8.

Connected Discourses with Lakkhaṇa

1.

The First Chapter

1.

The Discourse on Bones

202. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Now at that time the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna were dwelling on the Vulture's Peak mountain. Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, approached the Venerable Lakkhaṇa; having approached, he said this to the Venerable Lakkhaṇa - "Come, friend Lakkhaṇa, let us enter Rājagaha for almsfood." "Yes, friend," the Venerable Lakkhaṇa assented to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna. Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, manifested a smile at a certain spot. Then the Venerable Lakkhaṇa said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna - "What now, friend Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of a smile?" "It is not the right time, friend Lakkhaṇa, for this question. Ask me this question in the presence of the Blessed One."

Then the Venerable Lakkhaṇa and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having walked for almsfood in Rājagaha, after the meal, having returned from their alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Lakkhaṇa said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna - "Here the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, manifested a smile at a certain spot. What now, friend Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition for the manifestation of a smile?"

"Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a skeleton going through the sky. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were pecking at it, tearing at it, and pulling it apart between the ribs. It was making a cry of distress. This occurred to me, friend - 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! There will be such a being! There will be such a demon! There will be such an acquisition of individual existence!'"

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Disciples indeed dwell possessing vision, monks; disciples indeed dwell possessing knowledge, monks, since a disciple will know or see or bear witness to such a thing. That being was seen by me before, monks, but I did not explain. If I had explained this, others would not have believed me. Those who would not believe me, that would be for their harm and suffering for a long time. That being, monks, was a cattle butcher in this very Rājagaha. By the result of that action, having been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years, by the remainder of the result of that very action, he experiences such an acquisition of individual existence." The first.

2.

The Discourse on a Slice of Flesh

203. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a slice of flesh going through the sky. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were tearing at it and pulling it apart. It was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was a cattle butcher in this very Rājagaha... etc. The second.

3.

The Discourse on Almsfood

204. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a lump of meat going through the sky. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were tearing at it and pulling it apart. It was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was a fowler in this very Rājagaha... etc. The third.

4.

The Discourse on Flayed Skin

205. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a skinless man going through the sky. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were tearing at it and pulling it apart. He was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was a sheep-butcher in this very Rājagaha... etc. The fourth.

5.

The Discourse on Sword-Hairs

206. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a sword-haired man going through the sky. Those swords, having flown up again and again, fell upon his very body. He was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was a pig-butcher in this very Rājagaha... etc. The fifth.

6.

The Discourse on a Sword

207. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a man with spears for hair going through the sky. Those spears, having flown up again and again, fell upon his very body. He was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was a deer-hunter in this very Rājagaha... etc. The sixth.

7.

The Discourse on Arrow-Hair

208. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a man with arrow-hairs going through the sky. Those arrows, having flown up again and again, fell upon his very body. He was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was a torturer in this very Rājagaha... etc. The seventh.

8.

The Discourse on Sūciloma

209. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a man with needle-like hair going through the sky. Those needles, having flown up again and again, fell upon his very body. He was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was a charioteer in this very Rājagaha... etc. The eighth.

9.

The Second Discourse on Needle-Hair

210. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a man with needle-like hair going through the sky. Those needles, having entered his head, come out from his mouth; having entered his mouth, they come out from his chest; having entered his chest, they come out from his belly; having entered his belly, they come out from his thighs; having entered his thighs, they come out from his calves; having entered his calves, they come out from his feet; he was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was an informer in this very Rājagaha... etc. The ninth.

10.

The Discourse on Kumbhaṇḍa

211. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a testicle-man going through the sky. Even while going, he goes having placed those very testicles on his shoulder. Even while sitting, he sits on those very testicles. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were tearing at it and pulling it apart. He was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was a village fraudster in this very Rājagaha... etc. The tenth.

The first chapter.

Its summary:

2.

The Second Chapter

1.

The Discourse on With Head

212. Thus have I heard - On one occasion at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a man submerged up to his head in a pit of excrement... etc. That being, monks, was an adulterer in this very Rājagaha... etc. The first.

2.

The Discourse on the Dung-Eater

213. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a man submerged in a pit of excrement, eating excrement with both hands... etc. That being, monks, was a wicked brahmin in this very Rājagaha. He, having invited the Community of monks for a meal during the teaching of Kassapa, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, having filled troughs with excrement, said this - 'Oh sirs, eat as much as you like and take away as well!'... etc. The second.

3.

The Discourse on the Skinless Woman

214. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a skinless woman going through the sky. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were tearing at it and pulling it apart. It was making a cry of distress... etc. That woman, monks, was an adulteress in this very Rājagaha... etc. The third.

4.

The Discourse on the Ugly Woman

215. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a foul-smelling, hideous woman going through the sky. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were tearing at it and pulling it apart. It was making a cry of distress... etc. That woman, monks, was a fortune-teller in this very Rājagaha... etc. The fourth.

5.

The Discourse on the Scorched Woman

216. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a scorched, oozing, scattered woman going through the sky. It was making a cry of distress... etc. That woman, monks, was the chief queen of the King of Kaliṅga. She, overcome by jealousy, scattered embers from a pan of charcoal over her co-wife... etc. The fifth.

6.

The Discourse on the Headless

217. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a headless trunk going through the sky. On its chest there were eyes and a mouth. Vultures, crows, and hawks, having pursued and pursued it, were tearing at it and pulling it apart. He was making a cry of distress... etc. That being, monks, was an executioner of thieves named Hārika in this very Rājagaha... etc. The sixth.

7.

The Discourse on the Evil Monk

218. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a monk going through the sky. His double robe was blazing, in flames, aglow; his bowl was blazing, in flames, aglow; his waistband was blazing, in flames, aglow; his body was blazing, in flames, aglow. He was making a cry of distress... etc. That, monks, was an evil monk during the teaching of Kassapa, the Fully Self-Enlightened One... etc. The seventh.

8.

The Discourse on the Evil Nun

219. "I saw a nun going through the sky. Her double robe was blazing... etc. She was an evil nun... etc. The eighth.

9.

The Discourse on the Evil Female Trainee

220. "I saw a female trainee going through the sky. Her double robe was blazing... etc. She was an evil female trainee... etc. The ninth.

10.

The Discourse on the Evil Novice

221. "I saw a novice going through the sky. His double robe was blazing, etc. He was an evil novice, etc. The tenth.

11.

The Discourse on the Evil Novice Nun

222. "Here I, friend, descending from the Vulture's Peak mountain, saw a female novice going through the sky. Her double robe was blazing, in flames, aglow; her bowl was blazing, in flames, aglow; her waistband was blazing, in flames, aglow; her body was blazing, in flames, aglow. It was making a cry of distress. This occurred to me, friend - 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! There will be such a being! There will be such a demon! There will be such an acquisition of individual existence!'"

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Disciples indeed dwell possessing vision, monks; disciples indeed dwell possessing knowledge, monks, since a disciple will know or see or bear witness to such a thing. That female novice was seen by me before, monks. But I did not explain. If I had explained this, others would not have believed me. Those who would not believe me, that would be for their harm and suffering for a long time. This female novice, monks, was an evil female novice during the teaching of Kassapa, the Fully Self-Enlightened One. By the result of that action, having been tormented in hell for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years, by the remainder of the result of that very action, she experiences such an acquisition of individual existence." The eleventh.

The second chapter.

Its summary:

The Connected Discourses on Characteristics is complete.