DHAMMA-KAKKA-PPAVATTANA-SUTTA The Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness

4. ‘What is that middle path, O Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathâgata–that path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding, which ‘leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvâna? Verily! it is this noble eightfold path that is to say

‘Right views;
Right aspirations;
Right speech;
Right conduct;
Right livelihood;
Right effort;
Right mindfulness;
and Right contemplation.

‘This, O Bhikkhus, is that middle path, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathâgata–that path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding,
which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvâna!

[1. The Tathâgata is an epithet of a Buddha. It is interpreted by Buddhaghosa, in the Samangala Vilâsinî, to mean that he came to earth for the same purposes, after having passed through the same training in former births, as all the supposed former Buddhas; and that, when he had so come, all his actions corresponded with theirs.

‘Avoiding these two extremes’ should perhaps be referred to the Tathâgata, but I prefer the above rendering.]

Dhamma-Kakka-Ppavattana Sutta: Foundation of the Kingdon of Righteousness
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

DHAMMA-KAKKA-PPAVATTANA-SUTTA The Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness

Reverence to the Blessed One, the Holy One, the Fully-Enlightened One.

1. Thus have I heard. The Blessed One was once staying at Benares, at the hermitage called Migadâya. And there the Blessed One addressed the company of the five Bhikkhus[1], and said:

2. ‘There are two extremes, O Bhikkhus, which the man who has given up the world[2] ought not to follow–the habitual practice, on the one hand of those things whose attraction depends upon the passions, and especially of sensuality–a low and pagan[3] way (of seeking satisfaction) unworthy, unprofitable, and fit only for the worldly-minded–
and the habitual practice, on the other hand, of asceticism (or self-mortification), which is painful, unworthy, and unprofitable.

3. ‘There is a middle path, O Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathâgata[1]–a path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvâna!

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[1. These are the five mendicants who had waited on the Bodisat during his austerities, as described in ‘Buddhist Birth Stories,’ pp. 88, 89. Their names are given on p. 113 of that book; see below, the note on ง 32.

2. Pabbagito, one who has gone forth, who has renounced worldly things, a ‘religious.’

3. Gamma, a word of the same derivation as, and corresponding meaning to, our word ‘pagan.’]

Dhamma-Kakka-Ppavattana Sutta: Foundation of the Kingdon of Righteousness
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

KETOKHILA-SUTTA – 
BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE

27. ‘The brother, O Bhikkhus, thus endowed with fifteenfold determination becomes destined to come forth into the light, capable of the higher wisdom, sure of attaining to the supreme security.

28. ‘Just, O Bhikkhus, as when a hen has eight or ten or twelve eggs, and the hen has properly brooded over them, properly sat upon them, properly sat herself round them, however much such a wish may arise on her heart as this, “O would that my little chickens should break open the eggshell with the points of their claws, or with their beaks, and come forth into the light in safety!” yet all the while those little chickens are sure to break the egg-shell with the points of their claws, or with their beaks, and to come forth into the light in safety.

29. ‘Just even so, a brother thus endowed with fifteenfold determination is sure to come forth into the light, sure to reach up to the higher wisdom, sure to attain to the supreme security[4]!’

30. Thus spake the Blessed One. And those Brethren, delighted in heart, exalted the word of the Blessed One.

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[4. The tertium quid of the parable is the absolute certainty of the event which will follow on the hen having duly and diligently followed the law of her instinct, even though she, meanwhile, in her ignorance, be full of doubt and desire. ]

Ketokhila-Sutta: Barreness And Bondage
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

KETOKHILA-SUTTA – 
BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE

25. ‘Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has become quite free from the five kinds of mental barrenness, has altogether broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage–that such a one should reach up to the full advantage of, should attain to full growth in, to full breadth in, this doctrine and discipline–that can well be!

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26. ‘He practises the (first) road to saintship’, which is accompanied by the union of the will to acquire it with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against sin. He practises the (second) road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of exertion with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against sin. He practises the (third) road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of thought with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against sin. He practises the (fourth) road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of investigation with earnest contemplation

and the struggle against sin[1],–and strong determination too as a fifth.

[1. Iddhipâdam. Here Iddhi must be (spiritual) welfare.]

Ketokhila-Sutta: Barreness And Bondage
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

KETOKHILA-SUTTA – 
BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE

24. ‘And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not adopted the religious life in the aspiration of belonging to some one or other of the angel hosts, thinking to himself: “By this morality, or by this observance, or by this austerity, or by this religious life, I shall become an angel, or one of the angels!”–

‘Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not

adopted the religious life in the aspiration of belonging to some one or other of the angel hosts, thinking to himself: “By this morality, or by this observance, or by this austerity, or by this religious life, I shall become an angel, or one of the angels!” his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

‘But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this fifth spiritual bondage.

‘It is such a one, O Bhikkhus, who has broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage.

Ketokhila-Sutta: Barreness And Bondage
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

KETOKHILA-SUTTA – 
BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE

23. ‘And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother does not, having eaten enough and to satiety, begin to follow after the ease of sleep, the ease of softness, the ease of sloth.

‘Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, does not, having eaten enough and to satiety, begin to follow after the ease of sleep, the ease of softness, the ease of sloth, his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

‘But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this fourth spiritual bondage.

Ketokhila-Sutta: Barreness And Bondage
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

KETOKHILA-SUTTA – 
BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE

22. ‘And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has got rid of the passion for a form (rûpe), has got rid of the desire after a form, has got rid of the attraction to a form, has got rid of the thirst for a form, has got rid of the fever of a form, has got rid of the craving after a form.–

‘Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has got rid of the passion for a form, has got rid of the desire after a form, has got rid of the attraction to a form, has got rid of the thirst for a form, has got rid of the fever of a form, has got rid of the craving after a form, his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

‘But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this third spiritual bondage.

Ketokhila-Sutta: Barreness And Bondage
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

From the introductory notes:
6. Desire for a future life in the worlds of form (rûparâga).

KETOKHILA-SUTTA – 
BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE

21. ‘And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has got rid of the passion after a body (kâye), has got rid of the desire after a body, has got rid of the attraction to a body, has got rid of the thirst for a body, has got rid of the fever of a body, has got rid of the craving after a body.–

‘Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has got rid of the passion after a body, has got rid of the desire after a body, has got rid of the attraction to a body, has got rid of the thirst for a body, has got rid of the fever of a body, has got rid of the craving after a body, his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

‘But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this second spiritual bondage.

Ketokhila-Sutta: Barreness And Bondage
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

KETOKHILA-SUTTA – 
BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE

20. ‘And who has broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage?’

‘In the first place, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has got rid of the passion after lusts (kâme), has got rid of the desire after lusts, has got rid of the attraction to lusts, has got rid of the thirst for lusts, has got rid of the fever of lust, has got rid of the craving after lusts.–

‘Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has got rid of the passion after lusts, has got rid of the desire after lusts, has got rid of the attraction to lusts, has got rid of the thirst for lusts, has got rid of the fever of lust, has got rid of the craving after lusts, his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

‘But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this first spiritual bondage.

Ketokhila-Sutta: Barreness And Bondage
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]

KETOKHILA-SUTTA – 
BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE

19. ‘And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother is not angry with his fellow-disciples, is not discontented with them, is not excited against them, is not barren towards them, the mind of the brother, O Bhikkhus, who is thus not angry with his fellow-disciples, not discontented with them, not excited against them, not barren towards them, does incline toward zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this fifth spiritual barrenness.’

Ketokhila-Sutta: Barreness And Bondage
Translated from Pâli by T. W. Rhys Davids [1881]