[524] (Pali edition: 85.) On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Peaked Roof. Then a certain Vajjiputtaka bhikkhu approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, that Vajjiputtaka bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, more than one hundred and fifty training rules (sikkhāpada) come up for recitation (uddesa) every half-month. Venerable sir, I am not able to train in these."
"But are you able, bhikkhu, to train in the three trainings (sikkhā): the training in higher morality (adhisīla-sikkhā), the training in higher mentality (adhicitta-sikkhā), and the training in higher wisdom (adhipaññā-sikkhā)?"
"Venerable sir, I am able to train in the three trainings: the training in higher morality, the training in higher mentality, and the training in higher wisdom."
"Therefore, bhikkhu, train in the three trainings: the training in higher morality, the training in higher mentality, and the training in higher wisdom. When, bhikkhu, you shall train in higher morality, shall train in higher mentality, and shall train in higher wisdom, then, as you train in higher morality, train in higher mentality, and train in higher wisdom, lust (rāga) will be abandoned, hatred will be abandoned, delusion will be abandoned. And you, with the abandoning of lust, with the abandoning of hatred, with the abandoning of delusion, will not do what is unwholesome; will not resort to what is evil."
Then, at a later time, that bhikkhu trained in higher morality, trained in higher mentality, and trained in higher wisdom. As he trained in higher morality, trained in higher mentality, and trained in higher wisdom, lust was abandoned, hatred was abandoned, delusion was abandoned. With the abandoning of lust, with the abandoning of hatred, with the abandoning of delusion, he did not do what was unwholesome; he did not resort to what was evil.
The First Sekha Sutta
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.