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MAJJHIMA NIKAAYA III
II. 3. 5. Maagandiyasutta.m
III. 2. 7.Mahaacattaariisakasutta.m-
(117) The Longer discourse on the forty
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, I will preach the noble, right concentration together with the means and
accessories, listen carefully and attentively
Bhikkhus, what is noble right concentration together with the means and accessories? It
is right view, right thoughts, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right
endeavour and right mindfulness. Bhikkhus, the minds one pointedness, endowed with
these seven factors is called noble right concentration together with the means and the
accessories.
Bhikkhus, here right view is foremost. How does right view become foremost? Wrong view
is known as wrong view, right view is known as right view, to someone that is right view.
Bhikkhus, what is wrong view? There are no results for gifts, sacrifices and
offerings.There are no results for good and bad actions. There is no this world, no other
world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously arisen beings, There are no recluses and
brahmins who realizing this world and the other world declare it. Bhikkhus, this is wrong
view.
Bhikkhus, what is right view? I say right view is twofold. There is right view with
desires to share merit, which mature as substratum (*1).and right view, that is noble,
without desires, transcends this world and is a feature of the path.
What is right view with desires to share merit, which mature as substratum? There are
results for gifts, sacrifices and offerings.There are results for good and bad actions.
There is this world, another world, mother, father, spontaneously arisen beings, There are
recluses and brahmins who realizing this world and the other world declare it. This is
right view with desires, to share merit, which mature as substratum.
Bhikkhus, what is right view, that is noble, without desires, transcending this world
is a feature of the path? The noble minds development of the enlightenment factor
investigation of the Teaching without desires, together with the path factors of wisdom,
the faculty of wisdom, the power of wisdom, is right view that is noble, transcending this
world and is a feature of the path. He endeavours to dispel wrong view and gets
established in right view, that becomes his right endeavour. He mindfully dispels wrong
view and abides established in right view, that becomes his right mindfulness. Thus these
three things follow each other, turning in a circle.Such as right view, right endeavour
and right mindfulness.
Bhikkhus, here right view becomes foremost. How does right view become foremost? Knows
wrong thoughts as wrong thoughts and right thoughts as right thoughts, that becomes his
right view. Bhikkhus, what are wrong thoughts? Sensual thoughts, angry thoughts and
hurting thoughts are wrong thoughts. Bhikkhus, what are right thoughts? Bhikkhus, I say
right thoughts too are twofold.There are right thoughts with desires, to share merit,
which mature as substratum and right thoughts, that are noble, without desires,
transcendingthis world and is a feature of the path.
What are right thoughts with desires to share merit, which mature as substratum? They
are non sensual thoughts, non angry thoughts and non hurting thoughts These are right
thoughts with desires, to share merit, which mature as substratum. Bhikkhus, what are
right thoughts, that are noble, without desires, transcending this world is a feature of
the path? The logically applied reasoning thoughts, which focus attention to fix verbal
determinations in the noble path mind, without desires, are noble right thoughts
transcending this world and they are a feature of the path. (*2) He endeavours to dispel
wrong thoughts and get established in right thoughts, that becomes his right endeavour. He
mindfully dispels wrong thoughts and abides established in right thoughts, that becomes
right mindfulness, to him Thus these three things follow each other, turning in a circle.
Such as right view, right endeavour and right mindfulness.
Bhikkhus, here right view becomes foremost. How does right view become foremost? Knows
wrong words as wrong words and right words as right words, that becomes his right view.
Bhikkhus, what are wrong words? Telling lies, speaking maliciously, talking roughly and
speaking frivolously, are wrong words. Bhikkhus, what are right words? Bhikkhus, I say
right words too are twofold.There are right words with desires, to share merit, which
matures as substratum and right words, that are noble, without desires, transcending this
world is a feature of the path.
What are right words with desires to share merit, which mature as substratum?
Abstaining from telling lies, abstaining from speaking maliciously, abstaining from
talking roughly and abstaining from speaking frivolously,These are right words with
desires, to share merit and they mature as substratum. Bhikkhus, what are right words,
that are noble, without desires, transcending this world, is a feature of the path? The
noble, mind, developping the noble path and features, abstains and is far removed from the
four verbal misconducts.These are right words that are noble, without desires transcending
this world is a feature of the path. He endeavours to dispel wrong words and gets
established in right words, that becomes his right endeavour. He mindfully dispels wrong
words and abides established in right words, that becomes right mindfulness, to him Thus
these three things follow each other, turning in a circle. Such as right view, right
endeavour and right mindfulness.
Bhikkhus, here right view becomes foremost. How does right view become foremost? Knows
wrong actions as wrong actions and right actions as right actions, that becomes his right
view. Bhikkhus, what are wrong actions? Destroying life, taking the not given and
misconducting sexually.Bhikkhus, what are right actions? Bhikkhus, I say right actions too
are twofold.There are right actions with desires, to share merit, which mature as
substratum and right actions, that are noble, without desires, transcending this world and
is a feature of the path.
What are right actions with desires to share merit, which mature as substratum?
Abstaining from destroying life, abstaining from taking the not given, and abstaining from
misconducting sexually. These are right actions with desires, to share merit and they
mature as substratum. Bhikkhus, what are right actions, that are noble, without desires,
transcending this world, is a feature of the path? The noble, mind, developping the noble
path and features, abstains and is far removed from the three bodily misconducts.These are
noble right actions transcending this world and is a feature of the path. He endeavours to
dispel wrong actions and gets established in right actions, that becomes his right
endeavour. He mindfully dispels wrong actions and abides established in right actions,
that becomes right mindfulness to him Thus these three things follow each other, turning
in a circle. Such as right view, right endeavour and right mindfulness.
Bhikkhus, here right view becomes foremost. How does right view become foremost? Knows
wrong livelihood as wrong livelihod and right livelihood as right livelihood, that becomes
his right view. Bhikkhus, what is wrong livelihood? Deceit, muttering for a livelihood,
soothsaying, performing jugglary and coveting for gain on gain. Bhikkhus, what is right
livelihood? Bhikkhus, I say right livelihood too istwofold.There is right livelihood with
desires, to share merit, that mature as substratum and right livelihood that is noble,
without desires, transcending this world is a feature of the path.
What is right livelihood with desires to share merit, that mature as substratum?
Bhikkhus. the noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and establishes himself in right
lvelihood This is right livelihood with desires, to share merit that mature as substratum.
Bhikkhus, what is right livelihood, that is noble, without desires, transcending this
world is a feature of the path? The noble, desireless mind, developping the noble path and
the features, abstains and is far removed from wrong livelihood.This is right livelihood
that are noble, desireless, transcending this world and is a feature of the path. He
endeavours to dispel wrong livelihod and gets established in right livelihod, that becomes
his right endeavour. He mindfully dispels wrong livelihod and abides established in right
livelihood, that becomes right mindfulness, to him Thus these three things follow each
other, turning in a circle. Such as right view, right endeavour and right mindfulness.
Bhikkhus, here right view becomes foremost. How does right view become foremost? To one
with right view arise right thoughts. To one with right thoughts arise right words. To one
with right words arise right actions. To one with right actions arise right livelihood. To
one with right livelihood arise right endeavour. To one with right endeavour arise right
mindfulness. To one with right mindfulness arise right concentration..To one with right
concentration arise right knowledge. To one with right knowledge arise right release. Thus
the trainer has eight factors and the perfect one has ten factors.
Bhikkhus, here right view becomes foremost. How does right view become foremost?
Bhikkhus, to one with right view wrong view is dispelled. All demerit that arises on
account of wrong view is also dispelled in him. Various things of merit get completed
through development, on account of right view.Bhikkhus, to one with right thoughts, wrong
thoughts are dispelled. All demerit that arises on account of wrong thoughts are also
dispelled in him. Various things of merit get completed through development, on account of
right thoughts..Bhikkhus, to one with right words wrong words are dispelled. All demerit
that arises on account of wrong words is also dispelled in him. Various things of merit
get completed through development, on account of right words. Bhikkhus, to one with right
actions, wrong actions are dispelled. All demerit that arises on account of wrong actions
are also dispelled in him. Various things of merit get completed through development, on
account of right actions..
Bhikkhus, to one with right livelihood wrong livelihood is dispelled. All demerit that
arises on account of wrong livelihood is also dispelled in him. Various things of merit
get completed through development, on account of right livelihood. Bhikkhus, to one with
right endeavour, wrong endeavour is dispelled. All demerit that arises on account of wrong
endeavour are also dispelled in him. Various things of merit get completed through
development, on account of right endeavour..Bhikkhus, to one with right mindfulness wrong
mindfulness is dispelled. All demerit that arises on account of wrong mindfulness is also
dispelled in him. Various things of merit get completed through development, on account of
right mindfulness. Bhikkhus, to one with right concentration, wrong concentration is
dispelled. All demerit that arises on account of wrong concentration is also dispelled in
him. Various things of merit get completed through development, on account of right
concentration...
Bhikkhus, to one with right knowledge wrong knowledge is dispelled. All demerit that
arises on account of wrong knowledge is also dispelled in him. Various things of merit get
completed through development, on account of right knowledge Bhikkhus, to one with right
release, wrong release is dispelled. All demerit that arises on account of wrong release
is also dispelled in him. Various things of merit get completed through development, on
account of right release. Bhikkhus, on the side of merit, there are twenty and on the side
of demerit there are twenty. The longer discourse on the forty is set arolling, not to be
stopped by a recluse, a brahmin, a god, Maara, or Brahmaa or by anyone in the world.
Bhikkhus, if a recluse or brahmin thinks to scorn or reject this Longer discourse on the
forty, he is blameable for ten things, here and now. That good one blames right view, he
reveres and praises those recluses and brahmins with wrong view. That good one blames
right thoughts, he reveres and praises those recluses and brahmins with wrong
thoughts.That good one blames right speech, he reveres and praises those recluses and
brahmins with wrong speech That good one blames right actions, he reveres and praises
those recluses and brahmins with wrong actions.That good one blames right livelihood, he
reveres and praises those recluses and brahmins with wrong livelihood.That good one blames
right endeavour, he reveres and praises those recluses and brahmins with wrong endeavour
That good one blames right mindfulness, he reveres and praises those recluses and brahmins
with wrong mindfulness.That good one blames right concentration, he reveres and praises
those recluses and brahmins with wrong concentration That good one blames right knowledge,
he reveres and praises those recluses and brahmins with wrong knowledge.That good one
blames right release, he reveres and praises those recluses and brahmins with wrong
release.Even Okkalaa and Vassa-Ba~n~naa, with views there is no cause and effect, no
results for actions and there is nothing, should notthink to scorn or reject this Longer
discourse on the forty What is the reason? Because there would be blame, anger and
reproach. The Blessed One said thus and those bhikkhu delighted in the words of the
Blessed One. .
Notes.
1 There is right view with desires to share merit, which matures as substratum atthi
bhikkhve sammaadi.t.thi saasavaa pu~n~aabhaagiyaa upadhivepakkaa Right view
that is worldly is merit, there is a possibility that the merit accurred has to be
enjoyed, before extinguishng. Therefore it is said, that merit accumulates and gets
mature.
2. The logically applied reasoning thoughts which focus attention to fix verbal
determinations in the noble path mind without desires, are noble right thoughts
transcending this world and they are a feature of the path. Yo kho bhikkhave,
ariyacittassa anaasavacittassa ariyamaggassa sama.ngino ariyamagga.m bhaavayato takko
vitakko sa.mkappo appanaavyappanaa cetaso abhiniropanaa vaacaa sa.mkhaaro aya.m bhikkhave
sammaasa.mkappo ariyo anaasavo lokuttaro magga.ngo Here we see, that to
whatever extent a persons thoughts are developped in the direction of the noble
path, to that extent his words are developped in the direction of the noble path. ie he
thoughtfully brings out words.
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