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Chapter Ten

Portraits of the Buddha

[The student Uttara is talking to his teacher, the brahman Brahmāyu:] “When walking, Master Gotama steps with his right foot first. He doesn’t extend his foot too far or place it down too near. He walks neither too quickly nor too slowly. He walks without knocking his knees together or knocking his ankles together. He walks without raising or lowering his thighs, without pinching them together or spreading them apart. When he walks, only the lower part of his body moves, and he walks without bodily effort. When turning to look, he turns to look with his entire body. He doesn’t look straight up or straight down. He walks without glancing around. He gazes a plow’s length before him; beyond that, he has unhindered knowledge & vision.

“When going indoors, he doesn’t raise or lower his body, bend it forward or back. He turns around neither too far from the seat nor too close. He doesn’t lean on his seat with his hand. He doesn’t plunk his body down on the seat.

“Seated indoors, he doesn’t fidget with his hands or his feet. He doesn’t sit with his knees crossed or with his ankles crossed. He doesn’t sit with his hand holding his chin.

“Seated indoors, he isn’t fearful, doesn’t shiver, doesn’t tremble, isn’t nervous. Being unfearful, not shivering, not trembling, not nervous, he—without his hair standing on end—is intent on seclusion.

“When receiving bowl-water, he doesn’t raise or lower the bowl, tip it forward or back. He receives neither too little nor too much bowl-water. He washes the bowl without making a sloshing sound. He washes the bowl without turning it over. He doesn’t wash his hands having put the bowl on the ground. When his hands are washed, the bowl is washed. When the bowl is washed, his hands are washed. He pours the bowl-water not too near, not too far, and without splashing.

“When receiving rice, he doesn’t raise or lower the bowl, tip it forward or back. He receives neither too little nor too much rice. He also receives curry, taking curry in the proper proportion. He doesn’t put too much curry in his mouthful. Having turned the mouthful over two or three times in his mouth, he swallows it. No unchewed rice grain enters his body; no rice grain remains in his mouth. Then he takes another mouthful. He takes his food experiencing the taste but not experiencing passion for the taste.

“Master Gotama eats food endowed with eight factors: not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification; but simply for the survival & continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life, thinking, ‘Thus will I destroy old feelings (of hunger) and not create new feelings (from overeating). I will maintain myself, be blameless, & live in comfort.’

“When he has finished his meal and receives bowl-water, he doesn’t raise or lower the bowl, tip it forward or back. He receives neither too little nor too much bowl-water. He washes the bowl without making a sloshing sound. He washes the bowl without turning it over. He doesn’t wash his hands having put the bowl on the ground. When his hands are washed, the bowl is washed. When the bowl is washed, his hands are washed. He pours the bowl-water not too near, not too far, and without splashing.… He puts his bowl on the floor, not too near, not too far. He isn’t careless of the bowl, nor overly solicitous about it.… He sits in silence for a moment, but doesn’t exceed the time for the anumodanā [after-the-meal talk].… He gives the anumodanā, doesn’t criticize the meal, doesn’t expect another meal. He instructs, urges, rouses, & encourages the gathering with a talk purely on Dhamma. Having done so, he rises from his seat and departs. He walks neither too quickly nor too slowly, nor does he desire to get away.

“His robe is worn not too high on his body, not too low on his body, not too tight or too loose on his body. The wind doesn’t blow his robe away from his body. Dust & dirt don’t soil his body.

“Having gone to the monastery, he sits on a seat laid out. Seated, he washes his feet, but he doesn’t occupy himself with grooming his feet. Having washed his feet, he sits with his legs folded, sets his body erect, and sets mindfulness to the fore. He doesn’t set his mind on his own affliction, the affliction of others, or the affliction of both. He sits setting his mind on his own welfare, the welfare of others, the welfare of both—even the welfare of the entire cosmos.

“Having gone to the monastery, he teaches Dhamma to the gathering. He neither flatters nor berates the gathering. He instructs, urges, rouses, & encourages the gathering with a talk purely on Dhamma. The voice that issues from his mouth is endowed with eight qualities: It is distinct, intelligible, melodious, audible, ringing, focused, deep, & resonant. But although his voice is intelligible to the gathering, the sound of his voice doesn’t extend outside the gathering. Those who have been instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged by his Dhamma talk rise from their seats and leave, looking only at him and concerned with nothing else.

“We have seen Master Gotama walking, sir, we have seen him standing, we have seen him entering indoors, we have seen him sitting in silence indoors, we have seen him eating indoors, we have seen him sitting in silence after eating, we have seen him giving the anumodanā after eating, we have seen him returning to the monastery, we have seen him sitting in silence after going to the monastery, we have seen him teaching the Dhamma to a gathering in the monastery. He is like that—like that and more than that.” — MN 91

At that time the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Forest, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Ven. Rādha went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: “‘A being,’ lord. ‘A being,’ it’s said. To what extent is one said to be ‘a being’?”

“Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Rādha: When one is caught up [satta] there, tied up [visatta] there, one is said to be ‘a being [satta].

“Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness, Rādha: When one is caught up [satta] there, tied up [visatta] there, one is said to be ‘a being [satta].’” — SN 23:2

“If one stays obsessed with form, that’s what one is measured/limited by. Whatever one is measured by, that’s how one is classified.

“If one stays obsessed with feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness, that’s what one is measured by. Whatever one is measured by, that’s how one is classified.

“But if one doesn’t stay obsessed with form… feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness, that’s not what one is measured by. Whatever one isn’t measured by, that’s not how one is classified.” — SN 22:36

Then Ven. Anurādha went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: “Just now I was staying not far from the Blessed One in a wilderness hut. Then a large number of wandering sectarians came and.… said to me, ‘Friend Anurādha, the Tathāgata—the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment—being described, is described with (one of) these four positions: The Tathāgata exists after death, does not exist after death, both does & does not exist after death, neither exists nor does not exist after death.’

“When this was said, I said to them, ‘Friends, the Tathāgata—the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment—being described, is described otherwise than with these four positions.…’

“When this was said, the wandering sectarians said to me, ‘This monk is either a newcomer, not long gone forth, or else an elder who is foolish & inexperienced.’ So, addressing me as they would a newcomer or a fool, they got up from their seats and left.

“Then not long after the wandering sectarians had left, this thought occurred to me: ‘If I am questioned again by those wandering sectarians, how will I answer in such a way that I will speak in line with what the Blessed One has said, will not slander the Blessed One with what is unfactual, will answer in line with the Dhamma, and no one whose thinking is in line with the Dhamma will have grounds for criticizing me?’”…

“What do you think, Anurādha? Do you regard form as the Tathāgata?” “No, lord.”

“Do you regard feeling as the Tathāgata?” “No, lord.”

“Do you regard perception as the Tathāgata?” “No, lord.”

“Do you regard fabrications as the Tathāgata?” “No, lord.”

“Do you regard consciousness as the Tathāgata?” “No, lord.”

“What do you think, Anurādha? Do you regard the Tathāgata as being in form? … Elsewhere than form? … In feeling? … Elsewhere than feeling? … In perception? … Elsewhere than perception? … In fabrications? … Elsewhere than fabrications? … In consciousness? … Elsewhere than consciousness?”

“No, lord.”

“What do you think, Anurādha? Do you regard the Tathāgata as form-feeling-perception-fabrications-consciousness?”

“No, lord.”

“Do you regard the Tathāgata as that which is without form, without feeling, without perception, without fabrications, without consciousness?”

“No, lord.”

“And so, Anurādha—when you can’t pin down the Tathāgata as a truth or reality even in the present life—is it proper for you to declare, ‘Friends, the Tathāgata—the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment—being described, is described otherwise than with these four positions: The Tathāgata exists after death, does not exist after death, both does & does not exist after death, neither exists nor does not exist after death’?”

“No, lord.”

“Very good, Anurādha. Very good. Both formerly & now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.” — SN 22:86

[Sister Khemā is addressing King Pasenadi:] “What do you think, great king? Do you have an accountant or calculator or mathematician who can count the grains of sand in the River Ganges as ‘so many grains of sand’ or ‘so many hundreds of grains of sand’ or ‘so many thousands of grains of sand’ or ‘so many hundreds of thousands of grains of sand’?”

“No, lady.”

“Then do you have an accountant or calculator or mathematician who can count the water in the great ocean as ‘so many buckets of water’ or ‘so many hundreds of buckets of water’ or ‘so many thousands of buckets of water’ or ‘so many hundreds of thousands of buckets of water’?”

“No, lady. Why is that? The great ocean is deep, boundless, hard to fathom.”

“Even so, great king, any form… feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness by which one describing the Tathāgata would describe him: That the Tathāgata has abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Freed from the classification of form… feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness, great king, the Tathāgata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the ocean. ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’ doesn’t apply. ‘The Tathāgata doesn’t exist after death doesn’t apply. ‘The Tathāgata both exists and doesn’t exist after death’ doesn’t apply. ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death’ doesn’t apply.” — SN 44:1

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, the cosmos125 has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata. From the cosmos, the Tathāgata is disjoined. The origination of the cosmos has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata. The origination of the cosmos has, by the Tathāgata, been abandoned. The cessation of the cosmos has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata. The cessation of the cosmos has, by the Tathāgata, been realized. The path leading to the cessation of the cosmos has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata. The path leading to the cessation of the cosmos has, by the Tathāgata, been developed.

“Whatever—in this cosmos with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & common people—is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, pondered by the intellect, that has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata. Thus he is called the Tathāgata.

“From the night the Tathāgata fully awakens to the unsurpassed Right Self-awakening to the night he is totally unbound in the unbinding property with no fuel remaining,126 whatever the Tathāgata has said, spoken, explained is just so [tatha] and not otherwise. Thus he is called the Tathāgata.

“The Tathāgata is one who does in line with [tathā] what he teaches, one who teaches in line with what he does. Because he is one who does in line with what he teaches, one who teaches in line with what he does, he is thus called the Tathāgata.

“In this cosmos with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & common people, the Tathāgata is the unconquered conqueror, total seer, wielder of power. Thus he is called the Tathāgata.”

This is the meaning of what the Blessed One said. So with regard to this it was said:

“Monks, whatever—in this cosmos with its devas, Māras & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & common people—is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, pondered by the intellect: That do I know. Whatever in this cosmos with its devas, Māras & Brahmās; in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & common people is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, pondered by the intellect: That I directly know. That has been realized by the Tathāgata, but in the Tathāgata it has not been established.

“If I were to say, ‘I don’t know whatever in this cosmos… is seen, heard, sensed, cognized… pondered by the intellect,’ that would be a falsehood in me. If I were to say, ‘I both know and don’t know whatever in this cosmos… is seen, heard, sensed, cognized… pondered by the intellect,’ that would be just the same. If I were to say, ‘I neither know nor don’t know whatever in this cosmos… is seen, heard, sensed, cognized… pondered by the intellect,’ that would be a fault in me.

“Thus, monks, the Tathāgata, when seeing what is to be seen, doesn’t suppose an (object as) seen. He doesn’t suppose an unseen. He doesn’t suppose an (object) to-be-seen. He doesn’t suppose a seer.

“When hearing… When sensing… When cognizing what is to be cognized, he doesn’t suppose an (object as) cognized. He doesn’t suppose an uncognized. He doesn’t suppose an (object) to-be-cognized. He doesn’t suppose a cognizer.

“Thus, monks, the Tathāgata—being the same with regard to all phenomena that can be seen, heard, sensed, & cognized—is ‘Such.’ And I tell you: There is no other ‘Such’ higher or more sublime.

“Monks, two trains of thought often occur to the Tathāgata, worthy & rightly self-awakened: the thought of safety & that of seclusion.

“The Tathāgata enjoys non-ill will, delights in non-ill will. To him—enjoying non-ill will, delighting in non-ill will—this thought often occurs: ‘By this activity I harm no one at all, whether weak or firm.’

“The Tathāgata enjoys seclusion, delights in seclusion. To him—enjoying seclusion, delighting in seclusion—this thought often occurs: ‘Whatever is unskillful is abandoned.’” — Iti 38

“Sāriputta, there are these ten Tathāgata-strengths of the Tathāgata, endowed with which the Tathāgata makes known his status as the bull, roars his lion’s roar in the assembly, and sets the Brahmā-wheel in motion. Which ten?

“Here the Tathāgata discerns, as they have come to be, the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible. That the Tathāgata discerns, as they have come to be, the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible: This is a Tathāgata-strength of the Tathāgata, relying on which strength the Tathāgata makes known his status as the bull, roars his lion’s roar in the assembly, and sets the Brahmā-wheel in motion.

“Then again, the Tathāgata discerns, as it has come to be, the ripening—in line with possibilities and causes—of actions undertaken, whether past, future, or present. …

“Then again, the Tathāgata discerns, as they have come to be, the paths of practice leading to every destination.…

“Then again, the Tathāgata discerns, as it has come to be, the world with its many properties, its diverse properties.…

“Then again, the Tathāgata discerns, as they have come to be, the diverse inclinations of beings.…

“Then again, the Tathāgata discerns, as it has come to be, the (higher or lower) development of the faculties of other beings, other individuals.…

“Then again, the Tathāgata discerns, as they have come to be, the defilement, purification, and arising out of the attainments of jhāna, the emancipations, & concentration.…

“Then again, the Tathāgata recollects his manifold past lives.…

“Then again, the Tathāgata sees—by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human—beings passing away and re-appearing.…

“Then again, the Tathāgata—with the ending of effluents—remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for himself right in the here-&-now. That the Tathāgata—with the ending of effluents—remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for himself right in the here-&-now: This is a Tathāgata-strength of the Tathāgata, relying on which strength the Tathāgata makes known his status as the bull, roars his lion’s roar in the assembly, and sets the Brahmā-wheel in motion.

“Sāriputta, these are the ten Tathāgata-strengths of the Tathāgata, endowed with which the Tathāgata makes known his status as the bull, roars his lion’s roar in the assembly, and sets the Brahmā-wheel in motion.…

“Sāriputta, the Tathāgata has these four reasons for being undaunted, endowed with which he makes known his status as the bull, roars his lion’s roar in the assembly, and sets the Brahmā-wheel in motion. Which four?

“I can envision no sign by which any contemplative or brahman or deva or Māra or Brahmā or anyone else in the cosmos could, in line with the Dhamma, accuse me thus: ‘Although you claim to be rightly self-awakened, you have not awakened to these dhammas.’ Envisioning no such sign, I dwell in security, fearless & undaunted.

“I can envision no sign by which any contemplative or brahman… or anyone else in the cosmos could, in line with the Dhamma, accuse me thus: ‘Although you claim to have ended the effluents, there are these effluents that you have not ended.’ Envisioning no such sign, I dwell in security, fearless & undaunted.

“I can envision no sign by which any contemplative or brahman… or anyone else in the cosmos could, in line with the Dhamma, accuse me thus: ‘Those actions that you describe as obstructions, when indulged in are not actually obstructive.’ Envisioning no such sign, I dwell in security, fearless & undaunted.

“I can envision no sign by which any contemplative or brahman… or anyone else in the cosmos could, in line with the Dhamma, accuse me thus: ‘Whenever your Dhamma is taught for anyone’s sake, it doesn’t lead those who act on it to the right ending of suffering & stress.’ Envisioning no such sign, I dwell in security, fearless & undaunted.

“Sāriputta, the Tathāgata has these four reasons for being undaunted, endowed with which he makes known his status as the bull, roars his lion’s roar in the assembly, and sets the Brahmā-wheel in motion” — MN 12

[Sakuludāyin the wanderer is reporting to the Buddha what he has heard from other wanderers:] “‘Once, Gotama the contemplative was teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds. There one of his disciples cleared his throat, upon which one of his fellows in the holy life nudged him with his knee: “Be quiet, venerable sir. Don’t make a sound. Our Teacher, the Blessed One, is teaching the Dhamma.”… Just as if a man at a crossroads were to press out pure honey, and a great crowd of people would be standing by in expectancy, in the same way, on any occasion when Gotama the contemplative is teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds, there is no sound of coughing or throat-clearing among his disciples. Instead, that great crowd of people is standing by in expectancy: “We will hear the Dhamma the Blessed One will teach.”

“‘And even those of Gotama the contemplative’s disciples who, having fallen out with their fellows in the holy life, disavow the training and return to the lower life, even they speak in praise of their Teacher, in praise of the Dhamma, in praise of the Saṅgha. They blame themselves, and not others, (saying,) “We were unfortunate and without merit, in that even though we went forth into such a well taught Dhamma & Vinaya, we were unable to follow the holy life, complete and perfect, throughout life.” Becoming monastery attendants or lay followers, they undertake and observe the five training rules. In this way, Gotama the contemplative is honored, respected, revered, and worshiped by his disciples. And his disciples, honoring & respecting him, remain in dependence on him.’”

“But, Udāyin, how many qualities do you see in me for which my disciples honor, respect, revere, and worship me and—honoring & respecting me—remain in dependence on me?”

“Lord, I see five qualities in the Blessed One.… Which five? The Blessed One eats little and speaks in praise of eating little.… The Blessed One is content with any old robe cloth at all and speaks in praise of being content with any old robe cloth at all.… The Blessed One is content with any old almsfood at all and speaks in praise of being content with any old almsfood at all.… The Blessed One is content with any old lodging at all and speaks in praise of being content with any old lodging at all.… The Blessed One is secluded and speaks in praise of being secluded.… These are the five qualities I see in the Blessed One for which his disciples honor, respect, revere, and worship him and—honoring & respecting him—remain in dependence on him.”

“But, Udāyin,… there are disciples of mine who eat a cupful or half a cupful of food, a bamboo-fruit or half a bamboo-fruit (amount) of food (a day). Yet I sometimes eat as much as this bowlful of food or more. So if my disciples honored… me, (thinking,) ‘The Blessed One eats little and speaks in praise of eating little,’ then those disciples of mine who eat a cupful or half a cupful of food, a bamboo-fruit or half a bamboo-fruit (amount) of food (a day) wouldn’t honor, respect, revere, or worship me or—honoring & respecting me—remain in dependence on me.…

“There are disciples of mine who wear coarse robes of cast-off cloth. They—gathering cloth scraps from a charnel ground, a rubbish heap, or a shop, and making them into patched-together robes—wear them. Yet I sometimes wear robes donated by householders, so fine that the hair of a bottle gourd plant is coarse in comparison. So if my disciples honored… me, (thinking,) ‘The Blessed One is content with any old robe cloth at all and speaks in praise of being content with any old robe cloth at all,’ then those disciples of mine who wear coarse robes of cast-off cloth wouldn’t honor, respect, revere, or worship me or—honoring & respecting me—remain in dependence on me.…

“There are disciples of mine who are almsgoers, who go on unbroken almsround (not skipping over households), who delight in the practice of taking what is to be thrown away. When going among houses, they will not consent even to sitting down when invited. Yet I sometimes eat invitational meals of select rice & wheat with many curries & sauces. So if my disciples honored… me, (thinking,) ‘The Blessed One is content with any old almsfood at all and speaks in praise of being content with any old almsfood at all,’ then those disciples of mine who are almsgoers… wouldn’t honor, respect, revere, or worship me or—honoring & respecting me—remain in dependence on me.…

“There are disciples of mine who live at the roots of trees or in the open air. For eight months (of the dry season) they don’t rest under a roof. Yet I sometimes live in dwellings with a gabled roof, plastered inside & out, draft-free, with a close-fitting door & windows shut against the wind. So if my disciples honored… me, (thinking,) ‘The Blessed One is content with any old lodging at all and speaks in praise of being content with any old lodging at all,’ then those disciples of mine who live at the roots of trees or in the open air… wouldn’t honor, respect, revere, or worship me or—honoring & respecting me—remain in dependence on me.…

“There are disciples of mine who are wilderness dwellers, who live, having plunged into remote dwelling spots, in wild forest thickets. Only once every half-month do they enter into the midst of the Saṅgha for the Pāṭimokkha recitation. Yet I sometimes live surrounded by monks & nuns, male lay followers & female lay followers, kings & kings’ ministers, sectarians & sectarians’ disciples. So if my disciples honored… me, (thinking,) ‘The Blessed One is secluded and speaks in praise of being secluded,’ then those disciples of mine who are wilderness dwellers… wouldn’t honor, respect, revere, or worship me or—honoring & respecting me—remain in dependence on me.

“There are, Udāyin, five other qualities for which my disciples honor, respect, revere, and worship me and—honoring & respecting me—remain in dependence on me. Which five?

“There is the case where my disciples esteem me for my heightened virtue, (thinking,) ‘Gotama the contemplative is virtuous, endowed with the foremost aggregate of virtue.’ This is the first quality.…

“Further, there is the case where my disciples esteem me for my exceeding knowledge & vision, (thinking,) ‘Only when knowing does Gotama the contemplative say, “I know.” Only when seeing does he say, “I see.” It’s through direct knowledge that he teaches the Dhamma, not without direct knowledge. It’s with a cause that he teaches the Dhamma, not without a cause. It’s with marvels that he teaches the Dhamma, not without marvels.’127 This is the second quality.…

“Further, there is the case where my disciples esteem me for my heightened discernment, (thinking,) ‘Gotama the contemplative is discerning, endowed with the foremost aggregate of discernment.’ It’s impossible that he wouldn’t foresee the future consequences of a doctrine, or that he wouldn’t refute an existing opposing doctrine, having well refuted it in line with the Dhamma.’ What do you think, Udāyin? Would my disciples—thus knowing, thus seeing—interrupt me in mid-sentence?”

“No, lord.”

“It’s not the case that I expect instruction from my disciples. Invariably, they expect instruction from me.” This is the third quality.…

“Further, when my disciples have met with stress, are beset with stress & overcome with stress, they—having approached me—ask about the noble truth of stress. I, being asked, explain the noble truth of stress and I satisfy their minds with my answer. They ask me about the noble truth of the origination of stress… the noble truth of the cessation of stress… the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress. I, being asked, explain the noble truth of the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress and I satisfy their minds with my answer. This is the fourth quality.…

“Further, I have pointed out to my disciples the path of practice, practicing in line with which they develop the four establishings of mindfulness… the four right exertions… the four bases of power… the five faculties… the five strengths… the seven factors for awakening… the noble eightfold path… the eight emancipations128 … the eight dimensions of (mental) mastery… the ten totality-dimensions129… the four jhānas…

“Further, I have pointed out to my disciples the path of practice, practicing in line with which they discern, ‘This body of mine is endowed with form, composed of the four primary elements, born from mother & father, nourished with rice & porridge, subject to inconstancy, rubbing, pressing, dissolution, & dispersion. And this consciousness of mine is supported here and bound up here.’…

“Further, I have pointed out to my disciples the path of practice, practicing in line with which they create from this body another body, endowed with form, made of the mind, complete in all its parts, not inferior in its faculties130… they wield manifold supranormal powers… they hear—by means of the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human—both kinds of sounds: divine & human, whether near or far… they know the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with their own awareness… they recollect their manifold past lives… they see—by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human—beings passing away & re-appearing, and they discern how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.…

“Further, I have pointed out to my disciples the path of practice, practicing in line with which they—through the ending of the effluents—enter and remain in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized them for themselves right in the here-&-now. And there many of my disciples remain, having attained the perfection & consummation of direct knowledge.… This is the fifth quality for which my disciples honor, respect, revere, and worship me and—honoring & respecting me—remain in dependence on me.”…

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Sakuludāyin the wanderer delighted in the Blessed One’s words. — MN 77

“It’s not easy to teach the Dhamma to others, Ānanda. The Dhamma should be taught to others only when five qualities are established within the person teaching. Which five?

“The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, ‘I will speak step-by-step.’ The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, ‘I will speak explaining the sequence [of cause & effect].’ The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, ‘I will speak out of kindliness.’ The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, ‘I will speak not for the purpose of material reward.’ The Dhamma should be taught with the thought, ‘I will speak without hurting myself or others.’

“It’s not easy to teach the Dhamma to others, Ānanda. The Dhamma should be taught to others only when these five qualities are established within the person teaching.” — AN 5:159

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was living among the Magadhans in the Southern Mountains in the brahman village of Ekanāḷā. Now at that time approximately five hundred of the brahman Kasi (Plowing) Bhāradvāja’s plows were yoked at the sowing time. Then, in the early morning—having adjusted his under robe and carrying his bowl & outer robe—the Blessed One went to where Kasi Bhāradvāja was working. Now at that time Kasi Bhāradvāja’s food distribution was underway. So the Blessed One went to Kasi Bhāradvāja’s food-distribution and, on arrival, stood to one side. Kasi Bhāradvāja saw the Blessed One standing for alms, and on seeing him, said to him, “I, contemplative, plow & sow. Having plowed & sown, I eat. You, too, contemplative, should plow & sow. Having plowed & sown, you (will) eat.”

“I, too, brahman, plow & sow. Having plowed & sown, I eat.”

“But, contemplative, I don’t see the Master Gotama’s yoke or plow, plowshare, goad, or oxen, and yet the Master Gotama says this: ‘I, too, brahman, plow & sow. Having plowed & sown, I eat.’”

Then Kasi Bhāradvāja addressed the Blessed One with a verse:

Then Kasi Bhāradvāja, having heaped up milk-rice in a large bronze serving bowl, offered it to the Blessed One, (saying,) “May Master Gotama eat (this) milk-rice. The master is a plowman, for the Master Gotama plows the plowing that has as its fruit the deathless.”

“Then to whom, Master Gotama, should I give this milk-rice?”

“Brahman, I don’t see that person in this cosmos—with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & common people—by whom this milk-rice, having been eaten, would be rightly digested, aside from a Tathāgata or a Tathāgata’s disciple. In that case, brahman, throw the milk-rice away in a place without vegetation, or dump it in water with no living beings.”

So Kasi Bhāradvāja dumped the milk-rice in water with no living beings. And the milk-rice, when dropped in the water, hissed & sizzled, seethed & steamed. Just as an iron ball heated all day, when tossed in the water, hisses & sizzles, seethes & steams, in the same way, the milk-rice, when dropped in the water, hissed & sizzled, seethed & steamed.

Then Kasi Bhāradvāja—in awe, his hair standing on end—went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, throwing himself down with his head at the Blessed One’s feet, said to him, “Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! … Let me obtain the Going-forth in Master Gotama’s presence, let me obtain Acceptance.”

Then the brahman Kasi Bhāradvāja obtained the Going-forth in the Blessed One’s presence, he obtained Acceptance. And not long after his admission—dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute—he in no long time reached & remained in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself in the here-&-now. He knew: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.” And so Ven. Bhāradvāja became another one of the arahants. — Sn 1:4

Asibandhakaputta the headman said to the Blessed One, “Lord, doesn’t the Blessed One dwell with sympathy for the benefit of all beings?”

“Yes, headman, the Tathāgata dwells with sympathy for the benefit of all beings.”

“Then why is it that the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma with full attentiveness to some, and not with full attentiveness to others?”

“Very well then, headman, I will cross-question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think? There is the case where a farming householder has three fields: one excellent field, one middling, and one poor—sandy, salty, with bad soil. What do you think? If that farming householder wanted to sow seed, where would he sow the seed first: in the excellent field, in the middling field, or in the poor field—sandy, salty, with bad soil?”

“If that farming householder wanted to sow seed, he would sow the seed first in the excellent field. Having sown it there, he would sow it in the middling field. Having sown it there, he might not sow it in the poor field—sandy, salty, with bad soil—or he might. Why is that? It would at least go toward cattle fodder.”

“In the same way, headman, like the excellent field are the monks & nuns to me. I teach them the Dhamma that is admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end. I proclaim to them the holy life both in its particulars & in its meaning, entirely complete, surpassingly pure. Why is that? Because they live with me as their island, with me as their cave, with me as their shelter, with me as their refuge.

“Like the middling field are the male & female lay followers to me. I teach them the Dhamma.… Why is that? Because they live with me as their island, with me as their cave, with me as their shelter, with me as their refuge.

“Like the poor field—sandy, salty, with bad soil—are the followers of other sects to me: contemplatives, brahmans, & wanderers. I teach them the Dhamma.… Why is that? (I think,) ‘Perhaps they might understand even one sentence. That will be for their long-term benefit & happiness.’” — SN 42:7

“Monks, there are these two assemblies. Which two? The assembly trained in bombast and not in cross-questioning, and the assembly trained in cross-questioning and not in bombast.

“And which is the assembly trained in bombast and not in cross-questioning?

“There is the case where in any assembly when the discourses of the Tathāgata—deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness—are recited, the monks don’t listen, don’t lend ear, don’t set their hearts on knowing them, don’t regard them as worth grasping or mastering. But when discourses that are literary works—the works of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of disciples—are recited, they listen, they lend ear, they set their hearts on knowing them, they regard them as worth grasping & mastering. Yet when they have mastered that Dhamma, they don’t cross-question one another about it, don’t dissect: ‘How is this? What is the meaning of this?’ They don’t make open what isn’t open, don’t make plain what isn’t plain, don’t dispel doubt on its various doubtful points. This is called an assembly trained in bombast, not in cross-questioning.

“And which is the assembly trained in cross-questioning and not in bombast?

“There is the case where in any assembly when discourses that are literary works—the works of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of disciples—are recited, the monks don’t listen, don’t lend ear, don’t set their hearts on knowing them; don’t regard them as worth grasping or mastering. But when the discourses of the Tathāgata—deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness—are recited, they listen, they lend ear, they set their hearts on knowing them, they regard them as worth grasping & mastering. And when they have mastered that Dhamma, they cross-question one another about it and dissect it: ‘How is this? What is the meaning of this?’ They make open what isn’t open, make plain what isn’t plain, dispel doubt on its various doubtful points. This is called an assembly trained in cross-questioning and not in bombast.” — AN 2:46

“Endowed with these six qualities, a person is incapable of alighting on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful qualities even when listening to the true Dhamma. Which six?

“He is endowed with a (present) kamma obstruction, a defilement obstruction, a result-of-(past)-kamma obstruction; he lacks conviction, has no desire (to listen), and has dull discernment.” — AN 6:86

“There are these three types of sick people to be found existing in the world. Which three?

“There is the case of the sick person who—regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable food, regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable medicine, regardless of whether he does or does not receive proper nursing—will not recover from that illness. There is the case of the sick person who—regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable food, regardless of whether he does or does not receive amenable medicine, regardless of whether he does or does not receive proper nursing—will recover from that illness. There is the case of the sick person who will recover from that illness if he receives amenable food, amenable medicine, & proper nursing, but not if he doesn’t.

“Now, it is because of the sick person who will recover from that illness if he receives amenable food, amenable medicine, & proper nursing—but not if he doesn’t—that food for the sick has been allowed, medicine for the sick has been allowed, nursing for the sick has been allowed. And it is because there is this sort of sick person that the other sorts of sick persons are to be nursed as well.

“These are the three types of sick people to be found existing in the world.

“In the same way, these three types of people, like the three types of sick people, are to be found existing in the world. Which three?

“There is the case of the person who—regardless of whether he does or doesn’t get to see the Tathāgata, regardless of whether he does or doesn’t get to hear the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata—will not alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful qualities. There is the case of the person who—regardless of whether he does or doesn’t get to see the Tathāgata, regardless of whether he does or doesn’t get to hear the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata—will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful qualities. There is the case of the person who will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful qualities if he gets to see the Tathāgata and gets to hear the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata, but not if he doesn’t.

“Now, it is because of the person who will alight on the lawfulness, the rightness of skillful qualities if he gets to see the Tathāgata and gets to hear the Dhamma & Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata—but not if he doesn’t—that the teaching of the Dhamma has been allowed. And it is because there is this sort of person that the other sorts of persons are to be taught the Dhamma as well.

“These are the three types of people, like the three types of sick people, to be found existing in the world.” — AN 3:22

Gaṇaka Moggallāna the brahman said to the Blessed One, “When Master Gotama’s disciples are thus exhorted & instructed by him, do they all attain unbinding, the absolute conclusion, or do some of them not?”

“Brahman, when my disciples are thus exhorted & instructed by me, some attain unbinding, the absolute conclusion, and some don’t.”

“What is the reason, what is the cause—when unbinding is there, and the path leading to unbinding is there, and Master Gotama is there as the guide—that when Master Gotama’s disciples are thus exhorted & instructed by him, some attain unbinding, the absolute conclusion, and some don’t?”

“Very well then, brahman, I will cross-question you on this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think? Are you skilled in the road leading to Rājagaha?”

“Yes, sir, I am skilled in the road leading to Rājagaha.”

“Now, what do you think? There’s the case where a man would come, wanting to go to Rājagaha. Having come to you, he would say, ‘I want to go to Rājagaha. Tell me the way to Rājagaha.’ You would tell him, ‘Well, my good man, this road goes to Rājagaha. Go along it for a while. Having gone along for a while, you will see a village named such-&-such. Go along for a while. Having gone along for a while, you will see a town named such-&-such. Go along for a while. Having gone along for a while, you will see Rājagaha with its lovely parks, lovely forests, lovely meadows, lovely ponds.’ Having been thus exhorted & instructed by you, he would take a wrong road and arrive out west.

“Then a second man would come, wanting to go to Rājagaha. Having come to you, he would say, ‘I want to go to Rājagaha. Tell me the way to Rājagaha.’ You would tell him, ‘Well, my good man, this road goes to Rājagaha. Go along it for a while. Having gone along for a while, you will see a village named such-&-such. Go along for a while. Having gone along for a while, you will see a town named such-&-such. Go along for a while. Having gone along for a while, you will see Rājagaha with its lovely parks, lovely forests, lovely meadows, lovely ponds. Having been thus exhorted & instructed by you, he would arrive safely at Rājagaha. Now, what is the reason, what is the cause—when Rājagaha is there, and the road leading to Rājagaha is there, and you are there as the guide—that when they are thus exhorted & instructed by you, the first man takes the wrong road and arrives out west, whereas the second man arrives safely at Rājagaha?”

“What can I do about that, Master Gotama? I’m the one who shows the way.”

“In the same way, brahman—when unbinding is there, and the path leading to unbinding is there, and I am there as the guide—when my disciples are thus exhorted & instructed by me, some attain unbinding, the absolute conclusion, and some don’t. What can I do about that, brahman? The Tathāgata is the one who shows the way.” — MN 107

[Uttiya the wanderer:] “Now, Master Gotama, when having directly known it, you teach the Dhamma to your disciples for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of unbinding, will all the cosmos be led (to release), or a half of it, or a third?”

When this was said, the Blessed One was silent.

Then the thought occurred to Ven. Ānanda: “Don’t let Uttiya the wanderer acquire the evil viewpoint that ‘When I asked him an all-encompassing question, Gotama the contemplative faltered and didn’t reply. Perhaps he was unable to.’ That would be for his long-term harm & suffering.” So he said to Uttiya, “In that case, my friend, I will give you an analogy, for there are cases where it is through the use of analogy that intelligent people can understand the meaning of what is being said.

“Suppose that there were a royal frontier city with strong ramparts, strong walls & arches, and a single gate. In it would be a wise, competent, & intelligent gatekeeper to keep out those he didn’t know and to let in those he did. Walking along the path encircling the city, he wouldn’t see a crack or an opening in the walls big enough for even a cat to slip through. Although he wouldn’t know that ‘So-and-so many creatures enter or leave the city,’ he would know this: ‘Whatever large creatures enter or leave the city all enter or leave it through this gate.’

“In the same way, the Tathāgata doesn’t endeavor to have all the cosmos or half of it or a third of it led (to release) by means of (his Dhamma). But he does know this: ‘All those who have been led, are being led, or will be led (to release) from the cosmos have done so, are doing so, or will do so after having abandoned the five hindrances132—those defilements of awareness that weaken discernment—having well established their minds in the four establishings of mindfulness, and having developed, as they have come to be, the seven factors for awakening.’” — AN 10:95

Then Kesin the horse trainer went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him, “You, Kesin, are well known as a trainer of tamable horses. How do you train a tamable horse?”

“Lord, I train a tamable horse (sometimes) with gentleness, (sometimes) with harshness, (sometimes) with both gentleness & harshness.”

“And if a tamable horse doesn’t submit either to a gentle training or to a harsh training or to a gentle & harsh training, Kesin, what do you do?”

“If a tamable horse doesn’t submit either to a gentle training or to a harsh training or to a gentle and harsh training, lord, then I kill it. Why is that? (I think,) ‘Don’t let this be a disgrace to my lineage of teachers.’ But the Blessed One, lord, is the unexcelled trainer of tamable people. How do you train a tamable person?”

“Kesin, I train a tamable person (sometimes) with gentleness, (sometimes) with harshness, (sometimes) with both gentleness & harshness.

“In using gentleness, (I teach,) ‘Such is good bodily conduct. Such is the result of good bodily conduct. Such is good verbal conduct. Such is the result of good verbal conduct. Such is good mental conduct. Such is the result of good mental conduct. Such are the devas. Such are human beings.’

“In using harshness, (I teach,) ‘Such is bodily misconduct. Such is the result of bodily misconduct. Such is verbal misconduct. Such is the result of verbal misconduct. Such is mental misconduct. Such is the result of mental misconduct. Such is hell. Such is the animal womb. Such the realm of the hungry shades.’

“In using gentleness & harshness, (I teach,) ‘Such is good bodily conduct. Such is the result of good bodily conduct. Such is bodily misconduct. Such is the result of bodily misconduct. Such is good verbal conduct. Such is the result of good verbal conduct. Such is verbal misconduct. Such is the result of verbal misconduct. Such is good mental conduct. Such is the result of good mental conduct. Such is mental misconduct. Such is the result of mental misconduct. Such are the devas. Such are human beings. Such is hell. Such is the animal womb. Such the realm of the hungry shades.’”

“And if a tamable person doesn’t submit either to a gentle training or to a harsh training or to a gentle & harsh training, what do you do?”

“If a tamable person doesn’t submit either to a gentle training or to a harsh training or to a gentle & harsh training, then I kill him, Kesin.”

“But it’s not proper for our Blessed One to take life! And yet the Blessed One just said, ‘I kill him, Kesin.’”

“It is true, Kesin, that it’s not proper for a Tathāgata to take life. But if a tamable person doesn’t submit either to a gentle training or to a harsh training or to a gentle & harsh training, then the Tathāgata doesn’t regard him as being worth speaking to or admonishing. His knowledgeable fellows in the holy life don’t regard him as being worth speaking to or admonishing. This is what it means to be totally destroyed in the Dhamma & Vinaya: when the Tathāgata doesn’t regard one as being worth speaking to or admonishing, and one’s knowledgeable fellows in the holy life don’t regard one as being worth speaking to or admonishing.”

“Yes, lord, wouldn’t one be totally destroyed if the Tathāgata doesn’t regard one as being worth speaking to or admonishing, and one’s knowledgeable fellows in the holy life don’t regard one as being worth speaking to or admonishing.” — AN 4:111

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Vesālī in the Great Forest, at the Gabled Hall. Now on that occasion the Blessed One, with many lines of reasoning, was giving the monks a talk on the unattractiveness (of the body), was speaking in praise of (the perception of) unattractiveness, was speaking in praise of the development of (the perception of) unattractiveness. Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: “Monks, I wish to go into seclusion for half a month. I am not to be approached by anyone at all except for the one who brings almsfood.”

“As you say, lord,” the monks responded to him. And no one approached the Blessed One except for the one who brought almsfood.

Then the monks—(thinking,) “The Blessed One, with many lines of reasoning, has given a talk on the unattractiveness (of the body), has spoken in praise of (the perception of) unattractiveness, has spoken in praise of the development of (the perception of) unattractiveness”—remained committed to the development of (the perception of) unattractiveness in many modes & manners. They—ashamed, repelled, & disgusted with this body—sought for an assassin. In one day, ten monks took the knife. In one day, twenty monks took the knife. In one day, thirty monks took the knife.

Then the Blessed One, emerging from his seclusion after half a month’s time, said to Ven. Ānanda, “Ānanda, why does the Saṅgha of monks seem so depleted?”

“Because, lord, the Blessed One, with many lines of reasoning, gave the monks a talk on the unattractiveness (of the body), spoke in praise of (the perception of) unattractiveness, spoke in praise of the development of (the perception of) unattractiveness. The monks—(thinking,) ‘The Blessed One, with many lines of reasoning, has given a talk on the unattractiveness (of the body), has spoken in praise of (the perception of) unattractiveness, has spoken in praise of the development of (the perception of) unattractiveness’—remained committed to the development of (the perception of) unattractiveness in many modes & manners. They—ashamed, repelled, & disgusted with this body—sought for an assassin. In one day, ten monks took the knife. In one day, twenty monks took the knife. In one day, thirty monks took the knife. It would be good, lord, if the Blessed One would explain another method so that this Saṅgha of monks might be established in gnosis.”

“In that case, Ānanda, gather in the assembly hall all the monks who live in dependence on Vesālī.”

“As you say, lord,” Ven. Ānanda responded. When he had gathered in the assembly hall all the monks who lived in dependence on Vesālī, he went to the Blessed One and said, “The Saṅgha of monks is gathered, lord. Now is the time to do as the Blessed One sees fit.”

Then the Blessed One went to the assembly hall and sat down on a seat laid out. Seated, he addressed the monks: “Monks, this concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is both peaceful & exquisite, a refreshing & pleasant abiding that immediately disperses & allays any evil, unskillful (mental) qualities that have arisen. Just as when, in the last month of the hot season, a great rain-cloud out of season immediately disperses & allays the dust & dirt that have stirred up, in the same way, this concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is both peaceful & exquisite, a refreshing & pleasant abiding that immediately disperses & allays any evil, unskillful (mental) qualities that have arisen.

“And how is concentration through mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to be both peaceful & exquisite, a refreshing & pleasant abiding that immediately disperses & allays any evil, unskillful (mental) qualities that have arisen?

“There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and establishing mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out. [Followed by the standard sixteen steps.]” — SN 54:9

“‘There are three establishings of mindfulness that a noble one cultivates, cultivating which he is a teacher fit to instruct a group’: Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said?

“There is the case where the Teacher—out of sympathy, seeking their well-being—teaches the Dhamma to his disciples: ‘This is for your well-being, this is for your happiness.’ His disciples do not listen or lend ear or apply their minds to gnosis. Turning aside, they stray from the Teacher’s message. In this case the Tathāgata is not satisfied nor is he sensitive to satisfaction, yet he remains untroubled, mindful, & alert. This is the first establishing of mindfulness that a noble one cultivates, cultivating which he is a teacher fit to instruct a group.

“And further, there is the case where the Teacher—out of sympathy, seeking their well-being—teaches the Dhamma to his disciples: ‘This is for your well-being, this is for your happiness.’ Some of his disciples do not listen or lend ear or apply their minds to gnosis. Turning aside, they stray from the Teacher’s message. But some of his disciples listen, lend ear, & apply their minds to gnosis. They do not turn aside or stray from the Teacher’s message. In this case the Tathāgata is not satisfied nor is he sensitive to satisfaction; at the same time, he is not dissatisfied nor is he sensitive to dissatisfaction. Free from both satisfaction & dissatisfaction, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert. This is the second establishing of mindfulness.…

“And further, there is the case where the Teacher—out of sympathy, seeking their well-being—teaches the Dhamma to his disciples: ‘This is for your well-being, this is for your happiness.’ His disciples listen, lend ear, & apply their minds to gnosis. They do not turn aside or stray from the Teacher’s message. In this case the Tathāgata is satisfied and is sensitive to satisfaction, yet he remains untroubled, mindful, & alert. This is the third establishing of mindfulness that a noble one cultivates, cultivating which he is a teacher fit to instruct a group.

“‘There are three establishings of mindfulness that a noble one cultivates, cultivating which he is a teacher fit to instruct a group’: Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.

“‘Among master trainers, he is said to be the unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed’: Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said?

“Steered by the elephant trainer, the elephant to be tamed runs in only one direction: east, west, north, or south. Steered by the horse trainer, the horse to be tamed runs in only one direction: east, west, north, or south. Steered by the ox trainer, the ox to be tamed runs in only one direction: east, west, north, or south.

“But steered by the Tathāgata—worthy & rightly self-awakened—the person to be tamed fans out in eight directions.

“Possessed of form, he/she sees forms. This is the first direction.

“Not percipient of form internally, he/she sees forms externally. This is the second direction.

“He/she is intent only on the beautiful. This is the third direction.

“With the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not attending to perceptions of multiplicity, (perceiving,) ‘Infinite space,’ he/she enters and remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space. This is the fourth direction.

“With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, (perceiving,) ‘Infinite consciousness,’ he/she enters and remains in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. This is the fifth direction.

“With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, (perceiving,) ‘There is nothing,’ he/she enters and remains in the dimension of nothingness. This is the sixth direction.

“With the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, he/she enters and remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the seventh direction.

“With the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, he/she enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. This is the eighth direction.

“Steered by the Tathāgata—worthy & rightly self-awakened—the person to be tamed fans out in eight directions.

“‘Among master trainers, he [the Tathāgata] is said to be the unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed’: Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.” — MN 137