8.
The Discourse on Moral Rules and Austerities
79.
Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
To the Venerable Ānanda seated to one side, the Blessed One said this:
"Is all moral rules and austerities, life, holy life, with attendance as its essence, fruitful, Ānanda?"
"There is no categorical answer to this, venerable sir."
"Well then, Ānanda, distinguish."
"For whatever moral rules and austerities, life, holy life, with attendance as its essence, venerable sir, for one practising which unwholesome mental states increase and wholesome mental states decline, such moral rules and austerities, life, holy life, with attendance as its essence, is fruitless. But whatever moral rules and austerities, life, holy life, with attendance as its essence, venerable sir, for one practising which unwholesome mental states decline and wholesome mental states increase, such moral rules and austerities, life, holy life, with attendance as its essence, is fruitful." This the Venerable Ānanda said; The Teacher was approving.
Then the Venerable Ānanda, thinking "The Teacher approves of me," rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and departed. Then the Blessed One, soon after the Venerable Ānanda had departed, addressed the monks - "Monks, Ānanda is a learner; but one equal to him in wisdom is not easy to obtain." The eighth.