Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
VIII. Yamaka-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
Chapter VIII: The Pairs
Sutta 78
Alaɱ Suttaɱ
Enough[ed1]
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling near Sāvatthī.
There the Venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks, saying:
"Friends, Monks."
'Yes, friend,' they replied, and Venerable Sāriputta said:
2. 'Friends, Monks, possessed of six qualities
a monk is enough[1] for self,
enough for others.
What six?
3. Herein a monk is quick[2] to grasp the subtle doctrines;[3]
he remembers those heard;
reflects on the meaning of those remembered;
knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
Possessed of these six
a monk is enough for self,
enough for others.
■
4. So likewise of five qualities
a monk is enough for self,
enough for others.
What five?
5. He is not very quick in grasping the subtle doctrines;
but he remembers those heard;
reflects on the meaning of those remembered;
knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
Possessed of these five
he is enough for self,
enough for others.
■
6. Possessed of four qualities
a monk is enough for self,
but not for others.
What four?
7. He is quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
remembers those heard;
reflects on those remembered;
knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
but he has not a pleasant voice
a good enunciation,
urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
nor is he one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these four he is enough for self, but not for others.
■
8. Possessed of four qualities he is enough for others,
but not for self.
What four?
9. He is quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
remembers them;
but does not reflect on them;
knowing neither the letter nor the spirit,
he does not walk in conformity with Dhamma;
yet he has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these four he is enough for others,
but not for self.
■
10. Possessed of three qualities he is enough for self,
but not for others.
What three?
11. He is not quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
but remembers them;
reflects upon them;
knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
but he has not a pleasant voice
a good enunciation,
urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
nor is he one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these three he is enough for self,
but not for others.
■
12. Possessed of three qualities he is enough for others, but not for self.
What three?
13. He is not quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
but remembers them;
yet does not reflect on them;
knowing neither the letter nor the spirit,
he does not walk in conformity with Dhamma;
yet he has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these three he is enough for others,
but not for self.
■
14. Possessed with two qualities he is enough for self,
but not for others.
What two?
15. He is not quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
does not remember them;
but reflects on them;
knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
but he has not a pleasant voice
a good enunciation,
urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
nor is he one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these two he is enough for self,
but not for others.
■
16. Monks, possessed of two qualities a monk is enough for others,
but not for self.
What two?
17. Herein a monk is not very quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
he does not remember those heard;
nor reflect on the meaning of those remembered;
knowing neither the letter nor the spirit,
he does not walk in conformity with Dhamma;
but he has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens
his fellows in the godly life.
Possessed of these two qualities a monk is enough for others,
but not for self.
[1] Alaɱ. Comy. samattho, pariyatto, anucchaviko.
[2] Khippanisanti. Comy. He quickly grasps and knows the doctrines of the skandhas, elements, spheres, etc. (for which see DhS. trsl., § 1333). For the whole passage cf. A. ii, 97; v, 155; above, p. 149.
[3] Kusalesu dhammesu.
[ed1] Hare has abridged this sutta with the note: (The venerable Sāriputta preaches sutta 62 of the Eights). It is fully reproduced here including the footnotes.
