Uposathasuttaṃ [Ud 5.5, PTS 52–56]

5.

The Discourse on the Observance

45. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in the Eastern Park, in Migāramātā's mansion. Now at that time, on the uposatha day, the Blessed One was seated surrounded by the Community of monks.

Then the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the first watch had passed, having risen from his seat, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One - "The night has passed, venerable sir; the first watch has gone; the Community of monks has been seated for a long time; may the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks." When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.

For the second time the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the middle watch had passed, having risen from his seat, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One - "The night has passed, venerable sir; the middle watch has gone; the Community of monks has been seated for a long time; may the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks." For the second time the Blessed One remained silent.

For the third time the Venerable Ānanda, when the night was far advanced, when the last watch had passed, when dawn had risen, when the night had a joyful face, having risen from his seat, having arranged his upper robe on one shoulder, having extended joined palms in salutation towards the Blessed One, said this to the Blessed One - "The night has passed, venerable sir; the last watch has gone; dawn has risen; the night has a joyful face; the Community of monks has been seated for a long time; may the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks." "The assembly is not pure, Ānanda."

Then this occurred to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "With reference to which person did the Blessed One say thus - 'The assembly is not pure, Ānanda'?" Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having encompassed the entire Community of monks with his own mind, attended to it. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna saw that person who was immoral, of bad character, impure, of suspicious conduct, of concealed actions, not a recluse though claiming to be a recluse, not a practitioner of the holy life though claiming to be a practitioner of the holy life, rotten inside, filled with desire, rubbish-born, seated in the midst of the Community of monks. Having seen him, having risen from his seat, he approached that person; having approached, he said this to that person - "Get up, friend, you have been seen by the Blessed One; there is no communion for you with the monks." When this was said, that person remained silent.

For the second time the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this to that person - "Get up, friend, you have been seen by the Blessed One; there is no communion for you with the monks." For the second time, etc. For the third time that person remained silent.

Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having taken that person by the arm, having led him out of the porch, having fastened the door latch, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he said this to the Blessed One - "That person, venerable sir, has been removed by me. The assembly is pure. May the Blessed One, venerable sir, recite the Pātimokkha to the monks." "Wonderful, Moggallāna, marvellous, Moggallāna! That foolish man would wait until he was taken by the arm!"

Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "From now on, monks, I will not perform the Observance, I will not recite the Pātimokkha. Now you yourselves, monks, from now on should perform the Observance, you should recite the Pātimokkha. This is impossible, monks, there is no chance that a Truth-finder should perform the Observance for an impure assembly, should recite the Pātimokkha.

"There are these eight, monks, wonderful and marvellous phenomena in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean. What are the eight?

"The great ocean, monks, is progressively slanting, progressively sloping, progressively inclining, not abruptly precipitous. Since, monks, the great ocean is progressively slanting, progressively sloping, progressively inclining, not abruptly precipitous; this, monks, is the first wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.

"Furthermore, monks, the great ocean is stable in nature and does not overflow its boundaries. Since, monks, the great ocean is stable in nature and does not overflow its boundaries; this, monks, is the second wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.

"Furthermore, monks, the great ocean does not associate with a dead corpse. Whatever dead corpse there is in the great ocean, it quickly carries it to the shore, pushes it onto dry land. Since, monks, the great ocean does not associate with a dead corpse, whatever dead corpse there is in the great ocean, it quickly carries it to the shore, pushes it onto dry land; this, monks, is the third wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.

"Furthermore, monks, whatever great rivers there are, as follows - the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, the Mahī, having reached the great ocean, they give up their former names and clans; they go by the term 'great ocean'. Since, monks, whatever great rivers there are, as follows - the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, the Mahī, having reached the great ocean, they give up their former names and clans, they go by the term 'great ocean'; this, monks, is the fourth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.

"Furthermore, monks, whatever streams in the world flow into the great ocean and whatever showers of rain fall from the sky, by that neither deficiency nor fullness of the great ocean is discerned. Since, monks, whatever streams in the world flow into the great ocean and whatever showers of rain fall from the sky, by that neither deficiency nor fullness of the great ocean is discerned; this, monks, is the fifth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.

"Furthermore, monks, the great ocean has one flavour, the flavour of salt. Since, monks, the great ocean has one flavour, the flavour of salt; this, monks, is the sixth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.

"Furthermore, monks, the great ocean has many jewels, various jewels. There are these jewels, as follows - pearls, gems, lapis lazuli, conch shells, stones, coral, silver, gold, rubies, and cat's eye gems. Since, monks, the great ocean has many jewels, various jewels, there are these jewels, as follows - pearls, gems, lapis lazuli, conch shells, stones, coral, silver, gold, rubies, and cat's eye gems; this, monks, is the seventh wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.

"Furthermore, monks, the great ocean is the residence of great beings. There are these beings - the timi, the timiṅgala, the timitimiṅgala, titans, serpents, and gandhabbas. There are in the great ocean bodies one hundred yojanas in size, bodies two hundred yojanas in size, bodies three hundred yojanas in size, bodies four hundred yojanas in size, bodies five hundred yojanas in size. Since, monks, the great ocean is the residence of great beings, there are these beings - the timi, the timiṅgala, the timitimiṅgala, titans, serpents, and gandhabbas, there are in the great ocean bodies one hundred yojanas in size, bodies two hundred yojanas in size, etc. bodies five hundred yojanas in size; this, monks, is the eighth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean. These, monks, are the eight wonderful and marvellous phenomena in the great ocean, seeing which again and again the titans delight in the great ocean.

"So too, monks, in this Teaching and discipline there are eight wonderful and marvellous phenomena, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline. What are the eight?

"Just as, monks, the great ocean is progressively slanting, progressively sloping, progressively inclining, not abruptly precipitous; so too, monks, in this Teaching and discipline there is gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice, not a sudden penetration of final knowledge. Since, monks, in this Teaching and discipline there is gradual training, gradual action, gradual practice, not a sudden penetration of final knowledge; this, monks, is the first wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline.

"Just as, monks, the great ocean is stable in nature and does not overflow its boundaries; so too, monks, whatever training rule has been laid down by me for disciples, my disciples do not transgress it even for the sake of their life. Since, monks, whatever training rule has been laid down by me for disciples, my disciples do not transgress it even for the sake of their life; this, monks, is the second wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline.

"Just as, monks, the great ocean does not associate with a dead corpse; whatever dead corpse there is in the great ocean, it quickly carries it to the shore, pushes it onto dry land; so too, monks, whatever person is immoral, of bad character, impure, of suspicious conduct, of concealed actions, not a recluse though claiming to be a recluse, not a practitioner of the holy life though claiming to be a practitioner of the holy life, rotten inside, filled with desire, rubbish-born, the Community does not associate with him; then quickly having assembled together, it suspends him. Even though he may be sitting in the midst of the community of monks, yet he is far from the Community and the Community from him. Since, monks, whatever person is immoral, of bad character, impure, of suspicious conduct, of concealed actions, not a recluse though claiming to be a recluse, not a practitioner of the holy life though claiming to be a practitioner of the holy life, rotten inside, filled with desire, rubbish-born, the Community does not associate with him; quickly having assembled together, it suspends him. Even though he may be sitting in the midst of the community of monks, yet he is far from the Community and the Community from him; this, monks, is the third wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline.

"Just as, monks, whatever great rivers there are, as follows - the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, the Mahī, having reached the great ocean, they give up their former names and clans, they go by the term 'great ocean'; so too, monks, the four castes - nobles, brahmins, merchants, and workers, having gone forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder, they give up their former names and clans, and go by the term 'ascetics, disciples of the Sakyan'. Since, monks, the four castes - nobles, brahmins, merchants, and workers, having gone forth from home into homelessness in the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder, they give up their former names and clans, and go by the term 'ascetics, disciples of the Sakyan'; this, monks, is the fourth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline.

"Just as, monks, whatever streams in the world flow into the great ocean and whatever showers of rain fall from the sky, by that neither deficiency nor fullness of the great ocean is discerned; so too, monks, even if many monks attain final Nibbāna through the Nibbāna element without residue of clinging, no deficiency or fullness of the Nibbāna element is discerned by that. Since, monks, even if many monks attain final Nibbāna through the Nibbāna element without residue of clinging, no deficiency or fullness of the Nibbāna element is discerned by that; this, monks, is the fifth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline.

"Just as, monks, the great ocean has one flavour, the flavour of salt; so too, monks, this Teaching and discipline has one flavour, the flavour of liberation. Since, monks, this Teaching and discipline has one flavour, the flavour of liberation; this, monks, is the sixth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline.

"Just as, monks, the great ocean has many jewels, various jewels, there are these jewels, as follows - pearls, gems, lapis lazuli, conch shells, stones, coral, silver, gold, rubies, and cat's eye gems; so too, monks, this Teaching and discipline has many jewels, various jewels; there are these jewels, as follows - the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right strivings, the four bases for spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path. Since, monks, this Teaching and discipline has many jewels, various jewels, there are these jewels, as follows - the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right strivings, the four bases for spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path; this, monks, is the seventh wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline.

"Just as, monks, the great ocean is the residence of great beings, there are these beings - the timi, the timiṅgala, the timitimiṅgala, titans, serpents, and gandhabbas; there are in the great ocean bodies one hundred yojanas in size, bodies two hundred yojanas in size, bodies three hundred yojanas in size, bodies four hundred yojanas in size, bodies five hundred yojanas in size; so too, monks, this Teaching and discipline is the residence of great beings; there are these beings - a stream-enterer, one practising for the realisation of the fruition of stream-entry; a once-returner, one practising for the realisation of the fruition of once-returning; a non-returner, one practising for the realisation of the fruition of non-returning; a Worthy One, one practising for arahantship. Since, monks, this Teaching and discipline is the residence of great beings, there are these beings - a stream-enterer, one practising for the realisation of the fruition of stream-entry; a once-returner, one practising for the realisation of the fruition of once-returning; a non-returner, one practising for the realisation of the fruition of non-returning; a Worthy One, one practising for arahantship; this, monks, is the eighth wonderful and marvellous phenomenon in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline. These, monks, are the eight wonderful and marvellous phenomena in this Teaching and discipline, seeing which again and again monks delight in this Teaching and discipline."

Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, at that time uttered this inspired utterance -