The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [434]
“But a true man considers thus: ‘It is not because of one’s renown that states of greed, hatred, or delusion are destroyed. Even though someone may not be well known and famous, yet if he has entered upon the way that accords with the Dhamma, entered upon the proper way, and conducts himself according to the Dhamma, he should be honoured for that, he should be praised for that.’ So, putting the practice of the way first, he neither lauds himself nor disparages others because of his renown. This too is the character of a true man. [39]
8. “Moreover, an untrue man who gains robes, almsfood, resting places, and requisites of medicine considers thus: ‘I gain robes, almsfood, resting places, and requisites of medicine; but these other bhikkhus do not gain these things.’ So he lauds himself and disparages others because of gain. This too is the character of an untrue man.
“But a true man considers thus: ‘It is not because of gain that states of greed, hatred, or delusion are destroyed. Even though someone has no gain, yet if he has entered upon the way that accords with the Dhamma, entered upon the proper way, and conducts himself according to the Dhamma, he should be honoured for that, he should be praised for that.’ So, putting the practice of the way first, he neither lauds himself nor disparages others because of gain. This too is the character of a true man.
9–20. “Moreover, an untrue man who is learned…who is expert in the Discipline…[40]…who is a preacher of the Dhamma…who is a forest dweller…who is a refuse-rag wearer…[41]…an almsfood eater...a tree-root dweller...[42]...a charnel-ground dweller...an open-air dweller...a continual sitter…an any-bed dweller...an open-air dweller...a continual sitter...an any-bed user…a one-session eater considers thus: ‘I am a one-session eater; but these other bhikkhus are not one-session eaters.’1065 So he lauds himself and disparages others because of his being a one-session eater. This too is the character of an untrue man.
“But a true man considers thus: ‘It is not because of being a one-session eater that states of greed, hatred, or delusion are destroyed. Even though someone may not be a one-session eater, yet if he has entered upon the way that accords with the Dhamma, entered upon the proper way, and conducts himself according to the Dhamma, he should be honoured for that, he should be praised for that.’ So, putting the practice of the way first, he neither lauds himself nor disparages others because of his being a one-session eater. This too is the character of a true man.
21. “Moreover, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, an untrue man enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. He considers thus: ‘I have gained the attainment of the first jhāna; but these other bhikkhus have not gained the attainment of the first jhāna.’ So he lauds himself and disparages others because of his attainment of the first jhāna. This too is the character of an untrue man.
“But a true man considers thus: ‘Non-identification even with the attainment of the first jhāna has been declared by the Blessed One; for in whatever way they conceive, the fact is ever other than that.’1066 [43] So, putting non-identification first, he neither lauds himself nor disparages others because of his attainment of the first jhāna. This too is the character of a true man.
22–24. “Moreover, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, an untrue man enters upon and abides in the second jhāna…With the fading away as well of rapture…he enters upon and abides in the third jhāna…With the abandoning of pleasure and pain…he enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna…
25. “Moreover, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ an untrue man enters upon and abides in the base of infinite space