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By Root 6124 0

out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a cat, waiting for a mouse by an alley or drain or rubbish bin, meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a donkey unladen, standing by a door-post or a dustbin or a drain, meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, so too, these bald-pated recluses, these swarthy menial offspring of the Kinsman’s feet, claim: “We are meditators, we are meditators!” and with shoulders drooping, heads down and all limp, they meditate, premeditate, out-meditate, and mismeditate.’ Now, Evil One, on that occasion most of those human beings, when they died, reappeared on the dissolution of the body, after death, in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. [335]

14. “Then the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, addressed the bhikkhus thus: ‘Bhikkhus, the Māra Dūsī has taken possession of the brahmin householders, telling them: “Come now, abuse, revile, scold, and harass the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed by you, some change will come about in their mind whereby the Māra Dūsī may find an opportunity.” Come, bhikkhus, abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to yourselves, abide pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will. Abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion…with a mind imbued with altruistic joy…with a mind imbued with equanimity… abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will.’526

15. “So, Evil One, when those bhikkhus had been thus advised and instructed by the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, then, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, they abided pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness…with a mind imbued with compassion…with a mind imbued with appreciative joy…with a mind imbued with equanimity…without hostility and without ill will.

16. “Then, Evil One, the Māra Dūsī considered thus: ‘Though I do as I am doing, still I do not know the coming or the going of these virtuous bhikkhus of good character. Let me now take possession of the brahmin householders, telling them: “Come now, honour, respect, revere, and venerate the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; [336] then perhaps, when they are honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Māra Dūsī may find an opportunity.”’527

17. “Then, Evil One, the Māra Dūsī took possession of those brahmin householders, telling them: ‘Come now, honour, respect, revere, and venerate the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Māra Dūsī may find an opportunity.’ Then, when the Māra Dūsī had taken possession of the brahmin householders, they honoured, respected, revered, and venerated the virtuous bhikkhus of good character. Now, Evil One, on that occasion most of those human beings, when they died, reappeared on the dissolution of the body, after death, in a happy destination, even the heavenly world.

18. “Then, Evil One, the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, addressed the bhikkhus thus: ‘Bhikkhus, the Māra Dūsī has taken possession of those brahmin householders, telling them: “Come now, honour, respect, revere, and venerate the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Māra Dūsī may find an opportunity.” Come, bhikkhus, abide contemplating foulness in the body, perceiving repulsiveness in nutriment, perceiving disenchantment with all the