Aṇguttara Nikāya
Eka-Nipātā
The Book of Ones
Suttas 258-295
Translated from the Pāḷi by Michael M. Olds
[258][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who first took refuge
is Sujata Senanidhita.
■
[259][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who is a giver
is Visakha Migaramata (Migara's Mother).
■
[260][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who has heard much is Khujjuttara.
■
[261][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who lives in friendly vibrations
is Samavati.
■
[262][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who has mastered the burnings
is Uttara Nandamata.
■
[263][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who gives plentiful food
is Suppavasa Koliyadhita.
■
[264][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who looks after the sick
is Suppiya the Upasika.
■
[265][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who is of uninterrupted faith
is Katiyani.
■
[266][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who uses the intimate mode
is Nakulamata the Gahapatani.
■
[267][pts] At the top, beggars, of those of my female upasakas
who realized faith
as a consequence of overhearing the word being passed along[1]
is Kali upasika Kurara-gharika.
■
[268][PTS: XV. 26] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view[2]
should hold that some own-made thing[3] is stable[4];
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for it to be seen
that the common man
holds some own-made thing as stable;
in the common man this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[269][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view
should hold that some own-made thing
is the attainment of bliss;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for it to be seen
that the common man
holds some own-made thing
as the attainment of bliss;
in the common man this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[270][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view
should hold that some phenomena
is the true self;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for it to be seen
that the common man
holds some phenomena as the true self;
in the common man this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[271][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view
should deprive his mother of life;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for the common man
to deprive his mother of life;
in the common man this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[272][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view
should deprive his father of life;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for the common man
to deprive his father of life;
in the common man
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[273][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view
should deprive an Arahant of life;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for the common man
to deprive an Arahant of life;
in the common man
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[274][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view
should, with anger in his heart,
draw the blood of the Tathāgata;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for the common man,
with anger in his heart,
to draw the blood of the Tathāgata;
in the common man
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[275][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view
should rend the Saṇgha;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for the common man
to rend the Saṇgha;
in the common man this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[276][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a man of view
should take another master;[5]
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for the common man
to take another master;
in the common man
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[277][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that in one single world system,
there should simultaneously[6] arise
two Arahant-Number-One-Wide-Awakened-Ones;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for a single Arahant-Number-One-Wide-Awakened-One to arise;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[278][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that in one single world system,
there should simultaneously arise
two Really-Rolling-Dhamma-Taking-Wheeling-Dealing Kings;[7]
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for a single Wheel-turning King to arise;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[279][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a woman is
an Arahant-Number-One-Wide-Awakened-One;[8]
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for a man to become
an Arahant-Number-One-Wide-Awakened-One;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[280][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a woman is made a Wheel-Turning King;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for a man to be made a Wheel-Turning King;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[281][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a woman is made Sakka, King of the Gods,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for a man to be made Sakka,
King of the Gods,
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[282][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a woman is made Mara, the Evil One,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for a man to be made Mara, the Evil One,
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[283][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that a woman is made Brahmā,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for a man to be made Brahmā,
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[284][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that bodily bad conduct,
should ripen to a welcome, pleasurable, pleasing outcome;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for bodily bad conduct
to ripen to an unwelcome, unpleasurable, unpleasing outcome;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[285][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that bad conduct in word-thought-and-speech,
should ripen to a welcome, pleasurable, pleasing outcome;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for bad conduct in word-thought-and-speech
to ripen to an unwelcome, unpleasurable, unpleasing outcome;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[286][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that mental bad conduct,
should ripen to a welcome, pleasurable, pleasing outcome;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for mental bad conduct
to ripen to an unwelcome, unpleasurable, unpleasing outcome;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[287][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that bodily good conduct,
should ripen to an unwelcome, unpleasurable, unpleasing outcome;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for bodily good conduct
to ripen to a welcome, pleasurable, pleasing outcome;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[288][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that good conduct in word-thought-and-speech,
should ripen to an unwelcome, unpleasurable, unpleasing outcome;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for good conduct in word-thought-and-speech
to ripen to an welcome, pleasurable, pleasing outcome;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[289][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that mental good conduct,
should ripen to an unwelcome, unpleasurable, unpleasing outcome;
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for mental good conduct
to ripen to an welcome, pleasurable, pleasing outcome;
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[290][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that one's downbound burning devotion
to bodily bad conduct should,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
be the driving force
of rebirth in a pleasant location,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for one's downbound burning devotion
to bodily bad conduct
to be the driving force,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
of rebirth in an unpleasant location,
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[291][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that one's downbound burning devotion
to bad conduct in word-thought-and-speech should,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
be the driving force
of rebirth in a pleasant location,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for one's downbound burning devotion
to bad conduct in word-thought-and-speech
to be the driving force,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
of rebirth in an unpleasant location,
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[292][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that one's downbound burning devotion
to mental bad conduct should,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
be the driving force
of rebirth in a pleasant location,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for one's downbound burning devotion
to mental bad conduct
to be the driving force,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
of rebirth in an unpleasant location,
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[293][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that one's downbound burning devotion
to bodily good conduct should,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
be the driving force
of rebirth down the drain,
in the way of woe,
the second fall,
or where the sun don't shine,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for one's downbound burning devotion
to bodily good conduct
to be the driving force,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
of rebirth in a pleasant location,
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[294][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that one's downbound burning devotion
to good conduct in word-thought-and-speech should,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
be the driving force
of rebirth down the drain,
in the way of woe,
the second fall,
or where the sun don't shine,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for one's downbound burning devotion
to good conduct in word-thought-and-speech
to be the driving force,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
of rebirth in a pleasant location,
this is both possible
and to be seen.
■
[295][pts] It is impossible, beggars,
it cannot come to be
that one's downbound burning devotion
to mental good conduct should,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
be the driving force
of rebirth down the drain,
in the way of woe,
the second fall,
or where the sun don't shine,
such a thing is not possible
and is not to be seen.
It is possible, however, beggars,
for one's downbound burning devotion
to mental good conduct
to be the driving force,
at the breakup of the elements at death,
of rebirth in a pleasant location,
this is both possible and to be seen.
[1] Anussavappasannanam. Not a great translation, I admit! This is really the word which describes the way we are all here picking up the Dhamma, by word of mouth, not by learning face-to-face with a master.
[2] One who sees The Four Aristocratic Truths.
[5] Annam sattharam uddiseyya. To indicate, point to, a teacher of different views as fully enlightened or able to lead one to full enlightenment.
[6] Apubbam acarimam. Not before, not after. The way I hear it, this means that a new Buddha does not appear before the last vestige of the previous Buddha has died out — there are descriptions of this process; it comes down to one line of the true Dhamma being remembered by one individual, and then it dies out.
[7] See note 6, above.
[8] It is not here being said that a person who is now a woman could never become a Buddha (or any of the other "Office Holders" that follow. In theory, such a person would "only" need to become a male prior to such a happening: the fact is that this is no easy change to make, and any being capable of making such a change would be more likely to devote the energy to becoming a "simple" Arahant. On the other side of the story, a being destined to become a Buddha will have undergone countless lives as a female. The statement exists that the Buddha's mother, now residing in the Tussita Realm, is to become a future Buddha. I do not know how the commentaries deal with this. The Tussita Realm is the realm in which future Buddha's wait their turn. The presumption is that in her descent into her final life in this world she will take birth as a male.
