8.
The Discourse on "Is There Indeed a Method?"
153.
"Is there indeed, monks, a method by which method a monk, apart from faith, apart from personal preference, apart from oral tradition, apart from reflection on appearances, apart from acceptance of a view after pondering it, might declare the final liberating knowledge -
'I understand: ‘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'?"
"The teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir, have the Blessed One as their guide, have the Blessed One as their refuge.
It would be good indeed, venerable sir, if the meaning of this statement would occur to the Blessed One himself.
Having heard from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it."
"Well then, monks, listen, pay close attention;
I will speak."
"Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"There is, monks, a method by which method a monk, apart from faith, apart from personal preference, apart from oral tradition, apart from reflection on appearances, apart from acceptance of a view after pondering it, might declare the final liberating knowledge -
'I understand: ‘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 what, monks, is the method by which method a monk, apart from faith, etc. apart from acceptance of a view after pondering it, declares the final liberating knowledge - 'I understand: ‘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'? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, when there is lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is lust, hate, and delusion internally in me'; or when there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally in me.' That, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, when there is lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is lust, hate, and delusion internally in me'; or when there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally in me.' Are these mental states, monks, to be known by faith, or to be known by personal preference, or to be known by oral tradition, or to be known by reflection on appearances, or to be known by acceptance of a view after pondering it?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Are not these mental states, monks, to be known by having seen with wisdom?" "Yes, venerable sir." "This, monks, is the method by which method a monk, apart from faith, apart from personal preference, apart from oral tradition, apart from reflection on appearances, apart from acceptance of a view after pondering it, declares the final liberating knowledge - 'I understand: ‘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.'" Etc.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk, having tasted a flavour with the tongue, when there is internally, etc. lust, hate, and delusion, understands; or when there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally in me.' That, monks, having tasted a flavour with the tongue, when there is lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is lust, hate, and delusion internally in me'; or when there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally in me'; are these mental states, monks, to be known by faith, or to be known by personal preference, or to be known by oral tradition, or to be known by reflection on appearances, or to be known by acceptance of a view after pondering it?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Are not these mental states, monks, to be known by having seen with wisdom?" "Yes, venerable sir." "This too, monks, is the method by which method a monk, apart from faith, apart from personal preference, apart from oral tradition, apart from reflection on appearances, apart from acceptance of a view after pondering it, declares the final liberating knowledge - 'I understand: ‘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.'" Etc.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk, having cognised a mental object with the mind, when there is lust, hate and delusion internally, understands 'there is lust, hate and delusion internally in me'; or when there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally in me.' That, monks, a monk, having cognised a mental object with the mind, when there is lust, hate and delusion internally, understands 'there is lust, hate and delusion internally in me'; or when there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally, understands 'there is no lust, hate, and delusion internally in me'; are these mental states, monks, to be known by faith, or to be known by personal preference, or to be known by oral tradition, or to be known by reflection on appearances, or to be known by acceptance of a view after pondering it?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Are not these mental states, monks, to be known by having seen with wisdom?" "Yes, venerable sir." "This too, monks, is the method by which method a monk, apart from faith, apart from personal preference, apart from oral tradition, apart from reflection on appearances, apart from acceptance of a view after pondering it, declares the final liberating knowledge - 'I understand: ‘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.'" The eighth.