10.
The Second Discourse on the Shopkeeper
20.
"Monks, a shopkeeper endowed with three factors soon achieves greatness and abundance of wealth.
With which three?
Here, monks, a shopkeeper is endowed with good eyesight and is one who bears responsibility and is accomplished in support.
And how, monks, is a shopkeeper endowed with eyes?
Here, monks, a shopkeeper knows the merchandise -
'This merchandise, thus bought, thus being sold, will have this much capital, this much profit.'
Thus, monks, a shopkeeper is endowed with eyes.
"And how, monks, is a shopkeeper one who bears responsibility? Here, monks, a shopkeeper is skilled in buying and selling merchandise. Thus, monks, a shopkeeper is one who bears responsibility.
"And how, monks, is a shopkeeper accomplished in support? Here, monks, those householders or householders' sons who are wealthy, of great riches, of great possessions, they know the shopkeeper thus - 'This venerable shopkeeper is endowed with eyes and bears responsibility and is competent to support his children and wife, and to give to us from time to time.' They approach him with wealth - 'From this, my dear shopkeeper, having made wealth, support your children and wife, and give to us from time to time.' Thus, monks, a shopkeeper is accomplished in support. Monks, a shopkeeper endowed with these three factors soon achieves greatness and abundance of wealth.
"So too, monks, a monk endowed with three qualities soon achieves greatness and abundance of wholesome qualities. With which three? Here, monks, a monk is endowed with eyes and is one who bears responsibility and is accomplished in support. And how, monks, is a monk endowed with eyes? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is: 'This is suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with good eyesight.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who bears responsibility? Here, monks, a monk dwells putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states. Thus, monks, a monk is one who bears responsibility.
"And how, monks, is a monk accomplished in support? Here, monks, a monk approaches from time to time those monks who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices, and questions, inquires - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?' Those venerable ones open up what is not opened up for him, make clear what is not made clear, and dispel doubt regarding the various phenomena that are grounds for doubt. Thus, monks, a monk is accomplished in support. Monks, a monk endowed with these three qualities soon achieves greatness and abundance of wholesome qualities." The tenth.