Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

four stages of the noble eightfold path, the righteous, the upright, the just, the law-abiding — [94] believing this church of the Exalted One to be worthy of honour, of hospitality, of gifts, and of reverence ; to be the supreme sowing ground of merit for the world ; to be possessed of the virtues beloved by the good, virtues unbroken, intact, unspotted, unblemished, virtues which make men truly free, virtues which are praised by the wise, are untarnished by the desire of future life or by the belief in the efficacy of outward acts, and are conducive to concentration of heart 1.

' This, Ananda, is the way, the Mirror of Truth, which if a disciple of the noble ones possess he may, if he should so desire, himself predict of himself : — " Purgatory is destroyed for me ; and rebirth as an animal, or a ghost, or in any place of woe. I am converted ; I am no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and am assured of finally attaining to the enlightenment [of Arahantship]."

10. There, too, at the Brick Hall at Nadika the Exalted One held that comprehensive religious talk with the brethren, saying : — ' Such and such is upright conduct ; such and such is earnest contemplation ; such and such is intelligence. Great becomes the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation, when it is set round with upright conduct. Great becomes the fruit, crreat the advantage of intellect when it is set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is set quite free from the Intoxications, that is to say, from the Intoxication of Sensuality, from the Intoxication of Becoming, from -the Intoxication of Delusion, from the Intoxication of Ignorance.'

ii. Now when the Exalted One^had remained as long as he wished at Nadika, he addressed Ananda, and said : — ' Come, Ananda, let us q-o on to Vesali.'

See above, I, n.

D.ii. 95* THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

' So be it, lord ! ' said Ananda, in assent, to the
Exalted One.

Then the Exalted One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Vesali ; and there at Vesali the Exalted One stayed at Ambapali's grove.

12. Now there the Exalted One addressed the brethren, and said : — ' Let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and self-possessed ; this is our instruction to you1.

' And how does a brother become mindful ?

' Herein, O mendicants, a brother continues as to the body, so to look upon the body that he remains strenuous, [95] self-possessed, and mindful, having overcome both the hankering and the dejection common in the world. [And in the same way as to feelings, moods, or ideas, he continues so to look upon each] that he remains strenuous, self-possessed, and mindful, having overcome both the hankering and the dejection common in the world.

13. 'And how does a brother become self-possessed?
' He acts, O mendicants, in full presence of mind

whatever he may do, in going out or coming in, in looking forward or in looking round, in bending in his arm or in stretching it forth, in wearing his robes or in carrying his bowl, in eating or drinking, in masticating or swallowing, in obeying the calls of nature, in walking or standing or sitting, in sleeping or waking, in talking and in being silent.

Thus let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and self-possessed; this is our instruction to you V

1 Quoted Mil. 378.