On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. Then in the morning, the venerable Ananda dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, went into Savatthi for alms. After his meal he went to the Eastern Park, to the Palace of Migara's Mother, for the day's abiding. Now on that occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala had mounted the elephant Ekapundarika and was riding out from Savatthi at midday. He saw the venerable Ananda coming in the distance and asked the minister Sirivaddha: "That is the venerable Ananda, is it not?" The minister replied:"Yes, sire, that is the venerable Ananda."
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala told a man: "Come, good man, go to the venerable Ananda and pay homage in my name with your head at his feet, saying: 'Venerable sir, King Pasenadi of Kosala pays homage with his head at the venerable Ananda's feet.' Then say this: 'Venerable sir, if the venerable Ananda has no urgent business, perhaps the venerable Ananda would wait a moment, out of compassion.'" "Yes, sire," the man replied, and he went to the venerable Ananda, and after paying homage to him, he stood at one side and said to the venerable Ananda: "Venerable sir, King Pasenadi of Kosala pays homage with his head at the venerable Ananda's feet and he says this: 'Venerable sir, if the venerable Ananda has no urgent business, perhaps the venerable Ananda would wait a moment, out of compassion.'" The venerable Ananda consented in silence. Then King Pasenadi went by elephant as far as the elephant could go, and then he dismounted and went to the venerable Ananda on foot. After paying homage to him, he stood at one side and said to the venerable Ananda: "If, venerable sir, the venerable Ananda has no urgent business, it would be good if he would go to the bank of the river Aciravati, out of compassion."
The venerable Ananda consented in silence. He went to the bank of the river Aciravati and sat down at the root of a tree on a seat made ready. Then King Pasenadi went by elephant as far as the elephant could go, and then he dismounted and went to the venerable Ananda on foot. After paying homage to him, he stood at one side and said to the venerable Ananda: "Here, venerable sir, is an elephant rug. Let the venerable Ananda be seated on it." "There is no need, great king. Sit down. I am sitting on my own mat."
King Pasenadi of Kosala sat down on a seat made ready and said: "Venerable Ananda, would the Blessed One behave with the body in such a way that he could be censured by wise recluses and brahmins?" Ven Ananda: "No, great king, the Blessed One would not behave with the body in such a way that he could be censured by wise recluses and brahmins." King: "Would the Blessed One, venerable Ananda, behave with speech.. .behave with the mind in such a way that he could be censured by wise recluses and brahmins?" Ven Ananda: "No, great king, the Blessed One would not behave with speech.. .behave with the mind in such a way that he could be censured by wise recluses and brahmins." King: "It is wonderful, venerable sir, it is marvellous! For what we were unable to accomplish with a question has been accomplished by the venerable Ananda with the answer to the question. We do not recognize anything of value in the praise and blame of others spoken by foolish ignorant persons, who speak without having investigated and evaluated; but we recognize as valuable the praise and blame of others spoken by wise, intelligent, and sagacious persons who speak after having investigated and evaluated."
King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour is censured by wise recluses and brahmins?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour that is unwholesome, great king." King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour is unwholesome?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour that is blameworthy, great king."
King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour is blameworthy? " Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour that brings affliction, great king." King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour brings affliction?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour that has painful results, great king." King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour has painful results?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour, great king, that leads to one's own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both, and on account of which unwholesome states increase and wholesome states diminish. Such bodily behaviour is censured by wise recluses and brahmins, great king."
King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of verbal behaviour is censured by wise recluses and brahmins?" Ven Ananda: "Any verbal behaviour that is unwholesome...(complete as in previous passage substituting "verbal behaviour "for "bodily behaviour")..." King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of mental behaviour is censured by wise recluses and brahmins?" Ven Ananda: "Any mental behaviour that is unwholesome...(complete as in previous passage , substituting "mental behaviour" for "bodily behaviour")..."
King: "Now, venerable Ananda, does the Blessed One praise only the abandoning of all unwholesome states?" Ven Ananda: "The Tathagata, great king, has abandoned all unwholesome states and he possesses wholesome states." King"Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour is uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour that is wholesome, great king."
King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour is wholesome?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour that is blameless, great king." King:"Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour is blameless?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour that does not bring affliction, great king." King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour does not bring affliction?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour that has pleasant results, great king.".
King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of bodily behaviour has pleasant results?" Ven Ananda: "Any bodily behaviour, great king, that does not lead to one's own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both, and on account of which unwholesome states diminish and wholesome states increase. Such bodily behaviour, great king, is uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins."
King: "Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of verbal behaviour is uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins?" Ven Ananda: "Any verbal behaviour that is wholesome... (complete as in previous passage substituting "verbal behaviour" for "bodily behaviour")..." Now, venerable Ananda, what kind of mental behaviour is uncensured by wise recluses and brahmins?" "Any mental behaviour that is wholesome... (complete as in previous passage substituting "mental behaviour"for "bodily behaviour") "
King: "Now, venerable Ananda, does the Blessed One praise only the undertaking of all wholesome states?" Ven Ananda: "The Tathagata, great king, has abandoned all unwholesome states and possesses wholesome states." King: "It is wonderful, venerable sir, it is marvellous how well that has been expressed by the venerable Ananda! And we are satisfied and pleased by what has been so well expressed by him. Venerable sir, we are so satisfied and pleased with what has been so well expressed by the venerable Ananda that if the elephant-treasure were allowed to him, we would give it to him; if the horse-treasure were allowed to him, we would give it to him; if the boon of a village were allowed to him, we would give it to him. But we know, venerable sir, that these are not allowable for the venerable Ananda. But there is this cloak of mine, venerable sir, which was sent to me packed in a royal umbrella case by King Ajatasattu of Magadha, sixteen hands long and eight hands wide. Let the venerable Ananda accept it out of compassion."
Venerable Ananda: "It is not necessary, great king. My triple robe is complete." King: "Venerable sir, this river Aciravati has been seen both by the venerable Ananda and by ourselves when a great cloud has rained heavily on the mountains; then this river Aciravati overflows both its banks. So too, venerable sir, the venerable Ananda can make a triple robe for himself out of this cloak, and he can share out his old triple robe among his companions in the holy life. In this way, our offering will overflow. Venerable sir, let the venerable Ananda accept the cloak." The venerable Ananda accepted the cloak. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala said: "And now, venerable sir, we depart. We are busy and have much to do." Ven Ananda: "Now is the time, great king, to do as you think fit."
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having delighted and rejoiced in the venerable Ananda's words, rose from his seat, and after paying homage to the venerable Ananda, keeping him on his right, he departed. Then soon after he had left, the venerable Ananda went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one side, related to him his entire conversation with King Pasenadi of Kosala, and presented the cloak to the Blessed One.
Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "It is a gain, bhikkhus, for King Pasenadi of Kosala, it is a great gain for King Pasenadi of Kosala that he has had the opportunity of seeing and paying respect to Ananda."
That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.
In summary, this discourse is an exchange of conversation between Venerable Ananda and King Pasenadi. King Pasenadi asked Venerable Ananda what is defined as wholesome and what is unwholesome conduct of body, speech and thought. King Pasenadi also asked questions on the Buddha's behaviour. Being satisfied with the teaching, in return the king presented Venerable Ananda with a gift of a fine piece of cloth to thank his precious teaching. Venerable Ananda narrated his conversation with King Pasenadi to Buddha and Buddha said that it is of great gain for King Pasenadi to have met Venerable Ananda.
References: 1. www.accesstoinsight.org 2. https://suttacentral.net/ 3. The long discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)