10.
The Shorter Discourse on the Full-Moon Night
91.
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 fifteenth, on the full moon night of the full moon, the Blessed One was seated in the open air surrounded by the Community of monks.
Then the Blessed One, having surveyed the Community of monks who were silent, completely silent, addressed the monks -
"Would, monks, a bad person know a bad person -
'This person is a bad person'?"
"No, Venerable Sir."
"Good, monks;
this is impossible, monks, there is no chance that a bad person would know a bad person -
'This person is a bad person.'
But would, monks, a bad person know a good person -
'This person is a good person'?"
"No, Venerable Sir."
"Good, monks;
this too, monks, is impossible, there is no chance that a bad person would know a good person -
'This person is a good person.'
A bad person, monks, is possessed of bad qualities, has devotion to bad persons, thinks like a bad person, counsels like a bad person, speaks like a bad person, acts like a bad person, has the view of a bad person;
he gives a gift like a bad person."
"And how, monks, is a bad person possessed of bad qualities? Here, monks, a bad person is faithless, is shameless, has no moral fear, is of little learning, is lazy, is unmindful, is unwise. Thus, monks, a bad person is possessed of bad qualities.
"And how, monks, does a bad person have devotion to bad persons? Here, monks, whatever ascetics and brahmins are faithless, shameless, without moral fear, of little learning, lazy, unmindful, unwise - they become his friends, they become his companions. Thus, monks, a bad person has devotion to bad persons.
"And how, monks, does a bad person think like a bad person? Here, monks, a bad person intends for his own affliction, intends for the affliction of others, intends for the affliction of both. Thus, monks, a bad person thinks like a bad person.
"And how, monks, does a bad person counsel like a bad person? Here, monks, a bad person counsels for his own affliction, counsels for the affliction of others, counsels for the affliction of both. Thus, monks, a bad person counsels like a bad person.
"And how, monks, is a bad person one of bad person's speech? Here, monks, a bad person is a liar, speaks divisive speech, speaks harsh speech, engages in idle chatter. Thus, monks, a bad person is one of bad person's speech.
"And how, monks, is a bad person one of bad person's action? Here, monks, a bad person is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct. Thus, monks, a bad person is one of bad person's action.
"And how, monks, is a bad person one of bad person's view? Here, monks, a bad person holds such a view: 'There is not what is given, there is not what is sacrificed, there is not what is offered, there is no result and consequence of good and bad actions, there is not this world, there is not the other world, there is not mother, there is not father, there are no spontaneously reborn beings, there are not in the world ascetics and brahmins who have gone the right way, who have rightly practised, who proclaim this world and the other world, having realised them by direct knowledge themselves.' Thus, monks, a bad person is one of bad person's view.
"And how, monks, does a bad person give a bad person's gift? Here, monks, a bad person gives a gift inattentively, gives a gift not with his own hand, gives a gift without respect, gives a gift as if throwing it away, gives a gift without view of future result. Thus, monks, a bad person gives a bad person's gift.
"That bad person, monks, thus possessed of bad qualities, thus devoted to bad persons, thus thinking like a bad person, thus counselling like a bad person, thus speaking like a bad person, thus acting like a bad person, thus holding the view of a bad person; having thus given a bad person's gift, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in whatever destination bad persons have. And what, monks, is the destination of bad persons? Hell or the animal realm.
92.
"Would, monks, a good person know a good person -
'This person is a good person'?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Good, monks;
there is this possibility, monks, that a good person would know a good person -
'This person is a good person.'
But would, monks, a good person know a bad person -
'This person is a bad person'?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"Good, monks;
this too indeed, monks, is a possibility that a good person would know a bad person -
'This person is a bad person.'
A good person, monks, is endowed with the Good Teaching, has devotion to good persons, thinks like a good person, counsels like a good person, speaks like a good person, acts like a good person, has the view of a good person;
he gives a good person's gift."
"And how, monks, is a good person endowed with the Good Teaching? Here, monks, a good person has faith, has shame, has moral fear, is very learned, is putting forth strenuous energy, is mindful, is wise. Thus, monks, a good person is endowed with the Good Teaching.
"And how, monks, does a good person have devotion to good persons? Here, monks, whatever ascetics and brahmins have faith, have shame, have moral fear, are very learned, are putting forth strenuous energy, are mindful, are wise - they become his friends, they become his companions. Thus, monks, a good person has devotion to good persons.
"And how, monks, does a good person think like a good person? Here, monks, a good person does not intend for affliction of himself, does not intend for affliction of others, does not intend for affliction of both. Thus, monks, a good person thinks like a good person.
"And how, monks, does a good person counsel like a good person? Here, monks, a good person does not counsel for affliction of himself, does not counsel for affliction of others, does not counsel for affliction of both. Thus, monks, a good person counsels like a good person.
"And how, monks, does a good person speak like a good person? Here, monks, a good person abstains from lying, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter. Thus, monks, a good person speaks like a good person.
"And how, monks, does a good person have a good person's action? Here, monks, a good person abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct. Thus, monks, a good person has a good person's action.
"And how, monks, does a good person have a good person's view? Here, monks, a good person holds such a view: 'There is what is given, there is what is sacrificed, there is what is offered, there is result and consequence of good and bad actions, there is this world, there is the other world, there is mother, there is father, there are spontaneously reborn beings, there are in the world ascetics and brahmins who have gone the right way, who have rightly practised, who proclaim this world and the other world, having realised them by direct knowledge themselves.' Thus, monks, a good person has a good person's view.
"And how, monks, does a good person give a good person's gift? Here, monks, a good person gives a gift attentively, gives a gift with his own hand, gives a gift with respect, gives a gift not as if throwing it away, gives a gift with view of future result. Thus, monks, a good person gives a good person's gift.
"That good person, monks, thus endowed with the Good Teaching, thus having a good person's devotion, thus having a good person's thinking, thus having a good person's counsel, thus having a good person's speech, thus having a good person's action, thus having a good person's view; having thus given a good person's gift, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in whatever destination good persons have. And what, monks, is the destination of good persons? Greatness among gods or greatness among humans."
This is what the Blessed One said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Shorter Discourse on the Full Moon Night is concluded as tenth.