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By Root 5852 0

mind undefiled. Suppose a bronze dish were brought from a shop or smithy clean and bright, and the owners used it and had it cleaned and did not put it in a dusty corner. Would the bronze dish thus get cleaner and brighter later on?”—“Yes, friend.”—“So too, friend, when a person with no blemish understands it as it actually is thus: ‘I have no blemish in myself,’ it can be expected…that he will die…with mind undefiled. [27]

8. “This is the cause and reason why, of these two persons with a blemish, one is called the inferior man and one is called the superior man. This is the cause and reason why, of these two persons with no blemish, one is called the inferior man and one is called the superior man.

9. “‘Blemish, blemish,’ is said, friend, but what is this word ‘blemish’ a term for? ‘Blemish,’ friend, is a term for the spheres of evil unwholesome wishes.

10. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘If I commit an offence, let the bhikkhus not know that I have committed an offence.’ And it is possible that the bhikkhus come to know that that bhikkhu has committed an offence. So he is angry and bitter thus: ‘The bhikkhus know I have committed an offence.’ The anger and bitterness are both a blemish.

11. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘If I commit an offence, let the bhikkhus admonish me in private, not in the midst of the Sangha.’ And it is possible that the bhikkhus admonish that bhikkhu in the midst of the Sangha, not in private. So he is angry and bitter thus: ‘The bhikkhus admonish me in the midst of the Sangha, not in private.’ The anger and bitterness are both a blemish.

12. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘If I commit an offence, let a person who is my equal admonish me, not a person who is not my equal.’ And it is possible that a person not his equal admonishes him, not a person his equal. So he is angry and bitter thus: ‘A person not my equal admonishes me, not a person my equal.’ The anger and bitterness are both a blemish.

13. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘Oh that the Teacher might teach the Dhamma to the bhikkhus by asking a series of questions of me, not of some other bhikkhu!’ And it is possible that the Teacher teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus by asking a series of questions of some other bhikkhu, [28] not of that bhikkhu. So he is angry and bitter thus: ‘The Teacher teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus by asking a series of questions of some other bhikkhu, not of me.’ The anger and bitterness are both a blemish.

14. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘Oh that the bhikkhus might enter the village for alms putting me in the forefront, not some other bhikkhu!’ And it is possible that the bhikkhus enter the village for alms putting some other bhikkhu in the forefront, not that bhikkhu. So he is angry and bitter thus: ‘The bhikkhus enter the village for alms putting some other bhikkhu in the forefront, not me.’ The anger and bitterness are both a blemish.

15. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘Oh that I might get the best seat, the best water, the best almsfood in the refectory, not some other bhikkhu!’ And it is possible that some other bhikkhu gets the best seat…

16. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘Oh that I might give the blessing in the refectory after the meal, not some other bhikkhu!’ And it is possible that some other bhikkhu gives the blessing…

17–20. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘Oh that I might teach the Dhamma to the bhikkhus…that I might teach the Dhamma to the bhikkhunīs…men lay followers…women lay followers visiting the monastery, not some other bhikkhu!’ And it is possible that some other bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma [29]…

21–24. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘Oh that the bhikkhus…bhikkhunīs…men lay followers…women lay followers might honour, respect, revere, and venerate me, not some other bhikkhu!’ And it is possible that they honour…some other bhikkhu…

25–28. “It is possible that a bhikkhu here might wish: ‘Oh that I might