3.
The Discourse on Morality
184.
"Those monks, monks, who are accomplished in morality, accomplished in concentration, accomplished in knowledge, accomplished in liberation, accomplished in the knowledge and vision of liberation - seeing those monks, monks, I say is of great benefit;
hearing about those monks, monks, I say is of great benefit;
approaching those monks, monks, I say is of great benefit;
attending on those monks, monks, I say is of great benefit;
recollecting those monks, monks, I say is of great benefit;
going forth following those monks, monks, I say is of great benefit.
What is the reason for this?
Having heard the Teaching from such monks, monks, one dwells withdrawn by twofold seclusion -
bodily seclusion and mental seclusion.
He, dwelling thus withdrawn, recollects that Teaching and reflects upon it.
"At the time, monks, when a monk dwelling thus withdrawn recollects that Teaching and reflects upon it, at that time the enlightenment factor of mindfulness is aroused in the monk; at that time the monk develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness; at that time the enlightenment factor of mindfulness goes to fulfilment through development for the monk. He, dwelling thus mindful, investigates that Teaching with wisdom, examines it, and commits to thorough inquiry.
"At the time, monks, when a monk dwelling thus mindful investigates that Teaching with wisdom, examines it, and commits to thorough inquiry, at that time the enlightenment factor of investigation of phenomena is aroused in the monk; at that time the monk develops the enlightenment factor of investigation of phenomena; at that time the enlightenment factor of investigation of phenomena goes to fulfilment through development for the monk. For him, investigating that Teaching with wisdom, examining it, committing to thorough inquiry, energy is aroused and unsluggish.
"At the time, monks, when for a monk investigating that Teaching with wisdom, examining it, committing to thorough inquiry, energy is aroused and unsluggish, at that time the enlightenment factor of energy is aroused in the monk; at that time the monk develops the enlightenment factor of energy; at that time the enlightenment factor of energy goes to fulfilment through development for the monk. For one with aroused energy, spiritual rapture arises.
"At the time, monks, when for a monk with aroused energy spiritual rapture arises, at that time the enlightenment factor of rapture is aroused in the monk; at that time the monk develops the enlightenment factor of rapture; at that time the enlightenment factor of rapture goes to fulfilment through development for the monk. For one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm and the mind becomes calm.
"At the time, monks, when for a monk whose mind is filled with rapture the body becomes calm and the mind becomes calm, at that time the enlightenment factor of tranquillity is aroused in the monk; at that time the monk develops the enlightenment factor of tranquillity; at that time the enlightenment factor of tranquillity goes to fulfilment through development for the monk. For one whose body is calm, who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated.
"At the time, monks, when for a monk whose body is calm, who is happy, the mind becomes concentrated, at that time the enlightenment factor of concentration is aroused in the monk; at that time the monk develops the enlightenment factor of concentration; at that time the enlightenment factor of concentration goes to fulfilment through development for the monk. He becomes one who thoroughly looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated.
"At the time, monks, when a monk becomes one who thoroughly looks on with equanimity at the mind thus concentrated, at that time the enlightenment factor of equanimity is aroused in the monk; at that time the monk develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity; at that time the enlightenment factor of equanimity goes to fulfilment through development for the monk.
"When the seven enlightenment factors have been thus developed, monks, when they have been thus cultivated, seven fruits and seven benefits are to be expected. What are the seven fruits and seven benefits? He attains final liberating knowledge early in this very life. If he does not attain final liberating knowledge early in this very life, then he attains final liberating knowledge at the time of death. If he does not attain final liberating knowledge early in this very life, if he does not attain final liberating knowledge at the time of death, then with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he becomes an attainer of final nibbāna in the interval. If he does not attain final liberating knowledge early in this very life, if he does not attain final liberating knowledge at the time of death, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna in the interval, then with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he becomes an attainer of final nibbāna after the interval. If he does not attain final liberating knowledge early in this very life, if he does not attain final liberating knowledge at the time of death, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna in the interval, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna after the interval, then with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he becomes an attainer of final nibbāna without exertion. If he does not attain final liberating knowledge early in this very life, if he does not attain final liberating knowledge at the time of death, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna in the interval, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna after the interval, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna without exertion, then with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he becomes an attainer of final nibbāna through exertion. If he does not attain final liberating knowledge early in this very life, if he does not attain final liberating knowledge at the time of death, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna in the interval, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna after the interval, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna without exertion, if with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he does not become an attainer of final nibbāna through exertion, then with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters he becomes an upstream-goer heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm. When the seven factors of enlightenment have been thus developed, monks, when they have been thus cultivated, these seven fruits and seven benefits are to be expected." The third.