8.
The Discourse on the Conch Blower
360.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Nāḷandā in Pāvārika's mango grove.
Then Asibandhakaputta the headman, a disciple of the Jains, approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he sat down to one side.
To Asibandhakaputta the headman seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"How indeed, headman, does Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta expound the Teaching to his disciples?"
"Thus indeed, venerable sir, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta expounds the Teaching to his disciples:
'Whoever kills a living being, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell; whoever takes what is not given, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell; whoever engages in sexual misconduct, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell; whoever speaks falsely, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell.
Whatever one frequently dwells in, by that one is led.'
Thus indeed, venerable sir, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta expounds the Teaching to his disciples."
"'Whatever one frequently dwells in, by that one is led' - this being so, headman, no one would be bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell, according to the words of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta.
What do you think, headman, a man who kills living beings, taking into account the various times of night or day, which is the greater time - the time when he kills living beings, or the time when he does not kill living beings?" "That man, venerable sir, who kills living beings, taking into account the various times of night or day, the time when he kills living beings is less, but the time when he does not kill living beings is indeed greater." "'Whatever one frequently dwells in, by that one is led' - this being so, headman, no one would be bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell, according to the words of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta.
What do you think, headman, a man who takes what is not given, taking into account the various times of night or day, which is the greater time - the time when he takes what is not given, or the time when he does not take what is not given?" "That man, venerable sir, who takes what is not given, taking into account the various times of night or day, the time when he takes what is not given is less, but the time when he does not take what is not given is indeed greater." "'Whatever one frequently dwells in, by that one is led' - this being so, headman, no one would be bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell, according to the words of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta.
What do you think, headman, a man who engages in sexual misconduct, taking into account the various times of night or day, which is the greater time - the time when he engages in sexual misconduct, or the time when he does not engage in sexual misconduct?" "That man, venerable sir, who engages in sexual misconduct, taking into account the various times of night or day, the time when he engages in sexual misconduct is less, but the time when he does not engage in sexual misconduct is indeed greater." "'Whatever one frequently dwells in, by that one is led' - this being so, headman, no one would be bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell, according to the words of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta.
What do you think, headman, a man who is a liar, taking into account the various times of night or day, which is the greater time - the time when he speaks falsely, or the time when he does not speak falsely?" "That man, venerable sir, who is a liar, taking into account the various times of night or day, the time when he speaks falsely is less, but the time when he does not speak falsely is indeed greater." "'Whatever one frequently dwells in, by that one is led' - this being so, headman, no one would be bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell, according to the words of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta.
Here, headman, a certain teacher holds such a doctrine and view: 'Whoever kills a living being, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell; whoever takes what is not given, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell; whoever engages in sexual misconduct, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell; whoever speaks falsely, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell.' Now, headman, a disciple has faith in that teacher. He thinks thus: 'My teacher holds such a doctrine and view: whoever kills a living being, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell. But I have killed a living being; I too am bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell' - he acquires such a view. Without abandoning that speech, headman, without abandoning that thought, without relinquishing that view, he is deposited in hell as if carried there. My teacher holds such a doctrine and view: whoever takes what is not given, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell. But I have taken what is not given; I too am bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell' - he acquires such a view. Without abandoning that speech, headman, without abandoning that thought, without relinquishing that view, he is deposited in hell as if carried there. My teacher holds such a doctrine and view: whoever engages in sexual misconduct, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell. But I have engaged in sexual misconduct. 'I too am bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell' - he acquires such a view. Without abandoning that speech, headman, without abandoning that thought, without relinquishing that view, he is deposited in hell as if carried there. My teacher holds such a doctrine and view: whoever speaks falsely, every such one is bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell. But I have spoken falsely. 'I too am bound for the realm of misery, doomed to hell' - he acquires such a view. Without abandoning that speech, headman, without abandoning that thought, without relinquishing that view, he is deposited in hell as if carried there.
"Here again, headman, a Truth-finder arises in the world, a Worthy One, a Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. He in many ways censures and rebukes killing living beings, and says 'Abstain from killing living beings.' He censures and rebukes taking what is not given, and says 'Abstain from taking what is not given.' He censures and rebukes sexual misconduct, and says 'Abstain from sexual misconduct.' He censures and rebukes lying, and says 'Abstain from lying.' Now, headman, a disciple has faith in that teacher. He considers thus: 'The Blessed One indeed in many ways censures and rebukes killing living beings, and says "Abstain from killing living beings." There are indeed living beings killed by me, to this extent or that extent. Whatever living beings have been killed by me, to this extent or that extent, that is not well, that is not good. And if I were to be remorseful on that account, this evil deed done by me will not become undone.' He, having thus reflected, abandons that very killing of living beings. And in the future he abstains from killing living beings. Thus there is the abandoning of this evil deed. Thus there is the transcendence of this evil deed.
'The Blessed One indeed in many ways censures and rebukes taking what is not given, and says "Abstain from taking what is not given." There is indeed what is not given taken by me, to this extent or that extent. Whatever is not given that has been taken by me, to this extent or that extent, that is not well, that is not good. And if I were to be remorseful on that account, this evil deed done by me will not become undone.' He, having thus reflected, abandons that very taking what is not given. And in the future he abstains from taking what is not given. Thus there is the abandoning of this evil deed. Thus there is the transcendence of this evil deed.
'The Blessed One indeed in many ways censures and rebukes sexual misconduct, and says "Abstain from sexual misconduct." There is indeed wrong conduct in sensual pleasures practised by me, to this extent or that extent. Whatever wrong conduct in sensual pleasures has been practised by me, to this extent or that extent, that is not well, that is not good. And if I were to be remorseful on that account, this evil deed done by me will not become undone.' He, having thus reflected, abandons that very sexual misconduct, and in the future he abstains from sexual misconduct. Thus there is the abandoning of this evil deed. Thus there is the transcendence of this evil deed.
"'The Blessed One indeed in many ways censures lying, rebukes it, and says: "Abstain from lying." There is indeed lying spoken by me, to whatever extent or to whatever degree. Whatever lying has been spoken by me, to whatever extent or to whatever degree, that is not good, that is not well done. And if I were to be remorseful on that account, this evil deed done by me will not become undone.' He, having thus reflected, abandons that very lying, and in the future abstains from lying. Thus there is the abandoning of this evil deed. Thus there is the transcendence of this evil deed.
"He, having abandoned the killing of living beings, abstains from killing living beings. Having abandoned taking what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given. Having abandoned sexual misconduct, he abstains from sexual misconduct. Having abandoned lying, he abstains from lying. Having abandoned divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech. Having abandoned harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech. Having abandoned idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. Having abandoned covetousness, he is non-covetous. Having abandoned anger and malice, he has a mind without ill-will. Having abandoned wrong view, he holds right view.
"That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill-will, undeluded, fully aware, and mindful, dwells having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by friendliness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, he dwells having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by friendliness, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will. Just as, headman, a powerful conch-blower would with little difficulty make himself heard in the four directions; so too, headman, when the liberation of mind through friendliness is thus developed, thus cultivated, whatever action done within limits does not remain there, does not persist there.
"That noble disciple, headman, thus free from covetousness, free from ill-will, undeluded, fully aware, and mindful, with a mind accompanied by compassion... etc. with a mind accompanied by altruistic joy... etc. He dwells having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, he dwells having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will. Just as, headman, a powerful conch-blower would with little difficulty make himself heard in the four directions; so too, headman, when the liberation of mind through equanimity is thus developed, thus cultivated, whatever action done within limits does not remain there, does not persist there." When this was said, Asibandhakaputta the headman said this to the Blessed One - "Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir! Etc. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life." The eighth.