Third on the unrighteous

“Bhikkhus, the unrighteous and the righteous should be known. The useless and the useful should be known and you should fall to the method which is righteous and useful. The Blessed One said this much and went to the monastery.

Then, soon after The Blessed One had gone, it occured to those bhikkhus, The Blessed One has given us a short exposition, without explaining it, has got up and gone to the monastery.- `Bhikkhus, the unrighteous and the righteous should be known. The useless and the useful Teaching should be known and you should fall to the method, which is righteous and useful.' “Who could explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One?

Then it occured to those bhikkhus: `There is venerable Ananda, praised by the Teacher as developed among the wise co-associates of the holy life. It is possible for venerable Ananda to explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One. What if we approach venerable Ananda and ask him, to explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One. As venerable Ananda explains it, we bhikkhus will bear it in mind.

Those bhikkhus approached venerable Ananda, exchanged friendly greetings, sat on a side and said: -

“Here, friend, Ananda, The Blessed One gave us this short exposition `Bhikkhus, the unrighteous and the righteous should be known. The useless and the useful should be known and you should fall to the method of the Teaching, which is righteous and useful. The Blessed One said this much and went to the monastery.

Then, soon after The Blessed One had gone, it occured to us, The Blessed One has given us a short exposition, without explaining it, has got up and gone to the monastery- `Bhikkhus, the unrighteous and the righteous should be known. The useless and the useful should be known and you should fall to the method, which is righteous and useful.' “Who could explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One?

Then it occured to us: `There is venerable Ananda, praised by the Teacher out of the wise co-associates of the holy life. It is possible for venerable Ananda to explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One. What if we approach venerable Ananda and ask him to explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One. As venerable Ananda explains it, we bhikkhus will bear it in mind. Friend, Ananda, explain this to us.

“Friends, this is like a man in search of the heartwood, going to a standing tree full of heartwood ignoring its root, and trunk were to search the heartwood in the branches and leaves. The venerable ones ignoring The Blessed One's presence should think to ask the meaning from me. Friends, The Blessed One knows what should be known, sees what should be seen, has understood the Teaching has become the Teaching and has become brahma. Practises what he says, leads to the meanings, gives the deathless, is the master of the Teaching. This is the time to ask the meaning from him. As The Blessed One explains, bear it in mind.

“Indeed, friend, The Blessed One knows what should be known, sees what should be seen, has understood the Teaching has become the Teaching and has become brahma. Practises what he says, leads to the meanings, gives the deathless, is the master of the Teaching and this is the time to ask the meaning from The Blessed One and bear it in mind. Yet, venerable Ananda is praised, as developed out of the co-associates in the holy life, by the Teacher. Venerable Ananda can explain this short exposition given by Blessed One. Friend, explain it, if it is no problem.

“Then. friends, listen and attend carefully, I will tell. This short exposition was given by The Blessed One, without explaining it The Blessed One got up from his seat and went to the monastery. Such as: `Bhikkhus, the unrighteous and the righteous should be known. The useless and the useful should be known and you should fall to the method which is righteous and useful.'

Friends, what is the unrighteous and the righteous, what is the useless and useful?

Friends, wrong view is unrighteous, right view is righteous. On account of wrong view various, useless, evil demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right view various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong thoughts are unrighteous, right thoughts are righteous. On account of wrong thughts various useless evil demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right thoughts various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong speech is unrighteous, right speech is righteous. On account of wrong speech various useless evil demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right speech various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong activity is unrighteous, right activity is righteous. On account of wrong activity various, useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right activity various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong livelihood is unrighteous, right livelihood is righteous. On account of wrong livelihod various, useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right livelihood various, useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong endeavour is unrighteous, right endeavour is righteous. On account of wrong endeavour various, useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right endeavour various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong mindfulness is unrighteous, right mindfulness is righteous. On account of wrong mindfulness various useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right mindfulness various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong concentration is unrighteous, right concentration is righteous. On account of wrong concentratin various, useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right concentration, various, useful, meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong knowledge is unrighteous, right knowldge is righteous. On account of wrong knowledge various useless evil demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right knowledge various, useful, meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, wrong release is unrighteous, right release is righteous. On account of wrong release various useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of right release various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, of the short expositin, `The unrighteous Teaching and the righteous Teaching should be known. The useless Teaching and the useful Teaching should be known and you should fall to the method, which is righteous and useful' I understand the detailed meaning in this manner. If you desire, approach The Blessed One and ask and as The Blessed One explains it, bear it in mind.

Those bhikkhus, agreeing and delighting in the words of venerable Ananda, got up from their seats and approached The Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said: -

The Blessed One gave us this short exposition and without explaining, got up from his seat and went into the monastery `The righteous Teaching ... re ... which is righteous and useful.'

Then, venerable sir, soon after The Blessed One had gone, it occured to us, The Blessed One has given us a short exposition, without explaining it has got up and gone to the monastery- `Bhikkhus, the unrighteous Teaching and the righteous Teaching should be known. The useless and the useful Teaching should be known and you should fall to the method, of the Teaching which is righteous and useful.' “Who could explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One?

Then it occured to us: `There is venerable Ananda, praised by the Teacher out of the wise co-associates of the holy life. It is possible for venerable Ananda to explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One. What if we approach venerable Ananda and ask him to explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One. As venerable Ananda explains it, we bhikkhus will bear it in mind. Then we said. Friend, Ananda, explain this to us. Venerable Ananda explained it to us in this manner, with these phrases and words.

Excellent! bhikkhus, Ananda is very wise, if you had asked me I too would have explained it, in the same manner. This is its meaning bear it in mind.