JANUARY

Day 1

If you have no satisfactory teacher, then take this sure Dhamma and practice it.  For the Dhamma is sure and when it is rightly undertaken it will be to your welfare and happiness for a long time.

M.I,401

Day 2

The Lord said to the monks: “Imagine that the whole earth was covered with water, and that a man was to throw a yoke with a hole in it into the water.  Blown by the wind, that yoke would drift north, south, east and west.  Now suppose that once in a hundred years a blind turtle was to rise to the surface.  What would be the chances of that turtle putting his head through the hole in the yoke as he rose to the surface once in a hundred years?” ‘It would be very unlikely, Lord.’ “Well, it is just as unlikely that one will be born as a human being.  It is just as unlikely that a Tathagata, a Noble One, a fully enlightened Buddha, should appear in the world.  And it is just as unlikely that the Dhamma and discipline of the Tathagata should be proclaimed.  But now you have been born as a human being, a Tathagata has appeared and the Dhamma has been proclaimed.  Therefore, strive to realize the Four Noble Truths.”

S.V,456

Day 3

The doors of the Immortal are open.
Let those who can hear respond with faith.

M.I,169

Day 4

For a disciple who has faith in the Teacher’s instruction and who lives in harmony with it, his thinking is: ‘The Teacher is the Lord, I am the disciple.  The Lord knows, I do not.’ For a disciple who has faith in the Teacher's instruction and who lives in harmony with it, the Teacher's instruction is nourishing and strength-giving.  The thinking is: ‘Gladly would I have my skin, bone and sinews wither and my flesh dry up, if only I can struggle until I win that which can be won by human effort.’ And for a disciple who has faith in the Teacher’s instruction and who lives in harmony with it, one of two results can be expected; profound knowledge here and now, or if there is any basis for rebirth remaining, the state of Non-Returning.

M.I,480

Day 5

Unsurpassed is the Lord’s way of teaching the Dhamma concerning one’s proper moral conduct.  One should be honest and faithful, without deception, chatter, hinting or belittling, not always ready to add gain to gain, but with the sense-doors guarded, moderate in food, a promoter of peace, observant, active and strenuous in effort, a meditator, mindful, with proper conversation, steady-going, resolute and sensible, not hankering after sense pleasures, but mindful and prudent.  This is the unsurpassed teaching concerning a person's proper ethical conduct.  This, the Lord fully comprehends and beyond it nothing lies to be further comprehended.  And in such matters there is no other monk or brahman who is greater or more enlightened than the Lord concerning one's moral conduct.

D.III,106-78

Day 6

“What do you think about this?” said the Lord.  “What is the purpose of a mirror?” “It is for the purpose of reflection, sir”, replied Rahula.  “Even so, an action to be done by body, speech or mind should only be done after careful reflection.”

M.I,415

Day 7

To sacred hills, woods and groves,
To sacred trees and shrines
Do people go, gripped by fear.

But they are not safe refuges,
Not the best refuge.
Not by going there
Is one freed from all suffering.

But whoever takes refuge
In the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha
Will understand with wisdom
The Four Noble Truths:

Suffering, its cause, its overcoming,
And the Noble Eightfold Path
Leading to its overcoming.

And this is a safe refuge,
It is the best refuge.
Having taken refuge here,
One is freed from all suffering.

Dhp.188-92

Day 8

As long as the sun and the moon have not come to be, there is no shining forth of great light, no great radiance.  Only darkness and blindness prevail.  There is no day or night; no months, fortnights or seasons are distinguishable.  But when the sun and the moon have come to be, then there is a shining forth of great light, of great radiance.  Darkness and blindness are no more.  Days, nights, months, fortnights and seasons are distinguishable.

In the same way, as long as the Tathagata, the Noble One, the fully enlightened Buddha, has not come to be, there is no shining forth of great light, no great radiance.  Only darkness and blindness prevail.  There is no proclaiming, no teaching, no explaining, no setting forth, no opening up, no analysis of or illuminating of the Four Noble Truths.  But when the Tathagata, the Noble One, the fully enlightened Buddha has come to be, there is a shining forth of great light, of great radiance; darkness and blindness are no more.  There is a proclaiming, a teaching, an explaining, a setting forth, an opening up, an analysis, an illuminating of the Four Noble Truths.

S.V,442

Day 9

I will teach you the Noble Eightfold Path; I will analyze it for you.  Listen carefully and I will speak.  And what is the Noble Eightfold Path?  It is Perfect View, Perfect Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness and Perfect Concentration.  And What is Perfect View?  It is the knowledge of suffering, the cause of suffering, the overcoming of suffering and the way to the overcoming of suffering.  And what is Perfect Thought?  It is the thought of giving up, the thought of love, and the thought of helpfulness.  And what is Perfect Speech?  It is the avoiding of lying, slanderous, harsh speech and of idle chatter.  And what is Perfect Action?  It is the avoiding of killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.  And what is Perfect Livelihood?  Concerning this, a noble disciple, by giving up wrong means of livelihood, adopts a perfect livelihood.  And what is Perfect Effort?  Concerning this, one puts forth the desire, makes an effort, strives, applies the mind and directs it to prevent the arising of evil unskilled states not yet arisen, to destroy evil unskilled states that have already risen, to arouse skillful states that have not yet arisen, and finally, puts forth the desire, makes an effort, strives, applies the mind and directs it towards the continuation, the unification, the growth, the development and the fulfillment of skillful states of mind.  And what is Perfect Mindfulness?  Concerning this, one abides contemplating body in body, feeling in feeling, mind in mind and mental states in mental states, ardent, clearly conscious so as to control the attraction and repulsion in the world.  And what is Perfect Concentration?  Concerning this one cultivates the four jhanas.

S.V,8

Day 10

It is certain that a clod of earth
Thrown into the sky will fall to the ground.
So too, the words of the supreme Buddha
Are always certain and sure.

It is certain that the sun will rise
When the darkness of night fades away.
So too, the words of the supreme Buddha
Are always certain and sure.

It is certain that the lion will roar
As it emerges from its den.
So too, the words of the supreme Buddha
Are always certain and sure.

Ja.I,19*

Day 11

The doctrines of which you can say: ‘These doctrines do not conduce to good, to turning away, to fading, to calming, to higher knowledge, or to Nirvana’ – you can be certain that they are not Dhamma, not discipline, not the word of the Teacher.  But the doctrines of which you can say: ‘These doctrines do conduce to good, to turning away, to fading, to calming, to higher knowledge, or to Nirvana’ – you can be certain that they are Dhamma, they are discipline, they are the word of the Teacher.

A.IV,143

Day 12

Just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, even so, this Dhamma has one taste too, the taste of freedom.

Ud.56

Day 13

If beings knew as I know the results of sharing gifts, they would not enjoy their use without sharing them with others, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there.  Even if it were their last and final bit of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it.

It.18

Day 14

Mahali asked the Lord: “Sir, what is reason, what is the cause of doing, of committing an evil deed?”

“Greed, hatred, delusion, not paying proper attention and wrongly directed thoughts – these are the reasons, these are the causes of doing, of committing an evil deed.”

“Then what, Sir, is the reason, what is the cause of doing, of performing a beautiful deed?”

“Generosity, love, wisdom, paying attention and rightly directed thought.  These are the reasons, these are the causes of doing, of performing a beautiful deed.”

A.V,86

Day 15

What sort of Dhamma practice leads to great good for oneself?  Concerning this, the noble disciple reflects: ‘Here am I, fond of life, not wishing to die, fond of pleasure and averse to pain.  If someone killed me, I would not like it.  Likewise, if I were to kill someone they would not like it.  For what is unpleasant to me must be unpleasant to another, so how could I inflict unpleasantness on them?’ As a result of such reflection one abstains from killing, encourages others to abstain from it and speaks in praise of such abstaining.

Again, the noble disciple reflects: ‘If someone were to steal what was mine, I would not like it.  Likewise, if I were to steal what belonged to someone else they would not like it.  For what is unpleasant to me must be unpleasant to another and how could I inflict unpleasantness on them?’ As a result of such reflection one abstains from stealing, encourages others to abstain from it and speaks in praise of such abstaining.

Again, the noble disciple reflects: ‘If someone were to have intercourse with my spouse I would not like it.  Likewise, if I were to have intercourse with another's spouse they would not like it.  For what is unpleasant to me must be unpleasant to another and how could I inflict unpleasantness on them?’ As a result of such reflection one abstains from wrong sexual desire, encourages others to abstain from it and speaks in praise of such abstaining.

Once again, the noble disciple reflects: ‘If someone were to ruin my benefit by lying I would not like it.  Likewise, if I were to ruin someone else’s benefit by lying they would not like it.  For what is unpleasant to me must be unpleasant to another and how could I inflict unpleasantness on them?’ As a result of such reflection one abstains from lying, encourages others to abstain from it and speaks in praise of such abstaining.

A noble disciple reflects further: ‘If someone were to estrange me from my friends by slander, speak harshly to me, or distract me with pointless, frivolous chatter, I would not like it.  Likewise, if I were to do this to another they would not like it.  For what is unpleasant to me must be unpleasant to another and how could I inflict unpleasantness on them?’ As a result of such reflection one abstains from slander, harsh speech and pointless chatter, encourages others to abstain from it and speaks in praise of such abstaining.

S.V,353

Day 16

Greed is to be slightly blamed but it is slow to change.  Hatred is to be greatly blamed but it is quick to change.  Delusion is to be greatly blamed and it is slow to change.

A.I,200

Day 17

There are these four kinds of happiness to be enjoyed by a householder who enjoys sense pleasures from time to time and when occasion offers.  What four?  The happiness of ownership, the happiness of wealth, the happiness of freedom from debt and the happiness of blamelessness.  And what is the happiness of ownership?  Concerning this, a householder has wealth acquired by energetic striving, won by strength of arm and sweat of brow, justly and lawfully.  When he thinks of this he feels happiness and satisfaction.  And what is the happiness of wealth?  Concerning this, a householder has wealth justly and lawfully acquired, and he does many good works with it.  When he thinks of this he feels happiness and satisfaction.  And what is the happiness of freedom from debt?  Concerning this, a householder owes no debts large or small to anyone, and when he thinks of this he feels happiness and satisfaction.  And what is the happiness of blamelessness?  Concerning this, the noble disciple is blessed with blameless action of body, speech and mind, and when he thinks of this he feels happiness and satisfaction.

A.II,67

Day 18

One who is wise and disciplined,
Always kindly and intelligent,
Humble and free from pride,
One like this will win respect.

Rising early and shunning laziness,
Remaining calm in times of strife,
Faultless in conduct and clever in actions,
One like this will win respect.

Being able to make friends and keep them,
Welcoming others and sharing with them,
Being a guide, a philosopher and a friend,
One like this will win respect.

Being generous and kindly in speech,
Doing favors for others
And treating all alike,

These are the things that
Make the world turn smoothly
The way the linch-pin holds firm
The chariot’s spinning wheel.

D.III,192

Day 19

There are these four types of people found in the world.  What four?  Those who are concerned neither with their own good nor the good of others, those who are concerned with good of others but not their own, those concerned with their own good but not that of others, and those who are concerned with both their own good and the good of others.  Just as a stick from a funeral pyre, burning at both ends and smeared with dung in the middle, serves no useful purpose as fuel in the village or as timber in the forest- using such a simile do I speak of those concerned neither with their own good nor the good of the others.  Those concerned with the good of others but not their own are more excellent and higher than this.  Those who are concerned with their own good but not that of others are more excellent and higher still.  But those who are concerned with both their own good and the good of others – they are, of these four persons, the supreme, the highest the topmost and the best.  Just as from a cow comes milk, from milk cream, from cream butter, from butter ghee, and from ghee the skimming of ghee, which is said to be the best, even so, those who are concerned with their own good and the good of others are, of these four persons, the supreme, the highest, the topmost and the best.

A.II,95

Day 20

These ten things nourish the ten things that are desirable, liked, charming and hard to win in the world.  What ten?  Energy and exertion nourish wealth.  Finery and adornment nourish beauty.  Doing things at the proper time nourishes health.  Friendship with the beautiful nourishes virtue.  Restraint of the senses nourishes the holy life.  Not quarrelling nourishes friendship.  Repetition nourishes great knowledge.  Listening carefully and asking questions nourishes wisdom.  Study and examination nourishes the Dhamma.  And living rightly nourishes rebirth in the heaven realm.

A.V,136

Day 21

If a fool was sitting in an assembly hall, in the main street or at the crossroads and people were to talk about him, and if he were one who broke the Five Precepts, he would think: ‘These people are talking about me because I have done these things.’ This is the first kind of anguish and dejection that the fool experiences here and now.  Again, a fool might see the king arrest a thief or a wrongdoer and punish him.  Upon seeing this, the fool would think: ‘The king is punishing that wrongdoer.  Now, I have done these things also, so if the king were to know about me, he might punish me too.’ This is the second kind of anguish and dejection that the fool experiences here and now.  And further, while the fool is sitting in a chair, lying on a bed or on the ground, those evil deeds that he has previously done with body, speech or mind, come to rest on him, lie on him, settle on him, just as when at evening, the shadows of the great mountains come to rest, lie and settle on the ground.  At such times, the fool thinks: ‘Oh indeed, what is beautiful and skillful has not been done by me.  I have made no refuge against the fearful.  There is a place for those who have not done good but only evil, and to there I will go.’ And so he grieves, mourns, laments, beats his breast, cries and falls into disillusionment.  This is the third kind of anguish and dejection that the fool experiences here and now.

M.III,163-4

Day 22

Whoever follows the Dhamma
Should not drink or encourage others to drink,
Knowing that intoxication is the result.
Because of intoxication,

The fool commits evil deeds
And makes others negligent too.
So, avoid this root of wrong,
This folly liked only by fools.

Sn.398-399

Day 23

With four qualities the wise, intelligent, worthy person proceeds through life with firm foundations, smoothly, irreproachably, not censured by the wise.  What four?  With good conduct of body, speech and mind, and with gratitude, with gratefulness.

A.II,229

Day 24

If the one who does no wrong
Follows one who does,
He himself will be suspected of evil
And his reputation will decline.

According to the friends one makes,
According to who one follows,
So does one become.
Like one's associates one becomes.

Follower and following,
Contacter and contacted alike,
An arrow smeared with poison
Infects those arrows that are not poisoned,
So that all are fouled.
The upright person not wishing to be soiled
Should not keep company with the fool.

If one strings a piece of putrid fish
On a blade of kusa grass,
The grass will smell putrid too;
The same with one who follows the fool.

If one wraps tagara
In an ordinary leaf,
The leaf will soon smell sweet too;
The same with one who follows the wise.

Remembering the example of the leaf wrapping
And understanding the results,
One should seek companionship with the wise,
Never with the fool.

It.68

Day 25

Believers can be recognized by three things.  What three?  They desire to see those who are virtuous, they desire to hear the good Dhamma, and with a heart free from stinginess, they live at home with the mind cleaned of meanness, open-handed, pure-handed, delighting in sharing, being one to ask a favour of, being one who rejoices in giving."

A.I,150

Day 26

As regards the way in which the Lord has worked for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare and happiness of both gods and humans, except for the Lord we find no teacher like this whether we survey either the past or the present.

Beautifully taught is the Lord’s Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for himself.  Except for the Lord we find no one who could proclaim such a progressive teaching, whether we survey the past or the present.

The Lord has clearly explained what is right and what is wrong, what is blameworthy and what is praiseworthy, what is to be followed and what avoided, what is low and what is high, what is impure, what is pure and what is mixed.  Except for the Lord, we find no one who could so clearly explain such things, whether we survey the past or the present.

The Lord has well taught to his disciples the Way leading to Nirvana and they merge into each other, Nirvana and the Way, just as the Ganges and Yamuna flow into each other and go on united.  Except for the Lord, we find no teacher of the Way leading to Nirvana, whether we survey the past or the present.

The Lord has gained many companions, both learners and those who have destroyed the defilements, and the Lord lives together with them, all of them rejoicing in unity.  Except for the Lord, we find no teacher such as this, whether we survey the past or the present.

Gifts given to the Lord result in great good, his reputation is well established so that nobles seek him out to give him gifts.  And yet because of this, he does not feel proud.  Except for the Lord, we find no teacher who acts thus, whether we survey the past or the present.

The Lord acts as he speaks, and he speaks as he acts.  Except for the Lord, we find no teacher as consistent as this, whether we survey the past or the present.

The Lord has crossed over doubt, transcended all hesitation; in regard to the goal of the holy life, he has accomplished his aim.  Except for the Lord we find no teacher who has done this, whether we survey the past or the present.

D.II,222*

Day 27

When the sky pours down big rain drops, that water flows down and fills the gullies, clefts and valleys, and then fills the ponds, then the big pools, then the lakes.  The filling of the lakes fills the streams, the streams fill the rivers and the great rivers eventually fill the ocean.

In the same way, for the noble disciple who has unwavering faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, and who has virtues dear to the Noble Ones, these conditions flow onward and reach the further shore and lead to the destruction of the defilements.

S.V,396

Day 28

One who wants to admonish another should first investigate: ‘Am I or am I not one who practices complete purity in body and speech?  Am I or am I not possessed of complete purity in body and speech, flawless and untainted?  Are these qualities present in me or not?’ If they are not, there are undoubtedly people who will say: ‘Come now, practice correct bodily and verbal conduct yourself.’ There are people who would say this.  One who wants to admonish another should first further investigate: ‘Have I developed a mind of love, free from malice, towards my fellows in the holy life?  Is this quality established in me or not?’ If he has not, there are undoubtedly people who will say: ‘Come now, develop a mind of love yourself.’ There are people who would say this.

A.V,79

Day 29

It is good to be an able householder, to share one’s food, to be modest about one’s wealth and not be downcast if it declines.

Ja.III,466

Day 30

By three things the wise person may be known.  What three?  Seeing a shortcoming as it is.  On seeing a shortcoming trying to correct it.  And when another acknowledges a shortcoming, forgiving it as should be done.

A.I,103

Day 31

Cease to do evil, learn to do good,
Purify the mind -
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Despising none, harming none,
Being restrained by the monastic rules,
Moderation in food, living in solitude
And devotion to mediation -
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Seeing conflict as a danger
And harmony as peace,
Abide in unity and kind-heatedness
This is the teachings of the Buddhas

The mediation on love should be done
For oneself and others also.
All should be suffused with love -
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Dhp.183, 185, Cp.3,15,13, Mil.394

FEBRUARY

Day 32

The holy life is not lived for the advantages that come from gains, honours or fame; it is not lived for the advantages that come from morality; it is not lived for the advantages that come from concentration, nor is it lived for the advantages that come from knowledge and vision.  But that which is unshakable freedom of mind – that is the aim of the holy life, that is the goal, that is it’s culmination.

M.I,197

Day 33

One who is clever should make no friends
Amongst the malicious, the angry, the envious
Or those who delight in the misfortunes of others.
Truly, contact with the bad is evil.

One who is clever should make friends
With those with faith, the pleasant, the wise,
And those with great learning.
Truly, contact with the good is blessed.

Th.1018-1019

Day 34

In giving food, one gives five things.  What five?  One gives life, beauty, happiness, strength and intelligence.  And in giving these things, one partakes in the qualities of life, beauty, happiness, strength and intelligence, both here and hereafter.

A.III,42

Day 35

Concerning those internal things, one who is a learner and who has not yet come to mastery of mind, but who dwells aspiring for freedom from bonds, I know of no other thing so helpful as giving close attention to the mind.

It.9

Day 36

By defilement of mind, beings are defiled; by purification of mind, beings are purified.

S.III,151

Day 37

Develop the meditation called mindfulness of in-and-out breathing because it is of great fruit, of great advantage.  And how is mindfulness of in-and-out breathing developed, how is it made much of, how is it of great fruit, great advantage?  Concerning this, one who has gone to the forest, to the root of a tree or to an empty place, sits down cross-legged with the back straight, establishing mindfulness in front of him.  Mindfully one breathes in, mindfully one breathes out.  Breathing in a long breath one knows: ‘I am breathing in a long breath;’ breathing out a long breath one knows: ‘I am breathing out a long breath.’ Breathing in a short breath one knows: ‘I am breathing in a short breath;’ breathing out a short breath one knows: ‘I am breathing out a short breath.’ One trains oneself, thinking: ‘Breathing in I shall experience the whole body.’ One trains oneself, thinking: ‘Breathing out I shall experience the whole body.’ One trains oneself, thinking: ‘Breathing in I will tranquillize bodily activities.’ One trains oneself, thinking: ‘Breathing out I will tranquillize bodily activities.’

M.I,425

Day 38

If a word has five marks it is well-spoken, not ill-spoken, not blameworthy or condemned by the wise.  It is spoken at the right time, it is spoken in truth, it is spoken gently, it is spoken about goal and it is spoken with love.

A.III,243-4

Day 39

Those families where the mother and father are worshipped in the home are said to be like Brahma, like teachers of old, they are ranked with the ancient gods.  Truly worthy of offerings are those families where the mother and father are worshipped in the home.  ‘Brahma,’ ‘teachers of old,’ ‘teachers of old,’ ‘gods of old,’ and ‘worthy of offerings’ are terms for a mother and father.  And why is this?  Because a mother and father do much for their children – they bring them up, nourish them and introduce them to the world.

A.II,70

Day 40

There are these five strands of sense pleasure.  What five?  Material shapes cognizable with the eye, pleasant, liked, enticing, connected with sensual pleasures, alluring.  Sounds cognizable with the ear, smells cognizable with the nose, tastes cognizable with the tongue, and touches cognizable with the body, all of them agreeable, pleasant, liked, enticing, connected with sensual pleasures, alluring.  These are the five strands of sense pleasure.

Whatever happiness or joy arises as a result of these five strands of sense pleasure, that is called the happiness of sense of pleasure.  It is a common happiness, a happiness of the average person, an ignoble happiness.  It should not be pursued, developed or emphasized.  It is a happiness to be feared, I say.

M.I,454

Day 41

One who is intent on developing higher thought should attend to five things from time to time.  What five?  If, while attending to something, evil unskillful thoughts associated with greed, hatred and delusion should arise, then one should attend instead to something that is skillful.  Then these evil unskillful thoughts will subside and the mind will be steady, calmed, one-pointed and concentrated.  It is just as if a carpenter or his apprentice might knock out, drive out, draw out a large peg with a small one.

If, while attending to something that is skilled, evil unskillful thoughts associated with greed, hatred and delusion still arise, then one should ponder the disadvantages of those thoughts, thinking: ‘Truly, these thoughts are unskillful, blameworthy and conducive to suffering.’ Then those evil unskillful thoughts will subside and the mind will be steady, calm, one-pointed and concentrated.  It is just as if a well-dressed young man or woman, on having the carcass of a snake, a dog or a human being hung around his or her neck would be repelled, ashamed and disgusted.

If, however, while pondering the disadvantages of these thoughts, evil unskilled thoughts associated with greed, hatred and delusion still arise, then one should forget about them, pay them no attention.  Then those evil unskillful thoughts will subside and the mind will be steady, calm, one-pointed and concentrated.  It is just as if a man with sight might shut his eyes or turn away in order to avoid seeing something.

But if, while trying to forget about and pay attention to those thoughts, evil unskillful thoughts associated with greed, hatred and delusion still arise, then one should allow them to settle.  Then those evil unskillful thoughts will subside and the mind will be steady, calm, one-pointed and concentrated.  It is just as if a man, finding no reason for running, walks; then finding no reason for walking, stands; then finding no reason for standing, sits down; then finding no reason for sitting, lies down.  Thus he goes from a strenuous posture to a more relaxed one.

But if, while allowing those thoughts to settle, evil unskillful thoughts associated with greed, hatred and delusion still arise, then, with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the palate one should restrain, subdue and suppress the mind with the mind.  Then those evil unskillful thoughts will subside and the mind will be steady, calm, one-pointed and concentrated.  It is just as if a strong man should hold down a weaker one by seizing his head and shoulders.

One who does these things is called a master of the pathways of thought.  The thought he wants to think, he thinks; the thought he does not want to think, he does not think.  He has cut off craving, removed the fetters, mastered pride and put an end to suffering.

M.I,119

Day 42

When one with a mind of love
Feels compassion for
all the world,
Above, below and across,
Unlimited everywhere,

Filled with infinite kindness,
Complete and developed,
Any limited actions one
may have done
Do not linger in the mind.

Ja.II,61

Day 43

Having seen a shape with the eye, smelt a smell with the nose, savored a taste with the tongue, felt a touch with the body or cognized a thought with the mind, one is not entranced by its general appearance or its detail.  For if one lived with the sense organs uncontrolled, attraction, repulsion and evil unskilled states of mind would grow.  So, one controls the sense organs, and having this noble control of the sense organs, one experiences the happiness of being unruffled.

M.I,346

Day 44

There are these five debasements of gold, because of which gold is not pliable, not workable or glistening, but is brittle and not fit of perfect workmanship.  What five?  Iron, copper, tin, lead and silver.  But when gold is free from these five debasements it becomes pliable, workable, glistening, not brittle and fit of perfect workmanship.  Then whatever sort of ornament one wants, a signet ring, ear-ring, necklace or a gold chain, it can be used for that.

In the same way, there are these five debasements of the mind because of which the mind is not pliable, workable, or glistening, but is brittle and not rightly composed for the destruction of the defilements.  What five?  Sense desire, ill-will, sloth and laziness, restlessness and worry, and doubt.  But when the mind is free from these five debasements it is pliable, workable, glistening, not brittle but rightly composed for the destruction of the defilements.  Then one can direct the mind to the realization by psychic knowledge of whatever can be realized by psychic knowledge and can see it directly, whatever its range might be.

A.III,16

Day 45

The Lord said to the monks who were quarrelling: “If animals can be courteous, deferential and polite to each other so should you be.”

Vin.II,162

Day 46

This concentration on in-and-out breathing, if cultivated and developed, is something peaceful and excellent, something perfect in itself and a pleasant way of living also.
More than that, it dispels evil thoughts that have arisen and makes them vanish in a moment.
It is just as when, in the last month of the hot season, the dust and dirt fly up and suddenly a great shower of rain lays it and makes it settle in a moment.

S.V,321

Day 47

When a good person is reborn into a family, it is for the welfare, the happiness and the benefit of many – for that person’s parents, their spouse and children, their servants and workers, and their friends and companions.  It is also for the welfare, the happiness and the benefit of monks and brahmans.

A.III,46

Day 48

The householder Nakulapita and his wife Nakulamata came to see the Lord and having sat down, Nakulapita said: “Lord, since my wife was brought home to me when I was a mere boy, she being a mere girl, I have not been unfaithful to her even in thought, much less in body.  Lord we desire to behold each other, not just in this life, but in the next life also.”

Then Nakulamata said: “Lord, since I was brought to my husband’s house when I was a mere girl, he being a mere boy, I have not been unfaithful to him even in thought, much less in body.  Lord, we desire to behold each other, not just in this life, but in the next life also.”

At this, the Lord said: “If both husband and wife desire to behold each other in both this life and the next life too, and both are equal in faith, equal in virtue, equal in generosity and equal in wisdom, then they will behold each other in this life and the next life also.”

A.II,61

Day 49

One remembers and turns over in the mind thoughts about things based on desire in the past, present and future.  As one does so, desire is generated, and being desirous, one is fettered by those things.  And a mind full of lust is what I call a fetter.

A.I,264

Day 50

There are these five disadvantages of wealth.  What five?  Wealth is in danger of fire, flood, kings, robbers and unloved heirs.  Then, there are these five advantages of wealth.  What five?  With the help of wealth one can make oneself happy, one's parents happy, one’s spouse, children, servants, and workers happy, and one's friends and companions happy.  And to monks and Brahmins one can make offerings with lofty aim, connected with a happy future, resulting in happiness, leading to heaven.

A.III,259

Day 51

Siha asked the Lord: “Is it possible, Lord, to see the results of generosity?” And the Lord said: “Yes, it is possible to see the results of generosity.  The giver, the generous one, is liked and dear to many.  This is a result of generosity that is observable.  Good and wise people follow the generous person.  This is a result of generosity that is observable.  The generous person earns a good reputation.  This also is a result of generosity that is observable.  Once again, in whatever company he enters, be it nobles, brahmins, householders or monks, the generous person enters with confidence and without trouble.  This is a result of giving that is observable.  And finally, the giver, the generous person, is reborn in heaven after death.  This is a result of generosity that can only be seen hereafter.”

A.III,39

Day 52

Come, live with the doors of the senses guarded, watchfully mindful, carefully mindful with the ways of the mind well-watched, possessed of a mind that is awake and observing.

A.III,138

Day 53

Akkosaka of the Bharadvaja Brahmin clan came to know that the leader of the clan had joined the Sangha of the monk Gotama.  Angry and displeased, he went to where the Lord was and reviled and abused him with rude, harsh words.  When he had finished, the Lord said: “What do you think, brahmin?  Do you receive visits from friends and acquaintances, kith and kin and other guests?”

“Yes, Gotama, sometimes I do.”

“And do you prepare for them food both hard and soft and give them rest?”

“Yes, Gotama, sometimes I do.”

“And if they do not accept these things from you, whose do these things become?”

“They become mine.”

“It is the same here, brahmin.  That with which you revile, scold and abuse me, who does not revile, scold or abuse you, that I do not accept from you.  It is yours, brahmin, it belongs to you.  One who reviles when reviled, who scolds when scolded, who abuses when abused – it is as if a host and a visitor dined together and made good.  We, brahmin, have not dined together nor have we made good.  It is yours, brahmin.  It belongs to you.”

S.I,161-2

Day 54

Sense desire is an obstruction and a hindrance which enshrouds the mind and weakens wisdom.  Ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry and doubt are all obstructions and hindrances which enshroud the mind and weaken wisdom.  Surely it is possible that one, after abandoning these obstructions and hindrances which grow in and up over the mind and weaken wisdom, being strong in wisdom, should know his own good, the good of others, the good of both, and attain that knowledge and vision befitting the Noble Ones and transcending human states.

A.III,63

Day 55

Just as a pot without support is easily upset while one with support is difficult to upset, in the same way, the mind without support is easily upset and the mind with support is difficult to upset.  And what is the support of the mind?  It is the Noble Eightfold Path: Perfect View, Perfect Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness and Perfect Concentration.

S.V,21

Day 56

When a cloth that is stained and dirty cloth is dipped in green, yellow, red or crimson dye, it will not be properly dyed.  And why?  Because it is not clean.  In the same way, a bad destiny can be expected when the mind is stained.  When a cloth that is quite clean and is dipped in green, yellow, red or crimson dye, it will be properly dyed.  And why?  Because it is clean.  In the same way, a good destiny may be expected when the mind is pure.

M.I,36

Day 57

One who would rightly use the terms ‘noble way of life,’ ‘sublime state,’ ‘the Tathagata's way of life’ would do so to describe the intent concentration on in-and-out breathing.

S.V,326

Day 58

Do not think lightly of evil, saying:
‘It will not come to me.’
A drop at a time is the water pot filled.
Likewise, little by little
The fool is filled with evil.

Do not think lightly of good, saying:
‘It will not come to me.’
A drop at a time is the water pot filled.
Likewise, little by little
The wise one is filled with good.

Dhp.121-122

Day 59

Of little importance is the loss of such things as wealth.  But a terrible thing it is to lose wisdom.  Of little importance is the gaining of such things as wealth.  Great is the importance of gaining wisdom.

A.I,15

MARCH

Day 60

Arise!  Sit up!
Of what use are your dreams?
How can you who are sick
And pierced with the arrow of grief
Continue to sleep?

Arise!  Sit up!
Train yourself to win peace.
Let not the king of death,
Knowing you to be lazy,
Trick you into his realm.

Cross over this attachment,
Tied to which both gods and men are trapped.
Do not let this chance slip by,
Because for those who do,
There is only hell.

Dusty is indolence.
Dust comes in its wake.
With knowledge and vigilance,
Draw out the arrow of suffering from yourself.

Sn.331-334

Day 61

Those who love the noble Dhamma, who are pure in word, thought and deed, always peaceful, gentle, focused and composed, they proceed through the world properly.

Ja.III,442

Day 62

Ugga, the king's chief minister, said to the Lord: “Lord, it is amazing and astonishing how rich, wealthy and affluent Migara Rohaneyya is!”

“Well Ugga, how much does he have?”

“He has a million in gold and no one can estimate his store of silver?”

“But is that a real treasure?  Not that I say it is not, but that is a treasure that is subject to fire and floods, kings and robbers, enemies and unwanted heirs.  But there are seven treasures that are not subject to such dangers.  What seven?  The treasures of faith, virtue, self-respect, fear of blame, learning, generosity and wisdom.  These seven are not subject to fire, water, kings, robbers, enemies and unwanted heirs.”

A.IV,6

Day 63

Giving up lying, one becomes a speaker of the truth, reliable, trustworthy, dependable, not a deceiver of the world.  Giving up slander, one does not repeat there what is heard here, or repeat here what is heard there, for the purpose of causing divisions between people.  Thus, one becomes a reconciler of those who are divided and a combiner of those already united.  Rejoicing in peace, delighting in peace, promoting peace; peace becomes the motive of his speech.  Giving up harsh speech, one speaks what is blameless, pleasant to the ear, agreeable, going to the heart, urbane, pleasing, and liked by all.  Giving up useless chatter, one speaks at the right time, about the facts, to the point, about Dhamma and discipline, words worthy of being treasured up, seasonable, reasonable, clearly defined and connected to the goal.

D.I,64

Day 64

He who puts aside his wants in order to do the right thing, even though it be difficult, is like a patient drinking medicine.  Later he will rejoice.

Ja.V,499

Day 65

Once, the Lord dwelt among the Sakyas in the Park of the Banyan Tree at Kapilavatthu, and while there, Mahanama the Sakyan came to him and asked: “How, Lord, does one become a lay disciple?”

“When one has taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, then one is a lay disciple.”

“How, Lord, is a disciple virtuous?”

“When a lay disciple abstains from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and drinking intoxicants, then he is virtuous.”

“How, Lord, does one help oneself but not others?”

“When one has achieved faith, virtue and renunciation, when one longs to see the monks, to hear the good Dhamma, to be mindful of the Dhamma once heard, when one reflects on it, knows it in both the letter and the spirit and walks in conformity with it, but one does not strive to establish such things in others, then one helps oneself but not others.”

“Then how, Lord, does one help oneself and others also?”

“When one has oneself achieved faith, virtue, and renunciation and strives to establish such things in others, when one longs to see the monks, to learn the good Dhamma, to be mindful of the Dhamma once heard, when one reflects upon its meaning, knows it in both the letter and spirit and walks in conformity with it and strives to establish such things in others, then one helps both oneself and others also.”

A.IV,220

Day 66

Suppose a bowl of water was mixed with lac, turmeric or blue or yellow dye, and suppose a man were to look at his reflection in that water.  He would neither know nor see his reflection as it really is.  In the same way, when one lives with the mind obsessed with and overwhelmed by sensual desires and knows no refuge from it, at such times one neither knows nor sees his own welfare or the welfare of others.  Chants learned by heart long ago are forgotten, to say nothing of those learned recently.

Suppose a bowl of water is heated on a fire, boiling and bubbling over, and suppose a man was to look at his reflection in that water.  He would neither know nor see his reflection as it really is.  In the same way, when one lives with the mind obsessed with and overwhelmed by ill-will and knows no refuge from it, at such times one neither knows nor sees his own welfare or the welfare of others.  Chants learned by heart long ago are forgotten, to say nothing of those learned recently.

Now, suppose a bowl of water was overgrown with mossy water plants, and suppose a man were to look at his reflection in that water.  He would neither know nor see his reflection as it really is.  In the same way, when one lives with the mind possessed with and overwhelmed by sloth and laziness and knows no refuge from it, at such times one neither knows nor sees his own welfare or the welfare of others.  Chants learned by heart long ago are forgotten, to say nothing of those learned recently.

Again, suppose a bowl of water was whipped up by the wind, stirred up, whirled around and rippling with waves, and suppose a man were to look at his reflection in that water.  He would neither know nor see it as it really is.  In the same way, when the mind is possessed with and overwhelmed by restlessness and worry and one knows no refuge from it, at such times one neither knows nor sees his own welfare or the welfare of others.  Chants learned by heart long ago are forgotten, to say nothing of those learned recently.

Once again, suppose a bowl of water was stirred up, turbid, muddy and set in the dark, and suppose a man were to look at his reflection in that water.  He would neither know nor see his reflection as it really is.  In the same way, when the mind is possessed with and overwhelmed by doubt and one knows no refuge from it, at such times one neither knows nor sees his own welfare or the welfare of others.  Chants learned by heart long ago are forgotten, to say nothing of those learned recently.

S.V,121

Day 67

Whatever one thinks about and ponders over often, one’s mind gets a leaning in that way.

M.I,115

Day 68

Wherever these five are found, in either a king or a farmer, a general or village headman, a guild master or leaders of the clan, progress may be expected and not decline.  What five?  Take the case of a clansman who with wealth acquired by work and effort, gathered by strength of arm and sweat of brow, lawful and justly, honours, reveres, venerates and respects his parents.  They in turn regard him fondly with thoughts of love and say to him: ‘Long life to you and may you be protected.’ Thus for one who regards his parents fondly, progress may be expected and not decline.  And again when he does the same to his wife and children, his servants and workfolk, his tenants and those who work his fields, to monks, brahmins and the gods, they likewise will regard him fondly with thoughts of love and say to him: ‘Long life to you and may you be protected.’

A.III,76

Day 69

How is there a threefold cleaning of the body?  Concerning this, one abandons killing, lays aside the stick and the sword and lives with care, kindness and compassion towards all living beings.  One abandons stealing the property of anyone, whether in the jungle or the village; things not given, one does not steal.  One abandons sexual misconduct.  One has no intercourse with girls under the guardianship of their mother or father, their brother, sister or relatives, with girls lawfully protected, those already pledged to a husband, those undergoing punishment or those dressed with garlands and promised in marriage.

A.V,266

Day 70

Whoever, whether at morning, noon or night, practices righteousness of body, speech and mind – they have a happy morning, a happy noon and a happy night.

A.I,294

Day 71

The lord asked: “Which is greater?  The little sand on my fingernail, or the great Earth?”

“Lord, greater by far is the great Earth.  Tiny is the sand on your fingernail.  The two cannot be compared.”

“So too, beings who are reborn as humans are few in number.  Far greater are those who are reborn in non-human realms.  Therefore, you should train yourself, thinking: ‘We will live earnestly.’”

S.II,263

Day 72

Bend like a bow and be as pliant as bamboo, and you will not be at odds with anyone.

Ja.VI,295

Day 73

These three types of thought cause blindness, loss of vision and ignorance, they put an end to wisdom, they are associated with trouble and do not conduce to Nirvana.  What three?  Thoughts of greed, of hatred and of harming.  These three types of thought impart seeing, vision and understanding, they increase wisdom, are associated with harmony and conduce to Nirvana.  What three?  Thoughts of giving up, of love and of helping.

It.82

Day 74

Then the Lord said to Maha Moggallana: “Are you drowsy, Moggallana?  Are you drowsy?”

“Yes, Lord.”

“Well, then, whenever the thought of laziness besets you, pay no attention to that thought, do not dwell on it.  Doing this, it is possible that it will pass.  But if, by so doing, that laziness does not pass, then you should think and reflect in your mind about the Dhamma – review it in your mind as you have heard it and learned it.  Doing this, it is possible that the laziness will pass.  But if it does not pass, then you should recite the Dhamma in detail as you have heard it and learned it.  Doing this, it is possible that the laziness will pass.  But if it does not pass, then you should pull your ear lobes and rub your limbs with the palms of your hands.  Doing this, it is possible that the laziness will pass.  But if the laziness does not pass, then get up from your seat, and having splashed water on your face, look in all directions and gaze upward into the starry sky.  Doing this, it is possible that the laziness will pass.  But if it does not pass, then you should firmly establish the inner perception of light – as by day, so by night, as by night, so by day.  Thus with a mind that is clear and unobstructed, you should develop a radiant consciousness.  Doing this, it is possible that the laziness will pass.  But if it still does not pass, then aware of what is in front of you and behind you, walk up and down with your senses turned inwardly and your mind not straying outwardly.  Doing this, it is possible that the laziness will pass.  But if it still does not pass, then lie down on your right side in the lion posture, with one foot on the other, mindful and clearly conscious, with the thought of rising later.  Then, after waking, you should get straight up, thinking: ‘I will not indulge in the enjoyment of lying down, reclining and sleeping.’ Train yourself like this.”

A.IV,85

Day 75

If you take refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, no fear or trembling will ever arise.

S.I,220

Day 76

These four states conduce to the growth of wisdom, they are of great help to one who has become human.  What four?  Association with a good person, hearing the good Dhamma, wise attention, and behaving in accordance with the Dhamma.

A.II,245

Day 77

The wanderer Nandiya asked the Lord: “What conditions when developed and practiced, lead to Nirvana, have Nirvana as their goal, culminate in Nirvana?”

“There are, Nandiya, eight things which, when developed and practiced, lead to Nirvana, have Nirvana as their goal, culminate in Nirvana.  What eight?  Perfect View, Perfect Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness and Perfect Concentration.”

S.V,11

Day 78

There are these five right times for striving.  What five?  Concerning this, one is young, youthful, blacked-haired, blessed with the beauty of youth and in the prime of life.  This is the first right time for striving.  Then, one has health, well-being and a digestion that is not over-hot or over-cool.  This is the second right time.  If there is no famine and the crops are good, with food easy to get and one can easily live on gleanings and favours, this is the third good time.  When people live in friendly fellowship, harmonious as milk and water mixed, without quarrels and looking upon each other with the eyes of love, this is the fourth good time.  Again, when the Sangha dwells in friendly fellowship, content with one teaching, then there is no reviling one another, no accusation, quarrelling or contention, so that those with little faith find faith, and the faith of those already faithful grows, this is the fifth right time for striving.

A.III,66

Day 79

Look not to faults of others,
To their omissions and commissions.
But rather look to your own acts,
To what you have done or left undone.

When one looks at another's faults,
And is always full of envy,
One's defilements continually grow;
Far are they from their destruction.

If only you would do what you teach others,
Then, being yourself controlled,
You could control others well.
Truly, self-control is difficult.

You yourself must watch yourself.
You yourself must examine yourself,
And so, self-guarded and mindful,
O monk, you will live in happiness.

Dhp.50,253,159,379

Day 80

That which is called mind, mentality or consciousness arises and disappears continuously both day and night.  Just as a monkey swinging through the trees grabs one branch, letting it go only to grab another, so too that which is called thought, mind or consciousness arises and disappears continuously both day and night.

S.II,94

Day 81

Jambukhadaka the wanderer came to Venerable Sariputta and asked: “They talk about Nirvana all the time.  But what exactly is Nirvana?”
“The destruction of greed, hatred and delusion is Nirvana.”
“Is there any path, any way that leads to Nirvana?”
“There is such a path, such an way.”
“And what is it?”
“It is the Noble Eightfold Path – Perfect View, Perfect Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness and Perfect Concentration.”
“And an auspicious path it is, and an auspicious way to the realization of Nirvana it is too.  It is enough to make you energetic.”

S.IV,251

Day 82

Easy to understand is the yelp of jackals and the song of birds.  But to interpret what humans say is difficult indeed.  You may think, ‘He is my kin, my friend, my comrade true’ because before he made you happy, but now he may be an enemy.  When we love someone they are always near, while those who like us not are always distance.  The faithful friend is faithful still though you be oceans apart.  He of corrupt mind is still corrupt though he be across the sea.  

Ja.IV,217

Day 83

These three people are very helpful to others.  What three?  One through whom one goes for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha; one through whom one understands the Four Noble Truths, and one through whom one comes to destroy the defilements and comes to know in this very life the mind’s complete freedom.  These are the three persons.  There are none more helpful than these three.

A.I,123*

Day 84

Venerable Vakkali was staying at the Potter’s Shed and was suffering from a disease, sick and afflicted.  Then he called his attendant and said: “Friend, go to the Lord and in my name worship his feet, tell him I am suffering from a disease and suggest that it would be good if he were to come and visit me out of compassion for me.” So the attendant did as he was asked.  In silence the Lord consented and dressing himself and taking his robe and bowl, set out.  Now Vakkali saw the Lord coming in the distance and struggled to rise from his bed.  But the Lord saw him and said: “Enough, Vakkali.  Remain in your bed.  There are seats made ready.  I will sit there.” Having seated himself, the Lord addressed Vakkali saying: “I hope you are bearing up.  I hope you are enduring.  Are the pains decreasing or abating?  Do they seem to be decreasing or abating?”
“No, Lord.  I am not bearing up or enduring, the pains do not decrease, neither do they grow.”

“Then have you any regret or sorrow?”

“Lord, I do have some regret and sorrow.”

“Have you anything concerning virtue to reproach yourself about?”

“No, Lord, I have nothing to reproach myself about.”

“Then why are you troubled by regret and sorrow?”

“Because Lord, for a long time I have been wanting to see you but I have not had the strength to do so.”

“Enough, Vakkali.  Why do you want to see this dirty body of mine?  One who sees the Dhamma sees me and one who sees me sees the Dhamma.  Truly, seeing the Dhamma, one sees me and seeing me, one sees the Dhamma.”

S.III,119

Day 85

I know of no single thing so unworkable as the undeveloped mind.  Indeed, the undeveloped mind is an unworkable thing.  I know of no other single thing so workable as the developed mind.  Indeed, the developed mind is a workable thing.

A.I,5

Day 86

Whatever has had to be done by a teacher out of compassion for his disciples and for their welfare, I have done for you.  Here are the roots of the trees, here are the empty places.  Meditate!  Do not be slothful, do not be remorseful later.  These are my instructions to you.

M.I,46

Day 87

Cultivate a friend whose ways are seven.  What seven?  He gives what is hard to give, does what is hard to do, bear what is hard to bear, he confesses his secrets and keeps your secrets, in times of trouble he does not abandon you, and he does not despise you when you are down.

A.IV,31

Day 88

How do disciples conduct themselves towards a teacher with love, not hostility?  Concerning this, the compassionate teacher instructs his disciples in the Dhamma, seeking their welfare and out of compassion, saying: ‘This is for your welfare and happiness.’ His disciples listen to him, lend an ear, prepare their minds for profound knowledge, they do not turn aside or move away from the teacher's instructions.  In this way do disciples conduct themselves towards a teacher with love, not hostility.  Therefore, conduct yourselves towards me with love, not hostility, and it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time.  I shall not treat you the way the potter treats damp clay.  Repeatedly admonishing I shall speak, repeatedly testing.  One who is sound will stand the test.

M.III,117-18

Day 89

There are three types of people in the world.  What three?  One who is like carving on a rock, one who is like scratching on the ground, and one who is like writing on the water.  What sort of person is like carving on a rock?  Imagine a certain person who is always getting angry and his anger lasts long, just as carving on a rock is not soon worn off by wind, water or the passing of time.  What sort of person is like scratching on the ground?  Imagine a certain person who is always getting angry but his anger does not last long, just as scratching on the ground is soon worn off by the wind, water and the passing of time.  And what sort of person is like writing on the water?  Imagine a certain person who, even though spoken to harshly, sharply and roughly, is easily reconciled and becomes agreeable and friendly, just as writing on the water soon disappears.

A.I,283

Day 90

Whatever families endure long, all of them do so because of four reasons, or because of several of them.  What four?  They recover what is lost, repair what is decayed, eat and drink in moderation, and they put a virtuous man or woman in a position of authority.

A.II,249

APRIL

Day 91

The mind is luminous but it is stained by defilements that come from without.  Ordinary folk do not realize this, so they do not cultivate their minds.  The mind is luminous but it can be cleansed of defilements that come from without.  This the noble disciples understand, so they do cultivate their minds.

A.I,10

Day 92

Who is one’s own best friend, and who is one’s own worst enemy?  Those whose thoughts, speech and actions are evil, they are their own worst enemy.  Even if they were to say: ‘We care about ourselves,’ nevertheless they would still be their own worst enemy.  And why?  Because that which one would do to an enemy they do to themselves.

Those whose thoughts, speech and actions are good, they are their own best friends.  Even if they were to say: ‘We don’t care about ourselves,’ nevertheless they would still be their own best friend.  And why?  Because that which one would do to a friend, they do to themselves.

S.I,72

Day 93

Greed, hatred and delusion are unskillful.  Whatever the greedy, hating or deluded person does with body, speech or mind – that is unskillful too.  Whatever one overwhelmed by greed, hatred or delusion and with mind uncontrolled, does to another, unjustly causing him suffering through punishment, imprisonment, fine, abuse, banishment, or on the excuse that ‘might is right’ – all that is unskillful, too.

A.I,201

Day 94

Four things lead to worldly progress.  What four?  Achievement in alertness, in caution, in good friendship and achievement in balanced livelihood.  And what is achievement in alertness?  Concerning this, in whatever way one earns a living, whether by farming, trading, cattle rearing, archery, service to the king or by some craft, in that one becomes deft and tireless, gifted with an inquiring turn of mind into ways and means, and able to arrange and carry out the job properly.

And what is achievement in caution?  Concerning this, whatever wealth one acquired by energetic striving, won by strength of arm and sweat of brow, justly and lawfully, one husbands, watches and guards so that kings do not confiscate it, thieves do not steal it, fire or water do not destroy it, and unwanted heirs do not remove it.

And what is good friendship?  Concerning this, in whatever village or town one lives, one associates with, converses with, discusses things with people either young or old, who are cultured, full of faith, full of virtue, full of charity and full of wisdom.  One acts in accordance with the faith of the faithful, the virtue of the virtuous, the charity of the charitable and the wisdom of the wise.

And what is balanced livelihood?  Concerning this, one knows both his income and expenditure and lives neither extravagantly nor miserly, knowing that income after expenditure will stand at so much and that expenses will not exceed income.  Just as a goldsmith or his apprentice holding up the scales, knows that it has dipped down by so much or that it has tilted up by so much, one knows one’s income and one’s expenditure.  If one with small income were to lead an extravagant life people would say: ‘He enjoys his wealth like a wood-apple eater.’ Likewise, if one with a good income were to be miserly, people would say: ‘He will die like a beggar.’

There are four channels through which the wealth one has collected is lost: debauchery, drunkenness, gambling and friendship with evildoers.  Imagine there were a great tank of water with four inlets and four outlets, and a man was to close the inlets but keep the outlets open.  If there were no rain we could expect the water to decrease.  In the same way, there are the four channels through which wealth is lost.  There are these four channels through which the wealth one has collected is preserved.  What four?  Avoidance of debauchery, drunkenness, gambling and friendship with evildoers.  Imagine there were a great tank of water with four inlets and outlets, and a man was to keep the inlets open and close the outlets.  If he did this and there were good rainfall, we could expect the water to increase.  In the same way, there are these four channels through which wealth is preserved.

A.IV,281

Day 95

Do not be a judge of others, do not judge others.  Whoever judges others digs a pit for themselves.

A.III,351

Day 96

These five trades ought not to be practiced by a layperson.  What five?  Trade in weapons, trade in human beings, trade in flesh, trade in alcohol and trade in poisons.

A.III,208

Day 97

Possessed of four qualities, one can be considered a good person.  What four?  Concerning this, the good person does not speak of what is to the discredit of another, even when asked.  What then when unasked?  If, however, on being questioned, he is required to speak, then with reserve, hesitation and in brief he dispraises the other person.  This is the meaning of the saying: ‘This person is good.’

Again, the good person, even when unasked, speaks of what is to the credit of another.  What then when asked?  If, however, on being questioned, he is required to speak, then without reserve, willingly and in full, he praises the other person.  This is the meaning of the saying: ‘This person is good.’

Once again, the good person, even when unasked, speaks of what is to his own discredit.  What then when asked?  If, however, on being questioned, he is required to speak, then without reserve or hesitation and in full he speaks of what is to his own discredit.  This is the meaning of the saying: ‘This person is good.’

Finally, the good person does not speak of what is to his own credit, even when asked.  What then when unasked?  If, however, on being questioned, he is required to speak, then with reserve, unwillingly and in brief he speaks of what is to his own credit.  This is the meaning of the saying: ‘This person is good.’

A.II,77

Day 98

Even if one should seize the hem of my robe and walk step by step behind me, if he is covetous in his desires, fierce in his longings, malevolent of heart, with corrupt mind, careless and unrestrained, noisy and distracted and with uncontrolled senses, he is far from me.  And why?  He does not see the Dhamma, and not seeing the Dhamma, he does not see me.

Even if one lives a hundred miles away, if he is not covetous in his desires, not fierce in his longings, with a kind heart and pure mind, mindful, composed, calmed, one-pointed and with restrained senses, then indeed, he is near to me and I am near to him.  And why?  He sees the Dhamma, and seeing the Dhamma, he sees me.

It.91

Day 99

Whatever the Tathagata utters, speaks and proclaims between the day of his enlightenment and the day he dies, all that is factual, not otherwise.  That is why he is called the Tathagāta.

A.II,24

Day 100

Whatever harm an enemy can do to an enemy,
Or a hater to a hater,
An ill-directed mind
Causes oneself even greater harm.

No mother or father
Or any other kin
Can do greater good for oneself
Than a well-directed mind.

Dhp.42-43

Day 101

One’s patience should be strengthened by thinking: ‘Those who have no patience are afflicted in this world and do actions that lead to affliction in the next life.’ One should think: ‘Although this suffering arises because of the wrong deeds of others, my body is the field for that suffering, and the actions which brought it into being are mine.’ One should think: ‘If there were no wrongdoers, how could I bring patience to perfection?’ One should think: ‘Although he is a wrongdoer now, in the past he may have been my benefactor.’ One should think: ‘A wrongdoer is at the same time a benefactor because through him patience can be practiced.’ One should think: ‘All beings are like my own children and who would get angry over the misdeeds of one's own children?’ One should think: ‘He does me wrong because of some fault in myself; I should strive to remove this.’

Cp-a.290*

Day 102

These seven conditions overwhelm an angry man or woman and are gratifying and helpful to their rival.  What seven?  One may wish this of a rival: ‘I wish he was ugly.’ And why?  One does not like an attractive rival.  Overwhelmed and undermined by anger that person becomes ugly even though he is bathed, anointed, with trimmed hair and beard and clad in clean clothes.

Then one may wish this of a rival: ‘I hope he sleeps badly.’ And why?  One does not like a rival to sleep well.  Overwhelmed and undermined by anger that person sleeps badly even though he is lying on a bed spread with fleecy cover, spread with white blankets and woolen cover embroidered with flowers, covered by an antelope skin, with awning above and red cushions at each end.

Again, one may wish this of a rival: ‘I hope he becomes poor.’ And why?  One does not like a rich rival.  Overwhelmed and undermined by anger that person becomes poor because, owning whatever wealth he has acquired by energetic striving, won by strength of arm and sweat of brow, justly and lawfully, the king will order them all sent to the royal treasury because he is overwhelmed by anger.

Once again, one may wish this of a rival: ‘I hope he was without fame.’ And why?  One does not like a famous rival.  Overwhelmed and undermined by anger, whatever reputation that person has earned falls away because he is overwhelmed by anger.

Again, one may wish this of a rival: ‘I hope he has no friends.’ And why?  One does not like a rival with friends.  Overwhelmed and undermined by anger, whatever friends, intimates, relatives and kin that person has will all avoid him and keep away from him because he is overwhelmed by anger.

And finally, one may wish this of a rival: ‘I hope he goes to hell.’ And why?  One does not like a rival to go to heaven.  Overwhelmed and undermined by anger, that person misconducts himself in body, speech, and mind and thus goes to hell himself.  These are the seven conditions that overwhelm an angry man or woman and are gratifying and helpful to their rival.

A.IV,94

Day 103

It is like a leper with his limbs all ravaged and festering, being eaten by vermin, who tears his open sores with his nails and scorches his body over a charcoal pit.  The more he does it the more those open sores become septic, evil-smelling and putrefying.  And the scratching brings but little relief.  In a similar way do beings who are not yet freed from attachment to sense pleasures, while being consumed by the craving for and burning with the fever of sense pleasures, continue to chase after them.  And the more they chase after them, the more they crave and burn for them.  And this brings but little relief.

M.I,508

Day 104

There are these six dangers associated with idleness.  Thinking: ‘It’s too cold,’ one does not work.  Thinking: ‘It’s too hot,’ one does not work.  Thinking: ‘It’s too early,’ one does not work.  Thinking: ‘It’s too late,’ one does not work.  Thinking: ‘I am too hungry,’ one does not work.  Thinking: ‘I am too full,’ one does not work.

D.III,184

Day 105

When the good Gotama teaches Dhamma to an assembly in a park he does not exalt them or disparage them.  On the contrary, he delights, uplifts, inspires, and gladdens that assembly with talk on Dhamma.  The sound of the good Gotama’s voice has eight qualities.  It is distinct and intelligible, sweet and audible, fluent and clear, deep and resonant.  Therefore, when he instructs the assembly, his voice does not go beyond that assembly.  After being delighted, uplifted, inspired and gladdened with talk on Dhamma, the audience rise from their seats and depart reluctantly, keeping their eyes upon him.

M.II,140*

Day 106

The fool may be known by his deeds.  Likewise, the wise one may be known by his deeds.  Wisdom is manifested by one's deeds.

A.I,102

Day 107

The noble disciple who is utterly devoted to and has unshakable faith in the Tathagata can have no doubt or wavering concerning the Tathagata or his teachings.  And it may be expected that such a disciple will live resolute in energy, always striving to abandon bad qualities and develop good ones, and that he will be energetic in exerting himself and will not drop the good.

S.V,225

Day 108

There are these five ways of overcoming malice which ought to be overcome when it arises.  What five?  In whoever malice arises, that one should develop love.  In whoever malice arises, that one should develop compassion.  In whoever malice arises, that one should develop equanimity.  In whoever malice arises, that one should forget about it, pay no attention to it.  In whoever malice arises, that one should consider the fact that it is of his own making and he should think: "This is of my own making, the outcome of actions; actions are its matrix, actions are its kin and foundation.  And whatever one does, good or bad, one will become an heir to that." In these five ways malice should be put away.

A.III,185

Day 109

If good people quarrel they should quickly be reconciled and form a bond that long endures.  Like useless cracked or broken pots, only fools do not seek reconciliation.  One who understands this, who considers this teaching, does what’s hard to do and is a worthy brother.  He who bears the abuse of others is fit to be a conciliator.

Ja.III,38

Day 110

One may not be skilled in the habit of other's thoughts but at least one can make this resolve: ‘I will be skilled in the habit of my own thoughts.’ This is how you should train yourself, and this is how it is done.  A woman, a man or a youth fond of adornment, examining their reflection in a bright, clear mirror or a bowl of clear water might see a blemish or pimple and try to remove it.  And when they sees it is no longer there, they would be pleased and satisfied and thinks: ‘It is an advantage to be clean.’ In the same way, one's introspection is most fruitful in good states when one thinks: ‘Am I usually greedy or hateful, overcome by sloth and torpor, with agitated mind, filled with doubt or anger, or am I not?  Do I usually live with soiled thoughts, or with clean thoughts, with body passionate or not, sluggish or full of energy, uncontrolled or well controlled?’ If, on self-examination, one finds that he does live with these evil unprofitable states, then he must put forth extra desire, effort, endeavor, exertion, energy, awareness and attention to abandon them.  And if on self-examination he finds that he does not live with the evil unprofitable states, he should make an effort to establish those profitable states and further destroy the defilements.

A.V,92

Day 111

At one time, the Lord, having stayed as long as he liked at Benares, set off for Uruvela.  Then turning off the road, he entered a woodland grove and sat down at the foot of a tree.  Now at that time a group of about thirty high-born friends and their wives were enjoying themselves in that same woodland.  One of the friends had no wife, so a prostitute had been brought along for him, and while they were enjoying themselves she took their belongings and run away.  So these friends began looking around for the woman and as they roamed about they saw the Lord at the foot of the tree.  They approached him and asked: “Lord, have you seen a woman?”

“What, young men, have you to do with a woman?”

So they told the Lord what had happened and why they were looking for the woman.  And the Lord said to them: “What do you think?  Which is better?  To seek for this woman or to seek for yourself?”

“Well then, sit down and I will teach you Dhamma.”

So those friends sat down and the Lord gave a progressive talk, that is, on virtue, on heaven, on the danger, the futility and the disadvantages of sense pleasures and the advantages of giving them up.  Then, when the Lord knew that their minds were ready, malleable, free from hindrance, uplifted and gladdened, he explained to them the teaching which is unique to the Buddhas – suffering, its cause, its overcoming and the way to its overcoming.

Vin.I,23

Day 112

There are these six dangers of being addicted to gambling.  In winning one begets hatred, in losing one mourns the loss of wealth, one's word is not accepted in court, one is avoided by both friends and officials, and one is not sought after for marriage because people say a gambler cannot support a wife.

D.III,183

Day 113

No food is tastier than that given by a loving friend.  Even the sweetest confection made with care is not as tasty as the plainest gruel given with love.

Ja.III,142*

Day 114

Jivaka said: “I have heard this said that it is sublime to abide in love and the Lord is proof of this because I can see that he abides in love.” The Lord replied: “Any lust, hatred or delusion which could give rise to ill will has been abandoned by the Tathagata, cut off at the root, made like a palm tree stump, finished so that it cannot grow again in the future.  If that is what you are referring to Jivaka, then I agree with you.”

M.I,369*

Day 115

Now at that time a certain monk was suffering from dysentery and lay where he had fallen in his own excrement.  The Lord and Ananda were visiting the lodgings and they came to where the sick monk lay and the Lord asked him: “Monk, what is wrong with you.”

“I have dysentery, Lord.”

“Is there no one to look after you?”

“No, Lord.”

“Then why is it that the other monks do not look after you?”

“It is because I am of no use to them, Lord.”

Then the Lord said to Ananda: “Go and fetch water so we can wash this monk.” So Ananda brought water and the Lord poured it out while Ananda washed the monk all over.  Then taking the monk by the head and feet, the Lord and Ananda together carried him and laid him on a bed.  Later, the Lord called the monks together and asked them: “Why monks, did you not look after that sick monk?”

“Because he was of no use to us, Lord.”

“Monks, you have no mother or father to look after you.  If you do not look after each other who will?  He who would nurse me, let him nurse the sick.”

Vin.I,301

Day 116

Then Venerable Sariputta said: “There are these five ways of putting away malice that arises.  What five?  Take the case of a person who is impure in deed but not in word.  Suppose a monk who wears rag robes were to see a rag on the road.  He would hold it with his left foot, spread it out with his right foot to see if he could make use of it, and then proceed on his way.  In the same way, one who is impure in deed but not in word, his deed ought to be disregarded.  Think instead about his ways that are pure.

And concerning one who words are impure but who is pure in deed, how should malice be put away?  Suppose a man, tortured and overcome by heat, exhausted, wearied, craving and thirsty were to come upon a pond overgrown with mossy slime and water plants.  He would dive into the pond, scatter the water plants this way and that, cup his hands, drink, and then go his way refreshed.  In the same way, one whose words are impure but who is pure in deed, his words ought to be disregarded.  Think instead about his ways that are pure.

And what of one whose words and deed are both impure, but who occasionally attains mental clarity and calm?  Suppose a man, tortured and overcome by heat, exhausted, wearied craving and thirsty, were to come upon a puddle in a cow's footprint.  He might think: ‘If I drink from this puddle using my hands or a cup I will stir up the mud and make it unfit to drink.  I will crouch down on all fours, bend low and drink, as does a cow?’ Then he does this.  In the same way, one whose word and deed are both impure but who occasionally attains mental clarity and calm from time to time, his words and deeds ought to be disregarded.  Think only of his clarity and calm.

And what of one whose words and deeds are both impure and who cannot even occasionally attain mental clarity and calm?  Suppose a sick ailing and grievously ill man was going along a highway with no village in front or behind, unable to get proper food, medicine or attention, or even a guide to the next village.  If another man were to see him, he might feel pity and he might say to himself: ‘This poor man!  He should get help or he will suffer to his detriment.’ In the same way, for one whose ways are impure and who cannot even occasionally attain mental clarity and calm, pity, compassion and commiseration ought to arise and you should think: ‘This poor man!  He should give up the bad and develop the good, or else after death he will have a bad rebirth.’

And concerning one whose words and deeds are both pure and who has mental clarity and calm, how should malice be put away?  Suppose a man, tortured and overcome by heat, wearied, craving and thirsty were to come upon a pool of sweet, cool, limpid water, a lovely resting place shaded by all kinds of trees.  He would dive into the pond, bathe, drink and then come out and lie in the shade.  In the same way, of this person, think about this person’s pure words, deeds and his mental clarity and calm.”

A.III,186*

Day 117

Suppose an enemy has hurt you.
That is his business.
Why should you annoy yourself
And hurt your mind, which is your business?

In tears you left your family,
They who were so kind and helpful.

So why not leave behind your enemy
And the anger that brings so much harm?

This anger which you embrace
Eats away at the very roots
Of all the virtues you strive to develop.
Who would be such a fool?

Someone else does evil deeds
And you get angry.  But why?
Do you wish to copy him
And act as he does?

Suppose to annoy someone,
Provokes you to do something evil.

Why allow anger to arise and thereby
Do exactly what he wants you to do?

If you get angry
Then maybe he will suffer, maybe not.
But by being angry yourself
You certainly will suffer.

If enemies blinded by anger
Are content to walk the path of woe,
Why should you follow them
By getting angry yourself?

If a foe provokes you
To hurt yourself by getting angry,
Let that anger subside.
Do not harm yourself needlessly.

Vism.300*

Day 118

Citta the householder said to the monks: “Suppose a black ox and a white ox were tied together by a rope or a yoke.  Now, if one were to say that the black ox was the fetter of the white one, or that the white ox was the fetter of the black one, would one be speaking rightly?”

“No, they would not, householder.  They are fettered by the rope or yoke.”

“Well, in the same way, monks, the eye is not the fetter of objects, nor is the object the fetter of the eye.  Rather, the desire and craving that arises owing to the pair of them, that is the fetter.  The ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the mind and thoughts, are not fetters, but rather the desire and craving that arises owing to the pairs of them, that is the fetter.”

“Good for you, householder, well said.  You have the eye of wisdom that is consistent with the Buddha’s deep teaching.”

S.IV,282

Day 119

Kimbila asked the Lord: “What will be the cause, what the reason why, after the Tathagata attains final Nirvana, the good Dhamma will last long?”

“If, after the Tathagata has attained final Nirvana, the monks and the nuns, the laymen and the laywomen, live with reverence and care towards the Teacher, the Dhamma and the Sangha, live with reverence and care towards the training, towards concentration, towards earnestness and towards goodwill, then the good Dhamma will last long.”

A.IV,84

Day 120

Some foolish people here, on being advised by me to give something up, say: ‘But what is this small and insignificant matter?  This monk lays too much stress on minor things.’ And so they do not give up that thing and they cause dissatisfaction to be nursed against me and those who do desire the training.  This becomes a strong, solid and stout bond for them, a bond not easily worn away, like a thick block of wood.

M.I,449

MAY

Day 121

One who is serious is a believer, not an unbeliever.  One who is serious is energetic, not lazy, of steady not distracted mindfulness, of clear not confused comprehension and with strong wisdom, not weak wisdom.  When you have established these five things in yourself, you should also make six other things grow within you.  You should recollect the Tathagata like this: ‘Such indeed is the Lord, a Noble One, a fully enlightened Buddha, with perfect knowledge and conduct, happily attained, a knower of the worlds, a guide unsurpassed of those to be trained, a teacher of gods and humans, a Buddha, the Lord.’

You should recollect the Dhamma like this: ‘Beautifully taught is the Lord’s Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for themselves.’

You should recollect the Sangha like this: ‘Happily and straightly faring are the Lord’s disciples, correctly and methodically faring are the Lord’s disciples, namely, the four pairs of individuals, the eight types of persons.  These disciples of the Lord are worthy of offerings, of hospitality, of gifts and salutation with folded hands; they are an incomparable source of goodness in the world.’

You should recollect your own virtues as being complete, whole, unspotted, untarnished, freedom-giving, as being praised by the wise, pure and leading to concentration.

You should recollect your own generosity like this: ‘It is a gain for me.  Indeed, it is a great gain, that amidst those overcome by meanness, I live at home with the mind cleansed of meanness.  I am open-handed, pure-handed, delighting in sharing, one to ask a favour of, one who rejoices in giving.’

Further, you should recollect the gods in this way: ‘There are the gods of the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-three Gods, the gods of Yama, the gods of delight, the gods who delight in creation, those who have power over the creations of others, those in the company of Brahma and those beyond that.  I, too, have the faith, the virtue, the learning, the generosity, and the wisdom by which these gods, on dying here, were reborn there in heaven.’

At a time when a noble disciple recollects all these things, his mind is free from greed, hatred and delusion.  At that time, his mind is straight and fixed upon those things, and with a straight mind he expresses the gladness of the good, the gladness of the Dhamma, and the gladness that goes with Dhamma.  In one like this gladness arises, from gladness comes joy, because of joy the body is tranquil, with a tranquil body one is happy, and the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated.  This is said of a person like this: ‘The noble disciple who recollects the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, who recollects virtue, generosity and the gods – that disciple walks evenly among those who dwell unevenly.’

A.V,329

Day 122

And what is the factor of exertion for the complete purification of virtues?  In this case, one is virtuous, undertaking and practicing the precepts.  This resolve is called the complete purification of virtue: ‘I will bring to perfection the purification of virtue if it is incomplete, and if it is complete I will supplement it here and there with wisdom.’ This is called the complete purification of virtue.  The desire, the effort, the exertion, the endeavor, the persistence, the mindfulness and attention applied to this is called a factor in the complete purification of virtue.

A.II,195

Day 123

One strong in faith but weak in wisdom has uncritical and groundless confidence.  One strong in wisdom but weak in faith errs on the side of cunning and is as hard to cure as one whose sickness is caused by a medicine.  When faith and wisdom are balanced, one has confidence only where there are grounds for it.

Vism.129*

Day 124

The Lord asked, Asibandhakaputta, a follower of Nigantha Nataputta: “What doctrine does Nigantha Nataputta teach his disciples?”

“Lord, Nataputta teaches that whoever kills, steals, commits sexual misconduct or lies – that person goes to hell.  According to how one habitually acts, one goes to one’s destiny.”

“But if you say that as one acts habitually one goes to one's destiny, then according to Nataputta’s teaching, no one would go to hell.  What do you think about this?  If a man say, kills by day or night or from time to time, which time is the most habitual to him?  When he kills or when he is not killing?”

“Well, Lord, the time when he is not killing is most habitual to him.”

“Now, say a teacher teaches a doctrine such as this and a follower has faith in such a teacher.  That follower would think: ‘My teacher says that whoever kills, steals, commit sexual misconduct or lies goes to hell.  Now I have done these things so I will to go to hell.’ And so, holding this view, not giving it up, thinking about it, ruminating over it, he does go to hell.  But say a Tathagata arises in the world.  He censures, strongly censures, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying, saying: ‘Abstain from these things.’ Then say a follower has faith in such a teacher, that follower would think: ‘The Lord in many ways censures, strongly censures, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying, saying: Abstain from these things.  Now I have done such things.  That is not well done, it is not good.  Moreover, I may be remorseful when I remember that such deeds cannot be undone.’ Thinking in this way, he abandons such deeds.  In this way he goes beyond evil deeds.  By abandoning killing, he abstains from killing, by abandoning stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, backbiting, harsh speech, and idle chatter he abstains from all these things.  By abandoning greed, he becomes generous, by abandoning hatred he becomes kind, and by abandoning wrong view he becomes one with perfect view.  This noble disciple, freed from greed and hatred, not bewildered but mindful and concentrated, abides suffusing the four quarters of the world, above, below, across, everywhere, all beings, the whole world with a mind filled with love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity that is widespread, grown great.  Just as a strong conch blower with but little effort gives notice to the four quarters, in the same way, nothing whatsoever is left out of that love, that compassion, that sympathetic joy or that equanimity.”

S.IV,317

Day 125

There are two things that burn the conscience.  What two?  Say a person has done immoral acts of body, speech or mind, or has failed to do virtuous acts of the body, speech or mind.  When he thinks of this he burns with remorse.

A.I,49

Day 126

There are these two gifts, the worldly and the spiritual, and of these two, the spiritual gift is the highest.  There are these two types of sharing, the worldly and the spiritual, and of these two, the spiritual sharing is the highest.  There are these two acts of kindness, worldly and the spiritual, and of these two, the spiritual act of kindness is the highest.

It.98

Day 127

It is good from time to time to examine one’s own faults; it is good from time to time to examine another's faults.  It is good from time to time to examine one's own attainments; it is good from time to time to examine another’s attainments.

A.IV,160

Day 128

As water is balanced, unshaken, untroubled and naturally pure, even so, the earnest student of meditation, dispelling trickery, cajolery, insinuation and dissembling, should be well poised, unshaken, untroubled and quite pure by nature.  As water is poised and naturally cool, even so, the earnest student of meditation, out of compassion for all beings and seeking their welfare, should be possessed of patience, love and mercy.  Again, as water makes the impure pure, even so, the earnest student of meditation, whether he be in the village or the forest, should in all circumstances be one who, being without transgression, gives no reason to be reprimanded by the preceptor or teacher.  And again, as water is wanted by everyone, even so, the earnest student of meditation, having few wishes, is content, aloof and solitary in meditation, and should be one who is constantly much desired by the whole world.  And finally, as water troubles no one, even so, the earnest student of meditation should do no wrong by body, speech or thought that produces in others strife, quarrels, contention, disputes, neglected meditation or dislike.

Mil.383*

Day 129

One who endures abuse, violence
Or punishment without resentment,
And whose power and protection is patience -
Him I call a true brahmin.

Dhp.399

Day 130

The doer of good rejoices here, rejoices there
Rejoices both here and there.
He rejoices and is glad
When he recollects his own good deeds.
The doer of good delights here, delights there,
Delights both here and there.
The thought: ‘I have done good’
Fills him with delight.
He delights all the more
When he goes to the realm of bliss.

Dhp.16,18

Day 131

Recollect the immeasurable Buddha,
Be reflective,

And with the body filled with joy,
You will always be uplifted.

Recollect the immeasurable Dhamma,
Be reflective,
And with the body filled with joy,
You will always be uplifted.

Recollect the immeasurable Sangha,
Be reflective,

And with the body filled with joy,
You will always be uplifted.

Th.382-4*

Day 132

There are four types of people who should be known as enemies disguised as friends; the greedy person, one who speaks but does not act, the flatterer and the squanderer.  The greedy person is an enemy disguised as a friend for four reasons.  He is greedy, he gives little and asks for much, if he does what he should, it is only out of fear, and he pursues his own interests only.  He who speaks but does not act is an enemy disguised as friend for four reasons.  He reminds you of the good he did for you in the past, he talks of good he will do for you in the future, he tries to win your favour with empty words, and when the opportunity to help you arises, he pleads helplessness.  The flatterer is an enemy disguised as a friend for four reasons.  He encourages you to do wrong, he discourages you from doing right, he praises you to your face and speaks ill of you behind your back.  The squanderer is an enemy disguised as a friend for four reasons also.  He is your companion when you drink, when you frequent the streets at untimely hours, when you haunt low shows and fairs, and he is your companion when you gamble.

There are four kinds of good-hearted people who should be known as true friends; the helper, the consistent friend, one who gives good counsel, and one who sympathizes.  The helper is a true friend for four reasons.  He guards you when you are off your guard, he guards your property when you are off your guard, he comforts you when you are afraid, and when something has to be done, he gives you twice what you require.  The consistent friend is a true friend for four reasons.  He tells you his secrets, he keeps the secrets you tell him, in trouble he does not forsake you, and he would even lay down his life for you.  The friend who gives good counsel is a true friend for four reasons.  He discourages you from doing wrong, he encourages you to do good, he tells you things you have not heard, and he points out the way to heaven.  The friend who sympathizes is a true friend for four reasons.  He is sad at your misfortunes, he rejoices at your good fortune, he restrains others from speaking ill of you, and he commends those who speak well of you.

D.III,186

Day 133

You should recollect beautiful friends like this: ‘It is indeed a gain for me.  Indeed, it is good for me that I have beautiful friends, compassionate, desiring my welfare, and who mentor and teach me.’

A.V,336

Day 134

Truly dangerous are gains, honours and fame.  Concerning this, I have known a person whose mind I have read, who would not deliberately tell a lie even for the sake of a golden bowl filled with pieces of silver.  That same person have I seen at another time telling lies because his heart was obsessed by gains, honours and fame.  Truly dangerous are gains, honours and fame.

S.II,233

Day 135

I do not praise wrong behaviour in either householder or monk.  If either a householder or a monk fares along wrongly, then he is not accomplishing the perfect way, the Dhamma, the skilled, as a result of his wrong behaviour.  Rather, I praise good behavior in both householder and monk.  If either a householder or a monk fares along rightly, then he can win the Perfect Way, the True Dhamma, the Skillful, as a result of his right behavior.

A.I,69

Day 136

The Buddha is like a skilled physician in that he is able to heal the sickness of the defilements.  The Dhamma is like rightly applied medicines.  The Sangha, with their defilements cured, are like people restored to health by that medicine.

Pmj.21*

Day 137

As a lotus is unsoiled by water, even so, Nirvana is unsoiled by defilements.  This is the one special quality of a lotus that is present in Nirvana.

As cool water is a means of allaying fever, even so, Nirvana, which is cool, is the means of allaying the fever of all the defilements.  Again, as water is a means of quenching the thirst of men and beasts when they are exhausted, frightened, thirsty and overcome by heat, even so is Nirvana a means of dispelling the craving for sense pleasures and the craving for more and continued becoming.  These are the two special qualities of water that are present in Nirvana.

As an antidote is the salvation of beings who are afflicted by poison, even so, Nirvana is the salvation of beings who are afflicted by the defilements.  Again, an antidote puts an end to disease; even so, Nirvana puts an end to all sorrows.  And again, an antidote is life-giving nectar; even so, Nirvana is life-giving nectar.  These are three special qualities of an antidote that are present in Nirvana.

As food is the sustainer of the lifespan of all beings, even so, Nirvana, when it is realized, is the sustainer of the lifespan by driving out old age and dying.  Again, food is the giver of strength, of the psychic powers in all beings; it is producer of beauty in all beings.  Even so, Nirvana, when realized, is the producer of special qualities in all beings.  And again, food is the calmer of distress in all beings; even so, Nirvana, when realized, is the calmer of the distress of the defilements in all beings.  And finally, food is the remover of the weakness of exhaustion in all beings; even so, Nirvana, when realized, is the remover of all the weakness of exhaustion in all beings due to sorrows.  These are the five special qualities of food that are present in Nirvana.

As space is not born, does not age or die, does not cease here or arise there, is hard to define, cannot be stolen by thieves, is supported by nothing, is the realm of birds, without obstruction and unending – even so, Nirvana is not born, does not age or die, does not cease here or arise there, is hard to define, cannot be stolen by thieves, is supported by nothing, is the realm of the Noble Ones, without obstruction and unending.  These are the eleven special qualities of space that are present in Nirvana.

As a precious gem is the granter of desires, even so is Nirvana the granter of desires.  As a precious gem gives delight, even so does Nirvana gives delight.  As a precious gem is rich in lustre, even so is Nirvana.  These are the three special qualities of a precious gem that are present in Nirvana.

As red sandalwood is hard to obtain, even so, Nirvana is hard to obtain.  Again, red sandalwood is unequalled for its lovely perfume; even so is Nirvana unequalled for its lovely perfume.  Yet again, red sandalwood is praised by good men; even so is Nirvana praised by the Noble Ones.  These are the three special qualities of red sandalwood that are present in Nirvana.

Mil.318*

Day 138

The Lord said: “It is like a mother hen with eight, ten or a dozen eggs which she has sat on properly, warmed properly and hatched properly.  Is the chick which first pierces through the shell with claw and beak to safely emerge called the eldest chick or the youngest?”

“Being the first, Lord, it is called the eldest.”

“Even so, having pierced through the shell of ignorance for the sake of beings living in ignorance, egg born and enclosed, I am the first in the world, utterly enlightened with the unsurpassed enlightenment.  I am the eldest, the highest in the world.”

Vin.III.3

Day 139

One who is virtuous, possessed of virtue, is like an antidote for destroying the poison of defilements in beings, is like a healing balm for allaying the sickness of defilements in beings, is like precious gems for granting all beings their wishes, he is like a ship for beings to go beyond the four floods.  He or she is like a caravan leader for taking beings across the desert of repeated births, like the wind for extinguishing the three fierce fires in beings, like a great rain cloud for filling beings with good thoughts, like a teacher for encouraging beings to train themselves in what is skilled, like a good guide for pointing out to beings the path to security.

Mil.195*

Day 140

Vacchagotta said to the Lord: “I have heard it said that you, good Gotama, teach that charity should only be given to you, not to others, to your followers, not to the followers of other teachers.  Are those who say this representing your opinion without distorting it?  Do they speak according to your teaching?  For indeed, good Gotama, I am anxious not to misrepresent you.”

The Lord replied: “Vaccha, those who say this are not of my opinion, they misrepresent me and say what is not true.  Truly, whoever discourages another from giving charity hinders them in three ways.  What three?  He hinders the giver from acquiring good, he hinders the receiver from receiving the charity, and he has already ruined himself through his meanness.”

A.I,161

Day 141

I will not treat you the way a potter treats wet clay.  Repeatedly restraining I will speak to you, repeatedly admonishing.  The strong heart will stand the test.

M.III,118

Day 142

The king asked Venerable Nagasena: “Which is greater, good or bad?”

“Good is greater, Sir; bad is only small.”

“In what way?”

“Sir, someone acting badly is remorseful, saying: ‘An evil deed was done by me,’ and thus evil does not increase.  But someone doing good is not remorseful.  Because of freedom from remorse, gladness arises, from gladness comes joy, because of joy the body is tranquil, with a tranquil body one is happy, and the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated.  One who is concentrated sees things as they really are, and in this way good increases.”

Mil.84*

Day 143

Once, the Lord was staying near Vesali, at the Gabled Hall in the great forest.  And at that time, the brahmin Karanapalin constructed a building for the Licchavis.  And Karanapalin saw the brahmin Pingiyanin coming in the distance, and as he approached, he said: “Pray, now, from where comes your honour Pingiyanin so early in the day?”
“I come from the presence of the monk Gotama.”
“Well, what do you think of his clarity of wisdom?  Do you think he is a wise man?”
“But what am I compared to him?  Who am I to judge his clarity?  Is it not only one like him who could judge the monk Gotama’s clarity of wisdom?”
“High indeed is the praise that you give the monk Gotama.”
“But what am I compared to him?  Who am I to praise the monk Gotama?  Truly he is praised by the praised.  He is the highest amongst gods and humans.”
“But what good do you see in him that you have such faith in him?”
“Just as when a man is completely satisfied with some delicious flavour, and longs not for other flavours that are poor – even so, when one hears the good Gotama’s Dhamma in all its parts, one longs not for the talk of others, the crowd, other recluses or Brahmins.  Just as a man overcome by hunger and weakness may come across a honey cake, and whenever he tastes it, he enjoys the sweet, delicious flavour – even so, when one hears the good Gotama’s Dhamma in all its parts, one experiences sweetness and serenity of mind.  Just as a man may come across a stick of yellow or red sandalwood, and wherever he smells it, at the root, in the middle or at the top, he comes across an exceedingly fair, delicious fragrance – even so, when one hears the good Gotama’s Dhamma in all its parts, all grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair just vanish away.  Just as a man tortured by heat, overcome by heat, wearied, craving and thirsty, might come to a pool of clear, sweet, cool, limpid water, a lovely resting place, and might plunge in, bathe, drink, and allay all woe, fatigue and fretting – even so, when one hears the good Gotama’s Dhamma in all its parts, all woe, fatigue and fretting is wholly allayed.”

When he had said this, the Brahmin Karanapalin arose from his seat, arranged his upper robe on his shoulder, set his right knee on the ground and bending forth his outstretched hands towards where the Lord was, said three times: “Homage to the Lord, the Noble One, the fully enlightened Buddha.  Wonderful is it, Pingiyanin, truly wonderful.  Just as if one had set upright a thing toppled over, revealed something covered, showed a blind man the way, brought a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see – in the same way, you have illuminated this Dhamma in many a way.  I too will go to the good Gotama, the Dhamma and the Sangha as my refuge.  Look upon me as a lay disciple gone for refuge from now until as long as life lasts.”

A.III,237*

Day 144

There is one thing which, if practiced and developed conduces to letting go, giving up, stilling, calming, higher knowledge, awakening and to Nirvana.  And what is that one thing?  It is the recollection of peace.

A.I,30

Day 145

The brahmin Sangarava said to the Lord: “Good Gotama, we brahmins perform the sacrifice and encourage others to do so.  Whoever does this creates much good that benefits many people.  But one who goes forth from home into homeless life as a monk only benefits himself, only calms himself, leads only himself to Nirvana.  I say that such a person is practicing something that benefits only himself.”

And the Lord said: “Well, brahmin, I will ask you a question, answer as you think fit.  Let us say a Tathagata arises in the world, a Noble One, a fully enlightened Buddha, with perfect knowledge and conduct, happily attained, a knower of the worlds, a guide unsurpassed for people to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, a Buddha, the Lord.  And then he says: ‘Come!  By my own power of realization I have attained great happiness as a result of this practice, this way.  You practice it too!  By your own powers of realization you too will attain great happiness as a result of this practice, this way.’ Thus this teacher teaches Dhamma to many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of such people.  Now brahmin, since this is so, is this going forth into the homeless life as a monk a practice that benefits only one person or many people?”

“Good Gotama, it is a practice that benefits many people.”

A.I,168

Day 146

A god said to the Lord: “These six things do not lead to one’s decline.  What six?  Reverence for the Teacher, the Dhamma, the Sangha, for the training, for earnestness and for love.” Later, the Lord repeated to the monks what the god had said, and then added:

“Deep reverence for the Teacher,
The Dhamma and the Sangha.
With earnestness and love,
One like this will not fail;
For they are near Nirvana.”

A.III,330

Day 147

If a person suffering from a disease
Does not seek treatment
Even when a physician is available,
That is not the fault of the physician.

In the same way, if one is oppressed
And tormented by the disease of the defilements
But does not seek help from the Teacher,
That is not the Teacher's fault.

Ja.I,5*

Day 148

It is wonderful, truly marvelous, how serene the good Gotama’s presence is, how clear and radiant his complexion.  Just as a yellow jujube fruit in autumn is clear and radiant, just as a palm tree fruit separated from the stalk is clear and radiant, so too is the good Gotama’s complexion.  Just as a trinket of red gold, wrought in a crucible by a clever goldsmith, deftly beaten and laid on a yellow cloth shines and glitters – so too the good Gotama’s senses are calmed and his complexion is clear and radiant.

A.I,181*

Day 149

Imagine a pool of turbid, stirred up and muddied water.  Then, a man with good vision might stand upon the bank.  He could not see the mussels, shells, pebbles and gravel on the bottom or the fish moving about.  And why?  Because of the turbid state of the water.  In the same way, it is impossible for one with a turbid mind to understand either his own benefit or the benefit of others, or to realize higher states.  And why?  Because of the turbid state of the mind.  Now, imagine a pool of clear, tranquil and still water.  A man with good vision might stand on the bank.  He could see the mussels, shells, pebbles and gravel on the bottom, and the fish that move about.  And why?  Because of the untroubled state of the water.  In the same way, it is possible for one with a tranquil mind to understand his own benefit and the benefit of others, and to realize higher states.  And why?  Because of the untroubled state of his mind.

A.I,9

Day 150

Those for whom you have sympathy, those with whom you communicate – your friends, intimates, kinsmen and relations – all should be told about, grounded in, established in the Four Limbs of Stream-Winning.  What are these four?  Faith in the Buddha, faith in the Dhamma, faith in the Sangha, and virtue that is dear to the Noble Ones and conducive to concentration of mind.

S.V,364

Day 151

At that time, the brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja was sitting not far from the Lord and he said: “Does the good Gotama bathe in the Bahuka River?”
“What is there in the Bahuka River?  Of what value is this river?”
“Good Gotama, many people believe that they can be purified by bathing in the Bahuka River.  They wash away their evil deeds in it.”

Then the Lord said:

“In the Bahuka and at Adhikakka,
At Gaya and in the Sundarika,
In the Sarassati and at Payaga
Or in the Bahumati River,
The fool, though entering constantly,
Cannot wash away his evil deeds.

What can these rivers do?
They cannot purify the bad person
Or one who is intent on evil.
For the good person, every day is special.
For the good person, every day is holy.

The good practice good every day.
Bathe in that and you will protect all beings.

If you speak no lie, do no harm,
Steal not, if you believe and are generous,
What can be the good of going to Gaya?
The water at Gaya is the same as the water at home.”

M.I,39

JUNE

Day 152

And what else should be done?  You should think: ‘Our bodily conduct must be perfectly pure, clear, open, without defect and controlled.  But not because of our being pure will we exalt ourselves or disparage others.’ This is how you should train yourselves.

M.I,272

Day 153

What are the eight bucking people and their eight faults?  Concerning this, when one is reproved by one of his fellows, he sidesteps the matter and pleads forgetfulness, saying: ‘I don't remember.  I don't remember doing that.’ Just as a bucking horse, when prodded and urged on by his driver, bucks and twists the carriage round with his hind legs, this person is like that.

Or, on being reproved by his fellows, he blurts out at his reprover: ‘What right have you to speak you ignorant fool?  Who are you to speak?’ Just as a bucking horse jumps back and batters the carriage railing and breaks the triple bar, this person is like that.

Or, on being reproved by his fellows, he retorts: ‘Well, you also have done such things.  Fix yourself first!’ Just as a bucking horse looses his hind legs from the pole and tramples on it, this person is like that.

Again, when one is reproved by one of his fellows, he evades the question, turns the issue aside and shows umbrage, anger and sulkiness.  Just as a bucking horse takes the wrong road and makes the carriage sway, this person is like that.

Or again, on being reproved, he speaks to the assembly with much gesticulation.  Just as a bucking horse rears high and strikes out with his hooves, this person is like that.

Yet again, on being reproved, he disregards the assembly and the reprover and continues to offend just as before.  Just as a bucking horse takes no notice of his driver or the whip and pulls his bit, this person is like that.

Once again, on being reproved, he says: ‘I am not guilty, and I don’t care what you say,’ and he annoys the assembly by his silence.  Just as a bucking horse, when urged on, goes neither back nor forward, but stands still like a post – this person is like that.

And finally, when one is reproved by one of his fellows he says: ‘Sirs, why should you worry so much about me?  I will give up the training and return to the ordinary life.  I hope you are satisfied.’ Just like a bucking horse, when whipped and urged forward by the driver, draws his legs together and just sits down, this person is, I say, just like that.

A.IV,192

Day 154

Whatever monks possess virtue, concentration, vision, freedom and knowledge and vision – just to see them brings much good; just to hear about them brings much good.  To visit them, to sit beside them, to remember what they say, and to follow them in going forth in the holy life also brings much good.

S.V,67

Day 155

The brahmin Aramadanda asked Venerable Kaccana: “What is the cause, what is the reason why nobles, brahmins and householders all quarrel with each other?”
“They do so because of their bondage and servitude to sensual pleasures, their attachment to and greed for sensual pleasures.”
“What is the cause, Master Kaccana, what is the reason why monks quarrel with monks?"
"They do so because of their bondage and servitude to opinions, their attachment to and greed for opinions.”

A.I,66*

Day 156

With four things women win power in this world, this world is in their hand.  What four?  Concerning this, a woman is capable at her work, she manages the servants properly, she is loved by her husband and she guards his wealth.  And how is a woman capable at her work?  Whatever her husband's home industries, whether in wool or cotton, she is deft and tireless, gifted with an inquiring turn of mind into ways and means and able to arrange and carry out the job.  And how does she manage the servants properly?  Whether there be servants, messengers or workers in her husband's household, she knows the work of each and what has been done, she knows what has to be avoided, she knows the strengths and weaknesses of the sick, she shares out the food, both hard and soft, according to their share.  And how is she loved by her husband?  Whatever her husband considers unlovely, she would never do, not even to save her life.  And how does she guard her husband's wealth?  Whatever money, grain, silver or gold he brings home, she secures, watches and guards; never does she steals, misuses or wastes it.

A.IV,269

Day 157

If, in an argument, the accused and the accuser do not practice honest self-examination, you can expect that it will lead to drawn out, bitter, contentious strife and no one will be able to live in peace.  And how should the two parties practice strict self-examination?  The accused should reflect: ‘I have committed some wrong and that other person saw me.  When he saw, he got annoyed and said so.  He rebuked me and I got annoyed and went and told the others.  So, it is I who am at fault.’ And how does the accuser practice strict self-examination?  The accuser should reflect: ‘This person has committed some wrong and I saw him.  Had he not done it, I would not have seen it, but as he did it, I saw it.  When I saw, I was displeased and I told him so.  He got annoyed and told the others.  So it is I who am at fault.’ Thus it is that if in an argument the accused and the accuser both practice strict self-examination, you can expect that all will be able to live in peace.

A.I,53

Day 158

These four who are accomplished in wisdom, who are disciplined, confident, deeply learned, upholders of Dhamma and who live in accordance with Dhamma – these four illuminate the Sangha.  Which four?  A monk, a nun, a layman and a laywoman.

Whoever is wise, disciplined and deeply learned,
Upholding Dhamma and living according to it,
They are called ‘Light of the Sangha.’
The monk well-possessed of virtue,

The nun who is widely learned,
Male and female disciples full of faith -
It is they who illuminate the Sangha.
‘Light of the Sangha’ they are called.

A.II,8

Day 159

Malunkyaputta said to the Lord: “Sir, as I was meditating, this thought came to me: ‘Those speculative views about the world, whether it is finite or infinite, whether it is both or neither; those speculative views about whether the soul is the same as the body or different from it; those speculative views about whether the Tathagata exists after death or does not, whether he both exists and does not exist, whether he neither exists nor does not exist; the Lord has not addressed these views, he has sidestepped them and ignored them.’ Sir, if you do not explain these views for me, I will leave this training.  If you know the answers to these questions, you should explain them to me.  And if you don't know, then it would be honest and say so.”

“But Malunkyaputta, did I ever say to you: ‘Come, be my disciple, and I will answer all these questions for you?’ ”

“No, sir.”

“Then, did you ever say to me: ‘I will become your disciple only if you answer all these questions?’ ”

“No, sir.”

“So, who are you and what is your complaint, you foolish man?  If one were to say that they would not become my disciple until all these views had been explained by me, he might be dead before it could be done.  It is as if a man had been shot by a poisoned arrow and his friends might get a doctor to help him.  And he might say: ‘Wait!  I do not want the arrow removed until I know the name of the man who shot it, what caste he is, whether he is short or tall, fat or thin.  I do not want the arrow removed until I know whether the bow that shot the arrow was a spring bow, a crossbow or a longbow.  I do not want the arrow removed until I know whether the bow was made from reed, wood or bamboo, or whether the head of the arrow was a calf-tooth head, an ordinary head, a jagged head or an iron head.’ Long before all these questions could be answered, that man would be dead.  In the same way, if someone were to say that they would not become my disciple until all the questions about whether the world is infinite or not were answered, they might be dead before it could be done.  Living the holy life could not be said to depend upon whether the world is infinite or not, whether it is both infinite and finite, whether it is neither infinite nor finite or any of the other questions.  Whether the world is infinite or not, there is birth, there is aging, there is dying, there is grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair, and it is for the ending of this that I teach.  Therefore, understand as not explained what has not been explained by me, and understand as explained what has been explained by me.  And what has not been explained by me?  All these speculative views that you ask about.  And why?  Because it is not connected with the goal, it is not fundamental to the holy life, it does not conduce to good, to turning away, to fading, to calming, to higher knowledge or to Nirvana.  And what has been explained by me?  The Four Noble Truths.  And why?  Because it is connected with the goal, it is fundamental to the holy life, it does conduce to good, to turning away, to fading, to calming, to higher knowledge and to Nirvana.”

M.I,426

Day 160

Venerable Subhuti and a believing monk came to the Lord, sat down, and the Lord said to Subhuti: “Who, Subhuti, is this monk with you?”

“Sir, he is a believer, the son of a believing disciple; he went forth from a believer’s home.”
“But, Subhuti, does he have the traditional characteristics of a believer?”

“Now would be a good time, Lord, to tell me the traditional characteristics of a believer; then I will know whether or not this monk has them.”

“Then listen carefully and I will speak.  Concerning this, a monk is virtuous, he lives restrained by the rules of training, he is well-equipped with practice, seeing danger in the slightest fault, and he follows the precepts and applies himself to them.  He has heard much, and what he has learned he keeps it in mind and remembers it.  Those teachings that are beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle and beautiful in the end, in both the letter and the spirit, laying down the holy life in all its perfection and purity, those teachings he listens much to, remembers, recites, ponders over and penetrates with wisdom.  Further, he has friendship with the beautiful, fellowship with the beautiful, companionship with the beautiful.  He is pleasant to speak to, endowed with the qualities that make it easy to speak to, he is patient and clever at grasping the meaning of instructions.  Yet again, in all dealings with his fellow monks, whether in matters great or small, he is clever and energetic, possessing the ability to give proper consideration to them, knowing what the right thing is and how to do it.  He delights in Dhamma, he rejoices greatly in higher Dhamma and higher discipline, and is pleasant to speak with about it.  Yet again, he has resolute energy for abandoning bad qualities; he is stout and strong in acquiring good qualities, not shirking the burden of good qualities.  He can attain easily and without difficulty the four jhanas which are of the clearest consciousness and are connected with happiness here and now.  He can recall his former lives – one, two, five, ten, a hundred, and a hundred thousand.  Yet again, with god-like vision, purified and surpassing that of ordinary people, he can see the rising and passing away of beings.  And finally, by the destruction of the defilements, in this very life and by his own comprehension, he attains freedom of mind, freedom through wisdom and he abides in it.  These, Subhuti, are the traditional characteristics of a believer.”

A.V,337

Day 161

The sky and the Earth are far apart, and this side of the ocean is far from the other side.  But they say even further apart than this is the Dhamma of the good from the Dhamma of the bad.

Ja.V,483

Day 162

There are these four Perfect Efforts.  What four?  Concerning this, one generates desire to prevent the arising of evil, unprofitable states that have not yet arisen.  One makes an effort, sets going energy, lays hold of and exerts the mind to this end.  One generates desire for the abandoning of evil unprofitable states that have already arisen.  One makes an effort, sets going energy, lays hold of and exerts the mind to this end.  One generates desire for the arising of profitable states that have not yet arisen.  One makes an effort, sets going energy, lays hold of and exerts the mind to this end.  And one generates desire for the persisting, the non-confusion, the further development, the increase, cultivation and fulfillment of profitable states that have already arisen.  One makes an effort, sets going energy, lays hold of and exerts the mind to this end.

D.II,313

Day 163

Abandon wrong.  It can be done.  If it were impossible to do, I would not urge you to do so.  But since it can be done, I say to you: ‘Abandon wrong.’ If abandoning wrong brought loss and sorrow, I would not urge you to do so.  But since it conduces to your benefit and happiness, I say to you: ‘Abandon wrong.’ Cultivate the good.  It can be done.  If it were impossible to do, I would not urge you to do so.  But since it can be done, I say to you: ‘Cultivate the good.’ If cultivating the good brought loss and sorrow, I would not urge you to do so.  But since it conduces to your benefit and happiness, I say to you: ‘Cultivate good.’

A.I,58

Day 164

A teacher should look upon his pupil as a son.  A pupil should look upon his teacher as a father.  These two, united by mutual reverence and deference and living in communion together will achieve increase, growth and progress in this Dhamma and discipline.

Vin.I,45

Day 165

One whose faith in the Tathagata is settled, fixed, established, firm, unshaken by any monk or brahmin, by any god, Mara, Brahma or anyone in the world, can confidently say: ‘I am the true child of the Lord, born of Dhamma, created by Dhamma, an heir of Dhamma.’

D.III,84

Day 166

The Lord said: “Words that have these four qualities are well-spoken, not ill-spoken, faultless, not blamed by the wise.  What four?  Concerning this, one speaks words that are well-spoken not ill-spoken, words that are right not wrong, words of love not hate, one speaks words that are truthful not false.

The virtuous say well-spoken words are best,

Secondly comes right speech, not wrong,

Thirdly come words of love not hatred,

And fourthly come truthful, not false words.”

Then Venerable Vangisa rose from his seat, arranged his robe on one shoulder, put his palms together and said: “Something occurs to me, Lord.” Then he spoke these words in praise of the Lord:

“One should utter only words
Which do no harm for oneself
Or cause harm to others
That is truly beautiful speech.

Speak loving words,
Words rejoiced at and welcomed,
Words that bear ill-will to none;
Always speak lovingly to others.

Truthful speech is of the Immortal.
This is an eternal truth.
The good say the Dhamma and the goal
Are based on words that are true.

The Buddha speaks words that lead
To the winning of security,
The ending of sorrow, and the attaining of Nirvana.
Truly, this is the speech supreme.”

Sn.450-4

Day 167

If anyone were to say that just as a person does a deed, so is his experience determined by it, and if this were true, then living the holy life would not be possible, there would be no opportunity for the overcoming of suffering.  But if anyone were to say that a person does a deed that is to be experienced, so does he experience it, then living the holy life would be possible, there would be an opportunity for the ending of suffering.

For instance, a small evil deed done by one person may be experienced here in this life or perhaps not at all.  Now, what sort of person commits a small evil that takes him to hell?  Take a person who is careless in the development of body, speech and mind.  He has not developed wisdom, he is insignificant, he has not developed himself, his life is restricted, and he is miserable.  Even a small evil deed may bring such a person to hell.  Now, take the person who is careful in development of body, speech and mind, he has developed wisdom, he is not insignificant, he has developed himself, his life is unrestricted and he is immeasurable.  For such a person, a small evil deed may be experienced here or perhaps not at all.

Suppose someone throws a grain of salt into a little cup of water.  That water would be undrinkable.  And why?  Because the amount of water is small.  Now, suppose throws a grain salt in River Ganges.  That water would not be undrinkable.  And why?  Because the amount of water is great.

A.I,249

Day 168

Sakka asked the Lord: “Sir, do all monks and brahmins teach the same Dhamma, practise the same discipline, desire the same thing and pursue the same goal?”

“No, Ruler of the Gods, they do not.  And why not?  This world is made up of many and various elements, and people adhere to one or another of these elements, and become tenaciously attached to them, saying: 'This alone is true, all else is false.' Therefore, all monks and Brahmins do not teach the same Dhamma, practice the same discipline, desire the same thing or pursue the same goal.”

D.II,282

Day 169

What is the power of sympathy?  There are these four bases of sympathy: generosity, kind speech, doing a good turn and treating all equally.  The best generosity is generosity with the Dhamma.  The best kind speech is teaching the Dhamma again and again to a good and attentive listener.  The best good turn is inciting, encouraging and establishing the ways of faith in the doubting, the ways of virtue in the unvirtuous, the ways of generosity in the mean, and ways of wisdom in the foolish.  The best equal treatment is the equality between Stream-Winner and Stream-Winner, between Once-Returner and Once-Returner, between Non-Returner and Non-Returner, and between Noble One and Noble One.  This is called the power of sympathy.

A.IV,364

Day 170

Tasty or bland, much or little, one can eat anything made with love.  Indeed, love is the highest taste.

Ja.III,145*

Day 171

When the Ageless exists,
What do you bother with sensual pleasures,
Which are bound up with old age and death
All births everywhere
Are inseparable from sickness and death.

But this is ageless and immortal;
This is the ageless immortal state,
Without grieving or enmity,
Without obstruction, without stumbling,
Without fear and without burning.

This immortal state
Has been attained by many,
And can be attained even today
By anyone who applies himself,
But not by those who do not strive.

Thi.511-13*

Day 172

Venerable Sona, meditating in solitude, thought to himself: “The Lord’s disciples live in energy and I am one of them, and yet my mind is not detached and free from the defilements.  My family is rich so I am going to give up the training, return to the household life, enjoy riches and do good works.” Now, the Lord read Sona’s mind, and as easily as a strong man might stretch out his arm, he appeared in front of Sona and said: “What do you think, Sona?  In the past when you were at home, were you not accomplished in the lute's music?”
“Yes, I was, Lord.”
“And when the strings were too tight, was the lute melodious and playable?”
“No, Lord.”
“When the strings were too loose, was it melodious and playable?”
“No, Lord.”
“When the strings were neither too tight nor too loose, but tuned to the middle pitch, was the lute then melodious and playable?”
“Yes, Lord it was.”
“Even so, Sona, when effort is too strong it ends in agitation, and when too lax it ends in idleness.  Therefore, balance your faculties and then you will attain that which is of true value.”

A.III,374

Day 173

Then, King Milinda said to Venerable Nagasena: “What is the characteristic of faith?”
“Faith, Sir, has the characteristic of tranquility and leaping forward.”
“In what way is tranquility a characteristic of faith?”
“When faith arises, it destroys the hindrances, and when thought is without the hindrances, it is clear, pure and serene.”
“Give me a simile.”
“A king, going along a highway together with his army of four parts – elephants, cavalry, chariots and infantry – might cross a small stream, and the water might become dirty, turbid and muddy by being disturbed by the army.  Then, the king might say: ‘Bring water, good sirs, I want to drink.’ They might answer him, saying: ‘Yes, your Majesty,’ and taking the king's water-cleansing gem might put it in the water so that the various water plants would disappear, the mud subside and the water become clear, pure and serene.  Then they would offer the water to the king, saying: ‘Let His Majesty drink.’
Thought is like the water, the people are like the earnest students of meditation, the defilements are like the water plants and mud, and faith is like the water-cleansing gem.  As the water plants disappear, the mud subsides, and the water become clear, pure and serene when the water-cleansing gem is put in it – even so, the arising of faith destroys the hindrances and thought without hindrances is clear, pure and serene.”

“How, reverend sir, is leaping forward a characteristic of faith?”

“As, Sir, the earnest student of meditation, on seeing that the minds of others are freed, leaps forward after the fruits of Stream-Winning, of Once-Returning, of Non-Returning or of Arahantship, and practices meditation for the attainment of the unattained, for the mastery of the unmastered, for the realization of the unrealized.  In this way is leaping forward a characteristic of faith.”
“Give me a simile.”
“A great rain cloud might pour down rain on a high mountain, so that the water rushing down the incline, after filling the gullies, the valleys and the small streams on the slopes, would fill the river, so that it would rush along, breaking its banks.  Now, if a great crowd of people were to approach that river knowing neither its width nor depth, they would stand terrified and hesitant on its bank.  Then, if a man were to approach who was confident of his own power and strength, and putting on a loincloth, were to dive into that river he would cross over.  The other people, seeing that he had crossed over, would then cross over, too.  Even so, Sir, the earnest student of meditation, on seeing that the minds of others are freed, leaps forward after the fruits of Stream-Winning, of Once-Returning or of Arhantship, and practices meditation for the attainment of the unattained, for the mastery of the unmastered, for the realization of the unrealized, and thus is leaping forward a characteristic of faith.”

Mil.34-6*

Day 174

One conceives hatred at the thought: ‘So-and-so has done me harm, he is doing me harm, he is going to do me harm.’ One conceives hatred at the thought: ‘So-and-so has done harm to one dear and precious to me, he is doing harm to one dear and precious to me, he is going to do harm to one dear and precious to me.’ One conceives hatred at the thought: ‘So-and-so has done good to one not dear and precious to me, is doing good to one not dear and precious to me, is going to do good to one not dear and precious to me.’ In this way, one is annoyed without good reason.

A.V,150

Day 175

Monks!  Brahmins and householders are most helpful to you since they provide you with your robe and bowl, your lodging and seat, your medicines and the necessities for sickness.  You also are most helpful to them, since you teach them the Dhamma that is lovely in the beginning, lovely in the middle and lovely at the end, in both in the letter and the spirit.  You proclaim to them the holy life in all its completeness and purity.  Therefore, the holy life is lived for crossing the flood, for the overcoming of suffering, in mutual dependence.

It.111

Day 176

The Buddha is like one who passes down the inheritance of the Dhamma.  The good Dhamma is like that inheritance.  The Sangha, which is like a group of children who are heirs of an inheritance, is heir to the inheritance of the good Dhamma.

Pmj.22*

Day 177

While some monks and brahmins, while living on food provided by the faithful, make their living by such low arts, such wrong means of livelihood as palmistry, fortune-telling from signs, portents, dreams, marks on the body, and the gnawing of mice, by using a spoon to make offerings of rice husks, bran or grains to the fire god, by reading the fingertips, by house lore, garden lore, by purveying magic charms, by casting out ghosts, by practicing earth-house lore, snake lore, poison lore, rat lore, crow lore, by foretelling the length of someone’s life, by making charms against arrows or by interpreting the cries of animals, the monk Gotama abstains from such low arts, such wrong means of livelihood.

D.I,9

Day 178

Just as the dawn is the forerunner, the herald of the arising of the sun – so too, friendship with the beautiful is the forerunner, the herald of the arising of the Noble Eightfold Path.  When one is a friend of the beautiful, it may be expected that he will cultivate and develop the Noble Eightfold Path.

S.V,29

Day 179

For one who is virtuous, in full possession of virtue, there is no need for the conscious thought: ‘May I be free from remorse.’ And why?  Because it is natural that one who is virtuous is free from remorse.  And for one free from remorse there is no need for the purposeful thought: ‘May I be joyful.’ And why?  Because it is natural that one who is free from remorse is joyful.

A.V,1

Day 180

Being devoted to the recollection on peace allows one to sleep happily and wake happily, have peaceful faculties, a peaceful mind, self-respect and fear of blame, to be confident, resolved to attain the highest state, and to be respected and revered by ones fellows in the holy life.  And even if one attains no higher, one will have a happy rebirth.

Vism.294*

Day 181

There are two people you can never repay.  Which two?  Your father and your mother.  Even if you were to carry them on your back and live for a hundred years, supporting them, anointing them with medicines, bathing and massaging their limbs and wiping up their excrement after them, even this would not repay them.  Even if you were to give them absolute sovereignty over the whole world, this would not repay them.  And why?  Because parents do much for their children, they bring them up, nourish them and introduce them to the world.  But whoever encourages their doubting parents to believe, their immoral parents to be virtuous, their stingy parents to be generous and their foolish parents to be wise, that one by so doing, does repay, does more than repay their parents.

A.I,61

JULY

Day 182

Just as the radiance of all stars is not worth a sixteenth part of the moon’s radiance; just as in the last month of the rainy season in the autumn, when the sky is clear and free from clouds, the sun rises into the sky and flashes, radiates and dispels all darkness; just as in the pre-dawn light the healing star shines, flashes and radiates; so too, whatever good deeds one might do for the purpose of a good rebirth, none of them are worth a sixteenth part of that love which frees the mind.  It is the love that frees the mind which shines, flashes and radiates forth out-surpassing all those good deeds

Whoever makes love grow boundless,
And sets their mind for seeing the end of birth,
Their fetters are worn thin.
If with a pure mind one feels love

Towards even a single being,
That alone makes one a good person.
Having a mind filled with compassion,
The Noble One does great good.

It.20-1

Day 183

Thus is Dhamma well taught by me, made manifest, opened up, well proclaimed and stripped of its wrappings.  And because of this, all those who are striving for Dhamma through faith are bound for enlightenment.

M.I,142

Day 184

How does one dwell pervading one direction with a mind filled with love?  Just as one would feel love for a loving, pleasant person, like this one pervades all beings with love.  And concerning this, what is love?  That which in beings is love, the act of love, the state of love, love that is free from ill-will.  And how does one dwell pervading one direction with a mind filled with compassion?  Just as one would feel compassion for a miserable or an evil person, like this one pervades all beings with compassion.  And concerning this, what is compassion?  That which in beings is compassion, the act of being compassionate, the state of being compassionate, compassion that is free from cruelty.  And how does one dwell pervading one direction with a mind filled with sympathetic joy?  Just as one would feel joyful for a lovely, a pleasant person, like this one pervades all beings with sympathetic joy.  And concerning this, what is sympathetic joy?  That which in beings is sympathetic joy, the act of sympathetic joy, the state of sympathetic joy, sympathetic joy that is free from envy.  And how does one dwell pervading one direction with a mind filled with equanimity?  Just as one would feel equanimity for a person neither pleasant nor unpleasant, like this one pervades all beings with equanimity.  And concerning this, what is equanimity?  That which in beings is equanimity, the act of equanimity, the state of equanimity, equanimity that is free from distress.

Vibh.272*

Day 185

Increasing in five ways a noble woman disciple increases in the noble growth, grasps the essentials, grasps the heart of the matter.  What five?  She grows in faith, in virtue, in learning, in generosity and she grows in wisdom.

S.IV,250

Day 186

There are these four right times.  What four?  Hearing Dhamma at the right time, discussing the Dhamma at the right time, calming at the right time and wisdom at the right time.

A.II,140

Day 187

What sort of person should be followed, served and honoured?  The person who is virtuous and has a lovely nature.  And why should such a one be followed?  Because even though one may not agree with his ideas, a good reputation spreads around that you associate with the lovely, that you have worthy friends, that you consort with the worthy.

A.I,127

Day 188

Now at that time, between Savatthi and the Jeta’s Grove a number of boys were tormenting fish.  Then the Lord saw those boys and he went up to them and said: “My boys, are you afraid of pain?  Do you dislike pain?”
“Yes, sir, we do.”

Then the Lord uttered this verse:
“If you are afraid of and dislike pain,
Do no evil either openly or in secret.
If you are doing or plan to do evil,
You will not escape from pain
By running away or fleeing.”

Ud.51

Day 189

Maha Kotthita asked Venerable Sariputta: “How many things make Perfect View come about ?”

“There are two things that bring Perfect View into existence; the words of another and careful attention.”

“How many things furthering Perfect View result in freedom of mind and the advantages of freedom of mind, freedom through wisdom and the advantages of freedom through wisdom?”

“If Perfect View is furthered by five things – virtue, learning, discussion, calm and vision – freedom of mind and the advantages of freedom of mind, freedom through wisdom and the advantages of freedom through wisdom will result.”

M.I,294

Day 190

There are these two types of sickness.  What two?  Sickness of body and sickness of mind.  There are beings who can claim they have been free from bodily sickness for one year, two, ten, fifty, perhaps even a hundred years.  But it is hard to find beings who can admit to being free from mental sickness for even a moment, except those who have destroyed the defilements.

A.II,143

Day 191

Love is characterized as promoting the welfare of others.  Its function is to desire their welfare.  It is manifested as the removal of annoyance.  Its proximate cause is seeing the loveable-ness in beings.  It succeeds when it makes ill-will subside, and it fails when it gives rise to selfish affection.

Compassion is characterized as removing the suffering of others.  Its function is not to be able to beat the suffering of others.  It is manifested as kindness.  Its proximate cause is seeing helplessness in those overwhelmed by suffering.  It succeeds when it makes cruelty subside, and it fails when it gives rise to sorrow.

Sympathetic joy is characterized as joy in the success of others.  Its function is being free from envy.  It is manifested as the elimination of aversion.  Its proximate cause is seeing other's success.  It succeeds when it makes aversion subside, and it fails when it gives rise to merriment.

Equanimity is characterized as promoting equipoise towards beings.  Its function is to see the equality in beings.  It is manifested as quieting like and dislike.  Its proximate cause is seeing the ownership of deeds thus: "Beings are heirs to their deeds.  Whose, if not theirs, is the choice by which they will become happy, or will be free from suffering, or will not fall away from the success they have reached?" It succeeds when it makes like and dislike subside, and it fails when it gives rise to the indifference of ignorance based on the household life.

Vism.318*

Day 192

One may be a believer, be virtuous and be learned, but not a teacher of Dhamma, and to that degree one is incomplete.  One must remedy this defect by thinking: “How can I be a believer, be virtuous, be learned and be a teacher of Dhamma also?” When one has all these, then one is complete.

A.V,10

Day 193

The Lord said to the monks: “Consider it true that Hatthaka of Alavi is endowed with seven marvelous qualities.  What seven?  He has faith, virtue, self-respect, fear of blame, learning, generosity and wisdom.” Having said this, the Lord rose from his seat and entered the dwelling.  Then a monk went to Hatthaka and told him all that the Lord had said.  And Hatthaka said to that monk: “I hope there were no laymen dressed in white present.”

“No, friend, there were none.”

After that monk returned from his alms-round, he went to the Lord and told him the conversation he had had with Hatthaka, and the Lord said: “Well done, monk, well done!  That clansman is modest.  He does not wish his good qualities to be known by others.  So, consider it is true that Hatthaka of Alavi is endowed with this eighth marvelous and wonderful quality, namely, modesty.”

A.IV,217-18

Day 194

First in the world is the Teacher, that mighty sage,
Next is the disciples who have developed themselves,
And then the learner who is walking the Path,
Who is deeply learned and who keeps
The rules of virtue perfectly.

These three are the highest among gods and humans,
They are bringers of light, speakers of Dhamma,
They open the doors of the Immortal
And set many beings free from bondage.

Whoever walks the path clearly shown
By the matchless leader of the caravan,
And follows the teachings earnestly -
They will overcome suffering in this very life.

It.80

Day 195

Then after begging for his food Venerable Sariputta sat eating it while leaning against a wall.  Then the female wanderer Sucimukhi came up to Sariputta and said: “O monk, why do you eat looking downwards?”

“I do not eat looking downwards.”

“Then do you eat looking up?”

“I do not eat looking up.”

“Then do you eat looking at the four directions?”

“I do not eat looking at the four directions.”

“Then you must eat looking at the points in between?”

“I do not eat looking at the points in between.”

“Then how do you eat?”

“Whatever monks and brahmins get their living in such wrong ways as divination and other low arts; they are called those who eat looking down.  Whatever monks and brahmins get their living in such wrong ways as astrology and other low arts; they are called those who eat looking up.  Whatever monks and brahmins get their living in such wrong ways as sending messages and running errands, they are called those who eat looking in four directions.  And whatever monks and brahmins get their living in such wrong ways as palmistry and other low arts; they are called those who eat looking at the points in between.  But I am one who gets his living in none of these ways.  I seek my food rightly and rightly do I eat it after I have sought it.”

S.III,238-9*

Day 196

How is one contented?  Concerning this, one is satisfied with a robe to protect the body and food to satisfy the stomach.  Having accepted enough, he goes on his way as a bird with wings flies here and there taking nothing with it but its wings.

D.I,71

Day 197

There are these five advantages of listening to Dhamma.  What five?  One hears things not previously heard, clarifies things previously heard, dispels doubts, straightens one's understanding, and one’s heart becomes calm.

A.III,248

Day 198

When the Tathagata or the Tathagata’s disciples live in the world it is for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare and happiness of both gods and humans.  And what is a Tathagata?  Concerning this, a Tathagata arises in the world, a Noble One, fully enlightened Buddha, of perfect knowledge and conduct, happily attained, a knower of the worlds, a guide unsurpassed of men to be trained, a teacher of gods and humans, a Buddha, the Lord.  And what is a Tathagata’s disciple?  He is one who teaches Dhamma that is lovely at the beginning, lovely in the middle and lovely at the end, in both in the letter and in the spirit.  He makes plain the holy life, entirely complete and purified.  This is the Tathagata and this is the Tathagata’s disciple, and when they live in the world, it is done for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare and happiness of both gods and humans.

A.II,147

Day 199

The noble quality of love should be thought about like this: ‘One concerned only with his own welfare, without concern for others, cannot achieve success in this world or happiness in the next.  How then can one wishing to help all beings but not having loved himself succeed in attaining Nirvana?  And if you wish to lead all beings to Nirvana, you should begin by wishing for their mundane welfare here and now.’ One should think: ‘I cannot provide for the welfare and happiness of others merely by wishing it.  Let me make an effort to accomplish it.’ One should think: ‘Now I support them by promoting their welfare and happiness, and later they will be my companions in sharing the Dhamma.’ Then one should think: ‘Without these beings, I could not perfect the requisites of enlightenment.  Because they are the reason for practicing and perfecting all the Buddha-like qualities, these beings are for me the highest field of merit, the incomparable basis for planting wholesome roots, and thus the ultimate object of reverence.’ So one should arouse an especially strong inclination towards promoting the welfare of all beings.  And why should love be developed towards all beings?  Because it is the foundation of compassion.  For when one delights in providing for the welfare and happiness of other beings with an unbounded heart, the desire to remove their afflictions and suffering becomes strongly and firmly established.  And compassion is the pre-eminent quality in Buddhahood; it is its basis, its foundation, its root, its head and its chief.

Cp-a.292

Day 200

Once, while the Lord was staying among the Bhaggis on the Crocodile Hill in the Deer Park at Bhesakala Grove, the householder Nakulapita lay sick, ailing and seriously ill.  And his wife Nakulamata said to him: “I beg you, good man, do not die worried, for the Lord has said that to die fretfully is not good.  Maybe you think: ‘Alas, when I am gone, my wife will be unable to support the children or keep the household together.’ But do not think like that.  For I am skilled in spinning cotton and carding wool and I will manage to support the children and keep the household together after you are gone.  Maybe you think: ‘My wife will take another husband after I am gone.’ But do not think like that, for you and I know that for sixteen years we have lived as householders in the holy life.  Or maybe you think: ‘After I am gone, my wife will have no desire to see the Lord or to see the monks.’ But do not think like that, for my desire to see them shall be even greater.  Or maybe you think: ‘My wife will not keep the virtues in full.’ But do not think like that, for as long as the Lord has female disciples dressed in white, living at home and keeping the virtues in full, I shall be one.  And if any doubt it, let them ask the Lord.  Or maybe you think: ‘After I am gone, my wife will not have a calm mind.’ But do not think like that, for as long as the Lord has female disciples dressed in white, living at home, who gain that state, I shall be one.  And if any doubt it, let them ask the Lord.  Or maybe you think: ‘My wife will not win a firm foundation, a firm foothold in this Dhamma and discipline, she will not win comfort, dissolve doubt, be free from uncertainty, become confident, self-reliant, and live by the Teacher’s words.’ But do not think like that, either.  For as long as the Lord has female disciples dressed in white, living at home, who win a firm foundation, a firm foothold, who have won comfort, dissolved doubt, who are free from uncertainty, who have become confident, self-reliant and live by the Teacher's words, I shall be one.  And if any doubt it, let them go and ask the Lord.”

Now, while Nakulapita was being counselled thus by his wife, even as he lay there his sickness subsided and he recovered.  And not long after, he got up, and leaning on a stick, went to visit the Lord and told him what had happened.  And the Lord said: “It has been a gain; you have greatly gained from having Nakulamata as your counsellor and teacher, full of compassion for you, and desiring your welfare.”

A.III,295-8

Day 201

I have learned two things.  Not to be content with good states one has already developed, and not to give up trying.  Without giving up, I keep trying and think: ‘Gladly would I have my skin, bones and sinews wither and my flesh and blood dry up, if only I can win that which can be won by human effort.’ It was by such earnest endeavor that I won enlightenment and the highest freedom from bonds.

A.I,50

Day 202

Without stalling and without hurrying did I cross the flood.  For when I stalled I sank and when I hurried I was whirled about.  And so, without tarrying and without hurrying did I cross the flood.

S.I,1

Day 203

Just as the great ocean slopes away gradually, tends downwards gradually, without any abrupt precipice, even so this Dhamma and discipline is a gradual doing, a gradual training, a gradual practice.  There is no sudden penetration of knowledge.

Ud.54

Day 204

Once, when I was resting under the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree on the banks of the Neranjara River just after my enlightenment, Mara came to see me and said: ‘Pass away now, now is a good time for the Lord to die.’ But I replied to Mara saying: ‘I shall not die until the monks, the nuns, the laymen and the laywomen have become deeply learned, wise and well trained, remembering the teachings, proficient in the greater and lesser doctrines, virtuous and learned, until they are able to tell it to others, teach it, make it known, establish it, open it up, explain it and make it clear, until they are able to refute false doctrines taught by the others and to spread the convincing and liberating truth abroad.  I shall not die until the holy life has become successful, widespread, well-regarded and popular, until it has become well proclaimed among both gods and humans.’

D.II,113

Day 205

These five things should often be contemplated by both men and women, by both householder and home leaver.  What five?  ‘Old age can come to me; I have not got beyond old age.  Sickness can come to me: I have not got beyond sickness.  Death can come to me; I have not got beyond death.  I am the result of my own deeds, the heir of my deeds – deeds are the source, the kin and the foundation of what I am.  Whatever deed I do, whether good or bad, I shall become heir to that.’ These five things should often be contemplated by both women and men, by both householder and home-leaver.

A.III,71-2

Day 206

In the southern districts, they have an ablution ceremony.  At that time, there is much food and drink, edibles both hard and soft, syrups and drinks, much singing, dancing and music.  This ceremony is a washing, but it is not a washing away.  It is low, common vulgar and ignoble.  It does not conduce to good, to turning away, to fading, to calming, to higher knowledge, or to Nirvana.  So I will teach you a washing that does conduce to good, to turning away, to fading, to calming, to higher knowledge and to Nirvana, a washing that frees beings liable to rebirth, decay, death, sorrow, suffering, lamentation, woe, and dejection from such things.

And what is that washing?  For one who has Perfect Understanding, Perfect Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness, Perfect Concentration and Perfect Knowledge and Freedom.  For the person who practices these things wrong understanding, wrong thought, wrong speech and so on are washed away.  And those evil unskilled states that arise due to them are washed away.  Those good and skillful states that arise due to Perfect Understanding, Perfect Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness and Perfect Concentration – those states come to maturity.

A.V,216

Day 207

When you speak to others you might speak at the right time or at the wrong time, according to fact or not, gently or harshly, about the goal or not, with a mind full of love or with a mind full of hatred.  You should train yourself like this: ‘Our minds will not be perverted nor will we utter evil speech, but kindly and compassionate we will live with a mind free from hatred and full of love.  We will live having suffused first one person with a mind full of love and beginning with them, suffuse the whole world with a love that is far reaching, widespread, immeasurable, without enmity, without malevolence.’ This is how you should train yourself.

M.I,126

Day 208

What is wrongful envy?  Concerning this, a householder or his son is wealthy in grain, silver or gold.  Then a servant or underling thinks: ‘If only that wealth didn't belong to them.’ Or suppose a monk or brahmin gets a good supply of robes, food, lodging or medicine for sickness, and another monk or brahmin thinks: ‘If only he didn't get a good supply of those things.’ This is called wrongful envy and is not abandoned by acts of body or speech, but by seeing it with wisdom.

A.V,40

Day 209

Let one control speech and mind
And do no wrong deed with the body.
If one’s home is well stocked with goods,
Let one have faith, be gentle,
Share his goods with others and speak kindly.

S.I,42

Day 210

If one were to give the gift of a hundred coins in the morning, again at noon and once again at night, or instead, if one were to develop the mind of love in the morning, again at noon and once again at night, even for as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder, this would be by far the more beneficial of the two.  Therefore, you should train yourself thinking: ‘We will develop the liberation of the mind through love.  We will practice it often.  We will make it our vehicle and foundation.  We will take our stand upon it, store it up and promote it.’

S.II,264

Day 211

Those who take a discourse rightly, conforming to both the letter and the spirit, they are responsible for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare and happiness of both gods and humans.  Moreover, they create great good and help establish the Dhamma.

A.I,69

Day 212

Nakulapita said to the Lord: “Lord, I am a broken down old man, aged, I have reached the end of my days.  Rarely am I able to see the Lord and the monks so worthy of respect.  Therefore, let the Lord cheer and comfort me so that it will be to my welfare and happiness for a long time.”

The Lord replied: “It is true, householder, what you say is true.  For one carrying about the body, to claim even a moment's health would be foolishness.  Therefore, you should train yourself thinking: ‘Though my body be sick, my mind shall not sick.’ This is how you should train yourself.”

S.III,1

AUGUST

Day 213

I am a true brahmin, one to ask a favour of, pure handed, wearing my last body, an incomparable physician and surgeon.  You are my own true children, born of my mouth, born of Dhamma, created by Dhamma, heirs to spiritual things, not heirs to material things.

It.100

Day 214

There are these six ways of being considerate.  What six?  One has love in deed toward one’s companions in the holy life, both openly and in private.  One has love in word toward one’s companions in the holy life, both openly and in private.  One has love in thought toward one’s companions in the holy life, both openly and in private.  Then, things acquired rightly and properly, be they only scraps in one’s bowl, one gladly and impartially shares it with them.  Also, one has those virtues that are unbroken, without flaw, spotless, without blemish, bringing freedom, conducive to concentration, and with these one lives in harmony with one’s fellows in the holy life.  And finally, one has that noble understanding that is liberating, leading those who acts accordingly to it the complete overcoming of suffering; and one lives with this understanding among one's companions in the holy life.  These are the six ways of being considerate.

A.III,288

Day 215

The Buddha is like a steadfast man who gives protection from fear.  The Dhamma is like the protection from fear, and the Sangha is like those who have found protection from fear.  The Buddha is like a good consoler, the Dhamma is like consolation, and the Sangha is like those who have been consoled.  The Buddha is like a true friend, the Dhamma is like helpful advice, and the Sangha is like those who have achieved their wishes by heeding that helpful advice.

Pmj.22*

Day 216

It is not possible that one who is himself unrestrained, undisciplined and unquenched could restrain, discipline and quench others.  But it is very possible that one who is himself restrained, disciplined and quenched could make others like that also.

M.I,45

Day 217

Once The Lord addressed the monks saying: “Once there was a certain king in this very city of Savatthi.  He called someone, saying: ‘Come my good man, go and gather together in one place all the men in Savatthi who were born blind.’ ‘Very good,’ said the man, and he did as the king commanded.  When he had done so the king said to him: ‘Now, my good man, show these blind men an elephant.’ ‘Very good,’ said the man, and he did as the king commanded.  He presented one blind man with the head of the elephant, one with the ear, one with the tusk, another the trunk, the foot, the back, the tail and the tuft of the tail, saying to each other as he did so, ‘O blind man, this is an elephant.’ Having done this the man went to the king and said: ‘Sir, the elephant has been presented to the blind men.  Do what you will.’ So, the king went to the blind men and said to each: ‘Oh blind men, have you seen the elephant?’ ‘Yes, Sir, we have,’ they replied: ‘Then tell me what an elephant is like.’ The one who had been presented with the head said: ‘An elephant is like a pot.’ The one who has been presented with the ear said: ‘An elephant is like a winnowing basket.’ They said the tusk was like a ploughshare, the trunk like a plough pole, the body like a granary, the foot like a pillar, the back like a mortar, the tail like a pestle, and the tuft of the tail like a broom.  Then they began to argue with each other, shouting as they did: ‘It is!’ It is not!’ ‘An elephant is not like that!’ ‘Yes it is!’ Soon they began to hit each other, and the king was delighted with what he saw.  In the same way, wanderers of other sects are blind, they do not see, they do not know the skillful or the unskillful.  They do not know what is Dhamma or what Dhamma is not and because of their ignorance they are by nature argumentative, quarrelsome and contentious, wounding each other with the weapon of the tongue.” Then the Lord spoke this verse:

“Some so-called monks and brahmins

Are deeply attached to their own opinions

They see only one side of things

And thus end up with quarrels and contention.”

Ud.68

Day 218

The carpenter or his apprentice sees that the handle of his tool is being worn away by his fingers and thumb, but he does not necessarily know how much has been worn away today, how much yesterday and how much at another time.  In the same way, one living devoted to the practice of meditation does not know how much of the defilements have been worn away today, how much yesterday and how much at another time.  He merely has the knowledge that they are being worn away.

S.III,154

Day 219

Eleven advantages are to be looked for in the freedom of mind through the practice of love, by making love grow, by making much of it, by making love a vehicle and basis, by persisting in it, by becoming familiar with it, and by establishing it well.  What eleven?  One sleeps happily, one wakes happily, one has no bad dreams, one is dear to be both humans and non-humans, one is guarded by the gods, fire, poison and swords do not affect one, the mind concentrates quickly, the complexion becomes radiant, one dies without bewilderment, and if one develops no further, one will reach at least to the Brahma world.

A.V,342

Day 220

One whose mind is freed does not argue with anyone, he does not dispute with anyone.  He makes use of the conventional terms of the world without clinging to them.

M.I,500

Day 221

The Brahmin Vassakara, an important man in Magadha, came to the Lord and said: “Good Gotama, for my part I say this, this is my opinion.  If anyone speaks of what he has seen, heard or sensed, there is no harm in him saying: ‘This is what I saw.  This is what I heard.  This is what I sensed.’ No harm can come from that.”

The Lord then replied: “For my part, brahmin, I do not say that everything one has seen, heard or sensed should be spoken of, and nor I do not say it should not be spoken of.  If one speaks and unprofitable states grow, then one should not speak.  If one speaks and profitable states grow, then one should speak of what one has seen, heard, sensed and understood.”

A.II,172

Day 222

On one occasion, the monk Visakha of the Pancalas was teaching Dhamma in the assembly hall.  As the evening approached, the Lord rose from solitary mediation, went to the hall and sat down on a seat made ready for him.  Then he asked: “Who was teaching Dhamma so well?”

“It was, Lord, the monk Visakha.”

Then the Lord said: “Well done, Visakha, well done.  Well have you instructed and uplifted, enlightened and inspired the monks in language polished, distinct, free from roughness, revealing the meaning, comprehensive and unbiased.” Then the Lord said further:

“If he does not speak, others will not know him,
He is just a wise man mixed up with the fools.
But if he speaks about and teaches the Immortal,
Others will know him.

So light up the Dhamma,
Lift the banner of the sages high.
Sages have illuminating speech as their banner.
Dhamma is the banner of sages.”

A.II,51

Day 223

I have taught the Dhamma in full, and if one understands the meaning of even a four-line stanza of Dhamma and resolves to live in accordance with it, that one may be called widely learned, one who knows Dhamma by heart.

A.II,178

Day 224

Once, while the Lord was staying near Kosambi in the Ghostia Park, Venerable Udayin, sat teaching the Dhamma surrounded by a great gathering of lay people.  Now Ananda saw this and he went to the Lord and told him what he had seen, and the Lord said: “Truly, Ananda, it is not easy to teach Dhamma to others.  In teaching Dhamma to others, first establish five things and then teach.  What five?  Teach Dhamma to others thinking: ‘I will speak Dhamma in a gradual way.  I will speak with the goal in mind.  I will speak with kindliness.  I will not speak as a means of gain.  I will speak neither to my own harm, nor to the harm of others.’ Truly, Ananda, it is not easy to teach Dhamma to others.  So in teaching Dhamma to others, first establish well these five things.’

A.III,184

Day 225

If anyone abuses you to your face, strikes you with a fist, throw clods of earth at you, beats you with a stick or gives you a blow with a sword, you must put aside all worldly desires and considerations and train yourself like this: ‘My heart will be unwavering.  No evil words shall I speak.  I will live with compassion for the good of others, with a kindly heart, without resentment.’ Thus must you train yourself.

M.I,124

Day 226

The Lord asked Anuruddha how he was able to live in such harmony with his fellow monks and he replied: “I always consider what a blessing it is, what a real blessing, that I am living with such companions in the holy life.  I think, speak and act with love towards them, both in public and private.  I always consider that I should put aside my own wishes and acquiesce to what they want, and then I do that.  Thus we are many in body but one in mind.”

M.III,156*

Day 227

Potaliya the wanderer came to visit the Lord, greeted him courteously, sat down at one side, and as he did, the Lord said to him: “Potaliya, there are these four persons found in the world.  What four?  Concerning this, one criticizes that which deserves criticism at the right time, saying what is factual and true, but he does not praise that which deserves praise.  Again, one speaks in praise of the praiseworthy at the right time, saying what is factual and true, but does not criticize that which deserves criticism.  And again, one neither criticizes that which deserves criticism, nor praises the praiseworthy.  And finally, one criticizes that which deserves criticism and praises the praiseworthy, at the right time, saying what is factual and true.  Now of these four persons, which do you think is the most admirable and rare?”

“In my opinion, good Gotama, the one who neither criticizes that which deserves criticism nor praises the praiseworthy is the most admirable and rare.  And why?  Because his indifference is admirable.”

Then the Lord replied: “Well, I maintain that he who criticizes that which deserves criticism and praises the praiseworthy, at the right time, saying what is factual and true, he is the best.  And why?  Because his timing is admirable.”

A.II,100

Day 228

Just as the River Ganges flows towards, inclines towards, tends towards the east, so too, one who cultivates and develops the Noble Eightfold Path flows towards, inclines towards and tends towards Nirvana.

S.V,38

Day 229

I tell you this.  Let an intelligent person who is sincere, honest and straightforward come to me, and I will instruct him, I will teach him Dhamma.  If he practices as he is taught, then in seven years he will attain in this very life by his own knowledge and vision that goal for the sake of which young men go forth from home into homelessness, and he will abide in it.  Never mind seven years, he will be able to do it in seven days.  Now, you may think: ‘The monk Gotama only says this in order to get disciples.’ But this is not so; let he who is your teacher be your teacher still.  You may think: ‘He wants us to give up our commandments.’ But this is not so; continue to live by your commandments.  Or you may think: ‘He wants us to give up our way of life.’ But this is not so; continue to live your way of life.  Or perhaps you will think: ‘He wants us to practice things that are wrong or not practice things that are right, according to our teachings.’ But this is not so; continue to avoid the things your teaching considers wrong, and practice the things that your teaching considers right.  But there are unskillful things not yet given up, things tainted, leading to rebirth, fearful, with painful result in the future, things associated with birth, decay and death.  And it is for the giving up of these things that I teach Dhamma.  However, if you practice correctly, these tainted things will be given up, and the things that lead to the purification will grow and develop.  You will attain the fullness of perfected wisdom by your own knowledge and vision, and abide in it in this very life.

D.III,55

Day 230

What people expect to happen
Is often different from what actually happens.
Thus does disappointment arise.
This is the way the world works.

Sn.588

Day 231

There are these three types of sick person to be found in the world.  What three?  There is the sick person who, whether or not he obtains the proper diet, medicines and nursing, will not recover from his illness.  Then there is the sick person who, whether or not he obtains the proper diet, medicines, and nursing, will recover from his sickness anyway.  Lastly there is the sick person who will recover from his illness only if he gets the proper diet, medicines and nursing.
It is for this last type that proper diet, medicine and nursing should be prescribed, but the others should be looked after also.

Now, there are three types of person in the world who can be compared to the three types of sick person.  What three?  There is the person who, whether or not he gets the chance of seeing the Tathagata and learning the Dhamma and discipline, will not enter the perfection of things that are skillful.  Again, there is the person who, whether or not he gets a chance of seeing the Tathagata and learning the Dhamma and discipline, will enter the perfection of things that are skillful.
And again, there is the person who will enter into the perfection of things that are skillful only if he gets the chance of seeing the Tathagata and learning the Dhamma and discipline.
It is on account of this last person that the Dhamma is proclaimed, but it should be taught to others also.

A.I,120

Day 232

How is a person concerned with his own good and the good of others?  Concerning this, one is concerned with the restraint of greed, hatred and delusion in himself, and he encourages others to the same restraint.

A.II,96

Day 233

These five things characterize the good person’s gift.  What five?  One gives with reverence, one gives thoughtfully, one gives with one’s own hand, one gives things that are good, and one gives thinking of the result.

A.III,172

Day 234

Venerable Ananda went to the house, leaned against the doorpost and wept, saying: “I am but a learner.  I still have to attain perfection.  But alas, my teacher, he who is so compassionate towards me, is about to pass away.” Then the Lord asked the monks: “Where is Ananda?” and they told him and the Lord said: “Go monk, and say to Ananda, ‘Friend Ananda, the Lord calls you.’ ” When Ananda came, the Lord said to him: “Enough Ananda, do not cry.  Have I not taught that it is the nature of all things beloved that we must suffer separation from them and be severed from them?  For that which is born, come to be and is compounded is also subject to dissolution.  How could it be otherwise?  For a long time Ananda, you have served the Tathagata with thoughts of love, with words of love and with deeds of love, graciously, unstintingly and wholeheartedly.  You have gathered great good.  Now put forth energy and soon you too will be free from the defilements.”

D.II,144

Day 235

The Lord said: “If anyone should criticize me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, you should not because of that be angry, resentful or upset.  For if you did, that would hinder you and you would not be able to know whether what they said was right or wrong.  Would you?”

“No, Lord.”

“So, if others criticize me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, simply explain what is incorrect, saying: ‘That is incorrect.  That is not right.  That is not our way.  We do not do that.’ But also, if others should praise me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, you should not because of that be pleased, elated or self-satisfied.  For if you were, that would hinder you.  So, if others praise me, the Dhamma or the Sangha, then simply explain what is correct, saying: ‘That is correct.  That is right.  That is our way.  That is what we do.’ ”

D.I,3

Day 236

When there is discontent, this woe may be looked for.  Whether one goes, stands, sits or lies, one has no happiness or pleasure.  Whether one has gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, to a lonely place, to an open space or among the monks, one finds no happiness or pleasure.  But when there is contentment, this good may be looked for.  Whether one goes, stands, sits or lies, whether one has gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, to a lonely place, to an open space or amongst the monks, one finds happiness and pleasure.

A.V,121

Day 237

Mahanama the Sakyan came to see the Lord and said: “This town of Kapilavatthu is rich, prosperous, popular, crowded, thickly populated with people.  Now when I enter the city in the evening after waiting on the Lord or the monks, I meet with elephants and horses, chariots, carts and people, all hustling and bustling along.  At such times, my mindfulness of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha become scattered.  Then I think: ‘If I were to die at this moment, what would be my destiny?  Where would I be reborn?’ ”

“Have no fear, Mahanama, have no fear!  Your death will be good, your end will be good.  For one whose mind has for long a long time has been given to faith, virtue, learning, renunciation and in wisdom, even though the body made of the four elements is devoured by birds and animals, yet the mind will soar upwards to a good rebirth.  It is just as if a man were to plunge a jar of butter or oil into a deep pool of water and it were to be broken; the fragments of the jar would sink to the bottom but the butter or oil would float to the top.  Your mind Mahanama, has for a long time been given faith, virtue, learning, renunciation and in wisdom.  So, have no fear.  Your death will not be bad, your end will not be bad.”

S.V,369

Day 238

As a mongoose approaches a snake to seize it only after having supplied his own body with an antidote, so too, the earnest student of meditation, on approaching this world abounding as it is in anger and malice, plagued by quarrels, strife, contention and hatred, must first anoint his mind with the antidote of love.

Mil.394*

Day 239

There are these four persons found in the world.  What four?  One with little learning who does not benefit from his learning, one of little learning who does benefit from his learning, one of great learning who does not benefit from his learning, and one of great learning who does benefit from his learning.

And how does one with little learning not benefit from his learning?  In this case, a person is not well-learned in the discourses, he knows neither the letter nor the spirit, and he does not live in accordance with the Dhamma.  And how does one with little learning benefit from his learning?  In this case, a person is not well-learned in the discourses, but of what he knows he understands both the letter and the spirit and lives in accordance with it.  How does one with great learning not benefit from his learning?  In this case, a person is widely learned in the discourses, but he understands neither the letter nor the spirit and does not live in accordance with the Dhamma.  And finally, how does one with great learning benefit from his learning?  Here, a person is widely learned in the discourses, he understands both the letter and the spirit and he lives in accordance with the Dhamma.

A.II,6

Day 240

Bharadvaja asked the Lord: “What, good Gotama, is of great help in the attainment of truth?  We are asking about the thing that is of great help in the attaining of truth.”

“Striving, Bharadvaja, is of great help in the attainment of truth, for if one did not strive one would not attain truth.  But if one does strive one will attain truth.”
“But what is of great help to striving?”
“Weighing things up is of great help in the attainment of striving, for if one does not weigh things up one would not strive.  But if one does weigh things up one will strive.”
“But what is of great help in weighing things up?”
“Making an effort is of great help in weighing things up, for if one does not make an effort one would not weigh things up.  But if one does make an effort one will weigh things up.”
“But what is of great help in making an effort?”
“Desire is of great help in making an effort, for if one had no desire one will not make an effort.  But if one desires one will make an effort.”
“But what is of great help in generating desire?”
“Approving of things is of great help in generating desire, for if one did not approve of something one would not generate desire.  But when one approves of something one generates desire.”
“But what is of great help in approving of things?”
“Testing the meaning is of great help in approving of things, for if one does not test the meaning one will not approve of things.  But if one does test the meaning one will approve of things.”
“But what is of great help in testing the meaning?”
“Remembering the Dhamma is of great help in testing the meaning, for if one does not remember the Dhamma one could not test its meaning.  But if one does remember the Dhamma one can test it.”
“But what is of great help in remembering the Dhamma?”
“Hearing the Dhamma is of great help in remembering the Dhamma, for if one did not hear the Dhamma one could not remember it.  But if one does hear one can remember it.”
“But what is of great help in hearing the Dhamma?”
“Lending an ear is of great help in hearing the Dhamma, for if one did not lend an ear one would not hear the Dhamma.  But if one does lend an ear one will hear the Dhamma.”
“But what is of great help in leading an ear?”
“Drawing close is of great help in lending an ear, for if one did not draw close one could not lend an ear.  But if one did draw close one can lend an ear.”
“But what is of great help in drawing close?”
“Visiting is of great help in drawing close, for if one did not visit one could not draw close.  But if one does visit one will be able to draw close.”
“Then, what is of great help in visiting?”
“Faith is of great help in visiting, for if one did not have faith one would not visit.  But if one has faith one will visit.”

M.II,174

Day 241

The Lord said to Lohicca: “Is it true that you think like this: ‘If a monk or brahmin discovers some important truth, he should not teach it to others.  For what can one person do for another?  It is just as if, having cut through an old bond, one were to make a new bond.  Such a thing is an evil action rooted in attachment.  For what can one person do for another?’ ”
“Yes, good Gotama, that is my thinking.”
“What do you think about this, Lohicca?  You reside here in Salavatika.  If someone were to say: “The brahmin Lohicca should enjoy all the revenue and produce of Salavatika, allowing nothing to anyone else,” would one who speaks like this be a danger to your tenants?”
“He would, good Gotama.”
“And as such, would he be considering their welfare or not?”
“He would not.”
“And not considering their welfare, would he have a heart full of love for them, or one full of ill-will?”
“Full of ill-will, good Gotama.”
“And in a heart full of ill-will is there wrong view, or Perfect View?”
“Wrong view.”
“Now, if one holds wrong views, I say that one of two destinies results – rebirth in purgatory or as an animal.”

D.I,227

Day 242

In due time Kisa Gotami became pregnant and after ten lunar months she gave birth to a son.  But the child died as soon as he was able to walk.  Kisa Gotami had not known death before and when they came to remove the child's body for cremation, she refused to let them do so, saying to herself: “I will get medicine for my son.” Placing the dead child on her hip, she went from house to house, pleading: “Do you know a cure for my son?” Everyone said to her: “Woman, you are completely mad in seeking medicine for your son,” but she went away, thinking: “Truly, I will find someone who knows the right medicine for my child.” Now a certain wise man saw her and thought to himself: “I must help her.” So he said: “Woman, I do not know if there is a cure for your child, but there is one who will know and I know him.”

“Sir, who is it who will know?”

“Woman, the Lord will know.  Go and ask him.”

So, she went to the Lord, paid reverence to him, stood at one side and asked: “Venerable sir, is it true as people say that you will know a cure for my child?”

“Yes, I know.”

“What then do I need?”

“A few mustard seeds.”

“I will get them, Venerable sir, but in whose house?”

“Get them from a house where no son or daughter or any other person has ever died.”

“Very well, sir,” Kisa Gotami said, and having paid reverence to the Lord, and having placed the dead child on her hip, she went to the village and stopped at the very first house.
“Have you any mustard seeds?  They say they will cure my child.” They gave her the seeds, and then she asked: “Friend, has any son or daughter died in this house?”
“What do you ask, woman?  The living are few and the dead are many.” “Then take back your seeds, for they will not cure my child,” she said, and returned the seeds they had given her.  In this way she went from house to house but never did she find one that had the mustard seeds that she needed.  Then she thought: “Oh!  It is a difficult task that I have.  I thought it was only I who had lost a child, but in every village the dead are more than the living.” While she reflected thus, her heart which had trembled now become still.

Dhp-a.II,273*

Day 243

Even if low-down criminals should cut you limb from limb with a double-handled saw, if you filled your mind with hatred, you would not be practicing my teachings.

M.I,129

SEPTEMBER

Day 244

Develop the meditation that is love, for by so doing, hatred will be got rid of.  Develop the meditation that is compassion, for by doing so, harming will be got rid of.  Develop the meditation that is sympathetic joy, for by doing so, dislike will be got rid of.  Develop the meditation that is equanimity, for by doing so, sensory reaction will be got rid of.  Develop the meditation on the impure, for by doing so, attachment will be got rid of.  Develop the meditation that is the perception of impermanence, for by doing so, the conceit ‘I am’ will be got rid of.

M.I,424

Day 245

When there is quarrelsome talk much talk may be expected, when there is much talk one is excited, being excited one is uncontrolled, and when one is uncontrolled the mind is far from concentrated.

A.IV,87

Day 246

There are these six dangers of being addicted to drink; decrease in wealth, increase in quarrels, ill health, loss of reputation, indecent exposure and impaired intelligence.

D.III,182

Day 247

Giving up worldly desires, one dwells with a mind purified and free from worldly desires.  Giving up ill-will and hatred, one dwells with a mind filled with compassion and love for the welfare of all beings, and purifies the mind of ill-will and hatred.  Giving up sloth and laziness, one perceives the light, and mindful and clearly comprehending, purifies the mind of sloth and laziness.  Giving up restlessness and worry and remaining inwardly calm, one purifies the mind of restlessness and worry.  Giving up doubt, one dwells having crossed over doubt, and without uncertainty as to what is skillful, purifies the mind of doubt.

Just as a man who had borrowed money to develop his business, and whose business had prospered, might repay the money and have enough left over to support a wife, and would think: ‘Before I was in debt, but now I am free from debt,’ and would be glad and happy because of that; just as a man who was sick and suffering, without appetite and weak, might in time regain his health, appetite and strength, and would think: ‘Before I was sick, but now I am healthy,’ and would be glad and happy because of that; just as a man who is imprisoned might, after a time, be freed without any confiscation of his property, and would think: ‘Before I was imprisoned, but now I am free,’ and would be glad and happy because of that; just as a man who is enslaved, not his own master, controlled by another and unable to do as he desired, and who in time would be emancipated, would think: ‘I was a slave, but now I am emancipated,’ and would be glad and happy because of that; just as a traveller carrying goods and wealth might find himself in a wilderness with little food and much danger, and after a time, might arrive safe and sound at the edge of a village, and would think: ‘Before I was in danger, but now I am safe,’ and would be glad and happy because of that.

In the same way, as long as the five hindrances are not given up, one feels indebted, sick, imprisoned, enslaved, lost in the wilderness.  But when the five hindrances are given up, one feels free from debt, healthy, free, emancipated and safe.  And when one knows that these five hindrances are given up, gladness arises, from gladness comes joy, because of joy the body is tranquil, with a tranquil body one is happy, and the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated.

D.I,71-3

Day 248

Possessed of two things in this very life, one lives in much ease and happiness, firmly directed towards the ending of the defilements.  What two?  Being moved by a sense of urgency when it is appropriate and having a clear goal

It.30

Day 249

What is friendship with the good?  It is to follow after, to frequent the company of and associate with believers, with the virtuous, the learned, the generous and those who are wise; to resort to and consort with them, to be devoted to them, to be enthusiastic about them and to be in unity with them.

Dhs.1335*

Day 250

Detached from sense pleasures and unskilled states of mind, one enters and abides in the first jhana, in which logical and wandering thought are present, and which is filled with a joy and happiness that is born of detachment.  And with that joy and happiness born of detachment, one suffuses, drenches, fills and permeates the whole body so that there is no spot in the entire body that is untouched by that joy and happiness born of concentration.  Just as a skilled bath-attendant or his apprentice, kneading bath powder which has been sprinkled with water, forms from it in a metal bowl a ball of foam from which no moisture escapes; in the same way, one suffuses, drenches, fills and permeates the whole body so that no spot is untouched.

D.I,73

Day 251

The fool thinks he has won a battle
When he bullies with harsh speech,
But it is knowing how to be forbearing
That makes one victorious.

The worse of the two
Is one who retaliates when abused.
One who does not retaliate
Wins a battle hard to win.

Knowing that the other person is angry,
One who remain mindful and calm
Acts in their own best interest
And in the interest of the other too.

He is a healer of both himself
And the other person also.
But those who do not understand the Dhamma

Think he is a fool.

S.I,163

Day 252

Once while Venerable Ananda was dwelling near Kosambi in Ghosita Park, Bhaddaji approached and him and Ananda asked him: “Good Bhaddaji, what is the highest of sights, the highest of sounds, the highest of joys, the highest of conscious states, the highest state of being?”
“There is Brahma who is all-powerful, none are more powerful, all seeing, with great power and dominion.  To see Brahma is the highest of sights.  There are the gods of radiant splendor in whom joy flows and overflows and who utter a cry of ‘Joy!  Oh joy!’ To hear this is the highest of sounds.  There are the all-lustrous gods who feel joy but who rejoice in silence, and this is the highest of joys.  There are the gods who go to the sphere of nothingness, and this is the highest of conscious states.  Then there are the gods who go to the sphere of neither-consciousness-nor-unconsciousness, and this is the highest state of being.”

Then Ananda replied: “But Bhaddaji, what you say is just the talk of the common crowd.  Listen, pay attention, and I will speak.  If, while one looks, the defilements are destroyed, this is the highest of sights.  If, while one listens, the defilements are destroyed, this is the highest of sounds.  If, while one rejoices, the defilements are destroyed, this is the highest of joy.  If, while one is conscious, the defilements are destroyed, this is the highest of conscious states.  And if, while one is, the defilements are destroyed, this is the highest state of being.”

A.III,202*

Day 253

One should not blame another
Or despise anyone for any reason anywhere.
Do not wish pain upon another
Out of either anger or rivalry.

Just as a mother protects her only child
Even at the risk of her own life,
Even so, cultivate unbounded love
Towards all beings in the world.

Sn.149-150

Day 254

Now, it may be that some of you think: ‘The Teacher's instructions have ceased.  We have no teacher anymore.’ But it should not be seen like this.  That which I have proclaimed, the Dhamma and the discipline, let that be your teacher after I am gone.

D.III,154

Day 255

Compassion is that which makes the heart of the good move at the pain of others.  It crushes and destroys the pain of others; thus, it is called compassion.  It is called compassion because it shelters and embraces the distressed.

Dhp-a.193*

Day 256

From the day the Lord said that in four months time he would pass into final Nirvana thousands of people came to wait upon him.  Those who had not yet attained the fruits of Stream-Winning could not restrain their tears and those who had not attained enlightenment felt a deep sorrow and walked around in small groups saying: “What will we do?” But one monk named Dhammarama kept separate from the other and when asked what was the matter with him he gave no reply.  He had thought to himself: “The Lord has said that in four months time he will attain final Nirvana and I am still not free from desire.  Thus, while the Lord lives I will strive to attain enlightenment.” Accordingly, Dhammarama kept to himself, recollecting, pondering and calling to mind the Lord’s Dhamma.  The monks went to the Tathagata and said: “Reverend sir, Dhammarama has no affection for you.  Since you announced the time of your final Nirvana he has nothing to do with us.” The Lord had Dhammarama called to him and asked: “Is it true what they say, that you have nothing to do with the other monks?”

“Yes, reverend sir, it is true.”

“Why do you do this?”

“I do it thinking thus: ‘The Lord has said that in four months time he will attain final Nirvana, and I am still not free from desire.  Thus, while the Lord lives I will strive to attain enlightenment.’ Accordingly, I keep to myself, recollecting, pondering and calling to mind the Lord’s Dhamma.”

“Excellent, monk, excellent,” said the Lord.

Then the Lord addressed the other monks, saying: “Every monk should show his affection for me in the way Dhammarama has done.  They who honour me with garlands, perfume and so on honour me not.  But they who practice the Dhamma in all its parts, they honour me in the best way.”

Dhp-a.94*

Day 257

Only within will one find peace.

Sn.919

Day 258

Develop the meditation that is like water, for in so doing, pleasant and unpleasant sensory impressions that have arisen and taken hold of the mind will not persist.  Just as people wash away faeces and urine, spittle, pus and blood, and yet the water is not troubled, worried or disgusted, even so, develop the meditation that is like water.

M.I,423

Day 259

There are these four powers.  What four?  The power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, the power of innocence and the power of unity.

A.II,142

Day 260

Do not be afraid of doing good deeds.  They are another name for happiness, for the desirable, the wished for, the dear and the agreeable.  I know well that that for a long time I have experienced desirable, wished for, dear and agreeable results because of doing good deeds.

It.15

Day 261

These five advantages come to the virtuous person because of his practice of virtue.  What five?  Concerning this, the virtuous person, possessed of virtue, because of his earnestness, accumulates great wealth.  The virtuous person, possessed of virtue, gains a good reputation.
Again, into whatever company the virtuous person enters, whether nobles, brahmins, householders or monks, he does so confidently and unconfused, because of his virtue.  Further, the virtuous person, possessed of virtue, dies without bewilderment.  And finally, the virtuous person, possessed of virtue, is reborn in heaven after his death.

Ud.87

Day 262

In this way one should draw this inference from oneself: ‘That person who has evil desires and is in the grip of evil desires; he is unpleasant and disagreeable to me.  Similarly, if I were of evil desire and in the grip of evil desire, I would be unpleasant and disagreeable to others.’ When you see this, you should make up your mind to have no evil desires.

M.I,97

Day 263

The wanderer Uttiya asked the Lord: “If, with full comprehension, the good Gotama teaches Dhamma to his disciples for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and despair, for the ending of grief and dejection, for reaching the method, for the attaining of Nirvana, then will the whole world attain it, or half of it, or a third?” At these words, the Lord was silent.

Then Ananda thought: “Uttiya must not be allowed to think that the Lord cannot answer this all-important question.” So Ananda said: "I will give you a simile Uttiya.  Imagine a walled town with strong foundation and towers and a single gate.  At the gate a watcher who is clever and alert who lets in known people and keeps out strangers.  As he patrols the walls he would not see a hole in the wall big enough for even a cat to slip through.  And therefore he would know that whatever creatures big or small enter or leave the town, they all do so by the gate.  It is the same with the answer to your question, a question that is not important to the Lord.  What the Lord says is this.  Whoever has escaped, is escaping or will escape from the world, they will do it by abandoning the five hindrances, those defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom; they will do it with mind well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, and by developing the seven factors of enlightenment.”

A.V,194

Day 264

Whoever mindfully develops a boundless love,
Will see the ending of craving
And his fetters will be worn thin.

If with an uncorrupted mind
One pervades even a single being with love
He can be said to be skillful.

But if one relates to all living beings
With a mind of compassion
Great merit is created.

A.IV,151

Day 265

While on tour, the Lord arrived eventually at Parileyya, and there he stayed at the Guarded Forest Grove at the foot of a beautiful sal tree.  And as he meditated alone, this thought arose in his mind: “Before, when I was disturbed by those monks at Kosambi, those contentious, quarrelsome, argumentative monks, fighting and making accusations against other monks, I did not live in comfort.  But now that I am alone, without another, removed from those contentious monks, I do live in comfort.”

Now, at that time, a certain large bull elephant was disturbed by other elephants, she-elephants, calves and babes.  And it occurred to that elephant: “Now I am disturbed by these other elephants.  I eat grass already cropped by them, I break off branches but they eat them, I drink the water they have muddied and when I cross over at the ford they push against my body.  What if I were to live alone, secluded from the herd.” So, that elephant left the herd and went to Parileyya, to the Guarded Forest Grove and the beautiful sal tree where the Lord was.

Using his trunk, he provided the Lord with water for drinking and washing, and he kept the grass down.  Then that elephant thought: “Before, when I was disturbed by those elephants, I did not live in comfort.  But now that I am alone, without another, removed from the herd, I do live in comfort.” Then, having considered his own seclusion and the mind of the elephant, the Lord uttered this verse:

“In this matter both mighty beings agree,
The enlightened sage and the elephant,
With tusks resembling the poles of ploughs -
Both love the solitude of the forest.”

Ud.41-2

Day 266

I do not say that the attainment of profound knowledge comes straight away.  On the contrary, it comes by a gradual training, a gradual doing, a gradual practice.

M.I,479

Day 267

In the Himalayas, the monarch of the mountains, there are tracts of land which are inaccessible, where neither monkeys nor humans live.  But there are other tracts of land, beautiful places, where both monkeys and human do live.  In these places, hunters set pitch traps to catch the monkeys.  Now, the monkeys who are free from foolishness and greed keep away from the traps.  But a foolish and greedy monkey comes along, touches it, and gets his hand stuck.  Then, thinking to free his hand, he uses the other hand, but that gets stuck too.  To free both hands, he uses a foot which gets stuck, and then the other foot which gets stuck too.  Hoping to free both hands and feet, he uses his nose but that gets stuck.  And so, trapped in five ways, he lies down and wails, knowing that he is now prey to the hunter who will do what he wants with him.

This is what happens to one who roams in the domain of another.  Therefore, do not roam in another’s domain, for by so doing, Mara will gain access, Mara will get an opportunity.  And what is not your domain but the domain of another?  It is the five sensual elements, objects cognizable with the eye, sounds with the ear, smells with the nose, tastes with the tongue, and touches cognizable with the body – all of them desirable, pleasant, delightful, wanted, inciting passion and lust.  And what is your domain, your natural territory?  It is the four foundations of mindfulness.

S.V,148

Day 268

By the stopping of logical and wandering thoughts, by gaining inner tranquility and one-pointedness of mind, one enters and abides in the second jhana, which is without logical and wandering thought, and is filled with a joy and happiness born of concentration.  And with that joy and happiness born of concentration, one suffuses, drenches, fills and permeates the whole body so that there is no spot in the entire body that is untouched by that joy and happiness born of concentration.  Just as in a pool fed by a spring, with no inlets in any direction, where the rain god sends down light showers from time to time, the cool water welling up from a spring below would suffuse, fill and permeate that pool with cool water so that no part would remain untouched by it in the same way, one suffuses, drenches, fills and permeates the whole body so that no spot is untouched.

D.I,74

Day 269

Good health is the most precious gain,
And contentment is the greatest wealth.
Trust is the best of kinsmen,
And Nirvana is the highest happiness.

Dhp.204

Day 270

The Lord approached the hermitage of the brahmin Rammaka where a large number of monks happened to be sitting, talking about Dhamma.  He stood outside the porch waiting for the talk to finish, and when it had, he coughed, knocked at the bar and the monks opened the door.  He sat down on the appointed seat and asked: “What were you talking about monks?  What was the talk that has just stopped?”

“We were talking about you, Lord.”

“Good, monks!  It is proper for you who are young men from good families, who have gone forth from home into homelessness, that when you meet together you speak either about Dhamma or observe noble silence.”

M.I,161

Day 271

One who would give up wealth to save a limb, or sacrifice a limb to save his life, should be prepared to give up wealth, limb, life, indeed everything for the Truth.

Ja.V,500

Day 272

In what way could one say: ‘The monk Gotama is an annihilationist, he teaches the doctrine of annihilation,’ and be speaking correctly?  I teach the annihilation of greed, hatred and delusion.  I proclaim the annihilation of evil unskilled states.  It is in this way that one could say: ‘The monk Gotama is an annihilationist, he teaches the doctrine of annihilation,’ and be speaking correctly.

A.IV,183

Day 273

The brahmin Unnabha asked Venerable Ananda: “What is the aim of living the holy life under the monk Gotama?”
“It is for the sake of abandoning desire.”
“Is there a way, a practice by which to abandon this desire?”
“There is a way.  It is by means of the psychic powers of desire, of energy, of thought and of consideration together with concentration and effort.”
“If that is so, Venerable Ananda, then it is a task without end.  Because to get rid of one desire by means of another is impossible.”
“Then I will ask you a question Unnabha.  Answer as you like.  Before, did you not have the desire, the energy, the thought and consideration to come to this park?  And having arrived, did not that desire, that energy, that thought and that consideration cease?”
“Yes, it did.”
“Well, for one who has destroyed the defilements, once he has won enlightenment, that desire, that energy, that thought and that consideration he had for enlightenment ceases.”

S.V,272*

OCTOBER

Day 274

Suppose an innocent baby boy lying on his back were, because of the carelessness of his nurse, to put a stick or a stone into his mouth.  His nurse would immediately do something to remove it.  And if she could not get it out immediately, she would hold the child's head with her left hand, and with the finger of her right hand, get it out even if she had to draw blood.  And why?  Because such a thing is a danger to the child, by no means harmless.  Also, the nurse would do such a thing out of love for the child's benefit, out of kindness and compassion.  But when that boy is older and more wise, then the nurse no longer needs look after him, thinking: ‘The boy can look after himself, he is done with foolishness.’ In the same way, if, due to lack of faith, self-respect, fear of blame, energy and wisdom, good things are not practiced by one, then one must be watched over by me.  But when good things are practiced, then I need not look after one, thinking: ‘He can now look after himself, he is done with foolishness.’

A.III,5

Day 275

When you are living together, in harmony and without contention, a certain person might do something wrong or transgress.  Concerning this, you should not hasten to reproof.  The person should be examined.  In correcting him you might think: ‘I won’t get annoyed, nor will he, for he is without irritation and anger, he is quick to see and easy to convince.  I have the power to raise this person from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.’ If you think this then it is right to speak.  If you think: ‘I won’t get annoyed but he will, for he is irritable, angry, slow to see but easy to convince.  I have the power to raise this person from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.  His annoyance is but a small thing, the great thing is that I will be able to establish him in the skilled.’ If you think this then it is right to speak.  If you think: ‘I will get annoyed but he won’t, for he is not prone to irritability or anger, he is quick to see but difficult to convince.  But I have the power to raise this person from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.  My annoyance is but a small thing, the great thing is that I will be able to establish him in the skilled.’ If you think this then it is right to speak.  If you think: ‘I will get annoyed and so will he, for he is irritable, angry, slow to see and hard to convince.  But still, I have the power to raise this person from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.  My annoyance is but a small thing, the great thing is that I will be able to establish him in the skilled.’ If you think this then it is right to speak.  However, if you think: ‘I will get annoyed and so will he, for he is irritable, angry, slow to see and difficult to convince, and I don’t think I have the power to raise him from the unskillful and establish him in the skillful.’ Then in this case have equanimity towards that person.

M.II,241

Day 276

Four things shine in the world,
You will not find a fifth.
The sun shines by day and the moon by night.

Fire gives light both day and night,
Both here and there.
But of all things that shine,
The Buddha is the best.

S.I,15

Day 277

What sort of person should not be followed?  In this case, a person who is inferior to oneself in morality, concentration and wisdom is not to be followed, served or honoured except out of consideration and compassion for him.  And what sort of person should be followed?  In this case, a person who is equal to oneself in morality, concentration and wisdom should be followed, served and honoured, thinking: ‘As we are both proficient in morality, concentration and wisdom, our conversation will center on these things and this will contribute to our profit and comfort.’ And what sort of person is to be followed, served, honoured, and worshipped with reverence?  In this case, a person who is superior to oneself in morality, concentration and wisdom should first be reverently worshipped and then followed, served, and honoured, thinking: ‘In this way I shall complete the morality, concentration and wisdom which is not yet complete and supplement that which is.’

A.I,125

Day 278

If, for as long as it takes to snap a finger, a monk thinks, develops and gives attention to the thought of love, then he is called a true monk.  His meditation is not barren, he lives by the Teacher’s instructions, he is one who takes good advice and eats the country’s alms-food to good purpose.  What then could I say of one who makes much of such a thought?

A.I,10

Day 279

When walking, he is aware: ‘I am walking,’ or when he is standing still, he is aware: ‘I am standing still,’ or when he is sitting down, he is aware: ‘I am sitting down,’ or when he is lying down, he is aware: ‘I am lying down.’ So however his body is disposed, he is aware that it is like that.  Again, when he is going or coming, he acts in a clearly conscious way; when he is looking in front or behind, when he has bent or stretched out his arm, when he is carrying his cloak, robe and bowl, he is one who acts in a clearly conscious way.  When he is eating, drinking, chewing and tasting, when he is going to the toilet, when he is walking, standing, sitting, asleep or awake, talking or silent, he is one who acts in a clearly conscious way.  While he is in this way, diligent, ardent, self-resolute, those memories and plans that are worldly are got rid of, and so by itself the mind is inwardly settled, calmed, focused and concentrated.  In this way does one develop mindfulness of the body.

M.III,89

Day 280

The Lord said: “Suppose people were to flock together, crying: ‘The fairest girl in all the land.  The fairest in the land!’ That girl, displaying all her charms, would dance and sing for them and even more people would gather.  Then suppose a man came along, fond of life, not liking death, fond of happiness, averse to pain, and they were to say to him: ‘Here’s a bowl full of oil.  You must carry it through the crowd.  A man will come behind you with an uplifted sword and if you spill a drop of oil he will chop off your head.’ Now, what do you think?  Would that man become inattentive and pay attention to what was going on around him rather than to the bowl?’

“Surely not, Lord.”

“Well, this is an analogy I have made for your understanding and this is what it means.  The bowl brimful of oil is a term for mindfulness of the body.  So, this is how you should train yourself: ‘We shall cultivate mindfulness of the body, we shall make much of it, make it a vehicle, establish it, make it effective.It shall be increased and well applied’ ”

S.V,170

Day 281

The Venerable Sariputta said: “When a teacher wishes to instruct another, let him arouse five things in himself and then instruct.  What five?  Let him think: ‘I will speak at the right time, not at the wrong time.  I will speak about what is, not about what is not.  I will speak with gentleness, not with harshness.  I will speak about the goal, not about what is not the goal.  I will speak with a mind filled with love, not with a mind filled with ill-will.’ When a teacher wishes to instruct another, let him first establish well these five things.”

A.III.196*

Day 282

When the night was fading, Rohitassa, a son of the gods, came to see the Lord, lighting up all the Jeta Grove with a surpassing brilliance, and saluting him stood to one side and asked: “Lord, is it possible by going far to know, to see, to reach the end of the world, that is, where there is no more being born, growing old and dying, no more trudging on from one existence to another?”
“I say that the end of the world cannot be known, seen or reached by going.”
“Wonderful!  Marvelous!  This is well said by the Lord.  In my last life I was a sage named Rohitassa, son of Bhoja.  I had such psychic power that I could walk in the sky and my speed was such that I could go faster than an arrow.  The extent of my stride was the distance between the east and west ocean.  And I thought to myself: ‘I am going to reach the end of the world.’ Except for time spent eating, drinking and answering the call of nature, except for struggles to shake off sleep and weariness, though I lived and traveled for a hundred years, I never reached the end of the world.  I died trying.”

Then the Lord said: “I say that the ending of suffering cannot be found without going to the end of the world.  And within this fathom-high body with its perceptions and thoughts is the world, the origin of the world, the ending of the world and the practice leading to the end of the world.”

A.II,47-8

Day 283

It is said that the Sakyans and the Koliyans dammed the waters of the Rohini River between Kapilavatthu and Koliya and cultivated the fields on both sides of the river.  During the month of Jetthamula, the crops began to wilt, and the workers employed by both cities assembled.  Those of Koliya said: “If the water is diverted to both sides of the river there will not be enough for both of us.  As our crops will ripen with a single watering, let us have the water.” But the Sakyans replied: “After your granaries are full, we will not be able to face taking our valuables and with basket and bags in hand, go begging from your doors.  Our crops will ripen with a single watering, so let us have the water.”

“We will not give it to you.”

“And we will not let you have it.”

Talk grew bitter, one person struck another, the blow was returned, fighting broke out, and as they fought they cast aspersions upon the origin of the each other’s royal families.  The Koliyans workers said: “Take your brats and go where you belong.  How can we be harmed by the elephants, horses, shields and weapons of those have slept with their own sisters like dogs and jackals?” The Sakyan workers replied: “You lepers, take your brats and go where you belong.  How can we be harmed by the elephants, horses, shields and weapons of miserable outcasts who live up jujube trees like animals.” Both groups went and reported the quarrel to the ministers who were in charge of the work, who in turn reported it to the royal households.  The Sakyans prepared for battle, saying: “We will show them the strength and power of those who have slept with their sisters.” The Koliyans prepared for battle, saying: "We will show them the strength and power of those who live up jujube trees.”

As the Lord surveyed the world at dawn he saw his kinsmen and thought: “If I do not go, these people will destroy each other.  It is my duty to go to them.” He passed through the air to where his kinsmen were gathered, and seated himself cross-legged in the air in the middle of the Rohini River.  When the Lord’s kinsmen saw him they put down their weapons and worshipped him.  Then the Lord said: “What is this quarrel about, great king?”

“We know not, reverend sir.”

“Then who would know?”

“The commander-in-chief of the army will know.”

When asked, the commander-in-chief suggested the viceroy might know.  Thus the Lord asked one after the other with none of them knowing the cause of the quarrel, until the workers were asked.  They replied: “The quarrel is about the water.”

Then the Lord said to the king: “What is the value of water, great king?”

“Very little, reverend sir.”

“What is the value of a warrior?”

“A warrior, reverend sir, is beyond price.” Then the Lord said: “Then is it right that for a little water you should kill warriors who are beyond price?”

They were all silent.  Then the Lord said: “Great kings, why do you act thus?  Were I not here today, you would cause a river of blood to flow.  Your actions are unworthy.  You live in hatred, given to the five kinds of hatred.  I live full of love.  You live sick with passions.  I live free from sickness.  You live chasing after the five kinds of sense pleasures.  I live in contentment.”

Dhp-a.254*

Day 284

Conquer anger with love,
Evil with good,
Meanness with generosity,
And lies with truth.

Dhp.223

Day 285

“He abused me, he hit me,
He oppressed me, he robbed me.”
Those who hold on to such thoughts
Never still their hatred.

“He abused me, he hit me,
He oppressed me, he robbed me.”
Those who do not hold such thoughts
Soon still their hatred.

For in this world,
Hatred is never appeased by more hatred;
It is love that conquers hatred.
This is an eternal law.

Dhp.3-5

Day 286

Kasi cloth has a beautiful colour, it is pleasant to touch and it is of great value.  Even Kasi cloth of middling quality or worn out Kasi cloth is the same.  People use worn out Kasi cloth to wrap gems in, or they lay it up in a scented chest.  In the same way, if a beginner is virtuous and of lovely nature, this I call his beautiful colour.  Those who follow him and keep his company, who pay deference to him and come to share his views find it to their welfare and happiness for a long time.  This I call his being pleasant to touch.  Also those who give him gifts find it to their advantage.  This I call his being of great value.  And it is the same for a disciple of middling standing and an elder.  Now suppose an elder is speaking to an assembly.  As he speaks, the audience would say: ‘Silence, this elder is teaching Dhamma and discipline.’ Thus, his words become a treasure to be laid up, just as people lay up Kasi cloth in a scented chest.  So, this is how you should train yourselves: ‘We will be like Kasi cloth, not like coarse cloth.’

A.I,247

Day 287

The enlightened person serves as a guide to the blind, showing them the right path.  He gives the deaf signals by hand gestures, and in that way benefits them with good.  He does the same with the dumb.  To cripples he gives a chair vehicle or other means of conveyance.  He strives to develop faith in the faithless, zeal in the lazy, mindfulness in the distracted, concentration in those whose minds wander, and wisdom in the dull.  He strives to dispel sense desire, ill-will, sloth and laziness, restlessness and worry, and doubt in those obsessed by these hindrances.  He strives to dispel thoughts of sensuality, ill-will and violence in those oppressed by such thoughts.  Out of gratitude to those who have helped him, he helps and respects them with the same or greater benefits in return.  His speech is friendly and his words are endearing.

Cp-a.304*

Day 288

At one time, the Lord was staying near Alavi, at the cow path in the Simsapa Grove, lodging on the leaf-strewn ground.  Now, Hatthaka of Alavi was walking about and he saw the Lord seated among the leaves so he approached him and asked: “Good sir, do you live happily?”
“Yes, my boy, I live happily.  Of all the people in the world, I am the happiest.”
“But sir, these winter nights are cold, the dark half of the month is a time of frost.  The ground has been trampled hard by the cattle’s hooves, the carpet of fallen leaves is thin, there are few leaves on the trees, your yellow robe is thin and the winds blow cold.”

“Despite this, I still live happily.  I will ask you a question, answer as you wish.  What do you think about this?  Suppose a man has a house with a gabled roof, plastered inside and out and with well-fitting doors and windows.  Inside is a couch spread with a fleecy woolen rug, a bedspread of white wool, a cover embroidered with flowers, spread with a costly antelope skin, with a canopy above and scarlet cushions at each end.  The lamp is burning and four wives wait on him with all their charms.  Would such a man be happy or not?”

“Yes, sir, he would be happy.”

“Well, what do you think about this?  Is it possible that distress of body and mind due to greed, hatred or delusion could arise in him, causing him to feel unhappy?”

“Yes, sir, that is possible.”

“Well, my boy, that greed, hatred and delusion that could cause distress of body and mind has been abandoned by the Tathagata, cut off at the root, made like a palm tree stump that cannot grow again in the future.  And that is why I live happily.”

A.I,136

Day 289

The Dhamma protects those who practice the Dhamma, as a great umbrella protects in time of rain.

Ja.IV,55

Day 290

The Lord is awakened, he teaches the Dhamma for awakening.  The Lord is tamed, he teaches the Dhamma for taming.  The Lord is calmed, he teaches the Dhamma for calming.
The Lord has crossed over, he teaches the Dhamma for crossing over.  The Lord has attained Nirvana, he teaches the Dhamma for the attaining of Nirvana.

M.I,235

Day 291

At one time, a certain monk went to his fellow monk and asked: “Friend, how is understanding fully purified?” and the other replied: “When one sees as it really is the arising and ceasing of the six-fold sense base, then understanding is fully purified.” Dissatisfied with that answer, that monk went on to another monk and asked the same question, and he was told: “Friend, when one sees as it really is arising and ceasing of the clinging aggregates, then understanding is fully purified.” But again that monk was dissatisfied with that answer, so he went to another monk, asked the same question, and was told: “Friend, when one sees as it really is the arising and ceasing of the four great elements, then understanding is fully purified.” But still dissatisfied with that answer, he went to yet another monk, put his question again and that monk replied: “Friend, when one sees as it really is that everything that arises also passes away, then understanding is fully purified.” Dissatisfied with all these answers, that monk approached the Lord and told him of the question he had asked and the replies he had received.

Then he addressed the Lord and said: “Lord, how is understanding fully purified?” The Lord said: “Suppose a man has never seen a kimsuka tree so he goes to a man who has, and asks: ‘What is a kimsuka tree like?’ and that man replies: ‘Well, my man, a kimsuka tree is blackish, something like a charred stump.’ So for the time being, the tree is to him as the other man sees it.  Not satisfied with this answer to his question he goes to another man who has seen one, and again puts his question.  And the other man answers: ‘Well, my man, a kimsuka tree is reddish, something like a lump of meat.’ So, for the time being, the tree is to him as the other man sees it.
Still not satisfied, he goes to another man who has seen a kimsuka tree and puts his question to him.  And the other man answers: ‘A kimsuka tree has no bark and its seed pods burst something like an acacia tree.’ So, for the time being, the tree is to him as the other man sees it.  Still dissatisfied, he goes to another man who has seen a kimsuka tree and puts his question yet again.  And that man answers: ‘Well, a kimsuka has thick leaves and gives close shade something like a banyan tree.’ So, for the time being, the tree is to him as the other man sees it.  All these good folks have given their explanations according to the clarity of their understanding.  In the same way, the understanding of the monks you have asked has been purified according to their individual inclinations and they have given their explanations accordingly.”

S.IV,192

Day 292

At that time there was a fierce elephant in Rajagaha, a man-killer called Nalagiri.  Then Devadatta entered Rajagaha and went to the elephant stable and said to the mahouts: “I am a relative of the king.  I am capable of putting one who is in low position into a high position, and arranging for an increase in food and wages.  So, my good fellows, when the monk Gotama is coming along the carriage road, let loose Nagaliri and send him down the road.” “Very well, honoured sir,” those mahouts said to Devadatta.  In the morning the Lord dressed, and taking his robe, entered the city for alms-food, together with several other monks.  As they went down the road, the mahouts released Nalagiri.  The elephant saw the Lord coming in the distance, and lifting up his trunk and making his ears and tail erect, he rushed towards him.  The monks saw Nagaliri coming and said to the Lord: “Lord, this elephant is a fierce man-killer.  Turn back!” The Lord replied: “Do not be afraid, monks, for it is impossible, it cannot happen that someone could kill the Tathagata.  The Tathagata cannot attain final Nirvana due to violence.” A second and third time they spoke to the Lord.  People climbed on to the roofs of the houses to see what would happen.  Those with little faith, those who were not believers, said: “This great monk is beautiful indeed, but he will be harmed by that bull elephant.” But those with faith, those who were believers, said: “Good sirs, soon this great being will confront a truly great being.” Then the Lord suffused Nalagiri with a mind full of love, and the elephant lowered his trunk and went up to the Lord and stood beside him.  The Lord stroked Nalagiri’s forehead with his right hand and addressed these verses to him:

“O elephant, do not strike a truly great being,
For to do so is painful indeed.

For one who slays a great being, O elephant,
There is no good rebirth, when one departs from here.

Be not proud, be not reckless,
Or there will be no good rebirth.
Act in such a way as to have a good rebirth.”

Then Nalagiri took dust from the Lord’s feet with his trunk, sprinkled it over his own head, and then backed away, bowing, and keeping his gaze on the Lord.  He returned to the stable and stood in his own place, and in this way was finally tamed.  Then people at that time sang this verse:

“Some are tamed by sticks, by goads or by whips.
The elephant was tamed by the great seer,
Without stick or weapon.”

People disparaged and criticized Devadatta widely, saying: “This Devadatta is evil and inauspicious in that he tried to murder the monk Gotama who is of such great psychic power and majesty.” And Devadatta's reputation declined while the Lord’s grew.

Vin.II,193-4

Day 293

Of the tree in whose shade one sits or lies, not a branch of it should he break, for if he did he would be a betrayer of a friend, an evil doer.

Ja.IV,352

Day 294

What is the treasure of learning?  Concerning this, a noble disciple has learnt much, there is a retaining and a storing up of things learnt, those things lovely in the beginning, lovely in the middle and lovely at the end, which set forth the letter and the spirit of the holy life, are all learnt by him, retained in mind, familiarized by discussion, pondered over and well penetrated with Perfect View.  This is the treasure of learning.

A.IV,5

Day 295

Possessed of five qualities, a sick person is of much help to himself.  What five?  He knows what medicine is good for him, he knows the right measure in his treatment, he takes the medicine, he describes his illness to the nurse who cares for him out of kindness, saying: ‘It comes like this.  It goes like this.  When it is there it is like this,’ and he endures the various pains of the sickness.

A.III,144

Day 296

Say one dwells contemplating mental states; ardent, clearly conscious and mindful – having put aside the attraction and repulsion of the world.  As he does this, either some bodily feeling arises, some bodily discomfort arises, or drowsiness scatters his thoughts to outward things.  Then he should direct his attention to some pleasurable object or thought.  Having done that, gladness arises, from gladness comes joy, because of joy the body is tranquil, with a tranquil body one is happy, and the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated.  Then he thinks: ‘The aim on which I set my mind is now attained.  So let me withdraw my mind from that pleasant thought.’ Then he withdraws his mind from that, and neither starts nor carries on contemplating thought processes.  Then he is mindful and knows, ‘Logical and wandering thoughts have stopped, I am inwardly mindful and happy.’

S.V,156

Day 297

Possessing five qualities, one who nurses the sick is fit to nurse the sick.  What five?  He can prepare the medicine; he knows what is good and what is not.  What is good he offers, and what is not he does not; he nurses the sick out of love, not out of hope for gain; he is unmoved by excrement, urine, vomit and spittle; and from time to time, he can instruct, inspire, gladden and comfort the sick with talk on Dhamma.

A.III,144

Day 298

The naked ascetic Kassapa said to the Lord: “Reverend Gotama, it is hard to be a true monk, it is hard to be a true brahmin.”

The Lord said: “That is what the world says Kassapa.  But if a naked ascetic was to practice all kinds of self- mortification, and if this was the measure of difficulty, then it would not be true to say that it is hard to be a true ascetic or a true brahmin.  Because anyone, a householder, his son, even a slave girl who draws water, could go naked and practice self-mortification.  But there is another type of asceticism about which it is true to say that it is hard to be a true ascetic, a true brahmin.  When a monk develops a mind free from hatred or ill-will, full of love, and by the destruction of the defilements, dwells with a mind freed through insight, then that monk is a true ascetic, a true brahman.”

D.I,168

Day 299

Learn this from the waters;
In mountain clefts and chasms,
Loud gushes the streamlets,
But great rivers flow silently.

Empty things make a noise,
The full is always quiet.
The fool is like a half-filled pot,
The wise one is like a deep still pool.

Sn.720-721

Day 300

Humility means being humble in mind and unassuming in manner.  A person possessing it has put away pride and arrogance, he resembles a foot-wiping cloth, a bull with its horns cut off, a snake with its fangs removed.  He is gentle, cheerful and easy to speak to.

Pmj.144*

Day 301

Although this wish may arise in the heart of one who is meditating: ‘May my mind be free from the defilements and be without attachments,’ yet it will not happen.  And why?  Because he has not developed the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four psychic powers, the five faculties, the five spiritual powers, the seven factors of enlightenment and the Noble Eightfold Path.  It is just as if a batch of hen’s eggs were not fully sat upon, not fully warmed, not fully brooded.  Although that mother hen might wish: ‘Oh, that my chicks might break the shell with claw and beak and hatch out safely,’ it will not happen.  And why?  Because the eggs are not fully sat upon, not fully warmed, not fully developed.

Although the wish ‘May my mind be free from the defilements and be without attachments,’ does not arise in one who is developing the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four psychic powers, the five faculties, the spiritual powers, the seven factors of enlightenment and the Noble Eightfold Path, yet his mind will be freed.  And why?  Because he has fully developed these things.  It is just as if a batch of hen’s eggs were fully sat upon, fully warmed, fully developed.  That hen need not wish: ‘Oh, that my chicks might hatch,’ and yet her eggs will hatch anyway.  And why?  Because they are fully warmed, fully developed.

A.IV,125

Day 302

There are these five timely gifts.  What five?  One gives to the one who has just arrived, to one who is leaving, to the sick, when food is hard to get, and the first-fruits of field and orchard one gives to the virtuous.

A.III,41

Day 303

The Lord said: “Monks, did you hear that mangy old jackal howling as the sun came up?”

“We did, Lord.”

“Well, there may be at least some gratefulness and thankfulness in that old jackal, but there is none at all in a certain person here claiming to be my disciple.  Therefore you should train yourselves like this: ‘We will be grateful and thankful.  We will not forget even the smallest favor done for us.’ This is how you should train yourselves.”

S.II,272

Day 304

Where there is pain,
Pleasure is to be strived for.
In the same way,
Where there is becoming,
Non-becoming is to be desired.

Where there is heat,
There must be cool.
In the same way,
Where there are the three fires,
There must also be Nirvana.

Where there is evil,
There is also the good.
In the same way,
Where there is birth,
Non-birth can be inferred.

Ja.I,4

NOVEMBER

Day 305

The Lord said to Sariputta: “Tell me, Sariputta, could a noble disciple who is fully devoted to and has perfect faith in the Tathagata have any doubt or uncertainty about the Tathagata or the Tathagata’s teachings?”

“No, Lord, he could not.  It may be expected that the noble disciple with faith and energy will live resolute in energy, always striving to abandon bad qualities and develop good ones.  He will be stout and strong in exerting himself, not throwing off the burden of good qualities.  His energy is the controlling faculty of energy.  It may be expected that the noble disciple with faith will be mindful, possessed of good discrimination, one who calls to mind and remembers things done long ago.  His mindfulness is the controlling faculty of mindfulness.  It may be expected that the noble disciple with faith, energy and mindfulness will make self-surrender the object of his thought; he will develop concentration and one-pointedness of mind.  His concentration is the controlling factor of concentration.  Again, it may be expected that the noble disciple with faith, energy, mindfulness and with thoughts stilled, will understand: ‘Samsara is endless.  The beginning of beings hindered by ignorance, bound by craving, who run on, fare on through samsara, cannot be known.  The utterly passionless cessation of ignorance, of this state of darkness is this happy, excellent state; the calming of all constructs, the giving up of all bases of rebirth, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nirvana.’ This wisdom is the controlling faculty of wisdom.  That noble disciple with faith, striving again and again, being mindful again and again, concentrating the mind again and again, clearly understanding again and again, gains great confidence and he thinks: ‘Before I had only heard of these things, now I live experiencing them personally.’ This faith is the controlling faculty of faith.”

S.V,225

Day 306

A tree makes no distinction in the shade it gives.  Even so, the earnest student of meditation must make no distinction between any beings, but must develop love quite equally towards thieves, murderers, enemies and towards himself, thinking: ‘How may these beings be without enmity and without harm, how may they be at peace, secure and happy; how may they look after themselves?’

Mil.410*

Day 307

Venerable Tissa, the nephew of the Lord’s father, came to the Lord crying.  Then the Lord said to him: “What is wrong, Tissa?  Why do you sit beside me sad, downcast and with tears running down your face?”

“Lord, it is because all the monks have been jeering at and mocking me.”

“Tissa, that is because while you do not speak gentle words towards others, you are unable to endure it when they do not use gentle words towards you.  It is not fitting that you who have given up the household life to become a monk should speak harsh words.  But if you do you may have to endure the hard harsh words of others.”

Thus said the Lord, and he added this verse:

“Why are you angry Tissa?

Meekness is best for you,
To restrain anger, pride and hypocrisy is best.
It is for this that we live the holy life.”

S.II,282

Day 308

How does one practice contemplation on feelings?  When experiencing a pleasant feeling, one knows: ‘I am experiencing a pleasant feeling.’ When experiencing a painful feeling, one knows: ‘I am experiencing a painful feeling,’ and when experiencing a neutral feeling, one knows: ‘I am experiencing a neutral feeling.’ When experiencing pleasant, painful or neutral feelings that are worldly, one knows they are worldly, and when experiencing pleasant, painful or neutral feelings that are unworldly, one knows they are unworldly.  Thus one dwells contemplating feelings internally and externally.  One dwells contemplating the origination factors and the dissolution factors in feelings, or one’s mindfulness that ‘there are feelings’ is established to the extent necessary for knowledge and mindfulness.  Independent one dwells, clinging to nothing in the world.

M.I,59

Day 309

When one has freed the mind, the gods cannot trace him, even though they think: ‘This is the consciousness attached to the Tathagata.’ And why?  It is because the Tathagata is untraceable.  Although I say this, there are some monks and brahmins who misrepresent me falsely, contrary to fact, saying: ‘The monk Gotama is an annihilationist because he teaches the cutting off, the destruction, the disappearance of the existing entity.’ But this is exactly what I do not teach.  Both now and in the past, I simply teach suffering and the overcoming of suffering.

M.I,140

Day 310

There is one person who is born into the world for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare and happiness of both gods and humans.  Who is that person?  It is the Tathagata, the Noble One, the fully enlightened Buddha.

A.I,20

Day 311

An ordinary person experiences pleasant, painful and neutral feelings, and so does the instructed noble disciple.  So, what is the distinction, the division, the difference between them?  When an ordinary person is touched by a painful feeling he worries and grieves, laments, beats his breast, weeps and is distraught.  Therefore he experiences a bodily feeling and a mental feeling.  It is as if a man was pierced by a dart, and following the first piercing, he was hit by a second dart.  He would experience the feelings caused by both darts.  And so it is with the ordinary man.  Having been touched by a painful feeling, he resists and resents it and so a deep tendency of resistance and resentment comes into being.  Feeling painful feeling he then tries to enjoy sensual happiness.  And why?  Because the ordinary person knows no other escape from painful feelings except by enjoying of sensual happiness.  Then in enjoying sensual happiness a deep tendency to lust for pleasant feelings comes into being.  He does not know as it really is the arising and ending of those feelings, their satisfaction, their danger or the escape from them.  In lacking this knowledge, the deep tendency to ignorance about neutral feelings comes into being.  So whether he feels a pleasant, painful, or neutral feeling, he feels it as one fettered by it.  He is fettered to birth, old age and death, to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.  He is fettered to suffering, I declare.

But when the instructed noble disciple is touched by a painful feeling, he does not worry, grieve or lament, he does not beat his breast or weep, nor is he distraught.  It is one feeling only that he experiences, a bodily one and not a mental one.  It is as if a man were pierced by a dart but was not pierced by another dart following the first one.  And so it is with the instructed noble disciple.  Having been touched by that painful feeling, he neither resists nor resents it, and so no deep tendency for resistance or resentment comes into being.  Hence, in consequence of the painful feeling he does not crave for sensual happiness.  And why not?  Because he knows of an escape from painful feeling other than by enjoying sensual happiness.  Then, in not enjoying sensual happiness, no deep tendency to lust for a pleasant feeling comes into being.  He knows as it really is the arising and ending of those feelings, their satisfaction, their danger and the escape from them.  Knowing this, no deep tendency to ignorance as to neutral feelings comes into being.  So whether he feels a pleasant, painful or neutral feeling, he feels it as one free from it.  He is free from birth, old age and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.  He is free from suffering, I declare.

S.IV,207-10

Day 312

What is a monk’s wealth?  Concerning this, one abides with the mind filled with love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, suffusing the first, second, third and fourth quarters of the world.  One abides suffusing the whole world, upwards, downwards, across, everywhere, with a mind filled with love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, abundant, unbounded, without hatred, without ill-will.  This is a monk’s wealth.

D.III,78

Day 313

Sariputta said to the Lord: “I believe that there has never been, there will not be in the future, nor is there now a monk or brahmin who is better or more enlightened than the Lord.”
The Lors replied: “Sariputta, you have boldly spoken, you have roared with the confidence of a lion.  But why?  Do you know the minds of the noble Buddhas of the past, their virtue, their teaching, their wisdom or their liberation?”

“No, Lord.”

“Do you know the minds of all the noble Buddhas in the future?”

“No, Lord.”

“Then what of me?  Do you know even my mind, my virtue, my teaching, my wisdom or my liberation?”

"No, Lord”

“So, Sariputta, you do not know the minds of the Buddhas of the past, the future or even the present.  Why then have you spoken so boldly?  Why have you roared with the confidence of a lion?”

“Lord, I know not the minds of the Buddhas of the past, the future or the present.  But the ways of the Dharma, that I do know.  Imagine a walled town with strong foundation and towers and a single gate.  At the gate a watcher who is clever and alert who lets in known people and keeps out strangers.  As he patrols the walls he would not see a hole in the wall big enough for even a cat to slip through.  And therefore he would know that whatever creatures big or small enter or leave the town, they all do so by the gate.  And it seems to me that the Dhamma is the same.  All those noble Buddhas of the past who attained full enlightenment did so by abandoning the five hindrances, defilements that weaken understanding, by firmly establishing the four foundations of mindfulness, and by realizing the seven factors of enlightenment as they really are.  All the noble Buddhas of the future will do the same, and you, Lord, who are now a Noble One, a fully enlightened Buddha, have done the same.”

D.II,82

Day 314

How is one concerned with his own good and the good of others?  Concerning this, a certain person is quick, he grasps teachings that are profitable, he has learned by heart and by understanding both the letter and spirit of the Dhamma and walks in accordance with it.  He also has a beautiful voice and delivery, possesses urbane speech, distinctly and clearly enunciated so as to make his meaning clear.  He teaches, urges incites and gladdens his companions in holy life.

A.II,98

Day 315

There are these gross impurities of gold; dust, sand, gravel and grit.  The dirt washer or his apprentice heaps the gold into a trough and washes it up and down and flushes the dirt out.  When this process is finished there are still moderate impurities in the gold such as fine grit and sand.  So the dirt washer repeats the process.  When this is finished there still remain minute impurities such as fine sand and dust.  So the dirt washer repeats the process again, after which only the gold dust remains.  Then the goldsmith or his apprentice puts the gold into a crucible.  It is molten but not flawless, it is not yet finished, all the impurities are not yet strained off.  It is not yet pliable, workable or glistening, being still brittle and incapable of being perfectly worked.  But in time, the goldsmith melts the gold so that it runs from the crucible with all the impurities strained off.  Then it is pliable, workable, glistening, no longer brittle, is capable of being perfectly worked.  It can be used for whatever purpose one wishes, to make a gold plate, a ring, a necklace or a chain.

It is just the same for one who is trying to develop the higher mind.  Gross impurities of body, speech and mind, the thoughtful, careful one abandons, keeps in check or makes an end of so that they do not recur.  When these faults are finished there are still minute impurities which cling to him such as sensual, malicious and cruel thoughts.  Again, these he abandons.  When these faults are finished there are still minute impurities which cling to him, such as thinking about his relatives, his country or his reputation.  Once again the thoughtful, careful one abandons them, keeps them in check, or makes an end of them so that they do not recur.  When this is done, there still remain thoughts about Dhamma.  At this stage, concentration is neither calm nor lofty, it is not tranquil nor has it reached one-pointedness, it is dependent on habitual restraint.  But there comes a time when the mind is inwardly stable, still, one-pointed and concentrated.  Such concentration is calm and lofty, it is tranquil and has reached one-pointedness; it is not dependent on habitual restraint.  Whatever knowledge one directs his mind to, one can realize it.

A.I,253

Day 316

It is just as if a man traveling in a forest should come across an ancient road, an ancient path, traversed by people in former times.  Proceeding along it, he comes to an ancient city, an old royal citadel, lived in by people in former times, with parks and groves, water tanks and walls; a truly delightful place.  Then, suppose that this man should tell of his discovery to the king or a royal minister, saying: ‘Sire, you should know that I have discovered an ancient city.  You should restore that place.’ Then, suppose that ancient city was restored, so that it became prosperous, flourishing, populous and was filled with folk, and it grew and expanded.  In the same way, I have seen an ancient road, an ancient path, traversed by the fully enlightened Buddhas of former times.  And what is that path?  It is the Noble Eightfold Path.

S.II,105-6

Day 317

How does one live practicing contemplation of mind?  Concerning this, one knows a mind with greed as a mind with greed, and a mind without greed as a mind without greed.  One knows a mind with hatred as a mind with hatred, and a mind without hatred as a mind without hatred.  One knows a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion.  One knows the contracted mind as contracted and the distracted mind as distracted, the developed mind as developed and the undeveloped mind as undeveloped.  One knows the mind with some mental state superior to it as the mind with some mental state superior to it, and the mind with no mental state superior to it as the mind with no mental state superior to it.  One knows the concentrated mind as concentrated and the unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated, the mind that is freed as freed and the mind that is not freed as not freed.
Thus one dwells contemplating mind internally and externally.  One dwells contemplating the origination factors and the dissolution factors in the mind, or one's mindfulness that "there is mind" is established to the extent necessary for knowledge and mindfulness.  Independent one dwells, clinging to nothing in the world.

M.I,59

Day 318

There are these five limbs of striving.  What five?  One has faith in the enlightenment of the Buddha.  One has health and well-being, a good digestion, not over-hot or over-cool, but even and suitable for striving.  One is not deceitful or dishonest, but reveals oneself to the Teacher or one's companions in the holy life as one really is.  One lives striving hard to give up evil things and to develop the good, staunch and strong in effort, not shirking the burden of the Dhamma.  One also has wisdom into the way of the rise and fall of things with noble perception into the complete overcoming of suffering.

A.III,65

Day 319

Whoever is easy to speak to because of respecting, revering and honouring the Dhamma, his speech is gracious and I call him easy to speak to.

M.I,126

Day 320

The Tathagata lives free, detached and released from the body, from feelings, perception, mental constructs, consciousness, rebirth, decay, death and free from the passions.  Just as a blue, red or white lotus, born in water, grown up in water, on reaching the surface rests there untouched by the water, even so the Tathagata, being free, detached and released from these things, lives with a mind whose barriers are broken down.

A.V,152

Day 321

The Lord said: “I will teach you something, the parable of the raft, which is for crossing over, not for holding on to.  Listen carefully, pay attention and I will speak.  Say a man going along a highway might see a great stretch of water, this bank dangerous and frightening and the further bank safe and secure.  Being no boat or bridge for crossing over, that man might think: ‘This bank is dangerous and frightening, while the further bank is safe and secure.  But there is neither boat nor bridge for crossing over.  What if I collect grass and sticks, branches and leaves, make a raft and by sitting on it and paddling with my hands and feet, I were to cross over to the safe side?’ Say man makes the raft and crosses to the safe side, but then he thinks: ‘By using this raft I have crossed over to the safe side.  Why don’t I put this raft on my head or shoulder and continue on my way?’ What do you think monks?  If he did this, would he be doing what should be done with that raft?”

“No, Lord.”

“So what should be done with that raft?  That man should think: ‘Although this raft has been useful to me in that I used it to crossed over to the safe side, I should leave it on the bank and continue on my way.’ In doing this, the man would be doing what should be done with that raft.  Understanding this parable, you should give up even good things, how much more bad things?”

M.I,135

Day 322

One day as the Lord was seated in the Gandhakuti at the Jeta Grove, he surveyed the world at dawn, and he saw a certain poor man at Alavi.  Perceiving that he possessed the faculties needed for attaining the fruit of Stream-Winning, he took a company of five hundred monks and went to Alavi, where the inhabitants invited them to stay.  The poor man heard that the Lord had arrived, and decided to go and hear him teach the Dhamma.  But that very day his ox strayed off, and he thought: “Shall I go and find my ox or shall I go to hear the Dhamma?” and he decided to find his ox first, setting out early to do so.  The people of Alavi gave seats to the monks, with the Buddha at their head, served them food, and when finished, took the Lord’s bowl while he gave thanks.  Then the Lord thought to himself: “He for whose sake I came thirty miles has gone to the forest to seek his ox.  When he returns, then I will teach the Dhamma.” So, he sat in silence.  Before the day was out, the man found his ox and straight away led it back to the herd.  Then he thought: “If nothing else, I can go and pay my respects to the Lord,” and thought oppressed by hunger he did not go home, but rather he went quickly to the Lord, and having paid homage, sat respectfully at one side.  When the man came close, the Lord said to the steward in charge of food: “Is there any food left over?”

“Reverend Sir, some food remains untouched.”

“Then serve this man.”

After the steward had provided the man with a seat in a place indicated by the Lord, he served him rice gruel and other food both hard and soft, and after the man had eaten, he rinsed his mouth.  As soon as the man’s suffering had been relieved, his mind became calm, and then the Lord taught the Dhamma in gradual order, expounding one after the other the Four Noble Truths.  When he had finished, that man attained the fruit of Stream-Winning.

Dhp-a.262*

Day 323

There are six things that foster love and respect, helpfulness and agreement, harmony and unity.  What six?  When one acts with love towards one’s companions in the holy life, both in public and in private; when one speaks with love towards them both in public and in private; when one thinks with love towards them both in public and in private; when one shares with them, without reservations, whatever one has acquired justly, even if it be no more than the food from one’s alms bowl; when one possesses together with them virtues that are complete, unbroken and freedom-giving, praised by the wise and conducive to concentration; and when one possesses with one’s companions in the holy life, both in public and in private, the understanding that is noble, leading to freedom and which conduces to the complete destruction of suffering; then will there be love and respect, helpfulness and agreement, harmony and unity.

M.I,322

Day 324

Apply yourself to solitude.  One who is given to solitude knows things as they really are.

S.III,15

Day 325

And the Lord said: “Ananda, prepare a couch between these two sal trees, for I am tired and wish to lie down.” So Ananda did as the Lord asked, and then the Lord lay down on his right side, resting one foot on the other in the posture of the lion, mindful and clearly conscious.  Then suddenly, the two sal trees burst into full bloom out of season and the flowers rained down out of respect for the Tathagata.  Celestial blossoms and heavenly sandalwood powder rained down, and heavenly music and voices could be heard, all out of respect for the Tathagata.

Then the Lord addressed Ananda and said: “Behold these sal blossoms and heavenly flowers, sandalwood powder, music and voices.  Yet, it is not like this that the Tathagata is respected, venerated, esteemed, worshipped and honoured with the highest respect.  But the monk and the nun, the layman and the laywoman, who abide by the Dhamma, walk the way of Dhamma and who practice the Dhamma, it is they who respect, venerate, esteem, worship and honour the Tathagata with the highest respect.  Therefore, abide by the Dhamma, walk the way of the Dhamma and practice the Dhamma.  This is how you should train yourself.”

D.II,137

Day 326

With the fading away of joy one remains equinimous, mindful and clearly conscious, and experiences within oneself that happiness of which the Noble Ones say: ‘Happy indeed is he who abides equinimous and mindful.’ Thus one enters and abides in the third jhana.  And with that happiness free from joy one suffuses, drenches, fills and permeates the whole body so that there is no spot in the entire body that is untouched by that happiness.

Just as in pond of blue, red or white lotuses, the flowers are born in the water, grow in the water and are nourished by the water but do not emerge from the water and thus are thus suffused, drenched, filled and permeated with cool water, in the same way, one suffuses, drenches, fills and permeates the whole body so that there is no spot untouched.

D.I,75

Day 327

Just as water cools both good and bad,
And washes away all impurity and dust,
In the same way you should develop thoughts of love
To friend and foe alike,
And having reached perfection in love,
You will attain enlightenment.

Ja.I,24*

Day 328

Where do earth, water, fire and air find no foothold?  Where do long and short, small and great, pure and impure, name and form all finally cease?  The answer is:

It is in the consciousness of the Noble One -
Invisible, boundless and all-luminous.
There it is that earth, water, fire and air
No footing find.

There it is that long and short, small and great,
Pure and impure, name and form
Finally cease.
When consciousness ceases, so does all this.

D.I,223

Day 329

For the mindful one, there is always good;
For the mindful one, happiness increases;
For the mindful one, things go better,
Yet he may not be freed from hate.

But one who both day and night
Takes delight in harmlessness,
Sharing love with all that lives -
That one has hate for no one.

S.I,208

Day 330

I will show you grasping and worry and I will show you the letting go of and freedom from grasping and worry.  And what is grasping and worry?  Concerning this, ordinary folk have this view: ‘This body is mine, I am this, this is myself.’ For one like this, the body alters and changes, and owing to this alteration and change, grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair arise in him.  And it is the same with his feelings, perception, mental constructs and consciousness.

And what is letting go of and freedom from worry?  Concerning this, the well taught noble disciple has this view: ‘This body is not mine.  I am not this, this is not myself.’ For one like this, the body alters and changes, but in spite of alteration and change, grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair do not arise in him.  And it is the same with feeling perception, mental constructs and consciousness.  Thus, there is letting go of and freedom from grasping and worry.

S.III,18

Day 331

Suppose a king or royal minister has never heard lute music before.  But one day he does hear it and he says: ‘Good man, tell me, what is that enchanting and delightful, intoxicating, ravishing and enthralling sound?’ Then they say to him: ‘That Sir, is the music of the lute.’ So he says: ‘Go, bring me that lute.’ So they bring it to him but he says: ‘Enough of this lute.  Bring me the music.’ Then they say to him: ‘Sir, this lute consists of many parts; the belly, the skin, the handle, the frame, the string, the bridge and the effort of the player.  And it makes the sound because of them.  The sound is because of these various and many parts.’ Then the king breaks the lute into a hundred pieces, splinters it again, burns it, puts the ashes in a heap and winnows them in the wind or washes them away in water in order to find the music.  Having done this he finds no music and says: ‘A poor thing indeed is a lute; whatever a lute may be.  The world is deceived by such things.’ In the same way, one investigating the body as far as the body goes, investigating feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness as far as they go, finds no ‘I’ , no ‘I am’, no ‘Mine.’

S.IV,196-7

Day 332

Whoever was greedy and is now free from greed, whoever was hating and is now free from hating, whoever was grudging, hypocritical, spiteful, jealous, mean, untrustworthy, cunning, with evil desires, with wrong views and is now free from greed, hate, grudge, hypocrisy, spite, jealousy, meanness, untrustworthiness, cunning, evil desires and wrong views; then he undertakes the practice worthy of monks.  In getting rid of these stains, faults and defects of monks.  When he sees himself freed from these things that lead to sorrow, rebirth in a bad place, gladness arises in him, from gladness comes joy, because of joy the body is tranquil, with a tranquil body he is happy, and the mind of one who is happy is concentrated.  He abides with a mind filled with love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, suffusing the first, second, third and fourth quarters of the world.  He abides suffusing the whole world – upwards, downwards, across, everywhere – with a mind filled with love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, abundant, unbounded, without hatred or ill-will.

M.I,283

Day 333

Venerable Tissa, the nephew of the Lord’s father, spoke to a number of monks and said: “Friends, my body is as if drugged, things have become dim to my eyes, and the Dhamma is no longer clear to me.  Sloth and laziness possess my mind and I live the holy life without joy.  I waver in the teachings.” So, those monks went to the Lord and told him what Tissa had said, and the Lord addressed one monk saying: “Go, monk, and in my name tell Tissa to come and speak to me.” So that monk did as he was asked and when Tissa came, the Lord said to him: “Is it true as they say that your body is as if drugged, that things have become dim to your eyes, that the Dhamma is no longer clear to you, that sloth and laziness possess your mind, that you live the holy life without joy, and that you waver in the teachings?”

“That is true, Lord.”

“Now concerning this, what do you think, Tissa?  If one is not free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever and craving, then when the body alters and changes do not grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair arise?”

“Yes, Lord.”

“And is it not the same with feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness?"

"Yes, Lord.”

“Well said, Tissa!  Well said!  Now what do you think?  If one is free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever and craving, then when the body alters and changes then do grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair arise?”

“No Lord.”

“And is it the same with feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness?”

“It is, Lord.”

“Well said, Tissa!  Well said!  Now, what do you think?  Are the body, feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“They are impermanent, Lord.”

“So, seeing this, the instructed noble disciple turns away from these five aggregates.  Turning away from them, passions fade, and with the fading of passions, he is free and he knows: ‘Rebirth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what has had to be done is done; there is no more of this.’ Suppose there are two men, one a skilled traveller and the other not.  And the unskilled traveller asks the way from the skilled one.  He replies: ‘Yes, my good man, this is the way.  Continue for a while and you will see a fork in the road.  Take the right hand path.  Go on a little, and you will come to a forest.  Continue for a while more, and you will come to a marshy swamp.  Go a little further, and you will see a great cliff.  Go further still and you will see a beautiful stretch of open ground.’ I use this parable to illustrate my meaning, and this is the meaning.  The man unskilled in travel represents ordinary people, and the man skilled in travel represents the Tathagata, the Noble One, the fully enlightened Buddha.  The fork in the road is the state of wavering, the left fork being the false eightfold path and the right fork being the Noble Eightfold Path.  The thick forest is ignorance, the marshy swamp is desires, and the great cliff is irritation and despair.  The delightful stretch of open ground is Nirvana.  So be of good cheer, Tissa!  Be of good cheer!  I will counsel you, I will support you, I will instruct you.”

S.III,106

Day 334

The Lord said to the monks: “Body is not self.  If it were, it would not be liable to affliction, and one could say: ‘Let my body be like this.  Let not my body be like that.’ But since the body is not the self, it is liable to affliction, and one cannot say: ‘Let my body be like this.  Let not my body be like that.’ And it is the same with feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness.  What do you think?  Is body permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”

“Now, is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?”

“Painful, sir.”

“Now, is it fit to regard what is impermanent and painful like this: ‘This is mine, this is I, this is my self?’ ”

“No, sir.”

“And it is the same with feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness.  So, any kind of body, feeling, perception, mental constructs or consciousness, whether past, present or future, whether gross or subtle, whether internal or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near, must with right understanding be regarded thus: ‘This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.’ When a noble disciple has heard this and sees this, he becomes detached from body, feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness.  Being detached, passions fade, with the fading of passions he is free, and when he is free he knows he is free.  He knows: ‘Birth is ended, the holy life has been lived, what has had to be done is done, there is no more of this.’ ”

S.III,66

DECEMBER

Day 335

These two types of people are difficult to find in the world.  What two?  One who will do a favor first, and one who is grateful for a favor done.

A.I,87

Day 336

Be an island unto yourselves, be a refuge unto yourselves, take for yourselves no other refuge.  Let the Dhamma be your island and your refuge.  And how does one do this?  Concerning this, one dwells contemplating the body in the body, feelings in feeling, mind in mind, and mental objects in mental objects, ardent, clearly conscious and mindful – having put aside the attraction and repulsion of the world.  And those who live like this now and after I have passed away will attain the highest.  But they must be anxious to learn.

D.II,101

Day 337

How can someone who has gone down
To a swift-flowing river,
And who gets carried away by the current
Help others to cross?

Similarly, how can one who has not learned Dhamma,
Not listened to the explanations of the wise,
And who is ignorant and filled with doubt
Help others to realize it?

Just as one who has embarked on a sturdy boat
Well-equipped with and rudder and oars
Could help many others to cross
Because of his skill, thoughtfulness and experience,

In the same way, one who is wise
And who has developed himself,
Who is learned and stable, understanding Dhamma,
Could make others realize it, if they listen carefully.

Therefore, one should consort with the good
Those who are wise and learned,
Who understanding the meaning and,
Following the path and knowing Dhamma,
One will then attain happiness.

Sn.319-323

Day 338

Wisdom is purified by virtue, and virtue is purified by wisdom.  Where one is, so is the other.  The virtuous person has wisdom, and the wise person has virtue.  The combination of virtue and wisdom is called the highest thing in the world.

D.I,84

Day 339

Giving up happiness and suffering and with the disappearance of former gladness and sorrow, one enters and abides in the fourth jhana which is beyond pleasure and pain and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness.  One sits and suffuses, drenches, fills and permeates the whole body with that purity and clarity so that there is no spot in the entire body that is untouched by it.  Just as if a man were to sit wrapped from head to foot in a pure white garment so that no part of his body was untouched by it – in the same way, one suffuses, drenches, fills and permeates the whole body so that there is no spot untouched.

D.I,75

Day 340

Happily indeed we live,
Loving amidst the hating.
Amidst those who hate
We live full of love.

Happily indeed we live,
Healthy amidst the ailing.
Amidst those who are ill
We live in perfect health.

Happily indeed we live,
Content amidst the greedy.
Amidst those who are greedy
We live in contentment.

Dhp.197-199

Day 341

The past should not be followed after,
And the future not desired.
What is past is dead and gone,
And the future is yet to come.

But whoever gains insight into things
Presently arisen in the here and now,
Knowing them, unmoved, unshaken -
Let him cultivate that insight.

M.III,187

Day 342

When in the forest amongst the roots of the trees
Or in the empty places,
Just call to mind the Buddha
And no fear of trembling will arise.

If you cannot think of the Buddha,
This best, this highest, this finest of beings,
Then call to mind the Dhamma,
The well taught guide.

If you cannot think of the Dhamma,
The well taught guide,
Then think of the Sangha,
That incomparable source of goodness in the world.

S.I,220

Day 343

Hearken to this, you who are watchful -
Those who sleep, let them awake.
Watchfulness is better than sleep.
The watchful are free from fear.

Whoever is watchful, mindful, composed,
Focused, gentle and insightful,
Studying the Dhamma at the right time and one-pointed,
They will overcome the darkness.

Therefore, rouse yourself and be watchful.
The ardent one, discriminating and meditating,
Cuts the bonds of birth and death
And attains the highest wisdom in this very life.

It.41-2

Day 344

I will teach you the burden, the taking hold of it, the taking it up, and the putting it down.  And what is the burden?  The answer is the five clinging aggregates.  What five?  Body, feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness.  This is the burden.  And what is the taking hold of the burden?  The answer is that it is the person of such-and-such a name, of such-and-such a village.  This is the taking hold of the burden.  And what is the taking up of the burden?  It is that craving for sense pleasures, craving for becoming and craving for unbecoming – that is called lifting up the burden.  And what is the putting down of the burden?  It is the withering and fading of craving, the giving up of craving, the renouncing of it, freedom from it, the absence of it.  That is the putting down of the burden.

The five aggregates are the burden.
The seizer of the burden is the person.
Taking it up is sorrow indeed,
And putting it down is happiness.

If one lays this heavy burden down
Without taking up a new one,

Then one has pulled out craving, roots and all.
That one is fulfilled and free.

S.III,25

Day 345

Now, on one occasion, the Lord rose from solitude towards evening and sat warming his back in the westerly sunshine.  Then, Venerable Ananda came to see the Lord, and while massaging his limbs with his hands he said: “It is strange, it is wonderful, how the Lord’s skin is no longer clear and radiant, how all his limbs are slack and wrinkled, how his body is stooped, and how his sense faculties have changed.”

The Lord replied: “So it is, Ananda, so it is.  Old age is inherent in youth, sickness in health, and death in life”.

S.V,216

Day 346

At that time, the Lord said to the monks: “Once upon a time, a bamboo acrobat set up his pole, called to his pupil, and said: ‘Now, my boy, climb the pole and stand on my shoulders.’
‘Alright, master,’ said the pupil, and he did as he was told.  Then the master said: ‘Now, my boy, you protect me and I will protect you, and protected and watched by each other we will do our act, get a good fee, and come down safe and sound from the bamboo pole.’ But then the pupil said: ‘No master, no!  That will not do.  You look after yourself, and I will look after myself and thus watched and guarded each by himself, we will do our act, get a good fee, and come down safe and sound from the bamboo pole.  That is the way to do it.’

Then the Lord said: “Just as the pupil said to the master: ‘I will protect myself’ so should you practice the four foundations of mindfulness, which also means: ‘I will protect others.’ Because by protecting oneself, one protects others and by protecting others, one protects oneself.  And how does one protect others by protecting oneself?  It is by the repeated and frequent practice of meditation.  And how does one protect oneself by protecting others?  It is by practicing patience, forbearance, harmlessness, love and compassion.”

S.V,169

Day 347

The Tathagata does not live in abundance, he does not revert to the life of abundance, nor does he waver in his striving.  The Tathagata is a perfected one, a fully enlightened Buddha.  So give ear, for the Immortal has been discovered and I instruct, I teach the Dhamma.

Vin.IV,9

Day 348

The fool who listens to the Conqueror’s teachings
With a hostile mind
Does not grow in the good Dhamma
Any more than a rotten seed grows in a field.

But one who listens to the Conqueror’s teachings
With a joyful mind,
Having destroyed the defilements,
Having realized the unshakable state,
And attained the highest peace -
That one is cooled and without defilements.

Th.363-364*

Day 349

Then Ananda came to the Lord and said: “Half of the holy life is beautiful friendship, beautiful association and beautiful intimacy.”

The Lord replied: “Say not so, Ananda, say not so!  It is the whole of the holy life, not half, this beautiful friendship, this beautiful association, this beautiful intimacy.”

S.V,2

Day 350

There is that state where there is not earth, water, fire or air; where there are not the spheres of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, or the sphere of neither-consciousness-nor-unconsciousness; where there is not this world, the world beyond or both together, no sun and no moon; where there is no coming to birth, no going to death, no duration and hence no falling or arising.  It is not something fixed, it does not move, it is based on nothing.  This indeed is the end of suffering.

Ud.80

Day 351

Ananda asked: “Lord, there are three scents whose fragrance spreads with the wind but not against it.  They are the root scent, the heartwood scent and the scent of flowers.  Is there any sort of scent that spreads with the wind and against it also?”

The Lord said: “There is such a scent, Ananda.  In whatever village or district there is a man or woman who has taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha, who practices the five Precepts, who has a lovely nature, who lives at home with the heart free from stinginess, who is open-handed, delights in giving, being one to ask a favor of, one who delights in sharing, then monks and brahmins sing the praise of one like this in all the four quarters.  Even the gods sing their praise.  This is the sort of scent whose fragrance goes with the wind and against it also.”

A.I,225

Day 352

Music from a five-piece ensemble
Cannot produce as much delight
As that of a one-pointed mind
With perfect insight into things.

Th.398*

Day 353

Bahiya of the Bark Garment asked the monks: “Tell me, good sirs, where is the Lord staying, he who is a Noble One, he who is a fully awakened Buddha?”

“The Lord has gone into the town to get alms-food.”

So Bahiya quickly left the Jeta’s Grove, went into Savatthi, and found the Lord in quest for alms-food.  He was handsome, good to look upon, with senses calmed, tranquil in mind, composed and controlled like a well-trained elephant.  Bahiya approached the Lord and asked: “Sir, teach me the Dhamma so that it will be for my welfare and happiness for a long time.”

“You have come at the wrong time, Bahiya.  I am getting my alms-food.”

A second and a third time he asked, so the Lord answered: “This is how you must train yourself.  When, in the seen there is just the seen, in the heard just the heard, in the sensed just the sensed and in the cognized just the cognized, then there will be no ‘thereby,’ and when there is no ‘thereby’ there will be no ‘therefore’ and when there is no ‘therefore’ there will be no here, no there, no midway in between.  That is the end of suffering.” Then and there, because of this concise Dhamma teaching, Bahiya’s mind was freed from the defilements.

Ud.7

Day 354

Now, Venerable Bhaddiya, son of the Kaligodhas, used to go to the forest, to the roots of trees and to lonely spots, and while there, would often cry out: “Oh joy!  Oh joy!” Now, a number of monks heard him do this and they thought: “Doubtless, Venerable Bhaddiya is discontented with the holy life, seeing as he enjoyed the happiness of royalty when he was a householder.” So those monks went to the Lord and told him of this, and he asked that Bhaddiya come to see him.  When he came, the Lord said: “Bhaddiya, is it true as they say that you go to the forest, to the roots of the trees and to lonely spots, and that while there you often utter the cry: ‘Oh joy!  Oh joy!’ ”

“It is true, sir.”

“And why do you do this?”

“Formerly, when I enjoyed the happiness of royalty, guards were set inside the palace, outside and even in the area beyond.  Yet, although I was well guarded, I lived in fear, I was anxious, trembling and afraid.  But now that I lived in the forest, all alone, I am without fear, I am assured, confident and unafraid.  That is why I utter the cry: ‘Oh joy!  Oh joy!’ ”

Ud.19

Day 355

An enlightened person is naturally endowed with a compassionate nature and disposition.  He desires to alleviate the suffering that beings suffer, and is even willing to relinquish his own body or life to do so.  Until he reaches his goal, he is willing to struggle and strive for a very long time on a course involving great hardship, without fear and without ever becoming disenchanted with all the suffering in the round of existence, all for the sake of the welfare of other beings.

Cp-a,278*

Day 356

There are three urgent duties of a farmer.  What three?  The farmer gets his fields well ploughed and harrowed quickly.  Then he plants the seed quickly.  Then he irrigates the field quickly.  But the farmer has no magic power or authority to say: ‘Let my crops spring up today, let them ear tomorrow and on the following day let them ripen.’ No!  In due time this will happen.

In the same way, there are these three urgent duties of a monk.  What three?  Undertaking the training in higher virtue, higher thought and higher wisdom.  But he has no such magic power or authority to say: ‘Today, tomorrow or the next day, let my mind be free from the defilements.’ No!  In due time this will happen as he undergoes training in these three things.  Therefore, you should train yourselves like this: ‘We shall be keen to undertake the training in these three things.’ ”

A.I,229

Day 357

The Lord said: “That which is not yours – put it away.  Putting it away will be to your welfare and happiness.  And what is not yours?  Body, feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness are not yours.  So, put them away.  Putting them away will be to your welfare and happiness.  It is just as if a man should gather up, burn, or do whatever he wanted with all the grass, twigs and sticks here in Jeta Grove.  Would you say: ‘This man is gathering us, he is burning us, he is doing what he wants with us?’ ”

“No, Lord.”

“And why not?”

“Because they are not ourselves, they are not us.”

“Even so, body, feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness are not yours.”

S.III,34

Day 358

At that time, a certain monk named Thera was living alone and commending such a life.  He entered the village alone, he returned alone, he sat alone and walked alone.  So a number of other monks went and told the Lord this, and he asked them to call Thera into his presence.  When he came, the Lord asked him: “Is it true as they say that you are living quite alone and that you commend such a life?”

“That is so, Lord.”

“In what way do you live and commend?”

“I enter the village alone, I return alone, I sit alone and walk alone.”

“That is living alone, it is true, Thera.  But I will tell you a way of bringing to perfection the solitary life.  When the past is put away, when the future is given up and when there is no craving and desire in the present, then the solitary life has been perfected in full.”

S.II,283

Day 359

You should train yourselves like this, thinking: ‘We will be contended with whatever robes, food, shelter or medicine we get.  We will be contented with what we get and do nothing unseemly in order to get these things.  If we are not able to get robes, food and so on, we will not be perturbed, and if we do get them we will use them without clinging and infatuation, doing no wrong in order to get them, seeing the danger in them and being wise to escaping from it.’ This is how you should train yourselves.

S.II,194-5

Day 360

Since I went forth
From home into homelessness
I have never been aware of having
Any ignoble or hateful thoughts, such as:

‘May they be killed.  May they be slaughtered.
May they come to harm.’
Such thoughts have not crossed my mind
For a long time.

On the contrary, I am aware of thoughts of love,
Infinite and well-developed,
Practiced in due order
As taught by the Buddha.

I am a friend to all, a helper to all,
I am sympathetic to all beings.
I develop a mind full of love
And delight always in harmlessness.

I gladden my mind
I make it immovable and unshakable.
I develop the divine states
Not cultivated by evil people.

Th.645-649*

Day 361

It can be understood by a person’s conversation whether or not he is competent to discuss things.  If, on being questioned, a person evades the question, changes the subject, displays anger, malice or sulkiness, then he is incompetent to discuss things.  If a person does not do these things, then he is competent to discuss.  Yet again, it can be understood by a person’s conversation whether or not he is competent to discuss.  If, on being asked a question, a person loads scorn on a questioner, beats him down, laughs at him and tries to catch him up when he falters, then he is incompetent to discuss things.  If a person does not do such things then he is competent to discuss things.

A.I,198

Day 362

They who have faith in the Buddha have faith in the best, and for those who have faith in the best the result is the best.

A.II,34

Day 363

As black gum is pointed to as the best of fragrant roots, as red sandalwood is pointed to as the best of fragrant woods, as jasmine is pointed to as the best of fragrant flowers, even so, the exhortations of the good Gotama are the highest of all teachings today.

M.III,6*

Day 364

There is an Unborn, an Unbecome, an Unmade, an Uncompounded.  If there were not this Unborn, Unbecome, Unmade, Uncompounded, then there would be no escape from the born, the become, the made, the compounded.  But as there is an Unborn, an Unbecome, an Unmade, an Uncompounded, then there is an escape from the born, the become, the made, the compounded.

Ud.80

Day 365

And the Lord said to Magandiya: “It is like a man born blind, who cannot see either color or shape, the even or the uneven, the stars, the sun or the moon.  He might hear someone speaking of the pleasure of a lovely, unstained, pure white cloth, and start searching for one.  But someone might deceive him by giving him a greasy, grimy, coarse robe and say: ‘My good man, this is lovely, unstained, pure white cloth.’ The blind man might take it and put it on.  Then his friends and relations might get a physician or surgeon to make medicine for him, potions, purgatives, ointments and treatment for his eyes.  Because of this he might regain his sight and restore his vision.  Then the desire and attachment he had for that greasy robe would go, he would no longer consider the man who gave it to him a friend.  He might even consider him an enemy, thinking: ‘For a long time I have been defrauded, deceived and cheated by this man.’ Even so, if I were to teach you Dhamma, saying: ‘This is that health, this is that Nirvana,’ you might come to know health, you might see Nirvana.  With the arising of that vision, the desire and attachment you had for the five clinging aggregates might go.  You might even think: ‘For a long time I have been defrauded, deceived and cheated by the mind, by clinging to body, feeling, perception, mental constructs and consciousness.  Conditioned by this clinging there was becoming; conditioned by becoming there was birth, conditioned by birth, old age, dying, grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair came into being.  This is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.’ And Magandiya said to the Lord: “I have confidence that if the good Gotama were to teach me Dhamma, I could rise from my seat no longer blind.”

M.I,511