Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta‘s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s park. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus.”
“Venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, I shall teach you the noble |right collectedness::perfect stability of mind, correct mental composure [sammāsamādhi]|, complete with its supporting conditions and requisites. Listen to this and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“And what, bhikkhus, is the noble right collectedness, complete with supporting conditions and requisites, that is, |right view::view that is in line with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [sammādiṭṭhi]|, right intention, |right speech::speech that is truthful, harmonious, gentle, and meaningful; abstaining from false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and idle chatter [sammāvācā]|, |right action::action that upholds ethical integrity by abstaining from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; bodily conduct aligned with harmlessness and honesty [sammākammanta]|, |right livelihood::means of living that does not cause harm to others or oneself; earning a living ethically without deceit, exploitation, or violence [sammāājīva]|, |right effort::energy and effort directed toward abandoning unwholesome mental states and qualities, and cultivating wholesome ones [sammāvāyāma]|, and |right mindfulness::mindfulness that discerns the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities clearly, grounded in diligent, non-forgetful attention to the present moment [sammāsati]|? |unification of mind::one-pointedness, concentration, oneness of mind [ekaggatā]| equipped with these seven factors is called noble right collectedness, complete with its supporting conditions and requisites.
View
In this matter, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? One understands wrong view as wrong view and understands right view as right view—this is one’s right view.
And what, bhikkhus, is wrong view? ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed; no fruit or result of good and bad actions; no this world, no other world; no mother, no father; no beings who are reborn spontaneously; no ascetics and brahmins in the world who are rightly practicing or have rightly practiced, and who, having realized for themselves by |direct knowledge::experiential understanding [abhiññāya]|, declare this world and the other world.’ This is wrong view.
And what, bhikkhus, is right view? Bhikkhus, I say that right view is twofold: there is right view that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, |resulting in underlying attachment::having the consequence of identification [upadhivepakka]|; and there is right view that is noble, |free from defilements::without mental effluents, taintless [anāsavā]|, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
And what, bhikkhus, is right view that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment? ‘There is giving, there is offering, there is sacrifice; there is the fruit and result of good and bad actions; there is this world and the other world; there is mother and father; there are beings who are reborn spontaneously; there are ascetics and brahmins in the world who are rightly practicing or have rightly practiced, and who, having realized for themselves by direct knowledge, declare this world and the other world.’ This is right view that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment.
And what, bhikkhus, is right view that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path? ‘The wisdom, the faculty of understanding, the power of wisdom, the |awakening factor of investigation of states::the quality of discriminative investigation into states, mental qualities and other phenomena; analyzing the teaching as an factor of enlightenment; second of the seven awakening factors [dhammavicayasambojjhaṅga]|, the path factor of right view in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is free from defilements, who is endowed with the noble path and is cultivating the noble path.’ This is right view that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
One |exerts effort::engages in intentional effort [vāyamati]| to abandon wrong view and to attain right view—this is one’s right effort. With mindfulness, one abandons wrong view and with mindfulness, one attains right view—this is one‘s right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities flow together and circle around right view, namely, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.
Intention
In this matter, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? One understands wrong intention as wrong intention and understands right intention as right intention—this is one’s right view.
And what, bhikkhus, is wrong intention? |Intention of sensuality::intention for sensual pleasure, lustful thought [kāmasaṅkappa]|, |intention of ill will::malevolent intention, thought rooted in aversion, anger, contempt, resentment [byāpādasaṅkappa]|, |intention of harm::cruel intention, thought of injuring, hurting, inflicting pain [vihiṃsāsaṅkappa]|—this is wrong intention.
And what, bhikkhus, is right intention? Bhikkhus, I say that right intention is twofold: there is right intention that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment; and there is right intention that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
And what, bhikkhus, is right intention that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment? |Intention of renunciation::thought related to giving up of sensual pleasure [nekkhammasaṅkappa]|, |intention of non-ill-will::thought related to benevolence, kindliness [abyāpādasaṅkappa]|, |intention of harmlessness::thought related to non-cruelty [avihiṃsāsaṅkappa]|—this is right intention that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment.
And what, bhikkhus, is right intention that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path? The thinking, the reflection, the intention, the mental fixing, focusing, directing of the mind, and |verbal formations::thoughts in language, internal dialogue [vacīsaṅkhāra]| in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is free from defilements, who is endowed with the noble path and is cultivating the noble path. This is right intention that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
One exerts effort to abandon wrong intention and to attain right intention—this is one’s right effort. With mindfulness, one abandons wrong intention; with mindfulness, one attains right intention—this is one’s right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities flow together and circle around right intention, namely, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.
Speech
In this matter, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? One understands wrong speech as wrong speech and understands right speech as right speech—this is one’s right view.
And what, bhikkhus, is wrong speech? |False speech::lying, deliberately speaking falsehood [musāvāda]|, |divisive speech::defamatory words, slanderous speech, speech intended to create division [pisuṇāya + vācā]|, |harsh speech::speech that is rough, rude, or unkind [pharusa + vācā]|, |frivolous chatter::meaningless talk, gossip, idle speech [samphappalāpa]|—this is wrong speech.
And what, bhikkhus, is right speech? Bhikkhus, I say that right speech is twofold: there is right speech that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment; and there is right speech that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
And what, bhikkhus, is right speech that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment? Abstinence from false speech, abstinence from divisive speech, abstinence from harsh speech, abstinence from frivolous chatter—this is right speech that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment.
And what, bhikkhus, is right speech that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path? It is the abstaining, refraining, ceasing, and complete abstinence from the four kinds of verbal misconduct—false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and frivolous chatter—in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is free from defilements, who is endowed with the noble path and is cultivating the noble path. This is right speech that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
One exerts effort to abandon wrong speech and to attain right speech—this is one’s right effort. With mindfulness, one abandons wrong speech; with mindfulness, one attains right speech—this is one’s right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities flow together and circle around right speech, namely, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.
Action
In this matter, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? One understands wrong action as wrong action and understands right action as right action—this is one’s right view.
And what, bhikkhus, is wrong action? |Killing living beings::taking life, destruction of life [pāṇātipāta]|, |taking what is not given::theft, stealing, taking what is not offered [adinnādāna]|, |sexual misconduct::misbehavior in matters of sensuality, wrong sexual behavior [kāmesumicchācāra]|—this is wrong action.
And what, bhikkhus, is right action? Bhikkhus, I say that right action is twofold: there is right action that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment; and there is right action that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
And what, bhikkhus, is right action that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment? Abstinence from killing living beings, abstinence from taking what is not given, abstinence from sexual misconduct—this is right action that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment.
And what, bhikkhus, is right action that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path? It is the abstaining, refraining, ceasing, and complete abstinence from the three kinds of bodily misconduct—killing living beings, taking what is not given, and sexual misconduct—in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is free from defilements, who is endowed with the noble path and is cultivating the noble path. This is right action that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
One exerts effort to abandon wrong action and to attain right action—this is one’s right effort. With mindfulness, one abandons wrong action; with mindfulness, one attains right action—this is one’s right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities flow together and circle around right action, namely, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.
Livelihood
In this matter, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? One understands wrong livelihood as wrong livelihood and understands right livelihood as right livelihood—this is one’s right view.
And what, bhikkhus, is wrong livelihood? |Cheating::deception, creating a false impression [kuhanā]|, |flattery::coaxing, sweet-talking, buttering up for gain [lapanā]|, |hinting (for gain)::indirect begging, suggesting desires without stating them [nemittikatā]|, |belittling others::putting others down [nippesikatā]|, |pursuing gain with gain::seeking to increase profit through manipulating others [lābhena lābhaṁ nijigīsanatā]|—this is wrong livelihood.
And what, bhikkhus, is right livelihood? Bhikkhus, I say that right livelihood is twofold: there is right livelihood that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment; and there is right livelihood that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
And what, bhikkhus, is right livelihood that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment? Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple, abandoning wrong livelihood, earns a living by right livelihood—this is right livelihood that is affected by defilements, partaking of merit, resulting in underlying attachment.
And what, bhikkhus, is right livelihood that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path? It is the abstaining, refraining, ceasing, and complete abstinence from wrong livelihood in one whose mind is noble, whose mind is free from defilements, who is endowed with the noble path and is cultivating the noble path. This is right livelihood that is noble, free from defilements, supramundane, and a factor of the path.
One exerts effort to abandon wrong livelihood and to attain right livelihood—this is one’s right effort. With mindfulness, one abandons wrong livelihood; with mindfulness, one attains right livelihood—this is one’s right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities flow together and circle around right livelihood, namely, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.
The Great Forty
In this matter, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? For one possessing right view, right intention arises; for one possessing right intention, right speech arises; for one possessing right speech, right action arises; for one possessing right action, right livelihood arises; for one possessing right livelihood, right effort arises; for one possessing right effort, right mindfulness arises; for one possessing right mindfulness, right collectedness arises; for one possessing right collectedness, |right knowledge::perfect understanding [sammāñāṇa]| arises; for one possessing right knowledge, right liberation arises. Thus, bhikkhus, the path of the disciple in higher training is endowed with eight factors, the arahant is endowed with ten factors. And there, it is seen with right knowledge that the multitude of harmful, unwholesome qualities has disappeared, thus reaching |full development by cultivation::maturity by development, fulfillment by meditation [bhāvanāpāripūri]|.
In this matter, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? For one possessing right view, wrong view is worn away. And the multitude of harmful, unwholesome qualities that arise dependent on wrong view are also worn away. Moreover, through right view, many wholesome qualities reach full development by cultivation. Similarly, for one possessing right intention, wrong intention is worn away ... for one possessing right speech, wrong speech is worn away ... for one possessing right action, wrong action is worn away ... for one possessing right livelihood, wrong livelihood is worn away ... for one possessing right effort, wrong effort is worn away ... for one possessing right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is worn away ... for one possessing right collectedness, wrong collectedness is worn away ... for one possessing right knowledge, wrong knowledge is worn away ... for one possessing right liberation, wrong liberation is worn away. And the multitude of harmful, unwholesome qualities that arise dependent on wrong liberation are also worn away. Moreover, through right liberation, many wholesome qualities reach full development by cultivation.
Thus, bhikkhus, there are twenty factors on the side of the wholesome, and twenty factors on the side of the unwholesome. This Dhamma discourse on the Great Forty has been set rolling and cannot be stopped by any ascetic or brahmin or god or |Māra::the ruler of the sensual realm, often depicted as a tempter who tries to obstruct beings from the path to liberation [māra]| or |Brahmā::God, the first deity to be born at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle and whose lifespan lasts for the entire cycle [brahmā]| or anyone in the world.
This Dhamma discourse on the Great Forty has been set rolling and cannot be stopped by any recluse or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or anyone in the world. If any ascetic or brahmin, bhikkhus, were to think that this great exposition of the forty qualities ought to be criticized and rejected, then there are ten legitimate deductions from his assertions that would provide grounds for censuring him here and now. If that worthy one censures right view, then he would honour and praise those ascetics and brahmins who are of wrong view. If that worthy one censures right intention, then he would honour and praise those ascetics and brahmins who are of wrong intention. If that worthy one censures right speech ... if that worthy one censures right action ... if that worthy one censures right livelihood ... if that worthy one censures right effort ... if that worthy one censures right mindfulness ... if that worthy one censures right knowledge ... if that worthy one censures right liberation, then he would honour and praise those ascetics and brahmins who hold wrong liberation. Thus, bhikkhus, if any ascetic or brahmin were to think that this great exposition of the forty qualities ought to be criticized and rejected, then there are ten legitimate deductions from his assertions that would provide grounds for censuring him here and now.
Bhikkhus, even those teachers from Okkala, Vassa and Bhañña, who held the doctrine of non-causality, the doctrine of non-doing, and the doctrine of nihilism, would not think that this Dhamma discourse on the Great Forty should be criticized and rejected. Why is that? For fear of blame, censure, and reproach.
The Blessed One said this. Those bhikkhus were satisfied and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.