Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

Thus has been heard by me. At on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi in the Eastern Monastery, the palace of Migara’s mother, together with many well-known elder disciples — with Venerable Sariputta, Venerable Mahā Moggallana, Venerable Mahā Kassapa, Venerable Mahā Kaccana, Venerable Mahā Kotthita, Venerable Mahā Kappina, Venerable Mahā Cunda, Venerable Revata, Venerable Ananda, and other renowned elder disciples. On that occasion the elder Bhikkhus were teaching and instructing newly ordained disciples. Some elder Bhikkhus were teaching and instructing ten Bhikkhus, some were teaching and instructing twenty Bhikkhus, some were teaching and instructing thirty Bhikkhus, some were teaching and instructing forty Bhikkhus. The new Bhikkhus, on being taught and instructed thus by the elder Bhikkhus, came to achieve something superior than what they knew before.

At that time the Bhagavā sat down under open sky on the Uposatha-day in the full moon night of the Pavāraṇā meeting. Having surveyed the silent and quiet Bhikkhusaṅgha he addressed them thus:

“Bhikkhus, I am content with this progress. My mind is pleased with this progress. From this day onwards, Bhikkhus, put forward all your efforts to attain what has not been attained, to achieve what has not been achieved, to realize what has not been realized. I will wait here at Sāvatthi for the Komudi full moon of the fourth month.”

Those Bhikkhus who lived in the country heard: “The Bhagavā will wait at Sāvatthi for the Komudi full moon of the fourth month!” and those Bhikkhus who lived in the country left to see the Bhagavā at Sāvatthi.

The elder Bhikkhus did their utmost to teach and instruct the newly ordained disciples. Some elder Bhikkhus were teaching and instructing ten Bhikkhus, some were teaching and instructing twenty Bhikkhus, some were teaching and instructing thirty Bhikkhus; some were teaching and instructing forty Bhikkhus. The new Bhikkhus, on being taught and instructed thus by the elder Bhikkhus, came to achieve something superior than what they knew before.

Then in the full moon night of Komudi ending the four-month’s rain retreat the Bhagavā sat down under open sky at the Uposatha-day surrounded by the Bhikkhusaṅgha. Having surveyed the silent and quiet Bhikkhusaṅgha he addressed them thus:

“Free from prattle, Bhikkhus, is this assembly, free from chatter, Bhikkhus, is this assembly, pure and established in essence. Such is this Bhikkhusaṅgha, Bhikkhus, of such nature is, Bhikkhus, this assembly, that it is truly an assembly that is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, and well worth to be addressed with folded hands, an endless field of merit in this world. Such is this Bhikkhusaṅgha, Bhikkhus, of such nature is, Bhikkhus, this assembly that a little gift given to this assembly leads to great result, and a greater gift to even greater result. Such is this Bhikkhusaṅgha, Bhikkhus, of such nature is it, Bhikkhus, that an assembly like this is rare to be seen in this world. Such is this Bhikkhusaṅgha, Bhikkhus, of such nature is, Bhikkhus, this assembly, that being able to see an assembly like this it is surely worthwhile to walk with a provision bag even for a number of yojanas.

There are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who are Arahants, completely freed from any defilements, who have reached perfection and done what ought to be done, laid down the burden and reached their goal, who have destroyed the fetters binding them to existence and are completely liberated by their own final knowledge - of such nature there are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha.

There are also, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who have completely destroyed the five lower fetters with one spontaneous rebirth left, where they will realise full liberation and are unlikely to return to this world- of such nature there are Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus, in this Bhikkhusaṅgha.

There are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who are Sakadāgāmi- having completely destroyed the three fetters and reduced craving, aversion and illusion, they will return once more to this world and make an end to suffering - of such nature there are Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus, in this Bhikkhusaṅgha.

There are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who are Sotāpannā—having completely destroyed the three fetters they are not liable to return to the lower worlds but are assured to reach final liberation—of such nature there are Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus, in this Bhikkhusaṅgha.

There are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who abide to the development of the four satipaṭṭhānā, there are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who abide to the development of the four sammappadhānā. There are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who abide to the development of the four iddhipādā, there are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who abide to the development of the five indriyā, the five balā, the seven bojjhaṅgā, the eightfold noble path - of such nature there are Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus, in this Bhikkhusaṅgha. And there are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who devote themselves to the development of metta, to the development of karuṇa, to the development of mudita, to the development of upekkha, to the development of asubhabhāva, and to the development of the aniccasañña - of such nature there are Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus, in this Bhikkhusaṅgha.

And there are, Bhikkhus, Bhikkhus in this Bhikkhusaṅgha, who devote themselves to the practise of ānāpānassati. Ānāpānassati, Bhikkhus, when developed and fully engaged in, is of great fruit, of great benefit.

With the development and full engagement of ānāpānassati, the four satipaṭṭhānā get fulfilled. With the development and full engagement of the four satipaṭṭhānā, the seven bojjhaṅgā get fulfilled. With the development and full engagement of the seven bojjhaṅgā, freedom through knowledge gets attained.

^*Ānāpānassatisuttaṃ: ānāpāna + s + sati: in and out breathing + awareness