"Monks, these eight causes, these eight requisite conditions
lead to the acquiring of the as-yet-unacquired discernment that is
basic to the holy life, and to the increase, plenitude,
development, & culmination of that which has already been
acquired. Which eight?
"There is the case where a monk lives in apprenticeship to the
Teacher or to a respectable comrade in the holy life in whom he has
established a strong sense of conscience, fear of blame, love,
& respect. This, monks, is the first cause, the first requisite
condition that leads to the acquiring of the as-yet-unacquired
discernment that is basic to the holy life, and to the increase,
plenitude, development, & culmination of that which has already
been acquired.
"As he lives in apprenticeship under the Teacher or under a
respectable comrade in the holy life in whom he has established a
strong sense of conscience, fear of blame, love, & respect, he
approaches him at the appropriate times to ask & question him:
'What, venerable sir, is the meaning of this statement?'
He[1] reveals what is hidden, makes plain
what is obscure, and dispels perplexity in many kinds of perplexing
things. This is the second cause, the second requisite
condition...
"Having heard the Dhamma, he[2] achieves a twofold seclusion:
seclusion in body & seclusion in mind. This is the third cause,
the third requisite condition...
"He is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the
Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He
trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger
in the slightest faults. This is the fourth cause, the fourth
requisite condition...
"He has heard much, has retained what he has heard, has stored
what he has heard. Whatever teachings are admirable in the
beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end, that — in
their meaning & expression — proclaim the holy life that is
entirely complete & pure: those he has listened to often,
retained, discussed, accumulated, examined with his mind, &
well-penetrated in terms of his views. This is the fifth cause, the
fifth requisite condition...
"He keeps his persistence aroused for abandoning unskillful
mental qualities and for taking on skillful mental qualities. He is
steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his duties with regard
to skillful mental qualities. This is the sixth cause, the sixth
requisite condition...
"When he is in the midst of the Sangha he doesn't talk on &
on about a variety of things. Either he speaks Dhamma himself or he
invites another to do so, and he feels no disdain for noble silence.[3] This is the seventh cause, the
seventh requisite condition...
"He remains focused on arising & passing away with regard to
the five aggregates: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its
disappearance. Such is feeling... Such is perception... Such are
fabrications... Such is consciousness, such its origination, such
its disappearance.' This, monks, is the eighth cause, the eighth
requisite condition that leads to the acquiring of the
as-yet-unacquired discernment that is basic to the holy life, and
to the increase, plenitude, development, & culmination of that
which has already been acquired.
"When this is the case, his comrades in the holy life hold him
in esteem: 'This venerable one lives in apprenticeship to the
Teacher or to a respectable comrade in the holy life in whom he has
established a strong sense of conscience, fear of blame, love,
& respect. Surely, knowing, he knows; seeing, he sees.' This is
a factor leading to endearment, to respect, to development, to
consonance, to unification.[4]
"[They say:] 'As he lives in apprenticeship under the Teacher or
under a respectable comrade in the holy life in whom he has
established a strong sense of conscience, fear of blame, love,
& respect, he approaches him at the appropriate times to ask
& question him: 'What, venerable sir, is the meaning of this
statement?' He reveals what is hidden, makes plain what is obscure,
and dispels perplexity in all kinds of perplexing things. Surely,
knowing, he knows; seeing, he sees.' This is a factor leading to
endearment, to respect, to development, to consonance, to
unification.
"[They say:] 'Having heard the Dhamma, he achieves a twofold
seclusion: seclusion in body & seclusion in mind. Surely,
knowing, he knows; seeing, he sees.' This, too, is a factor leading
to endearment, to respect, to development, to consonance, to
unification.
"[They say:] 'He is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance
with the Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of
activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules,
seeing danger in the slightest faults. Surely, knowing, he knows;
seeing, he sees.' This, too, is a factor leading to endearment, to
respect, to development, to consonance, to unification.
"[They say:] 'He has heard much, has retained what he has heard,
has stored what he has heard. Whatever teachings are admirable in
the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end, that
— in their meaning & expression — proclaim the holy life that
is entirely complete & pure: those he has listened to often,
retained, discussed, accumulated, examined with his mind, &
well-penetrated in terms of his views. Surely, knowing, he knows;
seeing, he sees.' This, too, is a factor leading to endearment, to
respect, to development, to consonance, to unification.
"[They say:] 'He keeps his persistence aroused for abandoning
unskillful mental qualities and for taking on skillful mental
qualities. He is steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his
duties with regard to skillful mental qualities. Surely, knowing,
he knows; seeing, he sees.' This, too, is a factor leading to
endearment, to respect, to development, to consonance, to
unification.
"[They say:] 'When he is in the midst of the Sangha he doesn't
talk on & on about a variety of things. Either he speaks Dhamma
himself or he invites another to do so, and he feels no disdain for
noble silence [the second jhana]. Surely, knowing, he knows;
seeing, he sees.' This, too, is a factor leading to endearment, to
respect, to development, to consonance, to unification.
"[They say:] 'He remains focused on arising & passing away
with regard to the five aggregates: 'Such is form, such its
origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling... Such is
perception... Such are fabrications... Such is consciousness, such
its origination, such its disappearance.' Surely, knowing, he
knows; seeing, he sees.' This, too, is a factor leading to
endearment, to respect, to development, to consonance, to
unification.
"These, monks, are the eight causes, the eight requisite
conditions that lead to the acquiring of the as-yet-unacquired
discernment that is basic to the holy life, and to the increase,
plenitude, development, & culmination of that which has already
been acquired."