7.
The Son Discourse
87.
"Monks, there are these four persons existing and found in the world.
Which four?
The unshakeable ascetic, the white lotus ascetic, the lotus ascetic, the delicate ascetic among ascetics.
"And how, monks, is a person an unshakeable ascetic? Here, monks, a monk is a learner, one who practises; he dwells aspiring for the unsurpassed freedom from bondage. Just as, monks, the eldest son of a head-anointed king of the ruling caste, is fit for consecration, unconsecrated, having attained stability; so too, monks, a monk is a learner, one who practises, dwelling aspiring for the unsurpassed freedom from bondage. Thus, monks, a person is an unshakeable ascetic.
"And how, monks, is a person a white lotus ascetic? Here, monks, a monk, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions, but he does not dwell having touched the eight deliverances with the body. Thus, monks, a person is a white lotus ascetic.
"And how, monks, is a person a lotus ascetic? Here, monks, a monk, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions, and he dwells having touched the eight deliverances with the body. Thus, monks, a person is a lotus ascetic.
"And how, monks, is a person a delicate ascetic among ascetics? Here, monks, a monk mostly uses robes that are requested, little that is unrequested; he mostly uses almsfood that is requested, little that is unrequested; he mostly uses lodging that is requested, little that is unrequested; he mostly uses requisites of medicines for the sick that are requested, little that is unrequested. Those fellows in the holy life with whom he dwells, they mostly behave towards him with agreeable bodily action, little with disagreeable; they mostly behave towards him with agreeable verbal action, little with disagreeable; they mostly behave towards him with agreeable mental action, little with disagreeable; they mostly offer him agreeable offerings, little that is disagreeable. Whatever feelings there are - those originating from bile, or those originating from phlegm, or those originating from wind, or those resulting from the combination of humours, or those born of change of season, or those born of irregular care, or those caused by assault, or those born of the result of action - those do not arise much for him. He is free from illness. He is one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, the four meditative absorptions pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant abidings in the present life; with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions. Thus, monks, a person is a delicate ascetic among ascetics.
"If anyone, monks, speaking rightly would say 'the delicate ascetic among ascetics', it is of me indeed, monks, that one speaking rightly would say 'the delicate ascetic among ascetics'. For I, monks, mostly use robes that are requested, little that is unrequested; I mostly use almsfood that is requested, little that is unrequested; I mostly use lodging that is requested, little that is unrequested; I mostly use requisites of medicines for the sick that are requested, little that is unrequested. Those monks with whom I dwell, they mostly behave towards me with agreeable bodily action, little with disagreeable; they mostly behave towards him with agreeable verbal action, little with disagreeable; they mostly behave towards him with agreeable mental action, little with disagreeable; they mostly offer him agreeable offerings, little that is disagreeable. Whatever feelings there are - those originating from bile, or those originating from phlegm, or those originating from wind, or those resulting from the combination of humours, or those born of change of season, or those born of irregular care, or those caused by assault, or those born of the result of action - those do not arise much for me. I am free from illness. I am one who obtains at will, obtains without difficulty, obtains without trouble, the four meditative absorptions pertaining to the higher mind, which are pleasant abidings in the present life; with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge myself, having attained, I dwell in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.
"If anyone, monks, speaking rightly would say 'the delicate ascetic among ascetics', it is of me indeed, monks, that one speaking rightly would say 'the delicate ascetic among ascetics'. These, monks, are the four persons existing and found in the world." The seventh.