Gradual കളക്ഷന്‍ ദിസ്കുര്സേസ് ഓഫ് BUDDHA

Chapter VII

This Collection of Discourses, Anguttara Nikaya, containing 9,557 short suttas is divided into eleven divisions known as nipatas. Each nipata is divided again into groups called vaggas which usually contain ten suttas. The discourses are arranged in progressive numerical order, each nipata containing suttas with items of dhamma, beginning with one item and moving up by units of one till there are eleven items of dhamma in each sutta of the last nipata. Hence the name Anguttara meaning 'increasing by one item'. The first nipata, Ekaka Nipata, provides in each sutta single items dhamma called the Ones; the second nipata, Duka Nipata, contains in each sutta two items of dhamma called the Twos, and the last nipata, Ekadasaka Nipata, is made up of suttas with eleven items of dhamma in each, called the Elevens.

Anguttara Nikaya constitutes an important source book on Buddhist psychology and ethics, which provides an enumerated summary of all the essential features concerning the theory and practice of the Dhamma. A unique chapter entitled Etadagga Vagga of Ekaka Nipata enumerates the names of the foremost disciples amongst the bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas, upasikas, who had achieved pre-eminence in one sphere of attainment or meritorious activity, e.g. the Venerable Sariputta in Intuitive Wisdom and Knowledge (Panna); the Venerable Maha Moggallana in supernormal powers (Iddhi); Bhikkhuni Khema in Panna, Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna in Iddhi; the Upasaka Anathapindika and the Upasika Visakha in alms-giving (Dana); and so on.

(1) Ekaka Nipata Pali

This group contains single items of dhamma which form the subject matter of discourses given by the Buddha at Savatthi to the numerous bhikkhus residing there. But some of the suttas were given by the Venerable Sariputta or the Venerable Ananda.

(a) There is no one sight, sound, smell, taste and touch other than that of a woman which can captivate and distract the mind of a man; conversely there is no one sight, sound, smell, taste ,and touch other then that of a man which can captivate and distract the mind of a woman. (paras 1 to 10 )

(b) There is no other single thing that brings about so much disadvantage and unhappiness as an undeveloped and uncultivated mind. A developed and cultivated mind brings about benefit and happiness. (paras 28 to 31)

(c) No other single thing changes so quickly as the mind. The mind is intrinsically pure and bright; it is defiled by greed, hatred and ignorance. (paras 48, 49)

(d) If a bhikkhu practises the meditation of loving-kindness, and develops it oven for the short duration of a fingersnap, he is regarded as following the advice of the Buddha, acting according to his instructions. Such a bhikkhu deserves to eat the alms-food offered by the people. (paras 53, 54)

(e) There is only one person whose appearance in the world brings welfare and happiness to the many, brings benefit, welfare and happiness to devas and men. It is a Tathagata, a fully Enlightened Buddha.

It is impossible for two Enlightened Buddhas to appear simultaneously in the same world system. (paras 170 to 174)

(f) It is impossible for a person possessed of right views, i.e. a Sotapanna, to regard any conditioned formation as permanent, happiness, Self (nicca, sukha, atta). It is possible only for an uninstructed worldling to regard anything as permanent, happiness, Self. (paras 268 to 270)

(g) If one thing is developed and frequently practised, the body is calmed, the mind is calmed, discursive thinking is stilled, ignorance is shed, knowledge arises, delusion of self is eliminated, evil tendencies are eradicated, the fetters are removed. That one thing is the mindful contemplation of the body. (paras 571 to 576)

(2) Duka Nipata Pali

(a) There are two things to be borne in mind: not to be content with what has been achieved in the process of development, i.e. even with the attainment of jhanas or inner lights (which indicates a certain stage of Insight meditation), and to resolve to struggle unremittingly and strenuously until realization of the goal, the enlightenment. (para 5)

(b) There are two potentialities of men, to do good or to do evil. It is possible to abandon evil; abandoning of evil brings benefit and happiness. It is also possible to cultivate the good. Cultivation of the good brings benefit and happiness too. (para 19)

(c) Two things are conducive to attainment of liberation in two ways: Concentration Meditation and Insight Meditation. If concentration is developed, the mind becomes developed and passion fades away resulting in liberation of mind. If insight is developed, wisdom is developed and ignorance fades away resulting in liberation by knowledge. (para 32)

(d) There are two persons one can never repay: mother and father. Even if one should live a hundred years during which one attends upon one's mother and father, heaps all one's attention, love and personal service on them, one can never repay them for having brought up, fed and guided one through this life.

But if a person causes his parents who are non-believers to become established in the faith and to take refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samghas; if he causes his parents who do not observe the precepts to become established in morality; if he causes his miserly parents to become generous so that they come to share their wealth with the poor and the needy; if he causes his ignorant parents to become established in the knowledge of the Four Truths, then such a person repays and more than repays his parents for what they have done for him. (paras 33, 34)

(e) There are two kinds of happiness. The happiness of the home life and the happiness of homelessness; the happiness of homelessness is superior.

The happiness of the senses and the happiness of renunciation; the happiness of renunciation is superior.

Tainted happiness and untainted happiness;....... Carnal and non-carnal happiness;.., and ignoble and noble happiness;..... Bodily and mental happiness; mental happiness is superior. (paras 65 to 71)

(3) Tika Nipata Pali

(a) The fool can be known by three things, by his conduct in deed, word and thought, so also the wise man can be known by three things, by his conduct in deed, word and thought. (para 3)

(b) There are three places a sovereign king should not forget: his birth place, the place where he was crowned as king and the site of battle in which he conquered his enemies. There are three places a bhikkhu should not forget: the place of renunciation, the place where he achieved the knowledge of the Four Noble Truths and the place where he attained Arahatship. (para 12)

(c) He who devotes himself earnestly to his business in the morning, in the daytime and in the evening, will prosper, and grow in wealth; the bhikkhu who devotes himself earnestly to development of concentration in the morning, in the daytime and in the evening will progress and gain advancement in his spiritual work. (para 19)

(d) These three typos of persons are found in the world: One with a mind like an open sore; one with a mind like a flash of lightning; one with a mind like a diamond.

One who is irascible and very irritable, displaying anger, hatred and sulkiness; such a one is said to be a person with a mind like an open sore.

One who understands the Four Noble Truths correctly is said to have a mind like a flash of lightning. One who has destroyed the mind-intoxicating defilements and realized the liberation of' mind and the liberation by knowledge is said to have a mind like a diamond. (para 25)

(e) There are these three kinds of individuals in the world: One who speaks words reeking with foul smell; one who speaks words of fragrance; and one who speaks words sweet as honey. (para 28)

(f) There are three root causes for the origination of actions (kamma): Greed, hatred and ignorance. An action done in greed, hatred and ignorance will ripen wherever the individual is reborn; and wherever the action ripens, there the individual reaps the fruit (vipaka) of that action, be it in this life, in the next life or in future existences. (para 38)

(g) He who prevents another from giving alms hinders and obstructs three persons. He causes obstruction to the meritorious act of the donor; he obstructs the recipient in getting his gift; he undermines and harms his own character. (para 58)

(h) Three dangers from which a mother cannot shield her son nor the son his mother: Old age, disease and death. (para 63)

(i) The well-known sutta, Kesamutti Sutta also known as Kalama Sutta, appears as the fifth sutta in the Mahavagga of the Tika Nipata. At Kesamutta, a small town in the Kingdom of Kosala, the Buddha thus exhorted the Kalamas, the inhabitants of the town: "Do not be led by reports or traditions, or hearsay. Do not be led by the authority of religious texts, nor by mere logic or inference, nor by considering appearances, nor by speculative opinion, nor by seeming possibilities, nor because one's own teacher has said so. O Kalamas, when you know for yourselves that certain things are wrong, unwholesome, bad, then give them up; when you know for yourselves that certain things are right, wholesome, good, then accept them, follow them." (para 66)

(j) A bhikkhu devoted to the holy life should pay equal attention to three factors in turn, namely, concentration, energetic effort and equanimity, and not exclusively to one of these factors only. If he gives regular attention to each of them, his mind will become soft, pliant, malleable, lucid and well concentrated, ready to be directed to whatever mental states is realizable by supernormal knowledge. (para 103)

(k) There are three rare persons in the world: a Tathagata who is perfectly Enlightened One is rare in the world: a person who can expound the Teaching and Discipline as taught by the Buddha is rare in this world; and a person who is grateful and thankful is rare in the world. (para 115)

(l) Whether a Tathagata appears in the world or not, the fact remains as a firm and inevitable condition of existence that all conditioned formations are impermanent, that all conditioned formations are subject to suffering, that all things are devoid of self. (para 137)

(4) Catukka Nipata Pali

(a) These four persons are found in the world: he who goes with the stream; he who goes against the stream; he who stands firm; he who has crossed over to the other shore and stands on dry land.

The person who indulges in sense desires and commits wrong deeds is one who goes with the stream. He who does not indulge in sense desires or commit wrong deeds, but lives the pure, chaste life, struggling painfully and with difficulty to do so, is one who goes against the stream. He who stands firm is the person, who having destroyed the five lower fetters is reborn spontaneously in Brahma realm, whence he realises Nibbana without ever returning to the sensuous sphere. The one who has gone to the other shore standing on dry land is the person who has destroyed all the mental intoxicants, and who has realized, in this very life, by himself, the liberation of the mind and liberation by knowledge. (para 5)

(b) There are four right efforts: (i) The energetic effort to prevent evil, unwholesome states of mind from arising; (ii) the energetic effort to get rid of evil, unwholesome states of mind that have already arisen; (iii) the energetic effort to arouse good, wholesome states of mind that have not yet arisen; (iv) the energetic effort to develop and bring to perfection the good and wholesome states of mind already arisen. (para 13)

(c) As a Tathagata speaks, so he acts; as he acts, so he speaks. Therefore he is called a Tathagata. (para 23)

(d) There are four highest kinds of faith: The Tathagata, the holiest and fully enlightened, is the highest among all living beings. Among all conditioned things, the Noble Path of Eight Constituents is the highest. Among all conditioned and unconditioned things, Nibbana is the highest, Amongst all groups of men, the Order of the Tathagata, the Samgha made up of the four pairs of noble men, the eight Ariyas, is the highest.

For those who have faith in the highest, namely, the Buddha, the Path, the Nibbana and the Ariyas the highest resultant effects (result of action) will be theirs. (para 34)

(e) There are four ways of dealing with questions:

(i) Some should be given direct answers,

(ii) others should be answered by way of analysing them,

(iii) some questions should be answered by counter-questions,

(iv) lastly, some questions should simply be put aside. (para 42)

(f) There are four distortions (vipallasas) in perception, thought and view. To hold that there is permanence in the impermanence; to hold that there is happiness in suffering; to hold that there is atta where there is no atta; to hold that there is pleasantness (sukha) in that which is foul. (para 49)

(g) When Nakulapita and Nakulamata express their wish to the Buddha to be in one another's sight as long as the present life lasts and in the future life as well, the Buddha advises them to try to have the same faith, the same virtue, the same generosity and the same wisdom; then they will have their wish fulfilled. (paras 55-56)

(h) He who gives food gives four things to those who receive it. He gives them long life, beauty, happiness and strength. The donor himself will be endowed with long life, beauty, happiness and strength wherever he is born in the human or the deva world. (para 57)

(i) There are four subjects not fit for speculative thought (Acinteyyani). They are:

the specific qualities of a Buddha (Buddhavisayo);
a person's jhana attainment;
the results of Kamma; and
the nature of the world (loka cinta).

These imponderables are not to be pondered upon; which, if pondered upon; would lend one to mental distress and insanity. (para 77)

(j) There are four things concerning which no one whether samana, brahmana, deva, Mara or anyone else in the world can give a guarantee:

(i) That what is liable to decay should not decay;

(ii) that what is liable to illness should not fall ill;

(iii) that what is liable to die should not die; and

(iv) that no resultant effects should come forth from those evil deeds done previously. (para 182)

(k) There are four ways by which a person's character may be judged:

His virtue can be known by a wise and intelligent person paying close attention after living together with him for a very long time. His integrity can be known by a wise and intelligent person by having dealings with him, paying close attention over a long period of time. His fortitude can be known by a wise and intelligent person by observing him with close attention in times of misfortune. His wisdom can be judged by a wise and intelligent person when conversing with him on various subjects over a long period of time. (para 192)

(l) There are four things conducive to the growth of wisdom: associating with a good person; hearing the good Dhamma; maintaining a right attitude of mind and leading a life in accordance with the Dhamma. (para 248)

(5) Pancaka Nipata Pali

(a) There are five strengths possessed by a person in training for higher knowledge: faith, shame (to do evil), moral dread, energy and insight-knowledge. He believes in the enlightenment of the Buddha; he feels ashamed of wrong conduct in deed, word and thought; he dreads anything evil and unwholesome; he arouses energy to abandon everything unwholesome and to acquire every thing that is wholesome; he perceives the phenomenon of constant rising and ceasing and is thus equipped with insight which will finally lead him to Nibbana, destruction of suffering. (para 2)

(b) There are also other five strengths, namely, faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and insight-knowledge. The strength of faith is seen in the four characteristic qualities of a Stream-winner; the strength of energy is seen in the four Right Efforts; the strength of mindfulness is seen in the Four Methods of Steadfast Mindfulness and the strength of concentration is seen in the four jhanas; the strength of insight-knowledge is seen in the perception of the phenomenon of constant rising and ceasing, an insight which will finally lead to Nibbana. (para 14)

(c) Impurities that defile gold are iron, tin, lead, silver, and other metals. Impurities that defile mind are sensuous desire, ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, sceptical doubts. (pare 23)

(d) A giver of alms surpasses a non-giver in five aspects, namely, in life-span, beauty, happiness, fame and power, whether both be reborn in the deva world or the human world. This difference in five aspects will persist till liberation is achieved. There is then no distinction between the liberation of one and the other or between one arahat and the other. (para 31)

(e) There are five contemplations which ought to be practised by everyone, bhikkhus or layfolks, men and women:

'I am certain to become old. I cannot avoid ageing.

I am certain to become ill and diseased. I can not avoid illness.

'I am certain to die. I cannot avoid death.

'All things dear and beloved will not last. They will be subject to change and separation.

'My kamma (past and present actions) is not only property, kamma is my only heritage, kamma is the only cause of my being, kamma is my only kin, my only protection. Whatever actions I do, good or bad, I shall become their heir.' (para 57)

(f) Five standards which should be set up for teaching the Dhamma: the Dhamma should be taught in graduated discourses; the Dhamma should be given as a well-reasoned discourse; the Dhamma should be given out of compassion and sympathy; the Dhamma should not be given for the sake of worldly gain and advantage; the Dhamma should be taught without alluding to oneself or others. (para 159)

(g) There are five ways of getting rid of a grudge: If a grudge arises towards any person, then one should cultivate loving-kindness, or compassion or equanimity to wards him. Or one should pay no attention to him and give no thought to him. Or one may apply the thought: his only property is his actions; whatever he does, good or bad, he will be heir to that. In these ways, all grudges that have arisen can be removed. (para 161)

(h) Wrong occupations which should not be followed by a lay disciple: Trading in arms and weapons; trading in living beings; trading in meat; trading in intoxicants; trading in poison. (para 177)

(6) Chakka Nipata Pa1i

(a) There are six things which are unsurpassed: The noblest things seen, the noblest things heard, the noblest gain, the noblest learning, the noblest service, and the noblest reflection. The sight of the Tathagata or the Tathagata's disciples is the noblest thing seen. The hearing, of the Dhamma from the Tathagata or his disciples is the noblest thing heard. Faith in the Tathagata or his disciples is the noblest gain. Learning supreme virtue (adhisila), supreme mind development (adhicitta), supreme wisdom (adhipapanna) is the noblest learning. Serving the Tathagata or his disciples is the noblest service. Reflecting on the virtues of the Tathagata or his disciples is the noblest reflection. (para 30)

(b) There are six kinds of suffering in the world for one who indulges in sense-pleasures: poverty, indebtedness, owing interest, being demanded repaying, being pressed and harassed by creditors, imprisonment.

Similarly in the Teaching of the Ariyas, a person is regarded to be poor and destitute who lacks faith in things that are meritorious, who has no shame and no scruples, no energy and no understanding of things that are good, and who conducts himself badly in deed, word and thoughts. (para 45)

(c) There are six steps to gain liberation: Sense-control provides the basis for morality. Morality gives the foundation to Right Concentration. Right Concentration provides the basis for understanding of the true nature of physical and mental phenomenon. With understanding of the true nature of physical and mental phenomena comes disenchantment and non-attachment. Where there is disenchantment and non-attachment, there arises the knowledge and vision of liberation. (para 50)

(d) There are six things to be known: Sense-desires, feelings, perceptions, moral intoxicants (asavas), kamma and dukkha should be known, their causal origin should be known, their diversity, their resulting effects, their cessation and the way leading to their cessation should be known.

The way leading to the cessation of all these dhammas is the Noble Path of Eight Constituents. (para 63)

(e) There are six things which appear very rarely in the world: Rare is the appearance in the world of a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha; rare is the appearance of one who teaches the Dhamma and Vinaya as proclaimed by the Buddha; rare it is to be reborn in the land of the Ariyas; rare it is to be in possession of unimpaired physical and mental faculties; rare it is to be free from dumbness and stupidity; rare it is to be endowed with the desire for doing good, wholesome things. (para 96)

(f) There are six benefits in realizing the Sotapatti Fruition: (i) firm faith in the Dhamma (ii) impossibility of falling back; (iii) limit to suffering in the round of existences (only seven more existences); (iv) being endowed with supramundane knowledge which is not shared by the common worldling; (v) and (vi) clear Understanding of causes and phenomena arising therefrom. (pare 97)

(7) Sattaka Nipata Pali

(a) There are seven factors for winning respect and esteem of fellow bhikkhus: having no desire for gain; not wanting to be shown reverence but indifferent to attention; being ashamed of doing evil; being fearful of doing evil; and having little want; and having the right view. (para 1 )

(b) A bhikkhu becomes an eminent field for sowing seeds of merit, when he knows the text of the Teaching, knows the meaning of the Teaching, also knows himself, knows the proper limit for acceptance of offerings, knows the proper time for various activities, knows his audience, and knows the spiritual tendency of an individual. (para 68)

(c) If a bhikkhu develops his mind in the four methods of Steadfast Mindfulness, the four Right Efforts, the four bases of Psychic Power, the five Faculties, the five Strengths, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Noble Path of Eight Constituents, he will be freed of the mental intoxicants, without any attachment, whether he wishes or not for liberation. (para 71 )

(d) Short is the life of man, just like the dew-drop on the tip of a blade of grass; a bubble appearing on the water when rain falls; a line drawn on water with a stick; a mountain stream; a lump of spittle on the tip of the tongue; a piece of meat thrown into an extremely hot iron pot; and a cow being led to be slaughtered, whenever she lifts a leg, she will be closer to slaughter, closer to death. (para 74)

(e) Those teachings that lead to disenchantment, entire turning away from worldliness, non-attachment, cessation and calm, direct knowledge, enlightenment and Nibbana - such teachings may be taken as the true Dhamma and Discipline, as the Buddha's Teaching. (para 83)

(8) Atthaka Nipata Pali

(a) There are eight benefits accruing from practice of meditation on loving-kindness: Whosoever practises meditation on loving-kindness enjoys sound sleep, wakes up fresh and well, is not disturbed by bad dreams, is regarded with esteem by men, is treated with respect by non-humans, is accorded protection by devas, is not hurt by fire, poison or weapons and is destined to reappear in the Brahma realm. (para 1 )

(b) There are eight worldly conditions, the vicissitudes of life that keep the world turning round: gain, loss, fame, disrepute, praise, blame, happiness, suffering. (para 546)

(c) There are eight strengths: The strength of a child lies in crying; of a woman in her anger; of a bandit in his arms; of a king in his sovereignty; of an unwise man in censure and reviling; of a wise man in careful consideration of pros and cons; of a man of knowledge in caution; and the strength of a bhikkhu lies in his fortitude and forbearance. (para 27)

(d) Eight great reflections of the Venerable Anuruddha on the Dhamma: This Dhamma is for one with few wants, not for one who wants much. This Dhamma is for the contented, not for one hard to be satisfied. This Dhamma is for one who loves solitude, not for one who loves company. This Dhamma is for the energetic, not for the indolent. This Dhamma is for one of vigilant mindfulness, not for the heedless. This Dhamma is for one of concentrated mind, not for the distracted. This Dhamma is for the wise, not for the unintelligent. This Dhamma is for one who delights in Nibbana, not for one who rejoices in worldliness (conceit, craving and wrong view). (para 30)

(e) There are eight types of speech by an Ariya:

Having not seen, he says he has not seen; having not heard, he says he has not heard; having not sensed, he says he has not sensed; having not known, he says he has not known. Having seen, he says he has seen; having heard, says he has heard; having sensed, he says he has sensed and having known, he says he has known. (para 68)

(9) Navaka Nipata Pali

(a) Nine practices not indulged in by Arahats: An Arahat does not intentionally take the life of a being; does not take, with the intention of stealing, what is not given; does not engage in sexual intercourse; does not speak what is not true knowing that it is not true; does not enjoy the pleasures of the senses; is not biased through favouritism, through hatred, through delusion or through fear. (para 7)

(b) There are nine characteristics of a layman's residence which a bhikkhu should not visit or stay in:

Where a bhikkhu is not greeted or shown signs of welcome, or offered a seat; where alms are kept hidden; where little is given away although much can be afforded; where inferior alms are offered although better alms are available; where the offering is made in a disrespectful manner; where the layman does not come near the bhikkhu to listen to the dhamma, and where little interest is shown in the exposition of the dhamma. (para 17)

(c) There are nine ways in which grudge is formed: He has done me harm, he is doing me harm, he will do me harm; he has done harm to one dear to me, he is doing harm to one dear to me, he will do harm to one dear to me; he has done good to one disliked by me; ha is doing good to one disliked by me; he will do good to one disliked by me. (para 29)

(d) There are nine things which should be eliminated in order to achieve realization of Arahatta Phala: Lust, ill will, ignorance, anger, grudge, ingratitude, envy, Jealousy, meanness. (para 62)

(10) Dasaka Nipata Pali

(a) There are ten benefits of being established in sila, morality: One who is established in sila feels pleased; feeling pleased he feels glad; feeling glad, he is delightfully satisfied; being delightfully satisfied he becomes calm; when he is calm, he feels happiness; when he feels happiness, his mind becomes concentrated; with concentrated mind, he sees things as they really are; seeing things as they really are, he becomes disenchanted and dispassionate towards them; when there is no more passion or attachment, he achieves liberation of mind and liberation by knowledge. (para 1)

(b) There are ten fetters: Personality belief (Sakkyaditthi), sceptical doubts, mistaking mere rites and ceremony as the true path, sense-desire, ill will, attachment to Rupa realm, attachment to Arupa realm, coneceit, restlessness, and ignorance. (para 12)

(c) Just as a young man or a woman looks into the mirror to find out if there are any blemishes on the face, so also it is necessary for a bhikkhu to engage in occasional self-examination to see whether covetousness, ill will, sloth and torpor have arisen in him or not; whether worry and excitement, and doubts exist in him; whether he is free from anger and his mind is defiled or not by unwholesome thoughts; whether his body is at ease without restlessness; whether he is beset by laziness or not; and whether he has concentration of mind with clear comprehension. (para 51)

(d) There are ten dhammas possessed by one who has become accomplished, an Arahat: Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Knowledge, Right Liberation. (pare 112)

(11) Ekadasaka Nipata Pali

(a) There are eleven kinds of destruction any one of which is likely to befall a bhikkhu who reviles the fellow bhikkhus of the community: Lack of progress in his efforts; declining from the stage already achieved; tainted and defiled understanding of the Dhamma; Being over come by his own conceit; unhappiness in leading the holy life; liability to commit offences against the disciplinary rules; likelihood of reverting to the household life; likelihood of being afflicted with an incurable disease; likelihood of becoming mentally deranged; dying with a confused mind and likelihood of being reborn in the Nether Worlds. (para 6)

(b) There are eleven benefits derived from cultivation and development of loving-kindness, when frequently practised and firmly established: One sleeps soundly and wakes peacefully with no bad dreams; one is regarded with esteem by men; is treated with respect by non-humans; is protected by devas; is unharmed by fire, poison or weapons; his mind is easily concentrated; the features of his face are serene; he will die with a unconfused mind; if he does not attain to Arahatship, he will be reborn in the Brahma realm

Prominent teachings

Since the Anguttara Nikaya deals with so many teachings, there are many significant teachings to found in this Nikaya or collection:

Anguttara Nikaya 4.21 The Buddha’s Refuge:

After enlightenment the Buddha said, “Let me then honor and respect and dwell in dependence on this very Dhamma to which I have fully awakened.”

Anguttara Nikaya 11.12 The Six qualities of the Dhamma:

1. Svakkhato: The Dhamma is not a speculative philosophy, but is the Universal Law found through enlightenment and is preached precisely. Therefore it is Excellent in the beginning (Sila — Moral principles), Excellent in the middle (Samadhi — Concentration) and Excellent in the end (Panna — Wisdom),

2. Samditthiko: The Dhamma is testable by practice and known by direct experience,

3. Akaliko: The Dhamma is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now, for which there is no need to wait until the future or next existence.

4. Ehipassiko: The Dhamma welcomes all beings to put it to the test and to experience it for themselves.

5. Opaneyiko: The Dhamma is capable of being entered upon and therefore it is worthy to be followed as a part of one's life.

6. Paccattam veditabbo vinnunhi: The Dhamma may be perfectly realized only by the noble disciples who have matured and enlightened enough in supreme wisdom.

Anguttara Nikaya 3.65 The Kalama Sutta, The Buddha’s Charter of Free Inquiry:

“Do not believe in something because it is reported. Do not believe in something because it has been practiced by generations or becomes a tradition or part of a culture. Do not believe in something because a scripture says it is so. Do not believe in something believing a god has inspired it. Do not believe in something a teacher tells you to. Do not believe in something because the authorities say it is so. Do not believe in hearsay, rumor, speculative opinion, public opinion, or mere acceptance to logic and inference alone. Help yourself, accept as completely true only that which is praised by the wise and which you test for yourself and know to be good for yourself and others.”

Anguttara Nikaya 3.65 Metta and the Brahma Viharas; loving kindness and the divine emotions:

“Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones — thus devoid of greed, devoid of ill will, undeluded, alert, and resolute — keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, and the fourth — with an awareness imbued with good will. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, and all around, everywhere and in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.

He keeps pervading the first direction — as well as the second direction, the third, and the fourth — with an awareness imbued with compassion. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, and all around, everywhere and in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with compassion: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.

He keeps pervading the first direction — as well as the second direction, the third, and the fourth — with an awareness imbued with appreciation. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, and all around, everywhere and in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with appreciation: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.

He keeps pervading the first direction — as well as the second direction, the third, and the fourth — with an awareness imbued with equanimity. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, and all around, everywhere and in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with equanimity: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.”

The Christians have John 3:16, for Vegetarian Buddhists there is Anguttara Nikaya 3:16:

“Monks, one possessed of three qualities is put into Purgatory according to his actions. What three? One is himself a taker of life, encourages another to do the same and approves thereof. Monks, one possessed of three qualities is put into heaven according to his actions. What three? He himself abstains from taking life, encourages another to so abstain, and approves of such abstention Anguttara Nikaya 3.16 . . . . (and speaks in praise of thereof . . .” added to this list in Anguttara Nikaya 10. 213)

Anguttara Nikaya 5.177 The five types of wrong livelihood:

“Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.”

Anguttara Nikaya 3.61 The Four Noble Truths:

Suffering, the cause of suffering, the way suffering ceases, and the Middle Path

Anguttara Nikaya 3.62 The Noble Eightfold Middle Path:

Right: Understanding, Thought, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration

Anguttara Nikaya 10.13 The ten hindrances to enlightenment:

The belief in a permanent personality /ego; Doubt, extreme scepticism; Clinging to rites, rituals, ceremonies; Attachment to sense desires; Ill-will / anger; Craving for form world; Craving for formless world; Conceit; Restlessness; Ignorance.

Anguttara Nikaya 4.241-243 Anyone from any religion can get to heaven:

“Another person has practiced the making of merit by giving as well as by moral discipline to a high degree; but he has not undertaken the making of merit by meditation. With the breakup of the body, after death, he will be reborn among humans in a favorable condition. Or he will be reborn in the company of the devas of the Four Great Kings.”

Anguttara Nikaya 2.25 The Dhamma is not a fundamentalist teaching:

“Monks, these two slander the Tathagata [Buddha]. Which two? He who explains a discourse whose meaning needs to be inferred as one whose meaning has already been fully drawn out. And he who explains a discourse whose meaning has already been fully drawn out as one whose meaning needs to be inferred. These are two who slander the Tathagata.”

The Anguttara Nikaya (aṅguttaranikāya; literally "Increased by One Collection," also translated "Gradual Collection" or "Numerical Discourses") is a Buddhist scripture, the fourth of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that comprise the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism. This nikaya consists of several thousand discourses ascribed to the Buddha and his chief disciples arranged in eleven nipatas, or books, according to the number of dhamma items referenced in them.

The Anguttara Nikaya corresponds to the Ekottara Āgama ("Increased by One Discourses") found in the Sutra Pitikas of various Sanskritic early Buddhists schools, fragments of which survive in Sanskrit. A complete version survives in Chinese translation by the name Zēngyī Ahánjīng; it is thought to be from either the Mahāsāṃghika or Sarvāstivādin recensions. According to Keown, "there is considerable disparity between the Pāli and the Sarvāstivādin versions, with more than two-thirds of the sūtras found in one but not the other compilation, which suggests that much of this portion of the Sūtra Piṭaka was not formed until a fairly late date."

The Anguttara Nikaya, the fourth division of the Sutta Pitaka, consists of several thousand suttas arranged in eleven books (nipatas) according to numerical content. For example, the first nipata — the Book of the Ones — contains suttas concerning a single topic; the second nipata — the Book of the Twos — contains suttas concerning pairs of things (e.g., a sutta about tranquillity and insight; another about the two people one can never adequately repay (one's parents); another about two kinds of happiness; etc.); the third nipata contains suttas concerning three things (e.g., a sutta on the three kinds of praiseworthy acts; another about three kinds of offense), and so on.

At first glance this may seem a rather pedantic classification scheme, but in fact it often proves quite useful. For example, if you dimly recall having heard something about the five subjects worthy of daily contemplation and you'd like to track down the original passage in the Canon, a good place to begin your search is the Book of the Fives in the Anguttara.

Two excellent print anthologies containing selected suttas from the Anguttara Nikaya are Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: An Anthology from the Anguttara Nikaya by Nyanaponika Thera and Bhikkhu Bodhi (Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society, 1999; also published in the USA by Altamira Press) and Handful of Leaves, Vol. 3, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The suttas are numbered here by nipata (book) and sutta, with the suttas numbered sequentially from the start of each nipata, using as a guide the Woodward & Hare PTS English translations of the Anguttara Nikaya (The Book of the Gradual Sayings). Because suttas in the Anguttara have often been numbered inconsistently in different Tipitaka editions and translations, I have also provided alternate reference numbers in the {braces} that follow the sutta descriptions. For all suttas, these alternate references include the volume and starting page number in the PTS romanized Pali edition of the Anguttara Nikaya (example: A i 60 = PTS Anguttara Nikaya volume one, page 60). For suttas in the Ones and Twos, whose numberings are particularly problematic, I have also included the nipata, vagga (chapter), and number of the sutta, with suttas counted from the start of each vagga (example: II,iii,5 = Book of the Twos, third vagga, fifth sutta).

1.

The exact count of suttas in the Anguttara depends on the particular edition (Sri Lankan, Thai, or Burmese) and on the way the suttas are enumerated. Jayawardhana says: "Although the text tells us that it consists of 9,557 suttas, the present edition [the modern Sri Lankan Tipitaka] has only 8,777 suttas. Most of these suttas are mere repetitions with a new word added here and there. Therefore, the number of suttas distinctive in character could be brought down to a little over one thousand" . Bhikkhu Bodhi counts 2,344 suttas.

The nipatas in this nikaya are:

• The Book of Ones
• The Book of Twos
• The Book of Threes
• The Book of Fours
• The Book of Fives
• The Book of Sixes
• The Book of Sevens
• The Book of Eights
• The Book of Nines
• The Book of Tens
• The Book of Elevens

Appreciation

Translator Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote: "In Anguttara Nikaya, persons are as a rule not reduced to mere collections of aggregates, elements and sense-bases, but are treated as real centers of living experience engaged in a heartfelt quest for happiness and freedom from suffering."(from Intro to Samyutta Nikaya)

1. MEGHIYA
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Cālikā, on the Cālika hill. There the Venerable Meghiya, who was at that time the Blessed One’s attendant,1 approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and said to him while standing at one side:
“Lord, I wish to go to Jantugāma for alms.”
“You may do as you think fit, Meghiya.”
Then the Venerable Meghiya, dressing himself in the morning and taking robe and bowl, entered Jantugāma for alms. Having made the alms round and taken his meal, he went to the bank of the Kimikālā River. There, while walking around to stretch his legs, he saw a pleasant and beautiful mango grove. Seeing it, he thought: “Pleasant, indeed, is this mango grove; it is beautiful. Truly, it is fit
for a clansman who wishes to strive in meditation. If the Blessed One allows it, I shall return to this mango grove to strive in meditation.”
Then the Venerable Meghiya approached the Blessed One … and said to him: “Lord, after my alms round in Jantugāma, when I had taken my meal, I went to the bank of the Kimikālā River. While walking there I saw a pleasant and beautiful mango grove which I thought to be fit for a clansman who wishes to strive in meditation. If the Blessed One permits me, I shall go there and strive.”
“Wait a while, Meghiya. We are now alone here. First let another monk come.”
But the Venerable Meghiya repeated his request, saying: “Lord, for the Blessed One there is nothing further to achieve and no need to consolidate what he has achieved. But as for me, Lord, there is still more to achieve and the need to consolidate what I have achieved. If the Blessed One permits me, I shall go to that mango grove and strive.”
Again the Blessed One asked him to wait and again the Venerable Meghiya made his request for a third time. (Then the Blessed One said:)
“As you speak of striving, Meghiya, what can we say? You may do now as you think fit.”
The Venerable Meghiya then rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One, and keeping him to his right, left for the mango grove. Having arrived, he went deeper into the grove and sat down under a tree to spend the day there. But while staying in that mango grove, three kinds of evil, unwholesome thoughts constantly assailed him: sensual thoughts, thoughts of ill will andthoughts of violence.
Then he thought: “Truly, it is strange, it is amazing! I have gone forth from home into thehomeless life out of faith, and yet I am harassed by these three kinds of evil, unwholesomethoughts: sensual thoughts, thoughts of ill will, and thoughts of violence.”
Then the Venerable Meghiya went back to the Blessed One, and having saluted him, he told him what had occurred and exclaimed: “Truly it is strange, it is amazing! I have gone forth from home into the homeless life out of faith, and yet I am harassed by those three kinds of evil, unwholesome thoughts.”
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“If, Meghiya, the mind still lacks maturity for liberation, there are five conditions conducive to making it mature. What five?
“The first thing, Meghiya, for making the immature mind mature for liberation is to have a noble friend, a noble companion, a noble associate.
“Further, Meghiya, a monk should be virtuous, restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, perfect in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults. Having undertaken the training rules, he should train himself in them. This is the second thing that makes the immature mind mature for liberation.
“Further, Meghiya, the talk in which a monk engages should befit an austere life and be helpful to mental clarity; that is to say, it should be talk on fewness of wishes, on contentment, on solitude, on seclusion, on application of energy, on virtue, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and on the knowledge and vision of liberation. If a monk finds opportunities for such talk easily and without difficulty, this is the third thing that makes the immature mind mature for liberation.
“Further, Meghiya, a monk lives with his energy set upon the abandoning of everything unwholesome and the acquiring of everything wholesome; he is steadfast and strong in his effort, not shirking his task in regard to wholesome qualities. This is the fourth thing that makes the immature mind mature for liberation.
“Further, Meghiya, a monk possesses wisdom; he is equipped with that wisdom which sees into the rise and fall of phenomena, which is noble and penetrative, leading to the complete destruction of suffering. This is the fifth thing that makes the immature mind mature for liberation.
“When, Meghiya, a monk has a noble friend, a noble companion and associate, it can be expected the he will be virtuous … that he will engage in talk befitting the austere life and helpful to mental clarity … that his energy will be set upon the abandoning of everything unwholesome and the acquiring of everything wholesome … that he will be equipped with the wisdom that leads to the complete destruction of suffering.
“Then, Meghiya, when the monk is firmly grounded in these five things, he should cultivate four other things: he should cultivate the meditation on the foulness (of the body) for abandoning lust; he should cultivate loving kindness for abandoning ill will; he should cultivate mindfulness of breathing for cutting off distracting thoughts; he should cultivate the perception of impermanence for eliminating the conceit ’I am’. In one who perceives impermanence, the perception of non-self becomes firmly established; and one who perceives non-self achieves the elimination of the conceit ’I am’ and attains Nibbāna in this very life.”
2. FREED OF FIVEFOLD FEAR
There are, O monks, four powers. What four? The power of wisdom, the power of energy, the power of an unblemished life and the power of beneficence.
And what, monks, is the power of wisdom? As to those things which are unwholesome and are held to be unwholesome, those things which are wholesome and are held to be wholesome; blameless and blameworthy, and held to be so; dark and bright, and held to be so; fit or unfit to be practised, and held to be so; worthy and unworthy of noble ones, and held to be so—to see all these things clearly and to consider them well, this is called the power of wisdom.
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And what, monks, is the power of energy? As to those things that are unwholesome, blameworthy, dark, unfit to be practised, unworthy of noble ones, and which are held to be so— to generate desire, to make an effort and stir up one’s energy for abandoning all these things; and as to those things that are wholesome, blameless, bright, fit to be practised, worthy of noble ones, and which are held to be so—to generate desire, to make an effort and stir up one’s energy for gaining all these things, this is called the power of energy. And what, monks, is the power of an unblemished life? Here, monks, a noble disciple is unblemished in his deeds, unblemished in his words, unblemished in his thoughts. This is called the power of an unblemished life.
And what, monks, is the power of beneficence? There are four bases of beneficence: by gifts, by friendly speech, by helpful acts and by bestowal of equity. This is the best of gifts: the gift of Dhamma. And this is the best of friendly speech: to teach the Dhamma again and again to those who wish for it and who listen attentively. And this is the best of helpful acts: to arouse, instil and strengthen faith in the unbeliever; to arouse, instil, and strengthen virtue in the immoral; to
arouse, instil and strengthen generosity in the miser; to arouse, instil, and strengthen wisdom in the ignorant. And this is the best bestowal of equity: if a stream-enterer becomes equal to a stream-enterer; a once-returner equal to a once-returner; a non-returner equal to a non-returner; and an arahat equal to an arahat. This, monks, is called the power of beneficence.
And this concludes the four powers.
Now, monks, a noble disciple endowed with these four powers has left behind five fears: the fear for his livelihood, the fear of disrepute, the fear of embarrassment in assemblies, the fear of death and the fear of an unhappy future destiny.
A noble disciple thus endowed will think: “No fear do I have for my livelihood. Why should I have fear about it? Have I not the four powers of wisdom, energy, unblemished life and is foolish and lazy, of blameworthy conduct in deeds, words, and thoughts, and who has no beneficence—such a one might have fear for his livelihood.
“No fear do I have about disrepute or about embarrassment in assemblies; nor have I fear of death or of an unhappy future destiny. Why should I have these fears? Have I not the four powers of wisdom, energy, unblemished life, and beneficence? It is one who is foolish and lazy, of blameworthy conduct in deeds, words, and thoughts, and who has no beneficence—such a one might have all these fears.”
Thus it should be understood, monks, that a noble disciple endowed with the four powers
has left behind five fears.
(9:5)
3. SĀRIPUTTA’S LION’S ROAR
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
At that time the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One. Having paid homage to the Blessed
One, he sat down to one side and said to him:
“Lord, I have now completed the rains retreat at Sāvatthī and wish to leave for a country journey.”
“Sāriputta, you may go whenever you are ready.” The Venerable Sāriputta rose from his seat,
saluted the Blessed One, and keeping him to his right, departed.
Soon after the Venerable Sāriputtā had left, one monk said to the Blessed One: “The
Venerable Sāriputta has hit me and has left on his journey without an apology.”6
5
Then the Blessed One called another monk and said: “Go, monk, and call the Venerable
Sāriputta, saying, ’The Master calls you, Sāriputta.’“7 The monk did as he was bidden, and the
Venerable Sāriputta responded, saying, “Yes, friend.”
Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and the Venerable Ānanda, taking the keys, went
around the monks’ lodgings and said: “Come, revered sirs, come! For today the Venerable
Sāriputta will utter his lion’s roar in the presence of the Blessed One.”
The Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, and after saluting him, sat down to one
side. When he was seated, the Blessed One said: “One of your fellow monks here has
complained that you hit him and left on your journey without an apology.”
“Lord, one in whom mindfulness directed to the body8 is not present in regard to the body
may well hit a fellow monk and leave without an apology.
“Just as, Lord, people throw upon the earth things clean and unclean, dung, urine, spittle, pus
and blood, yet for all that the earth has no revulsion, loathing or disgust towards it;9even so,
Lord, do I dwell with a heart that is like the earth, vast, exalted and measureless, without
hostility, and without ill will. However, one in whom mindfulness directed on the body in
regard to the body is not present may well hit a fellow monk and leave without an apology.
“Just as, Lord, people use water to wash things clean and unclean, things soiled with dung,
urine, spittle, pus and blood, yet for all that the water has no revulsion, loathing or disgust
towards it; even so, Lord, do I dwell with a heart that is like water, vast, exalted and
measureless, without hostility, and without ill will. However, one in whom … and leave
without an apology
“Just as, Lord, fire burns things clean and unclean, things soiled with dung, urine, spittle, pus
and blood, yet for all that the fire has no revulsion, loathing or disgust towards it; even so, Lord,
do I dwell with a heart that is like fire, vast, exalted and measureless, without hostility, and
without ill will. However, he in whom … and leave without an apology.
“Just as, Lord, the wind blows over things clean and unclean, over dung, urine, spittle, pus
and blood, yet for all that the wind has no revulsion, loathing or disgust towards it; even so,
Lord, do I dwell with a heart that is like the wind, vast, exalted and measureless, without
hostility, and without ill will. However, he in whom … and leave without an apology.
“Lord, just as a duster wipes over things clean and unclean, things soiled with dung, urine,
spittle, pus and blood, yet for all that the duster has no revulsion, loathing or disgust towards it;
even so, Lord, do I dwell with a heart that is like a duster, vast, exalted and measureless,
without hostility, and without ill will. However, he in whom … and leave without an apology.
“Lord, just as an outcast boy or girl, begging-vessel in hand and clad in rags, enters a village
or town with a humble heart; even so, Lord, do I dwell with a heart like that of an outcast youth,
a heart that is vast, exalted and measureless, without hostility, and without ill will. However, he
in whom … and leave without an apology.
“Lord, just as a bull with his horns cut, gentle, well tamed and well trained, when roaming
from street to street, from square to square, will not hurt anyone with feet or horns; even so,
Lord, do I dwell like a bull with horns cut, with a heart that is vast, exalted and measureless,
without hostility, and without ill will. However, he in whom … and leave without an apology.
“Lord, just as a woman or a man, young, youthful and fond of ornaments, who has just
washed the head, would be filled with revulsion, loathing and disgust if the carcass of a snake, a
dog or a man were to be slung around the neck; even so, Lord, am I filled with revulsion,
loathing and disgust for this foul body of mine. However, one in whom mindfulness directed to
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the body in regard to the body is not present may well hit a fellow monk and leave without an
apology.
“Lord, just if one were to carry around a bowl of liquid fat that is full of holes and crevices,
oozing and dripping; even so, Lord, do I carry around this body that is full of holes and
crevices, oozing and dripping. However, one in whom mindfulness directed on the body in
regard to the body is not present may well hit a fellow monk and leave without an apology.”
Then that accusing monk rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and
with his head on the ground bowed at the feet of the Blessed One, saying: “Lord, I committed an
offence when I was so foolish, stupid and unskilful that I accused the Venerable Sāriputta
falsely, wrongly and untruthfully. Let the Blessed One accept my admission of the offence and
pardon me, and I shall practise restraint in the future.”
“Truly, monk, you committed an offence when you were so foolish, stupid and unskilful that
you accused Sāriputta falsely, wrongly and untruthfully. But as you have recognised your
offence as such and make amends for it according to the rule, we pardon you. For it is a sign of
growth in the Discipline of the Noble One that one recognises one’s offence, makes amends for
it according to the rule, and in future practises restraint.”
The Blessed One then turned to the Venerable Sāriputta and said: “Forgive this foolish man,
Sāriputta, before his head splits into seven pieces on this very spot.”
“I shall forgive him, Lord, if this revered monk asks for my pardon. And he, too, may forgive
me.”
(9:11)
4. SAMIDDHI
(Once the Venerable Samiddhi went to see the Venerable Sāriputta and the latter questioned him as
follows:)
“What, Samiddhi, is the conditioning basis of the purposive thoughts that arise in a
person?”—”Name-and-form, venerable sir.”10
“From what does their variety derive? —”From the elements.”
“What is their origin?” —”Contact.”
“On what do they converge?”—”Feeling.”
“What is their head?”—”Concentration.”
“What is their master?”—”Mindfulness.”
“What is their climax?”—”Wisdom.”
“What is their essence?”—”Liberation.”
“Where do they merge?”—”In the Deathless.”11
(In the original text, the Venerable Sāriputta repeats these questions and answers, and concludes:)
“Well spoken, Samiddhi, well spoken! You have answered well the various questions put to
you. But do not be proud of yourself on that account!”
(9:14)
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5. ROOTED IN CRAVING
Monks, I shall teach you nine things rooted in craving. Listen and attend carefully, I shall speak.
What are the nine things rooted in craving? Because of craving there is pursuit; because of pursuit,
there is acquisition; because of acquisition, there is decision; because of decision there is desire and lust;
because of desire and lust there is selfish tenacity; because of selfish tenacity there is possessiveness;
because of possessiveness there is avarice; because of avarice there is concern for protection; and for
the sake of protection there is the seizing of cudgels and weapons, and various evil, unwholesome
things such as quarrels, strife, dissension and offensive talk, slander and lies.12
These are the nine things rooted in craving.
(9:23)
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The Chapter of the Tens
6. THE BENEFITS OF VIRTUE
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
At that time the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and asked:13
“What, Lord, is the benefit of virtuous ways of conduct, what is their reward?”
“Non-remorse, Ānanda, is the benefit and reward of virtuous ways of conduct.”
“And what, Lord, is the benefit and reward of non-remorse?”
“Gladness, Ānanda.”
“And what, Lord, is the benefit and reward of gladness?”
“Joy.”
“And what, Lord, is the benefit and reward of joy?”
“Serenity.”
“And what, Lord, is the benefit and reward of serenity?”
“Happiness.”
“And what, Lord, is the benefit and reward of happiness?”
“Concentration of the mind.”
“And what, Lord, is the benefit and reward of concentration?”
“Knowledge and vision of things as they really are.”
“And what, Lord, is the benefit and reward of knowledge and vision of things as they really
are?”
“Revulsion and dispassion.”
“And what, Lord, is the benefit and reward of revulsion and dispassion?”
“The knowledge and vision of liberation.
“Hence, Ānanda, virtuous ways of conduct have non-remorse as their benefit and reward;
non-remorse has gladness as its benefit and reward; gladness has joy as its benefit and reward;
joy has serenity as its benefit and reward; serenity has happiness as its benefit and reward;
happiness has concentration as its benefit and reward; concentration has knowledge and vision
of things as they really are as its benefit and reward; knowledge and vision of things as they
really are has revulsion and dispassion as its benefit and reward; revulsion and dispassion have
the knowledge and vision of liberation as their benefit and reward. In this way, Ānanda,
virtuous ways of conduct lead step by step to the highest.”
(10:1)
7. LAWFULNESS OF PROGRESS
For one who is virtuous and endowed with virtue, there is no need for an act of will: “May non-remorse
arise in me!” It is a natural law, monks, that non-remorse will arise in one who is virtuous.
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For one free of remorse, there is no need for an act of will: “May gladness arise in me!” It is a natural
law that gladness will arise in one who is free from remorse.
For one who is glad at heart, there is no need for an act of will: “May joy arise in me!” It is a
natural law that joy will arise in one who is glad at heart .
For one who is joyful, there is no need for an act of will: “May my body be serene!” It is a
natural law that the body will be serene for one who is joyful.
For one of serene body, there is no need for an act of will: “May I feel happiness!” It is a
natural law that one who is serene will feel happiness.
For one who is happy, there is no need for an act of will: “May my mind be concentrated!” It
is a natural law for one who is happy that the mind will be concentrated.
For one who is concentrated, there is no need for an act of will: “May I know and see things
as they really are!” It is a natural law for one with a concentrated mind to know and see things
as they really are.
For one who knows and see things as they really are, there is no need for an act of will: “May
I experience revulsion and dispassion!” It is a natural law for one who knows and sees things as
they really are to experience revulsion and dispassion.
For one who experiences revulsion and dispassion, there is no need for an act of will: “May I
realise the knowledge and vision of liberation!” It is a natural law for one who experiences
revulsion and dispassion to realise the knowledge and vision of liberation.
Thus, monks, revulsion and dispassion have knowledge and vision of liberation as their
benefit and reward … (continued in conformity with the above, back to) … virtuous ways of
conduct have non-remorse as their benefit and reward.
Thus, monks, the preceding qualities flow into the succeeding qualities; the succeeding
qualities bring the preceding qualities to perfection, for going from the near shore to the far
shore.14
(10:2)
8. THE MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE OF NIBBĀNA–I
Once the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One and asked:
“Can it be, Lord, that a monk attains to such a concentration of mind that in earth he is not
percipient of earth, nor in water is he percipient of water, nor in fire … air … the base of the infinity of
space … the base of the infinity of consciousness … the base of nothingness … the base of neitherperception-
nor-non-perception is he percipient of all these; nor is he percipient of this world or a world
beyond—but yet he is percipient?”15
“Yes, Ānanda, there can be such a concentration of mind that in earth he is not percipient of
earth … nor is he percipient of this world or a world beyond—but yet he is percipient.”
“But how, Lord, can a monk attain to such a concentration of mind?”
“Here, Ānanda, the monk is percipient thus: ’This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, namely,
the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving,
dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ It is in this way, Ānanda, that a monk may attain to such a
concentration of mind.”16
(10:6)
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9. THE MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE OF NIBBĀNA–II
Once the Venerable Ānanda approached the Venerable Sāriputta and asked:
“Can it be, friend Sāriputta, that a monk attains to such a concentration of mind that in earth he is
not percipient of earth … (as above) … nor is he percipient of this world or a world beyond—but yet he is
percipient?”
“Yes, friend Ānanda, he can attain to such a concentration of mind.”
“But how, friend Sāriputta, can a monk attain to such a concentration of mind?”
“Once, friend Ānanda, I lived here in Sāvatthī, in the Dark Forest. There I attained to such a
concentration of mind that in earth I was not percipient of earth … (as above) … nor was I
percipient of this world or a world beyond—and yet I was percipient.”
“But what was the Venerable Sāriputta percipient of on that occasion?”
“’Nibbāna is cessation of becoming, Nibbāna is cessation of becoming’17—one such perception
arose in me and another such perception ceased. Just as, friend Ānanda, from a fire of faggots
one flame arises and another flame ceases, even so, ’Nibbāna is cessation of becoming, Nibbāna
is cessation of becoming’—one such perception arose in me and another such perception ceased.
On that occasion, friend, I perceived that Nibbāna is the cessation of becoming.”
(10:7)
10. THE BUDDHA’S LION’S ROAR
Monks, the lion, the king of beasts, comes forth from his lair in the evening. Then he stretches himself,
surveys the four directions all around, and roars three times his lion’s roar.18 And why? (He does so with
the thought:) “May I not cause the death of small creatures that have gone astray!”
“The lion”—this, monks, is a name for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One. When,
monks, the Tathāgata expounds the Dhamma in an assembly, that is his lion’s roar.
There are, monks, these ten Tathāgata powers19 of a Tathāgata, endowed with which the
Tathāgata claims the foremost rank, utters his lion’s roar in the assemblies and sets rolling the
supreme Wheel of the Dhamma.20 What are these ten Tathāgata powers?
(1) Here, the Tathāgata understands, as it really is, cause as cause and non-cause as noncause.
21 This is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata, by reason of which he claims the foremost
rank, utters his lion’s roar in the assemblies and sets rolling the supreme Wheel of the Dhamma.
(2) Again, the Tathāgata understands, as it really is, by way of cause and root condition,22 the
result of past, future, and present actions that are performed. This too is a Tathāgata power of
the Tathāgata….
(3) Again, the Tathāgata understands, as it really is, the way leading to all destinies.23 This too
is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata ….
(4) Again, the Tathāgata understands, as it really is, the world with its many and different
elements.24 This too is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata….
(5) Again, the Tathāgata understands, as it really is, the different dispositions of beings.25 This
too is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata….
(6) Again, the Tathāgata understands, as it really is, the inferior and superior condition of the
faculties of other beings, of other persons.26 This too is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata….
11
(7) Again, the Tathāgata understands, as it really is, with regard to the jhānas, the liberations,
the concentrations and the meditative attainments, their defects and purity and the emergence
from them.27 This too is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata….
(8) Again, the Tathāgata recollects his manifold past lives, that is to say, one birth, two births,
three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty
births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many aeons of worldcontraction,
many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons of world-contraction and expansion
… (as in Text 34) … Thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past lives.
This too is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata….
(9) Again, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Tathāgata sees
beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, of good or bad
destination. He understands beings as faring according to their deeds … (as in Text 34) …This
too is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata….
(10) Again, the Tathāgata, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life enters and dwells in
the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realised it for himself by direct
knowledge. This too is a Tathāgata power of the Tathāgata, by reason of which he claims the
foremost rank, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies and sets rolling the supreme Wheel of the
Dhamma.
These, monks, are the ten Tathāgata powers of the Tathāgata, endowed with which the
Tathāgata claims the foremost rank, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies and sets rolling the
supreme Wheel of the Dhamma.
(10:21)
11. DOCTRINAL TERMS
Once the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One and, after paying homage to him, sat down to
one side. The Blessed One then addressed the Venerable Ānanda thus:
“Here, Ānanda, I am confident about those things that lead to the realisation by direct knowledge of
the various doctrinal terms,28 and I claim to teach the Dhamma about these matters in such a way that a
person who acts accordingly will know the real as being real and the unreal as being unreal; he will
know the inferior as being inferior and the excellent as being excellent; he will know what can be
surpassed as being surpassable and the unsurpassable as being unsurpassable; and there is the
possibility that he will know, understand and realise it just as it ought to be known, understood and
realised.
“But that, Ānanda, is the highest knowledge, namely, the knowledge of these things as they
really are. And I say, Ānanda, there is no knowledge higher and more excellent than this.”
(Here follows a full repetition of the text on the ten Tathāgata powers, as in the preceding sutta).
(10:22; extract)
12. UNIVERSAL IMPERMANENCE
(1) Monks, as far as there are Kāsi29 and Kosala people, as far as the realm of King Pasenadi of Kosala
extends, King Pasenadi of Kosala ranks as the highest. But even for King Pasenadi change30 takes place,
transformation takes place. When seeing this, monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by it;
being repelled, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest,31 not to speak of what is low.
12
(2) Monks, as far as sun and moon revolve and illuminate all directions by their radiance, so far does
the thousandfold world system extend. And in that thousandfold world system there are a thousand
moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Mount Sinerus the king of mountains, a thousand Jambudīpa
continents, a thousand Western Goyana continents, a thousand Northern Kuru continents, a thousand
Eastern Videha continents, a thousand four great oceans, a thousand Four Divine Kings and their
heavens, a thousand each of the heavens of the Tāvatiṃsa devas, of the Yāma devas, of the Tusita devas,
of the Nimmāṇarati devas, of the Paranimmitavasavattī devas, and there are a thousand Brahmaworlds.
As far, monks, as this thousandfold world system extends, Mahābrahmā ranks there as the
highest. But even for Mahābrahmā change takes place, transformation takes place. When seeing this,
monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by it; being repelled, he becomes dispassionate towards
the highest, not to speak of what is low.
(3) There will be a time, monks, when this world comes to an end. And at that time, beings
are generally reborn among the devas of Streaming Radiance.32 There they live, made of mind,
feeding on joy, radiating light from themselves, traversing the skies, living in glory, and thus
they remain for a very long time. When the world comes to an end, monks, these devas of
Streaming Radiance rank as the highest. But even for these devas change takes place,
transformation takes place. When seeing this, monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by
it; being repelled, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, not to speak of what is low.
(4) Monks, there are the ten kasiṇa devices.33 What are the ten? Someone perceives the earth
kasiṇa, above, below, on all sides, undivided, unbounded; another person perceives the water
kasiṇa … the fire kasiṇa … the wind kasiṇa … the blue … yellow … red … white kasiṇa … the
space kasiṇa … the consciousness kasiṇa, above, below, on all sides, undivided, unbounded.
These are the ten kasiṇa devices. Among these ten, this is the highest: when one perceives the
consciousness kasiṇa above, below, on all sides, undivided, unbounded. There are indeed,
monks, persons who perceive in such a way. But even for them change takes place,
transformation takes place. When seeing this, monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by
it; being repelled, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, not to speak of what is low.
(5) Monks, there are eight stages of mastery.34 What are the eight?
(i) Perceiving forms internally, one sees forms externally, small ones, beautiful or ugly; and in
mastering them, one understands: “I know, I see!” This is the first stage of mastery…. (viii) Not
perceiving forms internally, one sees forms externally, white forms, of white colour, white
appearance, white lustre, and mastering these, one understands: “I know, I see!” This is the
eighth stage of mastery.
Among these eight, the last is the highest. There are indeed, monks, persons who perceive in
such a way. But even for them change takes place, transformation takes place. When seeing this,
monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by it; being repelled, he becomes dispassionate
towards the highest, not to speak of what is low.
(6) Monks, there are four modes of progress: The mode of progress that is painful, with
sluggish direct knowledge; the mode of progress that is painful, with quick direct knowledge;
the mode of progress that is pleasant, with sluggish direct knowledge; and the mode of progress
that is pleasant, with quick direct knowledge.35 Among these four, the highest is the mode of
progress that is pleasant, with quick direct knowledge. There are indeed, monks those who
make progress in such a way. But even for them change takes place, transformation takes place.
When seeing this, monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by it; being repelled, he
becomes dispassionate towards the highest, not to speak of what is low.
(7) Monks, there are four modes of perception: one person perceives what is limited; another
perceives what is exalted; another perceives what is measureless; and still another, aware that
“There is nothing,” perceives the base of nothingness.36
13
Among these four modes of perception, the highest is when, aware that “There is nothing,”
one perceives the base of nothingness. There are indeed, monks, those who perceive in such a
way. But even for them change takes place, transformation takes place. When seeing this,
monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by it; being repelled, he becomes dispassionate
towards the highest, not to speak of what is low.
(8) Monks, among the views of outsiders, this is the highest: “I might not be and it might not
be mine; I shall not be and it will not be mine.”37
For one, monks, who has such a view, it can be expected that he will not feel attracted to
becoming and will have no aversion against the cessation of becoming.38 There are indeed,
monks, those who have such a view. But even for them change takes place, transformation takes
place. When seeing this, monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by it; being repelled, he
becomes dispassionate towards the highest, not to speak of what is low.
(9) Monks, there are some ascetics and brahmins who teach an “ultimate purification.”39
Those who teach an “ultimate purification” regard it as the highest if, after transcending the
base of nothingness, one enters into and dwells in the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception.
They teach their doctrine for the direct knowledge and realisation of that. There are
indeed, monks, those who teach thus. But even for them change takes place, transformation
takes place. When seeing this, monks, an instructed noble disciple is repelled by it; being
repelled, he becomes dispassionate towards the highest, not to speak of what is low.
(10) Monks, there are some ascetics and brahmins who teach the supreme Nibbāna in this
very life.40 To those who teach the supreme Nibbāna in this very life, the highest is the
liberation-without-clinging attained after seeing the six bases of contact as they really are,
namely, their arising and passing away, the gratification and danger in them, and the escape
from them.
And though I teach and proclaim thus, some ascetics and brahmins wrongly, baselessly,
falsely and incorrectly misrepresent me thus: “The ascetic Gotama does not teach the full
understanding of sensual pleasures, nor of forms, nor of feelings.” But, monks, I do teach the
full understanding of sensual pleasures, and of forms, and of feelings.41 And being stilled,
quenched and cooled even in this very life, I proclaim the supreme Nibbāna that is free from
clinging.42
(10:29)
13. KING PASENADI’S HOMAGE TO THE BUDDHA
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
At that time King Pasenadi of Kosala had returned from a sham battle,43 having been victorious and
having achieved his purpose. The king then set out in the direction of the monastery. He rode by
chariot as far as the road went; then he alighted from his chariot and entered the monastery on foot.
At that time, a number of monks were walking up and down in the open. The king approached them
and asked: “Where, venerable sirs, is the Blessed One staying now?”
“He is staying in the lodging there, great king, where the door is shut. You may go there
quietly and without haste. Then enter the verandah, clear your throat, and knock with the door
bar. The Blessed One will open the door for you.”
The king did as he was told and the Blessed One opened the door for the king. Having
entered the dwelling, King Pasenadi bent low before the Blessed One with his head on the
14
ground and kissed the Blessed One’s feet, embracing them with his hands. Then he announced
his name: “I am Pasenadi, Lord, the king of Kosala. I am Pasenadi, Lord, the king of Kosala.”
“But, great king, what reason do you see for showing to this body such profound humility
and for offering it such loving devotion?”
“To express my grateful thanks, Lord; for that reason do I show to the Blessed One such
profound humility and offer him my loving devotion.
“The Blessed One, Lord, lives for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the
multitude, he has established many people in the noble way, in good and wholesome principles.
It is for this reason, Lord, that I show to the Blessed One such profound humility and offer him
my loving devotion.
“Again, Lord, the Blessed One is virtuous, of mature virtue, of noble virtue, of wholesome
virtue; he is endowed with wholesome virtue. It is for this reason ….
“Again, Lord, the Blessed One has been a forest dweller for a long time; he resorts to remote
forest lands, to secluded dwellings. It is for this reason ….
“Again, Lord, the Blessed One is content with whatever robes, alms-food, lodging, and
medicinal requisites he receives. It is for this reason ….
“Again, Lord, the Blessed One is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings,
worthy of reverential salutation, being the unsurpassed field of merit for the world. It is for this
reason ….
“Again, Lord, the Blessed One obtains at will, without trouble or difficulty, (the opportunity
for) talk that befits an austere life and is helpful to mental clarity; that is to say, talk on fewness
of wishes, on contentment, on solitude, on seclusion, on application of energy, on virtue,
concentration, wisdom, liberation and the knowledge and vision of liberation. It is for this
reason ….
“Again, Lord, the Blessed One attains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas,
which pertain to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. It is for this reason
….
“Again, Lord, the Blessed One recollects his manifold past lives, that is to say, one birth … (as
in Text 137) … It is for this reason ….
“Again, Lord, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Blessed
One sees beings passing away and reappearing … (as in Text 137) … It is for this reason ….
“And again, Lord, the Blessed One, by the destruction of the taints, in this very life enters and
dwells in the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, having realised it for himself by
direct knowledge. It is for this reason, Lord, that I show to the Blessed One such profound
humility and offer him my loving devotion.
“But now, Lord, we must go. We have much work and many duties.”
“Do as you think fit, great king.”
And King Pasenadi of Kosala rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, and
respectfully and keeping him to his right, he departed.
(10:30)
15
14. SELF-EXAMINATION
If, O monks, a monk is not skilled in knowing the ways of others’ minds, he should resolve, “I must
become skilled in knowing the ways of my own mind.” Thus, monks, should you train yourselves.
And how is a monk skilled in knowing the ways of his own mind? It is just as if a woman or a man,
young, youthful and fond of ornaments, would look at their face in a clean, bright mirror or in a bowl of
clear water. If they then see any dust or dirt, they will make all effort to remove it. But if no dust or dirt
is seen, they will be glad about it, and their wish satisfied, they will think, “How good! I am clean!”
Similarly, monks, for a monk self-examination is very helpful for the growth of wholesome
qualities: “Am I often covetous or often not covetous? Do I often have ill will in my heart or am I
often free of it? Am I often immersed in sloth and torpor or am I often free of it? Am I excited or
often free of excitement? Am I often in doubt or often free of doubt? Am I often angry or often
free of anger? Is my mind often defiled by unwholesome thoughts or often free of defilements?
Is my body often restless or often free of restlessness? Am I often lazy or often energetic? Am I
often unconcentrated or often concentrated?”
When, by such self-examination, a monk finds that he is often covetous, full of ill will,
slothful, excited, doubtful, angry, mentally defiled, bodily restless, lazy and unconcentrated,
then he should apply his utmost zeal and energy, effort and exertion, as well as unremitting
mindfulness and clear comprehension, to the abandoning of all those evil, unwholesome
qualities.
Just as a man whose clothes or turban are on fire would apply his utmost zeal and energy,
effort and exertion, as well as mindfulness and clear comprehension, so that he may extinguish
the fire; even so, the monk should apply his utmost zeal and energy … for the abandoning of
those evil, unwholesome qualities.
But if, on examining himself, that monk finds that he is more often without covetousness and
ill will, more often free from sloth and torpor, free from excitement and doubt; more often free
from anger; and finds that his mind is more often undefiled and his body free of restlessness;
that he is more often energetic and well concentrated—then grounding himself firmly in all
these wholesome qualities, he should make a further effort for the destruction of the taints.
(10:51)
15. DO NOt STAGNATE!
I do not approve, monks, of stagnation in things wholesome, not to speak of a decline. It is growth in
things unwholesome that I praise, and not stagnation, not decline in them.
(10:53, extract)
16. THE ROOTS OF EVERYTHING
It may be, O monks, that wandering ascetics of another persuasion might ask you:44 “In what are all
things rooted? How do they come to actual existence? Where do they arise? Where do they converge?
What is the foremost in all things? What is their master? What is the highest of all things? What is the
essence in all things? Where do all things merge? Where do they end?”
If you are thus questioned, monks, you should reply as follows: “All things are rooted in desire.45
They come to actual existence through attention,46 originate from contact, and converge on feelings.
The foremost of all things is concentration. All things are mastered by mindfulness. Their peak is
wisdom, their essence liberation. All things merge in the Deathless, and Nibbāna is their culmination.”47
16
(10:58)
17. THE SPIRIT OF MONKHOOD
O monks, you should train yourselves thus: “In the spirit of our going forth should our mind be
strengthened!48 No evil, unwholesome thoughts should persist obsessing our minds! In the perception
of impermanence shall our mind be strengthened! In the perception of non-self shall our mind be
strengthened! In the perception of foulness shall our mind be strengthened! In the perception of
danger shall our mind be strengthened! In knowing the even and uneven ways of the world shall our
mind be strengthened! In knowing growth and decline in the world shall our mind be strengthened!49 In
knowing the origination and the passing away of the world shall our mind be strengthened!50 In the
perception of abandoning shall our mind be strengthened! In the perception of dispassion shall our
mind be strengthened! In the perception of cessation shall our mind be strengthened!”51 In such a way,
monks, should you train yourselves.
When a monk’s mind is strengthened in all these ways, one of two fruits may be expected: either
final knowledge in this present life, or else, if there is a residue of clinging, the stage of non-returning.
(10:59)
18. IGNORANCE AND CRAVING
(AN 10:61) A first beginning of ignorance, O monks, cannot be discerned,52 of which it can be said,
“Before that, there was no ignorance and it came to be after that.” Though this is so, monks, yet a
specific condition of ignorance is discerned. Ignorance, too, has its nutriment, I declare; and it is not
without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of ignorance? “The five hindrances” should be the
answer.53
(AN 10:62) A first beginning of the craving for becoming, O monks, cannot be discerned, of which it
can be said, “Before that, there was no craving for becoming and it came to be after that.” Though this
is so, monks, yet a specific condition for the craving for becoming is discerned. The craving for
becoming, too, has its nutriment, I declare; and it is not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment
of the craving for becoming? “Ignorance,” should be the answer. But ignorance, too, has its nutriment;
it is not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of ignorance? “The five hindrances” should be
the answer.
(AN 10:61 & 62) But the five hindrances, too, have their nutriment, monks; they are not
without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of the five hindrances? “The three ways of
wrong conduct” should be the answer.54
The three ways of wrong conduct, too, have their nutriment; they are not without a
nutriment. And what is their nutriment? “Lack of sense restraint” should be the answer.
Lack of sense restraint, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what is its
nutriment? “Lack of mindfulness and clear comprehension” should be the answer.
Lack of mindfulness and clear comprehension, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a
nutriment. And what is the nutriment of the lack of mindfulness and clear comprehension?
“Improper attention” should be the answer.
Improper attention, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what is the
nutriment of improper attention? “Lack of faith” should be the answer.
Lack of faith, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment
of the lack of faith? “Listening to wrong teachings” should be the answer.
17
Listening to wrong teachings, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what
is the nutriment of listening to wrong teachings? “Association with bad people” should be the
answer.
Hence, when association with bad people prevails, listening to wrong teachings will prevail.55
When listening to wrong teachings prevails, it will make lack of faith prevail. When lack of faith
prevails, it will make improper attention prevail. When improper attention prevails, it will make
lack of mindfulness and clear comprehension prevail. When lack of mindfulness and clear
comprehension prevails, it will make lack of sense restraint prevail. When lack of sense restraint
prevails, it will make the three ways of wrong conduct prevail. When the three ways of wrong
conduct prevail, they will make the five hindrances prevail. When the five hindrances prevail,
they will make ignorance prevail. (AN 10:62 adds: When ignorance prevails, it will make the
craving for becoming prevail.) Such is the nutriment of that ignorance (AN 10:62: of that craving
for becoming), and so it prevails.
Just as, when there is heavy rain high up in the mountains and the sky is rumbling, the water,
flowing downwards, will fill up the clefts, crevices and fissures in the mountains, and when
these are full, they will fill up the little pools; the full little pools will fill up the lakes; the full
lakes will fill up the small rivers; the full small rivers will fill up the big rivers; and the full big
rivers will fill up the great ocean. Such is the nutriment of the great ocean, and so it becomes
full.
In the same way, monks, when association with bad people prevails, listening to wrong
teachings will prevail … when the five hindrances prevail, ignorance (and the craving for
becoming) will prevail. Such is the nutriment of ignorance (and of the craving for becoming),
and so it prevails.
Liberation by supreme knowledge too, O monks, has its nutriment, I declare; it is not without
a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of liberation by supreme knowledge? “The seven factors
of enlightenment” should be the answer.
The seven factors of enlightenment, too, have their nutriment, I declare; they are not without
a nutriment? And what is the nutriment of the seven factors of enlightenment? “The four
foundations of mindfulness” should be the answer.
The four foundation of mindfulness, too, have their nutriment; they are not without a
nutriment. And what is the nutriment of the four foundations of mindfulness? “The three ways
of good conduct” should be the answer.
The three ways of good conduct, too, have their nutriment; they are not without a nutriment.
And what is the nutriment of the three ways of good conduct? “Restraint of the senses” should
be the answer.
Restraint of the senses, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what is the
nutriment of restraint of the senses? “Mindfulness and clear comprehension” should be the
answer.
Mindfulness and clear comprehension, too, have their nutriment; they are not without a
nutriment. And what is the nutriment of mindfulness and clear comprehension? “Proper
attention” should be the answer.
Proper attention, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what is the
nutriment of proper attention? “Faith” should be the answer.
Faith, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what is the nutriment of faith?
“Listening to the true Dhamma” should be the answer.
18
Listening to the true Dhamma, too, has its nutriment; it is not without a nutriment. And what
is the nutriment of listening to the true Dhamma? “Association with superior people” should be
the answer.
Hence, when association with superior people prevails, it will make prevail the listening to
the true Dhamma … When the seven factors of enlightenment prevail, they will make prevail
liberation by supreme knowledge. Such is the nutriment of that liberation by supreme
knowledge, and so it prevails.
Just as, when there is heavy rain high up in the mountains and the sky is rumbling, the water,
flowing downwards, will fill up the clefts, crevices and fissures in the mountains, and when
these are full, they will fill up the little pools; the full little pools will fill up the lakes; the full
lakes will fill up the small rivers; the full small rivers will fill up the big rivers; and the full big
rivers will fill up the great ocean. Such is the nutriment of the great ocean, and so it becomes
full.
In the same way, monks, when association with superior people prevails, listening to the true
Dhamma will prevail. When listening to the true Dhamma prevails, faith will prevail. When
faith prevails, proper attention will prevail. When proper attention prevails, mindfulness and
clear comprehension will prevail. When mindfulness and clear comprehension prevail, restraint
of the senses will prevail. When restraint of the senses prevails, the three ways of good conduct
will prevail. When the three ways of good conduct prevail, the four foundations of mindfulness
will prevail. When the four foundations of mindfulness prevail, the seven factors of
enlightenment will prevail. When the seven factors of enlightenment prevail, liberation by
supreme knowledge will prevail. Such is the nutriment of that liberation by supreme
knowledge, and so it prevails.
(10:61 & 62; combined)
19. HAPPINESS AND SUFFERING
On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling in Magadha, in the village Nālaka.56 On that
occasion, Sāmaṇḍakāni, a wandering ascetic, approached him and asked:
“What, friend Sāriputta, is happiness, and what is suffering?”
“To be reborn, friend, is suffering; not to be reborn is happiness.”
(10:65; extract)
20. BIRTH, OLD AGE, AND DEATH
If, O monks, three things were not to be found in the world, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully
Enlightened One, would not appear in the world, nor would the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by
him shed its light over the world. What are these three things? Birth, old age, and death. But since these
three things are to be found in the world, the Tathāgata appears in the world, the Arahant, the Fully
Enlightened One, and the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by him sheds its light over the world.
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon birth, old age, and death. What are these
three? Greed, hatred, and delusion: without abandoning these three things one is unable to abandon
birth, old age, and death.
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon greed, hatred, and delusion. They
are: personality view, sceptical doubt, and clinging to rules and vows.57
19
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon personality view, sceptical doubt,
and clinging to rules and vows. They are: improper attention, pursuing wrong ways, and
mental lassitude.
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon improper attention, the pursuing
of wrong ways and mental lassitude. They are: unmindfulness, lack of clear comprehension, and
mental distraction.
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon unmindfulness, lack of clear
comprehension and mental distraction. They are: disinterest in seeing noble ones, disinterest in
listening to their teachings, and a fault-finding mentality.
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon lack of interest in seeing noble
ones, disinterest in listening to their teachings, and a fault-finding mentality. They are:
restlessness, lack of restraint, and immorality.
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon restlessness, lack of self-control,
and immorality. They are: lack of faith, unfriendliness, and laziness.
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon lack of faith, unfriendliness, and
laziness. They are: disrespect, stubbornness, and bad friendships.
Without abandoning three things, one is unable to abandon disrespect, stubbornness, and bad
friendships. They are: shamelessness, lack of moral dread and negligence.
There is a person, monks, who is shameless, morally reckless, and negligent. Being negligent,
he cannot abandon disrespect, stubbornness, and bad friendships. Having bad friends, he
cannot abandon lack of faith, unfriendliness, and laziness. Being lazy, he cannot abandon
restlessness, lack of restraint and immorality. Being immoral, he cannot abandon disinterest in
seeing noble ones, disinterest in listening to their teachings, and a fault-finding mentality. Being
a fault-finder, he cannot abandon unmindfulness, lack of clear comprehension, and mental
distraction. Having a distracted mind, he cannot abandon improper attention, the pursuit of
wrong ways and mental lassitude. With mental lassitude, he cannot abandon personality view,
sceptical doubt, and clinging to rules and vows. Troubled by sceptical doubt, he cannot abandon
greed, hatred, and delusion. And without giving up greed, hatred, and delusion, he cannot
abandon birth, old age, and death.
But by abandoning three things, one is able to abandon birth, old age, and death. What are
these three? They are: greed, hatred, and delusion. By abandoning them, one is able to abandon
birth, old age, and death.
By abandoning three things, one is able to abandon greed, hatred, and delusion. They are:
personality view, sceptical doubt, and clinging to rules and vows.
(To be continued with the same sequence of terms as above, up to:)
By abandoning three things, one is able to abandon disrespect, stubbornness, and bad
friendships. They are: shamelessness, lack of moral dread, and negligence.
There is a person, monks, who is conscientious, scrupulous, and diligent. Being diligent, he
can abandon disrespect, stubbornness, and bad friendships. Having noble friends, he can
abandon lack of faith, unfriendliness, and laziness. Being energetic, he can abandon restlessness,
lack of restraint, and immorality. Being virtuous, he can abandon disinterest in seeing noble
ones, disinterest in listening to their teachings, and a fault-finding mentality. Not being a faultfinder,
he can abandon unmindfulness, lack of clear comprehension, and mental distraction.
Having an undistracted mind, he can abandon improper attention, pursuit of wrong ways, and
mental lassitude. Being without mental lassitude, he can abandon personality view, sceptical
20
doubt, and clinging to rules and vows. Being free from doubt, he can abandon greed, hatred,
and delusion. Having abandoned greed, hatred, and delusion, he can abandon birth, old age,
and death.
(10:76)
21. A DISCRIMINATIVE TEACHING
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling near Campā, on the bank of the Gaggarā lotus pond.
One day the householder Vajjiyamāhita left Campā at an early hour in order to see the Blessed One.58
Then he thought: “It is not the right time to visit the Blessed One, who will now be in seclusion. Nor is it
the proper time to visit the venerable monks; they, too, will be in seclusion. Let me now go to the park
where the wandering ascetics of another persuasion stay.”
When Vajjiyamāhita the householder arrived at the park, those wanderers were gathered
there in company and were sitting together shouting and speaking loudly, engaged in diverse
kinds of low talk. But when they saw Vajjiyamāhita the householder approaching in the
distance, they admonished each other to be quiet, saying: “Make less noise, your reverences,
and be quiet! Here the householder Vajjiyamāhita is coming, a disciple of the ascetic Gotama.
He is one of the white clad lay disciples of the ascetic Gotama who stays now at Campā. These
worthy ones do not like much noise, they are used to being noiseless and they praise
noiselessness. Perhaps if Vajjiyamāhita sees our group to be quiet, he may think of coming
here.”
These wandering ascetics now kept silent. When the householder Vajjiyamāhita arrived there,
he exchanged polite greetings and cordial talk with them and sat down at one side. When he
was seated, the wanderers asked him:
“Is it true, householder, what they say—that the ascetic Gotama blames all asceticism and
that he unreservedly condemns and reproves all ascetics who live a harsh and austere life?”
“No, venerable sirs, the Blessed One does not blame all asceticism, nor does he unreservedly
condemn and reprove all ascetics living a harsh and austere life. What is blameworthy, the
Blessed One blames; what is praiseworthy, he praises. By blaming what is blameworthy and
praising what is praiseworthy, the Blessed One teaches with discrimination, he does not teach
here in a one-sided way.”59
At these words, a certain wanderer said this to the householder Vajjiyamāhita: “Wait a
moment, householder! That ascetic Gotama, whom you praise so much, is a nihilist, and he is
one who refrains from making any definite declarations.”60
“About that, too, venerable sir, I shall speak to your reverences according to the Dhamma.
The Blessed One, venerable sir, declares that some things are wholesome and other things
unwholesome. The Blessed One, having thus declared what is wholesome and what is
unwholesome, is in fact one who makes definite declarations. He is not a nihilist, nor one who
refrains from making definite declarations.”
At these words the wanderers kept silent, embarrassed, sitting there with slumping shoulders
and heads lowered, brooding and unable to utter a word. When Vajjiyamāhita saw them in that
condition, he rose from his seat and left to see the Blessed One. Having arrived, after saluting
the Blessed One, he told him of his conversation with these wanderers of another persuasion.
And the Blessed One said:
“Good, householder, good! In that way, householder, should such foolish persons, when
occasion offers, be well refuted by you according to the Dhamma.
21
“I do not say, householder, that all asceticism should be practised; nor do I say of all
asceticism that it should not be practised. I do not say that all undertakings should be
performed; nor do I say of all undertakings that they should not be performed. I do not say that
every spiritual effort should be done or every act renunciation be carried out; nor do I say of
every spiritual effort that it should not be done nor of every act of renunciation that it should
not be carried out. I do not say that one should free oneself by every kind of freedom; nor do I
say of every kind of freedom that one should not free oneself by it.
“What I declare, householder, is that such an asceticism should not be practised which makes
unwholesome states grow and wholesome states wane. But, I declare, an asceticism which
makes unwholesome states wane and wholesome states grow should be practised.
“If in performing undertakings, making spiritual efforts, carrying out acts of renunciation,
freeing oneself by certain kinds of freedom, unwholesome states grow, then, I declare, all these
practises should not be carried out.”
“But if in performing undertakings, making spiritual efforts, carrying out acts of
renunciation, freeing oneself by certain kinds of freedom, unwholesome states wane and
wholesome states grow, then, I declare, all these practises should be carried out.”
Then Vajjiyamāhita the householder, thus instructed by the Blessed One’s Dhamma talk,
roused by it, inspired and gladdened, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One respectfully,
and keeping him to his right, departed.
Soon after he had left, the Blessed One addressed the monks thus: “Monks, even a monk who
has had for a long time clear vision as to this Dhamma and Discipline would well refute those
wanderers of another persuasion in the very same way that the householder Vajjiyamāhita has
done.”
(10:94)
22. WILL ALL BEINGS ATTAIN LIBERATION?
On one occasion a wandering ascetic named Uttiya approached the Blessed One. After exchanging
greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and asked the Blessed One:
“How is it, Master Gotama: is the world eternal—is only this true and everything else false?”
“This, Uttiya, I have not declared: that the world is eternal; and that only this is true and
everything else false.”
“How then, Master Gotama: is the world non-eternal—is only this true and everything else
false?”
“That, too, Uttiya, I have not declared: that the world is non-eternal; and that only this is true
and everything else false.”
“How is it, Master Gotama: is the world finite or infinite? Are the life principle and the body
the same or different? Does the Tathāgata exist after death or does he not exist after death? Does
he exist as well as not exist or neither exist nor not exist after death? Is any one of these
statements the only one that is true and everything else false?”
“All that, Uttiya, I have not declared: that the world is finite … that the Tathāgata neither
exists nor does not exist after death; nor do I declare that any one of these statements is the only
true one and everything else false.”
22
“But how is it, Master Gotama? To all my questions you have replied that you have not so
declared. What, after all, does Master Gotama actually declare?”
“Having directly known it, Uttiya, I have taught the Dhamma to my disciples for the
purification of beings, for getting beyond sorrow and lamentation, for the ending of pain and
grief, for attaining to the method of liberation and for realising Nibbāna.”
“But if Master Gotama, from direct knowledge, teaches the Dhamma to his disciples for the
purification of beings, for getting beyond sorrow and lamentation, for the ending of pain and
grief, for attaining to the method of liberation and for realising Nibbāna, will the whole world
thereby be emancipated,61 or half of it or a third part of it?”
At these words, the Blessed One kept silent.62
Then this thought occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: “May Uttiya the wanderer not conceive
a harmful opinion, by thinking, ’When I asked the ascetic Gotama a question on an ultimate
issue, he foundered and did not reply. Probably he was unable to do so.’ For such a view would
bring harm and suffering to Uttiya for a long time.”
Then the Venerable Ānanda turned to Uttiya, saying: “I shall give you a simile, friend Uttiya,
for with the help of a simile intelligent people may come to understand the meaning of what
was said.
“Suppose, friend Uttiya, there is a king’s border town, with strong ramparts and turrets on
sound foundations, and with a single gate. There is also a gate-keeper, intelligent, experienced
and prudent, who keeps out people unknown and admits only those who are known. That gatekeeper
walks along the path that girdles the town all round, and while doing so he does not
notice in the ramparts any hole or opening, not even one big enough for a cat to slip through.
Though he does not have the knowledge of how many creatures enter the town or leave it, yet
he does know this: ’Any larger creatures that enter or leave this town can do so only by this
gate.’
“Similarly, friend Uttiya, the Tathāgata is not concerned with whether the entire world will
be emancipated by his teaching or half of it or a third part. But the Tathāgata is aware that
whosoever has been emancipated, is now emancipated or will be emancipated from the world,
all these will do so by removing the five hindrances that defile the mind and weaken
understanding, by firmly establishing their minds in the four foundations of mindfulness, and
by cultivating the seven factors of enlightenment in their true nature. That same question, friend
Uttiya, which you had asked the Blessed One before, you have asked him again in another
way.”63
(10:95)
23. NOT OUTSIDE THE BUDDHA’S DISCIPLINE
Ten things, monks, do not have purity and clarity outside the Discipline of the Sublime Master. What
are the ten?
(AN 10:123) Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration, right knowledge, and right liberation.64
(AN 10:124) And if these ten things have not arisen, they will not arise outside the Discipline
of the Sublime Master.
(AN 10:125) Outside the Discipline of the Sublime Master, these ten things will not be of great
fruit and benefit.
23
(AN 10:126) Outside the Discipline of the Sublime Master, these ten things will not end in the
elimination of greed, hatred, and delusion.
(AN 10:127) Outside the Discipline of the Sublime Master, these ten things will not conduce to
complete disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, enlightenment, and
Nibbāna.
(10:123–27)
24. THE CONCATENATION OF KAMMA
The destruction of life, monks, I declare to be threefold: as caused by greed, caused by hatred, caused by
delusion. So too, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, divisive speech, harsh
speech, frivolous chatter, covetousness, ill will and wrong view, I declare to be threefold: as caused by
greed, caused by hatred and caused by delusion.65
Hence, monks, greed is a producer of kammic concatenation, hatred is a producer of kammic
concatenation, delusion is a producer of kammic concatenation. But by the destruction of greed, hatred,
and delusion, there is the exhaustion of kammic concatenation.
(10:174)
25. THE EXTINCTION OF KAMMA
I declare, monks, that actions willed, performed and accumulated will not become extinct as long as
their results have not been experienced, be it in this life, in the next life or in subsequent future lives.
And as long as these results of actions willed, performed, and accumulated have not been experienced,
there will be no making an end to suffering, I declare.66
There are, monks, tainted failures in living caused by unwholesome volition, issuing in suffering,
resulting in suffering. These tainted failures are threefold in bodily acts, fourfold in verbal acts and
threefold in mental acts.
How are these tainted failures in living caused by unwholesome volition threefold in bodily
acts?
There is a person who destroys life; he is cruel and his hands are blood-stained; he is bent on
slaying and murdering, having no compassion for any living being.
He takes what is not given to him, appropriates with thievish intent the property of others, be
it in the village or the forest.
He conducts himself wrongly in matters of sex: he has intercourse with those under the
protection of father, mother, brother, sister, relatives, or clan, or of their religious community; or
with those promised to a husband, protected by law, and even with those betrothed with a
garland.67
In this way tainted failure in living is threefold in bodily acts.
And how is tainted failure in living fourfold in verbal acts?
There is one who is a liar. When he is in the council of his community or in another assembly,
or among his relatives, his guild, in the royal court, or when he has been summoned as a
witness and is asked to tell what he knows, then, though he does not know, he will say, “I
know”; though he does know, he will say, “I do not know”; though he has not seen, he will say,
“I have seen”; and though he has seen, he will say, “I have not seen.” In that way he utters
deliberate lies, be it for his own sake, for the sake of others, or for some material advantage.
24
He utters divisive speech: what he hears here he reports elsewhere to foment conflict there;
and what he hears elsewhere he reports here to foment conflict here. Thus he creates discord
among those united, and he incites still more those who are in discord. He is fond of dissension,
he delights and rejoices in it, and he utters words that cause dissension.
He speaks harshly, using speech that is coarse, rough, bitter, and abusive, that makes others
angry and causes distraction of mind. It is such speech that he utters.
He indulges in frivolous chatter: he speaks what is untimely, unreasonable, and unbeneficial,
having no connection with the Dhamma or the Discipline. His talk is not worth treasuring, it is
inopportune, inadvisable, unrestrained, and harmful.
In this way, tainted failure in living is fourfold in verbal acts.
And how is tainted failure in living threefold in mental acts?
There is a person who is covetous; he covets the wealth and property of others, thinking: “Oh,
that what he owns might belong to me!”
There is also one who has ill will in his heart. He has depraved thoughts, such as these: “Let
these beings be slain! Let them be killed and destroyed! May they perish and cease to exist!”
He has wrong views and perverted ideas, such as these: “There is no moral value in a gift,
offering or sacrifice; there is no fruit or recompense from deeds good or evil; there is neither this
world nor another world;68 there are no duties towards mother and father; there are no
spontaneously reborn beings; and there are no ascetics and brahmins in this world, living and
conducting themselves rightly, who can explain this world and the world beyond, having
realised them by their own direct knowledge.”
In this way tainted failure in living, which is caused by unwholesome volition, issuing in
suffering and resulting in suffering, is threefold in mental acts.
As to that tainted failure in living, which is threefold in bodily acts, fourfold in verbal acts
and threefold in mental acts, and which, having been caused by unwholesome volition, issues in
suffering, results in suffering—it is due to that very failure in living that with the breakup of the
body, after death, beings are reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower
world, in hell.
Just as a perfect throw of dice, when thrown upwards, will come to rest firmly wherever it
falls, similarly, due to those tainted failures in living caused by unwholesome volition, beings
will be reborn in the plane of misery … in hell.
I declare, monks, that actions willed, performed and accumulated will not become extinct as
long as their results have not been experienced, be it in this life, in the next life or in subsequent
future lives. And as long as these results of actions willed, performed, and accumulated have
not been experienced, there will be no end to suffering, I declare.
There are, monks, successes in living caused by wholesome volition, issuing in happiness,
resulting in happiness. They are threefold in bodily acts, fourfold in verbal acts and threefold in
mental acts.
How are these successes in living caused by wholesome volition threefold in bodily acts?
There is a person who abstains from the destruction life; with the rod and weapon laid aside,
he is conscientious and kindly and dwells compassionate towards all living beings.
He does not take what is not given to him and does not appropriate with thievish intention
the property of others, be it in the village or the forest.
25
He gives up sexual misconduct and abstains from it. He does not have intercourse with those
under the protection of father, mother … nor with those betrothed with a garland.
In this way, success in living is threefold in bodily acts.
And how is success in living fourfold in verbal acts?
There is a person who has given up false speech and abstains from it. When he is in the
council of his community or in another assembly, or among his relatives, his guild, in the royal
court, or has been summoned as a witness and is asked to tell what he knows, then, when he
knows, he will say, “I know”; and when he does not know he will say, “I do not know”; when
he has seen, he will say, “I have seen”; and when he has not seen, he will say, “I have not seen.”
He will not utter any deliberate lie, be it for his own sake, for the sake of others or for some
material advantage.
He has given up divisive speech and abstains from it. What he has heard here he will not
report elsewhere to foment conflict there; and what he has heard elsewhere he will not report
here to foment conflict here. In that way he unites those who are divided and encourages those
who are in harmony. Concord gladdens him, he delights and rejoices in concord, and he utters
words that foster concord.
He has given up harsh speech and abstains from it. His words are gentle, pleasant to hear,
endearing, heartwarming, courteous, agreeable to many folk, pleasing to many folk.
He has given up vain talk and abstains from it. He speaks at the right time, in accordance
with facts and of matters that are beneficial. He speaks on the Dhamma and the Discipline and
talks in a way that is worth treasuring. His talk is opportune, helpful, moderate, and
meaningful.
In this way success in living is fourfold in verbal acts.
And how is success in living threefold in mental acts?
Here a person is free from covetousness; he does not covet the wealth and property of others,
thinking, “Oh, that what he owns might belong to me!”
He has no ill will in his heart. He has pure thoughts and intentions, such as these: “May these
beings be free from enmity, free from anxiety! May they be untroubled and live happily!”
He has right view and a correct perspective, such as this: “There is moral value in gifts,
offerings and sacrifice; there is fruit and recompense from deeds good or evil; there is both this
world and another world; there are duties towards mother and father; there exist beings who
have been spontaneously reborn; and there exist in this world ascetics and brahmins living and
conducting themselves rightly, who can explain this world and the world beyond, having
realised them by their own direct knowledge.”
In this way, success in living, which is caused by wholesome volition, is threefold in mental
acts.
As to that success in living which is threefold in bodily acts, fourfold in verbal acts and
threefold in mental acts, and which, having been caused by wholesome volition, issues in
happiness, results in happiness—it is due to that very success in living that with the breakup of
the body, after death, beings are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.
Just as a perfect throw of dice, when thrown upwards, will come to rest firmly wherever it
falls, similarly, due to success in living caused by wholesome volition, beings will be reborn in a
good destination, in a heavenly world.
26
I declare, monks, that actions willed, performed, and accumulated will not become extinct as
long as their results have not been experienced, be it in this life, in the next life or in subsequent
future lives. And as long as these results of actions willed, performed, and accumulated have
not been experienced, there will be no making an end to suffering, I declare.
(10:206)
26. THE FOUR BOUNDLESS STATES
“I declare, monks, that actions willed … (as at the end of the preceding text).
“But a noble disciple—devoid of covetousness, devoid of ill will, unconfused, clearly comprehending,
ever mindful—dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving kindness, likewise the
second quarter, the third and the fourth. Thus above, below, across and everywhere, and to all as to
himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving kindness, vast, exalted,
measureless, without hostility, and without ill will.
“He knows: ’Formerly my mind was narrow and undeveloped; but now my mind is
measureless and well developed. No measurable kamma will remain in it, none will persist
there.’69
“What do you think, monks: if a young man, from his boyhood onwards, were to develop the
liberation of the mind by loving kindness, would he then do an evil deed?”
“He would not, Lord.”
“And not doing any evil deed, will suffering afflict him?”70
“It will not, Lord. How could suffering afflict one who does no evil deeds?”
“Indeed, monks, the liberation of the mind by loving kindness should be developed by a man
or a woman. A man or a woman cannot take their body with them and depart; mortals have
consciousness as the connecting link.71
“But the noble disciple knows: ’Whatever evil deeds I did before with this physical body,
their results will be experienced here and they will not follow me along.’72
“Loving kindness, if developed in such a way, will lead to the state of non-returning, in the
case of a monk who is established in the wisdom found here in this teaching, but who has not
penetrated to a higher liberation.73
“He dwells pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion … with altruistic joy
… with equanimity, likewise the second quarter, the third, and the fourth. Thus above, below,
across and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he dwells pervading the entire world with a
mind imbued with compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity, vast, exalted, measureless,
without hostility, and without ill will.
“He knows: ’Formerly my mind was narrow and undeveloped; but now my mind is
measureless and well developed. No measurable kamma will remain in it, none will persist
there.’
“What do you think, monks: if a young man, from his boyhood onwards, were to develop
compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity, would he then do an evil deed?”
“He would not, Lord.”
“And not doing any evil deed, will suffering afflict him?”
“It will not, Lord. How could suffering afflict one who does no evil deeds?”
27
“Indeed, monks, the liberation of the mind by compassion … by altruistic joy … by
equanimity should be developed by a man or a woman. A man or a woman cannot take their
body with them and depart; mortals have consciousness as the connecting link.
“But the noble disciple knows: ’Whatever evil deeds I did before with this physical body,
their results will be experienced here and they will not follow me along.’
“Compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity, if developed in such a way, will lead to the state
of non-returning, in the case of a monk who is established in the wisdom found here in this
teaching, but who has not penetrated to a higher liberation.”
(10:208)
28
The Chapter of the Elevens
27. THE BLESSINGS OF LOVING KINDNESS
If, O monks, the liberation of the mind by loving kindness is developed and cultivated, frequently
practised, made one’s vehicle and foundation, firmly established, consolidated, and properly
undertaken, eleven blessings may be expected. What eleven?
One sleeps peacefully; one awakens peacefully; one sees no bad dreams; one is dear to human beings;
one is dear to non-human beings; one will be protected by devas; fire, poison and weapons cannot
injure one; one’s mind becomes easily concentrated; one’s facial complexion will be serene; one will die
unconfused; and if one does not penetrate higher, one will be reborn in the Brahma-world.74
(11:16)