“Mendicants, have you ever known me to teach the Dhamma like this: no matter what this individual experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—their unskillful qualities decline and their skillful qualities grow?” “No, sir.”

“Haven’t you known me to teach the Dhamma like this: ‘When someone feels this kind of pleasant feeling, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities decline. But when someone feels that kind of pleasant feeling, unskillful qualities decline and skillful qualities grow. When someone feels this kind of painful feeling, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities decline. But when someone feels that kind of painful feeling, unskillful qualities decline and skillful qualities grow. When someone feels this kind of neutral feeling, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities decline. But when someone feels that kind of neutral feeling, unskillful qualities decline and skillful qualities grow’?” “Yes, sir.”

“Good, mendicants! Now, suppose I hadn’t known, seen, understood, realized, and experienced this with wisdom: ‘When someone feels this kind of pleasant feeling, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities decline.’ Not knowing this, would it be appropriate for me to say: ‘You should give up this kind of pleasant feeling’?” “No, sir.”