Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka-Nipāta
Āghāta Vagga

The Book of Fives

Sutta 162

Dutiya Āghāta-Paṭivinaya Suttaṃ

Putting Down Hatred (2)

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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[1][pts][than] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time the LuckyMan,
Sāvatthī-town revisiting.

There then, the Lucky Man
said this to the beggars:

"Beggars!"

And the beggars responding
"Bhadante!"
this is what he said to them:

"There are these
five ways
to completely put down hatred
if ever hatred should arise
to a beggar.

What five?

Whenever, beggars,
hatred is conceived for a person,
friendliness for this person
should be developed.

In this way
hatred for this person
should be put down.

Whenever, beggars,
hatred is conceived for a person,
sympathy for this person
should be developed.

In this way
hatred for this person
should be put down.

Whenever, beggars,
hatred is conceived for a person,
detachment
should be developed.

In this way
hatred for this person
should be put down.

Whenever, beggars,
hatred is conceived for a person,
putting them out of one's mind,
not thinking about them,
should be employed.

In this way
hatred for this person
should be put down.

Whenever, beggars,
hatred is conceived for a person,
that he is of his own making,
should be set up,
thinking:

'He is of his own making
this Old Man,
his deeds are his inheritance,
his deeds are his womb,
his deeds are his relations,
his deeds are his protection,
whatever deed he does,
bright or dim,
that will become his inheritance.'

In this way
hatred for this person
should be put down.

These are the
five ways
to completely put down hatred
if ever hatred should arise
to a beggar."

 

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There then Old Man Sariputta
said this to the beggars:

"Friends, beggars!"

And the beggars responding
"Friend!"
Old Man Sariputta said this to them:

"There are these
five ways
to completely put down hatred
if ever hatred should arise
to a beggar.

What five?

Here, friends, a certain person has
imperfect placid conduct of body, but
perfect placid conduct of speech.

In just such a case as this,
hatred of this person
should be put down.

Here further, friends, a certain person has
imperfect placid conduct of speech, but
perfect placid conduct of body.

In just such a case as this,
hatred of this person
should be put down.

Here further, friends, a certain person has
imperfect placid conduct of body, and
imperfect placid conduct of speech, but
gains from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart.

In just such a case as this,
hatred of this person
should be put down.

Here further, friends, a certain person has
imperfect placid conduct of body, and
imperfect placid conduct of speech, and
does not gain from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart.

In just such a case as this,
hatred of this person
should be put down.

Here further, friends, a certain person has
perfect placid conduct of body, and
perfect placid conduct of speech, and
does gain from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart.

In just such a case as this,
hatred of this person
should be put down.

 

§

 

As for whatever person, friends,
who has
imperfect placid conduct of body, but
perfect placid conduct of speech —
how is hatred for such a one
to be put down?

In just the same way, friends,
as a dust-pile-rag-wearing beggar
seeing a disgarded piece of cloth
on the carriage road
would take hold of it with his left foot
spread it out with his right foot, and
ripps off the best part
takes that and
goes on his way.

In the same way, friends,
that person who has
imperfect placid conduct of body, but
perfect placid conduct of speech —
whatever is his
imperfect placid conduct of body
should not at that point in time^[1]
be studied in mind, but
at that point in time his
perfect placid conduct of speech
should be studied in mind.

Thus is hatred for such a one
put down.

 

■

 

As for whatever person, friends,
who has
imperfect placid conduct of speech, but
perfect placid conduct of body —
how is hatred for such a one
to be put down?

In just the same way, friends,
as a lotus pond
covered with moss and leaves, and
a person were to come there
exhosted from heat
overcome by heat
weary
parched
thirsty.

He would
descend into that lotus-pond
part the moss and leaves and
with cupped hands^[2]
drink
and go on his way.

In the same way, friends,
that person who has
imperfect placid conduct of speech, but
perfect placid conduct of body
whatever is his
imperfect placid conduct of speech
should not at that point in time
be studied in mind, but
at that point in time his
perfect placid conduct of body
should be studied in mind.

Thus is hatred for such a one
put down.

As for whatever person, friends,
who has
imperfect placid conduct of body, and
imperfect placid conduct of speech, but
gains from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart —
how is hatred for such a one
to be put down?

In just the same way, friends,
as if there were
a small amount of water
in a bull's footprint^[3] and
a person were to come there,
exhosted from heat,
overcome by heat,
weary,
parched,
thirsty —

He would think:

'If I were to
with cupped hands
try to drink, or
even just disturb or
agitate
this small puddle of water
in this bull's footprint
it would render it undrinkable,
so how about if I
go down on all fours and
drink and
go on my way?'

So he goes down
on all fours and drinks from
that small puddle
in the bull's footprint and
goes on his way.

In the same way, friends,
that person who has
imperfect placid conduct of body, and
imperfect placid conduct of speech, but
gains from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart
whatever is his
imperfect placid conduct of body, and
imperfect placid conduct of speech
should not at that point in time
be studied in mind, but
at that point in time his
openness of heart
clarity of heart
should be studied in mind.

Thus is hatred for such a one
put down.

■

As for whatever person, friends,
who has
imperfect placid conduct of body, and
imperfect placid conduct of speech, and
does not gain from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart —
how is hatred for such a one
to be put down?

In just the same way, friends,
as a diseased man
miserable,
terribly sick,
going along the highway with
no habitation in
the distance ahead
no habitation in
the distance behind, and
he does not gain suitable food
he does not gain suitable medicine
he does not gain a good friend
he does not gain a guide even to
the outskirts of a habitat.

And then another man sees him
coming along that highway.

And that man
sets up sympathy,
sets up compassion,
sets up kindness of heart,
for this man, thinking:.

'How unfortunate for this man that
he does not gain suitable food
he does not gain suitable medicine
he does not gain a good friend
he does not gain a guide even to
the outskirts of a habitat.'

Why is that?

May this man
not meet with distress and misfortune
right here!

In this way, friends
for a person with
imperfect placid conduct of body, and
imperfect placid conduct of speech, and who
does not gain from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart,
one should
set up sympathy,
set up compassion,
set up kindness of heart,
thinking:

'May this Old Man
let go of pain-producing bodily conduct, and
develop pleasure-producing bodily conduct;
let go of pain-producing verbal conduct, and
develop pleasure-producing verbal conduct;
let go of pain-producing mental conduct, and
develop pleasure-producing mental conduct.

Why?

Let not this Old Man
when at the death of the body
arise in the pay-up,
a painful destiny,
a place of suffering
Niraya Hell.'

Thus is hatred for such a one
put down.

■

As for whatever person, friends,
who has
perfect placid conduct of body, and
perfect placid conduct of speech, and
does gain from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart —
how is hatred for such a one
to be put down?

In just the same way, friends,
as if there were a lotus pond
with clear water
with agreeable water
with cool water
transparent
with beautiful banks
shaded by various sorts of trees and
there a person were to come,
exhosted from heat,
overcome by heat,
weary,
parched,
thirsty,
he would descend into
that lotus pond
bathe himself, and
drink, and
comming out again
would sit or lie down
in the shade of the trees.

In the same way, friends,
as for whatever person who has
perfect placid conduct of body,
perfect placid conduct of speech, and
does gain from time to time
openness of heart
clarity of heart —
his
perfect placid conduct of body,
should also be studied
at that time
his
perfect placid conduct of speech,
should also be studied
at that time
his
openness of heart, and
clarity of heart —
should also be studied
at that time.

Thus is hatred for such a one
put down.

It is owing to a
calm impassive person, friends,
that the heart
becomes peaceful.

These are the
five ways
to completely put down hatred
if ever hatred should arise
to a beggar."

 

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^[1] samaya PED: 3. "time, point of time" Why should this be said? Because it is the point in time that hatred arises that is important to exercise this trick of attention. At another time, when hatred has not arisen, or when it has been eliminated, it may be useful to analyze the elements involved.
Another reason this may be said is that all these traits can be found in the same person at different times.

^[2] The Pāḷi word used here (añjalinā) is the same word that is used to describe paying respect to someone for having done something well: the raising of the hands with joined palms as a sign of respectful salutation.

^[3] Go Note this can be a bull. The whole idea here is not just to switch the mind to the good quality, but to honor it. "So far you are on the right track."