On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery. Then Ven. Ānanda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, “To what extent, lord, might one, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, live comfortably?”

“Ānanda, when a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably.”

“Would there be another way, lord, in which, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, one might live comfortably?”

“There would, Ānanda,” the Blessed One said. “When a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue, and when he keeps watch over himself but does not keep watch over others, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably.”

“Would there be another way, lord, in which, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, one might live comfortably?”

“There would, Ānanda,” the Blessed One said. “When a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue; when he keeps watch over himself but does not keep watch over others; and when he is little-known but is not agitated over his lack of renown, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably.”

“Would there be another way, lord, in which, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, one might live comfortably?”

“There would, Ānanda,” the Blessed One said. “When a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue; when he keeps watch over himself but does not keep watch over others; when he is little-known but is not agitated over his lack of renown; and when he can attain as he likes, without difficulty, without trouble, the four jhānas that are heightened mind-states and pleasant abidings in the here-&-now, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably.”

“Would there be another way, lord, in which, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, one might live comfortably?”

“There would, Ānanda,” the Blessed One said. “When a monk is himself consummate in virtue, but is not one who confronts another with regard to heightened virtue; when he keeps watch over himself but does not keep watch over others; when he is little-known but is not agitated over his lack of renown; when he can attain as he likes, without difficulty, without trouble, the four jhānas that are heightened mind-states and pleasant abidings in the here-&-now; and when — with the ending of effluents — he enters & remains in the effluent-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having directly known & realized it for himself right in the here & now, it’s to this extent that, when living with the Saṅgha of monks, he might live comfortably. And I tell you, Ānanda, as for any other comfortable abiding higher or more sublime than this, there is none.”