3.
The Discourse at Venāgapura
64.
On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on a journey among the Kosalans together with a large Community of monks, and arrived at a brahmin village of the Kosalans named Venāgapura.
The brahmin householders of Venāgapura heard -
"Indeed, my dear, the ascetic Gotama, a Sakyan son who has gone forth from the Sakyan clan, has arrived at Venāgapura.
And concerning that Master Gotama, such a good reputation has arisen -
'Thus indeed is the Blessed One: the Worthy One, the 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.
Good indeed is the seeing of such Worthy Ones."
Then the brahmin householders of Venāgapura approached the Blessed One; having approached, some paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side; some exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One, and having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, sat down to one side; some, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, sat down to one side; some, having announced their name and clan, sat down to one side; some, remaining silent, sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the brahmin Vacchagotta of Venāgapura said this to the Blessed One -
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous, Master Gotama! How very clear are Master Gotama's faculties, how pure and bright is his complexion. Just as, Master Gotama, an autumn jujube fruit is pure and bright; just so are Master Gotama's faculties very clear, his complexion pure and bright. Just as, Master Gotama, a ripe palm fruit just released from its stalk is pure and bright; just so are Master Gotama's faculties very clear, his complexion pure and bright. Just as, Master Gotama, a gold coin of Jambu river gold, well-worked by a skilled goldsmith's son, skilfully refined in the furnace, placed on a pale-yellow blanket, shines and burns and is brilliant; just so are Master Gotama's faculties very clear, his complexion pure and bright. Those high and luxurious beds, Master Gotama, as follows - large couches, divans, woollen covers with long fleece, multicoloured spreads, white spreads, embroidered coverlets, quilts stuffed with cotton wool, spreads decorated with animal figures, rugs with fur on both sides, rugs with fur on one side, gem-studded coverlets, silk coverlets, grand carpets, elephant rugs, horse rugs, chariot rugs, spreads of antelope skins, spreads of kadali-deer hide, couches with awnings, couches with red cushions at both ends - surely Master Gotama is one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble such high and luxurious beds."
"Those high and luxurious beds, brahmin, as follows - large couches, divans, woollen covers with long fleece, multicoloured spreads, white spreads, embroidered coverlets, quilts stuffed with cotton wool, spreads decorated with animal figures, rugs with fur on both sides, rugs with fur on one side, gem-studded coverlets, silk coverlets, grand carpets, elephant rugs, horse rugs, chariot rugs, spreads of antelope skins, spreads of kadali-deer hide, couches with awnings, couches with red cushions at both ends. Those are difficult to obtain for those who have gone forth, and even if obtained, they are not allowable.
"There are, brahmin, these three high and luxurious beds, of which I am now one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble. What three? The divine high and luxurious bed, the brahmā high and luxurious bed, the noble high and luxurious bed. These, brahmin, are the three high and luxurious beds, of which I am now one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble."
"But what, Master Gotama, is that divine high and luxurious bed, of which Master Gotama is now one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble?" "Here, brahmin, when I dwell in dependence on a village or a market town, in the earlier period of the day, having dressed, taking my bowl and robe, I enter that very village or market town for almsfood. After the meal, having returned from the alms round, I enter the forest. Whatever grasses or leaves there are there, having gathered them together in one place, I sit down, folding my legs crosswise, directing my body upright, having established mindfulness in front of me. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, I enter and dwell in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion; with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, I enter and dwell in the second meditative absorption, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without applied thought and without sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of concentration; with the fading away of rapture, I dwell equanimous, mindful and fully aware, and experience happiness with the body - that which the noble ones declare: 'One who is equanimous and mindful, one who dwells in happiness' - I enter and dwell in the third meditative absorption; with the abandoning of pleasure and with the abandoning of pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and displeasure, I enter and dwell in the fourth meditative absorption, which has neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. If, brahmin, being thus, I walk up and down, at that time my walking path is divine. If, brahmin, being thus, I stand, at that time my standing is divine. If, brahmin, being thus, I sit, at that time my seat is divine. If, brahmin, being thus, I lie down, at that time my high and luxurious bed is divine. This, brahmin, is the divine high and luxurious bed, of which I am now one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble."
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous, Master Gotama! Who else could be one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, such a divine high and luxurious bed, apart from Master Gotama!
"But what, Master Gotama, is that supreme high and luxurious bed, of which Master Gotama is now one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble?" "Here, brahmin, when I dwell in dependence on a village or a market town, in the earlier period of the day, having dressed, taking my bowl and robe, I enter that very village or market town for almsfood. After the meal, having returned from the alms round, I enter the forest. Whatever grasses or leaves there are there, having gathered them together in one place, I sit down, folding my legs crosswise, directing my body upright, having established mindfulness in front of me. I dwell 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, I dwell having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by friendliness, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will. With a mind accompanied by compassion... etc. with a mind accompanied by altruistic joy... etc. I dwell 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, I dwell having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will. If I, brahmin, being thus, walk up and down, this is my supreme walking path at that time. If I, brahmin, being thus, stand... etc. sit down... etc. make my sleeping place, this is my supreme high and luxurious bed at that time. This, brahmin, is the supreme high and luxurious bed, of which I am now one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble."
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous, Master Gotama! Who else could be one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, such a supreme high and luxurious bed, apart from Master Gotama!
"But what, Master Gotama, is that noble high and luxurious bed, of which Master Gotama is now one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble?" "Here, brahmin, when I dwell in dependence on a village or a market town, in the earlier period of the day, having dressed, taking my bowl and robe, I enter that very village or market town for almsfood. After the meal, having returned from the alms round, I enter the forest. Whatever grasses or leaves there are there, having gathered them together in one place, I sit down, folding my legs crosswise, directing my body upright, having established mindfulness in front of me. I know thus - 'Lust in me has been abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future; hate in me has been abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future; delusion in me has been abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future.' If I, brahmin, being thus, walk up and down, this is my noble walking path at that time. If I, brahmin, being thus, stand... etc. sit down... etc. make my sleeping place, this is my noble high and luxurious bed at that time. This, brahmin, is the noble high and luxurious bed, of which I am now one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble."
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous, Master Gotama! Who else could be one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, such a noble high and great bed, apart from Master Gotama!
"Excellent, Master Gotama, excellent, Master Gotama! Just as, Master Gotama, one might set upright what had been overturned, or reveal what had been concealed, or point out the path to one who was lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness - 'so that those with good eyesight might see forms'; so too, the Teaching has been made clear by Master Gotama in many ways. We go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May Master Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge from this day forth for life." The third.