43.



On a certain occasion the Exalted One addressed the monks as follows:

"Four in number are the Courses of Conduct.

"What are the Four?

"There is a Course of Conduct which gives pain now and ripens in pain hereafter.

"There is a Course of Conduct which gives pleasure now and ripens in pain hereafter.

"There is a Course of Conduct which gives pain now and ripens in pleasure hereafter.

"There is a Course of Conduct which gives pleasure now and ripens in pleasure hereafter.

"Here in this world many a man, with pain, with grief, is a murderer, a thief, a fornicator and adulterer, a liar, a backbiter, a calumniator, a trifler, covetous, malevolent of spirit, a holder of false views. Because of this, he experiences pain and grief. Such a man, upon dissolution of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of loss, in a state of suffering, in a state of punishment, in hell. This is what is meant by the Course of Conduct which gives pain now and ripens in pain hereafter.

"Here in this world many a man, with pleasure, with satisfaction, is a murderer, a thief, a fornicator and adulterer, a liar, a backbiter, a calumniator, a trifler, covetous, malevolent of spirit, a holder of false views. Because of this, he experiences pleasure and satisfaction. Such a man, upon dissolution of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of loss, in a state of suffering, in a state of punishment, in hell. This is what is meant by the Course of Conduct which gives pleasure now and ripens in pain hereafter.

"Here in this world many a man, with pain, with grief, refrains from murder, theft, fornication and adultery, lying, backhiting, calumny, trifling, covetousness, malevolence of spirit, and is a holder of orthodox views. Because of this, he experiences pain and grief. Such a man, upon dissolution of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of bliss, in heaven. This is what is meant by the Course of Conduct which gives pain now and ripens in pleasure hereafter.

"Here in this world many a man, with pleasure, with satisfaction, refrains from murder, theft, fornication and adultery, lying, back-biting, calumny, trifling, covetousness, malevolence of spirit, and is a holder of orthodox views. Because of this, he experiences pleasure and satisfaction. Such a man, upon dissolution of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of bliss, in heaven. This is what is meant by the Course of Conduct which gives pleasure now and ripens in pleasure hereafter.

"These, monks, are the Four Courses of Conduct.

"It is precisely as if there were a bitter calabash mingled with poison, and a man were to approach,--desiring to live, not desiring to die,--desiring pleasure, averse to pain,--and they were to say to that man: 'Ho, fellow! here is a bitter calabash mingled with poison! if you wish, drink! But if you drink, it will not please you, either with color or with odor or with flavor. Moreover, by drinking, you will incur either death or mortal pain.'

"He would drink it without reflecting; he would not refuse. But when he drank it, it would not please him, either with color or with odor or with flavor. Moreover, by drinking, he would incur either death or mortal pain.

"This, I say, is a parable of the First Course of Conduct; namely, the Course of Conduct which gives pain now and ripens in pain hereafter.

"It is precisely as if there were a cup of water, possessing color, possessing odor, possessing flavor, and it were mingled with poison, and a man were to approach,--desiring to live, not desiring to die,--desiring pleasure, averse to pain,--and they were to say to that man: 'Ho, fellow! here is a cup of water, possessing color, possessing odor, possessing flavor, and it is mingled with poison. If you wish, drink! For if you drink, it will please you, both with color and with odor and with flavor. But by drinking, you will incur either death or mortal pain.' He would drink it without reflecting; he would not refuse. For when he drank it, it would please him, both with color and with odor and with flavor. But by drinking, he would incur either death or mortal pain.

"This, I say, is a parable of the Second Course of Conduct; namely, the Course of Conduct which gives pleasure now and ripens in pain hereafter.

"It is precisely as if there were some stale urine mingled with various medicaments, and a man suffering from jaundice were to approach, and they were to say to him: 'Ho, fellow! here is some stale urine mingled with various medicaments! if you wish, drink! For if you drink, it will not please you, either with color or with odor or with flavor; but by drinking, you will recover your health.' He would drink it without reflecting; he would not refuse. For when he drank it, it would not please him, either with color or with odor or with flavor; but by drinking, he would recover his health.

"This, I say, is a parable of the Third Course of Conduct; namely, the Course of Conduct which gives pain now and ripens in pleasure hereafter.

"It is precisely as if there were some curds and honey and ghee and jaggery, mingled together, and a man suffering from dysentery were to approach, and they were to say to him: 'Ho, fellow! here are curds and honey and ghee and jaggery, mingled together! if you wish, drink! If you drink, it will please you, both with color and with odor and with flavor. Moreover, by drinking, you will recover your health.' He would drink it without reflecting; he would not refuse. When he drank, it would please him, both with color and with odor and with flavor. Moreover, by drinking, he would recover his health.

"This, I say, is a parable of the Fourth Course of Conduct; namely, the Course of Conduct which gives pleasure now and ripens in pleasure hereafter.

"Just as when, in the last of the rainy months, in the autumn time, the sun pierces the clouds and drives away the thunder-heads, and smites and overwhelms every mist of the air and every mist of the darkness, and beams and gleams and shines out, so also this Fourth Course of Conduct, which gives pleasure now and ripens in pleasure hereafter, smites all the perverse contentions of unconverted monks and Brahmans, and beams and gleams and shines out." Thus spoke the Exalted One. Delighted in heart, those monks applauded the utterances of the Exalted One.