In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares wholesome qualities of a Household
Practitioner that are admired and considered to be praiseworthy.
He advises Household Practitioners to use wealth wisely “without being tied to it,
obsessed with it, and blindly absorbed in it”. Craving/desire/attachment to wealth can be
a significant challenge to overcome on The Path to Enlightenment.
We are often taught that wealth will bring happiness and people are taught to chase after
wealth. But, no matter how much wealth one acquires, if there is craving/desire/
attachment to wealth, one will never have enough. Oftentimes, human beings accumulate
wealth and are blindly tied to it, absorbed with the many pleasures one can acquire
through money. A person can also be obsessed with acquiring more and more wealth
with the accumulation of wealth supporting the ego finding it challenging to practice
generosity.
To experience Enlightenment, a Practitioner would need to “see the danger in it and
understand the escape”. If a Practitioner can observe the danger by being obsessed with
wealth and material gain, then they can more readily apply effort towards understanding
“the escape” from this obsession. Any obsession is a craving/desire/attachment and
would inhibit a Practitioner from attaining Enlightenment.
During Gotama Buddha’s lifetime, he did not allow Ordained Practitioners to come in
contact with silver or gold, essentially they were unable to acquire any currency or to
accumulate wealth in any way. Today, Ordained Practitioners would find it extremely
difficult to function in our society without being able to use money for certain aspects of
their life. Household Practitioners also require the use of money to conduct our life
activities. Due to the pleasures that money can bring, it is important to train the mind to
not seek pleasant feelings (happiness, excitement, elation, thrill, exhilaration, euphoria,
etc.) through chasing after money, acquiring money, or accumulating money.
Understanding the escape from this craving/desire/attachment is to understand the
remedy for craving/desire/attachment as Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, practicing
generosity, identifying cravings through analysis of the mind, and a well developed
practice of The Eight Fold Path.
The Eight Fold Path is “the escape” from all discontentedness and is the escape from the
obsession formed in the mind towards wealth that would only inhibit a Practitioner from
experiencing liberation of mind.
Gotama Buddha provides four basic Teachings that a Household Practitioner can apply in
their need to acquire wealth and use it for beneficial purposes. And, in doing so, a
Household Practitioner practicing in this way could be admired for their dedication to
practicing these Teachings in this way.
(1) First, a Household Practitioner would seek wealth through righteous livelihoods that
does not cause any harm or is “without violence”. Gotama Buddha’s Teachings on Right
Livelihood as part of The Eight Fold Path provide guidance on how to practice Right
Livelihood. (See the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to
Enlightenment” (Volume 1) in Chapter 5 for detailed Teachings on The Eight Fold Path and
Right Livelihood)
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Practicing Right Livelihood ensures a Practitioner is not causing harm through how they
choose to sustain their life and due to not causing harm through your livelihood, no harm
will be returned to you based on your livelihood.
(2) Second, a Household Practitioner would apply Right Effort to develop a mind that is
“joyful and pleased”. Complaining about life or complaining about others in the world
does not create a conducive environment around you where individuals would be
interested to participate with you as a personal or professional associate.
An Enlightened being will understand the challenges of life and know of the misery that
exists in the world but will see no benefit in constant discussions or random complaining
about the negative aspects of life. Instead, an Enlightened being will have concern for the
world but train the mind to have a positive outlook on life knowing that all beings attaining
Enlightenment is the solution to the individual and world problems we all face.
To accomplish that goal, each individual will need to focus on their own growth and
progress towards Enlightenment. Through each individual focusing on training the mind to
eliminate the taints/pollution/fetters in the mind, they will experience the transformation
from a negative and disgruntled outlook on life to a positive and uplifting demeanor that
will only serve to attract people towards you rather than repel them away from you.
Training the mind to be joyful and pleased at all times requires deep inner work that can
only be accomplished through your own individual efforts with guidance in these
Teachings with a Teacher. With a mind that is joyful and pleased permanently, there are no
goals or objectives that are unattainable.
(3) Third, a Household Practitioner can ensure they are not obsessed with wealth,
acquiring wealth, and accumulating wealth through giving and sharing in a well developed
practice of generosity through meritorious deeds.
It is through a regular practice of generosity, giving with your own hand, that the mind is
trained to “let go” of wealth and not hold it tightly allowing the mind to maintain its
obsession through craving/desire/attachment. An Enlightened being is able to be wealthy
as there is no harm in being wealthy. It is when the mind is obsessed with accumulation of
wealth and fulfilling selfish desires that will inhibit a Practitioner from attaining
Enlightenment.
A Practitioner should consider how to acquire life sustaining resources (food, water,
clothing, shelter, and medical care) through a righteous or proper livelihood that provides
benefit to the world rather than pursuing wealth just for the sake of pursuing wealth. A
wealthy individual who is deeply practicing these Teachings can be of much benefit to
humanity through finding ways to share their wealth in beneficial projects and programs
where they do not seek gain, but instead, are only interested in helping others.
Once a righteous livelihood is well established that is creating wealth, a loving, kind, and
compassionate Practitioner can choose to then find ways to benefit others through the
wealth they acquire rather than only fulfilling selfish desires. Based on a Practitioner’s own
personal goals and ambitions to help others through a well developed practice of
generosity, they can assist countless beings in uplifting their life.
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The Foremost, the Best, the Distinguished, the


(4) Fourth, a Household Practitioner who is well established experiencing successful
wealth generation can easily become tied, obsessed, or blindly absorbed into continuous
accumulation of wealth rather than staying focused on developing their life practice
towards liberation of mind from craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality).
A wise Practitioner will see the danger in allowing the mind to become obsessed with
wealth forming craving/desire/attachment knowing this will only cause the mind
discontentedness. They will need to deeply learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to
understand the escape, and implement the solutions provided through Gotama Buddha’s
Teachings.
A Household Practitioner can find “the middle way” of acquiring wealth but also find
creative ways to share their wealth ensuring the mind does not hold on with craving/
desire/attachment causing discontentedness of mind.
Lastly, The Buddha compares the finest or foremost Household Practitioners to the
refinement of cow’s milk, something that his Students would be very familiar with during
their lifetime. He explains “just as from a cow comes milk, from milk curd, from curd
butter, from butter ghee, and from ghee comes cream-of-ghee” that the “foremost, the
best, the distinguished, the supreme, and the finest of all those” Household Practitioners
come from those “who seek wealth righteously, without violence, and having obtained it,
makes himself joyful and pleased; and shares the wealth and does meritorious deeds;
and uses that wealth without being tied to it, obsessed with it, and blindly absorbed in it,
seeing the danger in it, and understanding the escape”.
Additional Thoughts:
While there are many different levels of income across all populations of people, anyone
who is experiencing moderate to high levels of wealth can consider themselves fortunate
for the decisions they have made that led to increased amounts of wealth. While all
beings are experiencing the results of their own decisions in all parts of life, a conscious
Practitioner who has discovered methods of accumulating income beyond basic
necessities might consider using their time, effort, energy, resources, and knowledge to
help those who are less fortunate.
Many people across the world are affected by deep generational poverty. Many people do
not have the luxury to learn and practice these Teachings nor invest in life improving skills
to elevate their life. In some cases, there are people who only have the ability to focus on
acquiring their next meal which may or may not come to be. It is extremely difficult for
one who is only capable of focusing on acquiring their next meal to invest in life improving
skills that could elevate their life to better results including learning these Teachings. One
of the biggest myths in our society is that people in poverty are lazy or lacking education.
In many cases, they are only lacking opportunity and relationships with people who can
create those opportunities.
As a global society, we can find ways to encourage, motivate, and support individuals
who are less fortunate to help them elevate their life to overcoming generational poverty.
We can find ways to share our time, effort, energy, resources, and knowledge so that
people are secure in their basic life sustaining resources to provide them needed support
while they work towards developing their life practice and life skills to eliminate
generational poverty.
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This would involve kind, caring, and compassionate individuals to be creative in exploring
opportunities to share their time, effort, energy, resources, and knowledge with others
without any interest in their own gain, but instead, decide to help others because it is the
right thing to do to provide improved opportunities for others.
There are many people who quietly find ways to help others in the world without a need
for acknowledgement or publicity. There are many people who provide support and
donations in creative ways to help large numbers of people who are less fortunate. As you
learn and practice these Teachings as an independent life practice, a Practitioner cannot
help but observe how these Teachings significantly improve one’s life and there are many
beings in the world who do not have the luxury of time to sit and read a book such as
this. Instead, they are busy figuring out how to acquire their next meal or drink of water to
sustain them over the next few days which may be the only food and water they have
eaten for an extended period of time.
As we look for ways to practice generosity, while we need to support the continued
sharing of these Teachings in the world, we also need to find ways to support less
fortunate beings providing basic necessities to sustain life to afford the opportunity for
them to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings.
A global humanity that is well liberated and awakened to Enlightenment will ensure the
safety, security, and peace of all living beings. A global humanity that is well liberated and
awakened to Enlightenment will ensure that poverty is eradicated through uplifting all
members of society by providing opportunities for all individuals to succeed in life. This
would require those who are more fortunate to initiate efforts that support and encourage
others in life without any regard for their own personal gain.
Through eliminating one’s own selfish desires to accumulate wealth for the sake of
accumulating wealth, we can put those resources to use providing opportunities for all
beings.
Having generated wealth, an individual can use their knowledge and wealth to provide
learning opportunities for massive numbers of people who can be uplifted through gaining
opportunities to succeed in life. This would require those who are more fortunate to set
aside any interest in personal gain and instead, focus on practicing loving-kindness,
compassion, and generosity with only one singular goal - helping humanity.
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Chapter 9
Welfare and Peacefulness in This Present Life
‘Venerable Sir, we are Householders enjoying sensual pleasures, living at
home in a house full of children. We use sandalwood from Kāsi; we wear
garlands, scents, and ointments; we receive gold and silver. Let The Perfectly
Enlightened One teach us The Teachings in a way that will lead to our welfare
and peacefulness in this present life and in future lives.’
There are, Byagghapajja, these four things that lead to the welfare and
peacefulness of a Householder in this present life.
What four?
(1) Accomplishment in initiative,
(2) accomplishment in protection,
(3) wholesome friendship,
(4) and balanced living.
Accomplishment in Initiative
And what is accomplishment in initiative?
Here, whatever may be the means by which a Householder earns his living
— whether by farming, trade, raising cattle, archery, government service, or
some other craft — he is skillful and diligent; he possesses sound and wise
decision making about it in order to carry out and arrange it properly.
This is called accomplishment in initiative.
Accomplishment in Protection
And what is accomplishment in protection?
Here, a Householder sets up protection and guard over the wealth he has
acquired by initiative and energy, amassed by the strength of his arms,
earned by the sweat of his brow, righteous wealth righteously gained,
thinking: How can I prevent Kings and thieves from taking it, fire from
burning it, floods from sweeping it off, and displeasing heirs from taking it?
This is called accomplishment in protection.
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Wholesome Friendship
And what is wholesome friendship?
Here, in whatever village or town a Householder lives, he associates with
Householders or their sons — whether young but of mature virtue, or old and
of mature virtue — who are accomplished in confidence, virtuous behavior
(moral conduct), generosity, and wisdom; he converses with them and
engages in discussions with them.
To the extent that they are accomplished in confidence, he emulates them
with respect to their accomplishment in confidence; to the extent that they
are accomplished in virtuous behavior (moral conduct), he emulates them
with respect to their accomplishment in virtuous behavior; to the extent that
they are accomplished in generosity, he emulates them with their
accomplishment in generosity; to the extent that they are accomplished in
wisdom, he emulates them with respect to their accomplishment in wisdom.
This is called wholesome friendship.
Balanced Living
And what is balanced living?
Here, a Householder knows his income and expenditures and leads a
balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too frugal, (aware): In this way my
income will exceed my expenditures rather than the reverse. Just as an
appraiser or his apprentice, holding up a scale, knows:
By so much it has dipped down, by so much it has gone up so a
Householder knows his income and expenditures and leads a balanced life,
neither too extravagant nor too frugal, (aware): In this way my income will
exceed my expenditures rather than the reverse.
If this Householder has a small income but lives luxuriously, others would say
of him: This Householder eats his wealth just like an eater of figs.
But if he has a large income but lives sparingly, others would say of him: This
Householder may even starve himself.
But it is called balanced living when a Householder knows his income and
expenditures and leads a balanced life, neither too extravagant nor too
frugal, (aware): In this way my income will exceed my expenditures rather
than the reverse.
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This is called balanced living.
These are the four things that lead to the welfare and peacefulness of a
Householder in this very life.
(Reference: AN 8.54)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares “four things that lead to the welfare and
peacefulness of a Householder in this present life”.
The Buddha’s clear and direct Teaching here provides Household Practitioners four (4)
aspects of life that when understood and practiced will lead to a peaceful life.
(1) First, “accomplishment in initiative” is The Buddha’s guidance in being proficient and
capable to perform our professional duties. Whatever profession we choose, The Buddha
advises that we should aspire to be “skillful and diligent; he possesses sound and wise
decision making about it in order to carry out and arrange it properly”. A Practitioner who
practices in this way will develop a wholesome professional reputation leading to
improved results in their professional life with increased opportunities for advancement or
growth of your business.
If we are complacent or lacking the knowledge needed to perform the profession of our
choice, we will find that life is much more difficult in that we will not be well suited to
provide valuable products or services that are beneficial to others. This can cause fear
and uncertainty in the mind where a Practitioner will struggle to provide life sustaining
resources of food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical care for themselves and their
family.
Developing and maintaining knowledge and wisdom of one’s profession and then
applying dedication with energy and effort to perform quality work can help a Practitioner
feel a sense of purpose and goodness in their community. A Practitioner will know that
they are doing their work and doing it well resting easy knowing that their wise decision
making at work will lead to stability and wholesome outcomes eliminating any fear of
being unable to support their life and the life of those who rely on us for support.
(2) Second, “accomplishment in protection” Gotama Buddha encourages us to ensure we
have protected our wealth from events that could significantly affect our wealth or growth
of wealth. Disasters such as fire and floods could wipe away one’s wealth should they not
have adequate protection. In today’s society, this might include properly allocating wealth
towards institutions that are capable of overseeing one’s wealth and helping it to grow.
This might include a bank, financial institution, insurance, safety deposit vaults, or other
ways to protect one’s wealth.
Protecting one’s wealth from Kings could be looked upon as ensuring one has made
proper decisions towards allocating money based on government laws to pay one’s fair
share of taxes. Should a Practitioner choose not to allocate wealth towards the support of
government services, the community would gradually crumble creating an environment
that is not supportive of continued growth for humanity.
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Protecting one’s wealth from thieves would be to ensure there are safeguards in place
that a thief would be unable to wipe out one’s wealth through stealing. During Gotama
Buddha’s lifetime, life was very basic compared to today’s standards. It would not be
uncommon for someone to store their money in their home and for a thief to potentially
cause a family ruin through stealing their accumulated money stored in just one central
location. Today, we have many ways to ensure that one is well protected from scams and
thieves who are looking to steal from you and your family. When one has applied good
practices to protect one’s wealth, the mind can reside peaceful knowing that a thief is
unable to wipe out your family’s savings.
Protecting one’s wealth from displeasing heirs might include ensuring one has a will that
documents what should and should not happen to your wealth upon death while ensuring
your relatives are well aware of how you have allocated your wealth upon your death.
Through clear communication in a written will and communicating with relatives prior to
death, there will be no surprises upon your death and your wealth will not meet with hotly
contested legal battles after your death. Through a properly formed will and thorough
communication, a Practitioner can ensure a family is not divided and separated based on
surprises at the time of death.
(3) Third, The Buddha provides guidance throughout his Teachings to cultivate
“wholesome friendships”. As you may have observed in life, when you are involved in
wholesome activities with wholesome people, you will be influenced positively and have a
tendency to make wiser and more wholesome decisions. To progress towards
Enlightenment experiencing improved benefits to the condition of the mind and in your
life, cultivating relationships with wholesome friends and associates is highly beneficial.
Through having wholesome friends, a Practitioner will find life more smooth and easy as
there will be support, motivation, and encouragement along The Path to Enlightenment
and in daily life.
While Gotama Buddha focuses his Teachings at various times on helping you to
understand that you will benefit from having wholesome friends, this Teaching focuses on
cultivating wisdom from people in the community.
In modern society, all too often, the new generation may not appreciate the knowledge
and insight accessible to us through observing elders in our communities and consulting
them during challenges we may face. A fast paced lifestyle may not take the time to sit
and speak with elders or view them as having wisdom that could be beneficial to your life.
In this Teaching, The Buddha guides Practitioners to engage with young and old
members of one’s community “who are accomplished in confidence, virtuous behavior,
generosity, and wisdom”. Through this interaction and discussion, a Practitioner can learn
better ways of life and develop wholesome relationships.
Gotama Buddha encourages us to emulate and respect others’ confidence in his
Teachings. Being “accomplished in confidence” is to have well developed confidence that
he is a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha, confidence in his Teachings, and confidence in his
Community of Practitioners. An individual who is accomplished in confidence will then
decide on their own to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to improve the
condition of the mind and their life through the attainment of Enlightenment. Lacking
confidence, one would have no interest in pursuing The Path to Enlightenment or have
the ability to progress to Enlightenment without well developed and accomplished
confidence in The Buddha, The Teachings, and The Community.
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Rather than choosing any friends that come your way, The Buddha encourages one to
select friends who are accomplished in confidence, virtuous behavior (moral conduct),
generosity, and wisdom looking to emulate these qualities in one’s own life practice
because these are the same qualities that will lead to wise wholesome decisions resulting
in wholesome outcomes to extinguish all unwholesome Kamma leading to Enlightenment.
It is through our own wise decisions towards wholesome activities that one fully
extinguishes all unwholesome Kamma production producing only wholesome results to
attain Enlightenment. And, you will find that making wise decisions to cultivate
relationships with wholesome friends where you are influenced in wholesome ways and
have role models to emulate their “accomplishment in confidence, virtuous behavior
(moral conduct), generosity, and wisdom” will lead to your welfare and peacefulness in
this present life.
(4) Fourth, The Buddha provides guidance on “balanced living” helping Household
Practitioners understand that “the middle way” for managing one’s income and expenses
is to ensure that one’s expenses do not exceed their income.
Should a Practitioner choose to live life in such a way that their expenses do exceed their
income, this would cause significant struggles and hardships in life as one would find
themselves continually sinking into debt due to the mind’s craving/desire/attachment to
live a life beyond their ability of what they can afford.
The Natural Law of Kamma teaches us that we are always experiencing the results of our
own decisions through cause and effect or action and result. The result of living a
balanced life through well managed finances means that one can be comfortable
experiencing peace from choosing not to accumulate debt as there will be no pressure
from financial burdens.
Should a Practitioner currently be in debt or living life where their expenses exceed their
income, it would be wise to work towards eliminating all debt and lowering their expenses
through living a balanced life as described by The Buddha.
Craving/desire/attachment, attempting to fulfill endless “wants”, is very expensive.
Training the mind to eliminate the constant obsession to fulfill one’s desires, which never
lead to lasting satisfaction, can drastically improve your ability to live a comfortable and
stress free life. Through the elimination of craving/desire/attachment, a Practitioner can
focus on eliminating excessive expenditures while focusing on providing for your life
sustaining needs such as food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical care.
To bring your expenses down and into balance, there may need to be an extended period
of compromise and doing without while you gradually adjust the financial variables that
will bring more stability of mind knowing that there is not constant debt accumulation.
If a Practitioner’s financial obligations are exceeding their income, this will create undue
stress and burden that is a result of our own decisions. But just like one’s own decisions
lead to debt accumulation, it will require wise decision making to eliminate debt and
choose to live a balanced financial life. Doing so will result in the wholesome outcome of
having eliminated stress and anxiety related to financial obligations bringing the mind
more stability and calmness.
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As a Practitioner observes their life practice is currently not developed in a way that is
most conducive to The Natural Law of Kamma described in this and countless other
Teachings from The Buddha, you can gradually adjust your decisions to ensure more
beneficial outcomes.
Learning these Teachings is to become aware of what leads to wholesome results in one’s
life. Reflecting on these Teachings from The Buddha, one can observe that his wisdom
was quite profound and would lead to wholesome results. Implementing his Teachings in
practice, a Practitioner can observe the truth for themselves discovering and acquiring
the wisdom of these Teachings to support a wholesome life having eliminated 100% of all
discontent feelings where the mind is peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy -
permanently.
How one chooses to manage their life and life choices directly affects the condition of
one’s own mind and their life. Making wise decisions is the cornerstone of The Path to
Enlightenment and it is The Buddha’s Teachings that will guide you in how to make wiser
and wiser decisions for your own life.
When and if you choose to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings is a personal
choice for each individual Practitioner. Through your own determination, dedication, and
diligence, you will see the truth for yourself.
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Chapter 10
Four Things Leading to the Welfare and
Peacefulness in Future Lives
There are, Byagghapajja, these four (other) things that lead to a
Householder’s welfare and peacefulness in future lives.
What four?
(1) Accomplishment in confidence,
(2) accomplishment in virtuous behavior,
(3) accomplishment in generosity, and
(4) accomplishment in wisdom.
And what is accomplishment in confidence?
Here, a Householder 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 leader of persons to
be tamed, Teacher of heavenly beings and humans, the Fortunate One, The
Perfectly Enlightened One.
This is called accomplishment in confidence.
And what is accomplishment in virtuous behavior (moral conduct)?
Here, a Householder abstains from the destruction of life, from taking what is
not given, from sexual misconduct, from false speech, and 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 Householder resides at home with a mind free of the stain of
selfishness, freely generous, open-handed, joyful in letting go, one devoted
to charity, joyful in giving and sharing.
This is called accomplishment in generosity.
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And what is accomplishment in wisdom?
Here, a Householder is wise; he possesses the wisdom that discerns arising
and passing away, which is noble and penetrative, and leads to the complete
destruction of discontentedness.
This is called accomplishment in wisdom.
These are the four (other) things that lead to the welfare and peacefulness of
a Householder in future lives.
(Reference: AN 8.54)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares Teachings that directly relate to the
previous Chapter where he guides us in developing “wholesome friendships” with
individuals “who are accomplished in confidence, virtuous behavior (moral conduct),
generosity, and wisdom”.
This Chapter explains exactly what The Buddha taught regarding what is
“accomplishment in confidence, virtuous behavior, generosity, and wisdom” so that we
can develop these for our own life practice while also selecting wholesome friends who
are doing the same.
Through developing your own life practice to have “accomplishment in confidence,
virtuous behavior, generosity, and wisdom”, then, you will be better able to make wise
decisions within your own life and be able to make wise decisions of what friends to
include in your life. Without a Practitioner understanding these Teachings and then
practicing them closely, they would be lost and struggle to make wise decisions in their
life and to make wise decisions of which friends to include in their life.
(1) First, “accomplishment in confidence”, is described in this Teaching as having
confidence in The Buddha as the Fully Perfectly Enlightened One. In multiple other places
within his Teachings, he describes having confirmed confidence in The Buddha, The
Teachings, and The Community. Doing so, a Practitioner will then be able to eliminate the
fetter/taint/pollution of “doubt” helping them to move the mind into the first Stage of
Enlightenment.
Confidence in The Buddha, The Teachings, and The Community and elimination of the
fetter of doubt is developed through learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings
to observe the results as the condition of the mind improves. There is no blind faith nor
belief in these Teachings.
Instead, a wise Practitioner will seek guidance with a Teacher to investigate The
Teachings and then implement them in daily life to experience the results of the condition
of the mind gradually improving. The gradual improvement in the condition of the mind is
observable by the Practitioner as they once experienced discontent feelings such as
anger which then moves to slight annoyance and then eventually no discontent feelings
are experienced whatsoever based on the same situation occurring in one’s life.
Observing this gradual decrease in strong feelings to the complete elimination of
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discontentedness, a Practitioner’s confidence in The Buddha, The Teachings, and The
Community increases and all doubts are eliminated.
The fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “doubt” in The Ten Fetters is then
completely eliminated and will no longer arise helping to further liberate the mind.
(2) Second, “accomplishment in virtuous behavior (moral conduct)” is described through
The Five Precepts. Household Practitioners will typically learn and practice The Five
Precepts as basic moral conduct along with developing The Eight Fold Path in its entirety.
The Eight Fold Path is a central and core Teaching on The Path to Enlightenment as
shared by Gotama Buddha. The Five Precepts are integrated into The Eight Fold Path
providing expanded content to describe Right Speech and Right Action.
Detailed explanation of The Eight Fold Path and The Five Precepts is available in this
same book series found in the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to
Enlightenment” (Volume 1).
(3) Third, “accomplishment in generosity” is an important Teaching on The Path to
Enlightenment and a remedy to the unEnlightened mind to eliminate craving/desire/
attachment.
The problem that is causing the discontent mind is craving/desire/attachment. This is the
cause of all discontent feelings. To eliminate this, The Buddha shares exact remedies to
transform the unwholesome qualities of craving/desire/attachment using Breathing
Mindfulness Meditation and developing a practice of generosity.
A mind that is unable to give and share time, effort, energy, and resources with others
would be unable to attain Enlightenment as the mind is selfish. A Practitioner would
instead need to train the mind to “reside at home with a mind free of the stain of
selfishness, freely generous, open-handed, joyful in letting go, one devoted to charity,
joyful in giving and sharing” so that it can let go of any accumulated selfishness
recognizing the interconnectivity of all beings.
A Practitioner can accomplish this through daily sharing in some of the most simple or
profound ways based on your own personal choices. Sharing of food, water, clothing,
shelter, or medical care with others can help improve the ability of others to sustain their
life while giving them the opportunity to learn and practice these Teachings. A Practitioner
can share their time, effort, energy, and resources to help others in the community
supporting the development of wholesome relationships with those around you. One
might even consider sharing a smile or a wave, with those who you come into contact
with, as a way of “letting go” and practicing loving-kindness and compassion.
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.
Detailed explanation of practicing generosity is available in this same book series found in
the book “Generosity” (Volume 13).
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(4) Fourth, “accomplishment in wisdom” is the ultimate antidote or remedy to the
unEnlightened mind. Through learning, reflecting and practicing these Teachings, a
Practitioner gains more clarity and insight into the wisdom of these life changing
Teachings.
A Practitioner will need to focus on establishing a well developed practice to include the
core and central Teachings shared by The Buddha on The Path to Enlightenment.
Those Teachings are:
A.) The Three Universal Truths
B.) The Four Noble Truths
C.) The Eight Fold Path
D.) The Five Precepts
E.) The Brahma-viharas
F.) The Ten Fetters
G.) The Seven Factors of Enlightenment
H.) Extensive Meditation Training
The Buddha specifically speaks of “the wisdom that discerns arising and passing away”
which is The Universal Truth of Impermanence found in The Three Universal Truths. He
then goes on to explain that “accomplishment in wisdom” is the wisdom that “leads to
the complete destruction of discontentedness”. This requires deep and penetrative
understanding through a determined, dedicated, and diligent practice of these Teachings.
(A - H) mentioned in the above are the core and central Teachings that a Practitioner
would need to focus on to develop “penetrative wisdom” while seeking guidance from a
Teacher. Then, once well established in these Teachings, a Practitioner can gradually
move into deepening and expanding their life practice into the full spectrum of Teachings
shared by The Buddha. These core and central Teachings will guide a Practitioner in
establishing a foundation in these Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment to have
“accomplishment in wisdom”.
Lastly, while Gotama Buddha shares that “these are the four (other) things that lead to the
welfare and peacefulness of a Householder in future lives”, it should be made clear that
the goal of all Practitioners should be to learn and practice these Teachings in such a way
that there are no future lives by attaining Enlightenment. While Gotama Buddha shared
what would result in the welfare and peacefulness of a Practitioner in future lives, his
ultimate goal was to support Practitioners in the attainment of Enlightenment.
While a Buddha is going to explain what would lead to a better and improved rebirth in
future lives, their goal is to assist as many beings as possible to attain Enlightenment
eliminating The Cycle of Rebirth so that there are no longer any future rebirths. With that
goal in mind, a Buddha also understands that not every Practitioner will attain
Enlightenment even in learning and practicing these Teachings directly with an actual
Buddha. So, it is important to share Teachings on The Path to Enlightenment that lead to
Enlightenment while also explaining what leads to an improved rebirth should a
Practitioner not attain Enlightenment.
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Chapter 11
Four Sources of Depletion and
Accumulation of the Wealth
The Four Sources of Depletion of the Wealth
Byagghapajja, the wealth thus amassed has four sources of depletion:
(1) womanizing,
(2) drunkenness (heedlessness),
(3) gambling,
(4) unwholesome friendship, unwholesome companionship, unwholesome
comradeship.
Byagghapajja, just as if there were a large reservoir with four inlets and four
outlets, and a man would close the inlets and open the outlets, and sufficient
rain does not fall, one could predict the water in the reservoir to decrease
rather than increase;
Byagghapajja, so the wealth thus amassed has four sources of depletion:
(1) womanizing,
(2) drunkenness (heedlessness),
(3) gambling,
(4) unwholesome friendship, unwholesome companionship, unwholesome
comradeship.
The Four Sources of Accumulation of the Wealth
Byagghapajja, the wealth thus amassed has four sources of accumulation:
(1) one avoids womanizing,
(2) one avoids drunkenness (heedlessness),
(3) one avoids gambling,
(4) one cultivates wholesome friendship, wholesome companionship,
wholesome comradeship.
Byagghapajja, just as if there were a large reservoir with four inlets and four
outlets, and a man would open the inlets and close the outlets, and sufficient
rain falls; one could predict the water in the reservoir to increase rather than
decrease,
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Byagghapajja, so the wealth thus amassed has four sources of
accumulation:
(1) one avoids womanizing,
(2) one avoids drunkenness (heedlessness),
(3) one avoids gambling,
(4) one cultivates wholesome friendship, wholesome companionship,
wholesome comradeship.
These are the four things that lead to the welfare and peacefulness of a
Householder in this very life.
(Reference: AN 8.54)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares Teachings of what would lead to the
depletion or accumulation of wealth.
The Teachings are exactly reversed in that which leads to the depletion of wealth, having
eliminated those in one’s life practice, will also lead to the accumulation of wealth.
It is womanizing, drunkenness (heedlessness), gambling, and having unwholesome
friendships that a Practitioner will experience loss of wealth. It is through eliminating these
same aspects of one’s life practice that they will experience the accumulation of wealth.
(1) First, “womanizing” is defined as “engaging in numerous casual sexual affairs with
women”. This relates to obsessing about and chasing after multiple partners for sexual
encounters. Doing so, would result in a lack of focus and attention on one’s life practice
and aspects of life that would produce wholesome benefits.
The desire to chase after and fulfill sexual desires would only serve to erode the condition
of the mind and one’s life.
Keep in mind, that Gotama Buddha was sharing this Teaching with a man who preferred a
female sexual partner but any Practitioner who would decide to prioritize sexual
encounters above wholesome activities that produce wholesome results would
experience lack of focus and concentration as the mind’s craving/desire/attachment
would obsess the mind. This Teaching can be applied to all people and all genders.
Instead, a Practitioner who chooses to have sexual contact can do so while engaged in a
committed relationship with one partner rather than experience the difficulties and
unwholesome results of multiple partners and casual sexual encounters.
(2) Second, “drunkenness” or “heedlessness” is pursuing substances that cause
heedlessness. The meaning of “heedlessness” is: careless, thoughtless, inattentive, un-
calm, unaware, or unmindful.
Oftentimes, an individual can become addicted to substances that cause heedlessness
unaware how the unEnlightened mind chases after pleasant feelings of happiness,
excitement, elation, thrill, exhilaration, euphoria, etc. Craving lasting satisfaction an
unwise mind can turn to substances that cause heedlessness thinking they are going to
provide an escape from the struggles in life and an escape from the associated painful
feelings of sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fear, stress,
anxiety, etc. What one will discover is that these substances only lead to continued
misery and problems making life worse not better. But, the ignorance (unknowing of true
reality) that exists in the unEnlightened mind oftentimes overpowers the mind taking an
individual deep into darkness through addiction to substances that cause heedlessness.
It is these Teachings which lead to an Enlightened mind that provide the escape from
discontentedness, not substances that cause heedlessness.
An individual who chooses to use substances that cause heedlessness will find that
Enlightenment is impossible until they choose to eliminate these substances from their life
becoming dedicated to improving their life practice. Further, as described in this
Teaching, an individual who chooses to pursue heedlessness through any and all
substances will find that depletion of wealth is one of the many unwholesome outcomes
as a result of choosing to ingest substances that cause heedlessness. The mind will
develop craving/desire/attachment to substances that cause heedlessness wasting time
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and money towards a temporary high that only ends in deep sorrows and despair with
increased difficulties and struggles in life.
The Buddha shares further Teachings on this topic in The Five Precepts.
Detailed explanation of The Five Precepts is available in this same book series found in
the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).
(3) Third, “gambling” is defined as betting a sum of money on a game of chance. The
Buddha shares that this would only lead to the depletion of wealth as the mind oftentimes
becomes so addicted to gambling that one finds themselves unable to support their basic
needs or they end up in significant debt.
Games of chance are such things as playing cards, dice, roulette, slot machines, animal
racing, sports betting, lotteries, and other similar type of games where one is placing a
wager with the anticipation of a potential favorable outcome of acquiring an increase in
the wager. A wager is often placed through an item of value such as money or another
valuable desirable item.
An individual who is gambling has craving/desire/attachment to money and wealth but it
is through the craving/desire/attachment for wealth that the individual will find themselves
depleted of wealth. The unwholesome decision to gamble will lead to the unwholesome
result of depletion of wealth along with other unwholesome outcomes shared in other
Teachings by The Buddha.
The danger to one’s mind through the activity of gambling goes beyond “games of
chance”.
Practitioners need to deeply examine their life practice to determine if their decisions to
participate in such things as day trading are being motivated by craving/desire/
attachment to money. Due to the readily available access to stock markets and other
online services, an individual can find that they are experiencing craving/desire/
attachment to money culminating in activities that can appear harmless but are actually
leading to the depletion of wealth and taking one further from the ultimate goal of the
Enlightened mind.
If one is performing constant trades through day trading activity with constant cravings to
check the markets and increase their money with little to no education in how the financial
markets function, these activities may not meet the definition of gambling but are
encouraging the same unwholesome activity in the mind in the same way as an addiction
to gambling. Gotama Buddha would not have had insight into the stock markets that exist
today and the technology to access those markets, but his Teachings on how to train the
mind to attain Enlightenment can be applied to what we are seeing available in modern
society.
If a Practitioner is constantly checking financial markets expecting gains for the sake of
immediate monetary compensation, this up and down stimulus in the mind being fueled
by craving/desire/attachment will inhibit a Practitioner from experiencing Enlightenment.
Instead, an educated investor who is wisely applying dedicated research to analyzing the
markets investing through well thought out decisions can experience Enlightenment.
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Educated investors apply wise decision making in the profession of financial investments
doing so through years of applied study and ethical guidelines through well understood
best practices among professional investors. They are basing their career in researching
and applying wise decisions to increase wealth through financial investments rather than
looking for an immediate or quick gain as a result of a “chance” to “win”.
Each Practitioner will need to analyze for themselves, while seeking guidance with a
Teacher, whether their decisions in various parts of their life amount to craving/desire/
attachment to money that can oftentimes be executed much like a gambler or are their
decisions based on educated wise decision making as part of a career choice that leads
to righteous wealth accumulation as part of Right Livelihood.
(4) Fourth, “unwholesome friendship, unwholesome companionship, unwholesome
comradeship” would influence a Practitioner towards unwholesome decisions leading to
unwholesome results (i.e. unwholesome Kamma).
To attain Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need to develop wholesome decision making
that leads to wholesome results. Through the new understanding a Practitioner is gaining
in these Teachings, they will need to review their decisions in the past to determine if
those same past decisions are still considered to be wise as it relates to friendships.
Holding on to relationships that are unwholesome can lead to further decline in one’s life
and lead to depletion of wealth. Through having unwholesome friendships, a Practitioner
will constantly find themselves in situations where money is needing to be spent to
resolve unwholesome decisions rather than being applied towards wholesome activities.
An individual may find themselves needing to pay money to individuals to resolve
personal disputes, governments for release from jail, legal fees, property damage or other
unwholesome results that need to be rectified that ultimately lead to a depletion of wealth.
The Buddha encourages and guides Practitioners that they can accumulate wealth
through avoiding casual sexual encounters through womanizing, drunkenness or
heedlessness, gambling, and cultivating wholesome friendships.
If you have chosen to do any of these in the past, you can always make wise decisions to
improve your life practice by eliminating the choices to womanize, become heedless,
gamble, or maintain unwholesome friendships. Through choosing to practice these
Teachings, one can observe the results for themselves as the condition of the mind and
your life gradually improves “leading to the welfare and peacefulness of a Householder in
this very life”.
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Chapter 12
Six Ways of Wasting One’s Substance
Householder’s son, and which are the six ways of wasting one’s substance
that the Noble Disciple does not follow?
(1) Addiction to strong drink and sloth-producing drugs (substances that
cause heedlessness) is one way of wasting one’s substance,
(2) haunting the streets at unfitting times is one,
(3) attending fairs is one,
(4) being addicted to gambling is one,
(5) keeping unwholesome company is one,
(6) habitual idleness is one.
Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to addiction to
strong drink and sloth-producing drugs (substances that cause
heedlessness):
(1) present waste of money,
(2) increased arguments,
(3) liability to sickness,
(4) loss of good name,
(5) indecent exposure of one’s person,
(6) weakening of the intellect (wisdom).
Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to haunting the
streets at unfitting times:
(1) one is defenseless and without protection,
(2) and so are one’s wife (life partner) and children,
(3) and so is one’s property,
(4) one is suspected of crimes,
(5) false reports are pinned on one,
(6) one encounters all sorts of unpleasantness.
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Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to frequenting fairs:
(One is always thinking)
(1) Where is there dancing?
(2) Where is there singing?
(3) Where are they playing music?
(4) Where are they reciting?
(5) Where is there hand-clapping?
(6) Where are the drums?
Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to gambling:
(1) the winner makes enemies,
(2) the loser regrets his loss,
(3) one wastes one’s present wealth,
(4) one’s word is not trusted in the community,
(5) one is despised by one’s friends and companions,
(6) one is not in demand for marriage, because a gambler cannot afford to
maintain a wife (life partner).
Householder’s son, there are these six dangers attached to keeping
unwholesome company:
(1) any gambler,
(2) any glutton,
(3) any drunkard,
(4) any cheat,
(5) any trickster,
(6) any bully is his friend, his companion.
There are these six dangers attached to idleness:
(1) thinking: “it’s too cold”, one does not work;
(2) thinking: “it’s too hot”, one does not work;
(3) thinking: “it’s too early”, one does not work;
(4) thinking: “it’s too late”, one does not work;
(5) thinking: “I’m too hungry”, one does not work;
(6) thinking: “I’m too full”, one does not work.
(Reference: DN 31)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares six ways that one can waste their
substance and he guides Students to improve their life practice through avoiding these
“dangers”.
One’s substance can be thought of as “the most vital or essential part of something”.
So, if one is “wasting their substance”, they are “weakening their vital energy and
capacity of the mind to function optimally”.
When the mind is lacking energy and not functioning optimally, that is an ideal time for
one to lose mindfulness (awareness of mind), concentration, and, thus, lack the ability to
access wisdom to make wholesome decisions. In doing so, any unwholesome decisions
are going to produce unwholesome results (i.e. unwholesome Kamma). So maintaining
one’s substance to ensure the mind has vital energy and the mind functions optimally is
highly important in cultivating the mind towards Enlightenment as part of The Path to
Enlightenment.
In this Teaching, The Buddha provides the unwholesome outcomes to be experienced if
one were to participate in any of these six ways of wasting one’s substance. These are
described as “dangers” because these are potential outcomes for one who chooses to
“waste their substance” and there is a real danger of causing harm to one’s own mind
and life should a Practitioner choose to participate in these activities.
(1) First, “addiction to strong drink and sloth-producing drugs (substances that cause
heedlessness) is one way of wasting one's substance” in that through having a mind that
is careless, thoughtless, inattentive, un-calm, unaware, or unmindful an individual will
make unwise decisions creating unwholesome results.
Ingesting substances that cause heedlessness would diminish their ability to practice
mental calmness which weakens mindfulness (awareness of mind), concentration, and
one’s ability to access wisdom.
Lacking wisdom, an individual will make countless unwise decisions leading to
unwholesome results (i.e. unwholesome Kamma) as it would be extremely difficult to
practice these Teachings applying the wisdom, therein, while the mind is heedless.
Through unwise decision making one will be causing harm in the world, thus, harm will be
returned to an individual who is heedless through unbeneficial outcomes such as those
mentioned by Gotama Buddha.
Due to the unwholesome decision to ingest substances that cause heedlessness,
Gotama Buddha shares one would (1) waste money, (2) argue often, (3) experience
sickness, (4) lose a good reputation, (5) show the unwholesome side of one’s character,
and (6) weaken their ability to access wisdom in the mind.
(2) Second, “haunting the streets at unfitting times” would mean that one is outside their
home late at night or in early morning involved in activities that are unwholesome.
As one is training the mind towards awakening to Enlightenment, they are choosing to
“walk towards the light”. Doing so, one can come to understand that in most places in the
world there are not many wholesome things that happen on the streets in the late night or
early morning hours.
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While one does not need to be fearful of being out at night, a wise Practitioner who is
choosing to walk towards the light being involved in wholesome activities might decide to
conduct their daily activities in the day light hours when wholesome activities are
happening in most cities and towns.
Due to the unwholesome decision to haunt the streets at unfitting times, Gotama Buddha
shares (1) one is defenseless and without protection, (2) a person’s family is defenseless
and without protection as one is away from them during times when harm may come to
them, (3) a person’s property is defenseless and without protection as one is away from
home during times when harm may come to one’s property, (4) one is suspected of
crimes due to the reputation of being out at unfitting times, (5) false reports are given to
others in the community or government authorities based on the tarnished reputation,
and (6) one encounters all sorts of unpleasantness as what transpires in times of darkness
is oftentimes unwholesome in nature.
A city or town can oftentimes become a very different place during late night or early
morning hours when darkness arrives. Choosing to be out in the darkness can result in
unwholesome outcomes as this is typically when unwholesome activities are taking place.
It is wise to plan activities that are wholesome and conduct those during daylight hours
when wholesome outcomes can be accomplished.
(3) Third, “attending fairs” is another way that Gotama Buddha shared that one would be
“wasting their substance” resulting in “weakening their vital energy and capacity of the
mind to function optimally”.
During Gotama Buddha’s lifetime, the primary form of entertainment would have been
through “attending fairs”. There was no television, internet, large sporting events, or other
activities that we experience today. Instead, it was (1) dancing, (2) singing, (3) playing
music, (4) reciting, (5) hand-clapping, and (6) drums that the mind might have craving/
desire/attachment towards and cause the mind to lack mindfulness and concentration
based on the arising craving/desire/attachment to attend fairs or entertainment.
There is nothing about this Path to Enlightenment that would preclude one from attending
entertainment venues or events. What a Practitioner needs to be aware of is how the
mind can oftentimes long or yearn for entertainment as a way to coverup boredom or
loneliness. A Practitioner who overlooks this discontentedness and instead fills their time
with entertainment, being unable to experience peacefulness or calmness, would need to
eliminate the craving/desire/attachment (mental longing with a strong eagerness) for
entertainment to attain Enlightenment. Then, after the mind has eliminated this craving/
desire/attachment, if a Practitioner’s mind can reside unaffected just as peaceful and
calm whether they do or don’t attend entertainment venues or events, they might choose
to participate in entertainment.
Oftentimes to observe if there is any craving/desire/attachment, a Practitioner will need to
eliminate something like entertainment for a period of time to observe if there is any
arising discontentedness associated with not taking part in something like entertainment.
Then, after several months or years of not taking part in entertainment, knowing that the
mind is peaceful and calm without boredom or loneliness, if a Practitioner chooses to
participate in entertainment, that is possible as the Practitioner knows their mind has no
craving/desire/attachment to entertainment. But, a Practitioner would be unknowing of
this reality and find it difficult to see the truth until they have tested the mind through
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eliminating entertainment for a period of time to observe the effect, if any, that may be
experienced.
(4) Fourth, “being addicted to gambling” is only going to cause one’s mind to experience
difficulties through craving/desire/attachment to money and wealth. There are six dangers
that The Buddha shares as a result of one being addicted to gambling. An individual can
experience that (1) the winner makes enemies, (2) the loser regrets his loss, (3) one
wastes one's present wealth, (4) one's word is not trusted in the community, (5) one is
despised by one's friends and companions, and (6) one is not in demand for marriage,
because a gambler cannot afford to maintain a wife (life partner).
These potential dangers will drastically affect one’s life and ability to reside with a
peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy finding it a struggle to have wholesome
opportunities to cultivate wholesome relationships to improve one’s life.
(5) Fifth, “keeping unwholesome company” is another way that The Buddha is
encouraging a Practitioner to cultivate wholesome relationships ensuring one develops
wholesome influences in their life. He provides specific examples of unwholesome
qualities to help you understand the decisions to maintain relationships with individuals
that possess these qualities would be unwise and affect your life.
Friends who are (1) a gambler, (2) a glutton, (3) a drunkard, (4) a cheat, (5) a trickster, and
(6) a bully as a friend or companion would only serve to influence a Practitioner’s mind in
unwholesome ways. Choosing to associate with unwholesome friends can affect one
through the unwholesome decisions that others make and it would be wise to cultivate
wholesome relationships avoiding individuals with these qualities.
A gambler is one who has excessive craving/desire/attachment for money and wealth
through betting sums of money on a game of chance. An individual with excessive
craving/desire/attachment for money or wealth, even without being a gambler, will make
decisions motivated by this craving with strained relationships.
A glutton is an excessively greedy eater. One who is unwilling to share something as
simple as food is an indication of excessive craving/desire/attachment in the mind. One
would find it difficult to cultivate wholesome relationships with an individual who has
extensive craving in the mind as their decisions are going to be motivated through
craving/desire/attachment producing unwholesome results that may affect you.
A drunkard is a person who is habitually heedless through addiction to substances that
cause heedlessness. A person who is addicted to substances will have significant
craving/desire/attachment in the mind making it difficult for them to cultivate wholesome
relationships.
A cheat is a person who acts dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage.
Observing this conduct, it would be wise to choose not to associate with an individual
who is considered a cheat as they will have the same conduct interacting with you
resulting in unwholesome outcomes.
A trickster is a person who deceives people and has fraudulent conduct. Again, the
decision to maintain relationships with someone with this type of conduct will affect you
in unwholesome ways based on your decision to maintain a relationship with someone
who is deceitful.
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A bully is a person who habitually seeks to harm, intimidate, or coerce those whom they
perceive as vulnerable. They are oftentimes mentally, verbally, or physically abusive to
people and it is only a matter of time before you become the next target.
A suggestion for selecting wholesome friends would include cultivating relationships with
individuals who are practicing The Five Precepts as a baseline minimum. A Practitioner
might also seek friends who are learning and practicing The Eight Fold Path as these
individuals will be applying effort to improve their life practice being aware to not cause
harm through their decisions.
While you may live in a region of the world where these Teachings are not widely known
or practiced, many traditions in the world share Teachings that have some similarities to
what The Buddha taught as The Five Precepts and the moral conduct found in The Eight
Fold Path. Knowing that any decisions made in contrast to these Teachings will produce
unwholesome results, choosing to associate with wholesome friends who are making
decisions in their own life rooted in what you know to be wise decisions based on The
Natural Law of Kamma will produce wholesome results for you.
(6) Sixth, “habitual idleness” would not produce wholesome outcomes for one’s life.
Procrastination, complacency, negligence, or habitual idleness would only result in your
continued decline as you would not be making wise decisions to improve your life but
instead, be lacking motivation and enthusiasm towards building up your life.
An individual who is habitually idle would look for any and all excuses why they are
unable to apply effort and energy towards work. The Buddha shares that one’s mind
might be thinking (1) it's too cold, (2) it's too hot, (3) it's too early, (4) it's too late, (5) I’m
too hungry, or (6) I’m too full and, therefore, one does not work.
If the mind is experiencing or does experience habitual idleness, a Practitioner will need
to train the mind to be active, attentive, alert, with interest and willingness to do
something. The Seven Factors of Enlightenment provide guidance on arising qualities of
mind to eliminate a sluggish or unmotivated mind.
Detailed explanation of The Seven Factors of Enlightenment is available in this same book
series found in Chapter 3 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to
Enlightenment” (Volume 1).
Developing the mind to perform optimally would be to choose not to waste one’s
substance and instead, direct time, effort, energy, and resources to improving one’s life.
Deciding to eliminate these six ways of wasting one’s substance will result in focus and
attention towards wholesome goals and objectives that support your continued growth in
life.
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Chapter 13
Five Cords of Sensual Pleasure
Monks, there are these five cords of sensual pleasure.
What are the five?
(1) Forms recognizable by the eye that are wished for, desired, agreeable
and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of craving.
(2) Sounds recognizable by the ear that are wished for, desired, agreeable
and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of craving.
(3) Odors recognizable by the nose that are wished for, desired, agreeable
and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of craving.
(4) Flavors recognizable by the tongue that are wished for, desired,
agreeable and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative
of craving.
(5) Physical objects recognizable by the body that are wished for, desired,
agreeable and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative
of craving.
These are the five cords of sensual pleasure.
As to those Ascetics and Brāhmins who are tied to these five cords of
sensual pleasure, obsessed with them and completely committed to them,
and who use them without seeing the danger in them or understanding the
escape from them, it may be understood of them: They have met with
calamity, met with disaster, the Evil One may do with them as he likes.
Suppose a forest deer who was bound lay down on a heap of traps; it might
be understood of him: He has met with calamity, met with disaster, the
hunter can do with him as he likes, and when the hunter comes he cannot go
where he wants.
As to those Ascetics and Brāhmins who are not tied to these five cords of
sensual pleasure, who are not obsessed with them or completely committed
to them, and who use them seeing the danger in them and understanding
the escape from them, it may be understood of them: They have not met
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with calamity, not met with disaster, the Evil One cannot do with them as he
likes.
Suppose a forest deer who was unbound lay down on a heap of traps; it
might be understood of him: He has not met with calamity, not met with
disaster, the hunter cannot do with him as he likes, and when the hunter
comes, he can go where he wants.
Suppose a forest deer is wandering in the forest wilds: he walks without fear,
stands without fear, sits without fear, lies down without fear. Why is that?
Because he is out of the hunter’s range.
So too, quite distant from sense-desires, distant from unwholesome mental
states, he enters and resides in the first Jhāna, which is with thinking and
pondering, based in seclusion, filled with excitement and joy. This Monk is
said to have blindfolded Māra, to have become invisible to the Evil One by
depriving Māra's eye of its opportunity.
(This follows with the second Jhāna, the third Jhāna, the fourth Jhāna, the
space is infinite, the consciousness is infinite, the base of nothingness, the
base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the discourses are identical
except for the reference to each attainment.)
Again, by completely surmounting the base of neither perception-nor-non
perception, a Monk enters upon and resides in the elimination of perception
and feeling. And his taints are destroyed by his seeing with wisdom.
This Monk is said to have blindfolded Māra, to have become invisible to the
Evil One by depriving Māra’s eye of its opportunity, and to have crossed
beyond attachment to the world. He walks without fear, stands without fear,
sits without fear, lies down without fear.
Why is that? Because he is out of the Evil One’s range.
(Reference: MN 26)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares The Five Cords of Sensual Pleasure that
the mind experiences related to five (5) of The Six Sense Bases.
Discontentedness is experienced through The Six Sense Bases. The eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, body, and the mind. These are the six internal sense bases or the six internal
sense faculties. You will see different people using different language to describe Gotama
Buddha’s Teachings because even how people describe these Teachings is impermanent.
It is not steady, fixed, or constant as different people choose to use different language.
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The six internal sense bases experience the six external sense bases of forms, sounds,
odors, flavors, physical objects, and mental objects.
The mind longing for pleasant feelings through the six internal sense bases for the six
external sense bases is one of the significant problems of the unEnlightened mind
described in The Ten Fetters as “sensual desire”. The mind is chasing after pleasant
feelings through The Six Sense Bases looking to fulfill the objects of its desires through
impermanent conditions.
The mind experiences discontentedness through longing for sensual pleasure through
these six (6) sense bases.
The Six Sense Bases
Internal Sense Base External Sense Base
Eyes Forms
Ears Sounds
Nose Odors
Tongue Flavors
Body Physical Objects
Mind Mental Objects
When seeing an agreeable form through the eyes, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When seeing a disagreeable form through the eyes, one experiences a painful feeling. The
mind is discontent.
When hearing an agreeable sound through the ears, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When hearing a disagreeable sound through the ears, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When smelling an agreeable odor through the nose, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When smelling a disagreeable odor through the nose, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When tasting an agreeable flavor through the tongue, one experiences pleasant feelings.
When tasting a disagreeable flavor through the tongue, one experiences a painful feeling.
The mind is discontent.
When touching an agreeable physical object through the body, one experiences pleasant
feelings. When touching a disagreeable physical object through the body, one
experiences a painful feeling. The mind is discontent.
When recognizing an agreeable mental object through the mind, one experiences
pleasant feelings. When recognizing a disagreeable mental object through the mind, one
experiences a painful feeling. The mind is discontent.
Mental objects are objects such as thoughts, ideas, emotions, mental states, etc.
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Through all six (6) sense bases or The Six Doorways to Discontentedness, the mind
experiences pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-
pleasant. When pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-
nor-pleasant are experienced, the mind is discontent. There are more detailed Teachings
on this topic in the book “The Six Sense Bases” (Volume 9) in this same book series.
As the mind chases pleasant feelings, due to the impermanent nature of these feelings,
the mind is then inviting in painful feelings and/or feelings that are neither painful-nor-
pleasant as the mind still has a longing with a strong eagerness for impermanent
conditions to create pleasant feelings. If the mind is basing its inner pleasant feelings on
impermanent conditions, it is also going to experience painful feelings and feelings that
are neither painful-nor-pleasant based on impermanent conditions. Instead, the mind can
be trained to be inwardly peaceful and calm no longer yearning for pleasant feelings
through conditions which are all impermanent.
To attain Enlightenment, you will need to learn how to “guard” the doorways to
discontentedness and “protect your own contentedness” through developing a life
practice of non-craving, non-desire, non-attachment, or non-clinging. We are each
responsible to “protect or maintain our own contentedness of mind”, no one else
can do that for us.
The mind will have craving/desire/attachment (mental longing with a strong eagerness) for
pleasant feelings (happiness, excitement, elation, thrill, exhilaration, euphoria, etc.)
associated with contact with forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and physical objects through
the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body.
The craving/desire/attachment is the “cord” of sensual pleasure, not the actual object
itself. The unEnlightened mind will chase after the objects of its affections seeking
pleasant feelings. Gotama Buddha explains this as objects “wished for, desired,
agreeable and likeable, connected with sensual desire, and provocative of craving”.
It is the longing with a strong eagerness, craving/desire/attachment, that exists in the
unEnlightened mind that causes it to be discontent. The discontentedness is experienced
through pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-
pleasant. This is explained in The Teachings of The Three Universal Truths and The Four
Noble Truths.
Detailed explanation of The Three Universal Truths and The Four Noble Truths is available
in this same book series found in Chapter 4 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The
Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).
As a Practitioner develops their intellectual understanding of how the unEnlightened mind
functions and the remedies, they are then able to better apply the solutions shared by
Gotama Buddha. Doing so, a Practitioner will understand “the escape” from The Five
Cords of Sensual Pleasure. Eventually, as a Practitioner has a well developed practice of
The Eight Fold Path, the mind will move into the Jhānas. These are preliminary phases the
mind moves through prior to the first Stage of Enlightenment.
When a Practitioner’s mind enters into the Jhānas, it is then protected from “Māra the Evil
One”.
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Māra the Evil One is an unwholesome being who roams the world influencing unskillful,
unbeneficial, and negative conduct. Māra, and beings acting on its behalf, look for ways
to entice and lure an individual into conduct that would result in unwholesome results.
Other traditions may refer to this entity as Satan, The Devil, or other names associated
with a devilish being who is associated with the Realm of Hell looking to cause calamity
for all beings here on earth attempting to influence human beings to create “hell on
earth”.
Through training the mind in these Teachings, a Practitioner eventually gets to the Jhānas
where the mind is protected and no longer influenced by Māra the Evil One. A mind that
has entered the Jhānas “is said to have blindfolded Māra”. Māra is no longer able to
influence a Practitioner as their mind has become more stable and steady through well
developed wisdom, moral conduct, and mental discipline, yet, the mind is still not
Enlightened. There is more work to do in order to fully protect the mind from
discontentedness.
However, the mind can “walk without fear, stand without fear, sit without fear, lie down
without fear. Why is that? Because he is out of the hunter's range”.
“Distant from sense-desires, distant from unwholesome mental states” through putting
together a well developed life practice of The Eight Fold Path the mind “enters and
resides in the first Jhāna” “out of the hunter’s range” and no longer susceptible to “Māra
the Evil One”.
With a Practitioner having distanced the mind from sensual desires and unwholesome
mental states they are no longer “laying down on a heap of traps”. The sensual desires
are the “traps”. The mind will continue to long with a strong eagerness through The Six
Sense Bases wanting pleasant feelings. But, those feelings are all temporary (i.e.
impermanent) because they are based on impermanent conditions. It is not until the mind
is willing to let go of temporary happiness that it will experience permanent joy.
Training the mind to distantance itself then eliminate sensual desires through eliminating
the craving/desire/attachment (i.e. The Five Cords of Sensual Pleasures) the Practitioner’s
mind is no longer “laying on traps” and has escaped from a significant amount of
discontentedness.
As a Practitioner chooses to develop their life practice more deeply practicing The Eight
Fold Path, the mind will move through the Jhānas, and then eliminate clinging to
perceptions. The mind will be able to see clearly having eliminated the taints (i.e. The Ten
Fetters) and “seeing with wisdom” the mind will move closer to Enlightenment.
Detailed explanation of The Six Sense Bases is available in this same book series found in
the book “The Six Sense Bases” (Volume 9).
Detailed explanation of the space is infinite, the consciousness is infinite, the base of
nothingness, and the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is available in this
same book series found in Chapter 13 of the book “Breathing Mindfulness Meditation”
(Volume 7).
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Chapter 14
Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech
Monks, possessing five factors, speech is well spoken, not badly spoken, it
is blameless and beyond reproach (disapproval) by the wise.
What five?
(1) It is spoken at the proper time;
(2) What is said is true;
(3) It is spoken gently;
(4) What is said is beneficial;
(5) It is spoken with a mind of loving-kindness.
Possessing these five factors, speech is well spoken, not badly spoken; it is
blameless and beyond reproach (disapproval) by the wise.
(Reference: AN 5.198)


In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares The Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech
as a detailed Teaching to further explain Right Speech as part of The Eight Fold Path.
A Practitioner will need to train the mind to deeply understand and practice The Five
Factors of Well Spoken Speech to attain Enlightenment.
Right Speech: The Right Speech involves ensuring that we do not cause harm to other
beings through our communication. During the lifetime of Gotama Buddha all that existed
was “verbal speech”. Today, we communicate through verbal speech, text/chat
messages, emails, posts to social media, and many other forms of written
communication. All communication can either be “harmless and wholesome” or “harmful
and unwholesome”. But choosing to learn and practice harmless communication, or
Right Speech, you are then ensuring how you interact with others does not cause harm
so that harm is not returned to you.
To practice Right Speech, or Right Communication, a Practitioner would need to fully
develop and practice The Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech in all conversations
through gradual training of the mind. This includes polite, kind, friendly, respectful, and
wholesome speech in all forms of communication.
Proper Time: A Practitioner needs to ensure they are choosing the right time to speak.
This includes not interrupting others when they are speaking, choosing to be patient and
to speak at the appropriate time. This also includes ensuring that your mind is prepared to
speak and is choosing to speak at a time when the mind is clear and concentrated rather
than angered or otherwise confused about the topic to be discussed. If the mind is
angered or unconcentrated, this will produce communication that is harmful to others
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requiring them to sort through our own discontent feelings and unconcentrated or
unorganized thoughts.
If the mind is discontent, that is the improper time to speak. Postponing conversations
can allow the mind time to regain its calmness, mindfulness, and concentration to then
ensure one is speaking at the proper time with wisdom. If the mind is lacking Right
Intention, Right Mindfulness or Right Concentration, that is the improper time to
communicate. Allow the mind to regain these qualities of mind and then communicate at
the proper time when you can practice harmlessness with full awareness of the mind and
with focus or singleness of mind.
It is also important that you observe and consider whether it is the proper time to talk with
the other person. If they are angered, frustrated, or irritated, it is most likely not the proper
time to have a discussion. You can consider the topic that you have to speak about and
ensure it is the appropriate time to have a discussion on that specific topic. When people
first come home or have recently arrived to a certain destination, it is oftentimes best to
allow their mind to adjust to the new environment where they have just arrived before
discussing most topics especially topics that may be of a heavy nature. Topics that are
significant, dramatic, or those that might involve major changes to one’s life would be
best discussed at a time when your mind, and the mind of others involved, is prepared to
discuss that topic. It could be wise to ask the other individual if it would be a good time to
discuss a certain topic before just opening up into an in-depth conversation that could
have significant impacts to one’s life. As a wise Practitioner, you may need to prepare the
mind of the individual prior to choosing to have major conversations through asking
questions if it would be a good time to speak about a specific topic rather than opening
up into a full scale conversation.
Knowing the best time to speak with others will need to be developed through trial and
error, being best assessed in the present moment, based on the uniqueness of the topic,
while considering the mental state of the individuals involved in the conversation.
True: Having truthful communication helps to establish that you are a truth-speaker, one
to be relied on, trustworthy, dependable, not a deceiver of the world. A Practitioner who
only speaks the truth develops the ability to be helpful and well received by others
because people become accustomed to you only speaking the truth. It will be well known
within your community that when you speak, you only speak the truth, therefore, you will
find it much easier to help others and encourage improvement in all the various projects
and efforts you choose to participate.
Through speaking the truth, you become “one whom people listen to” well received in the
world instead of a deceiver of the world.
You will find that opportunities to progress in life with wholesome outcomes will come to
you more easily because in your personal and professional relationships people know that
you are not a lair but are trustworthy and dependable. If one speaks untruths, people
worry what else you could be lying about and one’s reputation is significantly diminished
creating obstacles to your success in life.
Not only is it wise to speak the truth, in terms of, not telling a deliberate lie but also, it is
important to verify the accuracy so that all you share through communication is 100%
true. Whether you are speaking, writing, or otherwise communicating in any way, ensuring
that you have independently verified what you share with others will ensure the best
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possible outcomes and the mind can be at ease knowing that what you share is accurate
and the truth. Propagating untruths, conspiracy theories, or otherwise unfounded content
will only create harm in the world, therefore, it will produce unwholesome results for you.
Where you can talk through your own direct experience, this will ensure you are speaking
the truth, not only by not telling a deliberate lie, but also ensuring all that is communicated
is accurate and based in wisdom.
Always speaking the truth makes it easy for the mind and unburdens the mind. If one
always speaks the truth, they do not need to sort through all the various conversations
and statements they have made in the past to conduct conversations in the present
moment. A Practitioner can just always look to the truth, speak the truth, and the mind
can rest easy knowing that at all times you are only ever speaking the truth. This allows
communication to happen easily, seamlessly, and with minimal effort unburdening the
mind. The mind can rest and relax knowing that you are only ever speaking the truth.
Spoken Gently: To speak gently, one needs to pay close attention to training and then
practicing gentle tone, tempo, and word choice in their communication. Through
observing what is working and not working amongst individuals that you communicate
with, you can dramatically improve how you communicate and, thus, interact with others.
You can observe and become aware how calm and gentle words work to accomplish your
goals more readily than rushed and harsh words. You will need to practice, observe, and
adjust your communication style until the mind is more finely tuned to practice speaking
effortlessly and gently in all conversations paying close attention to tone, tempo, and
word choice.
When you do not practice speaking gently, notice how it causes harm to others and thus,
causes harm in your relationships. There are going to be challenges for you to bring your
communication style closer to speaking gently in all conversations. As you are gradually
developing your life practice but still unable to practice speaking gently, you can
apologize, aim to improve, then move on applying effort to improve in each and every
conversation.
Beneficial: A Practitioner who is speaking beneficially would ensure their communication
is clear, concise, and well delivered ensuring there is purposeful speech with an interest to
help others. If one was to speak unclearly, lacking conciseness, and with poorly delivered
communication then it would cause harm to others as they would need to sort through
the muddled conversation to determine what you are attempting to communicate.
Through a well concentrated mind that is uninterested in causing harm to others, you can
decide to train the mind to gather the thoughts and communicate in a clear, concise, and
well delivered method that ensures the receiver of your communication does not need to
apply extensive effort to understand what is being shared. Communication should be
purposeful and to the point without frivolous speech or pointless rambling.
If you make people work hard to understand what you are attempting to share, people will
be less and less interested in communicating with you. People will just stop listening and
“tune you out”. You will find this frustrating and challenging to accomplish your goals in
life.
To develop effectiveness in communication, your speech needs to be beneficial to others
through purposeful dialogue that is not self satisfying or originating from selfish desires.
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Instead, look for ways to help others that focus on bringing people together in harmony
rather than argumentative unbeneficial conversations through clear, concise, and well
delivered communication.
A Mind of Loving-kindness: Through a well developed practice of Right Intention, a
Practitioner should have loving-kindness for all beings. Loving-kindness is active goodwill
towards all beings without judgment. A genuine interest in seeing all beings be well.
Through Right Intention, or Right Thought and Right Thinking brought through into Right
Speech, the mind is well prepared to deliver words with goodwill and an interest in seeing
all beings be well. If there is any ill will inserted into your communication, this will cause
harm to others, therefore, cause harm to you.
While on the surface sarcasm may seem humorous and harmless, but in reality the true
intention behind sarcasm is oftentimes malicious and with ill intent. While it may be the
right time, true, gentle, and perceived as beneficial, if there is ill intent with sarcasm
through mocking or ridicule then the speech is not being spoken through a mind of
loving-kindness.
Therefore, any speech including sarcasm that has ill will is harmful and will only come
back to harm you. People will speak to you in the same way that you speak to others. The
ill intended speech with sarcasm, mocking, and ridicule of others is only going to be
returned to you as this is the speech one is choosing to use with others. Conversely, if
you speak with a mind of loving-kindness, that is how others will choose to speak with
you. Overtime, more and more people will observe your wholesome moral conduct and
choose to treat you the same way that you treat others.
Blameless: No one enjoys being blamed for anything or made to feel as if they are at
fault. While it could be true that someone has made a mistake, it is just a mistake or
accident and if you choose to assign blame in your communication, it is only going to
serve to create division. And, if the person truly has not made a mistake and is being
falsely blamed, this is only going to create separation and arguments - blameful speech is
harmful speech.
If we choose to be blameful towards others holding them to potentially feel guilty about
their mistakes, then people are going to be uninterested to interact with you as a family
member, friend, or coworker. Rather than focusing on placing blame, a well trained mind
can let go of that desire and instead focus on solutions to the mistake. There is no need
to ensure someone is pressured into accepting blame, but instead, the real challenge is
how to move past this impermanent situation in peacefulness and harmony with all
beings feeling whole.
Placing blame would only produce harm to others through disparaging others’ efforts,
thus, it is going to harm your relationship both personally and professionally. Mistakes or
accidents are “mistakes and accidents” so punishing others through blameful speech is
only going to drive people in the opposite direction from you where you will lack the
support you need to accomplish the goals or objectives ahead of you. Instead of blaming
others for situations and circumstances that are in the past, focus on the present moment
and how to resolve the situation for the best outcome of all involved. It is best to find
encouraging, supportive, and motivating language that can allow all participants to
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maintain their enthusiasm and interest to work together in meeting a given goal or
objective. Speech that is blameless is speech that is harmless.
Through causing no harm in your communication, you will find that relationships are quite
enjoyable and you can be inspiring to countless people in your life.
You can reflect on these Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech and the need to speak
blamelessly and how when you have not spoken in this way, your conversations and
relationships dissolved or were otherwise negatively impacted. Conversely, you can
observe how when speaking in this way, all participants gained insight, understanding,
and maintained harmony in accomplishing certain goals.
As you observe that the mind is not practicing one or more of these five (5) factors, make
efforts and repeated efforts to improve your moral conduct through applying energy and
active training of the mind. Bring your speech closer and closer to these five (5) factors
observing how your personal and professional relationships will dramatically improve as
you focus on improving your life practice as it relates to Right Speech or Right
Communication.
If you choose to not practice these five (5) factors in their entirety, then you will observe
the struggles and challenges associated with practicing “wrong speech” or “wrong
communication”. Difficulties in personal and professional relationships will ensue with the
result of continued struggles and challenges making any goals or objectives more labor
intensive. The mind will be drained of its energy because it is constantly struggling to
have polite, kind, friendly, and respectful relationships.
If you miss even one (1) of these factors in a given conversation, there is the potential for
the discussion to digress into argumentative or otherwise difficult territory that you’d
wished would not have occurred. Training the mind closer and closer to practicing all five
(5) factors will only help you to achieve better results in life. Speaking in this way is “a
better way of life” that is beneficial for others, therefore, it is benefiting you. As your life
practice becomes more and more wholesome, more and more wholesomeness will return
to you.
We should not engage in idle chatter or unpurposeful talk that includes gossip, harsh
language, false speech with lies, deceit, or slander.
Slander (Gossip): speech or communication that is damaging to the reputation of an
individual/company/organization/country/group of people, etc., whether true or false.
Frivolous Speech (Idle Chatter): is described as speaking “unbeneficially” and
“unpurposefully”. This is typically done with the mind’s craving/desire/attachment where
one may just be rambling pointlessly without any real purpose or need to speak but
instead, just because there is a craving/desire to talk. There is no purpose or value to the
speech. In some cases, one could be speaking quickly and continuously without the
ability for a mutual conversation.
Having clear, well thought out, purposeful and wholesome speech is important. Your
speech should be without blame or “blameless”.
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The Right Speech is born out of the Right Intention. With wholesome intentions practicing
harmlessness, this will breed wholesome and purposeful speech free from craving, anger,
and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) without ego.
A good practice is, “if you do not have something good to say then do not say anything at
all”. You will need to learn to have “Right Speech” to attain Enlightenment practicing the
“Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech”.
These are not rules to follow but instead, the best way to ensure the best possible
outcome in all your communication with all beings. Through not causing harm to others
through your speech, your life will become effortless and much more enjoyable as your
personal and professional relationships will blossom.
When you do not practice speaking with Right Speech, notice how it causes harm to
others and thus, causes harm in your relationships. There are going to be challenges for
you to bring your communication style closer to speaking with Right Speech in all
conversations. As you are gradually developing your life practice but still unable to
practice speaking with Right Speech, you can apologize, aim to improve, then move on
applying effort to improve in each and every conversation.
Detailed explanation of The Eight Fold Path is available in this same book series found in
Chapter 5 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to
Enlightenment” (Volume 1).
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Chapter 15
The Tathāgata’s Speech
So too, Prince,
(1) Such speech as The Tathāgata knows to be untrue, incorrect, and
unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such
speech The Tathāgata does not speak.
(2) Such speech as The Tathāgata knows to be true and correct but
unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such
speech The Tathāgata does not speak.
(3) Such speech as The Tathāgata knows to be true, correct, and beneficial,
but which is unwelcome and disagreeable to others: The Tathāgata knows
the time to use such speech.
(4) Such speech as The Tathāgata knows to be untrue, incorrect, and
unbeneficial, but which is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech
The Tathāgata does not speak.
(5) Such speech as The Tathāgata knows to be true and correct but
unbeneficial, and which is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech
The Tathāgata does not speak.
(6) Such speech as The Tathāgata knows to be true, correct, and beneficial,
and which is welcome and agreeable to others: The Tathāgata knows the
time to use such speech.
Why is that? Because The Tathāgata has compassion for all beings.
(Reference: MN 58)


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In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares his choice of practicing in such a way as
to ensure his words are well received in all situations and to ensure he is practicing Right
Speech.
It is The Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech that provides the specific details of how one
can drastically improve their practice of communicating with additional Teachings to
further help a Practitioner fully understand Right Speech in other areas of his Teachings.
Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech
Monks, possessing five factors, speech is well spoken, not badly spoken, it is blameless
and beyond reproach by the wise.
What five?
(1) It is spoken at the proper time;
(2) What is said is true;
(3) It is spoken gently;
(4) What is said is beneficial;
(5) It is spoken with a mind of loving-kindness.
Possessing these five factors, speech is well spoken, not badly spoken; it is blameless
and beyond reproach by the wise.
—————
Through practicing The Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech one ensures they are not
causing harm through their speech and, over time, one will experience more and more
successful personal and professional relationships because you will be communicating in
a way that does not cause harm.
The more you communicate using these five factors, you will observe that more and more
people will respond to you in the same way that you practice. In addition to these
Teachings from Gotama Buddha on The Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech, you can
remember to always be polite, kind, friendly, and respectful to “all beings” to help guide
you in practicing Right Speech.
The Teachings shared in this chapter can also be applied to more deeply refine one’s
practice of Right Speech, but it would be suggested that you first train the mind to
practice The Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech before looking to incorporate The
Teachings of this chapter into your life practice.
Through practicing The Five Factors of Well Spoken Speech, one would be incorporating
The Teachings of this chapter into the five factors ensuring speech is "true, correct, and
beneficial” as well as knowing the “proper time” to speak. Also, remember to ensure your
speech is blameless.
This Teaching is highlighting that special care needs to be taken to understand when
speech is “unwelcomed and disagreeable to others” and when speech is “welcomed and
agreeable to others”.
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