Katthīsuttaṃ [AN 10.85, PTS 5.158–5.161]

5. The Discourse on the Boaster

85. More Details On one occasion the Venerable Mahācunda was dwelling among the Cetis at Sahajāti. There the Venerable Mahācunda addressed the monks - "Friends, monks!" "Friend," those monks assented to the Venerable Mahācunda. The Venerable Mahācunda said this -

"Here, friends, a monk is a boaster, a vaunter regarding achievements - 'I attain and emerge from the first meditative absorption, I attain and emerge from the second meditative absorption, I attain and emerge from the third meditative absorption, I attain and emerge from the fourth meditative absorption, I attain and emerge from the plane of infinite space, I attain and emerge from the plane of infinite consciousness, I attain and emerge from the plane of nothingness, I attain and emerge from the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I attain and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.'

"Him the Truth-finder or a disciple of the Truth-finder, a meditator skilled in attainment, skilled in another's mind, skilled in the method of another's mind, cross-questions, asks for reasons, and admonishes. He, being cross-questioned, asked for reasons, and admonished by the Truth-finder or a disciple of the Truth-finder, a meditator skilled in attainment, skilled in another's mind, skilled in the method of another's mind, comes to barrenness, comes to confusion, comes to calamity, comes to disaster, comes to calamity and disaster.

"Him the Truth-finder or a disciple of the Truth-finder, a meditator skilled in attainment, skilled in another's mind, skilled in the method of another's mind, having encompassed his mind with his mind, attends thus: 'Why indeed is this venerable one a boaster, a vaunter regarding achievements - I attain and emerge from the first meditative absorption, etc. I attain and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.'

'For a long time this venerable one has been one who makes breaks, one who makes holes, one who makes blemishes, one who makes stains, not one who acts continuously, not one of continuous conduct regarding morality. This venerable one is immoral. Immorality in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one is faithless; faithlessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one is of little learning, of inappropriate conduct; little learning in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one is difficult to admonish; being difficult to admonish in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one has evil friends; evil friendship in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one is lazy; idleness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one is unmindful; forgetfulness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one is deceitful; deceit in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one is difficult to support; being difficult to support in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.

'This venerable one is unwise; lack of wisdom in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.'

"Just as, friends, one friend might say to another friend thus - 'Whenever, my dear, you have need for wealth, you should request wealth from me. I will give you wealth.' When some need for wealth has arisen, one friend might say to the other friend thus - 'I have need, my dear, for wealth. Give me wealth.' He might speak thus - 'Well then, my dear, dig here.' Digging there, he would not find anything. He might speak thus - 'You spoke falsely to me, my dear; you spoke hollowly to me, my dear - dig here.' He might speak thus - 'I did not speak falsely to you, my dear, I did not speak hollowly. Well then, my dear, dig here.' Digging there too, he would not find anything. He might speak thus - 'You spoke falsely to me, my dear, you spoke hollowly to me, my dear - dig here.' He might speak thus - 'I did not speak falsely to you, my dear, I did not speak hollowly. Well then, my dear, dig here.' Digging there too, he would not find anything. He might speak thus - 'You spoke falsely to me, my dear, you spoke hollowly to me, my dear - dig here.' He might speak thus - 'I did not speak falsely to you, my dear, I did not speak hollowly. But rather I myself reached madness, a perversion of mind.'

"So too, friends, a monk is a boaster, a braggart regarding achievements - 'I attain and emerge from the first meditative absorption, I attain and emerge from the second meditative absorption, I attain and emerge from the third meditative absorption, I attain and emerge from the fourth meditative absorption, I attain and emerge from the plane of infinite space, I attain and emerge from the plane of infinite consciousness, I attain and emerge from the plane of nothingness, I attain and emerge from the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, I attain and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.'

"Him the Truth-finder or a disciple of the Truth-finder, a meditator skilled in attainment, skilled in another's mind, skilled in the method of another's mind, having encompassed his mind with his mind, attends thus: 'Why indeed is this venerable one a boaster, a vaunter regarding achievements - I attain the first meditative absorption, etc. I attain and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.'

"Him the Truth-finder or a disciple of the Truth-finder, a meditator skilled in attainment, skilled in the method of another's mind, having encompassed his mind with his mind, understands thus -

'For a long time this venerable one has been one who makes breaks, one who makes holes, one who makes blemishes, one who makes stains, not one who acts continuously, not one of continuous conduct regarding morality. This venerable one is immoral; immorality in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder - this is decline.