The Seven Realms V0.16

I know several people who speak multiple languages and they use slang for each. One friend speaks seven and you would never know where he was from because he hides his accent in order to fit in with his colleagues. Caring about knowing slang is dependent on the specific character and other cultural things mentioned later. Bottom line, if you spend a lot of time around people that use slang, you will use slang.

5. And the Blessed One addressed the brahmin Vassakara in thesewords: "Once, brahmin, I dwelt at Vesali, at the Sarandada shrine, and there it was that Itaught the Vajjis these seven conditions leading to (anation's) welfare. [5] Solong, brahmin, as these endure among the Vajjis, and the Vajjis areknown for it, their growth is to be expected, not theirdecline."

Thereupon the brahmin Vassakara spoke thus to the Blessed One:"If the Vajjis, Venerable Gotama, were endowed with only oneor another of these conditions leading to welfare, their growthwould have to be expected, not their decline. What then of all theseven? No harm, indeed, can be done to the Vajjis in battle byMagadha's king, Ajatasattu, except through treachery ordiscord. Well, then, Venerable Gotama, we will take our leave, forwe have much to perform, much work to do."

"The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not theirdecline, bhikkhus, so long as they assemble frequently and in largenumbers; meet and disperse peacefully and attend to the affairs ofthe Sangha in concord; so long as they appoint no new rules, and donot abolish the existing ones, but proceed in accordance with thecode of training (Vinaya) laid down; so long as they show respect,honour, esteem, and veneration towards the elder bhikkhus, those oflong standing, long gone forth, the fathers and leaders of theSangha, and think it worthwhile to listen to them; so long as theydo not come under the power of the craving that leads to freshbecoming; so long as they cherish the forest depths for theirdwellings; so long as they establish themselves in mindfulness, sothat virtuous brethren of the Order who have not come yet might doso, and those already come might live in peace; so long, bhikkhus,as these seven conditions leading to welfare endure among thebhikkhus and the bhikkhus are known for it, their growth is to beexpected, not their decline.

"The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not theirdecline, bhikkhus, so long as they do not delight in, are notpleased with, and are not fond of activities, talk, sleep, andcompany; so long as they do not harbour, do not come under thespell of evil desires; have no bad friends, associates, orcompanions; and so long as they do not stop halfway on account ofsome trifling achievement. So long, bhikkhus, as these sevenconditions leading to welfare endure among the bhikkhus and thebhikkhus are known for it, their growth is to be expected, nottheir decline.

"The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not theirdecline, bhikkhus, so long as they shall have faith, so long asthey have moral shame and fear of misconduct, are proficient inlearning, resolute, mindful, and wise. So long, bhikkhus, as theseseven conditions leading to welfare endure among the bhikkhus, andthe bhikkhus are known for it, their growth is to be expected, nottheir decline.

"The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not theirdecline, bhikkhus, so long as they cultivate the seven factors ofenlightenment, that is: mindfulness, investigation into phenomena,energy, bliss, tranquillity, concentration, and equanimity. Solong, bhikkhus, as these seven conditions leading to welfare endureamong the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus are known for it, their growthis to be expected, not their decline.

"The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not theirdecline, bhikkhus, so long as they cultivate the perception ofimpermanence, of egolessness, of (the body's) impurity, of (thebody's) wretchedness, of relinquishment, of dispassion, and ofcessation. So long, bhikkhus, as these seven conditions leading towelfare endure among the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus are known forit, their growth is to be expected, not their decline.

17. "No such direct personal knowledge, indeed, is mine,Lord, of the Arahats, the Fully Enlightened Ones of the past, thefuture, and the present; and yet I have come to know the lawfulnessof the Dhamma. Suppose, Lord, a king's frontier fortress wasstrongly fortified, with strong ramparts and turrets, and it had asingle gate, and there was a gatekeeper, intelligent, experienced,and prudent, who would keep out the stranger but allow the friendto enter. As he patrols the path that leads all around thefortress, he does not perceive a hole or fissure in the rampartseven big enough to allow a cat to slip through. So he comes to theconclusion: 'Whatever grosser living things are to enter orleave this city, they will all have to do so just by thisgate.' In the same way, Lord, I have come to know thelawfulness of the Dhamma.

"For, Lord, all the Blessed Ones, Arahats, FullyEnlightened Ones of the past had abandoned the five hindrances, [14] the mental defilements thatweaken wisdom; had well established their minds in the fourfoundations of mindfulness; [15] had duly cultivated the seven factors ofenlightenment, and were fully enlightened in unsurpassed, supremeEnlightenment.

"And, Lord, all the Blessed Ones, Arahats, FullyEnlightened Ones of the future will abandon the five hindrances,the mental defilements that weaken wisdom; will well establishtheir minds in the four foundations of mindfulness; will dulycultivate the seven factors of enlightenment, and will be fullyenlightened in unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment.

"And the Blessed One too, Lord, being at present theArahat, the Fully Enlightened One, has abandoned the fivehindrances, the mental defilements that weaken wisdom; has wellestablished his mind in the four foundations of mindfulness; hasduly cultivated the seven factors of enlightenment, and is fullyenlightened in unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment."

31. "When one, not perceiving forms subjectively, seesforms external to himself that are red, red in colour, of a redlustre like the Bandhujivaka blossom, or like fine Benares muslinwhich, burnished on both sides, is red, red in colour, of a redlustre -- when such a one sees forms external to himself that arered, and mastering them, is aware that he perceives and knows themas they are -- this is the seventh field of mastery.

62. "And what, bhikkhus, are these teachings? They are thefour foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the fourconstituents of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers,the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path.These, bhikkhus, are the teachings of which I have directknowledge, which I have made known to you, and which you shouldthoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practise, thatthe life of purity may be established and may long endure, for thewelfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for theworld, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods andmen."

42. "Do not say that, Ananda! Do not say: 'This meanplace, this uncivilized township in the midst of the jungle, a mereoutpost of the province.' In times long past, Ananda, there wasa king by the name of Maha Sudassana, who was a universalmonarch, a king of righteousness, a conqueror of the four quartersof the earth, whose realm was established in security, and who wasendowed with the seven jewels.[53] And that King Maha Sudassana, Ananda, had hisroyal residence here at Kusinara, which was then called Kusavati, and it extended twelveyojanas from east to west, and seven from north to south.

But on the seventh day the thought came to them: "We havepaid homage to the body of the Blessed One with dance, song, music,flower-garlands, and perfume, and have shown respect, honour, andveneration; let us now carry the body of the Blessed One southwardto the southern part of the town and beyond, and let us therecremate the body of the Blessed One south of the town."

And the Mallas of Kusinara laid the relics of the Blessed One intheir council hall, and surrounded them with a lattice-work ofspears and encircled them with a fence of bows; and there for sevendays they paid homage to the relics of the Blessed One with dance,song, music, flower-garlands, and perfume, and showed respect,honour, and veneration to the relics of the Blessed One.

53. The "sevenjewels" of a universal monarch are: the magical wheel, emblemof his sovereignty, by which he conquers the earth without the useof force; his wonderful elephant; his horse; his beautiful wife;his precious gem; his treasurer; and his advisor. All are endowedwith wondrous properties. For more on Maha Sudassana, see the suttawhich bears his name, DN 17. [Go back] 781b155fdc