Thus have I heard:

At one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Then the venerable Cunda the Great, emerging towards evening from solitary meditation, approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance. As he was sitting down at a respectful distance the venerable Cunda the Great spoke thus to the Lord:

“Those various types of views, Lord, that arise in the world and are connected with theories of the self or with theories of the world, does there come to be ejection of these views, does there come to be renunciation of these views for a monk who wisely reflects from the beginning?”

“Those various types of views, Cunda, that arise in the world and are connected with theories of the self or with theories of the world, wherever these views arise and wherever they obsess (the mind) and wherever they are current, it is by seeing them with perfect wisdom as they really are, thus: ‘This is not mine, this am I not, this is not my self,’ that there is ejection of these views, that there is renunciation of these views.

The situation occurs, Cunda, when a monk here, aloof from pleasures of the senses, aloof from unskilled states of mind, may enter on and abide in the first meditation which is accompanied by initial thought and discursive thought, is born of aloofness, and is rapturous and joyful. It may occur to him: ‘I fare along by expunging.’ But these, Cunda, are not called expungings in the discipline for an ariyan; these are called: ‘abidings in ease here-now’ in the discipline for an ariyan.

This situation occurs, Cunda, when some monk here, by allaying initial thought and discursive thought, with the mind subjectively tranquillised and fixed on one point, may enter on and abide in the second meditation which is devoid of initial and discursive thought, is born of concentration, and is rapturous and joyful. It may occur to him: ‘I fare along by expunging.’ But these, Cunda, are not called expungings in the discipline for an ariyan; these are called ‘abidings in ease here-now’ in the discipline for an ariyan.

This situation occurs, Cunda, when some monk here, by the fading out of rapture, may abide with equanimity, attentive, and clearly conscious, and may experience in his person that joy of which the ariyans say: ‘Joyful lives he who has equanimity and is mindful,’ and may enter on and abide in the third meditation. It may occur to him: ‘I fare along by expunging.’ But these, Cunda, are not called expungings in the discipline for an ariyan; these are called: ‘abidings in ease here-now’ in the discipline for an ariyan.

This situation occurs, Cunda, when some monk here, by getting rid of joy, by getting rid of anguish, by the going down of his former pleasures and sorrows, may enter on and abide in the fourth meditation which has neither anguish nor joy, and that is entirely purified by equanimity and mindfulness. It may occur to him: ‘I fare along by expunging.’ But these, Cunda, are not called expungings in the discipline for an ariyan; these are called: ‘abidings in ease here-now’ in the discipline for an ariyan.

This situation occurs, Cunda, when some monk here, by wholly transcending perceptions of material shapes, by the going down of perceptions due to sensory impressions, by not reflecting on the perceptions of multiformity, thinking: ‘Ether is unending,’ may enter on and abide in the plane of infinite ether. It may occur to him: ‘I fare along by expunging.’ But these, Cunda, are not called expungings in the discipline for an ariyan; these are called: ‘abidings that are peaceful’ in the discipline for an ariyan.

This situation occurs, Cunda, when some monk here, by wholly transcending the plane of infinite ether, thinking: ‘Consciousness is unending,’ may enter on and abide in the plane of infinite consciousness. It may occur to him: ‘I fare along by expunging.’ But these, Cunda, are not called expungings in the discipline for an ariyan; these are called: ‘abidings that are peaceful’ in the discipline for an ariyan.

This situation occurs, Cunda, when some monk here, by wholly transcending the plane of infinite consciousness, thinking: ‘There is no-thing,’ may enter on and abide in the plane of no-thing. It may occur to him: ‘I fare along by expunging.’ But these, Cunda, are not called expungings in the discipline for an ariyan; these are called: ‘abidings that are peaceful’ in the discipline for an ariyan.

This situation occurs, Cunda, when some monk here, by wholly transcending the plane of no-thing, may enter on and abide in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. It may occur to him: ‘I fare along by expunging.’ But these, Cunda, are not called expungings in the discipline for an ariyan; these are called: ‘abidings that are peaceful’ in the discipline for an ariyan.

Herein, Cunda, is expunging to be done by you, thinking:

‘Others may be harmful; we, as to this, will not be harmful’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be those to make onslaught on creatures; we, as to this, will be those who are restrained from making onslaught on creatures’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be takers of what is not given; we, as to this, will be restrained from taking what is not given’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be non-Brahma-farers; we, as to this will be Brahma-farers’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be speakers of lies; we, as to this, will be restrained from lying speech’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of harsh speech; we, as to this, will be restrained from harsh speech’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of rough speech; we, as to this, will be restrained from rough speech’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of frivolous speech; we, as to this, will be restrained from frivolous speech’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be covetous; we, as to this, will be non-covetous’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be corrupt in mind; we, as to this, will be incorrupt in mind.’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong view; we, as to this, will be of perfect view’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong thoughts; we, as to this, will be of perfect thoughts’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong speech; we, as to this, will be of perfect speech’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong activity; we, as to this, will be of perfect activity’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of a wrong way of living; we, as to this, will be of perfect way of living’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong endeavour; we, as to this, will be of perfect endeavour’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong mindfulness; we, as to this, will be of perfect mindfulness’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong concentration; we, as to this, will be of perfect concentration’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong knowledge; we, as to this, will be of perfect knowledge’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be of wrong freedom; we, as to this, will be of perfect freedom’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be encompassed by sloth and torpor; we, as to this, will be without sloth and torpor, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be puffed up; we, as to this, will not be puffed up’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be doubtful; we, as to this, will be crossed over doubt’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be wrathful; we, as to this, will be without wrath’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be rancorous; we, as to this, will not be rancorous, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be harsh; we, as to this, will not be harsh, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be spiteful; we, as to this, will be without spite’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be envious; we, as to this, will be without envy, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be grudging; we, as to this, will be not grudging’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be treacherous; we, as to this, will be not treacherous’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be deceitful; we, as to this, will be not deceitful, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be stubborn; we, as to this, will be not stubborn, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be proud; we, as to this, will be not proud, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be difficult to speak to; we, as to this, will be easy to speak to, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be friends of those who are evil; we, as to this, will be friends of those who are lovely’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be indolent; we, as to this, will be diligent’, so is expunging to be done.
‘Others may be lacking in faith; we, as to this, will be of faith’, so is expunging to be done.
Others may be shameless; we, as to this, will feel shame’, so is expunging to be done.
Others may be reckless; we, as to this, will be cautious’, so is expunging to be done.
Others may be those who have heard little; we, as to this, will have heard much’, so is expunging to be done.
Others may be lazy; we, as to this, will be of stirred up energy’, so is expunging to be done.
Others may be of muddled mindfulness; we, as to this, will be those with mindfulness set up before us.’, so is expunging to be done.
Others may be weak in wisdom; we, as to this, will be endowed with wisdom’, so is expunging to be done.
Others may seize the temporal, grasping it tightly, not letting go of it easily; we, as to this, will not seize the temporal, not grasping it tightly, letting go of it easily’, so is expunging to be done.

Now I, Cunda, say that the arising of thought is very helpful in regard to skilled states (of mind), not to speak of gesture and speech that are in conformity (with thought).

Therefore, Cunda, the thought should arise:

‘Others may be harmful; we, as to this, will not be harmful.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be those to make onslaught on creatures; we, as to this, will be those who are restrained from making onslaught on creatures.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be takers of what is not given; we, as to this, will be restrained from taking what is not given.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be non-Brahma-farers; we, as to this will be Brahma-farers.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be speakers of lies; we, as to this, will be restrained from lying speech.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of harsh speech; we, as to this, will be restrained from harsh speech.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of rough speech; we, as to this, will be restrained from rough speech.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of frivolous speech; we, as to this, will be restrained from frivolous speech.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be covetous; we, as to this, will be non-covetous.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be corrupt in mind; we, as to this, will be incorrupt in mind.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong view; we, as to this, will be of perfect view.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong thoughts; we, as to this, will be of perfect thoughts.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong speech; we, as to this, will be of perfect speech.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong activity; we, as to this, will be of perfect activity.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of a wrong way of living; we, as to this, will be of perfect way of living.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong endeavour; we, as to this, will be of perfect endeavour.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong mindfulness; we, as to this, will be of perfect mindfulness.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong concentration; we, as to this, will be of perfect concentration.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong knowledge; we, as to this, will be of perfect knowledge.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of wrong freedom; we, as to this, will be of perfect freedom.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be encompassed by sloth and torpor; we, as to this, will be without sloth and torpor.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be puffed up; we, as to this, will not be puffed up.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be doubtful; we, as to this, will be crossed over doubt.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be wrathful; we, as to this, will be without wrath.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be rancorous; we, as to this, will not be rancorous.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be harsh; we, as to this, will not be harsh.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be spiteful; we, as to this, will be without spite.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be envious; we, as to this, will be without envy.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be grudging; we, as to this, will be not grudging.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be treacherous; we, as to this, will be not treacherous.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be deceitful; we, as to this, will be not deceitful.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be stubborn; we, as to this, will be not stubborn.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be proud; we, as to this, will be not proud.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be difficult to speak to; we, as to this, will be easy to speak to.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be friends of those who are evil; we, as to this, will be friends of those who are lovely.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be indolent; we, as to this, will be diligent.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be lacking in faith; we, as to this, will be of faith.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be shameless; we, as to this, will feel shame.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be reckless; we, as to this, will be cautious.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be those who have heard little; we, as to this, will have heard much.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be lazy; we, as to this, will be of stirred up energy.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be of muddled mindfulness; we, as to this, will be those with mindfulness set up before us.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may be weak in wisdom; we, as to this, will be endowed with wisdom.’
The thought should arise:

‘Others may seize the temporal, grasping it tightly, not letting go of it easily; we, as to this, will not seize the temporal, not grasping it tightly, letting go of it easily.’

Cunda, like an uneven road although there may be another even road for going by; and, Cunda, like an uneven ford although there may be another even ford for going by; even so, Cunda,

there is non-harming for a harmful individual to go by;
there is restraint from onslaught on creatures for an individual to go by who makes onslaught on creatures;
there is restraint from taking what is not given for an individual to go by who is a taker of what is not given;
there is the Brahma-faring to go by for an individual to go by who is a non-Brahma-farer;
there is restraint from lying speech to go by for an individual to go by who is of lying speech;
there is restraint from harsh speech to go by for an individual to go by who is of harsh speech;
there is restraint from rough speech to go by for an individual to go by who is of rough speech;
there is restraint from frivolous speech to go by for an individual to go by who is of frivolous speech;
there is non-coveting to go by for an individual to go by who is covetous;
there is incorruption of mind to go by for an individual to go by who is corrupt in mind;
there is perfect view to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong view;
there is perfect thought to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong thought;
there is perfect speech to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong speech;
there is perfect activity to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong activity;
there is perfect way of living to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong way of living;
there is perfect endeavour to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong endeavour;
there is perfect mindfulness to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong mindfulness;
there is perfect concentration to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong concentration;
there is perfect knowledge to go by for an individual to go by who is of wrong knowledge;
there is perfect freedom to go by for an individual to go by who is wrong freedom;
there is being without sloth and torpor to go by for an individual to go by who is encompassed by sloth and torpor;
there is not being puffed up to go by for an individual to go by who is puffed up;
there is being crossed over doubt to go by for an individual to go by who is doubtful;
there is being without wrath to go by for an individual to go by who is wrathful;
there is non-rancour to go by for an individual to go by who is rancorous;
there is non-disparagement to go by for an individual to go by who is disparaging;
there is non-spite to go by for an individual to go by who is spiteful;
there is non-jealousy to go by for an individual to go by who is jealous;
there is non-miserliness to go by for an individual to go by who is miserly;
there is non-treachery to go by for an individual to go by who is treacherous;
there is non-deceit to go by for an individual to go by who is deceitful;
there is non-stubbornness to go by for an individual to go by who is stubborn;
there is non-pride to go by for an individual to go by who is proud;
there is ease of being spoken to to go by for an individual to go by who is difficult to speak to;
there is friendship with those who are lovely to go by for an individual to go by who is friends of those who are evil;
there is diligence to go by for an individual to go by who is indolent;
there is faith to go by for an individual to go by who is lacking in faith;
there is shame to go by for an individual to go by who is shameless;
there is caution to go by for an individual to go by who is reckless;
there is having heard much to go by for an individual to go by who has heard little;
there is stirred up energy to go by for an individual to go by who is lazy;
there is setting up mindfulness before one to go by for an individual to go by who is of muddled mindfulness;
there is endowment with wisdom to go by for an individual to go by who is weak in wisdom;
there is there is not seizing the temporal, not grasping it tightly, letting it go easily for the individual to go by who seizes the temporal, grasps it tightly, letting go of it with difficulty.

Cunda, as every unskilled state (of mind) leads downwards, as every skilled state (of mind) leads upwards, even so, Cunda,

does non-harming come to be a higher state for an individual who is harmful;
does restraint from onslaught on creatures come to be a higher state for an individual who makes onslaught on creatures;
does restraint from taking what is not given come to be a higher state for an individual who is a taker of what is not given;
does the Brahma-faring come to be a higher state for an individual who is a non-Brahma-farer;
does restraint from lying speech come to be a higher state for an individual who is of lying speech;
does restraint from harsh speech come to be a higher state for an individual who is of harsh speech;
does restraint from rough speech come to be a higher state for an individual who is of rough speech;
does restraint from frivolous speech come to be a higher state for an individual who is of frivolous speech;
does non-coveting come to be a higher state for an individual who is covetous;
does in-corruption of mind come to be a higher state for an individual who is corrupt in mind;
does perfect view come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong view;
does perfect thought come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong thought;
does perfect speech come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong speech;
does perfect activity come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong activity;
does perfect way of living come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong way of living;
does perfect endeavour come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong endeavour;
does perfect mindfulness come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong mindfulness;
does perfect concentration come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong concentration;
does perfect knowledge come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong knowledge;
does perfect freedom come to be a higher state for an individual who is of wrong freedom;
does being without sloth and torpor come to be a higher state for an individual who is encompassed by sloth and torpor;
does not being puffed up come to be a higher state for an individual who is puffed up;
does being crossed over doubt come to be a higher state for an individual who is doubtful;
does being without wrath come to be a higher state for an individual who wrathful;
does non-rancour come to be a higher state for an individual who is rancorous;
does non-disparagement come to be a higher state for an individual who is disparaging;
does non-spite come to be a higher state for an individual who is spiteful;
does non-jealousy come to be a higher state for an individual who is jealous;
does non-miserliness come to be a higher state for an individual who is miserly;
does non-treachery come to be a higher state for an individual who is treacherous;
does non-deceit come to be a higher state for an individual who is deceitful;
does non-stubbornness come to be a higher state for an individual who is stubborn;
does non-pride come to be a higher state for an individual who is proud;
does ease of being spoken to come to be a higher state for an individual who is difficult to speak to;
does friendship with those who are lovely come to be a higher state for an individual who is friends of those who are evil;
does diligence come to be a higher state for an individual who is indolent;
does faith come to be a higher state for an individual who is lacking in faith;
does shame come to be a higher state for an individual who is shameless;
does caution come to be a higher state for an individual who is reckless;
does having heard much come to be a higher state for an individual who has heard little;
does stirred up energy come to be a higher state for an individual who is lazy;
does setting up mindfulness before one come to be a higher state for an individual who is of muddled mindfulness;
does endowment with wisdom come to be a higher state for an individual who is weak in wisdom;
does not seizing the temporal, not grasping it tightly, letting it go easily come to be a higher state for an individual who seizes the temporal, grasps it tightly, letting go of it with difficulty.

This situation does not occur, Cunda, when one sunk into mud will by himself pull out another who is sunk into mud. But this situation occurs, Cunda, when one not sunk into mud will by himself pull out another who is sunk into mud.

This situation does not occur, Cunda, when one who is not tamed, not trained, not utterly quenched, will by himself tame, train, make another utterly quenched. But this situation occurs, Cunda, when one who is tamed, trained, utterly quenched, will by himself tame, train, make another utterly quenched.

Even so, Cunda,

there is non-harming by means of utter quenching for an individual who is harmful;
there is restraint from onslaught on creatures by means of utter quenching for an individual who makes onslaught on creatures;
there is restraint from taking what is not given by means of utter quenching for an individual who is a taker of what is not given;
there is the Brahma-faring by means of utter quenching for an individual who is a non-Brahma-farer;
there is restraint from lying speech by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of lying speech;
there is restraint from harsh speech by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of harsh speech;
there is restraint from rough speech by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of rough speech;
there is restraint from frivolous speech by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of frivolous speech;
there is non-coveting by means of utter quenching for an individual who is covetous;
there is in-corruption of mind by means of utter quenching for an individual who is corrupt in mind;
there is perfect view by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong view;
there is perfect thought by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong thought;
there is perfect speech by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong speech;
there is perfect activity by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong activity;
there is perfect way of living by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong way of living;
there is perfect endeavour by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong endeavour;
there is perfect mindfulness by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong mindfulness;
there is perfect concentration by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong concentration;
there is perfect knowledge by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong knowledge;
there is perfect freedom by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of wrong freedom;
there is being without sloth and torpor by means of utter quenching for an individual who is encompassed by sloth and torpor;
there is not being puffed up by means of utter quenching for an individual who is puffed up;
there is being crossed over doubt by means of utter quenching for an individual who is doubtful;
there is being without wrath by means of utter quenching for an individual who wrathful;
there is non-rancour by means of utter quenching for an individual who is rancorous;
there is non-disparagement by means of utter quenching for an individual who is disparaging;
there is non-spite by means of utter quenching for an individual who is spiteful;
there is non-jealousy by means of utter quenching for an individual who is jealous;
there is non-miserliness by means of utter quenching for an individual who is miserly;
there is non-treachery by means of utter quenching for an individual who is treacherous;
there is non-deceit by means of utter quenching for an individual who is deceitful;
there is non-stubbornness by means of utter quenching for an individual who is stubborn;
there is non-pride by means of utter quenching for an individual who is proud;
there is ease of being spoken to by means of utter quenching for an individual who is difficult to speak to;
there is friendship with those who are lovely by means of utter quenching for an individual who is friends of those who are evil;
there is diligence by means of utter quenching for an individual who is indolent;
there is faith by means of utter quenching for an individual who is lacking in faith;
there is shame by means of utter quenching for an individual who is shameless;
there is caution by means of utter quenching for an individual who is reckless;
there is having heard much by means of utter quenching for an individual who has heard little;
there is stirred up energy by means of utter quenching for an individual who is lazy;
there is setting up mindfulness before one by means of utter quenching for an individual who is of muddled mindfulness;
there is endowment with wisdom by means of utter quenching for an individual who is weak in wisdom;
there is not seizing the temporal, not grasping it tightly, letting it go easily come to be a higher state for an individual who seizes the temporal, grasps it tightly, letting go of it with difficulty.

In this manner, Cunda, is taught by me the disquisition on expunging, is taught the disquisition on the uprising of thought, is taught the disquisition on going by, is taught the disquisition on upwards, is taught the disquisition on utter quenching. Whatever, Cunda, is to be done from compassion by a teacher seeking the welfare of his disciples, that has been done by me out of compassion for you. These, Cunda, are the roots of trees, these are empty places. Meditate, Cunda; do not be slothful; be not remorseful later. This is our instruction to you.”

Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, the venerable Cunda rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

Discourse on Expunging: The Eighth

The Middle Discourses

|_A. The First Fifty

|__I. The Chapter on the Root of All Things

MN8. Discourse on Expunging

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