Insight

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

[151] [104]

[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these eight conditions,
eight causes
conducive to getting wisdom,^[1] not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,^[2]
made perfect.

■

What eight?

Monks, herein a monk dwells near the Teacher,
or some comrade in the godly life,
whom he regards as teacher,
so that he is firmly established in conscientiousness,
fear of blame,
love
and respect.

This is the first condition,
the first cause
conducive to getting wisdom, not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,
made perfect.

■

[105] So dwelling and so established,
from time to time he approaches his teachers,
questioning and inquiring of them thus:

"Sirs, how is this?

What is the meaning of this?"

To him those reverend sirs reveal what is hidden,
explain the obscure and dispel doubt in many perplexing matters.^[3]

This is the second condition,
the second cause
conducive to getting wisdom, not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,
made perfect.

■

When he has heard Dhamma
he strives in twofold seclusion,
that of the body
and that of the mind.

This is the third condition,
the third cause
conducive to getting wisdom, not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,
made perfect.

■

He is virtuous
and lives restrained by the restraint of the Obligations;^[4]
he is perfect in conduct and habit,
seeing danger in the smallest fault;
he undertakes and trains himself
in the preceptual training.

This is the fourth condition,
the fourth cause
conducive to getting wisdom, not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,
made perfect.

■

Learned is he,
with memory retentive
and well stored.

Those tenets,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle
and lively in the end,
which set forth in spirit
and in letter
the godly life of purity,
perfect in its entirety -
even those are fully mastered by him,
resolved upon,
familiarized by speech,
pondered over in mind,^[5]
fully understood in theory.

This is the fifth condition,
the fifth cause
conducive to getting wisdom, not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,
made perfect.

■

Living resolute,
he puts away all unrighteousness
and takes to righteous conditions.

Firm and energetic,
he shirks not the burden of righteousness.^[6]

This is the sixth condition,
the sixth cause
conducive to getting wisdom, not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,
made perfect.

■

Moreover, he frequents^[7] the Order;
he is no gossip;^[8]
nor talker on childish matters;
either he speaks on Dhamma himself
or asks it of another;
nor does he neglect the Ariyan silence.^[9]

This is the seventh condition,
the seventh cause
conducive to getting wisdom, not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,
made perfect.

■

Furthermore, he abides in the contemplation
of the rise and fall
of the five skandhas of attachment,
thinking:

"Such is form,
such is its coming-to-be,
such is its passing away;"

so in respect to feelings,
perceptions,
the activities
[106] and consciousness.^[10]

This is the eighth condition,
the eighth cause
conducive to getting wisdom, not yet gotten,
as to first things in godly living;
and, when gotten,
to making it become more,
to its development,
so that it is made-become,
made perfect.

Presently, his fellows in the godly life
honour him thus:

"This reverend sir dwells near the Teacher,
or some comrade in the godly life,
whom he regards as teacher,
and there is firmly established in conscientiousness,
fear of blame,
love
and respect.

Surely this reverend sir is one who,
knowing, knows
and, seeing, sees.^[11]

Verily this condition is conducive
to the state of being dear and esteemed,
to becoming made-become,
to recluseship
and to singleness (of mind)
in making become.^[12]^[13]

■

"This reverend sir so dwelling and so established,
from time to time approaches his teachers,
questioning and inquiring of them thus:

"Sirs, how is this?

What is the meaning of this?"

To him those reverend sirs reveal what is hidden,
explain the obscure and dispel doubt in many perplexing matters.

■

Surely this reverend sir is one who,
knowing, knows
and, seeing, sees.