[198] Bhikkhus, these four persons are found existing in the world. Which four? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person torments himself, devoted to the practice of tormenting himself. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain person torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain person torments himself, devoted to the practice of tormenting himself, and torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain person neither torments himself, not being devoted to the practice of tormenting himself, nor torments others, not being devoted to the practice of tormenting others; and he, tormenting neither himself nor others, dwells in this very life hungerless, quenched, become cool, experiencing happiness, having himself become holy (brahmabhūta).
And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who torments himself, devoted to the practice of tormenting himself? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is a naked ascetic, flouting conventions, licking his hands, not coming when asked, not standing still when asked; he does not consent to food brought to him, nor to food specially prepared for him, nor to an invitation. He does not receive food from the mouth of a pot, nor from the mouth of a basket, nor across a threshold, nor across a stick, nor across a pestle, nor from two people eating together, nor from a pregnant woman, nor from a woman giving suck, nor from a woman gone among men, nor food gathered by announcement, nor from where a dog is standing by, nor from where flies are swarming in clusters; he takes no fish, no meat; he drinks no liquor, no wine, no fermented gruel. He is a one-house man, a one-morsel man; a two-house man, a two-morsel man; a seven-house man, a seven-morsel man. He subsists on one small offering, he subsists on two small offerings, he subsists on seven small offerings. He takes food once a day, he takes food once every two days, he takes food once every seven days; thus he dwells devoted to the practice of taking food at stated intervals, even up to once a fortnight. He is an eater of greens, or an eater of millet, or an eater of wild rice, or an eater of hide-parings, or an eater of the haṭa water-plant, or an eater of rice-bran, or an eater of rice-scum, or an eater of sesamum flour, or an eater of grass, or an eater of cow-dung; he subsists on forest roots and fruits, feeding on fallen fruits. He wears garments of hemp, garments of hemp mixed with other fibre, shroud-cloths, rag-robes, garments of tirīṭaka bark; he wears antelope hide, strips of antelope hide, a garment of kusa grass, a garment of bark, a garment of wood shavings, a blanket of human hair, a blanket of animal hair, owls' wings. He is a plucker-out of hair and beard, devoted to the practice of plucking out hair and beard; a continual stander, rejecting seats; a squatter, devoted to the exertion of squatting; a user of a bed of thorns, making his bed upon a bed of thorns; he dwells devoted to the practice of going down to the water to bathe three times a day, the evening bath being the third. Thus in these various ways he dwells devoted to the practice of scorching and tormenting the body. This, bhikkhus, is how a person torments himself, devoted to the practice of tormenting himself.
And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is a butcher of sheep, a butcher of pigs, a fowler, a trapper of wild beasts, a hunter, a killer of fish, a robber, an executioner of robbers, a prison-keeper, or any others who follow some cruel occupation. This, bhikkhus, is how a person torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others.
And how, bhikkhus, is a person one who torments himself, devoted to the practice of tormenting himself, and torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person is a king, an anointed khattiya, or an affluent brahmin. Having had a new sacrificial hall built to the east of the city, having shaved off his hair and beard, having clothed himself in rough antelope hide, having smeared his body with ghee and oil, scratching his back with a deer's horn, he enters the sacrificial hall together with his chief queen and the brahmin high priest. There he makes his bed upon the bare, unspread ground smeared with fresh cow-dung. With the milk that is in the first teat of a single cow with a calf of like colour the king sustains himself; with the milk in the second teat the chief queen sustains herself; with the milk in the third teat the brahmin high priest sustains himself; with the milk in the fourth teat he makes offering to the fire; with what remains the calf sustains itself. He speaks thus: 'Let so many bulls be slain for the sacrifice; let so many bullocks be slain for the sacrifice; let so many heifers be slain for the sacrifice; let so many goats be slain for the sacrifice; let so many rams be slain for the sacrifice; let so many trees be felled for the sacrificial posts; let so much dabba grass be cut for the strewing.' And those of his who are called slaves or messengers or workers — they too, threatened by punishment, threatened by fear, with tearful faces, weeping, carry out the preparations. This, bhikkhus, is how a person torments himself, devoted to the practice of tormenting himself, and torments others, devoted to the practice of tormenting others.
And how, bhikkhus, does a person neither torment himself, not being devoted to the practice of tormenting himself, nor torment others, not being devoted to the practice of tormenting others — he who, tormenting neither himself nor others, dwells in this very life hungerless, quenched, become cool, experiencing happiness, having himself become holy? Here, bhikkhus, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, fully self-enlightened, perfect in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of the world, unsurpassed charioteer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. Having realized it with his own direct knowledge, he makes known this world with its devas, its Māras, and its Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and humans. He teaches the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with its meaning and with its phrasing; he reveals the holy life utterly complete and pure. A householder, or a householder's son, or one reborn in some family, hears that Dhamma. Having heard that Dhamma, he gains faith in the Tathāgata. Endowed with that gain of faith, he reflects thus: 'Household life is confined, a path of dust; the going forth is the open air. It is not easy, dwelling in a house, to lead the holy life utterly complete and utterly pure, polished like a conch shell. Suppose I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from home into homelessness.' At a later time, abandoning a small mass of wealth or abandoning a great mass of wealth, abandoning a small circle of relatives or abandoning a great circle of relatives, he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from home into homelessness.
Having thus gone forth, possessed of the training and way of life of the bhikkhus, abandoning the destruction of life, he abstains from the destruction of life; with rod laid down, with weapon laid down, conscientious, kindly, he dwells compassionate for the welfare of all living beings. Abandoning the taking of what is not given, he abstains from taking what is not given; taking only what is given, expecting only what is given, he dwells with himself become pure, without thievery. Abandoning unchastity, he lives the holy life, living apart, abstaining from sexual intercourse, the way of the village. Abandoning false speech, he abstains from false speech; a speaker of truth, an adherent of truth, trustworthy, reliable, no deceiver of the world. Abandoning divisive speech, he abstains from divisive speech: having heard something here, he does not repeat it elsewhere to divide these people; or having heard something elsewhere, he does not repeat it to these people to divide those; thus he is a reconciler of those who are divided, a promoter of those who are united; delighting in concord, rejoicing in concord, taking pleasure in concord, he is a speaker of words that create concord. Abandoning harsh speech, he abstains from harsh speech: such speech as is blameless, pleasing to the ear, lovable, going to the heart, urbane, agreeable to many, pleasing to many — such speech he speaks. Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter: he speaks at the right time, speaks what is fact, speaks what is beneficial, speaks on the Dhamma and on the discipline; at the right time he is a speaker of words worth treasuring, reasoned, measured, and connected with the goal. He abstains from injuring seeds and plants. He eats once a day, refraining at night, abstaining from food at improper times. He abstains from dancing, singing, instrumental music, and unsuitable shows. He abstains from wearing garlands, scents, and unguents, and from occasions for adornment and embellishment. He abstains from high and large beds. He abstains from accepting gold and silver. He abstains from accepting raw grain. He abstains from accepting raw meat. He abstains from accepting women and girls. He abstains from accepting female and male slaves. He abstains from accepting goats and sheep. He abstains from accepting fowl and pigs. He abstains from accepting elephants, cattle, horses, and mares. He abstains from accepting fields and land. He abstains from going on errands and carrying messages. He abstains from buying and selling. He abstains from false weights, false metals, and false measures. He abstains from bribery, deception, and fraud. He abstains from wounding, killing, binding, brigandage, plunder, and violence. He is content with a robe to protect the body and with almsfood to sustain the belly; wherever he goes, he sets out taking only these with him. Just as a winged bird, wherever it flies, flies with its wings as its only burden, even so a bhikkhu is content with a robe to protect the body and with almsfood to sustain the belly; wherever he goes, he sets out taking only these with him. Possessed of this noble aggregate of virtue (sīla), he experiences within himself a blameless happiness.
On seeing a form with the eye, he does not grasp at its signs, does not grasp at its features. Since, if he dwelt with the eye faculty unrestrained, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade him, he practises for its restraint; he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes restraint of the eye faculty. On hearing a sound with the ear … on smelling an odour with the nose … on tasting a flavour with the tongue … on touching a tangible with the body … on cognizing a mental object with the mind, he does not grasp at its signs, does not grasp at its features. Since, if he dwelt with the mind faculty unrestrained, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade him, he practises for its restraint; he guards the mind faculty, he undertakes restraint of the mind faculty. Possessed of this noble restraint of the sense faculties, he experiences within himself an unsullied happiness. He acts with clear comprehension in going forward and returning; he acts with clear comprehension in looking ahead and looking away; he acts with clear comprehension in bending and stretching; he acts with clear comprehension in wearing the outer robe, the bowl, and the robes; he acts with clear comprehension in eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; he acts with clear comprehension in defecating and urinating; he acts with clear comprehension in walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking, speaking, and keeping silent.
Possessed of this noble aggregate of virtue, possessed of this noble restraint of the sense faculties, and possessed of this noble mindfulness and clear comprehension, he resorts to a secluded lodging: a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, the open air, a heap of straw. After the meal, having returned from the alms round, he sits down, folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect, and establishing mindfulness before him. Abandoning covetousness for the world, he dwells with a mind free from covetousness; he purifies the mind (citta) from covetousness. Abandoning ill will and hatred, he dwells with a mind free from ill will, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings; he purifies the mind from ill will and hatred. Abandoning dullness and drowsiness, he dwells free from dullness and drowsiness, percipient of light, mindful and clearly comprehending; he purifies the mind from dullness and drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness and remorse, he dwells unagitated, with a mind inwardly stilled; he purifies the mind from restlessness and remorse. Abandoning doubt, he dwells having crossed over doubt, without perplexity regarding wholesome states; he purifies the mind from doubt. Having abandoned these five hindrances (nīvaraṇa), corruptions of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna.
When his mind is thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of corruption, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs the mind to the knowledge (ñāṇa) of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is: one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many aeons of world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons of world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so named, of such a clan, of such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life span; passing away from there, I was reborn elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of such a clan, of such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life span; passing away from there, I was reborn here.' Thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past lives. When his mind is thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of corruption, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs the mind to the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings. With the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing — inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate — and he understands how beings fare according to their kamma: 'These beings, alas, endowed with misconduct by body, endowed with misconduct by speech, endowed with misconduct by mind, revilers of the noble ones, holding wrong view, undertaking action based on wrong view — with the breaking up of the body, after death, they have been reborn in the plane of misery, a bad destination, the lower world, hell. But these beings, endowed with good conduct by body, endowed with good conduct by speech, endowed with good conduct by mind, not revilers of the noble ones, holding right view, undertaking action based on right view — with the breaking up of the body, after death, they have been reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.' Thus with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing — inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate — and he understands how beings fare according to their kamma. When his mind is thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of corruption, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs the mind to the knowledge of the destruction of the taints (āsava). He understands as it really is: 'This is suffering (dukkha)'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' He understands as it really is: 'These are the taints'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of the taints'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of the taints'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of the taints.' When he knows thus and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensuality, his mind is liberated from the taint of existence, his mind is liberated from the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated, there comes the knowledge: 'It is liberated.' He understands: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done; there is no more of this state of being.' This, bhikkhus, is how a person neither torments himself, not being devoted to the practice of tormenting himself, nor torments others, not being devoted to the practice of tormenting others; and he, tormenting neither himself nor others, dwells in this very life hungerless, quenched, become cool, experiencing happiness, having himself become holy.
These, bhikkhus, are the four persons found existing in the world.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.