Aṇguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
I. Sambodha Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
IX. The Book of the Nines
Chapter I: The Awakening

Sutta 2

Nissaya-Sampanna Suttaṃ

Reliant

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

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[233]

[1][upal][olds] Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Savatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Now a certain monk
visited the Exalted One,
saluted him and
sat down at one side.

So seated,
he spoke thus to the Exalted One:

"Lord, they say:
'Fully reliant,^[1] fully reliant!'

Pray how far, lord,
is a monk fully reliant?"

"If by^[2] faith
a monk put away evil and
made good become,
just by him
is that evil put away.

If by conscientiousness
a monk put away evil and
made good become,
just by him
is that evil put away.

[234] If by fear of blame
a monk put away evil and
made good become,
just by him is that evil put away.

If by energy
a monk put away evil and
made good become,
just by him
is that evil put away.

If by wisdom
a monk put away evil and
made good become,
just by him
is that evil put away.

Indeed, then is evil put away and
well put away by that monk,
when^[3] it is seen
with Ariyan wisdom and
put away by him.

 

§

 

And when, monk,
he is established
in these five states,
there are four (other) states,
which a monk ought to rely on.^[4]

What four?

Herein a monk deliberately follows the thing
(which ought to be followed);
deliberately attends to the thing
(which ought to be attended to);
deliberately avoids the thing
(which ought to be avoided);
deliberately expels the thing
(which ought to be expelled).^[5]

Monk, in suchwise is a monk fully reliant."

 

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^[1] Nissaya-sampanno. Comy. patiṭṭhāna-sampanno, cf. A. i, 116; Child, s.v.

^[2] Nissāya.

^[3] Yaṇsa. Comy. yaṃ assa.

^[4] Upanissāya vihātabbā; cf. M. ii, 3.

^[5] These four are the cattāri apassenāni, the four supports; cf. A. v, 30; D. iii, 224 (Dial. iii, 216, 'bases of conduct'); J.P.T.S. 1884, p. 71; Child. 49. On ekaṃ paṭisevati, Comy. observes sevitabbayuttakaṃ sevati.