2.
The Second Discourse on Ugga
22.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Vajjis at Hatthigāma.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Monks, remember Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, as one possessed of eight wonderful and marvellous qualities."
This is what the Blessed One said.
Having said this, the Fortunate One rose from his seat and entered the dwelling.
Then a certain monk, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, approached the dwelling of Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Then Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, approached that monk; having approached, he paid respect to that monk and sat down to one side. To Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, seated to one side, that monk said this: "You, householder, have been declared by the Blessed One as one possessed of eight wonderful and marvellous qualities. What are those eight wonderful and marvellous qualities, householder, with which you are endowed, declared by the Blessed One?"
"I do not know, venerable sir, with which eight wonderful and marvellous qualities I have been declared by the Blessed One as endowed. But, venerable sir, whatever eight wonderful and marvellous qualities are found in me, listen to that, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, householder," that monk assented to Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma. Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, said this: "When I, venerable sir, while wandering in the elephant forest, first saw the Blessed One from afar; with the very seeing of the Blessed One, venerable sir, my mind became confident, and the intoxication from liquor was abandoned. This, venerable sir, is the first wonderful and marvellous quality found in me.
"So I, venerable sir, with a confident mind, attended on the Blessed One. The Blessed One gave me a progressive discourse, as follows: a talk on giving, a talk on morality, a talk on heaven; he made known the danger, degradation, and defilement of sensual pleasures, and the benefit of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that I was of pliant mind, of tender mind, of mind free from hindrances, of elated mind, of confident mind, then he made known that proclamation of the Teaching which the Buddhas have themselves discovered: suffering, origin, cessation, path. Just as a pure cloth, free from stains, would properly receive dye; even so, in me, in that very seat, the stainless, spotless eye of the Teaching arose: "Whatever has the nature of arising, all that has the nature of cessation." So I, venerable sir, having seen the Teaching, having attained the Teaching, having understood the Teaching, having penetrated the Teaching, having crossed over doubt, having gone beyond uncertainty, having attained self-confidence, not relying on others in the Teacher's instruction, right there went for refuge to the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community, and undertook the five training rules with celibacy as the fifth. This, venerable sir, is the second wonderful and marvellous quality found in me.
"I had, venerable sir, four young wives. Then I, venerable sir, approached those wives; having approached, I said this to those wives - 'By me, sisters, the training rules with the holy life as the fifth have been undertaken. Whichever of you wishes, let her enjoy the wealth right here and make merit, or let her go to her own family of relatives. Or if there is a desire for a man, to whom shall I give you?' When this was said, venerable sir, the eldest wife said this to me - 'Give me, master's son, to such and such a man.' Then I, venerable sir, having summoned that man, having taken my wife with my left hand, having taken a water pitcher with my right hand, I presented her to that man. But while giving up my young wife, venerable sir, I do not know of any alteration of my mind. This, venerable sir, is my third wonderful and marvellous quality that exists.
"There is indeed wealth in my family, venerable sir. And that is undivided with those who are moral and of good character. This, venerable sir, is my fourth wonderful and marvellous quality that exists.
"Whatever monk I attend upon, venerable sir; I attend upon attentively only, not inattentively. If that venerable one expounds to me the Teaching; I listen attentively only, not inattentively. If that venerable one does not expound to me the Teaching, I teach him the Teaching. This, venerable sir, is my fifth wonderful and marvellous quality that exists.
"It is not wonderful, venerable sir, that when the Community is invited, deities having approached announce - 'Such and such a monk, householder, is liberated in both ways, such and such is liberated by wisdom, such and such is a body-witness, such and such is one attained to right view, such and such is liberated by faith, such and such is a follower of the Teaching, such and such is a faith-follower, such and such is moral and of good character, such and such is immoral and of bad character.' But while serving the Community, venerable sir, I do not know of producing such a thought - 'To this one I give little, to this one I give much.' Rather, venerable sir, I give with an even mind. This, venerable sir, is my sixth wonderful and marvellous quality that exists.
"It is not wonderful, venerable sir, that deities having approached me announce - 'Well proclaimed, householder, is the Teaching by the Blessed One.' When this was said, I, venerable sir, say this to those deities - 'Whether you deities would say thus or would not say thus, yet the Teaching is well proclaimed by the Blessed One.' But I do not know, venerable sir, of any elation of mind on that account - 'Deities approach me, or I converse with deities.' This, venerable sir, is my seventh wonderful and marvellous quality that exists.
"And if I, venerable sir, were to die before the Blessed One, it would not be wonderful if the Blessed One were to declare thus of me - 'There is no mental fetter by which the householder Ugga of Hatthigāma, being fettered, would come back again to this world.' This, venerable sir, is my eighth wonderful and marvellous quality that exists. These, venerable sir, are my eight wonderful and marvellous qualities that exist. But I do not know - with which eight wonderful and marvellous qualities I am possessed that I have been declared by the Blessed One."
Then that monk, having received almsfood at the dwelling of Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, rose from his seat and departed. Then that monk, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, that monk reported to the Blessed One all the friendly conversation he had with Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma.
"Good, good, monk! As Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, answering rightly would answer, monk, Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, was declared by me as possessed of these very eight wonderful and marvellous qualities. And further, monk, remember Ugga, the householder of Hatthigāma, as possessed of these eight wonderful and marvellous qualities." The second.