Thus have I heard — Once, the venerable Nandaka was dwelling in Sāvatthi, in the Eastern Park, at Migāramāta's mansion. Then Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson, and Sāṇo, Sekhuniya's grandson, approached the venerable Nandaka. Having approached, they paid homage to the venerable Nandaka and sat down to one side. While seated to one side, the venerable Nandaka said to Sāḷha, Migāra's grandson:

"Come now, Sāḷha, do not [adhere merely] by tradition, by lineage, by rumor, by scripture, by logical reasoning, by inferential reasoning, by speculative reasoning, by acceptance of a view after thorough investigation, by the seeming competence [of a speaker], or because 'the ascetic is our revered teacher.' When you know for yourselves: 'These mental qualities are unwholesome; these mental qualities are blameworthy; these mental qualities are criticized by the wise; these mental qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to harm and to suffering,' then you should abandon them.

What do you think, Sāḷha, is there greed?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

"I declare that this means covetousness. Indeed, this covetous person, being greedy, might kill living beings, take what is not given, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, and persuade others to do likewise, which results in long-term harm and suffering."

"Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think, Sāḷha, is there aversion?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

"I declare that this means ill-will. Indeed, this person filled with ill-will might kill living beings, take what is not given, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, and persuade others to do likewise, which results in long-term harm and suffering."

"Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think, Sāḷha, is there delusion?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

"I declare that this means ignorance. Indeed, this deluded person might kill living beings, take what is not given, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, and persuade others to do likewise, which results in long-term harm and suffering."

"Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think, Sāḷha, are these mental qualities wholesome or unwholesome?"

"Unwholesome, venerable sir."

"Blameworthy or blameless?"

"Blameworthy, venerable sir."

"Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?"

"Criticized by the wise, venerable sir."

"Do they, when adopted and carried out, lead to harm and to suffering, or not? How does it stand with that?"

"They lead to harm and to suffering, venerable sir. That is how it stands."

"So, Sāḷha, as we said: 'Come now, Sāḷha, do not [adhere merely] by hearsay... When you know for yourselves — these mental qualities are unwholesome, blameworthy, criticized by the wise, and, when adopted and carried out, lead to harm and to suffering, then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said, and this was the reason for saying it.

Come now, Sāḷha, do not [adhere merely] by hearsay... When you know for yourselves: 'These mental qualities are wholesome, blameless, praised by the wise, and, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to ease,' then you should practice and abide in them.

What do you think, Sāḷha, is there non-greed?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

"I declare that this means contentment. Indeed, this contented person does not kill living beings, does not take what is not given, does not engage in sexual misconduct, does not lie, and does not persuade others to do likewise, which results in long-term welfare and ease."

"Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think, Sāḷha, is there non-aversion?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

"I declare that this means good-will. Indeed, this person free from ill-will does not kill living beings, does not take what is not given, does not engage in sexual misconduct, does not lie, and does not persuade others to do likewise, which results in long-term welfare and ease."

"Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think, Sāḷha, is there non-delusion?"

"Yes, venerable sir."

"I declare that this means knowing. Indeed, this wise person does not kill living beings, does not take what is not given, does not engage in sexual misconduct, does not lie, and does not persuade others to do likewise, which results in long-term welfare and ease."

"Yes, venerable sir."

"What do you think, Sāḷha, are these mental qualities wholesome or unwholesome?"

"Wholesome, venerable sir."

"Blameworthy or blameless?"

"Blameless, venerable sir."

"Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?"

"Praised by the wise, venerable sir."

"Do they, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to ease, or not? How does it stand with that?"

"They lead to welfare and to ease, venerable sir. That is how it stands."

"So, Sāḷha, as we said: 'Come now, Sāḷha, do not [adhere merely] by hearsay... When you know for yourselves —

these mental qualities are wholesome, blameless, praised by the wise, and, when adopted and carried out, lead to long-term welfare and ease, then you should practice and abide in them.' Thus was it said, and this was the reason for saying it.

"Thus, Sāḷha, the noble disciple, having abandoned covetousness, ill-will, and delusion, being aware and mindful, dwells pervading one direction with a heart imbued with loving-kindness, similarly the second, similarly the third, similarly the fourth; thus above, below, across, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a heart imbued with loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity, extensive, exalted, measureless, without hostility, without ill-will.

He thus understands: 'There is this, there is the inferior, there is the superior, and beyond this is liberation from the sphere of perception.' As he understands and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of existence, from the taint of ignorance; in liberation, there arises the knowledge: 'It is liberated.'

'Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being,' he understands.

Thus he understands: 'Previously there was greed, which was unwholesome; now it is not present, thus it is wholesome; previously there was aversion... previously there was delusion, which was unwholesome; now it is not present, thus it is wholesome.' Thus, in this very life, he is content, extinguished, cooled, experiencing bliss, living with a mental resemblance of the ultimate."