8.
The Discourse on the Noble Lineage
28.
"Monks, there are these four noble lineages, primordial, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unmixed, unmixed before, are not being mixed, will not be mixed, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise.
Which four?
Here, monks, a monk is content with any robe whatsoever, and speaks in praise of contentment with any robe whatsoever, and does not commit an improper wrong way of earning because of robes, and not having obtained a robe, he is not agitated, and having obtained a robe, he uses it not greedy, not infatuated, not clinging, seeing the danger, with wisdom of escape;
and yet by that contentment with any robe whatsoever, he does not exalt himself nor scoff at others.
Whoever therein is skilled, not lazy, fully aware and mindful, this one is called, monks, a monk established in the ancient, primordial noble lineage.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is content with any almsfood whatsoever, and speaks in praise of contentment with any almsfood whatsoever, and does not commit an improper wrong way of earning because of almsfood, and not having obtained almsfood, he is not agitated, and having obtained almsfood, he uses it not greedy, not infatuated, not clinging, seeing the danger, with wisdom of escape; and yet by that contentment with any almsfood whatsoever, he does not exalt himself nor scoff at others. Whoever therein is skilled, not lazy, fully aware and mindful, this one is called, monks, a monk established in the ancient, primordial noble lineage.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk is content with any lodging whatsoever, and speaks in praise of contentment with any lodging whatsoever, and does not commit an improper wrong way of earning because of lodging, and not having obtained a lodging, he is not agitated, and having obtained a lodging, he uses it not greedy, not infatuated, not clinging, seeing the danger, with wisdom of escape; and yet by that contentment with any lodging whatsoever, he does not exalt himself nor scoff at others. Whoever therein is skilled, not lazy, fully aware and mindful, this one is called, monks, a monk established in the ancient, primordial noble lineage.
"Furthermore, monks, a monk delights in meditation, is devoted to meditation, delights in abandoning, is devoted to abandoning; and yet by that delight in meditation, that devotion to meditation, that delight in abandoning, that devotion to abandoning, he does not exalt himself nor scoff at others. Whoever therein is skilled, not lazy, fully aware and mindful, this one is called, monks, a monk established in the ancient, primordial noble lineage. These, monks, are the four noble lineages, primordial, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unmixed, unmixed before, are not being mixed, will not be mixed, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise.
"And further, monks, a monk possessed of these four noble lineages, if he dwells in the eastern direction, he himself overcomes discontent, discontent does not overcome him; if he dwells in the western direction, he himself overcomes discontent, discontent does not overcome him; if he dwells in the northern direction, he himself overcomes discontent, discontent does not overcome him; if he dwells in the southern direction, he himself overcomes discontent, discontent does not overcome him. What is the reason for this? Because, monks, the wise one overcomes both discontent and delight."
The wise one indeed overcomes discontent, for the wise one is one who overcomes discontent.
Like a gold coin of Jambu river gold, who is worthy to blame him;
Even the gods praise him, he is praised even by Brahmā." The eighth.