4.
The Discourse to Ajita
116.
Then the wandering ascetic Ajita approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Ajita said this to the Blessed One -
"We have, Master Gotama, a fellow in the holy life named Paṇḍita. By him about five hundred mental states have been devised, by which the heterodox know they have been defeated."
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Do you remember, monks, the cases of the wise person?" "This is the time, Blessed One, this is the time, Fortunate One, for the Blessed One to speak; 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:
"Here, monks, a certain one by an unrighteous argument restrains and crushes an unrighteous argument, and thereby pleases an unrighteous assembly. Because of that, that unrighteous assembly becomes loud with great noise - 'A wise person indeed, sir, a wise person indeed, sir.'
"Here again, monks, a certain one by an unrighteous argument restrains and crushes a righteous argument, and thereby pleases an unrighteous assembly. Because of that, that unrighteous assembly becomes loud with great noise - 'A wise person indeed, sir, a wise person indeed, sir.'
"Here again, monks, a certain one by an unrighteous argument restrains and crushes both a righteous argument and an unrighteous argument, and thereby pleases an unrighteous assembly. Because of that, that unrighteous assembly becomes loud with great noise - 'A wise person indeed, sir, a wise person indeed, sir.'
"What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known, and the Teaching; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having understood what is not the Teaching and the Teaching, having understood what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should proceed according to the Teaching, according to what is beneficial.
"And what, monks, is not the Teaching, and what is the Teaching, and what is harmful, and what is beneficial? Wrong view, monks, is not the Teaching; right view is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with wrong view as condition, this is harmful; and with right view as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
"Wrong thought, monks, is not the Teaching; right thought is the Teaching. Wrong speech, monks, is not the Teaching; right speech is the Teaching. Wrong action, monks, is not the Teaching; right action is the Teaching. Wrong livelihood, monks, is not the Teaching; right livelihood is the Teaching. Wrong effort, monks, is not the Teaching; right effort is the Teaching. Wrong mindfulness, monks, is not the Teaching; right mindfulness is the Teaching. Wrong concentration, monks, is not the Teaching; right concentration is the Teaching. Wrong knowledge, monks, is not the Teaching; right knowledge is the Teaching.
"Wrong liberation, monks, is not the Teaching; right liberation is the Teaching; and whatever many evil unwholesome mental states come to be with wrong liberation as condition, this is harmful; and with right liberation as condition, many wholesome mental states go to fulfilment through development, this is beneficial.
'What is not the Teaching, monks, should be known, and the Teaching; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having understood what is not the Teaching and the Teaching, having understood what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should proceed according to the Teaching, according to what is beneficial' - thus what was said, this was said dependent on that." The fourth.