Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
IX: Thera-Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
IX: The Elders

Sutta 84

Vyākaraṇa Suttaṃ

Declaration of Gnosis

Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.

Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[105]

[1] THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

Now the venerable Moggallāna the Great called to the monks, saying:

"Monks, your reverences!"

"Yes, your reverence,"
replied those monks to the venerable Moggallāna,
who then said:

"In this matter, your reverences, a monk declares gnosis^[1] thus:

'Destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the Brahma-life,
done is what should be done.

I am assured that
there is no more of life in these conditions.'

■

Then the Wayfarer
or a Wayfarer's disciple
who is a muser,
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
closely examines,^[2]
questions
and talks with him.

■

He, thus closely examined,
questioned
and talked with
by the Wayfarer
or a disciple of the Wayfarer,
who is a muser,
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
- he comes to a desert^[3] (so to speak),
he comes to a jungle,^[4]
he comes to an ill pass,
to ruin,
to an ill pass and ruin alike.

■

For the Wayfarer or Wayfarer's disciple,
who is a muser,
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
reading his heart with his own thus ponders:

'How is it that this worthy
thus declares gnosis?'

"Destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the Brahma-life,
done [106] is what should be done;
I am assured
that there is no more of life in these conditions"?

 

§

 

Then the Wayfarer or a Wayfarer's disciple
who is a muser,
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
reading his heart with his own, comes to know:

But this worthy is wrathful,
lives generally with heart beset by wrath.'

Such obsession by wrath
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is grudging,
lives generally with heart beset by grudging.

Such obsession by grudging
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is a detractor of others' virtues,
lives generally with heart beset by detraction of others' virtues.

Such obsession by detraction of others' virtues
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is spiteful,
lives generally with heart beset by spite.

Such obsession by spite
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is envious,
lives generally with heart beset by envy.

Such obsession by envy
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is stingy,
lives generally with heart beset by stinginess.

Such obsession by stinginess
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is crafty,
lives generally with heart beset by craftiness.

Such obsession by craftiness
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is a trickster,
lives generally with heart beset by trickery.

Such obsession by trickery
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is of wicked desires,
lives generally with heart beset by wicked desires.

Such obsession by wicked desires
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is of muddled wits,
lives generally with heart beset by muddled wits.

Such obsession by muddled wits
means waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy, though there was yet more to be done (to reach perfection),
owing to special attainments,
but of trifling value,
has come to a halt midway of his career;^[5]
coming to a halt midway
is waning in the Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

 

§

 

Indeed, monks, if he abandon not these ten conditions
there is no possibility for a monk to reach increase,
growth
and maturity
in this Dhamma-discipline.

■

But if he abandon these ten conditions
there is the possibility for a monk to reach increase,
growth
and maturity
in this Dhamma-discipline.'

 

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^[1] Aññaṃ vyākaroti.

^[2] Cf. G.S. i, 169.

^[3] Iriṇam āpajjati. Iriṇa (Skt.) = barren soil. §riṇa = desert. Comy. has irīṇa = tuccha-bhāva (blank).

^[4] Vijinam āpajjati. There is a reading vicinam. Comy. reads vipinam (thicket). It means 'a state of loss of virtue, of one lost in a forest.'

^[5] Antarā-vosāna; cf. D. ii, 78; M. i, 193; S. iii, 168; a term applied to Devadatta at Itiv., p. 85.