4.
The Discourse on Kusinārā
44.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kusinārā in the Baliharaṇa jungle thicket.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Monks."
"Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"Monks, a monk who is an accuser, wishing to accuse another, having reviewed five qualities internally, having established five qualities internally, should accuse another. What are the five qualities to be reviewed internally? Monks, a monk who is an accuser, wishing to accuse another, should review thus - 'Am I indeed one of pure bodily conduct, am I endowed with pure bodily conduct that is without fault and without defect? Does this quality exist in me or not?' If, monks, a monk is not one of pure bodily conduct, is not endowed with pure bodily conduct that is without fault and without defect, there are those who will say of him - 'Come now, venerable sir, first train in bodily conduct,' thus there are those who will say of him.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk who is an accuser, wishing to accuse another, should review thus - 'Am I indeed one of pure verbal conduct, am I endowed with pure verbal conduct that is without fault and without defect? Does this quality exist in me or not?' If, monks, a monk is not one of pure verbal conduct, is not endowed with pure verbal conduct that is without fault and without defect, there are those who will say of him - 'Come now, venerable sir, first train in verbal conduct,' thus there are those who will say of him.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk who is an accuser, wishing to accuse another, should review thus - 'Is a mind of friendliness present in me towards my fellows in the holy life, without resentment? Does this quality exist in me or not?' If, monks, a monk does not have a mind of friendliness present towards his fellows in the holy life, without resentment, there are those who will say of him - 'Come now, venerable sir, establish a mind of friendliness towards your fellows in the holy life,' thus there are those who will say of him.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk who is an accuser, wishing to accuse another, should review thus - 'Am I indeed very learned, remembering what has been learnt, having great accumulation of learning; whatever teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, that reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure - are such teachings very learned by me, retained, practised in speech, contemplated in mind, thoroughly penetrated by view? Does this quality exist in me or not?' If, monks, a monk is not very learned, not remembering what has been learnt, not having great accumulation of learning; whatever teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing, that reveal the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure - such teachings are not very learned by him, not retained, not practised in speech, not contemplated in mind, not thoroughly penetrated by view, there are those who will say of him - 'Come now, venerable sir, first learn the scriptures thoroughly,' thus there are those who will say of him.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk who is an accuser, wishing to accuse another, should review thus - 'Are both Pātimokkhas well learnt by me in detail, well divided, well recited, well determined, by rule and by feature? Does this quality exist in me or not?' If, monks, both Pātimokkhas are not well learnt by a monk in detail, not well divided, not well recited, not well determined, by rule and by feature, when asked 'But venerable sir, where was this said by the Blessed One?' he will not be able to answer. There are those who will say of him - 'Come now, venerable sir, first train in the monastic discipline,' thus there are those who will say of him. These are the five qualities to be reviewed internally.
"What are the five principles to be established internally? 'I will speak at the proper time, not at an improper time; I will speak what is factual, not what is not factual; I will speak smoothly, not harshly; I will speak what is beneficial, not what is unbeneficial; I will speak with a mind of friendliness, not with hate within' - these are the five principles to be established internally. Monks, a monk who is an accuser, wishing to accuse another, having reviewed these five principles internally, having established these five principles internally, should accuse another." The fourth.