I.WORTHY OF GIFTS
1(1)Worthy of Gifts(1)
Thus haveI heard.On one occasionthe Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove,Anathapindika's Park.
There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus:
"Bhikkhus!"
"Venerable sir!"those bhikkhus replied.
The Blessed One said this:
"Bhikkhus,possessing six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
What six?
(1)Here,having seen a form with the eye,a bhikkhu is neither joyful nor saddened,but dwells equanimous,mindful,and clearly comprehending.
N'eva sumano hoti na dummano, apekkhako viharati sato sampajano. Mp: "Neither joyful nor saddened: [filled ] with joy accompanied by lust in regard to a desirable object. Nor [is he] saddened: [filled] with sadness accompanied by aversion in regard to an undesirable object. But [he] dwells equanimous, mindful, and clearly comprehending: He is not equanimous because he has fallen into the 'equanimity of unknowing' (annan 'upekkha) through apathy in the case of a neutral object; but rather, being mindful and clearly comprehending,he maintains neutrality in relation to the object. In this sutta, the constant dwelling of an arahant is discussed."(2)Having heard a sound with the ear,a bhikkhu is neither joyful nor saddened,but.dwells equanimous,mindful,and clearly comprehending.
(3)Having smelled an odor with the nose,a bhikkhu is neither joyful nor saddened,but dwells equanimous,mindful,and clearly comprehending.
(4)Having experienced a taste with the tongue,a bhikkhu is neither joyful nor saddened,but dwells equanimous,mindful,and clearly comprehending.
(5)Having felt a tactile object with the body,a bhikkhu is neither joyful nor saddened,but dwells equanimous,mindful,and clearly comprehending.
(6)Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind,a bhikkhu is neither joyful nor saddened,but dwells equanimous,muindful,and clearly comprehending.
Possessing these six qualities, a bhikkhu is
worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings,
worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit
for the world ."
This is what the Blessed One said.
Elated, those bhikkhus
delighted in the Blessed One's statement. [280]
2(2)Worthy of Gifts(2)
"Bhikkhus,possessing six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
What six?
For details on the first five mundane direct knowledges, see Vism chaps. 12 and 13.(1)"Here,a bhikkhu wields the various kinds of psychic
potency:having been one,he becomes many;having been
many,he becomes one;
he appears and vanishes;
he goes unhindered through a wall,through a rampart,through a mountain
as though through space;
he dives in and out of the earth as
though it were water;
he walks on water without sinking as
though it were earth;
seated crosslegged,he travels in space
like a bird;
with his hand he touches and strokes the moon
and sun so powerful and mighty;
he exercises mastery with the
body as far as the brahmā world.
(2)"With the divine ear element,which is purified and surpasses the human,he hears both kinds of sounds,the divine
and human,those that are far as well as near.
(3)"He understands the minds of other beings and persons,
having encompassed them with his own mind.
He understands
a mind with lust as a mind with lust and a mind without lust
as a mind without lust;a mind with hatred as a mind with
hatred and a mind without hatred as a mind without hatred;a
mind with delusion as a mind with delusion and a mind with-
out delusion as a mind without delusion;a contracted mind
as contracted and a distracted mind as distracted;an exalted
mind as exalted and an unexalted mind as unexalted;a sur-
passable mind as surpassable and an unsurpassable mind as
unsurpassable;a concentrated mind as concentrated and an
unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated;a liberated mind as
liberated and an unliberated mind as unliberated.
(4)"He recollects his manifold past abodes,that is,one birth,two births,three births,four births,five births,ten births,twentybirths,thirty births,forty births,fifty [281]births,a hundred births,a thousand births,a hundred thousand births,manyeons of world-dissolution,many eons of world-evolution,manyeons of world-dissolution and world-evolution thus:'There I was so named,of such a clan,with such an appearance,such was my food,such my experience of pleasure and pain,such mylife span;passing away from there,I was reborn elsewhere,andthere too I was so named,of such a clan,with such an appearance,such was my food,such my experience of pleasure andpain,such my life span;passing away from there,I was reborn here.'
Thus he recollects his manifold past abodes with their aspects and details.
(5)"With the divine eye,which is purified and surpasses the human,he sees beings passing away and being reborn,inferior and superior,beautiful and ugly,fortunate and unfortunate,and he understands how beings fare in accordance with their kamma thus:
'These beings who engaged in misconduct by body,speech,and mind,who reviled the noble ones,held wrong view,and undertook kamma based on wrong view,with the breakup of the body,after death,have been reborn in the plane of misery,in a bad destination,in the lower world,in hell;
but these beings who engaged in good conduct by body,speech,and mind,who did not revile the noble ones,who held right view,and undertook kamma based on right view,with the breakup of the body,after death,have been reborn in a good destination,in a heavenly world.'
Thus with the divine
eye,which is purified and surpasses the human,he sees beings passing away and being reborn,inferior and superior,beautiful and ugly,fortunate and unfortunate,and he understands how beings fare in accordance with their kamma.
(6)"With the destruction of the taints,he has realized for himself with direct knowledge,in this very life,the taintless liberation of mind,liberation by wisdom,and having entered upon it,he dwells in it.
"Possessing these six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world."
3(3)Faculties
"Bhikkhus,possessing six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
What six?
[282]The faculty of faith,the faculty of energy,the faculty of mindfulness,the faculty of concentration,the faculty of wisdom;and with the destruction of the tainits,he has realized for himself with direct knowledge,in this very life,the taintless liberation of mind,liberation by wisdom,and having entered upon it,he dwells in it.
Possessing these six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world."
4(4)Powers
"Bhikkhus,possessing six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
What six?
The power of faith,the power of energy,the power of mindfulness,the power of concentration,the power of wisdom;and with the destruction of the taints,he has realized for himself with direct knowledge,in this very life,the taintless liberation of mind,liberation by wisdom,and having entered upon it,he dwells in it.
Possessing these six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit
for the world."
5(5)Thoroughbred(1)
"Bhikkhus,possessing six factors,a king's excellent thorough-bred horse is worthy of a king,an accessory of a king,and reckoned as a factor of kingship.
What six?
Here,a king's excellent thoroughbred horse patiently endures forms,patiently endures sounds,patiently endures odors,patiently endures tastes,patiently endures tactile objects,and it is endowed with beauty.
Possessing these six factors,a king's excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king,an accessory of a king,and reckonedas a factor of kingship.
See 5:139, where the same simile is stated of a king's bull elephant."So too,possessing six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
What six?
[283]Here,a bhikkhu patiently endures forms,patiently endures sounds,patiently endures odors,patiently endures tastes,patiently endures tactile objects,and patiently endures mental phenomena.
Possessing these six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of meritfor the world."
6(6)Thoroughbred (2)
"Bhikkhus,possessing six factors,a king's excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king,an accessory of a king,and reckoned as a factor of kingship.
What six?
Here,a king's excellent thoroughbred horse patiently endures forms,patientlyendures sounds,patiently endures odors,patiently endures tastes,patiently endures tactile objects,and it is endowed with strength.
Possessing these six factors,a king's excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king,an accessory of a king,and reckoned as a factor of kingship.
"So too,possessing six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy·of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
What six?
Here,a bhikkhu patiently endures forms,patiently endures.sounds,patiently endures odors,patiently endures tastes,patiently endures tactile objects,and patiently endures mental phenomena.
Possessing these six qualities,a bhikkhuis worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world."
7(7)Thoroughbred(3)
"Bhikkhus,possessing six factors,a king's excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king,an accessory of a king,and reckoned as a factor of kingship.
What six?
Here,a king's excellent thoroughbred horse patiently endures forms,patiently endures sounds,patiently endures odors,patiently endures tastes,patiently endures tactile objects,and it is endowed with speed.
[284]Possessing these six factors,a king's excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king,an accessory of a king,and reckoned as a factor of kingship.
"So too,possessing six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
What six?
Here,a bhikkhu patiently endures forms,patiently endures sounds,patiently endures odors,patiently endures tastes,patiently endures tactile objects,and patiently endures mental phenomena.
Possessing these six qualities,a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,an unsurpassed field of merit for the world."
8(8)Unsurpassed Things
"Bhikkhus,there are these six unsurpassed things.
What six?
The unsurpassed sight,the unsurpassed hearing,the unsurpassed gain,the unsurpassed training,the unsurpassed service,and the unsurpassed recollection.These are the six unsurpassed things."
Elaborated below at 6:30.
9 (9)Subjects of Recollection
"Bhikkhus,there are these six subjects of recollection.
What six?
Recollection of the Buddha,recollection of the Dhamma,recollection of the Sangha,recollection of virtuous behavior,recollection of generosity,and recollection of the deities.Theseare the six subjects of recollection."
Elaborated just below at 6:10 and again at 6:25.
10(10)Mahānāma
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Park.
Then Mahānāma the Sakyan approached the Blessed One,
paid homage to him,sat down to one side,
and said to the Blessed One:
"Bhante,how does a noble disciple who has arrived at the fruit and understood the teaching often dwell?"
Ariyasavako agataphalo vinfiatasasano. Mp says that Mahanama is asking about the stream-enterer's vital support (sotapannassa nissayaviharam)."Mahānāma,a noble disciple [285]who has arrived at the
fruit and understood the teaching often dwells in this way:
The six recollections to follow are commented on in detail in Vism chap. 7.(1)"Here,Mahānāma,anobledisciple recollects the Tathāgata
thus:'The Blessed One is an arahant,perfectly enlightened,
accomplished in true knowledge and conduct,fortunate,
knower of the world,unsurpassed trainer of persons to be
tamed,teacher of devas and humans,the Enlightened One,the
Blessed One.'
When a noble disciple recollects the Tathagata,
on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or
delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based
on the Tathāgata.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains
inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,Visamagataya pajaya samappatto. Mp: "Among beings who have become unbalanced (visamagatesu) through lust, hatred, and delusion, he has attained peace and calmness (samam upasamam patto hutva)." From this, it is obvious that Mp takes Pali sama to be equivalent to Skt sama, peace. But since the text establishes a contrast between visama, the. imbalance (or unrighteousness) in which ordinary people live, and the sama that the noble disciple has attained, it is more likely that Pali sama corresponds to Skt sama. Two Chinese parallels support this supposition. SA2 156, at TII 432c15-16,has·怨家及己親族。於此二人。無怨憎想。心常平等("Whether his enemies or his relatives,toward thesetwo types ofpeople he has no thought of hostility but his.mind is balanced").The other,T1537.8 at TXXVI 492c13-15,has 於不平等諸有情類。得住平等。於有惱害諸有情類。住無惱害("Amid unbalanced sentient beings, he obtains balance; among afflicted sentient beings he dwells without affliction"). Though contradicting the interpreta tion of sama offered by Mp, this confirms the evident meaning of the sutta.
who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,Dhammasotam samapanno. Mp: "He has entered the stream of the Dhamma consisting in insight." Since the Pali expression can easily be contracted to sotapanna, I do not see why Mp inter prets dhammasota as insight (vipassana) rather than the noble path (ariyamagga). In SN 55:5, at V 347,24-25, *sota* is used as a metaphor . for the noble eightfold path. he develops recollection of the Buddha.
(2)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects the
Dhamma thus:
'The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed
One,directly visible,immediate,inviting one to come and see,
applicable,to be personally experienced by the wise.'
When anoble disciple recollects the Dhamma,on that occasion his mind
is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion
his mind is simply straight,based on the Dhamma:
A noble
disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with
the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with
a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in
body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes
concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted
amid an afflicted population.[286]As one who has entered
the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of the
Dhamma.
(3)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects the Sangha thus:
'The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing the good way,practicing the straight way,practicing the true way,practicing the proper way;that is,the four pairs of persons,the eight types of individuals—this Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of gifts,worthy of hospitality,worthy of offerings,worthy of reverential salutation,the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.'
When a noble disciple recollects the Sangha,on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based on the Sangha.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of the Sangha.
(4)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects his own virtuous behavior as unbroken,flawless;unblemished,unblotched,freeing,praised by the wise,ungrasped,leading to concentration.
When a noble disciple recollects his virtuous behavior,on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based on virtuous behavior.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
Whenhe is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes franquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
[287]This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of virtuous behavior.
(5)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects his own generosity thus:
'It is truly my good fortune and gain
that in a population obsessed by the stain of miserliness,I dwell at home with a mind devoid of the stain of miserliness,freely generous,open handed,delighting in relinquishment,devoted to charity,delighting in giving and sharing.'
When a noble disciple recollects his generosity,on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based on generosity.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of generosity.
(6)"Again,Mahānāma,a noble disciple recollects the deities thus:
'There are devas[ruled by]the four great kings,Tavatimsa
devas,Yāma devas,Tusita devas,devas who delight in creation,devas who control what is created by others,devas of Brahma's company,and devas still higher than these.
The first six are the deities of the six sense-sphere heavens. The devas of Brahma's company (brahmalmyika deva) are the deities of the brahma world. The "devas still higher than these" are the higher devas in the form and formless realms.There exists in me too such faith as those deities possessed because of which,when they passed away here,they were reborn there;
there exists in me too such virtuous behavior...
such learning...
such generosity...
such wisdom as those deities possessed because of which,when they passed away here,they were reborn there.'
When [288]a noble disciple recollects the faith,virtuous behavior,learning,generosity,and wisdom in himself and in those deities,on that occasion his mind is not obsessed by lust,hatred,or delusion;
on that occasion his mind is simply straight,based on the deities.
A noble disciple whose mind is straight gains inspiration in the meaning,gains inspiration in the Dhamma,gains joy connected with the Dhamma.
When he is joyful,rapture arises.For one with a rapturous mind,the body becomes tranquil.One tranquil in body feels pleasure.For one feeling pleasure,the mind becomes concentrated.
This is called
a noble disciple who dwells in balance amid an unbalanced population,who dwells unafflicted amid an afflicted population.As one who has entered the stream of the Dhamma,he develops recollection of the deities.
"Mahānāma,a noble disciple who has arrived at the fruit and understood the teaching often dwells in just this way."