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::mental characteristics, traits [dhamma]| are |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]|; 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::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|,’ then you should abandon them.
What do you think, Sāḷha, is there |greed::lust, wanting, desire [lobha]|?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“I declare that this means |yearning for with strong eagerness and desire::wishing for, wanting, longing for, insatiability [abhijjhati]|. Indeed, an insatiable 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::ill-will, hate, hatred, fault, resentment [dosa]|?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“I declare that this means |ill-will::hatred, hostility, animosity [byāpāda]|. Indeed, a 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 |illusion::delusion, hallucination, misperception, distorted view; that which fuels further confusion and doubt [moha]|?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“I declare that this means |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]|. Indeed, a 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, 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, 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, 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 |wholesome::healthy, beneficial, useful [kusalesu]|, blameless, praised by the wise, and, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to |ease::contentment, happiness, pleasant abiding [sukha]|,’ then you should practice and abide in them.
What do you think, Sāḷha, is there |non-greed::absence of craving, moderation [alobha]|?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“I declare that this means |contentment::lit. not overthinking [anabhijjhā]|. Indeed, a 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::kindness [adosa]|?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“I declare that this means |good-will::kindness, friendliness, benevolence [abyāpāda]|. Indeed, a 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::wisdom, clear understanding, sanity, freedom from ignorance [amoha]|?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“I declare that this means |wisdom::clear apprehension of how things have come to be, direct knowing [vijja]|. Indeed, a 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, 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 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 greed, aversion, and illusion, |fully aware::with attentiveness, with clear and full comprehension, intentional, purposeful [sampajāna]| and |with mindfulness::remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body in and of itself, felt experience in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of themselves [patissata]|, dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with |loving-kindness::good-will towards, friendliness to, benevolence for [mettā]|, ... likewise with |compassion::mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty [karuṇā]|, ... with |sympathetic joy::mental quality of rejoicing in the success and happiness of others, which counters envy [muditā]|, ... and with |equanimity::mental poise, mental balance, equipoise, non-reactivity, composure [upekkhā]|. In the same way, he pervades the second direction, the third, and the fourth. Thus above, below, across, and everywhere, with a boundless mind, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity—vast, exalted, measureless, free from enmity, and free from ill will—abiding in this way.”
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::oozing sensual desire [kāmāsava]|, from the |taint of becoming::effluent of being, taint of existence [bhavāsava]|, and from the |taint of ignorance::taint of not knowing how things have come to be, illusion of knowing, distorted perception [avijjāsava]|; in liberation, there arises the knowledge: ‘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; at that time, it was unwholesome. Now, it is not present; thus, this is wholesome. Previously there was aversion; at that time, it was unwholesome. Now, it is not present; thus, this is wholesome. Previously, there was illusion, at that time, it was unwholesome. Now, it is not present; thus, this is wholesome.’ Thus, in this very life, he is |satiated::free from craving, desireless [nicchāta]|, |quenched::liberated from mental defilements [nibbuta]|, |become cool::calmed, liberated [sītibhūta]|, |experiencing ease::feeling comfort [sukhappaṭisaṃvedī]|, and abiding with a purified mind like the |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]|.”