The strong hard method, the method of wasting away, and the way of the middle path.

Bhikkhus, what is the hard method?

Here bhikkhus, a certain one holds this view and says- There is nothing wrong in indulging in sensual pleasures and they fall for sensual pleasures. Bhikkhus, this isthe hard method.

Bhikkhus, what is the wasting away method?

Here bhikkhus a certain one goes without clothes, without good manners licks the hand, does not invite anyone, or offer a meal, or accept what is brought. Does not accept a special preparation, or an invitation. Does not accept a serving from a pot, a cooking vessel, over a goat, a stick, or a broom. Does not accept when two are eating, from a woman bearing a child, giving suck, gone with a man, a soiled woman, a place where she is supported, or from a place where flies settle. Does not accept fish, meat, intoxicating drinks, brewd drinks and gruel. He supports himself going to one house, two houses, three houses, four houses, five houses, six houses or seven houses. He supports himself with what is brought by one, two, three, four, five, six or seven. He supports himself, thus arranged for two weeks. Then he eats vegetables, millets, raw rice, a kind of dark rice, a kind of water plant, finely broken rice, rice foam, sesamum flour, grass, cow dung, roots and fruits from the forest and whatever is picked. He wears garments of hemp, garments of coarse cloth interwoven with hemp, miserable garments, garments made of, the bark of trees, antelope hide, strips of antelope hide, strips of wood and owls' wings. He wears garments made of grass, blankets made of head hair and blankets made of horses' tail. He practises, pulling out hairs of the head and beard, standing as penance, rejecting seats and squatting as penance. He tortures himself with thorns, sleeping on thorns. He bathes up to the third time in the evening to make the water ablution. Thus he gives various kinds of torture to the body. This is the method of wasting away.

Bhikkhus, what is the middle path?

Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu abides reflecting the body in the body mindful and aware to dispel covetousness and displeasure in the world. The bhikkhu abides reflecting the feelings in feelings mindful and aware to dispel covetousness and displeasure in the world. The bhikkhu abides reflecting the mental states in the mind mindful and aware to dispel covetousness and displeasure in the world. The bhikkhu abides reflecting thoughts in thoughts mindful and aware to dispel covetousness and displeasure in the world. Bhikkhus, this is the middle path. Bhikkhus, these are the three methods.

158. Bhikkhus, these three are the methods. What three?

The hard method, the method of wasting away, and the way of the middle path.

Bhikkhus, what is the hard method?

Here bhikkhus, a certain one holds this view and says- There is nothing wrong in indulging in sensual pleasures and they fall for sensual pleasures. Bhikkhus, this is the hard method.

Bhikkhus, what is the wasting away method?

Here bhikkhus a certain one goes without clothes, without good manners licks the hand, does not invite anyone, or offer a meal, or accept what is brought. Does not accept a special preparation, or an invitation. Does not accept a serving from a pot, a cooking vessel, over a goat, a stick, or a broom. Does not accept when two are eating, from a woman bearing a child, giving suck, gone with a man, a soiled woman, a place where she is supported, or from a place where flies settle. Does not accept fish, meat, intoxicating drinks, brewd drinks and gruel. He supports himself going to one house, two houses, three houses, four houses, five houses, six houses or seven houses. He supports himself with what is brought by one, two, three, four, five, six or seven. He supports himself, thus arranged for two weeks. Then he eats vegetables, millets, raw rice, a kind of dark rice, a kind of water plant, finely broken rice, rice foam, sesamum flour, grass, cow dung, roots and fruits from the forest and whatever is picked. He wears garments of hemp, garments of coarse cloth interwoven with hemp, miserable garments, garments made of, the bark of trees, antelope hide, strips of antelope hide, strips of wood and owls' wings. He wears garments made of grass, blankets made of head hair and blankets made of horses' tail. He practises, pulling out hairs of the head and beard, He practises standing for penance, rejecting seats and squatting for penance. He tortures himself with thorns, sleeping on thorns. He bathes up to the third time in the evening to make the water ablution. Thus he gives various kinds of torture to the body. This is the method of wasting away.

Bhikkhus, what is the middle path?

Here bhikkhus, the bhikkhu arouses interest and effort and strains the mind for the non arising of not arisen demeritorious thoughts, arouses interest and effort and strains the mind for the dispelling of arisen demeritorious thoughts. Arouses interest and effort and strains the mind for the arousing of not arisen meritorious thoughts and the bhikkhu arouses interest and effort and strains the mind for the non confused establishment, development and completion of arisen meritorious thoughts. He develops the psychic power endowed with interest, endeavour and determinations, develops the psychic power endowed with effort, concentration and determinations, develops the psychic power endowed with collectedness of thoughts, concentration and determinations, develops the psychic power endowed with concentration to investigate, endeavour and determinations. He develops the faculty of faith, the faculty of effort, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration and the faculty of wisdom.. He develops the power of faith, the power of effort, the power of mindfulness, the power of concentration and the power of wisdom. He develops the enlightenment factor mindfulness, the enlightenment factor investigating the Teaching, the enlightenment factor effort, the enlightenment factor joy, the enlightenment delight, the enlightenment factor concentration and the enlightenment factor equanimity. He develops right view, right thoughts, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.
Bhikkhus, this is the middle path.
These are the three methods.