By Mahācunda (AN10.24)

Numbered Discourses 10.24

3. The Great Chapter

By Mahācunda

At one time Venerable Mahācunda was staying in the land of the Cetīs at Sahajāti.

There he addressed the mendicants:

“Reverends, mendicants!”

“Reverend,” they replied.

Venerable Mahācunda said this:

“Reverends, a mendicant who makes a declaration of knowledge says:

‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching.’

Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going.

Or that hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes master that mendicant and keep going. You should know of them:

‘This venerable does not have the understanding that would eliminate greed, so greed masters them and keeps going.

They don’t have the understanding that would eliminate hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’

A mendicant who makes a declaration of development says:

‘I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’

Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going.

Or that hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes master that mendicant and keep going. You should know of them:

‘This venerable does not have the understanding that would eliminate greed, so greed masters them and keeps going.

They don’t have the understanding that would eliminate hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’

A mendicant who makes a declaration of both knowledge and development says:

‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching. And I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’

Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going.

Or that hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes master that mendicant and keep going. You should know of them:

‘This venerable does not have the understanding that would eliminate greed, so greed masters them and keeps going.

They don’t have the understanding that would eliminate hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’

Suppose a poor, needy, and penniless person was to declare themselves to be rich, affluent, and wealthy.

But when it came time to make a payment they weren’t able to come up with any money, grain, silver, or gold.

They would know of them:

‘This person declares themselves to be rich, affluent, and wealthy, but they are in fact poor, penniless, and needy.’

Why is that?

Because when it came time to make a payment they weren’t able to come up with any money, grain, silver, or gold.

In the same way, a mendicant who makes a declaration of knowledge and development says:

‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching. And I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’

Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going.

Or that hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes master that mendicant and keep going. You should know of them:

‘This venerable does not have the understanding that would eliminate greed, so greed masters them and keeps going.

They don’t have the understanding that would eliminate hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’

A mendicant who makes a declaration of knowledge says:

‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching.’

Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going.

Or that hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes don’t master that mendicant and keep going. You should know of them:

‘This venerable has the understanding that eliminates greed, so greed doesn’t master them and keep going.

They have the understanding that eliminates hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’

A mendicant who makes a declaration of development says:

‘I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’

Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going.

Or that hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes don’t master that mendicant and keep going. You should know of them:

‘This venerable has the understanding that eliminates greed, so greed doesn’t master them and keep going.

They have the understanding that eliminates hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’

A mendicant who makes a declaration of both knowledge and development says:

‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching. And I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’

Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going.

Or that hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes don’t master that mendicant and keep going. You should know of them:

‘This venerable has the understanding that eliminates greed, so greed doesn’t master them and keep going.

They have the understanding that eliminates hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’

Suppose a rich, affluent, and wealthy person was to declare themselves to be rich, affluent, and wealthy.

And whenever it came time to make a payment they were able to come up with the money, grain, silver, or gold.

They would know of them:

‘This person declares themselves to be rich, affluent, and wealthy, and they are in fact rich, affluent, and wealthy.’

Why is that?

Because when it came time to make a payment they were able to come up with the money, grain, silver, or gold.

In the same way, a mendicant who makes a declaration of knowledge and development says:

‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching. And I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’

Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going.

Or that hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

or corrupt wishes don’t master that mendicant and keep going. You should know of them:

‘This venerable has the understanding that eliminates greed, so greed doesn’t master them and keep going.

They have the understanding that eliminates hate …

delusion …

anger …

acrimony …

disdain …

contempt …

stinginess …

nasty jealousy …

and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’”