The Medium Discourses

Chapter 5: Related to Cultivation

57. A Teaching for the Monks

1. Thus I have heard:[1] One time, the Buddha traveled to Śrāvastī and stayed at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove.

2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “When the mind’s liberation isn’t complete yet and one wants to make it complete, there are five things to cultivate. What are the five? A monk is himself a good friend, in the company of good friends, and in harmony with good friends. This is the first thing to cultivate when someone wants to complete the mind’s liberation when it isn’t complete yet.

3. “Furthermore, a monk cultivates the precepts and protects the Pratimokṣa. His behavior and manners are also well composed. Seeing a tiny misdeed, he’s constantly anxious about maintaining his training and precepts. This is the second thing to cultivate when someone wants to complete the mind’s liberation when it isn’t complete yet.

4. “Furthermore, a monk can be taught about the noble aim, which makes his mind gentle and without hinderance. That is, he’s taught the precepts, taught samādhi, and taught wisdom. He’s taught liberation, taught to know and see liberation, and taught effacement. He’s taught to not enjoy company, taught to desire little, and taught satisfaction. He’s taught to end afflictions, taught the lack of desire, and taught cessation. He’s taught to sit in repose and taught dependent origination. He gets such teachings that are appropriate for an ascetic, fully, easily, and not with difficulty. This is the third thing to cultivate when someone wants to complete the mind’s liberation when it isn’t complete yet.

5. “Furthermore, a monk always practices diligently to end bad and unskillful things and cultivate good things. He continuously motivates himself to be focused and stable, and he doesn’t abandon the methods for making roots of goodness. This is the fourth thing to cultivate when someone wants to complete the mind’s liberation when it isn’t complete yet.

6. “Furthermore, a monks cultivates wisdom and observes the law of arising and passing away. Attaining such knowledge, which is a noble and wise insight, he discerns and clearly understands the correct way to end suffering. This is the fifth thing to cultivate when someone wants to complete the mind’s liberation when it isn’t complete yet.

7. “Once he possesses these five things to cultivate, he cultivates another four things. What are the four? He contemplates the foul discharges to end desire. He cultivates kindness to end anger. He’s mindful of breathing in and out to end distracted thoughts. He cultivates the notion of impermanence to end self-pride.

8. “If a monk is himself a good friend, in the company of good friends, and in harmony with good friends, you should know that he’ll surely cultivate the precepts and protect the Pratimokṣa. His behavior and manners will also be well-composed. Seeing a tiny misdeed, he’ll be constantly anxious about maintaining his training and precepts.

9. “If a monk is himself a good friend, in the company of good friends, and in harmony with good friends, you should know that he’ll surely be taught about the noble aim, which will make his mind gentle and without hindrance. That is, he’ll be taught the precepts, taught samādhi, and taught wisdom. He’ll be taught liberation, taught to know and see liberation, and taught effacement. He’ll be taught to not enjoy company, taught to desire little, and taught satisfaction. He’ll be taught to end afflictions, taught the lack of desire, and taught cessation. He’ll be taught to sit in repose and taught dependent origination. He’ll obtain such teachings that are appropriate for an ascetic fully, easily, and not with difficulty.

10. “If a monk is himself a good friend, in the company of good friends, and in harmony with good friends, you should know that he’ll surely practice diligently to end bad and unskillful things and cultivate good things. He’ll continuously motivate himself to be focused and stable, and he won’t abandon the methods for making roots of goodness.

11. “If a monk is himself a good friend, in the company of good friends, and in harmony with good friends, you should know that he’ll surely cultivate wisdom and observe the law of arising and passing away. Attaining such knowledge, which is a noble and wise insight, he’ll discern and clearly understand the correct way to end suffering.

12. “If a monk is himself a good friend, in the company of good friends, and in harmony with good friends, you should know that he’ll surely contemplate the foul discharges to end desire. He’ll cultivate kindness to end anger. He’ll be mindful of breathing in and out to end confused thoughts. He’ll cultivate the notion of impermanence to end self-pride.

13. “If a monk gets the notion of impermanence, he’ll surely get the notion of selflessness. If a monk gets the notion of selflessness, then he’ll end all self-pride. Right here in the present, he’ll attain his rest, cessation, ending, the unconditioned, and Nirvāṇa.”

14. Thus did the Buddha speak. Those monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.

Notes

1. For the source text, cf. T26.1.492a13-b28. This sūtra is a generic version of the teaching that the Buddha gives Meghiya in MĀ 56, AN 9.3, and Ud 4.1. It has a direct parallel at AN 9.1. Cf. the notes to MĀ 56 for further discussions of the text than are found here. [back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 8 April 2023