5.
The Discourse on the Powers
5.
"There are, monks, these four powers.
What are the four?
The power of wisdom, the power of energy, the power of blamelessness, the power of inclusiveness.
And what, monks, is the power of wisdom?
Whatever mental states are wholesome and reckoned as wholesome, whatever mental states are unwholesome and reckoned as unwholesome, whatever mental states are blameworthy and reckoned as blameworthy, whatever mental states are blameless and reckoned as blameless, whatever mental states are dark and reckoned as dark, whatever mental states are bright and reckoned as bright, whatever mental states are to be cultivated and reckoned as to be cultivated, whatever mental states are not to be cultivated and reckoned as not to be cultivated, whatever mental states are not befitting the noble ones and reckoned as not befitting the noble ones, whatever mental states are befitting the noble ones and reckoned as befitting the noble ones - those mental states are well seen and well practised by him with wisdom.
This is called, monks, the power of wisdom.
"And what, monks, is the power of energy? Whatever mental states are unwholesome and reckoned as unwholesome, whatever mental states are blameworthy and reckoned as blameworthy, whatever mental states are dark and reckoned as dark, whatever mental states are not to be cultivated and reckoned as not to be cultivated, whatever mental states are not befitting the noble ones and reckoned as not befitting the noble ones - for the abandoning of those mental states he generates desire, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives. Whatever mental states are wholesome and reckoned as wholesome, whatever mental states are blameless and reckoned as blameless, whatever mental states are bright and reckoned as bright, whatever mental states are to be cultivated and reckoned as to be cultivated, whatever mental states are befitting the noble ones and reckoned as befitting the noble ones - for the attainment of those mental states he generates desire, strives, arouses energy, exerts the mind, and strives. This is called, monks, the power of energy.
"And what, monks, is the power of blamelessness? Here, monks, a noble disciple is possessed of blameless bodily action, possessed of blameless verbal action, possessed of blameless mental action. This is called, monks, the power of blamelessness.
"And what, monks, is the power of inclusiveness? There are, monks, these four ways of supporting others - giving, endearing speech, beneficent conduct, impartiality. This is the foremost of gifts, monks, namely the gift of the Teaching. This is the foremost of endearing speech, monks, namely teaching the Teaching again and again to one who is desirous and who listens with an attentive ear. This is the foremost of beneficent conduct, monks, namely encouraging, settling, and establishing one without faith in the accomplishment of faith, one who is immoral in the accomplishment of morality, etc. one who is stingy in the accomplishment of generosity, etc. one who is unwise in the accomplishment of wisdom - encouraging, settling, and establishing. This is the foremost of impartiality, monks, namely a stream-enterer is impartial with a stream-enterer, a once-returner is impartial with a once-returner, a non-returner is impartial with a non-returner, a Worthy One is impartial with a Worthy One. This is called, monks, the power of inclusiveness. These, monks, are the four powers.
"Monks, a noble disciple possessed of these four powers has transcended five fears. Which five? Fear of livelihood, fear of ill-repute, fear of timidity in assemblies, fear of death, fear of an unfortunate realm. That noble disciple, monks, considers thus - 'I do not fear the fear of livelihood. Why should I fear the fear of livelihood? I have these four powers - the power of wisdom, the power of energy, the power of blamelessness, the power of inclusiveness. One who is unwise would fear the fear of livelihood. One who is lazy would fear the fear of livelihood. One whose bodily action, verbal action, and mental action are blameworthy would fear the fear of livelihood. One who is not inclusive would fear the fear of livelihood. I do not fear the fear of ill-repute, etc. I do not fear the fear of timidity in assemblies, etc. I do not fear the fear of death, etc. I do not fear the fear of an unfortunate realm. Why should I fear the fear of an unfortunate realm? I have these four powers - the power of wisdom, the power of energy, the power of blamelessness, the power of inclusiveness. One who is unwise would fear the fear of an unfortunate realm. One who is lazy would fear the fear of an unfortunate realm. One whose bodily action, verbal action, and mental action are blameworthy would fear the fear of an unfortunate realm. One who is not inclusive would fear the fear of an unfortunate realm. Monks, a noble disciple possessed of these four powers has transcended these five fears." The fifth.