"Even if a monk is not skilled in the ways of the minds of
others,[1] he should
train himself: 'I will be skilled in reading my own mind.'
"And how is a
monk skilled in reading his own mind? Imagine a young woman — or
man — fond of adornment, examining the image of her own face in a
bright, clean mirror or bowl of clear water: If she saw any dirt or
blemish there, she would try to remove it. If she saw no dirt or
blemish there, she would be pleased, her resolves fulfilled: 'How
fortunate I am! How clean I am!' In the same way, a monk's
self-examination is very productive in terms of skillful
qualities:[2] 'Am I one
who achieves internal tranquility of awareness, or am I one who
does not achieve internal tranquility of awareness? Am I one who
achieves insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, or
am I one who does not achieve insight into phenomena through
heightened discernment?"
"If, on examination, he knows, 'I am one who achieves internal
tranquility of awareness but not insight into phenomena through
heightened discernment,' then his duty is to make an effort for the
maintenance of internal tranquility of awareness and for insight
into phenomena through heightened discernment. At a later time he
will then be one who achieves both internal tranquility of
awareness and insight into phenomena through heightened
discernment.
"But if, on examination, the monk knows, 'I am one who achieves
insight into phenomena through heightened discernment but not
internal tranquility of awareness,' then his duty is to make an
effort for the maintenance of insight into phenomena through
heightened discernment and for internal tranquility of awareness.
At a later time he will then be one who achieves both insight into
phenomena through heightened discernment and internal tranquility
of awareness.
"But if, on examination, the monk knows, 'I am one who achieves
neither internal tranquility of awareness nor insight into
phenomena through heightened discernment,' then he should put forth
extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, relentlessness,
mindfulness, & alertness for gaining those very same skillful
qualities. Just as
when a person whose turban or head was on fire would put forth
extra desire, effort, diligence, endeavor, relentlessness,
mindfulness, & alertness to put out the fire on his turban or
head; in the same way, the monk should put forth extra desire,
effort, diligence, endeavor, relentlessness, mindfulness, &
alertness for gaining those very same skillful qualities.
"But if, on examination, the monk knows, 'I am one who achieves
both internal tranquility of awareness and insight into phenomena
through heightened discernment,' then his duty is to make an effort
in maintaining those very same skillful qualities to a higher
degree for the ending of the effluents.
"Monks, I speak of robes in two ways: to be partaken of and not
to be partaken of. I also speak of alms food... lodgings...
villages & towns... countrysides... individuals in two ways: to
be partaken of and not to be partaken of.
"'Monks, I speak of robes in two ways: to be partaken of and not
to be partaken of': Thus was it said. In reference to what was it
said? Any robe of which one has come to know, 'When I partake of
this robe, unskillful qualities increase and skillful qualities
decrease,' that sort of robe is not to be partaken of. Any robe of
which one has come to know, 'When I partake of this robe,
unskillful qualities decrease and skillful qualities increase,'
that sort of robe is to be partaken of. 'Monks, I speak of robes in
two ways: to be partaken of and not to be partaken of': Thus was it
said. And in reference to this was it said.
"'Monks, I also speak of alms food in two ways...' ...
"'Monks, I also speak of lodgings in two ways...' ...
"'Monks, I also speak of villages & towns in two ways...'
...
"'Monks, I also speak of countrysides in two ways...' ...
"'Monks, I also speak of individuals in two ways: to be partaken
of and not to be partaken of':[3] Thus was it
said. In reference to what was it said? Any individual of whom one
has come to know, 'When I partake of this individual, unskillful
qualities increase and skillful qualities decrease,' that sort of
individual is not to be partaken of. Any individual of whom one has
come to know, 'When I partake of this individual, unskillful
qualities decrease and skillful qualities increase,' that sort of
individual is to be partaken of. 'Monks, I also speak of
individuals in two ways: to be partaken of and not to be partaken
of': Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said."
See also: MN 149; SN 35.204; AN 2.30; AN 4.94; AN 4.170; AN 10.71.