Cessation

Ṭhen venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus ... re ...

Here, friends a bhikkhu endowed with virtues, concentration and wisdom, if he abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings, he here and now realizes worthiness, or else is born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food and abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings.

Then venerable Udayi said to venerable Sāriputta: Friend, Sāriputta, it is impossible, it could not happen that the bhikkhu be born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food and could abide, attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings.

For the second time ... re ... for the third time venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus ... re ...

Here, friends a bhikkhu endowed with virtues, concentration and wisdom, if he abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings, he here and now realizes worthiness, or else is born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food and abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings.

Up to the third time venerable Udayi said to venerable Sāriputta: Friend, Sāriputta, it is impossible, it could not happen that the bhikkhu be born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food and could abide attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings.

Then it occurred venerable Sāriputta up to the third time venerable Udayi has rejected me and no other bhikkhu appreciates it. What if I approach The Blessed One. Then venerable Sāriputta approached The Blessed One, worshipped and sat on a side and addressed the bhikkhus: Here, friends a bhikkhu endowed with virtues, concentration and wisdom, if he abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings, he here and now realizes worthiness, or else is born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food and abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings.

Then venerable Udayi said to venerable Sāriputta: Friend, Sāriputta, it is impossible, it could not happen that the bhikkhu be born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food, could abide attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings.

For the second time ... re ... for the third time venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus ... re ...

Here, friends a bhikkhu endowed with virtues, concentration and wisdom, if he abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings, he here and now realizes worthiness, or else is born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food and abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings.

Up to the third time venerable Udayi said to venerable Sāriputta: Friend, Sāriputta, it is impossible, it could not happen that the bhikkhu be born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food and he could abide attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings.

Then it occurred venerable Sāriputta even before The Blessed One venerable Udayi has rejected me up to the third time and no other bhikkhu appreciates it. I should keep silence and kept silent.

Then The Blessed One addressed venerable Udayi: Udayi, do you know mental beings? Venerable sir, I know immaterial perceptual gods. Udayi, what is the use of your foolish words. You think, I too should speak. Then The Blessed One addressed venerable Ānanda: Ānanda, there are those who worry the elders. Be on the look out! They show no compassion when worrying the elders.

Then The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu endowed with virtues, concentration and wisdom, if he abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings, he here and now realizes worthiness, or else is born a mental being with the gods who have gone beyond partaking material food and abides attaining to and rising from the cessation of perceptions and feelings. Having said that The Blessed One got up from his seat and went into the monastery.

Soon after The Blessed One had gone, venerable Ānanda approached venerable Upavana and said: Here, friend, Upavana, the elder bhikkhus who have attained worthiness are worried. We are not free from that accusation . There is no surprise friend, Upāvana. to see The Blessed One addressing the bhikkhus on this, as to how venerable ones like Upavana should reply. We should be frightened on this. Then The Blessed One getting up from his seclusion in the evening. approached the attendance hall and sat on the prepared seat and addressed venerable Upavana:

Upavana, endowed with what things is an elder bhikkhu pleasing, agreeable, honourable and developed to the co-associates in the holy life?

Venerable sir, endowed with five things the elder bhikkhu becomes pleasing, agreeable, honourable and developed to the co-associates in the holy life. What five?

Here, venerable sir, the elder bhikkhu is virtuous, ... re ... restrained in the code of rules. Is learned ... re ... and penetratingly seeing have rectified his view. Endowed with good words is polite and could explain to others the deep meanings. He is a gainer for nothing, a quick and easy gainer of the four higher states of the mind, the pleasant abidings here and now. Having destroyed desires, ... re ... having realized abides. Venerable sir, endowed with these five things the elder bhikkhu becomes pleasing, agreeable, honourable and developed to the co-associates in the holy life.

Upavana, good! That you know them. The elder bhikkhu endowed with these five things becomes pleasing, agreeable, honourable and developed to the co-associates in the holy life. Upavana, if these five things are not evident in the elder bhikkhu the co-associates in the holy life should not venerate him, esteem him honour him, because of his grey hair and wrinkled skin. Upavana, if these five things are evident in the elder bhikkhu, then the co-associates in the holy life venerate him, esteem him and honour him.