I heard thus.

At one time the Blessed One lived in the Gosinga Sàla forest, with many well versed elder disciples such as venerables Sàriputta, Mahàmoggallàna, Mahàkassapa, Anuruddha, Revata, ânanda and many other well versed elder disciples. Venerable Mahàmoggallàna getting up from his seclusion in the evening approached venerable Mahàkassapa and said; Kassapa, let us go to venerable Sàriputta, to hear the Teaching. Venerable Mahàkassapa agreed and venerable Mahàmoggallàna, venerable Mahàkassapa and venerable Anuruddha approached venerable Sàriputta. Venerable ânanda saw venerables, Mahàmoggallàna, Mahàkassapa and Anuruddha approaching venerable Sàriputta to hear the Teaching and venerable ânanda approached venerable Revata and said, friend, Revata, the Great Men are approaching venerable Sàriputta to hear the Teaching, shall we too go to hear the Teaching. Venerable Revata agreed and venerable Revata and venerable

ânanda approached venerable Sàriputta.

Venerable Sàriputta saw venerables Revata and ânanda coming in the distance and said, welcome friend, ânanda, the close and near attendant of the Blessed One. Friend, ânanda, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing the flowers in full bloom, give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest? Friend, Sàriputta, a learned bhikkhu, who bears all the Teaching, treasures that, which is good at the beginning,in the middle and at the end, and declares the completely pure holy life. Of that Teaching he should become a bearer by words and practise and an experiencer of it through penetration. He would teach it to the fourfold gatherings, with the words coming to him without difficulty, for the destruction of the latent tendencies of those with sharp mental faculties. Friend, Sàriputta, such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga. Sàla forest.

When this was said, venerable Sàriputta addressed venerable Revata, Friend, Revata, venerable ânanda has declared this according to his understanding, now we ask you: Friend Revata, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest? Friend, Sàriputta, a bhikkhu who is fond of seclusion, yoked to internal appeasement of the mind. He would not neglect jhàna, endowed with wise reflection, and would develop the abidings without thoughts and discursive thoughts. Such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga Sàla forest.

When this was said, venerable Sàriputta addressed venerable Anuruddha: Friend, Anuruddha, venerable Revata has declared this according to his understanding, now we ask you. Anuruddha, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest? Friend, Sàriputta, the bhikkhu with the heavenly eye purified beyond human would look at the thousandfold world systems. Like a man who has climbed to the top most storey of his mansion would be looking at a disc with thousandfold circumferences. In the same manner the bhikkhu with the heavenly eye purified beyond human would look at the thousandfold world systems. Such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga Sàla forest.

When this was said, venerable Sàriputta addressed venerable Mahàkassapa, Friend, Kassapa, venerable Anuruddha has declared this according to his understanding, now we ask you. Kassapa. in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest? Friend, Sàriputta, the bhikkhu, a forest dweller praises forest dwelling. A partaker of morsel food praises the partaking of morsel food. A rag robe wearer, praises wearing rag-robes. Confined to three robes, praises that. With few desires praises few desires, and satisfied praises satisfaction Secluded praises seclusion, withdrawn, praises withdrawal from the crowd. With aroused effort, praises arousal of effort and virtuous, praises endowment of virtues. Concentrated praises endowment of concentration and wise praises endowment of wisdom. Released praises endowment of release and endowed with the knowledge and vision of release, praises the knowledge and vision of release. Such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga Sàla forest.

When this was said, venerable Sàriputta addressed venerable Mahàmoggallàana

Friend, Moggallàna, venerable Mahàkassapa has declared this according to his understanding, now we ask you. Friend, Moggallàna, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest? Friend, Sàriputta, two bhikkhus discussing a deep point in the Teaching would ask questions from each other. Would find replies for each others questions. They would not fall out with each other, their talk would be timely and beneficial. Such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga Sàla forest.

Then venerable Mahàmoggallàna addressed venerable Sàriputta. Friend, Sàriputta we all have declared this according to our understanding. Now we ask you. Friend, Sàriputta, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent, what kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest. Here, friend, Moggallàna, the bhikkhu wields power over the mind, and does not abide in the power of the mind. Whatever abiding he desires to abide in the morning, in that, he abides in the morning. Whatever abiding he desires to abide in the mid day, in that he abides in the mid day. Whatever abiding he desires to abide in the evening, in that he abides in the evening. Like a head anointed king, or his chief minister who had a casket full of clothes of various colours, would choose the set of clothes he wanted to wear in the morning, in the mid day, and in the evening. In the same manner the bhikkhu wields power over the mind and does not abide in the power of the mind. In whatever abidings he desires to abide, in the morning, at mid day, and in the evening, in that respective abiding he abides in the morning, at mid day, and in the evening. Such a bhikkhu adorns the Gosinga Sàla forest.

Then venerable Sàriputta said thus to those venerable ones-Let us approach the Blessed One, and inform all this and as he explains it let us bear it in mind. Those venerable ones agreed and they approached the Blessed One, worshipped and sat on a side. Then venerable Sàriputta said thus to the Blessed One: Venerable sir, venerable Revata and venerable ânanda approached me to hear the Teaching, I seeing venerables Revata and ânanda coming in the distance, said welcome friend, ânanda, the close and near attendant of the Blessed One. Friend, ânanda, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest. ? Venerable sir, then venerable ânanda said: Friend, Sàriputta, a learned bhikkhu, treasures the Teaching which is good at the beginning, in the middle and at the end. That Teaching which declares the completely pure holy life. Of that Teaching he should become a bearer by words and practise and an experiencer through penetration He would teach it to the fourfold gatherings, the words coming to him without difficulty, for the destruction of the latent tendencies of those with sharp mental faculties. Friend, Sàriputta, such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga. Sàla forest. Good Sàriputta, as ânanda himself has explained, is learned bears the Teaching and treasures the Teaching good at the beginning, in the middle and at the end. The Teaching which declares the complete and pure holy life. He bears it in mind by words and practise and experiences it through penetration and he teaches the four gatherings, the words coming to him without difficulty, for the destruction of the latent tendencies of those with sharp mental faculties.

When this was said, venerable sir, I told venerable Anuruddha: Friend, Anuruddha, venerable Revata has declared this according to his understanding, now we ask you. Friend, Anuruddha, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest?. When this was said venerable Anuruddha said thus to me. Friend, Sàriputta, the bhikkhu with the heavenly eye purified beyond human would look at the thousandfold world systems. Like a man who has climbed to the top most storey of his mansion would look at a disc with a thousandfold circumference. In the same manner the bhikkhu with the heavenly eye purified beyond human would look at the thousandfold world systems. Such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga Sàla forest. Good, Sàriputta, as Anuruddha himself explains with the heavenly eye purified beyond human, he looks at the thousandfold world systems

When this was said, venerable sir, I told venerable Mahàkassapa, Friend, Kassapa, venerable Anuruddha has declared this according to his understanding, now we ask you. Friend, Kassapa, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest? When this was said, venerable Mahàkassapa said thus to me. Friend, Sàriputta, the bhikkhu a forest dweller praises dwelling in the forest. Partaking morsel food praises the partaking of morsel food. A rag robe wearer, praises wearing rag-robes. Confined to three robes, praises that and with few desires praises few desires. Satisfied praises satisfaction, and secluded praises seclusion. Withdrawing from the crowd, praises withdrawal from the crowd. With aroused effort, praises arousal of effort and virtuous praises endowment of virtues. Concentrated praises endowment of concentration and wise, praises endowment of wisdom. Released praises endowment of release. Endowed with the knowledge and vision of release, praises the knowledge and vision of release. Such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga Sàla forest. Good, Sàriputta, As Kassapa himself explains he a forest dweller praises forest dwelling, himself endowed with the knowledge and vision of release praises the knowledge and vision of release. .

When this was said, venerable sir, I told venerable Mahàmoggallàana Friend, Moggallàna, venerable Mahàkassapa has declared this according to his understanding, now we ask you. Friend, Moggallàna, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent. What kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest? Friend, Sàriputta, two bhikkhus discussing a deep point in the Teaching would ask questions from each other. They would find replies for each others questions, would not fall out with each other. Their talk would be timely and beneficial. Such a bhikkhu would adorn the Gosinga Sàla forest. Good, Sàriputta, As Moggallàana himself explains he is a good preacher.

Then venerable Mahàmoggallàna said thus to the Blessed One: venerable sir,then I said to venerable Sàriputta. Friend, Sàriputta we all have declared this according to our understanding, now we ask you. Friend, Sàriputta, in the moon light, the Sàla forest is very pleasing, the flowers in full bloom give a heavenly scent, what kind of bhikkhu would adorn this Sàla forest. When this was said venerable Sàriputta said thus to me. Here, friend, Moggallàna, the bhikkhu wields power over the mind, and does not abide in the power of the mind. Whatever abiding he desires to abide in the morning, in that he abides in the morning, whatever abiding he desires to abide, at mid day, in that he abides, at mid day, whatever abiding he desires to abide in the evening, in that he abides in the evening. Like a head anointed king, or his chief minister who had a casket full of clothes of various colours. From it he would choose whatever set of clothes he wanted to wear in the morning, in the mid day, and in the evening. In the same manner the bhikkhu wields power over the mind and does not abide in the power of the mind. Whatever abiding he desires to abide in the morning, at mid day and in the evening, in that respective abiding he abides respectively Friend, Moggallàna, such a bhikkhu adorns the Gosinga Sàla forest. Good Moggallàna! As Sàriputta himself explains it, he wields power over the mind, and does not abide in the power of the mind. Whatever abiding he desires to abide in the morning, at mid day and in the evening, in those and those he would abide respectively..

When this was said venerable Sàriputta said thus to the Blessed One -Venerable sir, Whose words are the best?. Sàriputta, all these are good words, in a certain order, yet listen to what I have to say: Here, Sàriputta, the bhikkhu, when the meal is over and returning from the alms round sits in a cross-legged posture, keeping his body straight and mindfulness established in front. The he determines, until my mind is released without desires, I would not change this posture. Sàriputta, such a bhikkhu, adorns the Gosinga Sàla forest.

The Blessed One said thus and the venerable ones delighted in the words of the Blessed One.