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3. “So too, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu possesses eleven qualities, he is incapable of growth, increase, and fulfilment in this Dhamma and Discipline. What eleven? Here a bhikkhu has no knowledge of form, he is unskilled in characteristics, he fails to pick out flies’ eggs, he fails to dress wounds, he fails to smoke out the sheds, he does not know the ford, he does not know what it is to have drunk, he does not know the road, he is unskilled in pastures, he milks dry, and he shows no extra veneration to those elder bhikkhus of long-standing who have long gone forth, the fathers and leaders of the Sangha.

4 . “How has a bhikkhu no knowledge of form? Here a bhikkhu does not understand as it actually is thus: ‘All material form of whatever kind consists of the four great elements and the material form derived from the four great elements.’ That is how a bhikkhu has no knowledge of form.

5. “How is a bhikkhu unskilled in characteristics? Here a bhikkhu does not understand as it actually is thus: ‘A fool is characterised by his actions; a wise man is characterised by his actions.’ That is how a bhikkhu is unskilled in characteristics.364

6. “How does a bhikkhu fail to pick out flies’ eggs? Here, when a thought of sensual desire has arisen, a bhikkhu tolerates it; he does not abandon it, remove it, do away with it, and annihilate it. When a thought of ill will has arisen…When a thought of cruelty has arisen…When evil unwholesome states have arisen, a bhikkhu tolerates them; [221] he does not abandon them, remove them, do away with them, and annihilate them. That is how a bhikkhu fails to pick out flies’ eggs.

7. “How does a bhikkhu fail to dress wounds? Here, on seeing a form with the eye, a bhikkhu grasps at its signs and features. Even though, when he leaves the eye faculty unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade him, he does not practise the way of its restraint, he does not guard the eye faculty, he does not undertake the restraint of the eye faculty. On hearing a sound with the ear…On smelling an odour with the nose…On tasting a flavour with the tongue…On touching a tangible with the body…On cognizing a mind-object with the mind, he grasps at its signs and features. Even though, when he leaves the mind faculty unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade him, he does not practise the way of its restraint, he does not guard the mind faculty, he does not undertake the restraint of the mind faculty. That is how a bhikkhu fails to dress wounds.

8. “How does a bhikkhu fail to smoke out the sheds? Here a bhikkhu does not teach others in detail the Dhamma as he has learned it and mastered it. That is how a bhikkhu fails to smoke out the sheds.

9. “How does a bhikkhu not know the ford? Here a bhikkhu does not go from time to time to those bhikkhus who have learned much, who are well versed in the tradition, who maintain the Dhamma, the Discipline, and the Codes,365 and he does not enquire and ask questions of them thus: ‘How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?’ These venerable ones do not reveal to him what has not been revealed, do not clarify what is not clear, or remove his doubts about the numerous things that give rise to doubt. That is how a bhikkhu does not know the ford.

10. “How does a bhikkhu not know what it is to have drunk? Here, when the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata is being taught, a bhikkhu does not gain inspiration in the meaning, does not gain inspiration in the Dhamma, does not gain gladness connected with the Dhamma.366 That is how a bhikkhu does not know what it is to have drunk.

11. “How does a bhikkhu not know the road? Here a bhikkhu does not understand the Noble Eightfold Path as it actually is. That is how a bhikkhu does not know the road.

12. “How is a bhikkhu unskilled in pastures? Here a bhikkhu does not understand the four foundations of mindfulness as they actually are. That is how [222] a bhikkhu is unskilled in pastures.367

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