dn34:2 Nine things are helpful, etc. <b>What nine things are helpful?</b> Nine things rooted in rational application of mind. When you apply the mind rationally, joy springs up. When you’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, you feel bliss. And when you’re blissful, the mind becomes immersed. When your mind is immersed, you truly know and see. When you truly know and see, you grow disillusioned. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away you’re freed. <b>What nine things should be developed?</b> Nine factors of trying to be pure. The factors of trying to be pure in ethics, mind, view, overcoming doubt, knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path, knowledge and vision of the practice, knowledge and vision, wisdom, and freedom. <b>What nine things should be completely understood?</b> Nine abodes of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and diverse in perception, such as human beings, some angels, and some beings in hell. This is the first abode of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and unified in perception, such as the angels of the exalted host through the first absorption. This is the second abode of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that are unified in body and diverse in perception, such as the angels of sublime luminosity. This is the third abode of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that are unified in body and unified in perception, such as the angels of universal beauty. This is the fourth abode of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that are non-percipient and do not experience anything, such as the angels who are non-percipient beings. This is the fifth abode of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond perceptions of form. With the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they have attained the dimension of infinite space. This is the sixth abode of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite space. Aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they have attained the dimension of infinite consciousness. This is the seventh abode of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they have attained the dimension of nothingness. This is the eighth abode of sentient beings. There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of nothingness. They have attained the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the ninth abode of sentient beings. <b>What nine things should be given up?</b> Nine things rooted in craving. Craving gives rise to searching. Searching gives rise to gaining material things. Gaining material things gives rise to evaluation. Evaluation gives rise to desire and lust. Desire and lust gives rise to attachment. Attachment gives rise to ownership. Ownership gives rise to stinginess. Stinginess gives rise to safeguarding. Owing to safeguarding, many bad, unskillful things come to be: taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, arguments, disputes, accusations, backbiting, and lies. <b>What nine things make things worse?</b> Nine grounds for resentment. Thinking: ‘They did wrong to me,’ you harbor resentment. Thinking: ‘They are doing wrong to me’ … ‘They will do wrong to me’ … ‘They did wrong by someone I love’ … ‘They are doing wrong by someone I love’ … ‘They will do wrong by someone I love’ … ‘They helped someone I dislike’ … ‘They are helping someone I dislike’ … Thinking: ‘They will help someone I dislike,’ you harbor resentment. <b>What nine things lead to distinction?</b> Nine ways to get rid of resentment. Thinking: ‘They did wrong to me, but what can I possibly do?’ you get rid of resentment. Thinking: ‘They are doing wrong to me …’ … ‘They will do wrong to me …’ … ‘They did wrong by someone I love …’ … ‘They are doing wrong by someone I love …’ … ‘They will do wrong by someone I love …’ … ‘They helped someone I dislike …’ … ‘They are helping someone I dislike …’ … Thinking: ‘They will help someone I dislike, but what can I possibly do?’ you get rid of resentment. <b>What nine things are hard to comprehend?</b> Nine kinds of diversity. Diversity of elements gives rise to diversity of contacts. Diversity of contacts gives rise to diversity of feelings. Diversity of feelings gives rise to diversity of perceptions. Diversity of perceptions gives rise to diversity of thoughts. Diversity of thoughts gives rise to diversity of desires. Diversity of desires gives rise to diversity of passions. Diversity of passions gives rise to diversity of searches. Diversity of searches gives rise to diversity of gains. <b>What nine things should be produced?</b> Nine perceptions: the perceptions of ugliness, death, repulsiveness in food, dissatisfaction with the whole world, impermanence, suffering in impermanence, not-self in suffering, giving up, and fading away. <b>What nine things should be directly known?</b> Nine progressive meditations. A mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption. Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space. Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite consciousness. Going totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they enter and remain in the dimension of nothingness. Going totally beyond the dimension of nothingness, they enter and remain in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception and feeling. <b>What nine things should be realized?</b> Nine progressive cessations. For someone who has attained the first absorption, sensual perceptions have ceased. For someone who has attained the second absorption, the placing of the mind and keeping it connected have ceased. For someone who has attained the third absorption, rapture has ceased. For someone who has attained the fourth absorption, breathing has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite space, the perception of form has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of infinite consciousness, the perception of the dimension of infinite space has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of nothingness, the perception of the dimension of infinite consciousness has ceased. For someone who has attained the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, the perception of the dimension of nothingness has ceased. For someone who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have ceased. So these ninety things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly understood by the Realized One.

10. Groups of Ten

dn34:2 Ten things are helpful, ten things should be developed, ten things should be completely understood, ten things should be given up, ten things make things worse, ten things lead to distinction, ten things are hard to comprehend, ten things should be produced, ten things should be directly known, ten things should be realized. <b>What ten things are helpful?</b> Ten qualities that serve as protector. First, a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. This is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant is learned. This too is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant has good friends, companions, and associates. This too is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant is easy to admonish, having qualities that make them easy to admonish. They’re patient, and take instruction respectfully. This too is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant is deft and tireless in a diverse spectrum of duties for their spiritual companions, understanding how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work. This too is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant loves the teachings and is a delight to converse with, being full of joy in the teaching and training. This too is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant is content with any kind of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This too is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant is energetic. This too is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant is mindful. They have utmost mindfulness and alertness, and can remember and recall what was said and done long ago. This too is a quality that serves as protector. Furthermore, a mendicant is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This too is a quality that serves as protector. <b>What ten things should be developed?</b> Ten universal dimensions of meditation. Someone perceives the meditation on universal earth above, below, across, undivided and limitless. They perceive the meditation on universal water … the meditation on universal fire … the meditation on universal air … the meditation on universal blue … the meditation on universal yellow … the meditation on universal red … the meditation on universal white … the meditation on universal space … They perceive the meditation on universal consciousness above, below, across, undivided and limitless. <b>What ten things should be completely understood?</b> Ten sense fields: eye and sights, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and touches. <b>What ten things should be given up?</b> Ten wrong ways: wrong view, wrong purpose, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom. <b>What ten things make things worse?</b> Ten ways of doing unskillful deeds: killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; speech that’s false, backbiting, harsh, or nonsensical; covetousness, ill will, and wrong view. <b>What ten things lead to distinction?</b> Ten ways of doing skillful deeds: refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; refraining from speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; contentment, good will, and right view. <b>What ten things are hard to comprehend?</b> Ten abodes of the noble ones. A mendicant has given up five factors, possesses six factors, has a single guard, has four supports, has cast aside idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth, has totally given up searching, has unsullied intentions, has stilled the physical process, and is well freed in mind and well freed by wisdom. And how has a mendicant given up five factors? It’s when a mendicant has given up sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. That’s how a mendicant has given up five factors. And how does a mendicant possess six factors? A mendicant, seeing a sight with their eyes, is neither happy nor sad. They remain equanimous, mindful and aware. Hearing a sound with their ears … Smelling an odor with their nose … Tasting a flavor with their tongue … Encountering a touch with their body … Knowing an idea with their mind, they’re neither happy nor sad. They remain equanimous, mindful and aware. That’s how a mendicant possesses six factors. And how does a mendicant have a single guard? It’s when a mendicant’s heart is guarded by mindfulness. That’s how a mendicant has a single guard. And how does a mendicant have four supports? After appraisal, a mendicant uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and dispels some things. That’s how a mendicant has four supports. And how has a mendicant cast aside idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth? Different ascetics and brahmins have different idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth. A mendicant has cast out, cast aside, thrown out, discarded, let go of, given up, and relinquished all these. That’s how a mendicant has cast aside idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth. And how has a mendicant totally given up searching? It’s when they’ve given up searching for sensual pleasures, for continued existence, and for a spiritual path. That’s how a mendicant has totally given up searching. And how does a mendicant have unsullied intentions? It’s when they’ve given up sensual, malicious, and cruel intentions. That’s how a mendicant has unsullied intentions. And how has a mendicant stilled the physical process? With the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. That’s how a mendicant has stilled the physical process. And how is a mendicant well freed in mind? It’s when a mendicant’s mind is freed from greed, hate, and delusion. That’s how a mendicant is well freed in mind. And how is a mendicant well freed by wisdom? It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘I’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so they’re unable to arise in the future.’ That’s how a mendicant’s mind is well freed by wisdom. <b>What ten things should be produced?</b> Ten perceptions: the perceptions of ugliness, death, repulsiveness in food, dissatisfaction with the whole world, impermanence, suffering in impermanence, not-self in suffering, giving up, fading away, and cessation. <b>What ten things should be directly known?</b> Ten grounds for wearing away. For one of right view, wrong view is worn away. And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong view are worn away. For one of right intention, wrong intention is worn away. … For one of right speech, wrong speech is worn away. … For one of right action, wrong action is worn away. … For one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is worn away. … For one of right effort, wrong effort is worn away. … For one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is worn away. … For one of right immersion, wrong immersion is worn away. … For one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is worn away. … For one of right freedom, wrong freedom is worn away. And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong freedom are worn away. <b>What ten things should be realized?</b> Ten qualities of an adept: an adept’s right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom. So these hundred things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly understood by the Realized One.” That is what Venerable Sāriputta said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what Sāriputta said. The Long Discourses are complete.