Thus have I heard: at one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time the wanderer Uggāhamāna, Samaṇamaṇḍikā's son, was staying in the One Hall, set round with a row of tinduka trees, in Mallikā's park, which was intended for discussion, together with a company of wanderers numbering at least three hundred.

Then early one morning the carpenter Pancakaṅga left Sāvatthī so as to see the Lord. Then it occurred to Pancakaṅga the carpenter: “It is not yet the right time to see the Lord. The Lord has withdrawn. Nor is it the season to see the monks who are developing their minds. The monks who are developing their minds have withdrawn. Suppose that I were to approach Mallikā's park, which is intended for discussion, the One Hall, set round with a row of tinduka trees, and Uggāhamāna the wanderer, Samaṇamaṇḍikā's son?”

Then Pancakaṅga the carpenter approached Mallikā's park, which is intended for discussion, the One Hall, set round with a row of tinduka trees, and Uggāhamāna the wanderer, Samaṇamaṇḍikā's son. At that time Uggāhamāna was sitting down with a great company of wanderers shouting out with a loud noise, a great noise, talking various kinds of inferior talk that is to say talk on kings, thieves, great ministers, armies, fears, battles, food, drink, clothes, beds, garlands, scents, relations, vehicles, villages, market towns, towns, the country, women, heroes, streets, wells, those departed before, talk of diversity, speculation about the world, speculation about the sea, talk about becoming or not becoming thus or thus.

Uggāhamāna saw the carpenter Pancakaṅga coming in the distance; seeing him, he called his own company to order, saying; “Good sirs, let there be little noise; do not, good sirs, make a noise; this is a disciple of the recluse Gotama who is coming, the carpenter Pancakaṅga. For as long as white-frocked householders, disciples of the recluse Gotama, have been staying at Sāvatthī, the carpenter Pancakaṅga has been among them. These venerable ones wish for little noise, they are trained to little noise, they are praisers of little noise. So, if he knows that this is a company of little noise, he may consider approaching.” Then these wanderers fell silent.

Then Pancakaṅga the carpenter approached Uggāhamāna; having approached he exchanged greetings with Uggāhamāna; having conversed in a friendly and courteous way, he sat down at a respectful distance. Uggāhamāna spoke thus to Pancakaṅga the carpenter as he was sitting down at a respectful distance: “I, carpenter, lay down that an individual who is endowed with four qualities is abounding in skill, of the highest skill, an unconquerable recluse attained to the utmost attainments. With what four? As to this, carpenter, he does no evil deed with his body, he speaks no evil speech, he intends no evil intention, he leads no evil mode of livelihood. I lay down, carpenter, that if an individual is endowed with these four qualities he is abounding in skill, of the highest skill, an unconquerable recluse attained to the utmost attainments.” But the carpenter Pancakaṅga neither rejoiced in what Uggāhamāna had said nor scoffed. Neither rejoicing nor scoffing, rising from his seat, he departed, thinking: “I will discover the meaning of what was said in the Lord's presence.”

Then Pancakaṅga the carpenter approached the Lord; having approached, having greeted the Lord, he sat down at a respectful distance. As he was sitting down at a respectful distance Pancakaṅga the carpenter told the Lord the whole of the conversation he had had with Uggāhamāna. This said, the Lord spoke thus to Pancakaṅga the carpenter: “This being so, carpenter, then according to the speech of Uggāhamāna a young baby boy lying on its back would be of abounding skill, of the highest skill, an unconquerable recluse attained to the utmost attainments. For, carpenter, a young baby boy lying on its back does not think of its own body. How then could it do an evil deed with its body, except for a little kicking about? A young baby boy, carpenter, lying on its back does not think of its own voice. How then could it utter an evil speech, except for a little crying? A young baby boy, carpenter, lying on its back does not think about its own intention. How then could it intend an evil intention, except for a little excitement? A young baby boy, carpenter, lying on its back does not think of its own mode of livelihood. How then could it lead an evil mode of livelihood, except for taking its mother's milk? This being so, carpenter, then according to the speech of Uggāhamāna a young baby boy lying on its back would be of abounding skill, of the highest skill, an unconquerable recluse attained to the utmost attainments.

Now I, carpenter, lay down that an individual, endowed with four qualities, is neither of abounding skill nor of the highest skill nor is he an unconquerable recluse attained to the utmost attainments; and that these moreover merely distinguish a young baby boy lying on its back. With what four? As to this, carpenter, he does no evil deed with his body, he utters no evil speech, he intends no evil intention, he leads no evil mode of livelihood. I, carpenter, lay down that if an individual is endowed with these four qualities he is neither abounding in skill, nor of the highest skill, nor an unconquerable recluse attained to the utmost attainments; and that these moreover merely distinguish a young baby boy lying on its back.

I, carpenter, lay down that an individual, endowed with ten qualities, is abounding in skill, of the highest skill, an unconquerable recluse attained to the utmost attainments. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that these are unskilled moral habits. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that hence-originating are unskilled moral habits. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that here unskilled moral habits are stopped without remainder. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that faring along thus, he is faring along for the stopping of unskilled moral habits.

I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that these are skilled moral habits. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that hence-originating are skilled moral habits. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that here skilled moral habits are stopped without remainder. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that faring along thus, he is faring along for the stopping of skilled moral habits.

I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that these are unskilled intentions. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that hence-originating are unskilled intentions. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that here unskilled intentions are stopped without remainder. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that faring along thus, he is faring along for the stopping of unskilled intentions.

I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that these are skilled intentions. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that hence-originating are skilled intentions. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that here skilled intentions are stopped without remainder. I say it is to be understood for him, carpenter, that faring along thus, he is faring along for the stopping of skilled intentions.

And which, carpenter, are the unskilled moral habits? Unskilled deed of body, unskilled deed of speech, evil mode of livelihood, these, carpenter, are called unskilled moral habits. And how, carpenter, do these unskilled moral habits originate? Their origination is spoken of too. It should be answered that the origination is in the mind. Which mind? For the mind is manifold, various, diverse. That mind which has attachment, aversion, confusion, originating from this are unskilled moral habits. But where, carpenter, are these unskilled moral habits stopped without remainder? Their stopping is spoken of too. As to this, carpenter, a monk, getting rid of wrong conduct in body, develops right conduct in body; getting rid of wrong conduct in speech, he develops right conduct in speech; getting rid of wrong conduct in thought, he develops right conduct in thought; getting rid of a wrong mode of livelihood, he leads his life with a right mode of livelihood. It is thus that these unskilled moral habits are stopped without remainder.

Here and below the Four Right Efforts are called ‘the way’. And faring along in what way, carpenter, is he faring along for the stopping of unskilled moral habits? As to this, carpenter, a monk generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the non-arising of evil unskilled states of mind that have not arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the getting rid of evil unskilled states of mind that have arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the arising of skilled states of mind that have not arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the maintenance, preservation, increase, maturity, development and completion of skilled states of mind that have arisen. Faring along thus, carpenter, he is faring along for the stopping of unskilled moral habits.

And which, carpenter, are the skilled moral habits? Skilled deed of body, skilled deed of speech; and I, carpenter, say that included in moral habit is entire purity of mode of livelihood. These, carpenter, are called skilled moral habits. And how, carpenter, do these skilled moral habits originate? Their origination is spoken of too. It should be answered that the origination is in the mind. Which mind? For the mind is manifold, various, diverse. That mind which is devoid of attachment, devoid of aversion, devoid of confusion, originating from this are the skilled moral habits. And where, carpenter, are these skilled moral habits stopped without remainder? Their stopping is spoken of too. As to this, carpenter, a monk is of moral habit and has no addition to make to moral habit, and he comprehends that freedom of mind, that freedom through intuitive wisdom as they really are. Herein are these skilled moral habits of his stopped without remainder.

And faring along in what way, carpenter, is he faring along for the stopping of skilled moral habits? As to this, carpenter, a monk generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the non-arising of evil unskilled states of mind that have not arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the getting rid of evil unskilled states of mind that have arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the arising of skilled states of mind that have not arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the maintenance, preservation, increase, maturity, development and completion of skilled states of mind that have arisen. Faring along thus, carpenter, he is faring along for the stopping of skilled moral habits.

And which, carpenter, are unskilled intentions? Intention for sense-pleasures, intention for malevolence, intention for harming. These, carpenter, are called unskilled intentions. And how, carpenter, do these unskilled intentions originate? Their origination is spoken of too. It should be answered that their origination is in perception. Which perception? For perception is many, various, diverse: perception of sense-pleasures, perception of malevolence, perception of harming, originating from these are unskilled intentions. But where, carpenter, are these unskilled intentions stopped without remainder? Their stopping is spoken of too. As to this, carpenter, a monk, aloof from the pleasures of the senses, aloof from unskilled states of mind, entering into the first meditation which is accompanied by initial thought and discursive thought, is born of aloofness, and is rapturous and joyful, abides in it. Herein are these unskilled intentions stopped without remainder.

And faring along in what way, carpenter, is he faring along for the stopping of unskilled intentions? As to this, carpenter, a monk generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the non-arising of evil unskilled states of mind that have not arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the getting rid of evil unskilled states of mind that have arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the arising of skilled states of mind that have not arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the maintenance, preservation, increase, maturity, development and completion of skilled states of mind that have arisen. Faring along thus, carpenter, he is faring along for the stopping of unskilled intentions.

And which, carpenter, are skilled intentions? Intention for renunciation, intention for non-malevolence, intention for non-harming. These, carpenter, are called skilled intentions. And how, carpenter, do these skilled intentions originate? Their origination is spoken of too. It should be answered that their origination is in perception. Which perception? For perception is many, various, diverse: perception of renunciation, perception of non-malevolence, perception of non-harming, originating from these are skilled intentions. But where, carpenter, are these skilled perceptions stopped without remainder? Their stopping is spoken of too. As to this, carpenter, a monk, by allaying initial and discursive thought, his mind subjectively tranquillised and fixed on one point, enters on and abides in the second meditation which is devoid of initial and discursive thought, is born of concentration and is rapturous and joyful. Herein are these skilled intentions stopped without remainder.

And faring along in what way, carpenter, is he faring along for the stopping of skilled intentions? As to this, carpenter, a monk generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the non-arising of evil unskilled states of mind that have not arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the getting rid of evil unskilled states of mind that have arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the arising of skilled states of mind that have not arisen. He generates desire, he endeavours, stirs up energy, exerts his mind and strives for the maintenance, preservation, increase, maturity, development and completion of skilled states of mind that have arisen. Faring along thus, carpenter, he is faring along for the stopping of skilled intentions.

Here the ‘Tenfold Path’ is spoken of. And endowed with what ten qualities do I, carpenter, lay down that an individual is abounding in skill, of the highest skill, an unconquerable recluse attained to the utmost attainments? As to this, carpenter, a monk is endowed with: [1] the perfect view of an adept, [2] the perfect intention of an adept, [3] the perfect speech of an adept, [4] the perfect action of an adept, [5] the perfect mode of livelihood of an adept, [6] the perfect endeavour of an adept, [7] the perfect mindfulness of an adept, [8] the perfect concentration of an adept [9] the perfect knowledge of an adept, [10] the perfect freedom of an adept. I, carpenter, lay down that an individual, endowed with these ten qualities, is abounding in skill, of the highest skill, an unconquerable recluse attained to the highest attainments.”

Thus spoke the Lord. Delighted, Pancakaṅga the carpenter rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

Discourse to Samaṇamaṇḍikā('s son): The Eighth