9.
The Discourse to Upāli
99.
Then the Venerable Upāli approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Upāli said this to the Blessed One -
"I wish, venerable sir, to resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings."
"Remote forest and woodland lodgings are indeed difficult to endure, Upāli. Solitude is difficult to practise, it is difficult to delight in being alone. Methinks the forests carry away the mind of a monk who has not attained concentration. Whoever, Upāli, would say thus - 'I, not having attained concentration, will resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings,' for him this is to be expected - 'He will either sink down or float up.'
"Just as, Upāli, there might be a great lake. Then a large bull elephant might come, seven or seven and a half cubits tall. He might think thus: 'What if I, having plunged into this lake, were to play the game of washing my ears and play the game of washing my back. Having played the game of washing my ears and having played the game of washing my back, having bathed and drunk, having come out, I might go wherever I wish.' He, having plunged into that lake, would play the game of washing his ears and play the game of washing his back; having played the game of washing his ears and having played the game of washing his back, having bathed and drunk, having come out, he would go wherever he wished. What is the reason for this? A large body, Upāli, finds a footing in the deep.
"Then a hare or a cat might come. He might think thus: 'Who am I, who is the large bull elephant! What if I, having plunged into this lake, were to play the game of washing my ears and play the game of washing my back; having played the game of washing my ears and having played the game of washing my back, having bathed and drunk, having come out, I might go wherever I wish.' He might hastily, without reflecting, plunge into that lake. This is to be expected for it - 'He will either sink down or float up.' What is the reason for this? A small body, Upāli, does not find a footing in the deep. So too, Upāli, whoever would say thus - 'I, not having attained concentration, will resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings,' for him this is to be expected - 'He will either sink down or float up.'
"Just as, Upāli, a young boy, dull, an infant lying on his back, plays with his own urine and excrement. What do you think, Upāli, is this not entirely a complete fool's play?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"That boy, Upāli, at a later time, following growth, following the maturing of the faculties, plays with whatever toys there are for boys, as follows - toy ploughs, stick games, somersaults, toy windmills, toy measures, toy chariots, toy bows. What do you think, Upāli, is this not a play more superior and more sublime than the former play?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"That boy, Upāli, at a later time, following growth, following the maturing of the faculties, endowed and furnished with the five kinds of sensual pleasure, indulges himself with forms cognisable by the eye that are desirable, pleasant, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, alluring; with sounds cognisable by the ear... with odours cognisable by the nose... with flavours cognisable by the tongue... with tangible objects cognisable by the body that are desirable, pleasant, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, alluring. What do you think, Upāli, is this not a play more superior and more sublime than the former plays?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"But here, Upāli, 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, having realised by direct knowledge himself, proclaims this world with its gods, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans. He expounds the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with phrasing; he reveals the holy life that is complete in its entirety and pure.
"A householder, or a householder's son, or one reborn in some other family, hears that Teaching. Having heard that Teaching, he gains faith in the Truth-finder. Endowed with that acquisition of faith, he considers thus: 'The household life is confinement, a path of dust; going forth is the open air. It is not easy for one dwelling in a house to live the holy life that is completely perfect, completely pure, polished like a conch shell. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on ochre robes, and go forth from home into homelessness?'
"At a later time, having abandoned a small or a large mass of wealth, having abandoned a small or a large circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on ochre robes, and goes forth from home into homelessness.
"Having thus gone forth, having attained the training and way of life of monks, having abandoned the killing of living beings, he abstains from killing living beings; with rod laid down, with knife laid down, one who has shame, compassionate, he dwells concerned for the welfare of all living beings.
"Having abandoned taking what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given; taking only what is given, expecting only what is given; he dwells in purity through non-stealing.
"Having abandoned unchaste conduct, he lives the holy life, keeping far away, abstaining from sexual intercourse, which is a village practice.
"Having abandoned false speech, he abstains from false speech; he speaks the truth, is devoted to truth, reliable, trustworthy, not a deceiver of the world.
"Having abandoned divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech; having heard something here, he does not repeat it elsewhere to divide these people, or having heard something elsewhere, he does not repeat it here to divide those people. Thus he is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of those who are united, rejoicing in concord, delighting in concord, taking delight in concord; he is a speaker of words that create concord.
"Having abandoned harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech. He speaks such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, affectionate, going to the heart, urbane, pleasing to many people and agreeable to many people.
"Having abandoned idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter; he speaks at the right time, speaks what is factual, speaks what is beneficial, speaks on the Teaching and the discipline; he speaks words worth treasuring, timely, reasonable, well-defined, connected with the goal.
"He abstains from damaging seed and plant life. He eats only one meal a day, abstaining from eating at night, abstaining from food at improper times. He abstains from watching dancing, singing, music and shows, he abstains from wearing garlands, using perfumes, cosmetics, ornaments and decorations, he abstains from using high and luxurious beds, he abstains from accepting gold and silver, he abstains from accepting raw grain, he abstains from accepting raw meat, he abstains from accepting women and girls, he abstains from accepting male and female slaves, he abstains from accepting goats and sheep, he abstains from accepting fowl and swine, he abstains from accepting elephants, cattle, horses and mares, he abstains from accepting fields and land, he abstains from running messages and errands, he abstains from buying and selling, he abstains from using false weights, false metals, and false measures, he abstains from cheating, deceiving, fraud and crooked dealings, he abstains from cutting, killing, imprisoning, highway robbery, plunder and violence.
"He is content with a robe for tending the body, with almsfood for tending the belly. Wherever he goes, he goes having taken only these with him, just as a winged bird, wherever it flies, flies with its wings as its only burden. Just so a monk is content with a robe for tending the body, with almsfood for tending the belly. Wherever he goes, he goes having taken only these with him. He, endowed with this noble aggregate of morality, experiences internally a blameless happiness.
He, having seen a form with the eye, is not one who grasps at signs, nor one who grasps at features. Since, if he were to dwell with the eye-faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon him, he proceeds to restrain it; he guards the eye-faculty, he commits to restraint of the eye-faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear... Having smelled an odour with the nose. Having tasted a flavour with the tongue. having touched a tangible object with the body... Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is not one who grasps at signs, nor one who grasps at features. Since, if he were to dwell with the mind faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon him, he proceeds to restrain it; he guards the mind-faculty, he commits to restraint of the mind-faculty. He, endowed with this noble restraint of the faculties, experiences internally an untainted happiness.
"He acts with full awareness when going forward and returning, acts with full awareness when looking ahead and looking aside, acts with full awareness when bending and stretching, acts with full awareness when wearing the double robe, bowl and robes, acts with full awareness when eating, drinking, chewing and tasting, acts with full awareness when defecating and urinating, acts with full awareness when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking and remaining silent.
"He, endowed with this noble aggregate of morality, endowed with this noble restraint of the faculties, endowed with this noble mindfulness and full awareness, resorts to a secluded lodging - a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a grotto, a mountain cave, a cemetery, a deep forest, an open space, a heap of straw. He, having gone to the forest, or having gone to the root of a tree, or having gone to an empty house, sits down, folding his legs crosswise, directing his body upright, having established mindfulness in front of him.
He, having abandoned covetousness in the world, dwells with a mind free from covetousness; he purifies the mind of covetousness. Having abandoned anger and malice, he dwells with a mind free from ill-will, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings; he purifies the mind of anger and malice. Having abandoned sloth and torpor, he dwells free from sloth and torpor, perceiving light, mindful and fully aware; he purifies the mind of sloth and torpor. Having abandoned restlessness and remorse, he dwells unagitated, with a mind internally calmed; he purifies the mind of restlessness and remorse. Having abandoned sceptical doubt, he dwells as one who has crossed over doubt, without uncertainty regarding wholesome mental states; he purifies the mind of sceptical doubt.
"He, having abandoned these five mental hindrances, impurities of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. What do you think, Upāli, is not this abiding more brilliant and more sublime than the former abidings?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"This too, Upāli, my disciples, seeing the Teaching within themselves, resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings, but they do not yet dwell having attained their own welfare.
"Furthermore, Upāli, a monk, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought... etc. he enters and dwells in the second meditative absorption. What do you think, Upāli, is not this abiding more brilliant and more sublime than the former abidings?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"This too, Upāli, my disciples, seeing the Teaching within themselves, resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings, but they do not yet dwell having attained their own welfare.
"Furthermore, Upāli, a monk, with the fading away of rapture... etc. he enters and dwells in the third meditative absorption. What do you think, Upāli, is not this abiding more brilliant and more sublime than the former abidings?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"This too, Upāli, my disciples, seeing the Teaching within themselves, resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings, but they do not yet dwell having attained their own welfare.
"Furthermore, Upāli, a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure... etc. the fourth meditative absorption... etc.
Furthermore, Upāli, a monk, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of material form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with inattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' enters and dwells in the plane of infinite space. What do you think, Upāli, is not this abiding more brilliant and more sublime than the former abidings?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"This too, Upāli, my disciples, seeing the Teaching within themselves, resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings, but they do not yet dwell having attained their own welfare.
"Furthermore, Upāli, a monk, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' enters and dwells in the plane of infinite consciousness... etc.
"With the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' he enters and dwells in the plane of nothingness... etc.
"With the complete transcendence of the plane of nothingness, aware that 'this is peaceful, this is sublime,' he enters and dwells in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. What do you think, Upāli, is not this abiding more brilliant and more sublime than the former abidings?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"This too, Upāli, my disciples, seeing the Teaching within themselves, resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings, but they do not yet dwell having attained their own welfare.
"Furthermore, Upāli, a monk, with the complete transcendence of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling; and having seen with wisdom, his mental corruptions are utterly eliminated. What do you think, Upāli, is not this abiding more brilliant and more sublime than the former abidings?" "Yes, venerable sir."
"This too, Upāli, my disciples, seeing the Teaching within themselves, resort to remote forest and woodland lodgings, secluded lodgings, and they dwell having attained their own welfare. Come now, Upāli, dwell in the monastic community. For you dwelling in the monastic community, there will be comfort." The ninth.