The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [86]
21. “‘Then, friends, I shall ask you a question in return. Answer it as you like. What do you think, friends? Can King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha abide without moving his body or uttering a word, experiencing exclusively pleasure for seven days and nights?’—‘No, friend.’—‘Can King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha abide without moving his body or uttering a word, experiencing exclusively pleasure for six, five, four, three, or two days and nights?…for one day and night?’—‘No, friend.’
22. “‘But, friends, I can abide without moving my body or uttering a word, experiencing exclusively pleasure for one day and night…for two, three, four, five, and six days and nights…for seven days and nights.211 What do you think, friends? That being so, who dwells in greater pleasure, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or I?’
“‘That being so, [95] the venerable Gotama abides in greater pleasure than King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha.’”
That is what the Blessed One said. Mahānāma the Sakyan was satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
Anumāna Sutta
Inference
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the venerable Mahā Moggallāna was living in the Bhagga country at Suṁsumāragira in the Bhesakalā Grove, the Deer Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Friends, bhikkhus.”—“Friend,” they replied. The venerable Mahā Moggallāna said this:
2. “Friends, though a bhikkhu asks thus: ‘Let the venerable ones admonish me,212 I need to be admonished by the venerable ones,’ yet if he is difficult to admonish and possesses qualities that make him difficult to admonish, if he is impatient and does not take instruction rightly, then his companions in the holy life think that he should not be admonished or instructed, they think of him as a person not to be trusted.
3. “What qualities make him difficult to admonish?
(1) Here a bhikkhu has evil wishes and is dominated by evil wishes;213 this is a quality that makes him difficult to admonish.
(2) Again, a bhikkhu lauds himself and disparages others; this is a quality that makes him difficult to admonish.
(3) Again, a bhikkhu is angry and is overcome by anger; this is a quality…
(4) Again, a bhikkhu is angry, and resentful because of anger…
(5) Again, a bhikkhu is angry, and stubborn because of anger…
(6) Again, a bhikkhu is angry, and he utters words bordering on anger…
(7) Again, a bhikkhu is reproved, and he resists the reprover…
(8) Again, a bhikkhu is reproved, and he denigrates the reprover…
(9) Again, [96] a bhikkhu is reproved, and he counter-reproves the reprover…
(10) Again, a bhikkhu is reproved, and he prevaricates, leads the talk aside, and shows anger, hate, and bitterness…
(11) Again, a bhikkhu is reproved, and he fails to account for his conduct…
(12) Again, a bhikkhu is contemptuous and insolent…
(13) Again, a bhikkhu is envious and avaricious…
(14) Again, a bhikkhu is fraudulent and deceitful…
(15) Again, a bhikkhu is obstinate and arrogant…
(16) Again, a bhikkhu adheres to his own views, holds on to them tenaciously, and relinquishes them with difficulty; this is a quality that makes him difficult to admonish.214
“Friends, these are called the qualities that make him difficult to admonish.
4. “Friends, though a bhikkhu does not ask thus: ‘Let the venerable ones admonish me; I need to be admonished by the venerable ones,’ yet if he is easy to admonish and possesses qualities that make him easy to admonish, if he is patient and takes instruction rightly, then his companions in the holy life think that he should be admonished and instructed, and they think of him as a person to be trusted.
5. “What qualities make him easy to admonish?
(1) Here a bhikkhu has no evil wishes and is not dominated by evil wishes; this is a quality that makes him easy to admonish.
(2) Again, a bhikkhu does not laud