s presence.’ Then the
Monks of Kosambī,, having packed away their lodgings, taking their bowls
and robes, approached Sāvatthi.
Then in due course the Monks of Kosambī, arrived at Sāvatthi. They agreed
to stop the dispute. The Monk who had been suspended agreed that there
was a wrongdoing and he had fallen. Those Monks who were taking the side
of the suspended (one) restored that Monk.
Since Monks, that Monk has fallen and was suspended but see and is
restored well then, Monks, achieve harmony in The Community for settling
that case. And thus, Monks, should it be achieved: One and all should gather
together, ... If the achieving of harmony in The Community for settling this
case is pleasing to the Venerable Ones, they should be silent; he to whom it
is not pleasing should speak. Harmony in The Community for settling that
case is achieved by The Community. Arguments in The Community are put
down, fighting in The Community is put down. It is pleasing to the Venerable
Ones; therefore they are silent... Observance may be carried out at once, the
training guidelines recited.
(Reference: The Book of the Discipline (Vinaya-Pitaka), Vol. 4: Mahavagga by I.B. Horner)
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When One Sees One’s Wrongdoing as a Wrongdoing
Make Apologies for It in Accordance with The Teachings
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner needs to be honest
and objective with their own life practice to be able to observe when you are not
practicing The Eight Fold Path towards the attainment of Enlightenment.
Being able to objectively observe where one is not practicing these Teachings is highly
important to your progress on The Path to Enlightenment. This Path is an independent
journey where Teachers are available for guidance but, it is the responsibility of each
individual Practitioner to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings so that they will be
able to have confidence in knowing when they are and are not practicing these Teachings.
In this way, each Practitioner is developing their wisdom, moral conduct, and mental
discipline, so that, they can observe areas for improvement and seek guidance for
improvement. The Path to Enlightenment is not about others forcefully telling you where
you are or are not practicing these Teachings. This Path is not about others judging you
and pointing out to you where your practice needs improvement. Instead, The Path to
Enlightenment is for you to learn, reflect, and practice while seeking guidance with a
Teacher. In doing so, you can develop your wisdom to deeply understand The Teachings,
in such a way, that you will be able to easily observe areas of wrongdoing and then apply
effort to improve your practice.
Progress on The Path to Enlightenment will be gradual and you will have mistakes along
the way. This is part of the learning process. It is when the mind is struggling the most
and mistakes are made that one has the opportunity to learn and grow in developing their
life practice through gaining increased levels of wisdom. No Practitioner can practice
these Teachings perfectly from the beginning or within a short period of time. It takes
time, effort, and energy to apply diligence to learning, reflecting, and practicing that one
can gradually build up their life practice. As you make mistakes and experience decisions
the mind has made where there is wrongdoing, take time to observe the areas for
improvement, gain wisdom, and aim to improve for the future. Through using the time of
wrongdoing to gain wisdom, a Practitioner can ensure they understand how to improve
and are less likely to have those same challenges in the future.
With that said, there are certain challenges that will linger and require long term effort to
improve. Understand that sometimes, multiple mistakes are needed before the wisdom of
your wrongdoing is understood and you are able to make improvements. If you put
pressure on yourself or others to improve instantly, this will only lead to discontentedness.
This Path is an independent journey where you will make plenty of mistakes and, in doing
so, there will be plenty of wisdom for you to understand to help you improve. Having a
Teacher to seek guidance from during these times and others, is highly important. The
mind will have a tendency to “beat itself up” thinking negatively as if you are so horrible
for any specific mistake or wrongdoing. But, anyone who has attained Enlightenment did
not start out perfect, including a Buddha.
The way that we grow and evolve is through making mistakes and learning from those
mistakes. A Teacher should be polite, kind, friendly, respectful, and patient to help guide
you towards improvements. Again, anyone who is Enlightened has, most likely, already
experienced all that you are experiencing and will have guidance to help you move past
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the challenges you face towards improved results. You just need to decide to reach out
for guidance and support, not being shy or embarrassed by your mistakes. Instead,
admitting them to yourself and your Teacher so that you are then in a position to learn
and grow. Even when, especially when, there are repeated mistakes or wrongdoing of the
same type. You should only ever receive polite, kind, friendly, respectful, and patient
guidance from an Enlightened Teacher. If this is not your experience, it is best to find a
new Teacher who can be understanding to listen and provide guidance to help you
without any judgment or criticism but only, helpful guidance through supportive,
encouraging, and motivating guidance in these Teachings.
As you can see in this Teaching, one of The Buddha’s Students admits to him that he
murdered his father. The Buddha listens, understands, and provides guidance. He does
not judge the Student, push him away, or otherwise disparage the Student for his past
conduct. Instead, The Buddha chooses to focus on ensuring the Student has the needed
wisdom to ensure they do not repeat the same mistakes in the future. This is how a
Teacher should conduct themselves with their Students and how Students should
conduct themselves with their Teacher. A Student can share openly through trust seeking
guidance. Then, a Teacher should listen, understand, and provide guidance to help their
Students gain the needed wisdom to make improvements.
Do not allow the ego to dwell in the mind thinking that you need to appear perfect to your
Teacher. Since the mind is currently unEnlightened, your Teacher already knows you are
not perfect. You are not a Fully Perfectly Enlightened Buddha, so do not attempt to
appear like one. Instead, share all the shortcomings, mistakes, and wrongdoings with
your Teacher. This will help to reduce and eliminate the ego while also providing you the
opportunity to seek guidance for improvement. If you attempted to hide the
shortcomings, mistakes, and wrongdoing, how would this be helping you to improve?
The goal is for you to attain Enlightenment so that the mind can be completely peaceful,
calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently. You will never get to that goal if you
choose to attempt to hide any shortcomings, mistakes, or wrongdoing. Instead, share all
that is challenging you in your life practice with your Teacher. Take the time to ensure they
understand all the many aspects of the mind that have led to your decisions. Then, seek
guidance for improvements so that you can improve.
The goal is not to be perfect today but instead, through consistent and ongoing efforts,
learn, reflect, and practice to make gradual improvements that accumulate into a well
developed life practice. Your Enlightenment will not be determined based on the mistakes
you make today. Instead, it will be determined based on, once you make a mistake, what
will you do next? Despite the mistakes you make, do you hide them or give up? Or, do
you use them as a learning opportunity to gain wisdom and improve?
Using the shortcomings, mistakes, and wrongdoing to learn by seeking guidance, is the
way to improve and walk closer to Enlightenment.
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How to Behave Towards Monks
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Household Practitioner can greet
and care for virtuous Ordained Practitioners.
It is common for Household Practitioners to invite Ordained Practitioners and Teachers to
their home to care for them and to learn The Teachings. In doing so, the Household
Practitioners are generating merit.
Merit is an important Teaching to understand as it relates to The Path to Enlightenment.
Merit is thought of as a unique type of Kamma. Merit is wholesome Kamma generated
through generous offerings and gifts to The Community of virtuous Ordained Practitioners
and anyone who has attained one of The Four Stages of Enlightenment. This community
of people is referred to as the “Ariyan Sangha”. Sangha is the Pāli word for “community”.
The “Ariyan Sangha” is translated as “The Noble Community”.
Merit is generated by making offerings of food, water, clothing, shelter, medical care, time,
effort, energy, financial support, and resources, to support the sharing of Gotama
Buddha’s Teachings. It is The Noble Community who are responsible for guiding others to
attain Enlightenment. Ordained Practitioners and anyone who has attained one of The
Four Stages of Enlightenment are considered deep Students and Practitioners of these
Teachings who support all others in guidance towards attaining Enlightenment.
If you make offerings to these people, you are supporting the continuation of The
Teachings that will help end discontentedness and the suffering it causes to all of
humanity. To make offerings to The Noble Community, virtuous Ordained Practitioners
and any person who has attained one of The Four Stages of Enlightenment, you are
recognizing the importance of The Teachings and supporting their continued growth. This
is considered a unique type of wholesome Kamma called “Merit”.
Sharing The Teachings of Gotama Buddha requires an enormous amount of time, effort,
energy, and resources. Wherever you learn these Teachings, these people need to use
time and money to support their ongoing efforts to share The Teachings with you. The
vast majority of people who share these Teachings with loving-kindness and compassion
would never ask for a payment for sharing The Teachings but instead, offer them to you
on a donation basis. The Teachings are essentially shared at no cost, for free, but those
who are sharing The Teachings are spending their time, effort, energy, and resources to
do the work to share with you.
Those who share The Teachings in this way are doing so with generosity, loving-kindness,
and compassion for all beings. It is important that you do not just “take” this generosity,
loving-kindness, and compassion, but that you also “return it back” to those who are
using their time, effort, energy, and resources to help you. You should also help them. As
people are sharing with you, you can share with them. And, you can also initiate sharing
on your own without any expectation of obtaining something in return. The practice of
generosity and sharing is a powerful way to help cultivate a mind free of greed or craving.
Without sharing and practicing generosity to create Merit, a person would be unable to
attain Enlightenment as the mind would still be holding on and would not have eliminated
craving. It is through making offerings to the Teachers of these Teachings that one is
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acknowledging, with appreciation and gratitude, that The Teachings have helped them in
their life, and they are making offerings to help the Teacher help others.
It is only through the generosity of people before you that The Teachings have been
preserved and shared worldwide to finally reach you. The people before you have already
made donations of time, effort, energy, and resources to help these Teachings reach you.
Now, instead of just “taking The Teachings” to benefit your life, you can also help
those yet to come behind you by “practicing generosity and giving” to benefit those
in the future.
Your offering that produces Merit helps those who share these Teachings with you. And
you are helping those people after you who will learn and progress with these Teachings
in the generations yet to come.
The Buddha provides five ways to ensure one is practicing in a way that shows gratitude,
appreciation, and respect to those who are sharing these Teachings with you to help you
cultivate healthy relationships so that, you can continue to learn and gain wisdom to
improve your life practice on The Path to Enlightenment.
1.) Have confidence in your Teacher. If you have done a thorough job at selecting a
Teacher to guide you and you observe improvements to the condition of the mind and
your life through The Teachings you are learning with them, then over time, your
confidence in your Teacher should only grow. You should not “judge” a Teacher but
instead, make wise decisions (i.e. discernment) about who you choose to learn with
throughout your journey to Enlightenment.
You should not judge a Teacher but instead, practice discernment.
Judgment: attempting to determine what is right or wrong for another person while
placing oneself above others with arrogance or pride (i.e. the ego). Comparing that one is
superior or inferior to another person. Attempting to declare who is wholesome or
unwholesome, good or bad. Judgment is based in “conceit". Judgment is harmful to the
mind and needs to be eliminated to attain Enlightenment.
Discernment: is wise decision making based in wisdom. Discernment is helpful to the
mind and needs to be cultivated to attain Enlightenment.
2.) When your Teacher arrives, stand up to great them and offer them a seat.
3.) Make offerings of food, water, clothing, shelter, medical care, and other resources to
help them sustain their life so that they can continue to help you and others in the world.
This will help you to eliminate selfishness and allow your Teacher to continue to share
these Teachings into the world.
4.) Share what you have with your Teachers so that it can help you to practice generosity
and eliminate craving/desire/attachment.
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5.) Inviting Teachers into your home is an opportunity for you to ask questions about The
Teachings to improve your life practice and the functioning of your home. There will be
challenges you and other family members are facing that can be improved through
seeking guidance from Teachers to understand these Teachings, in such a way, that helps
you gain wisdom to improve the decisions you are making within your life practice. When
asking questions, listen to the answer and continue to inquire ensuring that you
understand. Then, practice those Teachings so that you can observe the truth for yourself
that The Teachings of The Buddha will help you to improve the condition of the mind and
your life. This will bring more harmony and peace to your home.
It is important to notice that when The Buddha discusses inviting Ordained Practitioners
and Teachers to your home to learn and make offerings, he uses the term “virtuous”.
Virtuous is to be practicing the wholesome moral conduct of these Teachings.
During the lifetime of The Buddha, and even today, there are countless Ordained
Practitioners and Teachers who share these Teachings. The Buddha never shared that
one should seek guidance blindly and then blindly do what Ordained Practitioners or
Teachers share. Instead, he encouraged us to seek guidance from “virtuous” Ordained
Practitioners and Teachers. In this way, you can ensure that you are seeking guidance
from an Ordained Practitioner or Teacher who is deeply practicing these Teachings.
If an Ordained Practitioner or Teacher is not deeply practicing these Teachings observable
through their moral conduct, why would you be interested to learn from them? To be a
wise and helpful Teacher, one needs to first be a deep Practitioner of these Teachings. It
is through observing an Ordained Practitioner or Teacher’s moral conduct that you will see
qualities you aspire to understand and practice for your own life. When you observe an
Ordained Practitioner or Teacher who is deeply practicing wholesome moral conduct, that
means they must have the wisdom to practice in that way, therefore, they are most likely
someone who can provide you the wisdom to improve your practice in the same way.
Be wise about who you choose to interact with as a Teacher. If you are going to invest
significant time, effort, energy, and resources to learn, reflect, and practice these
Teachings, you would like to ensure that the individual(s) you are choosing to learn with is/
are deep Practitioners of these Teachings, thus, having deep wisdom. If not, it would be
an unwise decision to learn from a Teacher who is unwholesome and not practicing these
Teachings in the way that Gotama Buddha taught them. Unwise and unwholesome
decisions lead to unwholesome results.
Therefore, take time to select a Teacher who is deeply practicing these Teachings so that
you know the time, effort, energy, and resources that you use to progress in your learning
and practice is with an individual who is a deep Practitioner and has the wisdom needed
to guide you on The Path to Enlightenment. This will produce the best results.
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An Outcast of a Household Practitioner
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares five qualities that are harmful for a
Household Practitioner as it relates to learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings
and develop a vibrant Community of Practitioners who are progressing towards
Enlightenment.
1.) A Practitioner who is lacking confidence in The Teacher.
2.) A Practitioner who is immoral and practicing unwholesome moral conduct.
3.) A Practitioner who is superstitious and believes in various auspicious signs, not
understanding The Natural Law of Kamma.
4.) A Practitioner who is seeking to make offerings outside of The Community of
Practitioners established by The Buddha. This would mean that one does not have
confidence in The Teachings of The Buddha, thus, they most likely have not deeply
learned, reflected, and practiced these Teachings.
5.) A Practitioner who makes offerings and performs meritorious deeds outside of The
Community of The Buddha. This would mean that one does not have confidence in The
Teachings of The Buddha, thus, they most likely have not deeply learned, reflected, and
practiced these Teachings.
A Brilliant of a Household Practitioner
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares five qualities that are helpful for a
Household Practitioner as it relates to learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings
and develop a vibrant Community of Practitioners who are progressing towards
Enlightenment.
1.) A Practitioner who has confidence in The Teacher.
2.) A Practitioner who is virtuous and practicing wholesome moral conduct.
3.) A Practitioner who does not have superstition and belief in various auspicious signs,
and does understand The Natural Law of Kamma.
4.) A Practitioner who does not seek to make offerings outside of The Community of
Practitioners established by The Buddha. This would mean that one has confidence in
The Teachings of The Buddha, thus, they most likely have deeply learned, reflected, and
practiced these Teachings.
5.) A Practitioner who first looks to make offerings and perform meritorious deeds within
The Community of The Buddha. This would mean that one has confidence in The
Teachings of The Buddha, thus, they most likely have deeply learned, reflected, and
practiced these Teachings.
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Benefits of the Act of Giving
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how through practicing generosity in
this life, at death, one is reborn in an improved destination, “even in the heavenly world”.
This Teaching is not shared due to beneficial results that are provided by The Buddha or
some other being. Instead, through practicing generosity a Practitioner is reducing and
eliminating craving/desire/attachment in the mind and the results of this are an improved
destination upon rebirth.
It is important to always keep in mind that the goal of these Teachings is to attain
Enlightenment so that one does not experience rebirth into a new life in another realm.
The Buddha is sharing this Teaching on generosity as a way to help you understand what
will or will not happen based on developing one’s life practice. He is not attempting to lure
or convince a Practitioner to practice these Teachings, in such a way, to accomplish an
improved rebirth in a new life. Instead, he is sharing all of these Teachings so that you will
not experience any discontentedness in the rest of this life through attaining
Enlightenment and so that you will not experience any further rebirths. To accomplish that
goal, one needs to eliminate craving/desire/attachment, among other things, and to
accomplish the goal of eliminating craving/desire/attachment, one needs to practice
generosity.
Generosity is a key aspect of improving the condition of the mind and progressing
towards Enlightenment. The stain of selfishness plagues many minds in the world and
causes significant issues on the planet. It is through the practice of generosity that one
eliminates selfishness and the cravings/desires/attachments that cause discontentedness
and rebirth in The Cycle of Rebirth.
Additionally, when it comes to making offerings and providing gifts to Ordained
Practitioners and Teachers, The Buddha prioritized making offerings to them as last. The
Buddha provided guidance that a Practitioner should only give within their means, finding
“the middle way”. You can learn more about how The Buddha described making offerings
to Ordained Practitioners and Teachers after you have already taken care of all your other
needs in the following books.
Detailed explanation of “Four Worthy Deeds to Be Undertaken with Wealth” is available in
this same book series found in Chapter 5 of the book “Foundation in The Teachings”
(Volume 3).
Detailed explanation of practicing generosity is available in this same book series found in
the book “Generosity” (Volume 13).
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When Unwholesome Monks Are Strong
Wholesome Monks Are Weak
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how when Ordained Practitioners and
Teachers are unwholesome, wholesome Ordained Practitioners and Teachers are weak.
He provides an example using a story of how when Kings (i.e. leaders) are weak, the
population of people experience fear, harm, and robbers creating havoc in the villages
and towns. But, when a King (i.e. leader) is strong, then robbers are weak with the people
living at ease and in peacefulness.
The Buddha provides guidance of how one can be “strong”. It is not through forceful
means but instead, through practicing these good wholesome Teachings.
Through the leaders of villages, towns, provinces/states, countries, etc. practicing
wholesome moral conduct and all of these Teachings, they will set the example for others
and we will observe improved conduct in the world. The Ordained Practitioners and
Teachers need to lead the way helping others to learn, reflect, and practice these
Teachings.
Through Ordained Practitioners and Teachers deeply practicing these Teachings, they set
an example for all others. Then, when individuals choose to seek guidance, they will not
only learn through The Teachings themselves but also, through the actions of Ordained
Practitioners and Teachers.
“One who sees me, sees the Teachings”.
(Gotama Buddha)
Ordained Practitioners and Teachers need to always be deeply practicing every aspect of
these Teachings ensuring they are setting a wholesome example for all others. A Teacher
will guide many more people through their actions than through their words. Community
leaders will have the same experience. They will guide populations of people much more
closely and responsibly through their actions than through their words.
It is when we improve our actions that we provide the best example for others. Words can
help explain The Teachings and give clarity. But, our actions speak not only to the mind
but also to the heart of those who choose to learn with us. Speaking to the mind can
produce results. But it is only when a leader can speak to the mind and the heart through
words and actions that they can be most effective at guiding others to an improved life.
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Ways to Eliminate Unwholesome People
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a leader can eliminate
unwholesome people from a population. This Teaching can be applied for a leader of a
population or even a leader of one’s own home.
The Buddha explains that it is not through punishing wrongdoing that one will experience
an improved result in people around them but instead, through rewarding wholesome
behavior.
This Teaching can be applied to leaders of populations or even parents who are looking to
improve the peacefulness and well-being of their home.
As people around you are engaged in harmful conduct, rather than looking to punish
others for their shortcomings, mistakes, or wrongdoing, instead, look for ways to
incentivize the wholesome behavior. Through supporting, encouraging, and motivating
wholesome moral conduct, you will experience much better results than through
punishing the unwholesome conduct.
The Monks of Kosambī
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a certain Ordained Practitioner had
decided to do wrongdoing observable by others in The Community. This Ordained
Practitioner was not interested in observing this wrongdoing for themselves, even when
The Buddha attempted to discuss this wrongdoing with them.
Rather than argue of create hostility where The Buddha might have attempted to
forcefully convince this Student of their wrongdoing, The Buddha just chose to leave and
move on to the next town.
Then, the Household Practitioners observing the unwholesome conduct by the Ordained
Practitioners, chose to also ignore the individuals involved and did not even make
offerings to them to sustain their life through food, water, shelter, etc. The Ordained
Practitioners were not virtuous (i.e. practicing moral conduct), therefore, they did not
make offerings to them.
Through ignoring the individuals involved, with The Buddha moving on and the Household
Practitioners not supporting or encouraging the unwholesome conduct, the Ordained
Practitioners eventually observe the wrongdoing and decided to apologize for their
mistakes.
This Teaching helps us to understand that we do not need to forcefully point out every
shortcoming, mistake, or wrongdoing of those around us to be successful in life. Instead,
we can choose to move past it and beyond it. If we attempted to constantly tell others of
their shortcomings, mistakes, and wrongdoing, that puts us in a position of continuously
needing to tell others what is “wrong” and what is “right” through confrontation. That
would come from a place of arrogance (i.e. conceit and ego).
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Instead, we can peacefully and humbly choose to help those who are seeking guidance
while ignoring those who choose to do unwholesome actions and incentivize wholesome
actions. We cannot change others. We are unable to make decisions for others and
change their behavior. All we can do is improve the way we either react or respond to a
given situation based on our own decision making.
Through our own wise decision making, which sometimes might include ignoring the
situation and move beyond it, we can learn to live in harmony with one another without
the need to judge others and constantly tell others that they are “wrong” and we are
“right”.
Conceit and the judging of others needs to be eliminated from the mind to experience
Enlightenment. If we are judging others, we are placing ourselves above them feeling as if
we are superior. Therefore, this is going to motivate and encourage unskillful conduct that
only serves to create tension and hostility in relationships. Instead, eliminate the conceit
and judging of others as if you are superior to them. Learn how to be humble and function
with loving-kindness and compassion towards all beings. In this way, you will find that
interactions with others will originate from warmth and peacefulness leading to skillful
conduct that produces wholesome results.
To experience wholesome results (i.e. wholesome Kamma) in one’s life, they would need
to practice generosity, loving-kindness, and wisdom - The Three Wholesome Roots. The
wisdom found in The Eight Fold Path is how to practice in a way that does not cause
harm to others and therefore, you will not experience harm coming back to you.
The Path to Enlightenment is not about having a decision tree of exactly what to do in any
given situation. Instead, it is about learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings, in
such a way, that one’s own pollution of mind is eliminated and all intentions, speech, and
actions can originate from wise wholesome decisions based on The Eight Fold Path.
There is no permanent answer that will solve every challenge you face in life. But through
developing your life practice to include eliminating the pollution of mind by purification of
the mind on The Path to Enlightenment, in each given situation, you can make wise
decisions that lead to wholesome results (i.e. wholesome Kamma).
Loving-kindness (Pāli: mettā) is active goodwill towards all beings without judgment. A
genuine interest in seeing all beings be well.
Compassion (Pāli: karuṇā) is concern for the misfortunes of others.
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Epilogue
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Chapter 52
Mutual Support Between Monks,
Brāhmins and Householders
Monks, Brāhmins and Householders are very helpful to you. They provide
you with the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines in time
of sickness. And you, Monks, are very helpful to Brāhmins and
Householders, as you teach them The Teachings that are good in the
beginning, the middle, and the end, with the correct meaning and wording,
and you proclaim the spiritual life in its fulfillment and complete purity. Thus,
Monks, this spiritual life is lived with mutual support for the purpose of
crossing the flood and making a complete end of discontentedness.
(Reference: ITI 107)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares exactly how he setup the “mutual
support” between the Ordained Practitioners and Household Practitioners.
Through the Ordained Practitioners needing food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical
care from Household Practitioners, they did not need to work in a typical career. Instead,
they can focus 100% of their time dedicated to learning, reflecting, and practicing these
Teachings to improve the condition of the mind and their life. Ordained Practitioners, and
those Teachers who choose to live their life based on donations from Household
Practitioners, will have the ability to gain deep wisdom in these Teachings through not
needing to pursue a typical career.
But, in choosing this lifestyle, Ordained Practitioners and Teachers who are supported by
the offerings of dedicated Household Practitioners, there is the responsibility to apply
time, effort, energy, and resources towards the determined, dedicated, and diligent
learning, reflecting, and practicing of these Teachings to acquire wisdom. Then, those
who are supported by the dedicated Household Practitioners are able to offer back to
them, the wisdom of these Teachings. Household Practitioners can then learn, reflect, and
practice these Teachings while flourishing within their Community. In this way, there is an
exchange of support in both directions and there is “mutual support”.
Through wise decision making of the Teachers and Students, wholesome results (i.e.
wholesome Kamma) are experienced as more and more individuals are able to gradually
progress towards Enlightenment.
With the Household Practitioners spending an extensive amount of time, effort, energy,
and resources to acquire offerings for Teachers, it is the responsibility of the Teachers to
ensure they are not allowing those offerings to go to waste. Instead, applying consistent
and ongoing efforts to deeply learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to develop
one’s wisdom will provide the needed ability to share something back with the Household
Practitioners.
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Teachers need to ensure they are polite, kind, friendly, and respectful to Household
Practitioners with gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices they make in order to
provide offerings. Additionally, Household Practitioners should ensure they are polite,
kind, friendly, and respectful to Teachers with gratitude and appreciation for the giving up
of any aspirations for a career in business or other fields but instead, choose to dedicate
their time, effort, energy, and resources towards the development of their own life practice
on The Path to Enlightenment to share that wisdom with others.
In this way, all individuals, Teachers and Students, are meeting in the middle with
politeness, kindness, friendliness, and respect for each other while practicing gratitude,
appreciation, patience, and generosity. In this way, these Teachings can flourish through
continuous learning, reflecting, and practicing within a Community supporting,
encouraging, and motivating each other towards the attainment of Enlightenment.
Why Do Ordained Practitioners Beg for Food?
It is a common misunderstanding that people think Ordained Practitioners (i.e. Teachers)
are begging for food. Ordained Practitioners are not begging for food nor anything else.
They are walking through The Community providing the opportunity for Household
Practitioners (i.e. Students) to practice generosity to acquire merit which will assist them
in developing the mind to attain Enlightenment.
As part of what The Buddha shared as Teachings, he developed a system of “mutual
support”.
The mutual support between Ordained Practitioners (i.e. Teachers) and their Students (i.e.
Household Practitioners) is designed to ensure that there is opportunity for both Teachers
and Students to practice The Teachings according to what leads to Enlightenment -
namely “generosity”.
Teachers are giving up their career and worldly life. They have eliminated, or are working
to eliminate, their craving/desire/attachment to worldly life of having an extensive amount
of possessions, a career, etc. Through applying effort to develop their life practice to
understand and practice The Teachings, they are being a deep and dedicated Student.
To be the very best Teacher, one would need to first be a very deep and dedicated
Student and Practitioner.
So by living on donations of food, water, clothing, shelter, medical care, and financial
support, Teachers are able to get deeper and deeper into their own practice of these
Teachings to acquire wisdom of The Teachings. In this way, a Teacher is able to become a
very deep, dedicated, determined, and diligent Student that leads to the elimination of
craving/desire/attachment to worldly life, ultimately benefiting the Teacher and their
Students. The Teacher is then better prepared to share the wisdom they cultivated on The
Path to Enlightenment to help their Students to then get closer to and attain
Enlightenment for themselves. It was the Student’s offerings that supported the Teacher
aiding them in their journey to Enlightenment through generous donations, and it is the
wisdom they cultivated that is then shared with the Students that helps them to progress
in their journey to Enlightenment. This is the “mutual support” that The Buddha
envisioned and created during his lifetime.
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To be a good Teacher, one first needs to be a really great Student.
Through the work of being a very deep Student, a Teacher is then best prepared to be
able to share these Teachings with Students to help them learn, reflect, and practice
towards the attainment of Enlightenment.
A Teacher should have a well developed practice of generosity, in that, they are giving and
sharing The Teachings of The Buddha without asking for anything in return. They should
have no expectations of their Students and focus on sharing The Teachings with all those
who have a sincere interest in learning and growing on The Path to Enlightenment.
Generosity is a significant aspect of practice that one needs to develop in order to attain
Enlightenment. An individual would be unable to attain Enlightenment without a well
developed practice of “generosity”.
Generosity is a readiness and taking the action of frequently giving something more
than is strictly necessary, such as time, effort, energy, financial support, or
resources without any expectation of anything in return. A practice of giving and
helping others as part of an ongoing and comprehensive life practice. This action
can help you develop and cultivate a more caring and compassionate mind as one
chooses to consistently give and share through their life to eliminate selfishness.
Generosity eliminates craving/desire/attachment in the mind, thus, helping to
eliminate discontent feelings from the mind.
Generosity without judgment or expectation of anything in return is a practice that
can transform the mind in ways you never thought possible.
Students are focused on living a household life where they do have certain possessions, a
career, and other aspects of worldly life. As a Student progresses forward in life, due to
pollutions of mind, they will face various struggles, difficulties, and challenges. Due to the
lack of wisdom of The Natural Laws of Existence, a Student will experience various
challenges in life that they find difficult to overcome and it is The Teachings of The
Buddha that will guide them to an improve condition of mind and life.
Because a Teacher has given up their worldly life to focus on sharing Teachings with
Students, Students will then provide support to their Teacher to assist them in sustaining
their life and to be able to offer these Teachings to them and others throughout the world.
In this way, there is “mutual support”.
The Teachers are sharing The Teachings of The Buddha to help their Students improve
their life and Students are providing life sustaining resources that support the Teacher to
sustain life and acquire the needed resources to offer these Teachings to them and
others.
Without this mutual support, the entire Path to Enlightenment would collapse as we see
today in many parts of the world. We would find that it would be utterly difficult for anyone
to get to Enlightenment without this system of mutual support.
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There would not be the ability for Teachers to deeply develop their understanding and
practice of these Teachings while practicing generosity by sharing The Teachings and
Students would not have the ability to develop their mind by learning and practicing these
Teachings while practicing generosity to support the continued sharing of these
Teachings. Essentially, people would be “stuck” and unable to progress to Enlightenment
because the entire system of “mutual support” would break down and there would not be
the practice of generosity for Teachers and Students to get closer to Enlightenment.
If Teachers charged money for their services, they would not be practicing generosity. If
Students are paying a fee for classes, courses, and retreats, they would not be practicing
generosity. Therefore, without this regular and ongoing practice of generosity where
Teachers are regularly sharing Teachings and Students are regularly sharing their time,
effort, energy, and resources to help the Teachers continue to share The Teachings, the
system of mutual support would not exist, individuals would not be practicing generosity,
people would not be getting to Enlightenment, and The Path to Enlightenment would
completely and entirely collapse.
This would leave the world without the needed Teachings of The Buddha to improve
society and, thus, help all of humanity evolve to a higher consciousness where we
are loving, kind, and gentle to each other while being able to acquire a peaceful and
joyful mind and life.
Therefore, it is important that we do not think of it as Ordained Practitioners, including
Teachers, are “begging for food”, because to “beg” would be to have craving/desire/
attachment while pleading with Students to give them something. This is not what The
Buddha taught as Practitioners are guided to “await what is given” rather than to have
expectations that something will be given or to beg for something to be given.
Instead, The Path to Enlightenment is based on “mutual support” and through this mutual
support, there will be Teachers in a Community who are interested and willing to teach
based in loving-kindness, compassion, and generosity while there will be Students who
have a sincere interest to learn and are willing to practice generosity to support the
continued sharing of these Teachings.
In this way, Teachers have the ability to develop and Students will have Teachers available
to help them develop.
If we appreciate, value, and respect Teachers who offer these Teachings at no cost, then
Students will need to do their part to provide the needed support for a Teacher to exist in
the world through providing the basic necessities to sustain life and resources to support
the continued sharing of these Teachings.
If a Teacher is practicing in the way that is needed to share these Teachings into the
world, they would use a portion of the offerings (i.e. donations) to sustain their life with
food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical care and also allocate a certain amount of the
resources provided by their Students towards improving their ability to share these
Teachings. In modern times, this might include any of the following:
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- Website
- Video Conferencing Membership
- Computers, Lights, Microphone, and equipment to share The Teachings.
- Meditation Cushions and Chairs
- Classroom Supplies (carpets, water, cups, bathroom supplies, white board, markers,
etc.)
- Signage Advertising Classes
- Transportation to and from classes, courses, retreats, and appointments with Students.
While a Teacher may offer their classes and other programs for FREE, it is not free for a
Teacher to offer their Teachings. A Teacher will need support on a continuous and
ongoing basis to be able to continuously share The Teachings of The Buddha.
By supporting a Teacher to share The Teachings of The Buddha, you are supporting your
ability to learn The Teachings and the ability of others to learn The Teachings while
training the mind to eliminate craving/desire/attachment, the cause of discontentedness.
But, a Teacher (i.e. Ordained Practitioner) is not begging nor should they ever have an
expectation of their Students to make offerings.
By a Teacher sharing their Teachings without any cost for the Student, this makes The
Teachings of The Buddha available to the widest audience possible and removes any
potential financial obstacle that may or may not exist for a Student. These Teachings are
to help an individual rise above and move beyond the daily struggles and difficulties in
their life. Many of those struggles and difficulties will hinder an individual from financial
success.
If a Teacher offered their Teachings at a price for classes, courses, or retreats, an
individual who is struggling with finances due to their lack of wisdom of these Teachings,
would be unable to access the very solution to the struggles they face. The very
Teachings they need to overcome the financial roadblocks would be inaccessible to them
because there is a certain fee that is required to learn the wisdom they need to achieve
improved financial success and other life successes in personal and professional
relationships. Essentially, they would be “stuck” in the financial difficulties without the
ability to ever learn and practice The Teachings they need to overcome their struggles in
life.
Therefore, a Teacher needs to function without any selfish desires or attachment to
financial success. A Teacher needs to be willing and able to offer their Teachings at “no
cost”. If they assign a cost to their Teachings, there would be countless beings who
would be left behind due to their inability to pay for the classes, courses, and retreats that
they need in order to acquire the needed wisdom to overcome their struggles and
difficulties in life.
If you decide to support Teachers, Ordained Practitioners, and/or Temples, you are
providing the needed resources to make these Teachings available to you and many
others in the world. And, you are developing your practice of “generosity” to develop and
enhance the mind towards the attainment of Enlightenment by eliminating craving/desire/
attachment, the cause of discontent feelings, thus, helping to eliminate discontent
feelings from the mind.
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Do keep in mind, that a Teacher, Ordained Practitioner, and/or Temple should not expect,
ask, nor beg for support. Instead, they would just give and share allowing their Students
to also give and share.
In this way, the system of mutual support, wisely created by The Buddha during his
lifetime, continues with Teachers and Students progressing towards Enlightenment
through the practice of “generosity” to acquire “merit”. Through a regular, consistent, and
ongoing practice of “generosity” by both Teachers and Students, The Path to
Enlightenment is fully intact and accessible to “all beings”.
To learn more about producing wholesome Kamma through practicing generosity, see the
books titled “The Natural Law of Kamma” (Volume 6) and “Generosity” (Volume 13) of this
same book series.
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Chapter 53
The Unobtainable
Monks, there are these five situations that are unobtainable by an Ascetic or
a Brahmin, by a heavenly being, Māra, or Brahmā (God), or by anyone in the
world.
What five?
(1) May what is subject to old age not grow old!: this is a situation that is
unobtainable by an Ascetic or a Brahmin, by a heavenly being, Māra, or
Brahmā (God), or by anyone in the world.
(2) May what is subject to illness not fall ill!: this is a situation that is
unobtainable by an Ascetic or a Brahmin, by a heavenly being, Māra, or
Brahmā (God), or by anyone in the world.
(3) May what is subject to death not die!’: this is a situation that is
unobtainable by an Ascetic or a Brahmin, by a heavenly being, Māra, or
Brahmā (God), or by anyone in the world.
(4) May what is subject to destruction not be destroyed!: this is a situation
that is unobtainable by an Ascetic or a Brahmin, by a heavenly being, Māra,
or Brahmā (God), or by anyone in the world.
(5) May what is subject to loss not be lost!: this is a situation that is
unobtainable by an Ascetic or a Brahmin, by a heavenly being, Māra, or
Brahmā (God), or by anyone in the world.
—————
(1) Monks, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to old age grows
old. When this happens, he does not reflect thus: I am not the only one for
whom what is subject to old age grows old. For all beings that come and go,
that pass away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to old age grows old.
If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to old age grows old, I would lose my
appetite and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my
work, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would become
saddened.
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Thus, when what is subject to old age grows old, he sorrows, grows weak,
grieves, weeps beating his breast, and becomes confused.
This is called an uninstructed worldling pierced by the poisonous dart of
sorrow who only torments himself.
(2) Again, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to illness falls ill.
When this happens, he does not reflect thus: I am not the only one for whom
what is subject to illness falls ill. For all beings that come and go, that pass
away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to illness falls ill.
If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to illness falls ill, I would lose my appetite
and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my
enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to illness falls ill, he sorrows, grows weak,
grieves, weeps beating his breast, and becomes confused.
This is called an uninstructed worldling pierced by the poisonous dart of
sorrow who only torments himself.
(3) Again, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to death dies. When
this happens, he does not reflect thus: I am not the only one for whom what
is subject to death dies. For all beings that come and go, that pass away and
undergo rebirth, what is subject to death dies.
If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to death dies, I would lose my appetite and
my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my
enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to death dies, he sorrows, grows weak, grieves,
weeps beating his breast, and becomes confused.
This is called an uninstructed worldling pierced by the poisonous dart of
sorrow who only torments himself.
(4) Again, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to destruction is
destroyed. When this happens, he does not reflect thus: I am not the only
one for whom what is subject to destruction is destroyed. For all beings that
come and go, that pass away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to
destruction is destroyed.
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If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to destruction is destroyed, I would lose my
appetite and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my
work, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would become
saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to destruction is destroyed, he sorrows, grows
weak, grieves, weeps beating his breast, and becomes confused.
This is called an uninstructed worldling pierced by the poisonous dart of
sorrow who only torments himself.
(5) Again, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to loss is lost. When
this happens, he does not reflect thus: I am not the only one for whom what
is subject to loss is lost. For all beings that come and go, that pass away and
undergo rebirth, what is subject to loss is lost.
If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to loss is lost, I would lose my appetite and
my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my
enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to loss is lost, he sorrows, grows weak, grieves,
weeps beating his breast, and becomes confused.
This is called an uninstructed worldling pierced by the poisonous dart of
sorrow who only torments himself.
—————
(1) Monks, for the instructed Noble Disciple, what is subject to old age grows
old. When this happens, he reflects thus: I am not the only one for whom
what is subject to old age grows old. For all beings that come and go, that
pass away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to old age grows old.
If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to old age grows old, I would lose my
appetite and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my
work, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would become
saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to old age grows old, he does not sorrow, grow
weak, grieve, weep beating his breast, and become confused.
This is called an instructed Noble Disciple who has drawn out the poisonous
dart of sorrow pierced by which the uninstructed worldling only torments
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himself. Sorrowless, without darts, the Noble Disciple realizes Nibbāna
(Enlightenment).
(2) Again, for the instructed Noble Disciple, what is subject to illness falls ill.
When this happens, he reflects thus: I am not the only one for whom what is
subject to illness falls ill. For all beings that come and go, that pass away
and undergo rebirth, what is subject to illness falls ill.
If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to illness falls ill, I would lose my appetite
and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my
enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to illness falls ill, he does not sorrow, grow weak,
grieve, weep beating his breast, and become confused.
This is called an instructed Noble Disciple who has drawn out the poisonous
dart of sorrow pierced by which the uninstructed worldling only torments
himself. Sorrowless, without darts, the Noble Disciple realizes Nibbāna
(Enlightenment).
(3) Again, for the instructed Noble Disciple, what is subject to death dies.
When this happens, he reflects thus: I am not the only one for whom what is
subject to death dies. For all beings that come and go, that pass away and
undergo rebirth, what is subject to death dies.
If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to death dies, I would lose my appetite and
my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my
enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to death dies, he does not sorrow, grow weak,
grieve, weep beating his breast, and become confused.
This is called an instructed Noble Disciple who has drawn out the poisonous
dart of sorrow pierced by which the uninstructed worldling only torments
himself. Sorrowless, without darts, the Noble Disciple realizes Nibbāna
(Enlightenment).
(4) Again, for the instructed Noble Disciple, what is subject to destruction is
destroyed. When this happens, he reflects thus: I am not the only one for
whom what is subject to destruction is destroyed. For all beings that come
and go, that pass away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to destruction is
destroyed.
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If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to destruction is destroyed, I would lose my
appetite and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my
work, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would become
saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to destruction is destroyed, he does not sorrow,
grow weak, grieve, weep beating his breast, and become confused.
This is called an instructed Noble Disciple who has drawn out the poisonous
dart of sorrow pierced by which the uninstructed worldling only torments
himself. Sorrowless, without darts, the Noble Disciple realizes Nibbāna
(Enlightenment).
(5) Again, for the instructed Noble Disciple, what is subject to loss is lost.
When this happens, he reflects thus: I am not the only one for whom what is
subject to loss is lost. For all beings that come and go, that pass away and
undergo rebirth, what is subject to loss is lost.
If I were to sorrow, grow weak, grieve, weep beating my breast, and become
confused when what is subject to loss is lost, I would lose my appetite and
my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my
enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.
Thus, when what is subject to loss is lost, he does not sorrow, grow weak,
grieve, weep beating his breast, and become confused.
This is called an instructed Noble Disciple who has drawn out the poisonous
dart of sorrow pierced by which the uninstructed worldling only torments
himself. Sorrowless, without darts, the Noble Disciple realizes Nibbāna
(Enlightenment).
These, Monks, are the five situations that are unobtainable by an Ascetic or a
Brahmin, by a heavenly being, Māra, or Brahmā (God), or by anyone in the
world.
It is not by sorrowing and grieving
that even the least good here can be gained.
Knowing that one is sorrowful and sad,
one’s enemies are elated.
When the wise person does not shake in adversities,
knowing how to determine what is good,
his enemies are saddened, having seen
that his former facial expression does not change.
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Wherever one might gain one’s good,
in whatever way — by chanting, recitations,
fine sayings, generosity, or tradition — there
one should exert oneself in just that way.
But if one should understand: This good
cannot be obtained by me or anyone else,
one should accept the situation without sorrowing,
thinking: The Kamma is strong; what can I do now?
(Reference: AN 5.48)
In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares The Universal Truth of Impermanence as
it relates to old age, illness, death, destruction, and loss.
He explains how an uninstructed worldling, does not understand as it truly is, how they
are not the only one who is subject to The Universal Truth of Impermanence.
An uninstructed worldling is a person who is not learning, reflecting, and practicing these
Teachings to train the mind on The Path to Enlightenment.
An instructed Noble Disciple is a Practitioner of The Buddha’s Teachings who is deeply
learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings.
When one sorrows over old age, the uninstructed worldling thinks that it is only
happening to them. When one experiences illness, death, destruction, or loss, the
uninstructed worldling thinks that it is only happening to them increasing the mind’s
sorrow, grief, and displeasure.
When there is no more confusion of mind and one can understand true reality, they
understand that The Universal Truth of Impermanence applies to all conditioned objects.
Instead, we are all experiencing the same Universal Truth of Impermanence but, the
uninstructed worldling does not understand with wisdom, that true reality is, everyone is
experiencing these same things. Rather than allow the mind to crave/desire permanence,
the mind of a wise Practitioner can observe that The Universal Truth of Impermanence is
affecting all conditioned objects. Therefore, they will then train the mind to not crave or
cling to them expecting permanence. In doing so, one can liberate the mind from strong
feelings to experience Enlightenment, no longer bound by and shaken up by
discontentedness.
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Chapter 54
Four Things Wished for, Desired, Agreeable, and
Rarely Gained in the World
Householder, there are these four things that are wished for, desired,
agreeable, and rarely gained in the world.
What four?
One thinks: May wealth come to me righteously!
This is the first thing in the world that is wished for, desired, agreeable, and
rarely gained in the world.
Having gained wealth righteously, one thinks: May fame come to me and to
my relatives and preceptors!
This is the second thing in the world that is wished for, desired, agreeable,
rarely gained in the world.
Having gained wealth righteously and having gained fame for oneself and for
one’s relatives and preceptors, one thinks: May I live long and enjoy a long
life span!
This is the third thing in the world that is wished for, desired, agreeable,
rarely gained in the world.
Having gained wealth righteously, having gained fame for oneself and for
one’s relatives and preceptors, living long and enjoying a long life span, one
thinks: With the breakup of the body, after death, may I be reborn in a good
destination, in a heavenly world!
This is the fourth thing in the world that is wished for, desired, agreeable,
rarely gained in the world.
These are the four things that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely
gained in the world.
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There are, Householder, four (other) things that lead to obtaining those four
things.
What four?
Accomplishment in confidence,
Accomplishment in virtuous behavior,
Accomplishment in generosity, and
Accomplishment in wisdom.
And what, Householder, is accomplishment in confidence?
Here, a Noble Disciple is endowed with confidence: he places confidence in
the Enlightenment of The Tathāgata thus: The Perfectly Enlightened One is
an Arahant, Perfectly Enlightened, accomplished in true wisdom and
conduct, fortunate knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be
tamed, Teacher of heavenly beings and humans, the Enlightened One, The
Perfectly Enlightened One.
This is called accomplishment in confidence.
And what is accomplishment in virtuous behavior?
Here, a Noble Disciple abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from
taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from
false speech, abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants (substances that
cause heedlessness), the basis for heedlessness.
This is called accomplishment in virtuous behavior.
And what is accomplishment in generosity?
Here, a Noble Disciple resides at home with a mind free from the stain of
selfishness, freely generous, openhanded, joyful in relinquishment, devoted
to charity, joyful in giving and sharing.
This is called accomplishment in generosity.
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And what is accomplishment in wisdom?
If one dwells with a mind overcome by longing and unrighteous sensual
desires, one does what should be avoided and neglects one’s duty, so that
one’s fame and peacefulness are spoiled.
If one dwells with a mind overcome by ill will, one does what should be
avoided and neglects one’s duty, so that one’s fame and peacefulness are
spoiled.
If one dwells with a mind overcome by complacency, one does what should
be avoided and neglects one’s duty, so that one’s fame and peacefulness are
spoiled.
If one dwells with a mind overcome by restlessness and worry, one does
what should be avoided and neglects one’s duty, so that one’s fame and
peacefulness are spoiled.
If one dwells with a mind overcome by doubt, one does what should be
avoided and neglects one’s duty, so that one’s fame and peacefulness are
spoiled.
When, Householder, a Noble Disciple has understood thus: Longing and
unrighteous sensual desires are a defilement of the mind, he abandons them.
When he has understood thus: Ill will is a defilement of the mind, he
abandons it.
When he has understood thus: Complacency is a defilement of the mind, he
abandons it.
When he has understood thus: Restlessness and worry are a defilement of
the mind, he abandons them.
When he has understood thus: Doubt is a defilement of the mind, he
abandons it.
When, Householder, a Noble Disciple has understood thus: Longing and
unrighteous sensual desires are a defilement of the mind and has abandoned
them;
when he has understood thus: Ill will is a defilement of the mind and has
abandoned it;
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when he has understood thus: Complacency is a defilement of the mind and
has abandoned it;
when he has understood thus: Restlessness and worry are a defilement of
the mind and has abandoned them;
when he has understood thus: Doubt is a defilement of the mind, and has
abandoned it, he is then called a Noble Disciple of great wisdom, of wide
wisdom, one who sees the range, one accomplished in wisdom.
This is called accomplishment in wisdom.
These are the four things that lead to obtaining the four things that are
wished for, desired, agreeable, and rarely gained in the world.
(Reference: AN 4.61)