(1) Here, monastics, a monastic dwells contemplating internally (the nature of) the body in the body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world, he dwells contemplating externally (the nature of) the body in the body, he dwells contemplating internally and externally (the nature of) the body in the body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.

(2) He dwells contemplating internally, externally, internally and externally, (the nature of) feelings in feelings, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.

(3) He dwells contemplating internally, externally, internally and externally, (the nature of) the mind in the mind, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.

(4) He dwells contemplating internally, externally, internally and externally, (the nature of) things in (various) things, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, after removing avarice and sorrow regarding the world.

(1) Here, monastics, a monastic regarding bad and unwholesome thoughts that have arisen, generates desire for their abandoning, he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and strives rightly.

(2) Regarding bad and unwholesome thoughts that have not yet arisen, he generates desire for their non-arising, he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and strives rightly.

(3) He generates desire for the arising of wholesome thoughts that have not yet arisen, he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and strives rightly.

(4) Regarding wholesome thoughts that have arisen he generates desire for their endurance, persistence, non-abandoning, multiplication, extension, development, and fulfilment, he endeavours, instigates energy, exerts his mind, and strives rightly.

(1) Herein, monastics, a monastic cultivates the basis of spiritual power that is concentration of desire accompanied by the volition of striving, depending on solitude, depending on dispassion, depending on cessation, maturing in relinquishment, and his desire will not be too slack, nor too grasping.

(2) He cultivates the basis of spiritual power that is concentration of energy accompanied by the volition of striving, depending on solitude, depending on dispassion, depending on cessation, maturing in relinquishment, and his energy will not be too slack, nor too grasping.

(3) He cultivates the basis of spiritual power that is concentration of thought accompanied by the volition of striving, depending on solitude, depending on dispassion, depending on cessation, maturing in relinquishment, and his thought will not be too slack, nor too grasping.

(4) He cultivates the basis of spiritual power that is concentration of investigation accompanied by the volition of striving, depending on solitude, depending on dispassion, depending on cessation, maturing in relinquishment, and his investigation will not be too slack, nor too grasping.

It is the performance of ten types of wholesome deeds by way of body, speech and mind.

{1} (i) Herein, killing a living creature is what?

There is a living being, a sentient being, and a murderous thought arises, and he makes an approach and takes its life. This, monastics, is said to be killing a living creature. Except it is not killing a living creature when done through heedlessness or without perception.

{This is said to be killing a living creature.}

(ii) Herein, taking what has not been given is what?

Having a thieving mind he takes what has not been given and makes another’s property his own. Except it is not taking what has not been given when one procures a small amount, that presents no obstacle, from mother, father, brother, kin or friend’s property. This is an odd interpolation, to say the least.

{This is said to be taking what has not been given is what.}

(iii) Herein sexual misconduct is what?

Enjoying others’ women, whether under the protection of lord, king, mother, father, it is (also) bad practice after going to the wrong place, or at the wrong time.

This is said to be sexual misconduct.

Bodily it is threefold.

{2} (i) Lying is what?

When asked to bear witness as it really is he speaks an untrue word, a lie, such as when not an Arhat one says one is an Arhat, except in jest.

This is said to be lying.

(ii) Malicious (speech) is what?

Breaking up (others) with a word that is true or false, that is malicious (speech).

This is said to be malicious (speech).

(iii) Herein rough (speech) is what?

Pronouncing a word that is unfavourable with the intention to cause suffering for another is rough (speech). With the understanding that there is misfortune and suffering for him, making pronouncement of a word that is unfavourable, that is rough (speech).

This is said to be rough (speech).

(iv) Frivolous (speech) is what?

It is as follows: Talk about kings, talk about thieves, talk about wars, talk about drink, talk about gambling, talk about women, or talk that is talk about stories.

This is said to be frivolous (speech).

Verbally it is fourfold.

{3} (i) Herein, coveting is what?

Coveting and desiring another’s property for his own, (thinking:) may whatever property there is be mine.

This is said to be coveting.

(ii) Herein, ill-will is what?

Thinking of pressurising, cutting off or taking the life of another.

This is said to be ill-will.

(iii) Herein wrong view is what?

There is no this world, there is no other world, and so on as before. Indicating it should be completed as the opposite of right view, as defined at 19.1 above.

{This is said to be wrong view.}

[Mentally is threefold.]

A monastic is (1) scheming, (2) ingratiating, (3) hinting, (4) extorting, and (5) longing for gain upon gain. This defines, of course, not right livelihood, as expected, but wrong livelihood.

(1) Herein scheming is what?

A monastic, having seen a benefactor, after crossing his legs, sits down in an empty place along the path: (thinking:) There will be gain and respect for me (if they think:) This meditating monastic is an Arhat.

This and so forth is said to be scheming.

(2) Herein ingratiation is what?

Here a monk in order to get gains and respect (says): You are my mother, you are my father, you are my sister, you are my daughter, and speaks these and other loving words.

This and so forth is said to be ingratiation.

(3) Herein hinting is what?

A monastic, having eaten his almsfood, repeatedly says: Almsfood like this is not found in other devotees’ houses. If spoken with a mind free from (wanting) gains or respect, it is not a fault.

This is said to be hinting.

(4) Herein extorting is what?

A monastic, who does not receive almsfood at a house, desiring that it be given, says this in that place: Those who don’t give go to the underworld, you are certainly one of those who don’t give, and will reappear in the underworld. Out of fear and fright of the underworld they present almsfood, and he receives and enjoys it.

This is said to be extorting.

(5) Herein longing for gain through gain is what?

A monastic, from his own wealth purchases beautiful robes and shows them to devotees (saying): We receive such woven garments. They, being shamed, present such garments and he enjoys them.

This, monastics, is said to be longing for gain through gain.

Here, monastics, [a monastic] having seen a woman, and passion having arisen, sees as it really is the unattractive nature of the body on the outside and the inside (reflecting), there are in this body:

Hairs of the head, body hairs, nails, teeth, filth, skin,
flesh, bones, sinews, nerves, kidneys,
heart, spleen, pleura, upper stomach, food,
intestines, mesentery, stomach, liver, excrement,
tears, sweat, spit, mucus, grease, synovial fluid,
marrow, fat, bile, phlegm, suppuration,
blood, skull, brain, excrement, urine (and that it is) full of manifold impurities.

{1} Here, [monastics,] a monastic quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unwholesome things, having thinking, reflection, and the happiness and rapture born of seclusion, dwells having attained the first absorption.

{2} With the stilling of thinking and reflection, with internal clarity, and one-pointedness of mind, being without thinking, without reflection, having the happiness and rapture born of concentration, he dwells having attained the second absorption.

{3} With the fading away of rapture he dwells equanimous, mindful, clearly knowing, experiencing happiness through the body, about which the Noble Ones declare: He lives pleasantly, mindful, and equanimous, he dwells having attained the third absorption.

{4} Having given up pleasure, given up pain, and with the previous disappearance of mental well-being and sorrow, without pain, without pleasure, and with complete purity of mindfulness owing to equanimity, he dwells having attained the fourth absorption.

(1) While breathing in long, he knows as it really is: I am breathing in long, while breathing out long, he knows as it really is: I am breathing out long.

(2) While breathing in short, he knows as it really is: I am breathing in short, while breathing out short, he knows as it really is: I am breathing out short.

(3) While breathing in and experiencing the whole bodily conditions he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and experiencing the whole bodily conditions, while breathing out and experiencing the whole bodily conditions he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and experiencing the whole bodily conditions.

(4) While breathing in and experiencing joy he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and experiencing joy, while breathing out and experiencing joy he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and experiencing joy.

(5) While breathing in and experiencing pleasure he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and experiencing pleasure, while breathing out and experiencing pleasure he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and experiencing pleasure.

(6) While breathing in and making the bodily conditions calm he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and making the bodily conditions calm, while breathing out and making the bodily conditions calm he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and making the bodily conditions calm.

(7) While breathing in and experiencing the mental conditions he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and experiencing the mental conditions, while breathing out and experiencing the mental conditions he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and experiencing the mental conditions.

(8) While breathing in and making the mental conditions calm he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and making the mental conditions calm, while breathing out and making the making the mental conditions calm he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and making the mental conditions calm.

(9) While breathing in and experiencing the mind he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and experiencing the mind, while breathing out and experiencing the mind he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and experiencing the mind.

(10) While breathing in (thinking), my mind is gladdened he knows as it really is: I am breathing in (thinking), my mind is gladdened, while breathing out (thinking), my mind is gladdened he knows as it really is: I am breathing out (thinking), my mind is gladdened.

(11) While breathing in and concentrating the mind he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and concentrating the mind, while breathing out and concentrating the mind he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and concentrating the mind.

(12) While breathing in (thinking), my mind is free he knows as it really is: I am breathing in (thinking), my mind is free, while breathing out (thinking), my mind is free he knows as it really is: I am breathing out (thinking), my mind is free.

(13) And so for contemplating impermanence…

(14) Contemplating dispassion…

(15) Contemplating cessation…

(16) While breathing in and contemplating letting go he knows as it really is: I am breathing in and contemplating letting go, while breathing out and contemplating letting go he knows as it really is: I am breathing out and contemplating letting go.