Saɱyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
16. Kassapa Saɱyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
16. Kindred Sayings on Kassapa
Sutta 2
Anottāpi Suttaɱ
Careless
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
[1][bodh][than] Thus have I heard:
The venerable Mahā-Kassapa and the venerable Sāriputta were once staying near Benares
at Isipatana at the Deerpark.
Now the venerable Sāriputta had arisen at eventide from meditation
and he came to Mahā-Kassapa.
After exchanging greetings and talk of courtesy and friendliness
he sat down by Mahā-Kassapa and said:
"It is said, friend Kassapa,
that without ardour[1]
and without care[2]
a man is incapable of enlightenment,
incapable of Nibbāna,
incapable of reaching the uttermost safety,[3]
but that with ardour and with care
he is capable of enlightenment,
capable of Nibbāna,
capable of reaching the uttermost safety.
Now how far is this so
that without ardour
and without care
a man is incapable of enlightenment,
incapable of Nibbāna,
incapable of reaching the uttermost safety,
but that with ardour and with care
he is capable of enlightenment,
capable of Nibbāna,
capable of reaching the uttermost safety?"
■
"When, friend, a brother thinks thus:
'Bad and evil states that have not arisen,
were they to arise,
would conduce to my hurt'
- and no ardour is aroused.
'Bad and evil states that have arisen,
if they are not eliminated,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and no ardour is aroused.
'Good states that have not arisen,
were they not to arise,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and no ardour is aroused.
'Good states that have arisen,
were they to cease,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and no ardour is aroused.|| ||
This is to be without ardour.
■
And how, friend, is a man without care?
"When, friend, a brother thinks thus:
'Bad and evil states that have not arisen,
were they to arise,
would conduce to my hurt'
- and no care is aroused.
'Bad and evil states that have arisen,
if they are not eliminated,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and no care is aroused.
'Good states that have not arisen,
were they not to arise,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and no care is aroused.
'Good states that have arisen,
were they to cease,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and no care is aroused.|| ||
This is to be without care.
Thus it is, friend,
that a man who is without ardour,
without [133] care,
is incapable of enlightenment,
incapable of Nibbāna,
incapable of the uttermost security.
§
And how, friend, is he ardent?
When, friend, a brother thinks thus:
'Bad and evil states that have not arisen,
were they to arise,
would conduce to my hurt'
- and ardour is aroused.
'Bad and evil states that have arisen,
if they are not eliminated,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and ardour is aroused.
'Good states that have not arisen,
were they not to arise,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and ardour is aroused.
'Good states that have arisen,
were they to cease,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and ardour is aroused.|| ||
This is to have ardour.
■
And how, friend, is he careful?
"When, friend, a brother thinks thus:
'Bad and evil states that have not arisen,
were they to arise,
would conduce to my hurt'
- and care is aroused.
'Bad and evil states that have arisen,
if they are not eliminated,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and care is aroused.
'Good states that have not arisen,
were they not to arise,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and care is aroused.
'Good states that have arisen,
were they to cease,
would conduce to my hurt,'
- and care is aroused.|| ||
This is to have care.
Thus it is, friend,
that a man who is ardent
and careful
is capable of enlightenment,
is capable of Nibbāna,
is capable of the uttermost safety."[4]
[1] Anātājpī: deprived of that energy which burns up the lower nature. Comy.
[2] Anottāpīi: deprived of fear lest the lower nature arise and the good do not arise. Comy.
[3] Yogakkhema.
[4] I have condensed the repetitions of the formula: 'When, friend, a brother thinks thus,' etc. [Ed.: Expanded here] The efforts to be made are known as the Four Right Endeavours: - e.g., Dialogues iii, 215; M. ii, 11, 26; S. iii, 96; v. 244 f.: A. ii, 15; Bud. Psy. Eth., p. 358; Vibh. p. 208 f.; Visuddhi Magga, p. 679.
