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Majjhima Nikaaya I.
5.6 Mahaadhammasamaadaanasutta.m
(46) The Longer Discourse on Observances
I heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by Anaathapindika in
Jetas grove in Saavatthi. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus from there.
Bhikkhus, humans are always with interests, desires and intentions, like these. May
unwelcome, disagreeable and unpleasant things decrease and may welcome, agreeable and
pleasant things increase. Bhikkhus, to them, with such interests, desires and intentions,
unwelcome, disagreeable and unpleasant things increase and welcome, agreeable and pleasant
things decrease. Bhikkhus, do you understand the reason for it. Venerable sir, the Blessed
One is the originator, leader and the refuge of the Teaching, may the Blessed One himself
explain the meaning of these words. The bhikkhus will bear it in mind, hearing it from the
Blessed One. Then bhikkhus, listen carefully I will preach.
Here bhikkhus, the not learned ordinary man, who has not seen noble ones, and Great
Men, not heard their Teaching and not trained in their Teaching, does not know the things
that should be practised and the things that should not be practised. He practises things
that should not be practised and does not practise the things that should be practised. To
him who practises things that should not be practised and does not practise things that
should be practised unwelcome, disagreeable, unpleasant things increase and welcome,
agreeable, pleasant things decrease.What is the reason? Bhikkhus, it happens thus to the
unwise.
Bhikkhus, as for the noble disciple who has seen noble ones, and Great Men, has heard
their Teaching and is trained in their Teaching. He knows the things that should be
practised and the things that should not be practised. He practises things that should be
practised and does not practise things that should not be practised. To him who practises
things that should be practised and does not practise things that should not be practised
unwelcome, disagreeable, unpleasant things decrease and welcome, agreeable, pleasant
things increase.What is the reason:Bhikkhus, it happens thus to the wise.
Bhikkhus, these four are the observances in the Teaching. What four? There is an
observance, which is now unpleasant and brings unpleasant results in the future. There is
an observance which is pleasant now and brings unpleasant results in the future. There is
an observance which is now unpleasant and brings pleasant results in the future and there
is an observance which is pleasant now and brings pleasant results in the future.
Bhikkhus, this observance which is unpleasant now and brings unpleasant results in the
future. The foolish do not know it, as it really is, that this observance is unpleasant
now and brings unpleasant results in the future and they observe it. To them observing it,
unwelcome, disagreeaable, unpleasant feelings increase and welcome, agreeable, pleasant
feelings decrease. What is the reason?. Bhikkhus, it so happens to the foolish. Bhikkhus,
this observance which is pleasant now and brings unpleasant results in the future, the
foolish do not know it, as it really is, that this observance is pleasant now and brings
unpleasant results in the future. So they observe it. To them observing it, unwelcome,
disagreeable, unpleasant feelings increase and welcome, agreeable, pleasant feelings
decrease. What is the reason? Bhikkhus, it so happens to the foolish. Bhikkhus. this
observance which is unpleasant now and brings pleasant results in the future, the foolish
do not know it, as it really is, this observance is unpleasant now and it brings pleasant
results in the future, and they do not observe it. To them not observing it, unwelcome,
disagreeable, unpleasant feelings increase and welcome, agreeable pleasant feelings
decrease. What is the reason? Bhikkhus, it so happens to the foolish. Bhikkhus, this
observance, which is pleasant now and brings pleasant results in the future, the foolish
do not know it, as it really is. This observance is now pleasant and brings pleasant
results in the future, and they do not observe it. To them not observing it, unwelcome,
disagreeable, unpleasant feelings increase and welcome agreeable pleasant feelings
decrease. What is the reason. Bhikkhus, it so happens to the foolish. :
Bhikkhus, this observance which is unpleasant now and brings unpleasant results in the
future. The wise know it, as it really is.This observance is unpleasant now and brings
unpleasant results in the future and they do not observe it. To them not observing it,
unwelcome, disagreeaable, unpleasant feelings decrease and welcome, agreeable, pleasant
feelings increase. What is the reason? Bhikkhus, it so happens to the wise. Bhikkhus, this
observance which is pleasant now and brings unpleasant results in the future, the wise
know it, as it really is.This observance is pleasant now and it brings unpleasant results
in the future, and they do not observe it. To them not observing it, unwelcome,
disagreeable, unpleasant feelings decrease and welcome, agreeable, pleasant feelings
increase. What is the reason? Bhikkhus, it so happens to the wise. Bhikkhus. this
observance which is unpleasant now and brings pleasant results in the future, the wise
know it, as it really is. This observance is unpleasant now and it brings pleasant results
in the future, and they observe it. To them observing it, unwelcome, disagreeable,
unpleasant feelings decrease and welcome, agreeable pleasant feelings increase. What is
the reason?: Bhikkhus, it so happens to the wise. Bhikkhus, this observance, which is
pleasant now and brings pleasant results in the future, the wise know it, as it really is.
This observance is now pleasant and brings pleasant results in the future, and they
observe it. To them observing it, unwelcome, disagreeable, unpleasant feelings decrease
and welcome agreeabale pleasant feelings increase. What is the reason? Bhikkhus, it so
happens to the wise
Bhikkhus, what is the observance that is unpleasant now and brings unpleasant results
in the future. Here, a certain one with displeasure destroys living things and on account
of it experiences unpleasantness. With displeasure takes what is not given and on account
of it experiences unpleasantness. With displeasure misbehaves sexually and on account of
it experiences unpleasantness.With displeasure tells lies and on account of it experiences
unpleasantness. With displeasure says malicious things and on account of it experiences
unpleasantaness. With displeasure talks roughly and on account of it experiences
unpleasantness. With displeasure talks frivolously and on account of it experiences
unpleasantness. With displeasure becomes covetous and on account of it experiences
unpleasantness. With displeasure bears an angry mind and on account of it experiences
unpleasantness. With displeasure maintains wrong view and on account of it experiences
unpleasantness. He after death goes to decrease and is born in hell. This is the
observance that is unpleasant now and brings unpleasant results in the future.
Bhikkhus, what is the observance that is pleasant now and brings unpleasant results in
the future. Here, a certain one with pleasure destroys living things and experiences
pleasantness. With pleasure takes what is not given and experiences pleasantness. With
pleasure misbehaves sexually and experiences pleasantness.With pleasure tells lies and
experiences pleasantness. With pleasure says malicious things and experiences
pleasantaness.With pleasure talks roughly and experiences pleasantness.With pleasure talks
frivolously and experiences pleasantness.With pleasure becomes covetous and experiences
pleasantness.With pleasure bears an angry mind and experiences pleasantness. With pleasure
maintains wrong view and experiences pleasantness. He after death goes to decrease and is
born in hell. Bhikkhus, this is the observance that is pleasant now and brings unpleasant
results in the future.
Bhikkhus, what is the observance that is unpleasant now and brings pleasant results in
the future. Here, a certain one with displeasure abstains from destroying living things
and on account of it experiences unpleasantness. With displeasure abstains from taking
what is not given and experiences unpleasantness. With displeasure abstains from
misbehaviour in sexuality and experiences unpleasantness.With displeasure abstains from
telling lies and experiences unpleasantness.With displeasure abstains from telling
malicious things and on account of it experiences unpleasantaness. With displeasure
abstains from talking roughly and on account of it experiences unpleasantness. With
displeasure abstains from talking frivolously and experiences unpleasantness. With
displeasure abstains from coveting and experiences unpleasantness. With displeasure
abstains from bearing an angry mind and experiences unpleasantness.With displeasure
maintains right view and on account of it experiences unpleasantness. He after death goes
to increase and is born in heaven. This is the observance that is unpleasant now and
brings pleasant results in the future.
Bhikkhus, what is the observance that is pleasant now and brings pleasant results in
the future. Here, a certain one with pleasure abstains from destroying living things and
experiences pleasantness.With pleasure abstains from taking what is not given and
experiences pleasantness.With pleasure abstains from misbehaviour in sexuality and
experiences pleasantness.With pleasure abstains from telling lies and experiences
pleasantness.With pleasure abstains from telling malicious things and experiences
pleasantaness.With pleasure abstains from talking roughly and experiences
pleasantness.With pleasure abstains from talking frivolously and experiences
pleasantness.With displeasure abstains from coveting and experiences pleasure and
pleasantness. With pleasure abstains from bearing an angry mind and on account of it
experiences pleasantness.With pleasure maintains right view and on account of it
experiences pleasure and pleasantness. He after death goes to increase and is born in
heaven. This is the observance that is pleasant now and brings pleasant results in the
future. Bhikkhus, these are thefour observances in the Teaching.
Bhikkhus, a man who wants to live and not die, who likes pleasantnes, loathes
unpleasantness, would come along and is told :Friend, this is a drink prepared out of the
bitter goad, and it is mixed with poison. It is not agreeable to sight, smell, or taste,
and drinking it you will come to death or deathly unpleasantness. If you desire drink. Not
reflecting about it, he would drink. To sight, smell or taste it would not be agreeable
and drinking it, he would come to death or deathly unpleasanatness. Bhikkhus, I say, this
observance of the Teaching is comparable to this, as it is unpleasant now and brings
unpleasant results in the future.
Bhikkhus, a man who wants to live and not die, who likes pleasantness and loathes
unpleasantness, would come along and is told :Friend, there is a drink in this bowl, it is
mixed with poison. It is agreeable to sight, smell, and taste, and drinking it you will
come to death or deathly unpleasantness. If you desire drink. Not reflecting about it he
would drink it. To sight, smell and taste it would be agreeable and drinking it, he would
come to death or deathly unpleasanatness. Bhikkhus, I say, this observance of the Teaching
is comparable to this, as it is pleasant now and brings unpleasant results in the future..
Bhikkhus, a man would come along suffering from jaundice and he is told: Friend, there
is a drink made out of putrid urine, with various kinds of medicines put in it. If you
desire drink. When drinking it would not be agreeable to sight, smell or taste but
drinking it you will get over your illness. He reflects about it and drinks it. It would
not be agreeable to sight, smell or taste, yet he would get over that illness. I say this
observance of the Teaching is comparable to this, as it is now unpleasant and brings
pleasant results in the future.
Bhikkhus, a man suffering from bloody dysentry comes along and he is told, good man,
there is a mixture made of curd, honey, ghee and sugar molasses. It is agreeable to sight,
smell and taste, and if you drink it, you will get over your disease. He reflects and
drinks it finds it agreeable to sight, smell and taste even while drinking, and drinking
he gets over his disease. Bhikkhus, I say, this observance of the Teaching is comparable
to this, as it is now pleasant and brings pleasant results in the future Bhikkhus, in the
last month of the rains, in Autumn when the sky is clear of rainy clouds, the sun shines
resplendent expelling all the darkness giving radiance and heat, in the same manner, this
observance of the Teaching, which is pleasant now and brings pleasant results in the
future, expels all the teachings of other recluses and brahmins.
The Blessed One said thus and those bhkkhhus delighted in the words of the Blessed One.
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