Ten things are helpful, ten things should be developed, ten things should be completely understood, ten things should be given up, ten things make things worse, ten things lead to distinction, ten things are hard to comprehend, ten things should be produced, ten things should be directly known, ten things should be realized.

What ten things are helpful? Ten qualities that serve as protector. First, a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and seeking alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. This is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant is learned. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant has good friends, companions, and associates. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant is easy to admonish, having qualities that make them easy to admonish. They’re patient, and take instruction respectfully. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant is deft and tireless in a diverse spectrum of duties for their spiritual companions, understanding how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant loves the teachings and is a delight to converse with, being full of joy in the teaching and training. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant is content with any kind of robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant is energetic. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant is mindful. They have utmost mindfulness and alertness, and can remember and recall what was said and done long ago. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

Furthermore, a mendicant is wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This too is a quality that serves as protector.

What ten things should be developed? Ten universal dimensions of meditation. Someone perceives the meditation on universal earth above, below, across, non-dual and limitless. They perceive the meditation on universal water … the meditation on universal fire … the meditation on universal air … the meditation on universal blue … the meditation on universal yellow … the meditation on universal red … the meditation on universal white … the meditation on universal space … They perceive the meditation on universal consciousness above, below, across, non-dual and limitless.

What ten things should be completely understood? Ten sense fields: eye and sights, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and touches.

What ten things should be given up? Ten wrong ways: wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong immersion, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom.

What ten things make things worse? Ten ways of doing unskillful deeds: killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; covetousness, ill will, and wrong view.

What ten things lead to distinction? Ten ways of doing skillful deeds: refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct; avoiding speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; contentment, good will, and right view.

What ten things are hard to comprehend? Ten noble abodes. A mendicant has given up five factors, possesses six factors, has a single guard, has four supports, has eliminated idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth, has totally given up searching, has unsullied intentions, has stilled the physical process, and is well freed in mind and well freed by wisdom.

And how has a mendicant given up five factors? It’s when a mendicant has given up sensual desire, ill will, dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. That’s how a mendicant has given up five factors.

And how does a mendicant possess six factors? A mendicant, seeing a sight with their eyes, is neither happy nor sad. They remain equanimous, mindful and aware. Hearing a sound with their ears … Smelling an odor with their nose … Tasting a flavor with their tongue …

Feeling a touch with their body … Knowing a thought with their mind, they’re neither happy nor sad. They remain equanimous, mindful and aware. That’s how a mendicant possesses six factors.

And how does a mendicant have a single guard? It’s when a mendicant’s heart is guarded by mindfulness. That’s how a mendicant has a single guard.

And how does a mendicant have four supports? After reflection, a mendicant uses some things, endures some things, avoids some things, and gets rid of some things. That’s how a mendicant has four supports.

And how has a mendicant eliminated idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth? Different ascetics and brahmins have different idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth. A mendicant has dispelled, eliminated, thrown out, rejected, let go of, given up, and relinquished all these. That’s how a mendicant has eliminated idiosyncratic interpretations of the truth.

And how has a mendicant totally given up searching? It’s when they’ve given up searching for sensual pleasures, for continued existence, and for a spiritual path. That’s how a mendicant has totally given up searching.

And how does a mendicant have unsullied intentions? It’s when they’ve given up sensual, malicious, and cruel intentions. That’s how a mendicant has unsullied intentions.

And how has a mendicant stilled the physical process? Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. That’s how a mendicant has stilled the physical process.

And how is a mendicant well freed in mind? It’s when a mendicant’s mind is freed from greed, hate, and delusion. That’s how a mendicant is well freed in mind.

And how is a mendicant well freed by wisdom? It’s when a mendicant understands: ‘I’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so they’re unable to arise in the future.’ That’s how a mendicant’s mind is well freed by wisdom.

What ten things should be produced? Ten perceptions: the perceptions of ugliness, death, repulsiveness in food, dissatisfaction with the whole world, impermanence, suffering in impermanence, not-self in suffering, giving up, fading away, and cessation.

What ten things should be directly known? Ten grounds for wearing away. For one of right view, wrong view is worn away. And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong view are worn away. For one of right intention, wrong intention is worn away. … For one of right speech, wrong speech is worn away. … For one of right action, wrong action is worn away. … For one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is worn away. … For one of right effort, wrong effort is worn away. … For one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is worn away. … For one of right immersion, wrong immersion is worn away. … For one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is worn away. … For one of right freedom, wrong freedom is worn away. And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong freedom are worn away.

What ten things should be realized? Ten qualities of an adept: an adept’s right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right immersion, right knowledge, and right freedom.

So these hundred things that are true, real, and accurate, not unreal, not otherwise were rightly awakened to by the Realized One.” This is what Venerable Sāriputta said. Satisfied, the mendicants were happy with what Sāriputta said.