[482] And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu one who practices the way of practice proper for an ascetic? Bhikkhus, when in any bhikkhu who was covetous, covetousness has been abandoned; who had a mind of ill will (byāpāda), ill will has been abandoned; who was angry, anger has been abandoned; who bore grudges, grudging has been abandoned; who was denigrating, denigration has been abandoned; who was domineering, the domineering attitude has been abandoned; who was envious, envy has been abandoned; who was miserly, miserliness has been abandoned; who was fraudulent, fraudulence has been abandoned; who was deceitful, deceit has been abandoned; who had evil wishes, evil wishes have been abandoned; who held wrong view, wrong view has been abandoned — then, bhikkhus, because of the abandoning of these stains of an ascetic, faults of an ascetic, dregs of an ascetic, which are grounds for rebirth in states of deprivation, whose results are to be experienced in a bad destination, I say that he is one who practices the way of practice proper for an ascetic.
He beholds himself purified from all these evil, unwholesome dhammas; he beholds himself liberated from them. As he beholds himself purified from all these evil, unwholesome dhammas, as he beholds himself liberated from them, gladness is born; in one who is glad, rapture (pīti) is born; in one whose mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes tranquil; one whose body is tranquil experiences happiness; in one who is happy, the mind (citta) becomes concentrated.
He dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness (mettā), likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, across, everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness — abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. With a mind imbued with compassion (karuṇā) … With a mind imbued with altruistic joy (muditā) … He dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with equanimity (upekkhā), likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, across, everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity — abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will.
Suppose, bhikkhus, there were a lotus pond with clear water, sweet water, cool water, limpid, with good fords, delightful. If a man were to come from the eastern quarter, scorched by the heat, overcome by the heat, weary, thirsting, and parched, on coming to that lotus pond he would dispel his thirst for water and dispel the fever of the heat. If a man were to come from the western quarter … If a man were to come from the northern quarter … If a man were to come from the southern quarter … If a man were to come from wherever he might, scorched by the heat, overcome by the heat, weary, thirsting, and parched, on coming to that lotus pond he would dispel his thirst for water and dispel the fever of the heat. In the same way, bhikkhus, if one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness from a khattiya family, and having come to the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, having thus developed loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity, he gains inner peace — then I say that he is one who practices the way of practice proper for an ascetic. If from a brahmin family … if from a vessa family … if from a sudda family … if one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness from whatever family, and having come to the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, having thus developed loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity, he gains inner peace — I say that he is one who practices the way of practice proper for an ascetic.
If one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness from a khattiya family, and by the destruction of the taints (āsava) he dwells having realized for himself with direct knowledge (abhiññā), in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind (cetovimutti) and liberation by wisdom (paññāvimutti), having entered upon it — then I say that he is an ascetic (samaṇa) through the destruction of the taints. If from a brahmin family … if from a vessa family … if from a sudda family … if one has gone forth from the home life into homelessness from whatever family, and by the destruction of the taints he dwells having realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, having entered upon it — I say that he is an ascetic through the destruction of the taints.
Thus spoke the Blessed One. Satisfied, those bhikkhus delighted in the Blessed One's words.
The Cūḷa-Assapura Sutta, the tenth, is concluded.
The Mahāyamaka Vagga, the fourth, [is concluded].
Its summary (uddāna):
The Giñjakasāla grove; the wise one who should maintain [the herd]; again, Sacca[ka] twice; the brightening of the facial complexion, and so forth; the thirsting one; of Kevaṭṭa; [the two at Assa]pura, with the matted-hair ascetic.
Cūḷayamaka Vagga
The Sāleyyaka Sutta
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.