“Monks, I have known two qualities through experience: discontent with regard to skillful qualities[1] and unrelenting exertion. Relentlessly I exerted myself, [thinking,] ‘Gladly would I let the flesh & blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if I have not attained what can be reached through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing my persistence.’ From this heedfulness of mine was attained Awakening. From this heedfulness of mine was attained the unexcelled freedom from bondage.

“You, too, monks, should relentlessly exert yourselves, [thinking,] ‘Gladly would we let the flesh & blood in our bodies dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if we have not attained what can be reached through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing our persistence.’ You, too, in no long time will reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for yourselves in the here & now.

“Thus you should train yourselves: ‘We will relentlessly exert ourselves, [thinking,] “Gladly would we let the flesh & blood in our bodies dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if we have not attained what can be reached through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing our persistence.”‘ That’s how you should train yourselves.”

source with note

At that time the elder monk Subhuti was among the gathering of monks. He rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, kneeled on his right knee, and with palms pressed together before him, respectfully spoke to the Buddha saying, “Rare One, World-honored One, the Tathagata protects and is concerned about all bodhisattvas, and he instructs all bodhisattvas. World-honored One, when good men and good women commit themselves to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, on what should they base themselves, and how should they subdue their minds?”

link

Thus have I heard, at one time, the Buddha was in the state of Sravasti at the Jeta Grove with a gathering of monks numbering 1,250. At mealtime, the World-honored One put on his robe, picked up his bowl, and went into the city of Sravasti to beg for food. After he had gone from house to house, he returned to the grove. When he had finished eating, he put away his robe and bowl, washed his feet, straightened his mat, and sat down.

link

31. “Monks, I know not of any other single thing so intractable as the untamed mind. The untamed mind is indeed a thing untractable.

32. “Monks, I know not of any other thing so tractable as the tamed mind. The tamed mind is indeed a thing tractable.

33. “Monks, I know not of any other single thing so conducive to great loss as the untamed mind. The untamed mind indeed conduces to great loss.

34. “Monks, I know not of any other single thing so conducive to great profit as the tamed mind. The tamed mind indeed conduces to great profit.

39. “Monks, I know not of any other single thing that brings such woe as the mind that is untamed, uncontrolled, unguarded and unrestrained. Such a mind indeed brings great woe.

40. “Monks, I know not of any other single thing that brings such bliss as the mind that is tamed, controlled, guarded and restrained. Such a mind indeed brings great bliss.”

link to original

“Just as, of all trees, the balsam is foremost in terms of softness and pliancy, in the same way I don’t envision a single thing that, when developed & cultivated, is as soft & pliant as the mind. The mind, when developed & cultivated, is soft & pliant.”

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“Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements.”

“Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements.”

“Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements. The uninstructed run-of-the-mill person doesn’t discern that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that — for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person — there is no development of the mind.” 

“Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements. The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones discerns that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that — for the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — there is development of the mind.”

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In the past, before hearing Gotama’s message,

when anyone explained ‘It is,’ ‘It will be,’

all that was hearsay, quotation marks.

All that promoted conjecture and gave me no pleasure.

Now, sage, teach me the Dhamma demolishing craving,

knowing which, living mindfully,

one would cross over beyond entanglement in the world.

The Buddha:

Here, Hemaka, with regard to things dear

—seen, heard, sensed, & cognized—

there is: the dispelling of passion & desire,

the unfallen, undying state of unbinding.

Those knowing this, mindful, fully unbound

in the here-&-now, are always calmed,

have crossed over beyond entanglement in the world.

link to original with notes

Todeyya:

One in whom no sensualities dwell;

in whom no craving is found;

who has crossed over perplexity—his emancipation:

What is it like?

The Buddha:

One in whom no sensualities dwell;

in whom no craving is found;

who has crossed over perplexity—his emancipation

is not other than that.

Todeyya:

Is he without desire, or desiring?

Discerning or still acquiring discernment?

Describe the sage to me, Sakyan, All-around Eye,

so that I may recognize what he is like.

The Buddha:

He’s without desire, not desiring;

discerning, not still acquiring discernment.

Recognize the sage, Todeyya, as having nothing,

unentangled in sensuality & becoming.

link

Born in a high-ranking family
with much property, great wealth,
consummate in complexion & figure,
I was the daughter of Majjha, the treasurer.
Sons of kings sought for me,
sons of rich merchants
longed for me.
One of them sent my father a messenger,
saying, “Give me Anopama.
I will give in return
eight times her weight
in jewels & gold.”
But I, having seen
the One Self-awakened,
unsurpassed, excelling the world,
paid homage to his feet,
sat down to one side.
He, Gotama, from sympathy,
taught me the Dhamma.
And as I sat in that very seat,
I attained the third fruit
[of non-return.]
Then I cut off my hair,
and went forth into homelessness.
Today is the seventh day
since I made craving
wither away.

link to original