1: AN 10.113 - 10.122 The Ceremony of Descent

The ceremony of dissent, translated by Bikus Ajato.

Bad principles, first, mendicants, you should know bad principles with bad results and you should know good principles with good results.

Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.

And what are bad principles with bad results?

Wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge and wrong freedom.

These are called bad principles with bad results.

And what are good principles with good results?

Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge and right freedom.

These are called good principles with good results.

You should know bad principles with bad results and you should know good principles with good results.

Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.

That's what I said, and this is why I said it.

Bad principles, second, mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles and you should know bad results and good results.

Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.

So what are bad principles? What are good principles? What are bad results and what are good results?

Wrong view is a bad principle. Right view is a good principle.

And the many bad unskillful qualities produced by wrong view are bad results.

And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right view are good results.

Wrong thought is a bad principle. Right thought is a good principle.

And the many bad unskillful qualities produced by wrong thought are bad results.

And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right thought are good results.

Wrong speech is a bad principle, right speech is a good principle, and the many bad unskillful

qualities produced by wrong speech are bad results, and the many skillful qualities

fully developed because of right speech are good results.

Wrong action is a bad principle, right action is a good principle, and the many bad unskillful

qualities produced by wrong action are bad results, and the many skillful qualities

fully developed because of right action are good results.

Wrong livelihood is a bad principle, right livelihood is a good principle, and the

many bad unskillful qualities produced by wrong livelihood are bad results, and the

many skillful qualities fully developed because of right livelihood are good results.

One effort is a bad principle, right effort is a good principle, and the many bad unskillful

qualities produced by wrong effort are bad results, and the many skillful qualities

fully developed because of right effort are good results.

Wrong mindfulness is a bad principle, right mindfulness is a good principle, and the

many bad unskillful qualities produced by wrong mindfulness are bad results, and the many

Many skillful qualities fully developed because of right mindfulness are good results.

Wrong immersion is a bad principle.

Right immersion is a good principle.

And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong immersion are bad results.

And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right immersion are good results.

Wrong knowledge is a bad principle.

Right knowledge is a good principle.

And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong knowledge are bad results.

And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right knowledge are good results.

Wrong freedom is a bad principle.

Right freedom is a good principle.

And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong freedom are bad results.

And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right freedom are good results.

You should know bad principles and good principles, and you should know bad results and good results.

Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.

That's what I said, and this is why I said it.

Bad principles, third, mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles,

and you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow

the good principles with good results. That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken,

the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Soon after the Buddha left, those mendicants considered, the Buddha gave this brief summary

recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail.

Who can explain in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha?

Then they considered, this venerable Ananda is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible

spiritual companions. He is capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary

recital given by the Buddha. Let's go to him and ask him about this matter. As he answers,

so will remember it. Then those mendicants went to Ananda and exchanged greetings with him.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side.

They told him what had happened and said, may venerable Ananda please explain this?

Reverence. Suppose there was a person in need of heartwood, and while wandering in search of

heartwood, he'd come across a large tree standing with heartwood, but he'd pass over the roots and

trunk, imagining that the heartwood should be sought in the branches and leaves. Such is the

consequence for the venerables. Though you were face to face with the Buddha, you overlooked him,

imagining that you should ask me about this matter. For he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees,

he is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of

divinity, he is the teacher, the proclamer, the illucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from

death, the Lord of truth, the realized one. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about

this matter. You should have remembered it in line with the Buddha's answer. Certainly he is the

Buddha, the one who knows and sees, he is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle,

he is the manifestation of divinity, he is the teacher, the proclamer, the illucidator of meaning,

the bestower of freedom from death, the Lord of truth, the realized one. That was the time to

approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. We should have remembered it in line with the Buddha's

answer. Still, venerable Ananda is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual

companions. You are capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital

given by the Buddha. Please explain this if it is no trouble. Then listen and apply your mind well,

I will speak. Yes, Reverend, they replied. Ananda said this. Reverance, the Buddha gave this brief

summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail. You should know

bad principles and good principles, and you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these

things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results. So what are bad principles?

What are good principles? What are bad results? And what are good results?

Wrong view is a bad principle. Right view is a good principle, and the many bad unskillful qualities

produced by wrong view are bad results, and the many skillful qualities fully developed because

of right view are good results. Wrong thought is a bad principle. Right thought is a good principle.

Wrong speech is a bad principle. Right speech is a good principle. Wrong action is a bad principle.

Right action is a good principle. Wrong livelihood is a bad principle. Right livelihood is a

good principle. Wrong effort is a bad principle. Right effort is a good principle. Wrong mindfulness

is a bad principle. Right mindfulness is a good principle. Wrong immersion is a bad principle. Right

immersion is a good principle. Wrong knowledge is a bad principle. Right knowledge is a good principle.

wrong freedom is a bad principle, right freedom is a good principle. And the many bad unskillful

qualities produced by wrong freedom are bad results, and the many skillful qualities

fully developed because of right freedom are good results. The Buddha gave this brief summary

recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail. You should know bad

principles and good principles, and practice accordingly. And this is how I understand the

detailed meaning of this summary recital. If you wish, you may go to the Buddha and ask him about

this. You should remember it in line with the Buddha's answer. Yes, Reverend said those

mendicants, approving and agreeing with what Arnanda said. Then they rose from their seats and went

to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side and told him what had happened. Then they said,

sir, we went to Arnanda and asked him about this matter, and Arnanda clearly explained the meaning

to us in this matter with these words and phrases. Good, good mendicants, Arnanda is astute,

he has great wisdom. If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly

the same way as Arnanda. That is what it means, and that's how you should remember it.

With Ajita, then the wanderer Ajita went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the

Buddha, worthy go-tama, we have a spiritual companion called astute. He has worked out around 500

arguments by which followers of other religions will know when they've been refuted.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, mendicants, do you remember this astute's points?

Now is the time, blessed one. Now is the time, holy one. Let the Buddha speak, and the mendicants

will remember it. Well, then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well. I will speak.

Yes, sir, they replied. The Buddha said this.

Mendicants, take a certain someone who rebuts and quashes unprincipled statements with unprincipled

statements. This delights an unprincipled assembly who make a colossal racket. He is truly astute.

He is truly astute. Someone else rebuts and quashes principled statements with unprincipled

statements. This delights an unprincipled assembly who make a colossal racket. He is truly astute.

He is truly astute. Someone else rebuts and quashes principled and unprincipled statements with

unprincipled statements. This delights an unprincipled assembly who make a colossal racket. He is truly

astute. He is truly astute. Mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles,

and you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow

the good principles with good results. So what are bad principles? What are good principles?

What are bad results? And what are good results? Wrong view is a bad principle. Right view is a good

principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong view are bad results. And the

many skillful qualities fully developed because of right view are good results. Wrong thought is a

bad principle. Right thought is a good principle. Wrong speech is a bad principle. Right speech is a

good principle. Wrong action is a bad principle. Right action is a good principle. Wrong livelihood is

a bad principle. Right livelihood is a good principle. Wrong effort is a bad principle. Right

effort is a good principle. Wrong mindfulness is a bad principle. Right mindfulness is a good

principle. Wrong immersion is a bad principle. Right immersion is a good principle. Wrong knowledge

is a bad principle. Right knowledge is a good principle. Wrong freedom is a bad principle. Right

freedom is a good principle, and the many bad unskillful qualities produced by wrong

freedom are bad results, and the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right

freedom are good results. You should know bad principles and good principles, and you

should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow

the good principles with good results. That's what I said, and this is why I said it.

With Sangarawa, then Sangarawa the Brahmin went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.

When the greetings and polite conversation rover, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha,

Worthy Goetamer, what is the near shore, and what is the far shore?

Wrong view is the near shore Brahmin, and right view is the far shore. Wrong thought is the near

shore, and right thought is the far shore. Wrong speech is the near shore, and right speech is

the far shore. Wrong action is the near shore, and right action is the far shore. Wrong livelihood is

Is the near shore, and right livelihood is the far shore.

Wrong effort is the near shore, and right effort is the far shore.

Wrong mindfulness is the near shore, and right mindfulness is the far shore.

Wrong immersion is the near shore, and right immersion is the far shore.

Wrong knowledge is the near shore, and right knowledge is the far shore.

Wrong freedom is the near shore, and right freedom is the far shore.

This is the near shore, and this is the far shore.

Fewer those among humans who cross to the far shore.

The rest just run around on the near shore.

When the teaching is well explained, those who practice accordingly are the ones who will

cross over death's dominion so hard to pass.

Rid of dark qualities, and astute persons should develop the bright.

Having home behind, for this occlusion so hard to enjoy, try to find satisfaction there,

having left behind sensual pleasures, owning nothing, and astute person would cleanse

themselves of mental corruptions.

Those whose minds are rightly developed in the awakening factors, who, letting go of

attachments, delight in not grasping, with defilements ended, brilliant, they are quenched

in this world.

The near shore, mendicants, I will teach you the near shore and the far shore.

Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.

Yes, sir, they replied.

The Buddha said this.

And what mendicants is the near shore?

What is the far shore?

Wrong view is the near shore Brahmin, and right view is the far shore.

Wrong thought is the near shore, and right thought is the far shore.

Wrong speech is the near shore, and right speech is the far shore.

Wrong action is the near shore, and right action is the far shore.

Wrong livelihood is the near shore, and right livelihood is the far shore.

Wrong effort is the near shore, and right effort is the far shore.

One mindfulness is the near shore, and right mindfulness is the far shore.

Wrong immersion is the near shore, and right immersion is the far shore.

Wrong knowledge is the near shore, and right knowledge is the far shore.

Wrong freedom is the near shore, and right freedom is the far shore.

This is the near shore, and this is the far shore.

Fewer those among humans who cross to the far shore, the rest just

run around on the near shore. When the teaching is well explained, those who practice accordingly

are the ones who will cross over death's dominion so hard to pass.

Rid of dark qualities, an astute person should develop the bright. Leaving home behind

for the seclusion so hard to enjoy, try to find satisfaction there, having left behind

sensual pleasures. With no possessions, an astute person should cleanse themselves

of mental corruptions, and those whose minds are rightly developed in the awakening

factors, letting go of attachments they delight in not grasping. With defilements ended, brilliant,

they are quenched in this world.

The ceremony of descent, first. Not that time, it was the Sabbath. The Brahmin, Janasoni,

had bathed his head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes. Holding a handful of fresh

grass, he stood to one side, not far from the Buddha. The Buddha saw him and said, Brahmin,

why have you bathed your head and dressed in a new pair of linen robes? Why are you standing

to one side holding a handful of fresh grass? What's going on today with the Brahmin clan?

Worthy goetamer, today is the ceremony of descent for the Brahmin clan. But how do the

Brahmins observe the ceremony of descent? Well worthy goetamer. On the Sabbath, the Brahmins

bathed their heads and dressed in a new pair of linen robes. They make a heap of fresh

cow-dung and spread it with green grass, then they make their beds between the boundary

and the fire chamber. That night they rise three times and worship the fire with joint palms.

We descend, Lord, we descend, Lord, and they serve the fire with abundant ghee, oil and

butter. And when the night has passed, they serve the Brahmins with delicious fresh

and cooked foods. That's how the Brahmins observe the ceremony of descent. The ceremony

of descent observed by the Brahmins is quite different from that observed in the training

of the Noble One. But worthy goetamer, how is the ceremony of descent observed in the

training of the Noble One? Worthy goetamer, please teach me this. Well then Brahmin, listen

and apply your mind well, I will speak. Yes, worthy sir, Janusoni replied. The Buddha

said this. It's when a noble disciple reflects, wrong view has a bad result in both this

life and the next. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong view, they descend from wrong

view. Wrong thought has a bad result in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this,

they give up wrong thought, they descend from wrong thought. Wrong speech has a bad result

in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong speech, they

They descend from wrong speech.

Wrong action has a bad result in both this life and the next.

Reflecting like this, they give up wrong action, they descend from wrong action.

Wrong livelihood has a bad result in both this life and the next.

Reflecting like this, they give up wrong livelihood, they descend from wrong livelihood.

Wrong effort has a bad result in both this life and the next.

like this, they give up wrong effort, they descend from wrong effort.

Wrong mindfulness has a bad result in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this,

they give up wrong mindfulness, they descend from wrong mindfulness.

Wrong immersion has a bad result in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this,

they give up wrong immersion, they descend from wrong immersion.

When knowledge has a bad result in both this life and the next, reflecting like this they

give up wrong knowledge. They descend from wrong knowledge. Wrong freedom has a bad result

in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this they give up wrong freedom. They

descend from wrong freedom. This is the ceremony of descent in the training of the noble

one. The ceremony of descent observed by the Brahmins

is quite different from that observed in the training of the noble one. And, Worthy

Gautama, the ceremony of descent observed by the Brahmins is not worth a sixteenth part

of a master of the ceremony of descent observed in the training of the noble one. Excellent

Worthy Gautama. From this day fourth, may the Worthy Gautama remember me as a lay follower

who has gone for refuge for life. The ceremony of descent, second, mendicance, I will teach

you the noble descent. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak. And what is the

noble descent? It's when a noble disciple reflects, wrong view has a bad result in both

this life and the next. Reflecting like this they give up wrong view. They descend from

wrong view. Wrong thought has a bad result in both this life and the next. Reflecting

like this they give up wrong thought. They descend from wrong thought. Wrong speech has

a bad result in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this they give up wrong

speech, they descend from wrong speech. Wrong action has a bad result in both this life

and the next. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong action, they descend from wrong action.

Wrong livelihood has a bad result in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this,

they give up wrong livelihood, they descend from wrong livelihood. Wrong effort has a bad

result in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong effort, they

descend from wrong effort. Wrong mindfulness has bad result in both this life and the

next. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong mindfulness, they descend from wrong mindfulness.

Wrong immersion has a bad result in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this,

They give up wrong immersion. They descend from wrong immersion.

Wrong knowledge has a bad result in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this they

give up wrong knowledge. They descend from wrong knowledge. Wrong freedom has a bad result

in both this life and the next. Reflecting like this, they give up wrong freedom. They

descend from wrong freedom. This is called the Noble Descent.

Four runner. Mendicance. The dawn is the four runner and precursor of the Sunrise. In the

same way, right view is the four runner and precursor of skillful qualities. Right view produces

right thought, right thought produces right speech, right speech produces right action, right

action produces right livelihood, right livelihood produces right effort, right effort produces right

mindfulness, right mindfulness produces right immersion, right immersion produces right

Right knowledge, right knowledge produces right freedom.

The ending of defilements.

Mendikants, these ten things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the ending of defilements.

What ten?

Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort,

right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge and right freedom.

These ten things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the ending of defilements.