..續本文上一頁he abandoning of all those bad and unwholesome qualities.

　　"Just as a man whose clothes or turban are on fire will apply his utmost zeal and energy, effort and exertion, as well as mindfulness and clear comprehension, so that he may extinguish the fire; even so, for the abandoning of those bad and unwholesome qualities the monk should apply his utmost zeal and energy...

　　"But if that monk, on examining himself, finds that he is (more) often without covetousness and ill-will, (more) often free from sloth and torpor, from excitement and doubt; (more) often free from anger; and finds that his mind is (more) often undefiled and his body free of restlessness; that he is (more) often energetic and well concentrated — then grounding himself firmly in all these wholesome qualities, he should (go) beyond (that) and make an effort for the elimination of the cankers.

　　— AN 10.51

　　22. DO NOT STAGNATE!

　　"I do not approve, monks, of stagnation in things wholesome, not to speak of a decline. It is growth in things wholesome that I praise, and not stagnation, nor decline in them."

　　— AN 10.53 (extract)

　　23. THE ROOTS OF EVERYTHING

　　"... It may be, monks, that wandering ascetics of another persuasion should ask you: ”In what are all things rooted

　　 Whereby do they come to actual existence

　　 Where do they arise

　　 Where do they converge

　　 What is the foremost in all things

　　 What is their master

　　 What is the highest of all things

　　 What is the essence in all things

　　 Where do all things merge

　　 Where do they end

　　”

　　"If thus questioned, monks, you should reply in the following way:

　　"”All things are rooted in the will.[51] All things come to actual existence through attention.[52] All things arise from contact. All things converge on feelings. Of all things the foremost is concentration.[53] All things are mastered by mindfulness. Of all things the highest is wisdom. In all things the essence is liberation. All things merge in the Deathless. And Nibbaana is the ending of all things.”"[54]

　　— AN 10.58

　　24. THE SPIRIT OF MONKHOOD

　　"Wherefore, monks, you should train yourselves thus: ”In the spirit of our going forth[55] should our mind be strengthened! No evil, unwholesome thoughts should entangle our mind and remain in it! In the perception of impermanence should our mind be strengthened. In the perception of egolessness should our mind be strengthened. In the perception of (the body”s) impurity should our mind be strengthened. In the perception of (the world”s) misery should our mind be strengthened. In knowing the straight and crooked ways of the world — in such perception should our mind be strengthened. In knowing gain and loss in the world — in such perception should our mind be strengthened.[56] In knowing the origin and the ending of the world — in such perception should our mind be strengthened.[57] In the perception of giving up should our mind be strengthened. In the perception of dispassion should our mind be strengthened. In the perception of cessation should our mind be strengthened.”

　　"In that way, monks, should you train yourselves."

　　— AN 10.59

　　25. IGNORANCE AND CRAVING

　　(AN 10.61:) "A first beginning of ignorance cannot be conceived,[58] (of which it can be said), ”Before that, there was no ignorance and it came to be after that.” Though this is so, monks, yet a specific condition[59] of ignorance can be conceived. Ignorance, too, has its nutriment,[60] I declare; and it is not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of ignorance

　　 ”The five hindrances,”[61] should be the answer.

　　(AN 10.62:) "A first beginning of the craving of existence[62] cannot be conceived, (of which it can be said), ”Before that, there was no craving for existence and it came to be after that.” Though this is so, monks, yet a specific condition for craving f…

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