Dīgha Nikāya

The Longs Basket

Sutta 33

Saṇgīti Suttantaṃ

The Compilation

Sixes

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

There are, friends, six-part Dhammas consummately taught by the Bhagavā, that #1-Consummately-Awakened-One, an Arahant who knows and sees.

In this situation, let us all gather together as one, undivided, so that this best of lives will stay on track and stand for a long time as a benefit to the many, as a pleasure for the many, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit and pleasure of gods and man.

What are these sixes?

[6.01][pts][wlsh] Six internal realms:^[1]

The realm of the eye,
the realm of the ear,
the realm of the nose,
the realm of the tongue,
the realm of the body,
the realm of the mind.

[6.02][pts][wlsh] Six external realms:

The realm of forms,
the realm of sounds,
the relm of scents,
the realm of flavors,
the realm of the tactile,
the realm of mental objects.

[6.03][pts][wlsh] Six bodies of re-knowing-knowing-knowledge:^[2]

Eye-re-knowing-knowing-knowledge,
ear-re-knowing-knowing-knowledge,
nose-re-knowing-knowing-knowledge,
tongue-re-knowing-knowing-knowledge,
body-re-knowing-knowing-knowledge,
mind-re-knowing-knowing-knowledge.

[6.04][pts][wlsh] Six bodies of contact:

Eye-contact,
ear-contact,
nose-contact,
tongue-contact,
body-contact,
mind-contact.

[6.05][pts][wlsh] Six bodies of sense experience:

Eye-contact sense experience,
ear-contact sense experience,
nose-contact sense experience,
tongue-contact sense experience,
body-contact sense experience,
mind-contact sense experience.

[6.06][pts][wlsh] Six bodies of perception:

Perception of forms,
perception of sounds,
perception of scents,
perception of flavors,
perception of touch,
perception of mental objects.

[6.07][pts][wlsh] Six bodies of intent:

Intent with regard to forms,
intent with regard to sounds,
intent with regard to scents,
intent with regard to flavors,
intent with regard to touch,
intent with regard to mental objects.

[6.08][pts][wlsh] Six bodies of hunger/thirst:

Form-hunger/thirst,
sound-hunger/thirst,
scent-hunger/thirst,
flavor-hunger/thirst,
touch-hunger/thirst,
mental-object-hunger/thirst.

[6.09][pts][wlsh] Six demonstrations of disrespect:^[3]

Here friends, a beggar lives without respect for and deference to the Master,
he lives without respect for and deference to the Dhamma,
he lives without respect for and deference to the Saṇgha,
he lives without respect for and deference to the dictates of the training,
he lives without respect for and deference to the dictates of non-carelessness,^[4]
he lives without respect for and deference to the dictates of hospitality.

[6.10][pts][wlsh] Six demonstrations of respect:

Here friends, a beggar lives respectful of and differing to the Master,
he lives respectful of and differing to the Dhamma,
he lives respectful of and differing to the Saṇgha,
he lives respectful of and differing to the dictates of the training,
he lives respectful of and differing to the dictates of non-carelessness,
he lives respectful of and differing to the dictates of hospitality.

[6.11][pts][wlsh] Six pleasing reaction-stimulants:^[5]

When seeing a form with the eye, that form, occasioning pleasure, stimulates reaction.

When hearing a sound with the ear, that sound, occasioning pleasure, stimulates reaction.

When smelling a scent with the nose, that scent, occasioning pleasure, stimulates reaction.

When tasting a flavor with the tongue, that flavor, occasioning pleasure, stimulates reaction.

When feeling a touch with the body, that touch, occasioning pleasure, stimulates reaction.

When conscious of a mental object with the mind, that mental object, occasioning pleasure, stimulates reaction.

[6.12][pts][wlsh] Six displeasing reaction-stimulants:^[6]

When seeing a form with the eye, that form, occasioning displeasure, stimulates reaction.

When hearing a sound with the ear, that sound, occasioning displeasure, stimulates reaction.

When smelling a scent with the nose, that scent, occasioning displeasure, stimulates reaction.

When tasting a flavor with the tongue, that flavor, occasioning displeasure, stimulates reaction.

When feeling a touch with the body, that touch, occasioning displeasure, stimulates reaction.

When conscious of a mental object with the mind, that mental object, occasioning displeasure, stimulates reaction.

[6.13][pts][wlsh] Six objectively detached reaction-stimulants:^[7]

When seeing a form with the eye, that form, occasioning objective detachment, stimulates reaction.

When hearing a sound with the ear, that sound, occasioning objective detachment, stimulates reaction.

When smelling a scent with the nose, that scent, occasioning objective detachment, stimulates reaction.

When tasting a flavor with the tongue, that flavor, occasioning objective detachment, stimulates reaction.

When feeling a touch with the body, that touch, occasioning objective detachment, stimulates reaction.

When conscious of a mental object with the mind, that mental object, occasioning objective detachment, stimulates reaction.

[6.14][pts][wlsh] Six things of concord:

Here friends, a beggar makes manifest both openly and in private, friendliness in bodily acts to those with whom he fares the Brahmā-life; this is a thing of concord, making for affection, making for respect, non-dispute, non-violence, concourse, conducive to development of unity.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar makes manifest both openly and in private, friendliness in acts of speech to those with whom he fares the Brahmā-life; this is a thing of concord, making for affection, making for respect, non-dispute, non-violence, concourse, conducive to development of unity.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar makes manifest both openly and in private, friendliness in acts of mind to those with whom he fares the Brahmā-life; this is a thing of concord, making for affection, making for respect, non-dispute, non-violence, concourse, conducive to development of unity.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar, whatever is gained in accordance with Dhamma, acquired in accordance with Dhamma, that is ethically acquired, even down to whatever has gone into the bowl, that that thing gained is not eaten or enjoyed without sharing with those with whom he fares the Brahmā life; this is a thing of concord, making for affection, making for respect, non-dispute, non-violence, concourse, conducive to development of unity.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar lives with those with whom he fares the Brahmā-life practicing both openly and in private that ethical behavior that is intact, unruptured, unspotted, unbruised, unwarped, praised by the wise, uncorrupted, that evolves into serenity/(getting high); this is a thing of concord, making for affection, making for respect, non-dispute, non-violence, concourse, conducive to development of unity.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar lives with those with whom he fares the Brahmā-life practicing both openly and in private in accordance with whatever he has got of those Aristocratic views that lead the follower thereof to the consummate destruction of pain; this is a thing of concord, making for affection, making for respect, non-dispute, non-violence, concourse, conducive to development of unity.

[6.15][pts][wlsh] Six Roots of Discord:^[8]

Here friends, a beggar gets angry and holds a grudge.

In so far, friends, as a beggar gets angry and holds a grudge, so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Teacher; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Dhamma; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Saṇgha. So far is his training not completely fulfilled.

In so far, friends, as a beggar lives rebellious and disrespectful to the Teacher, rebellious and disrespectful to the Dhamma, rebellious and disrespectful to the Saṇgha, with his training not completely fulfilled, so far he creates discord in the Saṇgha.

In so far as there is discord, there is unfriendliness for many, unpleasantness for many, making for much disadvantage, unfriendliness and pain for gods and men.

If friends, you should notice the manifestation of such a root of discord, whether within yourself or externally, make effort to get control of and let go of this bad root of discord that you have noticed my friends.

If friends, you should not notice sucha manifestation of a root of discord, whether within yourself or externally, prevent the future recrudescence of this bad root of discord my friends.

Thus there will be the letting go of this bad root of discord, thus there will be the prevention in the future of this bad root of discord.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar is hypocritical and nasty.

In so far, friends, as a beggar is hypocritical and nasty, so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Teacher; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Dhamma; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Saṇgha.

So far is his training not completely fulfilled.

In so far as there is discord, there is unfriendliness for many, unpleasantness for many, making for much disadvantage, unfriendliness and pain for gods and men.

If friends, you should not notice sucha manifestation of a root of discord, whether within yourself or externally, prevent the future recrudescence of this bad root of discord my friends.

Thus there will be the letting go of this bad root of discord, thus there will be the prevention in the future of this bad root of discord.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar is avaricious and snobbish.

In so far, friends, as a beggar is avaricious and snobbish, so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Teacher; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Dhamma; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Saṇgha.

So far is his training not completely fulfilled.

In so far as there is discord, there is unfriendliness for many, unpleasantness for many, making for much disadvantage, unfriendliness and pain for gods and men.

If friends, you should not notice sucha manifestation of a root of discord, whether within yourself or externally, prevent the future recrudescence of this bad root of discord my friends.

Thus there will be the letting go of this bad root of discord, thus there will be the prevention in the future of this bad root of discord.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar is crafty and deceitful.

In so far, friends, as a beggar is crafty and deceitful, so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Teacher; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Dhamma; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Saṇgha.

So far is his training not completely fulfilled.

In so far as there is discord, there is unfriendliness for many, unpleasantness for many, making for much disadvantage, unfriendliness and pain for gods and men.

If friends, you should not notice sucha manifestation of a root of discord, whether within yourself or externally, prevent the future recrudescence of this bad root of discord my friends.

Thus there will be the letting go of this bad root of discord, thus there will be the prevention in the future of this bad root of discord.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar is of bad wishes and low views.

In so far, friends, as a beggar is bad wishes and low views, so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Teacher; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Dhamma; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Saṇgha.

So far is his training not completely fulfilled.

In so far, friends, as a beggar lives rebellious and disrespectful to the Teacher, rebellious and disrespectful to the Dhamma, rebellious and disrespectful to the Saṇgha, with his training not completely fulfilled, so far he creates discord in the Saṇgha.

In so far as there is discord, there is unfriendliness for many, unpleasantness for many, making for much disadvantage, unfriendliness and pain for gods and men.

If friends, you should not notice sucha manifestation of a root of discord, whether within yourself or externally, prevent the future recrudescence of this bad root of discord my friends.

Thus there will be the letting go of this bad root of discord, thus there will be the prevention in the future of this bad root of discord.

Again, additionally friends, a beggar is deeply attached to his own views and releasing his grip comes hard.

In so far, friends, as a beggar is deeply attached to his own views and releasing his grip comes hard, so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Teacher; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Dhamma; so far does he live rebellious and disrespectful to the Saṇgha.

So far is his training not completely fulfilled.

In so far as there is discord, there is unfriendliness for many, unpleasantness for many, making for much disadvantage, unfriendliness and pain for gods and men.

If friends, you should not notice sucha manifestation of a root of discord, whether within yourself or externally, prevent the future recrudescence of this bad root of discord my friends.

Thus there will be the letting go of this bad root of discord, thus there will be the prevention in the future of this bad root of discord.

[6.16][pts][wlsh] Six characteristics:

The earth-characteristic,
the water-characteristic,
the fire-characteristic,
the wind-characteristic,
the space-characteristic,
the re-knowing-knowing-knowledge-characteristic.

[6.17][pts][wlsh] Six characteristics of extraction:^[9]

Here friends a beggar says this:

'I have become freed-in-heart, friends by making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering friendliness, yet anger continues to rise up and take hold of my heart.'

At that, he should be spoken to in such a way as this:

'You should not say this.

This should not be said thus, elder, the Bhagavā would be scandalized,^[10] and it is not something that is "well done" to have scandalized the Bhagavā, nor would the Bhagavā say this.

The Bhagavā would not say such a baseless and impossible thing.

This making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering friendliness that brings about freedom-in-heart and yet having anger continue to rise up and take hold of the heart is a thing that cannot be.

It is, friend, just this cultivation of freedom-of-heart through friendliness that extracts one from anger.'

Here again friends a beggar says this:

'I have become freed-in-heart, friends by making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering sympathy, yet cruelty continues to rise up and take hold of my heart.'

At that, he should be spoken to in such a way as this:

'You should not say this.

This should not be said thus, elder, the Bhagavā would be scandalized, and it is not something that is "well done" to have scandalized the Bhagavā, nor would the Bhagavā say this.

The Bhagavā would not say such a baseless and impossible thing.

This making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering Sympathy that brings about freedom-in-heart and yet having cruelty continue to rise up and take hold of the heart is a thing that cannot be.

It is, friend, just this cultivation of freedom-of-heart through sympathy that extracts one from cruelty.'

Here again friends a beggar says this:

'I have become freed-in-heart, friends by making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering empathy, yet disgust continues to rise up and take hold of my heart.'

At that, he should be spoken to in such a way as this:

'You should not say this.

This should not be said thus, elder, the Bhagavā would be scandalized, and it is not something that is "well done" to have scandalized the Bhagavā, nor would the Bhagavā say this.

The Bhagavā would not say such a baseless and impossible thing.

This making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering empathy that brings about freedom-in-heart and yet having disgust continue to rise up and take hold of the heart is a thing that cannot be.

It is, friend, just this cultivation of freedom-of-heart through Empathy that extracts one from disgust.'

Here again friends a beggar says this:

'I have become freed-in-heart, friends by making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering detachment, yet passion continues to rise up and take hold of my heart.'

At that, he should be spoken to in such a way as this:

'You should not say this.

This should not be said thus, elder, the Bhagavā would be scandalized, and it is not something that is "well done" to have scandalized the Bhagavā, nor would the Bhagavā say this.

The Bhagavā would not say such a baseless and impossible thing.

This making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering Objectivity that brings about freedom-in-heart and yet having passion continue to rise up and take hold of the heart is a thing that cannot be.

It is, friend, just this cultivation of freedom-of-heart through detachment that extracts one from passion.'

Here again friends a beggar says this:

'I have become freed-in-heart, friends by making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering signlessness, yet signs continue to rise up and take hold of my heart.'

At that, he should be spoken to in such a way as this:

'You should not say this.

This should not be said thus, elder, the Bhagavā would be scandalized, and it is not something that is "well done" to have scandalized the Bhagavā, nor would the Bhagavā say this.

The Bhagavā would not say such a baseless and impossible thing.

This making much of, making a vehicle of, making a foundation of, practicing and mastering signlessness that brings about freedom-in-heart and yet having signs continue to rise up and take hold of the heart is a thing that cannot be.

It is, friend, just this cultivation of freedom-of-heart through Signlessness that extracts one from Signs.'

Here again friends a beggar says this:

'"I am"' this is gone in me, "I am this" is not something I even consider, yet wavering, questions of how? ... how? rise up, pierce, and take hold of my heart.'

At that, he should be spoken to in such a way as this:

'You should not say this.

This should not be said thus, elder, the Bhagavā would be scandalized, and it is not something that is "well done" to have scandalized the Bhagavā, nor would the Bhagavā say this.

The Bhagavā would not say such a baseless and impossible thing.

This state where "I am" is gone, where "I am this" is not something that is even considered, yet where wavering, questions of how? ... how? rise up, pierce, and take hold of the heart is a thing that cannot be.

It is, friend, just this state where "I am" is gone, that extracts one from being pierced by wavering and questions of how? ... how?'

[6.18][pts][wlsh] Six unsurpassables:^[11]

The unsurpassable sight,
the unsurpassable hearing,
the unsurpassable gain,
the unsurpassable training,
the unsurpassable service,
the unsurpassable memory.^[12]

[6.19][pts][wlsh] Six places to focus recollection:^[13]

Recollection of the Buddha,
recollection of the Dhamma,
recollection of the Saṇgha,
recollection of ethical culture,
recollection of generosity,
recollection of the Gods.

[6.20][pts][wlsh] Six steady habits:^[14]

Here friends a beggar seeing an object with the eye neither goes sweet on it nor gets upset, but living objectively detached remains steady;

Hearing a sound with the ear neither goes sweet on it nor gets upset, but living objectively detached remains steady;

Smelling a scent with the nose neither goes sweet on it nor gets upset, but living objectively detached remains steady;

Tasting a flavor with the tongue neither goes sweet on it nor gets upset, but living objectively detached remains steady;

Feeling a touch with the body neither goes sweet on it nor gets upset, but living objectively detached remains steady;

Conscious of a mental object with the mind neither goes sweet on it nor gets upset, but living objectively detached remains steady.

[6.21][pts][wlsh] Six categories of birth:^[15]

Here friends, someone born in a dark category lives begetting dark things.

Here friends, someone born in a dark category lives begetting bright things.

Here friends, someone born in a dark category lives begetting Nibbāna, neither dark nor bright.

Here friends, someone born in a bright category lives begetting dark things.

Here friends, someone born in a bright category lives begetting bright things.

Here friends, someone born in a bright category lives begetting Nibbāna, neither dark nor bright.

[6.22][pts][wlsh] Six perceptions conducive to penetration:

Perception of impermanence,
perception of pain in impermanence,
perception of not-self in pain,
perception of letting go,
perception of dispassion,
perception of ending.

These then, friends, are those six-part Dhammas consummately taught by the Bhagavā, that #1-Consummately-Awakened-One, an Arahant who knows and sees.

^[1] Cha ajjhattikāni āyatanāni.
Note on this group the differences between the way it is here and the way it is presented in DN 22 §19 in The Mahā Satipaṭṭhana Suttanta, where it is: eye world (loka), material form world, sense re-knowing-knowing-knowledge (viññāṇā), contact (phassa), sense experience (vedāna), perception (sannā), intention (sancetana), thirst (taṇhā), thinking about (vitakka), pondering (vicara) (that is, that the list includes vitakka and vicara.)

What is the importance of these groups?

Focus.

This is where that thirst that leads to dukkha arises and is stopped. In other words, this is the paṭicca samuppāda between the six-fold sense sphere and taṇhā, or as it is in DN 22, between the six-fold sense sphere and upadana.

It is exactly at this level that I break ranks with the Abhidhamma. From here the Abhidhamma goes deeper into the analysis of the minute details of the evolution of becoming, such as to find itself, in my opinion, asserting certain things that are not acceptable Dhamma (such as "ultimate realities"). To my mind this is like a man standing at a chasm. The chasm is a thousand thousand feet deep (maybe bottomless), but only a couple of inches wide. But instead of stepping over the chasm the Abhidhammist goes down the near side with the idea of coming up the far side. Problem is he gets stuck because the chasm isn't wide enough at the bottom for him to travel the full depth. When the Buddha says "Well taught by me is the Dhamma," (again, to my way of thinking) it is exactly with regard to cases such as this. What we are to do with the knowledge provided here is to understand that each of the senses has its own chain of dependencies, that each sense in its turn feeds the mind with the conscious impressions it receives so that the mind is able to piece together a picture (saṇkāra), form conclusions, and take action in its attempt to control the next set of sense experiences. When we understand the process in this general way the only further thing we need to understand the details for is to see where our weaknesses are: "I am more vulnerable to sights than tastes" or the reverse, or some such. This is where we need to concentrate our efforts to "put it away!" Analyzing it to the end of the world will not take one step closer to letting it go, and consequently is a dangerous waste of time.

^[2] Cha viññāṇa-kāyā. Bodies or ka-whatsoevers of re-knowing-knowing-knowledge.

^[3] Cha agāravā.
PED: Gārava — agārava disrespect.

^[4] A-p-pamāda thoughtfulness, carefulness, conscientiousness, watchfulness, vigilance, earnestness, zeal. All these are wrong in one essential way: they are the positive form, where the negative is needed: Non-carelessness, non-thoughtlesness, negligence, inattention, non-laxity, insinserity, etc.

^[5] Cha somanass-ūpa-vicārā.
On vicara, see pondering to a definition of vicara. "Stimulate" here is upa. The meaning of upa is clear enough, but whether you use investigation or pondering for vicara, we don't have a word I know of that does for up-making-vicara. Somanassa and domanassa are the strictly mental equivalents of sukha and dukkha.

Walshe has "pleasurable investigations", but follows the text in the details: "... on seeing a sight-object with the eye ... one investigates a corresponding object productive of pleasure." In other words the experience of the object produces the sensation, it is not the investigation that produces the sensation. Rhys Davids has a similar construction.

^[6] Cha domanass-ūpa-vicārā.

^[7] Cha upekkh-ūpa-vicārā.

^[8] Cha vivāda-mūlāni.
Makkhin concealing, hypocritical; harsh, merciless; often combd with palāsin
Palāsa. unmercifulness, malice, spite. -apa'āsa mercifulness.
Issukin envious, jealous.
Saṭha crafty, treacherous, fraudulent.
Māyāvin deceitful, hypocritical.

^[9] Cha nissaraṇīyā dhātuyo.
Nissaraṇa going out, departure; issue, outcome, result; giving up, leaving behind, being freed, escape, salvation.
-dassin wise in knowing results, prescient, able to find a way to salvation; -pañña = dassin.
Nissaraṇīya [grd. of nissarati, with relation to nissaraṇa] connected with deliverance, leading to salvation, able to be freed. The 3 n. dhātuyo (characteristics of deliverance) are nekkhamma (escape from cravings), āruppa (from existence with form), nirodha (from all existence).

^[10] Walshe has: "...Do not misrepresent the Blessed Lord, it is not right to slander him thus..." and Rhys Davids has "... Do not misrepresent the Exalted One! It is not well to calumniate the Exalted one." But this beggar, however far off the track he is here, is not, as we understand this in English, misrepresenting, slandering, or calumniating the Buddha. He is speaking about his own condition. I understand that this is being spoken by the Buddha, and is in essence saying "This man should be told that such a statement, made by one of my followers, insofar as he claims to represent my views, slanders me," but this does not come across clearly in translations. I have recast this to make sense today sticking as closely as I can to the original.

^[11] Cha anuttariyāni.
Pāricariyā All-round-go-round PED: same as paricariya serving, waiting on, service, ministration, honor. ^[12] Walshe objects to Rhys Davids "memories" remembering the practice of recollecting the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṇgha, but this is not spelled out here and looks more like a reference to actually remembering the Buddha ... as the other categories here also appear to be having seen the Buddha, heard the Buddha teach, gained Arahantship, trained in this discipline, served the Buddha.

^[13] Cha anussati-ṭhānāni.
This set, as contrasted with the previous, is the practice of bringing these ideas to mind in meditation, especially in situations where the mind has become distracted or upset or where the body has become uncomfortable. Try it, friends, it works, its not just devout sounding words. You have been sitting for one, two, three, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred minutes and your agitated/distracted/uncomfortable state is about one hair from getting you to give up, get up and get on with your ordinary downbound life. Focus on one of the many suttas you find here, or in your books, or that you have heard. Focus down close on it, so that you are tracing the words one after the other. Soon you will find yourself stilled, calmed, tranquilized, steady, unshakable. The Buddha says at this point to abandon this focus on the sutta or whatever once you have attained this goal. In practice it is more likely you will have abandoned it without thinking about it. But either way the other likelihood is that you will have considerably extended the duration of your sit down practice. Having extended the duration of your sit down practice, you have enjoyed a period of time without Dukkha, a period of time without pushing the wheel of samsara, you will have burnt off some old kamma and will be among those who have dwelt in the First Burning, jhāna.

To do this with the recollection of the Buddha, focus on something of the life of Gotama you have heard about and focus in on that until you can see it in your mind, and then focus in on the details, such as what came before, what comes after, what was said and to whom, and so forth.

To do this with the Saṇgha, focus in on one of the Arahants: Sāriputta, Moggallāna, Mahā Kassapo, Ānanda, Anuruddha, in this case, not as personalities, but as personifications (as it were) of stages of progress. Work out in your mind the stages that make up the Saṇgha: Streamwinner, Once-returner, non-returner, Arahant. Remember what you have heard about these stages and the individuals described as attaining these stages and work out in your mind what you, yourself, need to do to advance through these stages.

To do this with Ethical Culture, go over the details of Ethical Culture as put forth in this system and compare these details with your own behavior.

To do this with Generosity, recollect some activity of generosity of yours and go over the details very carefully. Expand out the idea thinking about how you might do more of such activity in the future.

To do this with the Gods, go over in mind the various gods; put them in order in your mind, recollect what you have heard with regard to the way they live: food, clothing, shelter, dukkha and sukha, lifespan, what sort of deed was the proximate cause of rebirth in such a way. Here it is especially important to think of two things: "Is there within me any desire for rebirth in this manner?" (and if not, are you, in fact, thinking of some rebirth in an even lower state? such as rebirth again as human? Animal? Demon?) and "Does this life, however long, last forever?"

^[14] Cha satata-vihārā.
n'eva sumano hoti na dummano: my "neither goes sweet on it nor gets upset is a little far out, but at some point we must start using other words than "pleasure" "pleased" "delighted" and "displeasure" and "displeased", we are using these same words for a half dozen Pāḷi words; and English is not so weak in variety when it comes to the basic ideas here. Su-mano: sweet-mind, sweety; du-mano: shit-head.

^[15] Cha' ābhijātiyo.
See above DN 4.24;
Walshe has for this: "Six species ... one born in dark conditions lives a dark life ... one born in bright conditions attains Nibbāna which is neither dark nor bright."
Bodhi: The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, SN 1.3.21: Persons, pp185:
"...four kinds of persons found existing in the world. What four? The one heading from darkness to darkness, the one heading from darkness to light, the one heading from light to darkness, the one heading from light to light."

The Pāḷi for this version is: Tamo tama-paraayano ... jotā jotā-pariyano.

Mrs Rhys Davids has: "... They that are joined to darkness and fare to darkness ... They that are joined to light and fare to light.

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