The Inscription

There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, bhikkhus!” “Friend!” those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Sāriputta said this: “Friends, it is said: ‘A person subject to decline, a person subject to decline.’ In what way has the Blessed One said that a person is subject to decline, and in what way that a person is not subject to decline?” “We would come from far away, friend, to learn the meaning of this statement from the Venerable Sāriputta. It would be good if he would clear up the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from him, the bhikkhus will retain it in mind.” “Well then, friends, listen and attend closely. I will speak.” “Yes, friend,” those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Sāriputta said this: “In what way, friends, has the Blessed One said that a person is subject to decline? Here, a bhikkhu does not get to hear a teaching he has not heard before, forgets those teachings he has already heard, does not bring to mind those teachings with which he is already familiar, and does not understand what he has not understood. It is in this way that the Blessed One has said a person is subject to decline. “And in what way, friends, has the Blessed One said that a person is not subject to decline? Here, a bhikkhu gets to hear a teaching he has not heard before, does not forget those teachings he has already heard, brings to mind those teachings with which he is already familiar, and understands what he has not understood. It is in this way that the Blessed One has said a person is not subject to decline. “Friends, a bhikkhu who is not skilled in the ways of others’ minds should train: ‘I will be skilled in the ways of my own mind.’ It is in this way that you should train yourselves. “And how, friends, is a bhikkhu skilled in the ways of his own mind? It is just as if a woman or a man—young, youthful, and fond of ornaments—would look at her or his own facial reflection in a clean and bright mirror or in a bowl of clear water. If they see any dust or blemish there, they will make an effort to remove it. But if they do not see any dust or blemish there, they will be glad about it; and their wish fulfilled, they will think, ‘How fortunate for me that I’m clean!’ So too, self-examination is very helpful for a bhikkhu to grow in wholesome qualities. “One should ask oneself: (1) ‘Am I often without longing? Does this quality exist in me or not? (2) Am I often without ill will? Does this quality exist in me or not? (3) Am I often free from dullness and drowsiness? Does this quality exist in me or not? (4) Am I often calm? Does this quality exist in me or not? (5) Am I often free from doubt? Does this quality exist in me or not? (6) Am I often without anger? Does this quality exist in me or not? (7) Is my mind often undefiled? Does this quality exist in me or not? (8) Do I gain internal joy of the Dhamma? Does this quality exist in me or not? (9) Do I gain internal serenity of mind? Does this quality exist in me or not? (10) Do I gain the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena? Does this quality exist in me or not?’ “If, by such self-examination, a bhikkhu does not see any of these wholesome qualities present in himself, then he should put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to obtain those wholesome qualities. Just as one whose clothes or head had caught fire would put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to extinguish the fire on his clothes or head, so that bhikkhu should put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to obtain those wholesome qualities…

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this: “Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is not skilled in the ways of others’ minds should train: ‘I will be skilled in the ways of my own mind.’ It is in this way that you should train yourselves. “And how is a bhikkhu skilled in the ways of his own mind? It is just as if a woman or a man—young, youthful, and fond of ornaments—would look at her or his own facial reflection in a clean bright mirror or in a bowl of clear water. If they see any dust or blemish there, they will make an effort to remove it. But if they do not see any dust or blemish there, they will be glad about it; and their wish fulfilled, they will think, ‘How fortunate that I’m clean!’ So too, self-examination is very helpful for a bhikkhu to growin wholesome qualities. “One should ask oneself: (1) ‘Am I often given to longing or without longing? (2) Am I often given to ill will or without ill will? (3) Am I often overcome by dullness and drowsiness or free from dullness and drowsiness? (4) Am I often restless or calm? (5) Am I often plagued by doubt or free from doubt? (6) Am I often angry or without anger? (7) Is my mind often defiled or undefiled? (8) Is my body often agitated or unagitated? (9) Am I often lazy or energetic? (10) Am I often unconcentrated or concentrated?’ “If, by such self-examination, a bhikkhu knows: ‘I am often given to longing, given to ill will, overcome by dullness and drowsiness, restless, plagued by doubt, angry, defiled in mind, agitated in body, lazy, and unconcentrated,’ he should put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to abandon those same bad unwholesome qualities. Just as one whose clothes or head had caught fire would put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to extinguish the fire on his clothes or head, so too that bhikkhu should put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to abandon those same bad unwholesome qualities. “But if, by such self-examination, a bhikkhu knows: ‘I am often without longing, without ill will, free from dullness and drowsiness, calm, free from doubt, without anger, undefiled in mind, unagitated in body, energetic, and concentrated,’ he should base himself on those same wholesome qualities and make a further effort to reach the destruction of the taints.” The Buddha’s words SacittasuttaAN 10.51

‘‘Monks, there are these four developments of concentration. Which four? Monks, there is a development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life; Monks, there is a development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to the acquisition of knowledge and vision; Monks, there is a development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension; Monks, there is a development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to the destruction of the taints (āsavas). "And what, monks, is the development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life? Here, monks, a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by vitakka and vicāra, and has rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. With the subsiding of vitakka and vicāra, with the internal assurance and unification of mind, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which is without vitakka and vicāra, and has rapture and pleasure born of concentration. With the fading away of rapture, he dwells in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, and he experiences pleasure with the body; he enters and dwells in the third jhāna, concerning which the Noble Ones declare: ‘He is equanimous, mindful, and dwells happily.’ With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. This, monks, is the development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life. "And what, monks, is the development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to the acquisition of knowledge and vision? Here, monks, a bhikkhu attends to the perception of light, he fixes his mind on the perception of day – as it is by day, so it is by night; as it is by night, so it is by day. Thus, with an open and unclouded mind, he cultivates a mind endowed with radiance. This, monks, is the development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to the acquisition of knowledge and vision. "And what, monks, is the development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension? Here, monks, for a bhikkhu, feelings arise known, they persist known, they cease known; perceptions… thoughts arise known, they persist known, they cease known. This, monks, is the development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension. "And what, monks, is the development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to the destruction of the taints? Here, monks, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the rise and fall in the five aggregates of clinging (upādānakkhandhas) thus: ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the cessation of form; such is feeling, such is the origin of feeling, such is the cessation of feeling; such is perception, such is the origin of perception, such is the cessation of perception; such are volitional formations, such is the origin of volitional formations, such is the cessation of volitional formations; such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the cessation of consciousness.’ This, monks, is the development of concentration, developed and frequently practiced, that leads to the destruction of the taints. These, monks, are the four developments of concentration.

Mahāli Sutta. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then Mahāli the Licchavi approached the Blessed One. Having approached and saluted the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Mahāli the Licchavi said this to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, what is the reason, what is the condition for the doing of bad deeds, for the arising of bad deeds?” “Greed, Mahāli, is the reason, greed is the condition for the doing of bad deeds, for the arising of bad deeds. Hatred, Mahāli, is the reason, hatred is the condition for the doing of bad deeds, for the arising of bad deeds. Delusion, Mahāli, is the reason, delusion is the condition for the doing of bad deeds, for the arising of bad deeds. Unwise attention, Mahāli, is the reason, unwise attention is the condition for the doing of bad deeds, for the arising of bad deeds. A wrongly placed mind, Mahāli, is the reason, a wrongly placed mind is the condition for the doing of bad deeds, for the arising of bad deeds. This, Mahāli, is the reason, this is the condition for the doing of bad deeds, for the arising of bad deeds.” “But, venerable sir, what is the reason, what is the condition for the doing of good deeds, for the arising of good deeds?” “Non-greed, Mahāli, is the reason, non-greed is the condition for the doing of good deeds, for the arising of good deeds. Non-hatred, Mahāli, is the reason, non-hatred is the condition for the doing of good deeds, for the arising of good deeds. Non-delusion, Mahāli, is the reason, non-delusion is the condition for the doing of good deeds, for the arising of good deeds. Wise attention, Mahāli, is the reason, wise attention is the condition for the doing of good deeds, for the arising of good deeds. A rightly placed mind, Mahāli, is the reason, a rightly placed mind is the condition for the doing of good deeds, for the arising of good deeds. This, Mahāli, is the reason, this is the condition for the doing of good deeds, for the arising of good deeds. If these ten qualities were not found in the world, there would be no discernment here of unprincipled and immoral conduct, or of principled and moral conduct. But because these ten qualities are found in the world, there is discernment of unprincipled and immoral conduct, and of principled and moral conduct.” But because these ten qualities are found in the world, there is discernment of unprincipled and immoral conduct, and of principled and moral conduct.” Tipitaka Pali Reader

At Savatthi. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this: “Bhikkhus, once in the past the devas and the asuras were arrayed for battle. Then Sakka, lord of the devas, addressed the Tavatiṁsa devas thus: ‘Dear sirs, when the devas are engaged in battle, if fear or trepidation or terror should arise, on that occasion you should look up at the crest of my standard. For when you look up at the crest of my standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned. “‘If you cannot look up at the crest of my standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Pajapati’s standard. For when you look up at the crest of his standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned. “‘If you cannot look up at the crest of the deva-king Pajapati’s standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Varuṇa’s standard. For when you look up at the crest of his standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned. If you cannot look up at the crest of the deva-king Varuṇa’s standard, then you should look up at the crest of the deva-king Isana’s standard. For when you look up at the crest of his standard, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned.’ “Bhikkhus, for those who look up at the crest of the standard of Sakka, lord of the devas; or of Pajapati, the deva-king; or of Varuṇa, the deva-king; or of Isana, the deva-king, whatever fear or trepidation or terror they may have may or may not be abandoned. For what reason? Because Sakka, lord of the devas, is not devoid of lust, not devoid of hatred, not devoid of delusion; he can be timid, petrified, frightened, quick to flee. “But, bhikkhus, I say this: If you have gone to a forest or to the foot of a tree or to an empty hut, and fear or trepidation or terror should arise in you, on that occasion you should recollect me thus: ‘The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’ For when you recollect me, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned. “If you cannot recollect me, then you should recollect 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.’ For when you recollect the Dhamma, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned. “If you cannot recollect the Dhamma, then you should recollect the Saṅgha thus: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practising the good way, practising the straight way, practising the true way, practising the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals—this Saṅgha 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.’ For when you recollect the Saṅgha, bhikkhus, whatever fear or trepidation or terror you may have will be abandoned. “For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One is devoid of lust, devoid of hatred, devoid of delusion; he is brave, courageous, bold, ready to stand his place.” This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: “In a forest, at the foot of a tree, Or in an empty hut, O bhikkhus, You should recollect the Buddha: No fear will then arise in you. “But if you cannot recall the Buddha, Best in the world, the bull of men, Then you should recall the Dhamma, Emancipating, well expounded...