Is it possible, Lord Gotama, to lay down a gradual training, a gradual action, a gradual practice in this Dhamma and Discipline?

It is possible, brahmin, just as, brahmin, a skilled horse trainer obtains a fine thoroughbred and first trains it in the preliminary tasks, then further tasks; similarly, the Tathāgata, having obtained a person to be tamed, first trains him thus:

Come, disciple, be virtuous, restrained with the restraint of the Patimokkha, be endowed with conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, undertaking the training rules.

When, brahmin, a disciple is virtuous... he further trains him:

Come, disciple, guard the doors of your sense faculties. Seeing a form with the eye, do not grasp at its signs and features... Similarly with the ear and sounds... nose and smells... tongue and tastes... body and touches... mind and mental objects, do not grasp at its signs and features.

When, brahmin, a disciple guards the doors of his sense faculties... he further trains him:

Come, disciple, be moderate in eating. Reflecting wisely, you should take food neither for amusement nor for intoxication nor for the sake of physical beauty and attractiveness, but only for the support and maintenance of this body, for avoiding harm, and for assisting the spiritual life: considering: Thus I shall terminate old feelings without arousing new feelings and I shall be healthy and blameless and shall live in comfort.

When, brahmin, a disciple is moderate in eating... he further trains him:

Come, disciple, be devoted to wakefulness. During the day, cleanse your mind of obstructive states... In the first watch of the night... in the middle watch of the night lie down on the right side in the lion's posture... in the last watch of the night, upon rising, walk back and forth and sit, purifying your mind of obstructive states.

When, brahmin, a disciple is devoted to wakefulness... he further trains him:

Come, disciple, be possessed of mindfulness and full awareness. Act with full awareness when going forward and returning... looking ahead and looking away... bending and stretching... wearing robes and carrying the outer robe and bowl... eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting... defecating and urinating... walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, and keeping silent.

When, brahmin, a disciple is possessed of mindfulness and full awareness...

Being endowed with clear knowing, the Tathagata further instructs him: Come, disciple, frequent a secluded dwelling - a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a cave, a cemetery, a forest haunt, an open space, a heap of straw.

He frequents a secluded dwelling - a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a cave, a cemetery, a forest haunt, an open space, a heap of straw. After his meal, on returning from his alms round, he sits down, folding his legs crosswise, setting his body erect, and establishing mindfulness in the body.

He lives with a mind free from covetousness, cleansing his mind of covetousness; he lives with a mind free from ill-will, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings, cleansing his mind of ill-will; he lives free from sloth and torpor, perceiving light, mindful and fully aware, cleansing his mind of sloth and torpor; he lives free from restlessness and remorse, with an inner tranquility, cleansing his mind of restlessness and remorse; he lives free from doubt, having crossed over doubt, unperplexed about wholesome states, cleansing his mind of doubt.

Having abandoned these five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters and remains in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters and remains in the second jhana... With the fading away of rapture, he enters and remains in the third jhana... With the abandoning of pleasure, he enters and remains in the fourth jhana...

For those disciples who are trainees, who have not attained their mind's ideal, seeking the supreme sanctuary, I instruct them in this way. 

But for those disciples who are Arahants, with taints destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and are completely liberated through final knowledge, these states conduce both to a pleasant abiding here and now and to mindfulness and clear knowing.

Mahāassapurasutta

Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anga country, in a town of the Angas named Assapura.

There, the Blessed One addressed the disciples:

Disciples.

Venerable Sir, those disciples replied to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said:

People recognize you as ascetics, disciples. When asked who are you? you claim we are ascetics. Therefore for those of you recognized and claiming thus, We will undertake and practice those Dhammas that make one an ascetic and a Brahmin, so that our recognition and claim may be true and accurate.

And for those from whom we accept robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites, our use of them will bring great fruit and benefit, and our going forth will not be in vain but fruitful and beneficial. Thus should you train.

And what are the Dhammas that make one an ascetic and a Brahmin? We will be endowed with moral shame and fear of wrongdoing. Thus should you train.

But it might be that you think: We are endowed with moral shame, our task is done, we have achieved what should be achieved, there is nothing further to be done, and you might be satisfied with that. I inform you I declare to you, disciples: Do not let the goal of liberation, for those who think there is something further to be done, be lost.

And what is further to be done? Our bodily conduct will be pure, open, clear, and restrained. And by being endowed with such pure bodily conduct, we will neither look down upon ourselves nor upon others. Thus should you train.

But it might be that you think: We are endowed with moral shame, our bodily conduct is pure; our task is done, we have achieved what should be achieved, there is nothing further to be done, and you might be satisfied with that. I inform you I declare to you, disciples: Do not let the goal of liberation, for those who think there is something further to be done, be lost.

And what is further to be done? Our verbal conduct will be pure, open, clear, and restrained. And by being endowed with such pure verbal conduct, we will neither look down upon ourselves nor upon others. Thus should you train.

But it might be that you think: We are endowed with moral shame, our bodily conduct is pure, our verbal conduct is pure; our task is done, we have achieved what should be achieved, there is nothing further to be done, and you might be satisfied with that. I inform you I declare to you, disciples: Do not let the goal of liberation, for those who think there is something further to be done, be lost.

And what is further to be done? Our mental conduct will be pure, open, clear, and restrained. And by being endowed with such pure mental conduct, we will neither look down upon ourselves nor upon others. Thus should you train.

But it might be that you think: We are endowed with moral shame, our bodily conduct is pure, our verbal conduct is pure, our mental conduct is pure; our task is done, we have achieved what should be achieved, there is nothing further to be done, and you might be satisfied with that. I inform you I declare to you, disciples: Do not let the goal of liberation, for those who think there is something further to be done, be lost.

And what is further to be done? Our livelihood will be pure, open, clear, and restrained. And by being endowed with such pure livelihood, we will neither look down upon ourselves nor upon others. Thus should you train.

But it might be that you think: We are endowed with moral shame, our bodily conduct is pure, our verbal conduct is pure, our mental conduct is pure, our livelihood is pure; our task is done, we have achieved what should be achieved, there is nothing further to be done, and you might be satisfied with that. I inform you I declare to you, disciples: Do not let the goal of liberation, for those who think there is something further to be done, be lost.

And what is further to be done? We will guard the doors of our sense faculties; upon seeing a form with the eye, we will not grasp at its signs or features. Since if we left the eye faculty unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might invade us.

While dwelling, if covetousness and displeasure, evil unwholesome states, should invade one's mind, we will undertake restraint, we will guard the eye faculty, we will enter upon restraint of the eye faculty.

Upon hearing a sound with the ear…

Upon smelling an odor with the nose…

Upon tasting a flavor with the tongue…

Upon touching a tangible with the body…

Upon cognizing a mental object with the mind, not grasping at signs or features.

Because if the mind faculty is unrestrained, bad unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might invade one, for its restraint, we will undertake practice, we will guard the mind faculty, we will enter upon restraint of the mind faculty. Thus indeed should you train yourselves.

But it might be that you think:

We are endowed with moral shame, our bodily conduct is purified, our verbal conduct is purified, our mental conduct is purified, our livelihood is purified, we are guarding the doors of our sense faculties; enough is done, the purpose of the holy life has been reached, there is nothing further for us to do. And you might be satisfied with that.

I inform you I declare to you, disciples:

Let not the purpose of the holy life, the goal of the holy ones, be lost while there is still more to be done.

And what is more to be done?

We will be moderate in eating, reflecting wisely we will consume food, not for fun, not for pleasure, not for fattening, not for beautification, but only for the maintenance and nourishment of this body, for keeping it healthy, for pursuit of the holy life, thinking thus: I will terminate old feelings without arousing new feelings and I will be healthy and blameless and will live in comfort.

Thus indeed should you train yourselves.

But it might be that you think:

We are endowed with moral shame, our bodily conduct is purified, our verbal conduct is purified, our mental conduct is purified, our livelihood is purified, we are guarding the doors of our sense faculties, we are moderate in eating;

enough is done, the purpose of the holy life has been reached, there is nothing further for us to do. And you might be satisfied with that.

I inform you I declare to you, disciples:

Let not the purpose of the holy life, the goal of the holy ones, be lost while there is still more to be done.

And what is more to be done?

We will be devoted to wakefulness, during the day, walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of unwholesome states.

In the first watch of the night, walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of unwholesome states.

In the middle watch of the night, we will lie down on the right side in the lions pose, placing foot on foot, mindful and fully aware, after setting our minds to the idea of waking up.

In the last watch of the night, upon rising, walking back and forth and sitting, we will purify our minds of obstructive states. Thus indeed should you train yourselves.

But it might be that you think:

We are endowed with moral shame, our bodily conduct is purified, our verbal conduct is purified, our mental conduct is purified, our livelihood is purified, we are guarding the doors of our sense faculties, we are moderate in eating, we are devoted to wakefulness; enough is done, the purpose of the holy life has been reached, there is nothing further for us to do. And you might be satisfied with that.

I inform you I declare to you, disciples:

Let not the purpose of the holy life, the goal of the holy ones, be lost while there is still more to be done.

And what is more to be done?

We will be endowed with mindfulness and unobstructed awareness, unobstructed awareness when going forward and returning, unobstructed awareness when looking ahead and looking away, unobstructed awareness when flexing and extending limbs, unobstructed awareness when wearing robes and carrying the outer robe and bowl, unobstructed awareness when eating, drinking, consuming food, and tasting, unobstructed awareness when defecating and urinating, unobstructed awareness when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, speaking, and keeping silent. Thus indeed should you train yourselves.

But it might be that you think:

We are endowed with moral shame, our bodily conduct is purified, our verbal conduct is purified, our mental conduct is purified, our livelihood is purified, we are guarding the doors of our sense faculties, we are moderate in eating, we are devoted to wakefulness, we are equipped with mindfulness and full awareness; enough is done, the purpose of the holy life has been reached, there is nothing further for us to do. And you might be satisfied with that.

I inform you I declare to you, disciples:

Let not the purpose of the holy life, the goal of the holy ones, be lost while there is still more to be done. And what is more to be done?

Here a disciple frequents a secluded lodging: a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle grove...

He sits down cross-legged after his meal, having returned from his alms round, setting his body erect and establishing mindfulness in the body. He lives with a mind free from covetousness for the world, cleansing his mind of covetousness; free from ill-will and harm, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings, cleansing his mind of ill-will; free from sloth and torpor, alert and mindful, cleansing his mind of sloth and torpor; free from restlessness and remorse, calm in mind, cleansing his mind of restlessness and remorse; free from doubt, having crossed over doubt, confident in skillful qualities, cleansing his mind of doubt.

Just as a person would take a loan for a venture, and the venture succeeds, he would then repay his old debts and still have surplus for supporting his family, thinking, I took a loan for a venture, it succeeded, I repaid my debts and have surplus for my family, and he would be joyful and happy.

Similarly, a sick person, suffering and severely ill, unable to eat and lacking strength, later recovers, can eat and regains strength, thinking, I was sick, suffering, unable to eat, now I am recovered, can eat, and have regained strength, and he would be joyful and happy.

Just as a person imprisoned would later be released safely without loss of property, thinking, I was imprisoned, now I am released safely without loss of property, and he would be joyful and happy.

Just as a slave would later be freed, becoming independent and free to go where he wishes, thinking, I was a slave, now I am free and independent, and he would be joyful and happy. Just as a wealthy person traveling through a dangerous road would emerge safely without loss of property, thinking, I traveled through a dangerous road and emerged safely without loss of property, and he would be joyful and happy.

In the same way a disciple sees these five hindrances un-abandoned in himself as debt, sickness, imprisonment, slavery, and a dangerous road. When these five hindrances are abandoned, he sees himself as debt-free, healthy, released from prison, freed from slavery, and in a safe place.

Having abandoned these five hindrances, impurities of the mind that weaken wisdom, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, he enters and remains in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.

He suffuses, drenches, fills, and irradiates his body with the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, so that there is no part of his body not suffused by the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.

Just as a skilled bathman or his apprentice would knead water into bath powder so that the ball of bath powder is soaked and saturated with moisture, enveloped inside and out yet does not drip; in the same way, a disciple suffuses his body with the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.

He enters and dwells in the second jhana, which is without directed thought and evaluation, has unification of awareness, and is born of concentration, filled with rapture and pleasure.

He drenches, steeps, fills, and suffuses this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of concentration, so that there is no part of his whole body not suffused by the rapture and pleasure born of concentration.

Just as if there were a lake whose waters welled up from below and it had no inflow from east, west, north, or south, and would not be replenished from time to time by showers of rain, then the cool fount of water welling up in the lake would drench, steep, fill, and suffuse the lake with cool water, so that there would be no part of the whole lake not suffused with cool water.

In the same way, he drenches, steeps, fills, and suffuses this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of concentration, so that there is no part of his whole body not suffused by the rapture and pleasure born of concentration.

Furthermore, with the fading of rapture, he dwells equanimous, mindful, and fully aware, feeling pleasure with the body, he enters and dwells in the third jhana, of which the noble ones declare, Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.

He drenches, steeps, fills, and suffuses this very body with the pleasure devoid of rapture, so that there is no part of his whole body not suffused by the pleasure devoid of rapture.

Just as in a pond of blue, red, or white lotuses, some lotuses born and growing in the water might flourish while immersed in the water, without rising above it, and the cool water would drench, steep, fill, and suffuse them to their tips and roots, so that there would be no part of those lotuses not suffused with cool water.

In the same way, he drenches, steeps, fills, and suffuses this very body with the pleasure devoid of rapture, so that there is no part of his whole body not suffused by the pleasure devoid of rapture.

Furthermore, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhana, which is neither painful nor pleasant and includes the purification of mindfulness by equanimity.

He sits, suffusing his body with a pure, bright mind, so that there is no part of his whole body not suffused by the pure, bright mind. Just as if a man were sitting wrapped from head to foot with a white cloth so that there would be no part of his whole body not suffused by the white cloth. In the same way, he sits, suffusing his body with a pure, bright mind, so that there is no part of his whole body not suffused by the pure, bright mind.

With his mind thus concentrated, purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of imperfections, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births...

Thus with their aspects and particulars, he recollects his manifold past lives. Just as if a man went from his own village to another village, and then from that village to yet another village, and then returned from that village to his own village. He would think, I went from my own village to that village; there I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, talked in such a way, and remained silent in such a way.

From that village, I went to that other village, and there too, I stood in such a way, sat in such a way, talked in such a way, and remained silent in such a way. Now I have come back to my own village. In the same way, he recollects his manifold past lives with their aspects and particulars.

With his mind thus concentrated, purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of imperfections, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings.

With the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on according to their actions.

Just as if there were two houses with doors, and a man with good sight standing there could see people coming and going, entering and leaving. In the same way, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing.

He understands beings as they arise, whether they are low or high, in a good or bad state, according to their actions. Thus, with a concentrated mind that is pure, cleansed, without blemishes, free from defilements, soft, workable, established, and having reached imperturbability, he directs his mind towards the knowledge of the destruction of the taints.

He truly understands: This is suffering, This is the origin of suffering, This is the cessation of suffering, and This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering. He truly understands: These are the taints, This is the origin of the taints, This is the cessation of the taints, and This is the path leading to the cessation of the taints. For one who knows and sees in this way, the mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance.

In the liberated one, there arises the knowledge: Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being. Just like in a mountain pool, clear, undisturbed, and serene, where a person standing on the shore can see shells, gravel, and fish moving about or staying still.

He knows: This pool is clear, undisturbed, and serene. Here are these shells, gravel, and fish moving about or staying still. In the same way, a disciple truly understands suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path leading to its cessation.

He knows: There is no more coming to any state of being. This is called a disciple who is a recluse, a Brahmin, a bathed one, a knower of the Vedas, a learned one, a noble one, an arahant. How does a disciple become a recluse? His evil unwholesome states that are defiling, leading to future birth, associated with distress, resulting in suffering, and leading to future old age and death, are calmed. Thus, a disciple becomes a recluse.

How does a disciple become a Brahmin? His evil unwholesome states are expelled. Thus, a disciple becomes a Brahmin. How does a disciple become a bathed one? His evil unwholesome states are washed away. Thus, a disciple becomes a bathed one.

How does a disciple become a knower of the Vedas? His evil unwholesome states are known. Thus, a disciple becomes a knower of the Vedas. How does a disciple become a learned one? His evil unwholesome states are heard and learned. Thus, a disciple becomes a learned one.

How does a disciple become a noble one? His evil unwholesome states are distanced. Thus, a disciple becomes a noble one.

How does a disciple become an arahant? His evil unwholesome states are distanced. Thus, a disciple becomes an arahant.

The Blessed One said this.

The disciples were pleased and delighted in the Blessed One's words.

The Great Discourse at Assapura is concluded.

Thus said, the Brahmin Ganaka Moggallana asked the Blessed One: Do all the disciples of Master Gotama, being advised and instructed by Master Gotama in this way, attain ultimate Nibbana, or do some not attain it? 

Some of my disciples, Brahmin, being advised and instructed by me in this way, attain ultimate Nibbana, and some do not, replied the Blessed One.

What is the reason, Master Gotama, what is the condition, why Nibbana exists, the path leading to Nibbana exists, you are present to encourage, yet when advised and instructed by you in this way, some of your disciples attain ultimate Nibbana, and some do not?

Let me ask you a question in return, Brahmin. Answer as you see fit. Are you skilled in the path to Rajagaha? Yes, Master, I am skilled in the path to Rajagaha. 

Suppose a person comes to you wanting to go to Rajagaha, and you give him directions... If he takes a wrong path and goes the opposite direction, that is not your fault.

Another person, following your directions correctly, reaches Rajagaha safely. What is the reason, Brahmin, what is the condition, why Rajagaha exists, the path leading to Rajagaha exists, you are present to encourage, yet one person, being advised and instructed by you, does not reach Rajagaha, and another does?

Even if I were to advise and instruct in this way, one person might take a wrong path and go backwards, while another might safely reach Rajagaha. What can I do in this situation, O Gotama? I am a teacher of the path, O Gotama. 

Just so, Brahmin, Nibbana remains, the path leading to Nibbana remains, I stand advising; yet, while being advised and instructed by me in this way, some of my disciples achieve the ultimate goal of Nibbana, and some do not. What can I do in this situation, Brahmin?

The Tathagata is a teacher of the path, Brahmin. Upon hearing this, the Brahmin Ganaka Moggallana said to the Blessed One: Those individuals, O Gotama, who lack faith and leave the household life for homelessness out of desire for livelihood, who are deceitful, fraudulent, pretentious, impulsive, talkative, loose-spoken, unguarded in their senses, immoderate in eating, not devoted to wakefulness, indifferent in solitude, not taking training seriously, lazy, leading in negligence, lacking energy, forgetful, lacking awareness, uncollected, with scattered minds, lacking wisdom, foolish, do not live with you, Gotama.

But those noble sons who have faith and leave the household life for homelessness, who are not deceitful, not fraudulent, not pretentious, not impulsive, not talkative, not loose-spoken, guarded in their senses, moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness, diligent in solitude, serious about training, energetic, established in mindfulness, aware, collected, with unified minds, wise, not foolish, live with you, Gotama. Just as, O Gotama, among all root fragrances, black musk is considered the best; among all sap fragrances, red sandalwood is considered the best; among all flower fragrances, jasmine is considered the best; similarly, your advice, O Gotama, is supreme among the highest teachings.

Wonderful, O Gotama, wonderful, O Gotama. Just as one might set upright what had been overturned, reveal what was hidden, show the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms; in the same way, you have illuminated the Dhamma in many ways.

I go to the Blessed One Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of disciples.

May the Blessed One Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has taken refuge from today onward for life.