7. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Vultures’ Peak. Then the wanderer Sutavā approached the Blessed One, and have approached, exchanged friendly greetings with him. Have engaged in polite conversation he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, the wanderer Sutavā said to the Blessed One:–

“At one time, venerable sir, the Blessed One was dwelling here at the mountain fort of Rājagaha. Then, venerable sir, I learned from the mouth of Blessed One: “Whatever monk, Sutavā, is an Arahant who has destroyed the outflows, lived the holy life, done what should be done, put down [370] the burden, attained the goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and is liberated by perfect knowledge, cannot possibly do five things — it is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to intentionally deprive a living being of life, to take by theft what is not given, to engage in sexual intercourse, to tell a deliberate lie, to store up anything to partake of sensual pleasures as he did formerly as a householder. Did I, venerable sir, hear that correctly from the Blessed One, understand it correctly, attend to it and remember it well?”

“Surely, Sutavā, you did hear that correctly, understand it correctly, attend to it and remember it well. Formerly, Sutavā, I declared thus: “Whatever monk is an Arahant who has destroyed the outflows, lived the holy life, done what should be done, put down the burden, attained the goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and is liberated by perfect knowledge, cannot possibly do nine things:–

It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to intentionally deprive a living being of life.
It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to take by theft what is not given,
It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to engage in sexual intercourse
It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to tell a deliberate lie.
It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to store up anything to partake of sensual pleasures as he did formerly as a householder.
It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to take a wrong course through desire.¹
It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to take a wrong course through ill-will.
It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to take a wrong course through delusion.
It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to take a wrong course through fear.

[371] Formerly, Sutavā, I declared thus: “Whatever monk is an Arahant who has destroyed the outflows, lived the holy life, done what should be done, put down the burden, attained the goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and is liberated by perfect knowledge, cannot possibly do these nine things.”

Abscess

(A.iv.386)

15. “It is if, monks, there was an abscess many years old. It has nine wounds, nine openings.² Whatever flows out from them is impure, foul-smelling, and detestable — whatever is produced by them is impure, foul-smelling, and detestable.

“Abscess, monks, is a metaphor for this body consisting of the four elements, originating from a mother and father, dependent on rice and gruel, subject to impermanence, rubbing and abrasion, to breaking up and destruction. That abscess has nine wounds, nine openings. Whatever flows out from them is impure, foul-smelling, and detestable [387] — whatever is produced by them is impure, foul-smelling, and detestable. Therefore, monks, become dispassionate towards this body.”

Approaching Families

(A.iv.387)

17. “Endowed with these nine factors, monks, a family is not worth approaching, or having approached is not worth sitting with. What nine?

They do not rise from their seat in a pleasing way.
They do not pay homage in a pleasing way.³
They do not offer a seat in a pleasing way.
They conceal what they have.
Though they have much, they give little.
Though they have superior things, they give poor quality things.
They offer without respect, not respectfully.
They do not sit nearby to listen to the Dhamma.
They do not listen attentively to what is said.

“Endowed with these nine factors, monks, a family is not worth approaching, or having approached is not worth sitting with.

“Endowed with these nine factors, monks, a family is worth approaching, or having approached is worth sitting with. What nine?

They rise from their seat in a pleasing way.
They pay homage in a pleasing way.
They offer a seat in a pleasing way.
They reveal what they have.
When they have much, [388] they give much.
When they have superior things, they give superior things.
They offer respectfully, not disrespectfully.
They sit nearby to listen to the Dhamma.
They listen attentively to what is said.

“Endowed with these nine factors, monks, a family is worth approaching, or having approached is worth sitting with.” ⁴

A Discourse About Velāma

(A.iv.392)

20. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Prince Jeta’s grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One, and having approached he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down at one side. As Anāthapiṇḍika the householder was sitting at one side the Blessed One said to him: “Is alms given in your family, householder?”⁵

“Alms is given in our family, venerable sir; however, it is only coarse broken rice and sour gruel.”

“If, householder, one gives coarse alms or excellent,⁶ if one gives disrespectfully, inattentively, not with one’s own hand, as something discarded, not believing in future results, wherever that giving bears fruit, one’s mind does not incline towards the enjoyment of excellent food, excellent clothing, excellent vehicles, one’s mind does not incline towards the enjoyment of the most refined five types of sensual pleasures. Also [393] one’s wife and children, one’s slaves, servants, and workers do not listen, pay attention, nor apply their minds to understand. What is the reason? Because, householder, that is the result of kamma done disrespectfully.

“If, householder, one gives coarse alms or excellent, if one gives respectfully, attentively, with one’s own hand, as something not discarded, believing in future results, wherever that giving bears fruit, one’s mind inclines towards the enjoyment of excellent food, excellent clothing, excellent vehicles, one’s mind inclines towards the enjoyment of the most refined five types of sensual pleasures. Also one’s wife and children, one’s slaves, servants, and workers listen, pay attention, and apply their minds to understand. What is the reason? Because, householder, that is the result of kamma done respectfully.

“At one time, householder, there was a brahmin called Velāma. He gave this kind of great alms-giving: 84,000 gold bowls filled with silver, 84,000 silver bowls filled with gold, 84,000 bronze bowls filled with gold coins, 84,000 elephants adorned with golden ornaments, golden banners, and covered in golden nets, 84,000 chariots upholstered with lion skins, tiger skins, leopard skins, blankets dyed with saffron, with golden ornaments, golden banners, and covered in golden nets, 84,000 milk cows with tethers of women jute and bronze pails, 84,000 maidens adorned with gold earrings, 84,000 couches [794] spread with long fleeces, woollen blankets, upholstered with antelope hide, with canopies and red bolster at each end, 84,000 sets of clothes made from delicate linen, silk, wool, and cotton. What more need be said regarding hard and soft food, and things to be licked and drunk, that flowed like rivers?

“You might think, householder: ‘The brahmin Velāma was someone else who gave that great alms-giving.’ However, it should not, householder, be regarded thus. I was the brahmin Velāma on that occasion.⁷ However, on that occasion, householder, there was not one person worthy of offerings, no one to purify the gift.

“That great alms-giving given by the brahmin Velāma is not of such great fruit as feeding one person attained to right-view.⁸ Feeding a hundred attained to right-view is not of such great fruit as feeding a Once-returner. Feeding one hundred Once-returners is not of such great fruit as feeding a Non-returner. Feeding one hundred Non-returners is not of such great fruit as feeding an Arahant. Feeding one hundred Arahants is not of such great fruit as feeding a Solitary Buddha. [395] Feeding one hundred Solitary Buddhas is not of such great fruit as feeding the Tathāgata, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened Buddha … feeding the community of monks with the Buddha at its head … erecting a dwelling place for the community from the four directions … going for refuge with faith to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha ⁹ … undertaking with faith the five precepts — to abstain from killing living beings, to abstain from taking what is not given, to abstain from sexual misconduct, to abstain for telling lies, to abstain from taking intoxicants that cause heedlessness — is not of such great fruit as developing a mind of loving-kindness for the time it takes to pull a cow’s udder.

“Householder, feeding one attained to right-view is of greater fruit than that great alms-giving of the brahmin Velāma … developing loving-kindness for the time it takes to pull a cow’s udder is of greater fruit than undertaking with faith the five precepts. Developing the perception of impermanence even for a finger-snap [396] is of greater fruit than developing loving-kindness for the time it takes to pull a cow’s udder.”

Rooted in Craving

(A.iv.400)

23. “Monks, I will teach you about the nine things rooted in craving (taṇhā), please listen. And what, monks, are the nine things rooted in craving?

Dependent on craving, there is seeking (pariyesanā),
Dependent on seeking, there is gaining (lābho),
Dependent on gaining, there is discrimination (vinicchayo),¹⁰
Dependent on discrimination, there is desire and lust (chandarāgo),
Dependent on desire and lust, there is attachment (ajjhosānaṃ),
Dependent on attachment, there is grasping (pariggaho),¹¹
Dependent on grasping, there is meanness (macchariyaṃ),
Dependent on meanness there is guarding (ārakkho),
For the sake of guarding, there is the taking up of sticks (daṇḍādānaṃ), the taking up of weapons (satthādānaṃ), quarrels (kalaha), disputes (viggaha), contention (vivāda), strife (tuvaṃtuvaṃ), slander (pesuñña), false-speech (musāvādā), and various evil unwholesome things come into existence.¹²

“These, monks, are the nine things rooted in craving.”

Grounds for Resentment

(A.iv.408)

29. “Monks, there are these nine grounds for resentment. What nine? [Thinking] ‘He acted for my harm,’ he bears resentment; ‘He is acting for my harm,’ he bears resentment; ‘He will act for my harm,’ he bears resentment; ‘He acted for the harm of someone dear and pleasing to me,’ he bears resentment; ‘He is acting for the harm of someone dear and pleasing to me,’ he bears resentment; ‘He will act for the harm of someone dear and pleasing to me,’ he bears resentment; ‘He acted for benefit of someone unloved and displeasing to me,’ he bears resentment; ‘He is acting for the benefit of someone unloved and displeasing to me,’ he bears resentment; ‘He will act for the benefit of someone unloved and displeasing to me,’ he bears resentment. Monks, there are these nine grounds for resentment.”

The Possible and the Impossible

(A.iv.456)

62. “Monks, without having abandoned these nine states it impossible to realise Arahantship. What nine? Lust (rāgaṃ), ill-will (dosaṃ),¹³ delusion (mohaṃ), anger (kodhaṃ), malice (upanāhaṃ),¹⁴ ingratitude (makkhaṃ), arrogance (paḷāsaṃ), envy (issaṃ), and meanness (macchariyaṃ). Without having abandoned these nine states, monks, it is impossible to realise Arahantship.

“Monks, having abandoned these nine states it is possible to realise Arahantship. What nine? Lust, ill-will, delusion, anger, malice, ingratitude, arrogance, envy, and meanness. Having abandoned these nine states, monks, it is possible to realise Arahantship.

Weaknesses in the Training

(A.iv.457)

63. “Monks, these are the five weaknesses in the training. What five? Killing living beings, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, telling lies, drinking fermented and distilled liquors that cause heedlessness. These, monks, are the five weaknesses in the training.

“To abandon these five weaknesses, monks, the four foundations of mindfulness should be developed. What four? Here, monks, a monk contemplates the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having abandoned covetousness and grief concerning the world. Here, monks, a monk contemplates feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having abandoned covetousness and grief concerning the world. Here, monks, a monk contemplates thoughts in thoughts, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having abandoned covetousness and grief concerning the world. Here, monks, a monk contemplates mental states in mental states, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having abandoned covetousness and grief concerning the world. To abandon these five weaknesses, monks, the four foundations of mindfulness should be developed.”

The Hindrances

(A.iv.457)

64. “Monks, these are the five hindrances. What five? The hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill-will,¹³ the hindrance of sloth and torpor, [458] the hindrances of restlessness, the hindrance of doubt. These, monks, are the five hindrances.

“To abandon these five hindrances, monks, the four foundations of mindfulness should be developed. What four? Here, monks, a monk contemplates the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having abandoned covetousness and grief concerning the world. Here, monks, a monk contemplates feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having abandoned covetousness and grief concerning the world. Here, monks, a monk contemplates thoughts in thoughts, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having abandoned covetousness and grief concerning the world. Here, monks, a monk contemplates mental states in mental states, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having abandoned covetousness and grief concerning the world. To abandon these five hindrances, monks, the four foundations of mindfulness should be developed.”

The Strands of Sensual Pleasure

(A.iv.458)

65. “Monks, there are these five strands of sensual pleasure. What five? Sights cognisable by the eye, agreeable, desirable, enjoyable, pleasing, connected with sensuality, and enticing. Sounds cognisable by the ear … Odours cognisable by the nose … Tastes cognisable by the tongue … Contacts cognisable by the body … These, monks, are the five strands of sensual pleasure. To abandon these five strands of sensual pleasure, the four foundations of mindfulness should be developed.

Notes:

1. The following discourse — the Sajjha Suttaṃ — has four different items here: 6) It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to abandon the Buddha, 7) It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to abandon the Dhamma, 8) It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to abandon the Saṅgha, 9) It is impossible for a monk who has destroyed the outflows to abandon the training.

Bhikkhu Bodhi follows the Sinhala Script edition of the text, giving these four in the Sutavā Suttaṃ and the four about taking a wrong course through desire, ill-will, delusion, or fear, in the following Sajjha Suttaṃ. The Burmese and Roman editions of the Pāḷi text both follow the order given. Ajahn Thanissaro also follows the Burmese Script edition of the Sutavā Suttaṃ.

2. “This filthy body stinks outright, Like ordure, like a privy’s site;
This body men that have insight, Condemn, as object of a fool’s delight.
“A tumour where nine holes abide, Wrapped in a coat of clammy hide,
And trickling filth on every side, Polluting the air with stenches far and wide.” (Vism.196).

3. The way of paying homage varies according to culture, but not everyone knows their own culture. Children need to be shown how to pay homage and offer alms respectfully. The traditional way to greet a monk is by raising the hands in front of one’s chest, held together in añjali. Paying homage uses the five-fold prostration – the forehead, the palms, and the knees are placed on the ground; bowing three times to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha.

4. The Devatā Suttaṃ (A.iv.390), relates how different groups of deities visited the Blessed One at the Jeta Grove during the night and expressed their regret at not having fulfilling their duties when monks approached their homes for alms. They were therefore reborn as inferior deities. Those who fulfilled their duties were reborn as superior deities.

5. The Buddha knew that the family of Anāthapiṇḍika offered almsfood regularly. The Buddha also knew that he was unhappy because he was only able to offer poor quality alms due to having spent most of his great wealth in giving alms. The Buddha asked as a prelude to teaching him about the benefits of giving alms regardless of the value of the gift. The story regarding Anāthapiṇḍika’s poverty is told in the Khadiraṅgāra Jātaka.

6. The Commentary notes that many in the world take pride in giving, so Anāthapiṇḍika was unhappy to give only poor quality alms. Worldly values should be given up. Monks are trained to be content with any kind of alms. If they eat too much rich food they will become sick. If they own luxurious goods they will be attacked by robbers. Even if left-overs are offered, if it is done respectfully, attentively, with one’s own hand, not as if discarding something, then the gift is of great fruit. A well-trained monk will be pleased at getting something that would otherwise would only have gone to waste. Of course, the food should not be rotten, but if it is just cut or bruised, it is still good to eat and delicious.

7. There are several discourses in which the Buddha identified himself with a person from a previous life. In the Ghaṭikāra Sutta he was also a Brahmin.

8. This progressive list of the merits of giving depending on the spiritual maturity of the recipient is also given in the Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅga Sutta of the Majjhimanikāya to Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī when she wished to donate a hand-made robe to the Buddha. He urged her to give it to the Saṅgha.

9. The Kūṭadanta Sutta of the Dīghanikāya gives a similar list of sacrifices, each greater than the preceding sacrifice. It continues with going-forth, attaining the absorptions, and culminates in the attainment of Arahantship, which is a sacrifice of greater benefit than any other.

10. Deciding “This is mine, not anyone else’s.”

11. PTS dictionary: Wrapping round, enclosing, taking up, seizing on, acquiring, acquisition, also in bad sense of grasping.

12. In brief, all suffering in the world has its roots in craving for sensual pleasures, attachment to views and opinions, and grasping onto things with the idea that they are one’s own. These all refer to the ignoble quest for material things. The Noble Quest for enlightenment, i.e. the desire to be completely liberated from the fetters of craving, sensual desire, lust, and attachment is the root of all wholesome and profitable things.

13. Bhikkhu Bodhi translates “dosa” as hatred.

14. Bhikkhu Bodhi translates “upahāna” as hostility. Please refer to the Venerable Mahāsi Sayādaw’s Discourse on the Sallekha Sutta for a description of anger (kodha), malice (upanāha), ingratitude (makkha), arrogance (palāsa), envy (issā), and meanness (macchariya).