3.
The Discourse in Brief
63.
Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One, etc.
Seated to one side, that monk said this to the Blessed One -
"It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would expound to me the Teaching in brief, so that having heard the Teaching from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute."
"So too, here some foolish men make requests of me.
And when the Teaching has been spoken, they think they should follow me about."
"Let the Blessed One expound to me the Teaching in brief, venerable sir, let the Fortunate One expound to me the Teaching in brief.
Perhaps I might understand the meaning of the Blessed One's saying, perhaps I might become an heir to the Blessed One's saying."
"Therefore, monk, you should train thus -
'My mind will be internally steady and well-established, and arisen evil unwholesome mental states will not remain obsessing the mind.'
Thus indeed, monk, should you train."
"When, monk, your mind is internally steady and well-established, and arisen evil unwholesome mental states do not remain obsessing the mind, then, monk, you should train thus - 'The liberation of mind through friendliness will be developed by me, cultivated, mastered, made a basis of, practised, accumulated, and thoroughly undertaken.' Thus indeed, monk, should you train.
"When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and cultivated, then you, monk, should develop this concentration with applied thought and with sustained thought, without applied thought but with sustained thought only, without applied thought and without sustained thought, with rapture, without rapture, accompanied by pleasure, accompanied by equanimity.
"When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and well developed, then, monk, you should train thus - 'The liberation of mind through compassion... the liberation of mind through altruistic joy... the liberation of mind through equanimity will be developed by me, cultivated, mastered, made a basis of, practised, accumulated, and thoroughly undertaken.' Thus indeed, monk, should you train.
"When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and well developed, then you, monk, should develop this concentration with applied and sustained thought, without applied but with sustained thought only, without applied and without sustained thought, with rapture, without rapture, accompanied by pleasure, accompanied by equanimity.
"When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and well developed, then, monk, you should train thus - 'I will dwell observing the body in the body, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure regarding the world.' Thus indeed, monk, should you train.
"When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and cultivated, then you, monk, should develop this concentration with applied and sustained thought, without applied but with sustained thought only, without applied and without sustained thought, with rapture, without rapture, accompanied by pleasure, accompanied by equanimity.
"When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and well developed, then, monk, you should train thus - 'I will dwell observing feelings in feelings, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure regarding the world'; I will dwell observing mind in mind, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure regarding the world'; I will dwell observing mental phenomena in mental phenomena, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure regarding the world.' Thus indeed, monk, should you train.
"When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and cultivated, then you, monk, should develop this concentration with applied and sustained thought, without applied but with sustained thought only, without applied and without sustained thought, with rapture, without rapture, accompanied by pleasure, accompanied by equanimity.
"When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and well developed by you, then you, monk, wherever you go, you will go comfortably; wherever you stand, you will stand comfortably; wherever you sit down, you will sit down comfortably; wherever you prepare your sleeping place, you will prepare your sleeping place comfortably."
Then that monk, exhorted by the Blessed One with this exhortation, having risen from his seat, having paid respect to the Blessed One, having circumambulated him keeping him on his right, departed. Then dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, that monk soon realised for himself, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being." And that monk became one of the Worthy Ones. The third.