“In dependence on a superior element, Kaccāyana, there arises a superior perception, a superior view, superior thought, superior volition, superior longing, a superior wish, a superior person, superior speech. He explains, teaches, proclaims, establishes, discloses, analyses, and elucidates the superior. His rebirth, I say, is superior.”
14 (4) Inferior Disposition
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those of an inferior disposition come together and unite with those of an inferior disposition; those of a good disposition come together and unite with those of a good disposition. 242 In the past, by way of elements, beings came together and united…. In the future, too, by way of elements, beings will come together and unite…. [155] Now too, at present, by way of elements, beings come together and unite. Those of an inferior disposition come together and unite with those of an inferior disposition; those of a good disposition come together and unite with those of a good disposition.”
15 (5) Walking Back and Forth
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak. Now on that occasion, not far from the Blessed One, the Venerable Sāriputta was walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus; the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna … the Venerable Mahākassapa … the Venerable Anuruddha … the Venerable Puṇṇa Mantāniputta … the Venerable Upāli … the Venerable Ānanda was walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus. And not far from the Blessed One, Devadatta too was walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus.
Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, do you see Sāriputta walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus?”243
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“All those bhikkhus are of great wisdom. Do you see Moggallāna walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“All those bhikkhus have great spiritual power. Do you see Kassapa walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus?” [156]
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“All those bhikkhus are proponents of the ascetic practices. Do you see Anuruddha walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“All those bhikkhus possess the divine eye. Do you see Puṇṇa Mantāniputta walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“All those bhikkhus are speakers on the Dhamma. Do you see Upāli walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“All those bhikkhus are upholders of the Discipline. Do you see Ānanda walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“All those bhikkhus are highly learned. Do you see Devadatta walking back and forth with a number of bhikkhus?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“All those bhikkhus have evil wishes.
“Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those of an inferior disposition come together and unite with those of an inferior disposition; those of a good disposition come together and unite with those of a good disposition. In the past they did so, in the future they will do so, [157] and now at present they do so too.”
16 (6) With Verses
At Sāvatthı̄.244 “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite: those of an inferior disposition come together and unite with those of an inferior disposition. In the past they did so, in the future they will do so, and now at present they do so too.
“Just as excrement comes together and unites with excrement, urine with urine, spittle with spittle, pus with pus, and blood with blood, so too, bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite: those of an inferior disposition come together and unite with those of an inferior disposition. In the past they did so, in the future they will do so, and now at present they do so too. [158]
“Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite: those of a good disposition come together and unite with those of a good disposition. In the past they did so, in the future they will do so, and now at present they do so too.
“Just as milk comes together and unites with milk, oil with oil, ghee with ghee, honey with honey, and molasses with molasses, so too, bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite: those of a good disposition come together and unite with those of a good disposition. In the past they did so, in the future they will do so, and now at present they do so too.”
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:“From association the woods of lust is born,245
By nonassociation the woods is cut.
Just as one who has mounted a wooden plank
Would sink upon the mighty sea,
So one of virtuous living sinks
By consorting with a lethargic person.
“Thus one should avoid such a person—
One lethargic, devoid of energy.
Keep company with the wise,
With resolute meditators,
With the noble ones who dwell secluded,
Their energy constantly aroused.” [159]
17 (7) Lacking Faith
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those lacking faith come together and unite with those lacking faith, the shameless with the shameless, those unafraid of wrongdoing with those unafraid of wrongdoing, the unlearned with the unlearned, the lazy with the lazy, the muddle-minded with the muddle-minded, the unwise with the unwise. In the past it was so; in the future it will be so; [160] and now too at present it is so.
“Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those having faith come together and unite with those having faith, those having a sense of shame with those having a sense of shame, those afraid of wrongdoing with those afraid of wrongdoing, the learned with the learned, the energetic with the energetic, the mindful with the mindful, the wise with the wise. In the past it was so; in the future it will be so; and now too at present it is so.”
18 (8) Rooted in those Lacking Faith
(i)
“Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. [161] Those lacking faith come together and unite with those lacking faith, the shameless with the shameless, the unwise with the unwise. Those having faith come together and unite with those having faith, those having a sense of shame with those having a sense of shame, the wise with the wise. In the past it was so; in the future it will be so; and now too at present it is so.” (The next four parts of this sutta substitute the following in the second place, instead of “the shameless,” and “those having a sense of shame”:)(ii) those unafraid of wrongdoing, those afraid of wrongdoing;
(iii) the unlearned, the learned; [162]
(iv) the lazy, the energetic;
(v) the muddle-minded, the mindful.
19 (9) Rooted in the Shameless
(i)
“Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. The shameless come together and unite with the shameless, [163] those unafraid of wrongdoing with those unafraid of wrongdoing, the unwise with the unwise. Those having a sense of shame come together and unite with those having a sense of shame, those afraid of wrongdoing with those afraid of wrongdoing, the wise with the wise. [In the past it was so; in the future it will be so; and now too at present it is so.]” (The next three parts of this sutta substitute the following in the second place, instead of “those unafraid of wrongdoing,” and “those afraid of wrongdoing”:)(ii) the unlearned, the learned;
(iii) the lazy, the energetic;
(iv) the muddle-minded, the mindful.
20 (10) Rooted in those Unafraid of Wrongdoing
(i)
[164] “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite
. Those unafraid of wrongdoing come together and unite with those unafraid of wrongdoing, the unlearned with the unlearned, the unwise with the unwise. Those afraid of wrongdoing come together and unite with those afraid of wrongdoing, the learned with the learned, the wise with the wise. In the past it was so; in the future it will be so; and now too at present it is so.”
(The next two parts of this sutta substitute the following in the second place, instead of “the unlearned,” and “the learned”:)
(ii) the lazy, the energetic;
(iii) the muddle-minded, the mindful.
21 (11) Rooted in the Unlearned
(i)
“Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. The unlearned come together and unite with the unlearned, the lazy with the lazy, the unwise with the unwise. The learned come together and unite with the learned, the energetic [165] with the energetic, the wise with the wise. In the past it was so; in the future it will be so; and now too at present it is so.”
(ii)
“The unlearned come together and unite with the unlearned, the muddle-minded with the muddle-minded, the unwise with the unwise. The learned come together and unite with the learned, the mindful with the mindful, the wise with the wise. In the past it was so; in the future it will be so; and now too at present it is so.”
22 (12) Rooted in the Lazy
“Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. The lazy come together and unite with the lazy, the muddle-minded with the muddle-minded, the unwise with the unwise. The energetic come together and unite with the energetic, the mindful with the mindful, the wise with the wise. In the past it was so; in the future it will be so; and now too at present it is so.”
[166]
III. COURSES OF KAMMA
23 (1) Unconcentrated
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those lacking faith come together and unite with those lacking faith, the shameless with the shameless, those unafraid of wrongdoing with those unafraid of wrongdoing, the unconcentrated with the unconcentrated, the unwise with the unwise.
“Those having faith come together and unite with those having faith, those having a sense of shame with those having a sense of shame, those afraid of wrongdoing with those afraid of wrongdoing, the concentrated with the concentrated, the wise with the wise.”
24 (2) Immoral
(As above, except that “the unconcentrated” and “the concentrated” are replaced by “the immoral” and “the virtuous,” respectively.) [167]
25 (3) The Five Training Rules
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those who destroy life come together and unite with those who destroy life; those who take what is not given … who engage in sexual misconduct … who speak falsehood … who indulge in wine, liquor, and intoxicants that cause negligence come together and unite with those who so indulge.
“Those who abstain from the destruction of life come together and unite with those who abstain from the destruction of life; those who abstain from taking what is not given … from sexual misconduct ... from false speech … from wine, liquor, and intoxicants that cause negligence come together and unite with those who so abstain.”
26 (4) Seven Courses of Kamma
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those who destroy life come together and unite with those who destroy life; those who take what is not given … who engage in sexual misconduct … who speak falsehood … who speak divisively … who speak harshly … who indulge in idle chatter come together and unite with those who so indulge.
“Those who abstain from the destruction of life … from taking what is not given … from sexual misconduct ... from false speech … from divisive speech … from harsh speech … from idle chatter come together and unite with those who so abstain.”
27 (5) Ten Courses of Kamma
At Sāvatthı̄. [168] “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those who destroy life come together and unite with those who destroy life; those ... (as above, continuing: ) … who are covetous … who bear ill will … of wrong view come together and unite with those of wrong view.
“Those who abstain from the destruction of life ... (as above) … who are uncovetous … without ill will … of right view come together and unite with those of right view.”
28 (6) The Eightfold Path
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those of wrong view come together and unite with those of wrong view; those of wrong intention … wrong speech … wrong action … wrong livelihood … wrong effort … wrong mindfulness … wrong concentration come together and unite with those of wrong concentration.
“Those of right view come together and unite with those of right view; those of right intention ... right speech ... right action ... right livelihood … right effort ... right mindfulness … right concentration come together and unite with those of right concentration.”
29 (7) Ten Factors
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is by way of elements that beings come together and unite. Those of wrong view ... (as above) [169] wrong concentration … wrong knowledge … wrong liberation come together and unite with those of wrong liberation.
“Those of right view ... (as above) right concentration … right knowledge … right liberation come together and unite with those of right liberation.”246
IV. THE FOURTH SUBCHAPTER
(The Four Elements)
30 (1) Four Elements
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthı̄ in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park….
“Bhikkhus, there are these four elements. What four? The earth element, the water element, the heat element, the air element. These are the four elements.”247
31 (2) Before My Enlightenment
At Sāvatthı̄. [170] “Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet perfectly enlightened, it occurred to me: ‘What is the gratification, what is the danger, what is the escape in the case of the earth element? What is the gratification, what is the danger, what is the escape in the case of the water element … the heat element ... the air element?’
“Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: ‘The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on the earth element: this is the gratification in the earth element. That the earth element is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in the earth element. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for the earth element: this is the escape from the earth element.248 “‘The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on the water element ... the heat element ... the air element: this is the gratification in the air element. That the air element is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in the air element. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for the air element: this is the escape from the air element.’249
“So long, bhikkhus, as I did not directly know as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these four elements, I did not claim to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans. But when I directly knew all this as it really is, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with ... its devas and humans. [171]
“The knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Unshakable is my liberation of mind;250 this is my last birth; now there is no more renewed existence.’”
32 (3) I Set Out
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the gratification in the earth element. Whatever gratification there is in the earth element—that I discovered. I have clearly seen with wisdom just how far the gratification in the earth element extends.
“Bhikkhus, I set
out seeking the danger in the earth element. Whatever danger there is in the earth element—that I discovered. I have clearly seen with wisdom just how far the danger in the earth element extends.
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Page 69