6.
The Discourse on Kāḷī
26.
On one occasion the Venerable Mahākaccāna was dwelling among the Avantis at Kuraraghara, on a steep mountain.
Then the female lay follower Kāḷī of Kuraraghara approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna;
having approached, he paid respect to the Venerable Mahākaccāna and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the female lay follower Kāḷī of Kuraraghara said this to the Venerable Mahākaccāna -
"This was said, venerable sir, by the Blessed One in the Questions of the Daughters of Māra -
Having conquered the army of dear and pleasant forms;
Alone, meditating, I awakened to happiness,
Therefore I do not make friendship with people;
Friendship is not achieved by me with anyone.'
How, venerable sir, should the meaning of what was spoken in brief by the Blessed One be understood in detail?"
"Some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the earth kasiṇa is the highest, have declared this to be 'the goal.' As far as, sister, the attainment of the earth kasiṇa is the highest, the Blessed One directly knew that. Having directly known that, the Blessed One saw the gratification, saw the danger, saw the escape, saw the knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path. Because of seeing the gratification, because of seeing the danger, because of seeing the escape, because of seeing the knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path, the attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart, is known to him.
"Some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the water kasiṇa is the highest... etc. some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the fire kasiṇa is the highest... some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the air kasiṇa is the highest... some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the blue kasiṇa is the highest... some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the yellow kasiṇa is the highest... some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the red kasiṇa is the highest... some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the white kasiṇa is the highest... some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the space kasiṇa is the highest... some ascetics and brahmins, sister, for whom the attainment of the consciousness kasiṇa is the highest, have declared this to be 'the goal.' As far as, sister, the attainment of the consciousness kasiṇa is the highest, the Blessed One directly knew that. Having directly known that, the Blessed One saw the gratification, saw the danger, saw the escape, saw the knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path. Because of seeing the gratification, because of seeing the danger, because of seeing the escape, because of seeing the knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path, the attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart, is known to him. Thus indeed, sister, that which was said by the Blessed One in the Questions of the Daughters of Māra -
Having conquered the army of dear and pleasant forms;
Alone, meditating, I awakened to happiness,
Therefore I do not make friendship with people;
Friendship is not achieved by me with anyone.'
"This, sister, is how the meaning of what was spoken in brief by the Blessed One should be understood in detail." The sixth.