Aṅguttara Nikāya
Chakka-Nipāta
III: Anuttariya-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sixes
Chapter III: Above All
Sutta 25
Anussati-ṭ-Ṭhāna Suttaɱ
Ever Minding
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these six states of ever minding.[1]
What six?
Herein, monks, the Ariyan disciple ever minds the Tathāgata:
"He is the Exalted One,
arahant,
fully enlightened,
perfected in knowledge and way of life,
one well-gone,
a knower of the worlds,
none higher,
a tamer of tamable men,
a teacher,
the awake among devas and men,
the Exalted One!"
Monks, what time the Ariyan disciple minds the Tathāgata,
his heart is not lust-obsessed,
nor hate-obsessed,
nor obsessed by infatuation;
upright in heart is he at that time,
moved,
freed,
raised from greed;
and this greed, monks,
is a name for the fivefold sensuous pleasures.
Verily, monks, by making this thought their object,[2]
some men thereby are purged.[3]
■
Again, the Ariyan disciple ever minds Dhamma:
"Well declared by the Exalted One is Dhamma,
a view for this life,
nor for this only,
bidding come and see,
a guide,
to be known by the wise
each for himself."
Monks, what time the Ariyan disciple minds the Dhamma,
his heart is not lust-obsessed,
nor hate-obsessed,
nor obsessed by infatuation;
upright in heart is he at that time,
moved,
freed,
raised from greed;
and this greed, monks,
is a name for the fivefold sensuous pleasures.
Verily, monks, by making this thought their object,
some men thereby are purged.
■
Again, the Ariyan disciple ever minds the Order:
"The Exalted One's Order of disciples
has rightly stepped the way,
has straightly stepped the way,
has fitly stepped the way,
has wholly stepped the way,
that is:
the four pairs among men,
the eight persons among mankind;
and this Order of disciples of the Exalted One
is worthy of offerings,
worthy of gifts,
worthy of oblations,
meet to be reverently saluted,
the world's peerless field for merit."
Monks, what time the Ariyan disciple minds the Order,
his heart is not lust-obsessed,
nor hate-obsessed,
nor obsessed by infatuation;
upright in heart is he at that time,
moved,
freed,
raised from greed;
and this greed, monks,
is a name for the fivefold sensuous pleasures.
Verily, monks, by making this thought their object,
some men thereby are purged.
■
Again, the Ariyan disciple ever minds the virtues in himself:
"They are unbroken,
without a flaw,
spotless,
without blemish;
they bring freedom
and are praised by wise men;
they are incorruptible
and lead to concentration."
Monks, what time the Ariyan disciple minds virtues in himself,
his heart is not lust-obsessed,
nor hate-obsessed,
nor obsessed by infatuation;
upright in heart is he at that time,
moved,
freed,
raised from greed;
and this greed, monks,
is a name for the fivefold sensuous pleasures.
Verily, monks, by making this thought their object,
some men thereby are purged.
■
Again, the Ariyan disciple ever minds liberality in himself:
"It is indeed a gain for me,
indeed I have greatly gained,
I who among folk, overwhelmed by the taint of stinginess,
live the home-life heart-free of the stingy taint,
giving freely,
open-handād,
loving bounty,
within reach of all,
finding joy in alms-distribution."
Monks, what time the Ariyan disciple mindsvirtues in himself,
his heart is not lust-obsessed,
nor hate-obsessed,
nor obsessed by infatuation;
upright in heart is he at that time,
moved,
freed,
raised from greed;
and this greed, monks,
is a name for the fivefold sensuous pleasures.
Verily, monks, by making this thought their object,
some men thereby are purged.
■
Or the Ariyan diseiple ever minds the devas:
"There are the Four Royal devas,
there are the devas of the Thirty,
the Yama devas,
the Tusita devas,
the devas who delight in creating,
the devas who have power over others' creations,
the Brahma-world devas,
and there are the devas beyond that;
because their faith was such,
those devas fared hence and arose there,
I also have such faith;
because their virtue was such,
those devas fared hence and arose there,
I also have such virtue;
because their learning was such,
those devas fared hence and arose there,
I also have such learning;
because their liberality was such,
those devas fared hence and arose there,
I also have such liberality;
because their wisdom was such,
those devas fared hence and arose there,
I also have such wisdom.'
Monks, what time the Ariyan disciple minds
faith,
virtue,
learning,
liberality
and wisdom,
both in himself
and in those devas
his heart is not lust-obsessed,
nor hate-obsessed,
nor obsessed by infatuation;
upright in heart is he at that time,
moved,
freed,
raised from greed;
and this greed, monks,
is a name for the fivefold sensuous pleasures.
Verily, monks, by making this thought their object,
some men thereby are purged.
■
Monks, these are the six states of ever minding.'
[1] Cf. above VI, §§ 9 and 10; the text is mostly in full; Vism. 226.
[2] Ārammaṇaɱ karitvā. Comy. idaɱ Buddh'ānussati-kamma-ṭ-ṭhānaɱ.
[3] Comy. they attain Nibbāna.
