6.
The Discourse on "One Who Acts"
211.
At Sāvatthī.
"When what exists, monks, clinging to what, having clung to what, does such a view arise:
'For one who acts, for one who causes to act, for one who cuts, for one who causes to cut, for one who tortures, for one who causes to torture, for one who causes grief, for one who causes to grieve, for one who wearies, for one who causes to weary, for one who trembles, for one who causes to tremble, for one who kills living beings, for one who takes what is not given, for one who breaks into houses, for one who plunders, for one who commits burglary, for one who waits in ambush, for one who goes to another's wife, for one who speaks falsely - for one who acts, no evil is done.
If with a razor-edged wheel one were to make all the living beings on this earth into one heap of flesh, one pile of flesh, there is no evil on that account, there is no coming of evil.
If one were to go along the south bank of the Ganges
killing, slaying, cutting, causing to cut, torturing, causing to torture, there is no evil on that account, there is no coming of evil.
If one were to go along the north bank of the Ganges
giving, causing to give, sacrificing, causing to sacrifice, there is no merit on that account, there is no coming of merit.
By giving, by self-control, by restraint, by speaking truth, there is no merit, there is no coming of merit'?"
"The teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir, etc.
"When matter exists, monks, clinging to matter, having clung to matter, such a view arises:
'For one who acts, for one who causes to act, etc.
there is no merit, there is no coming of merit.'
When feeling exists, etc.
when perception exists...
when activities exist...
when consciousness exists, clinging to consciousness, having clung to consciousness, such a view arises:
'For one who acts, for one who causes to act, etc.
there is no merit, there is no coming of merit.'"
"What do you think, monks, is materiality permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." Etc. would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'For one who acts, etc. there is no merit, there is no coming of merit'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Feeling... perception... activities... consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'For one who acts, for one who causes to act, etc. there is no merit, there is no coming of merit'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognised, attained, sought after, pondered over by the mind, is that too permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'For one who acts, for one who causes to act, etc. there is no merit, there is no coming of merit'?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"When, monks, for a noble disciple uncertainty regarding these states has been abandoned, and his uncertainty regarding suffering has been abandoned, etc. and his uncertainty regarding the practice leading to the cessation of suffering has been abandoned - this is called, monks, a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment." The sixth.