7°. Just as the Great Ocean, O Bhikkhus, is full of many gems, etc. [as above. Transl.], even so, O Bhikkhus, this Doctrine is full of many gems and precious things; the four ‘Earnest Meditations’ and ‘Great Exertions’, the four ‘Constituents of Superhuman power’, the five ‘Moral Qualities’, the five ‘Forces’, the five ‘Constituents of Supreme Knowledge’, and the ‘Noble Eight-fold Path’.
And as this doctrine is full of many gems etc. [as above. Transl.] and the ‘Noble Eight-fold Path’; this is the seventh strange and wonderful condition in the discipline of the Law, perceiving which the Bhikkhus rejoice in the discipline of the Law.
8°. Just as the Great Ocean, O Bhikkhus, is the abode of many living creatures etc. [as above. Transl.] even so, O Bhikkhus, in this dicipline of the Law there are many members, the Sotapanna1 who has attained to a realization of the fruition of a Sotapanna, the Sakadâgamini2 who has attained to a realization of the fruition of a Sakadâgamini, p. 79 the Anâgamini1 who has attained to a realization of the fruition of an Anâgamini, the Arahat2 who has attained to Arahatship.
And as, O Bhikkhus, in this discipline of the Law there are many members etc. [as above. Transl.] this is the eighth condition in the discipline of the Law, perceiving which the Bhikkhus rejoice in the discipline of the Law. These, O Bhikkhus, are the eight strange and marvellous conditions in the discipline of the Law, perceiving which the Bhikkhus rejoice therein.”
And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:–
| “The rain pours down upon the well-roofed house It falls not upon the house that is roofless, Therefore open wide that which is closed, And the rain will not descend upon it.”3 |