Sacred Books of the Buddhists
Volume IV
Dīgha Nikāya
Dialogues of the Buddha
Part III
Sutta 33
Saṅgīti Suttantaɱ
The Recital
Sevens
Translated from the Pali by T.W. Rhys Davids and
C.A.F. Rhys Davids
Public Domain
Originally published under the patronage of
His Majesty King Chulālankarana,
King of Siam
by The Pali Text Society, Oxford
[234] There are Sevens in the Doctrine, friends, which are perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who [235] knows, who sees.
Herein there should be a chanting by all in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may persist and be long maintained.
That may be for the welfare and happiness of many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and of men.
Which are they?
[7.01][wlsh][olds] Seven treasures,[1] to wit,
the treasure of faith,
of morals,
of conscientiousness,
of discretion,
of learning,
of self-denial,
of insight.
[7.02][wlsh][olds] Seven factors of enlightenment, to wit,
the factor of mindfulness, [252] of study of doctrines,
of energy,
of zest,
of serenity,
of concentration,
of equanimity.
[7.03][wlsh][olds] Seven requisites of concentration,[2] to wit,
right views,
right intention,
right speech,
right action,
right livelihood,
right effort,
right mindfulness.
[7.04][wlsh][olds] Seven vicious qualities, to wit,
want of faith,
unconscientiousness,
indiscretion,
want of doctrinal knowledge,
slackness,
muddleheadedness,
want of insight.
[7.05][wlsh][olds] Seven virtuous qualities, to wit,
faith,
conscientiousness,
discretion,
doctrinal knowledge,
established energy,
clear-headedness,
insight.
[7.06][wlsh][olds] Seven qualities of the good, to wit,
knowledge of the Dhamma,
knowledge of the meaning [contained in its doctrines],
knowledge of self,
knowledge of how to be temperate,
knowledge of how to choose and keep time,
knowledge of groups of persons,
and knowledge of individuals.
[7.07][wlsh][olds] Seven bases of Arahantship.[3]
Herein, friends, a brother is keenly desirous of entering the training,
and longs to continue doing so.
a brother is keenly desirous of insight into the doctrine,
a brother is keenly desirous of insight into the suppression of hankerings,
a brother is keenly desirous of insight into to [the need of] solitude,
a brother is keenly desirous of insight into evoking energy,
a brother is keenly desirous of insight into mindfulness and perspicacity,
[253] a brother is keenly desirous of insight into intuition of the truth.
[7.08][wlsh][olds] Seven perceptions, to wit,
that of impermanence,
of soullessness,
of ugliness,
of evil [in the world],
of elimination,
of passionlessness,
of cessation.[4]
[236] [7.09][wlsh][olds] Seven powers, to wit,
the power of faith,
energy,
conscientiousness,
discretion,
mindfulness,
concentration,
insight.[5]
[7.10][wlsh][olds] Seven stations of consciousness.[6]
There are beings, brethren, who are diverse both in body and in mind, such as mankind, certain devas and some who have gone to an evil doom. This is the first station (or persistence) for [re-born] consciousness.[7]
Other beings are diverse of body, but uniform in mind, such as the devas of the Brahma-world, reborn there from [practice here of] first [Jhāna].
Others are uniform in body, diverse in intelligence, such as the Radiant Devas.
Others are uniform both in body and in intelligence, such as the All-Lustrous Devas.[8]
Others there are who, by having passed wholly beyond all consciousness of matter, by the dying out of the consciousness of sense-reaction, by having turned the attention away from any consciousness of the manifold and become conscious only of 'space as infinite' are dwellers in the realm of infinite space.
Others there are who, by having passed wholly beyond the realm of infinite space and become conscious only of consciousness as infinite are dwellers in the realm of infinite consciousness.
Others there are who, having passed wholly beyond the realm of infinite consciousness, and become conscious only that 'there is nothing whatever,' are dwellers in the realm of nothingness. Such are the seven stations of consciousness.
[7.11][wlsh][olds] Seven [types of] persons worthy of offerings, to wit,
the freed-both-ways,
[254] the freed by insight,
they who have bodily testimony,
they who have won [237] the view,
they who are freed by confidence,
the followers of wisdom,
and the followers of confidence.[9]
[7.12][wlsh][olds] Seven kinds of latent bias,[10] to wit,
the bias of sensual passion,
of enmity,
of false opinion,
of doubt,
of conceit,
of lust for rebirth,
of ignorance.
[7.13][wlsh][olds] Seven fetters, to wit,
compliance,
opposition,
false opinion,
doubt,
conceit,
lust for rebirth,
ignorance.
[7.14][wlsh][olds] Seven rules for the pacifying and suppression of disputed questions that have been raised,[11] to wit,
the proceeding face-to-face must be performed,
the proceeding for the consciously innocent must be performed,
the proceeding in the case of those who are no longer out of their mind must be performed,
the proceeding on confession of guilt must be carried out,
the proceeding by a majority of the Chapter,
or the proceeding for the obstinate,
or the proceeding by covering over as with grass.
These Sevenfold doctrines friends, have been perfectly set forth by the Exalted One who knows, who sees.
Hereon there should be a chanting by all in concord, not a wrangling, that thus this holy life may persist and be long maintained.
That may be for the welfare and happiness of many folk, for compassion on the world, for the good, the welfare, the happiness of devas and of men.
[1] The Burmese and Siamese printed editions read 'Ariyan Treasures' (ariyadhanān).
[2] = Vol. II, p. 250
[3] Niddesa is here defined by B. as equivalent to Arahantship and to be a term borrowed from the Jains, applied by them to one who died within ten years (niddasa vassakāle mataɱ)? of attaining saintship. Its ordinary meaning in commentarial Pali is exposition.
[4] Cf. below, p. 263, viii
[5] Cf. 1, II, xxvi, and pp. 102, 127 of text.
[6] Cf. 1, II, xviii; Vol. II, p.66.
[7] Viññāṇa-ṭ-ṭhiti, rendered resting-place of cognition in Vol. II, p. 66
[8] Two of the Rūpa spheres, 'above' that of the Brahmās, 'below' the Pure Abodes (cf. 5, xvii.). Cf. above, I, 30 f.; III, 26, 82. the last four are the Arūpa devas.
[9] See above, p. 101. (Sampasādaniva Suttanta: '...unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning the classification of individuals...")
[10] 'They continue sedent, in the sense of something not got rid of,' is B.'s definition of anussaya's.
[11] See Vin. Texts I, 68, where illustrative references are given in the Cullavagga (ibid., Vol. III).
[Ones-Twos] [Threes] [Fours] [Fives] [Sixes] [Sevens] [Eights] [Nines] [Tens]
