Aṇguttara-Nikāya
II. Duka Nipāta
I. Kamma-Kāraṇa Vagga
The Book of Twos
Namo tassa Bhagavato
Arahato
Sammā Sambuddhassa
In the Name of the Potter
Aristocrat
Number One Consummately Awakened One
Doing Deeds
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Sutta 1
Vajja Suttaṃ
Faults
[1][pts] Evaṃ me sutaṃ — I hear tell
Once upon a time The Lucky Man,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthaiṇḍika's Sporting Grounds.
There then The Lucky Man said this to the beggars:
"Beggars!"
and the beggars responding
"Venerable"
The Lucky Man said this to them:
"There are two types of faults, beggars.
What two?
The 'in this seen thing' fault, and
the 'belonging to the future' fault.
And what, beggars, is the
'in this seen thing' fault?
Here, beggars, one sees a robber, a criminal,
seized by the king
for the making of various done deeds
lashed with a whip, or
lashed with a cane, or
lashed with a split stick,[1] or
having his hand cut off, or
having his foot cut off, or
having his hands and feet cut off, or
having his ear cut off, or
having his nose cut off, or
having his ears and nose cut off, or
being given the 'porridge-pot,'[2] or
being given the 'conch-shaved-mountain',[3] or
being given the 'sunny-face,' or
being given the 'fire-garland,' or
being given the 'inflamed-hand,' or
being given the 'grass-revolving,'[4] or
being given the 'bark-razor,' or
being given the 'antelope,' or
Being given the 'fish-hooked flesh,' or
being given the 'coin,' or
being given the 'dry welcome,'[5] or
being given the 'revolving around the bar,' or
being given the 'straw ottoman',[6] or
being sprayed with boiling oil, or
being fed to the dogs, or
being impaled on a sharp stake, or
having his head cut off with a sharp sward.
At that he has this thought:
'So that then
is how it goes
when doing bad.
It is from that type of thing
that one sees a robber,
a criminal,
seized by the king
for the making of various done deeds
lashed with a whip, or
lashed with a cane, or
lashed with a split stick, or
having his hand cut off, or
having his foot cut off, or
having his hands and feet cut off, or
having his ear cut off, or
having his nose cut off, or
having his ears and nose cut off, or
being given the "porridge-pot," or
being given the "conch-shaved-mountain," or
being given the "sunny-face," or
being given the "fire-garland," or
being given the "inflamed-hand," or
being given the "grass-revolving," or
being given the "bark-razor," or
being given the "antelope," or
Being given the "fish-hooked flesh," or
being given the "coin," or
being given the "dry welcome," or
being given the "revolving around the bar," or
being given the "straw ottoman," or
being sprayed with boiling oil, or
being fed to the dogs, or
being impaled on a sharp stake, or
having his head cut off with a sharp sward.
So then, if I did likewise,
like a robber,
a criminal,
seized by the king
for the making of various done deeds
I too would
be lashed with a whip, or
be lashed with a cane, or
be lashed with a split stick, or
have my hand cut off, or
have my foot cut off, or
have my hands and feet cut off, or
have my ear cut off, or
have my nose cut off, or
have my ears and nose cut off, or
be given the "porridge-pot," or
be given the "conch-shaved-mountain," or
be given the "sunny-face," or
be given the "fire-garland," or
be given the "inflamed-hand," or
be given the "grass-revolving," or
be given the "bark-razor," or
be given the "antelope," or
be given the "fish-hooked flesh," or
be given the "coin," or
be given the "dry welcome," or
be given the "revolving around the bar," or
be given the "straw ottoman," or
be sprayed with boiling oil, or or
be fed to the dogs, or or
be impaled on a sharp stake, or
have my head cut off with a sharp sward.'
He, terrified of an
'in this seen thing' fault,
is not brought to acts
depriving others.
This, beggars
is what is said to be
the 'in this seen thing' fault.
■
And what, beggars, is the
the 'belonging to the future' fault?
Here, beggars,
one describes
that which belongs to the future
thus:
'Bodily pain-causing behavior
has a bad fruition
for the self
in the future beyond.
Vocal pain-causing behavior
has a bad fruition
for the self
in the future beyond.
Mental pain-causing behavior
has a bad fruition
for the self
in the future beyond.
So, if I were to engage in
bodily pain-causing behavior
vocal pain-causing behavior
mental pain-causing behavior
at the brake-up of the body at death
I would arise in
the lower depths
the painful downfall
Niraya Hell.'
He, terrified of a
'belonging to the future' fault,
lets go bodily pain-causing behavior, and
develops bodily pleasure-causing behavior,
lets go verbal pain-causing behavior, and
develops verbal pleasure-causing behavior,
lets go mental pain-causing behavior, and
develops mental pleasure-causing behavior,
thus protecting his unprotected purity.
This, beggars,
is what is said to be
the 'belonging to the future' fault.
These, beggars, are the two faults.
Wherefore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We will be terrified of
"in this seen thing" faults
"belonging to the future" faults.
Avoiding terrifying faults,
we will see the fearful in them.
This, beggars,
is how you should train yourselves.
Avoiding terrifying faults,
seeing the fearful in them,
one will escape all faults."
§
Sutta 2
Padhāna Suttaṃ
Endeavors
[2][pts] "There are these two difficult worldly endeavors, beggars.
What two?
That which is the struggle
of the home-living family-man
to provide beggars
endeavoring to examine
how to not come into existence
with the necessities of clothing,
bowl-food,
bedding and seat, and
the medicines to treat sickness, and
that endeavor
which those who have gone forth
into homeless home-leaving are making
to give up
all coming to be of the self.
These, beggars, are
the two difficult worldly endeavors.
Of these two endeavors, beggars,
this is the uppermost,
that is to say,
that endeavor
which those who have gone forth
into homeless home-leaving are making
go give up
all coming to be of the self.
Therefore, beggars,
it is thus that you should train yourselves:
'We will endeavor to give up
all coming to be of the self.'
It is thus, beggars,
that you should train yourselves."
§
Sutta 3
Tapanīya Suttaṃ
Things That Burn
[3][pts] "Two, beggars, are things that burn.
What two?
Here, beggars, someone
has done painful deeds of body,
has not done pleasant deeds of body;
has done painful deeds of speech,
has not done pleasant deeds of speech:
has done painful deeds of mind,
has not done pleasant deeds of mind.
He thinking:
'I have done painful deeds of body,'
burns;
'I have not done pleasant deeds of body,'
burns;
'I have done painful deeds of speech,'
burns;
'I have not done pleasant deeds of speech,'
burns;
'I have done painful deeds of mind,'
burns;
'I have not done pleasant deeds of mind,'
burns.'
These, beggars, are the two things
that burn."
§
Sutta 4
Atapanīya Suttaṃ
Things That Do Not Burn
[4][pts] "Two, beggars, are things that do not burn.
What two?"
Here, beggars, someone
has not done painful deeds of body,
has done pleasant deeds of body;
has not done painful deeds of speech,
has done pleasant deeds of speech:
has not done painful deeds of mind,
has done pleasant deeds of mind.
He thinking:
'I have not done painful deeds of body,'
does not burn;
'I have done pleasant deeds of body,'
does not burn;
'I have not done painful deeds of speech,'
does not burn;
'I have done pleasant deeds of speech,'
does not burn;
'I have not done painful deeds of mind,'
does not burn;
'I have done pleasant deeds of mind,'
does not burn.
These, beggars, are the two things
that do not burn."
§
Sutta 5
Upaññāta Suttaṃ
Two Things I Have Learned
[5][pts][than] "Two, beggars,
are the things I have learned.
Not to have complacency in
skillful states, and
not to give up
in the endeavor.
Not giving up in the endeavor, beggars,
thinking:
'Gladly would I,
should just skin, tendons and bones of the body remain,
have flesh and blood dry up,
but that I might win what can be won
through development of this emaciated body,
with the strength of a man,
with the energy of a man,
with the endeavor of a man.'
It is, beggars,
through not being careless in that,
that awakening has been got
it is through not being careless in that
that I have got
the peace from the yoke
of which there is nothing higher.
If you, too, beggars,
do not give up in the endeavor,
thinking:
'Gladly would I,
should just skin, tendons and bones of the body remain,
have flesh and blood dry up,
but that I might win what can be won
through development of this emaciated body,
with the strength of a man,
with the energy of a man,
with the endeavor of a man.'
you, too, will by that
in no long time attain,
in this seen thing,
that goal which clansmen's sons go forth
into the best homeless home-leaving;
that conclusion to the godly life
of which there is nothing higher.
Therefore, beggars,
it is thus
that you should train yourselves:
'Gladly would I,
should just skin, tendons and bones of the body remain,
have flesh and blood dry up,
but that I might win what can be won
through development of this emaciated body,
with the strength of a man,
with the energy of a man,
with the endeavor of a man.'
It is thus, beggars,
that you should train yourselves."
§
Sutta 6
Saṇyojanīya Suttaṃ
Yoking the Self
[6][pts] "There are two things, beggars.
What two?
That which is devotion to things
observed with relish, and
that which is devotion to things
observed with distaste.
Living devoted to things
observed with relish, beggars,
lust is not left behind,
anger is not left behind,
confusion is not left behind.
Lust not left behind,
anger not left behind,
confusion not left behind;
he who has not left behind these things,
is not free from aging and death,
grief and lamentation
pain and misery,
and despair.
'He is not free from pain'
say I.
■
Living devoted to things
observed with distaste, beggars,
lust is left behind,
anger is left behind,
confusion is left behind.
Lust left behind,
anger left behind,
confusion left behind;
he who has left behind these things,
is free from aging and death,
grief and lamentation
pain and misery,
and despair.
'He is free from pain'
say I.
These then, beggars,
are the two things."
§
Sutta 7
Kaṇha Suttaṃ
Dark
[7][pts] "Two, beggars, are dark things.
What two?
Being without fear of blame, and
being without sense of shame.
These, beggars, are the two dark things."
§
Sutta 8
Sukka Suttaṃ
Bright
[8][pts] "Two, beggars, are bright things.
What two?
Sense of shame, and
fear of blame.
These, beggars, are the two bright things."
§
Sutta 9
Cariyā Suttaṃ
Conduct
Translator's Introduction:
Previously I have translated this sutta hearing "nayidha paññāyetha mātā ti vā mātucchā ti vā mātulānī ... " as does Woodward, as "then there would be seen no mother or mother's sister ..." [emphasis, mine]. And, since in the case of what is seen, it would not be that 'mothers' would not be seen, but that fathers would not be seen [known for certain], I reversed the genders. In this translation I have looked more closely and see that what is intended is the notion of women who are [to be or] not to be considered as elegible for casual sexual indulgence. So I believe what I have here is closer to the Pāḷi.
The paragraph describing the consequences to the world of being without the protections of sense of shame and fear of blame has also taken a turn here that is, I believe, more closely aligned with the Pāḷi. Woodward and Ireland, in a most reasonable way, take "aje'akā kukkuṭa-sūkarā sona-sigālā" as a list of promiscuous animals; Bhk. Thanissaro, in what looks like an attempt to come more closely into line with the Pāḷi, indicates pairs just slightly, in my opinion, missing the humor.
The Pāḷi gives us three compounds: sheep-rams, pig-roosters, jackal-dogs. The PTS Pāḷi inserts hyphens. Bhk. Thanissaro reads that as pairings, linking the pairs with the word "with": "roosters with pigs," etc. I am taking them at their face value: pig-roosters, etc. pointing not to the state of promiscuity, but to the consequences.
[9][pts][than][olds][irel] Two good things, beggars,
preserve the world.
What two?
Sense of shame and
fear of blame.
If, beggars, these two bright things
did not preserve the world,
there would be no notion here of
'this is a mother',
'this is a maternal aunt',
'this is a maternal uncle's wife',
'this is a teacher's wife',
'these are the women of a powerful man'.
The world would become confusion
giving us such as
sheep-rams,
pig-roosters,
jackal-dogs.
But since, beggars,
there are these two bright things
preserving the world
there is the notion here
of 'this is a mother',
'this is a maternal aunt',
'this is a maternal uncle's wife',
'this is a teacher's wife',
'these are the women of a powerful man'.
§
Sutta 10
Vassūpanāyikā Suttaṃ
Entering the Rains Residence
[10][pts] "Two, beggars,
are times for entering the rains residence.
What two?
The early, and, the late.[7]
These are the two times for entering the rains residence."
Doing Deeds, The First
[1] Similar to the musical instrument called a split-stick clapper. About four cubits in length, split into four sections to about three cubits. Extremely painful.
[2] For brief descriptions of all these tortures see footnotes 3-17 in the Woodward translation.
For similar descriptions of these tortures, see:
footnote 1 in the 98th section of Buddhism in translations, by H.C. Warren. Quoting the commentary of this sutta,
MN 129,
The Pali Line, Advantages and Disadvantages, Prologue 1
Bhikkhu Bodhi in footnote 216 of his translation of this sutta, quoting MA, gives more detail but only of five of the set:
(1) The porridge pot (bilaṇga-thālikam): they crack open his skull, take up a hot iron ball with tongs, put the ball inside, and boil his brains until they overflow.
(2) The polished-shell shave (saṇkha-muṇḍikam): they cut the skin [in the area] bounded by his upper lip, the roots of the ears, and gullet, bind all his head hairs into a knot, tie them around a stick, and pull it up, so that his skin together with his head hairs comes off; then they rub his skull with coarse sand and wash it, until it becomes the color of a conch shell.
(3) Rahu's mouth (rāhu-mukham): they force open his mouth with a spike and burn a lamp inside his mouth, or they dig into his mouth with a spade until the blood flows and fills his mouth.
(4) The fiery wreath (joti-mālikam): they wind an oiled cloth around his entire body and ignite it.
(5) The flaming hand (hattha-pa-j-jotika): they wind an oiled cloth around his hand and ignite it so that it burns like a lamp.
[3] Text is "saṇkha-muṇḍikam", PED: bare (mountain), uncertain Text reading; Woodward has "saṇkha-mukhaṇ", shaving, tonsure. My guess is that all of these were more or less slang terms and this one would come from the similarity in appearance of the skull (after the torture) to a bald mountain.
[4] Eraka-vattikam. Vattika is defined by PED as having the habit of horses, elephants etc. Vattita as that which goes on, round (of existence), revolution so it would appear to me closer to the meaning of the torture as described.
[5] khārāpatacchikam [ph. kharāpaticcakaṃ; Bh. khārāpatam] Who knows? Just a guess.
[6] A little anacronistic but I think close to the meaning.
[7] For more detail on this see: AN 2.10, Woodward, note 29.
