6.
The Second Discourse on Not the Teaching
172.
"What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known, and the Teaching;
what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial.
Having understood what is not the Teaching and the Teaching, having understood what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should proceed according to the Teaching, according to what is beneficial."
This is what the Blessed One said.
Having said this, the Fortunate One rose from his seat and entered the dwelling.
Then, not long after the Blessed One had departed, this occurred to those monks - "Friends, the Blessed One, having recited a synopsis in brief, without explaining the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling - 'What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known, and the Teaching; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having understood what is not the Teaching and the Teaching, having understood what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should proceed according to the Teaching, according to what is beneficial.' Who now could explain in detail the meaning of this synopsis recited in brief by the Blessed One, the meaning not explained in detail?"
Then those monks had this thought: "This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by the wise fellow monks in the holy life. The Venerable Mahākaccāna is able to explain in detail the meaning of this synopsis recited in brief by the Blessed One, the meaning not explained in detail. What if we were to approach the Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, we should ask the Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter. As the Venerable Mahākaccāna answers us, so we will remember it."
Then those monks approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, they exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Mahākaccāna. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those monks said this to the Venerable Mahākaccāna -
"Friend Kaccāna, the Blessed One, having recited a synopsis in brief, without explaining the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling - 'What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known, and the Teaching; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having understood what is not the Teaching and the Teaching, having understood what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should proceed according to the Teaching, according to what is beneficial.'
Then, friend, not long after the Blessed One had departed, this occurred to us - 'Friends, the Blessed One, having recited a synopsis in brief, without explaining the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling - what is not the Teaching, monks, etc. one should proceed accordingly. Who now could explain in detail the meaning of this synopsis recited in brief by the Blessed One, the meaning not explained in detail?'
Then, friend, this occurred to us - 'This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by the wise fellow monks in the holy life. The Venerable Mahākaccāna is able to explain in detail the meaning of this synopsis recited in brief by the Blessed One, the meaning not explained in detail. What if we were to approach the Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, we should ask the Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter. As the Venerable Mahākaccāna answers us, so we will remember it.' Let the Venerable Mahākaccāna explain."
"Just as, friends, a man desiring the substance, seeking the substance, wandering about in search of the substance, of a great tree standing with substance, having passed over the root, having passed over the trunk, might think the substance should be sought in the branches and leaves; thus it is with the venerable ones, when the Teacher is present before you, having passed over that Blessed One, you think this matter should be asked of us. For, friends, the Blessed One is one who knows what is to be known, one who sees what is to be seen, become vision, become knowledge, become the Teaching, become the supreme, the speaker, the proclaimer, the one who leads to the meaning, the giver of the Deathless, the lord of the Teaching, the Truth-finder. And that was the time when you should have approached the Blessed One himself and asked about this matter. As the Blessed One would have answered you, so you should have remembered it."
"Certainly, friend Kaccāna, the Blessed One is one who knows what is to be known, one who sees what is to be seen, become vision, become knowledge, become the Teaching, become the supreme, the speaker, the proclaimer, the one who leads to the meaning, the giver of the Deathless, the lord of the Teaching, the Truth-finder. And that was the time when we should have approached the Blessed One himself and asked about this matter. As the Blessed One would have answered us, so we should have remembered it. But the Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by the wise fellow monks in the holy life. The Venerable Mahākaccāna is able to explain in detail the meaning of this synopsis recited in brief by the Blessed One, the meaning not explained in detail. Let the Venerable Mahākaccāna explain, without finding it troublesome."
"Well then, friends, listen and pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, friend," those monks assented to the Venerable Mahākaccāna. Then the Venerable Mahākaccāna said this -
"Friends, that which the Blessed One, having recited a synopsis in brief, without explaining the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling - 'What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known. Etc. one should proceed accordingly.'
"And what, friends, is not the Teaching; and what is the Teaching? And what is harmful, and what is beneficial? "Killing living beings, friends, is not the Teaching; abstention from killing living beings is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with killing living beings as condition, this is harmful; and with abstention from killing living beings as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Taking what is not given, friend, is not the Teaching; abstention from taking what is not given is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with taking what is not given as condition, this is harmful; and with abstention from taking what is not given as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Sexual misconduct, friend, is not the Teaching; abstention from sexual misconduct is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with sexual misconduct as condition, this is harmful; and with abstention from sexual misconduct as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Lying, friend, is not the Teaching; abstention from lying is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with lying as condition, this is harmful; and with abstention from lying as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Divisive speech, friend, is not the Teaching; abstention from divisive speech is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with divisive speech as condition, this is harmful; and with abstention from divisive speech as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Harsh speech, friend, is not the Teaching; abstention from harsh speech is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with harsh speech as condition, this is harmful; and with abstention from harsh speech as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Idle chatter, friend, is not the Teaching; abstention from idle chatter is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with idle chatter as condition, this is harmful; and with abstention from idle chatter as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Covetousness, friend, is not the Teaching; non-covetousness is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with covetousness as condition, this is harmful; and with non-covetousness as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Anger, friend, is not the Teaching; non-anger is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with anger as condition, this is harmful; and with non-anger as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Wrong view, friends, is not the Teaching; right view is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with wrong view as condition, this is harmful; and with right view as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Friends, that which the Blessed One, having recited a synopsis in brief, without explaining the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling - "What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known, etc. one should proceed accordingly.' I, friends, understand in detail the meaning of this synopsis recited in brief by the Blessed One, the meaning not explained in detail, thus - But if you wish, friends, you may approach the Blessed One himself and ask about this matter. As the Blessed One answers us, so you should remember it."
"Yes, friend," those monks, having delighted in and given thanks for the Venerable Mahākaccāna's saying, rose from their seats and approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those monks said this to the Blessed One -
"Venerable sir, the Blessed One, having recited a synopsis in brief, without explaining the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling - 'What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known. Etc. one should proceed accordingly.'
"Then, venerable sir, not long after the Blessed One had departed, this occurred to us - 'Friends, the Blessed One, having recited a synopsis in brief, without explaining the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling - 'What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known. Etc. one should proceed accordingly.' Who now could explain in detail the meaning of this synopsis recited in brief by the Blessed One, the meaning not explained in detail?'
"Then this occurred to us, venerable sir - 'This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by the wise fellow monks in the holy life. The Venerable Mahākaccāna is able to explain in detail the meaning of this synopsis recited in brief by the Blessed One, the meaning not explained in detail. What if we were to approach the Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, we should ask the Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter. As the Venerable Mahākaccāna answers us, so we will remember it.'
"Then we, venerable sir, approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, we asked the Venerable Mahākaccāna about this matter. For us, venerable sir, the Venerable Mahākaccāna explained the meaning well with these syllables, with these terms, with these phrases."
"Good, good, monks! Monks, Mahākaccāna is wise. Monks, Mahākaccāna is of great wisdom. Monks, if you had approached me and asked about this matter, I too would have answered it in exactly the same way as it was answered by Mahākaccāna. That is indeed its meaning. And thus you should remember it." The sixth.