Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipata
The Book of Fives
Sutta 149
Paṭhama Samaya-Vimutta Suttaṃ
Freedom from Things of Time (1)[1]
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time, Sāvatthī-town revisiting
The Lucky Man addressed the beggars there:
"Beggars!"
"Bhante!" said the beggars in response,
and The Lucky Man said:
"These five lead to coming down
for one who has gained freedom from things of time.
What five?
Delight in activity.
Delight in gab.
Delight in sleep.
Delight in company.
And he does not reflect
on the freedom of heart he has attained.
Indeed, Beggars, these five
lead to coming down
for one who has gained freedom from things of time.
"These five lead to not coming down
for one who has gained freedom from things of time.
What five?
Non-delight in activity.
Non-delight in gab.
Non-delight in sleep.
Non-delight in company.
And he reflects
on the freedom of heart he has attained.
Indeed, Beggars, these five
lead to not coming down
for one who has gained freedom from things of time.
[1] Samaya-vimutti. 'Con-time-' or 'with-time' or 'of-time' freedom. Note the expression opening most suttas: "Ekam samayam ..." "Once upon a time." The meaning I believe is not, for this, 'temporary-freedom' (although the sutta is dealing with what makes temporary release temporary), but freedom based on or connected to perception of things as bound up in Time. The nature of this freedom is unstable and the attainer is subject to falling back, but not in all cases. Related to this freedom is Asamaya-vimutti. Asamaya-vimutti is attained when the freedom in freedom from things of time is separated off (by reflection on the heart as freed) and freedom from things of time is itself taken as the object of freedom and is recognized as the goal: i.e., Nibbāna.
