Part 28 - The Buddha’s Discourse at Bhaṇḍu (Bhaṇḍa) Village

Then the Buddha, accompanied by His large company of bhikkhus, visited Bhaṇḍu village and took up His residence there. During His sojourn there He discoursed to the bhikkhus as follows:

“Bhikkhus, it is through not having proper understanding and penetrative knowledge of four Principles that I, as well as yourselves, have had to fare along the long course of the round of existences (saṃsāra), going through from existence to existence. And the Four Principles are as follows:

i) Bhikkhus, (p1:) it is through not having proper understanding and penetrative knowledge of the Ariya Morality, the virtue of the Noble One (Ariya Sīla) (p2:) that I, as well as yourselves, have had to fare along the long course of the round of existences, going through from existence to existence.

ii) Bhikkhus,.... (repeat p1: above) the Ariya Concentration (Ariya Samādhi)...(repeat p2: above)

iii) Bhikkhus,...(repeat p1 above) the Ariya Wisdom (Ariya Paññā)...(repeat p2: above) iv) Bhikkhus, it is though not having proper understanding and penetrative knowledge of the Ariya Liberation (Ariya Vimutti) that I, as well as yourselves, have had to fare along the long course of the round of existences, going through existence to existence.

“Bhikkhus, I have properly understood and gained penetrative knowledge of the Ariya Morality; I have properly understood and gained penetrative knowledge of the Ariya Concentration;.... of the Ariya Wisdom;... of the Ariya Liberation. Craving for existence has been completely eradicated so that craving which drags one to renewed existence is extinct in Me. Now there will be no more rebirth.”

Then the Buddha further said to the bhikkhus (in verse):

“(Bhikkhus;) Buddha Gotama, of vast followership, has correctly known these Principles of Supreme Morality, Concentration, Wisdom and Liberation.

“Having gained penetrative knowledge of them through Magga Insight, He has (out of compassion) expounded them to the bhikkhus. The Teacher (of deva and humans), endowed with the fivefold Eye of Wisdom, who has quelled all the fires of defilements, has made an end of all ills (dukkha) (in himself as well as his arahat disciples).”

During His sojourn at Bhaṇḍu village the Buddha, considering His approaching death, discoursed to the bhikkhus of the repeated theme as follows:

“Such is Morality, such is Concentration, such is Wisdom. Concentration developed through Morality is efficacious and productive. Wisdom developed through Concentration is efficacious and productive. The mind that is developed through Wisdom is thoroughly liberated from the moral taints, namely, the taint of sense-desire, the taint of hankering after continued existence, and the taint of ignorance of the four Ariya Truths.”