Second on unrighteousness

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

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

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

“Friends, this is like a man in search of the heartwood, going to a huge, 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 Mahakaccana is praised, as developed out of the co-associates in the holy life, by the Teacher. Venerable Mahakaccana can explain this short exposition given by The 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, destroying living things is unrighteous, abstaining from destroying living things righteous. On account of destroying living things various, useless, evil demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of abstaining from destroying living things various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, taking the not given is unrighteous, abstaining from taking the not given is righteous. On account of taking the not given various useless evil demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of abstaining from taking the not given various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

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

Friends, telling lies is unrighteous, abstaining from telling lies is righteous. On account of telling lies various, useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of abstaining from telling lies various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, slandering is unrighteous, abstaining from slandering is righteous. On account of slandering various, useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of abstaining from slandering various, useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, rough talk is unrighteous, abstaining from rough talk is righteous. On account of rough talk various, useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of abstaining from rough talk various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, frivolous talk is unrighteous, abstaining from frivolous talk is righteous. On account of frivolous talk various useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of abstaining from frivolous talk various useful meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, coveting is unrighteous, not coveting is righteous. On account of coveting various, useless, evil, demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of not coveting, various, useful, meritorious things develop and get completed, they are useful.

Friends, hate is unrighteous, not hating is righteous. On account of hating various useless evil demeritorious things arise, they are useless. On account of not hating various, useful, meritorious things develop and get completed, they are 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, of the short expositin, `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' I understand the detailed meaning in this manner. If you desire, approach The Blessed One and ask. As The Blessed One explains it, bear it in mind.

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

“Venerable sir, The Blessed One gave us this short exposition and without explaining, got up from his seat and went into the monastery `The righteous ... 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 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.' “Who could explain this short exposition given by The Blessed One?

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

Excellent! bhikkhus, Mahakaccana 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.