Aṅguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
II. Nātha Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
II: Things Making for Warding
Sutta 17
Paṭhama Nātha-Karaṇa Suttaɱ
Warder (a)
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard: [No Nidana]
"Monks, do ye live warded,[1] not warderless.
Sorrowfully dwells the warderless monk.
§
Monks, there are these ten states that make for warding.
What ten?
Herein a monk is virtuous,
restrained with the restraint of the Obligation,
well equipped in range of practice,
seeing danger in minutest faults,
and undertaking the precepts trains himself therein.
In so far as a monk is virtuous,
restrained with the restraint of the Obligation,
well equipped in range of practice,
seeing danger in minutest faults,
and undertaking the precepts trains himself therein,||
this is a state that makes for warding.
■
Then again a monk has heard much;
he bears in mind what he has heard,
he stores up what he has heard.
Whatsoever teachings,
lovely at the beginning,
lovely midway,
lovely at the end (of life),
in spirit and in letter
do stress the brahma-life
in its all-round fullness
and utter purity,
such teachings are much heard by him,
borne in mind,
repeated aloud,
pondered
and well penetrated by vision.[2]
In so far as a monk has heard much;
bears in mind what he has heard,
stores up what he has heard,||
this is a state that makes for warding.
■
Whatsoever teachings,
lovely at the beginning,
lovely midway,
lovely at the end (of life),
in spirit and in letter
do stress the brahma-life
in its all-round fullness
and utter purity,
such teachings are much heard by him,
borne in mind,
repeated aloud,
pondered
and well penetrated by vision,
this is too a state that makes for warding.
■
[24]Then again a monk has a friendship with the lovely,
fellowship with the lovely,
companionship with the lovely.
In so far as a monk has a friendship with the lovely,
fellowship with the lovely,
companionship with the lovely,
this too is a state that makes for warding.
■
Again a monk is pleasant to speak to,
he is blest with qualities
that make him easy to speak to,
he is patient and clever
at grasping instruction given.[3]
In so far as a monk is pleasant to speak to,
is blest with qualities
that make him easy to speak to,
is patient and clever
at grasping instruction given,
this too is a state that makes for warding.
■
Then again in all the undertakings of his co-mates in the [19] brahma-life,
be they matters weighty or trivial,
he is shrewd and energetic,
possessing ability to give proper consideration thereto,
as to what is the right thing to do
and how to manage it.[4]
In so far as a monk in all the undertakings of his co-mates in the brahma-life,
be they matters weighty or trivial,
is shrewd and energetic,
possessing ability to give proper consideration thereto,
as to what is the right thing to do
and how to manage it,
this too is a state that makes for warding.
■
Then again a monk delights in dhamma,
is pleasant to converse with,[5]
rejoices exceedingly in further dhamma
and further discipline.[6]
In so far as a monk delights in dhamma,
is pleasant to converse with,
rejoices exceedingly in further dhamma
and further discipline,
this state also makes for warding.
■
Again a monk dwells resolute in energy
for the abandonment of bad qualities,
stout and strong
to acquire good qualities,
not shirking the burden in good qualities.
In so far as a monk dwells resolute in energy
for the abandonment of bad qualities,
stout and strong
to acquire good qualities,
not shirking the burden in good qualities,
this too is a state that makes for warding.
■
[25]Again a monk is content
with whatsoever supply of robes,
alms-food,
lodging,
comforts
and medicaments for sickness he may get.
In so far as a monk is content
with whatsoever supply of robes,
alms-food,
lodging,
comforts
and medicaments for sickness he may get,
this too is a state that makes for warding.
■
Again a monk is concentrated,
possessed of mindful discrimination
in the highest degree,
able to call to mind and remember
things done and said long ago.
In so far as a monk is concentrated,
possessed of mindful discrimination
in the highest degree,
able to call to mind and remember
things done and said long ago,
this too is a state that makes for warding.[7]
■
Once more, monks, a monk is possessed of insight;
he has insight for tracing out the rise and fall of things,
insight which is Ariyan,
penetrating,
going on to the utter destruction of ill.
In so far as a monk is possessed of insight;
he has insight for tracing out the rise and fall of things,
insight which is Ariyan,
penetrating,
going on to the utter destruction of ill
this too is a state that makes for warding.
■
In so far as a monk has all these ten qualities,
this too is a state that makes for warding.
■
[20] Monks, do ye live warded, not warderless.
Sorrowful dwells the warderless, monks.
These then are the ten states that make for warding.'
[1] At D. iii, 206. Cf. below, § 97; K.S. v. 149 and above, § 11; for Sa-nātha, cf. Dhp. vv. 160, 380, attā, hi attano nātho.
[3] Cf. G.S. ii, 152.
[4] Cf. G.S. ii, 40; iii, 89. In the first reference the qualities are those ascribed to a mahāpurisa by the brahmin Vassakāra in conversation with the Master.
[5] Quoted Milinda, p. 344 = trans. ii, 237. Piya-samudāhāra. Comy. explains 'listens attentively when another is talking, but likes to expound his own view to others.'
[6] Abhidhamme abhivinaye. As Rhys Davids notes in his trans., Mil., loc. cit., abhidhamma is not metaphysics, nor, it may be added, is it the so-called third division of the Piṭaka Collection (as Comy. makes out).
[7] Most of these faculties are described under the 'Five controlling Powers,' K.S. v, 160 ff., 201.
