Aṇguttara-Nikāya
II. Dukanipāta
VI. Puggala Vagga
The Book of Twos
Suttas 51-62
[51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62]
Individuals
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Sutta 51
[51.1][pts] "Two, beggars,
are individuals born into this world
born for the benefit of many peoples,
for the pleasure of many peoples,
for the advantage,
benefit, and
pleasure
of deities and mankind.
What two?
A Tathāgata,[1]
arahant,
the Consummately Self Awakened, and
a wheel-turning ruler.
These, beggars,
are the two individuals
born into this world
born for the benefit of many peoples,
for the advantage,
benefit, and
pleasure
of deities and mankind."
Sutta 52
[52.1][pts] "Two, beggars,
are individuals born into this world
born as miraculous men.
What two?
A Tathāgata,
arahant,
the Consummately Self Awakened, and
a wheel-turning ruler.
These, beggars,
are the two individuals
born into this world
born as miraculous men."
Sutta 53
[53.1][pts] "Of two, beggars,
the ending of their time,
is a matter of burning regret
for many people.
Of what two?
A Tathāgata,
arahant,
the Consummately Self Awakened, and
a wheel-turning ruler.
Of these two, beggars,
the ending of their time,
is a matter of burning regret
for many people."
Sutta 54
[54.1][pts] "Two, beggars,
are worthy of a tope.[2]."
What two?
A Tathāgata,
arahant,
the Consummately Self Awakened, and
a wheel-turning ruler.
These are the two, beggars,
worthy of a tope."
Sutta 55
[55.1][pts] "Two, beggars,
are awake.[3]
"What two?
A Tathāgata,
arahant,
the Consummately Self Awakened, and
a Solitary-Buddha.
These are the two, beggars,
that are awake."
Sutta 56
[56.1][pts] "Two, beggars,
at the bursting out of a thunder-bolt
are not frightened.
What two?
A beggar who has destroyed the corrupting influences, and
an experienced elephant.
These then, beggars, are the two
that at the at the bursting out of a thunder-bolt
are not frightened."
Sutta 57
[57.1][pts] "Two, beggars,
at the bursting out of a thunder-bolt
are not frightened.
What two?
A beggar who has destroyed the corrupting influences, and
an experienced horse.
These then, beggars, are the two
that at the at the bursting out of a thunder-bolt
are not frightened."
Sutta 58
[58.1][pts] "Two, beggars,
at the bursting out of a thunder-bolt
are not frightened.
What two?
A beggar who has destroyed the corrupting influences, and
the lion, king of beasts."
Sutta 59
[59.1][pts] "On account of seeing two purposes, beggars,
The Kimpurisā demi-gods[4] do not speak out loud
to mankind.
What two?
Let us not,
by speaking out loud to mankind,
bewilder and confuse, and
let us not
further cloud their thinking.[5]
These, then, beggars,
are the two purposes
the Kimpurisā demi-gods
do not speak out loud
to mankind."
Sutta 60
[60.1][pts] "In two things, beggars,
mother-folk do their time,
unsatisfied,
unfulfilled.
What two?
In acquisition of things sexual, and
giving birth.
These then, beggars,
are the two things
in which mother-folk do their time,
unsatisfied,
unfulfilled.
Sutta 61
[61.1][pts][than] "I will discourse with you on
dwelling with the turbulent and
dwelling with the calmed.
Give ear!
Give your mind over to
studious attention!
I will speak!"
And the beggars responding:
"Even so, Bhante!"
The Lucky Man said:
"And what, beggars, is
dwelling with the turbulent and
what is being turbulent?
Here, beggars, an elder beggar thinks like this:
'Elders should not advise me,
those of middle standing should not advise me,
novices should not advise me;
I should not advise elders,
I should not advise those of middle standing,
I should not advise novices.
If an elder were to advise me,
it would be with an unfriendly, unkind heart,
and if I said 'no' to him
or seeing and
not take counteractive measures,
this would trouble him.
If one of middle standing,
or a novice,
were to advise me,
it would be with an unfriendly, unkind heart,
and if I said 'no' to him
or seeing and
not take counteractive measures,
this would trouble him.'
■
A beggar of middle standing thinks like this:
'Elders should not advise me,
those of middle standing should not advise me,
novices should not advise me;
I should not advise elders,
I should not advise those of middle standing,
I should not advise novices.
If an elder were to advise me,
it would be with an unfriendly, unkind heart,
and if I said "no" to him
or seeing and
not take counteractive measures,
this would trouble him.
If one of middle standing,
or a novice,
were to advise me,
it would be with an unfriendly, unkind heart,
and if I said "no" to him
or seeing and
not take counteractive measures,
this would trouble him.'
■
A novice beggar thinks like this:
'Elders should not advise me,
those of middle standing should not advise me,
novices should not advise me;
I should not advise elders,
I should not advise those of middle standing,
I should not advise novices.
If an elder were to advise me,
it would be with an unfriendly, unkind heart,
and if I said "no" to him
or seeing and
not take counteractive measures,
this would trouble him.
If one of middle standing,
or a novice,
were to advise me,
it would be with an unfriendly, unkind heart,
and if I said "no" to him
or seeing and
not take counteractive measures,
this would trouble him.'
This then, beggars, is
dwelling with the turbulent and
being turbulent.
■ ■
And what, beggars, is
dwelling with the calmed
and being calm?
Here, beggars an elder beggar thinks like this:
'Elders may advise me,
those of middle standing may advise me,
novices may advise me;
I may advise elders,
I may advise those of middle standing,
I may advise novices.
If an elder were to advise me,
it would be with a friendly, kind heart,
and I would say "well said" to him
or seeing
I would take corrective measures and
he would not be troubled.
If one of middle standing,
or a novice,
were to advise me,
it would be with a friendly, kind heart,
and would say "well said" to him
and seeing
I would take corrective measures and
he would not be troubled.'
■
A beggar of middle standing thinks like this:
'Elders may advise me,
those of middle standing may advise me,
novices may advise me;
I may advise elders,
I may advise those of middle standing,
I may advise novices.
If an elder were to advise me,
it would be with a friendly, kind heart,
and I would say "well said" to him
and seeing
I would take corrective measures, and
he would not be troubled.
If one of middle standing,
or a novice,
were to advise me,
it would be with a friendly, kind heart,
and would say "well said" to him
and seeing
I would take corrective measures, and
he would not be troubled.'
■
A novice beggar thinks like this:
'Elders may advise me,
those of middle standing may advise me,
novices may advise me;
I may advise elders,
I may advise those of middle standing,
I may advise novices.
If an elder were to advise me,
it would be with a friendly, kind heart,
and I would say "well said" to him
and seeing
I would take corrective measures, and
he would not be troubled.
If one of middle standing,
or a novice,
were to advise me,
it would be with a friendly, kind heart,
and would say "well said" to him
and seeing
I would take corrective measures, and
he would not be troubled.'
This then, beggars, is
dwelling with the calmed and
being calm.
Sutta 62
[62.1][pts] "When, beggars,
in consequence of both sides
going round-and-round in speech
with views at variance
with discontented,
unsatisfied
hearts
there is in one no calm,
it is to be expected
that this will lead to
lengthy,
difficult
incivility
and the beggars will not live enjoyably.
■
But when beggars,
in consequence of both sides
going round-and-round in speech
with views at variance
with discontented,
unsatisfied
hearts
and there is in one calm
it is to be expected
that this will not lead to
lengthy,
difficult
incivility
and the beggars will live enjoyably.
[1] Tathāgata. The That-that-got-that. An arahant, one who has got the goal, but also used by the Buddha to refer to himself, and when this term is used by others to describe the Buddha, it is done as is seen here.
[2] Thūpa. PED: A stupa or tope, a bell-shaped pile of earth, a mound, tumulus, cairn; dome, especially a monument erected over the ashes of an Arahant (otherwise called dhātugabbha = dāgaba), or on spots consecrated as scenes of his acts.
[3]Buddha. This must mean "awakened by the self," as we know that the followers of a Buddha are also awakened. Or, it is possible that an early use of this term was restricted to persons who became awakened without the aid of another. A "Solitary-Buddha" (Pacceka-Buddha) is one who becomes awakened without the aid of another, but who does not have the power or inclination or charisma to teach a multitude.
[4] This according to Childers. Woodward footnotes that they were under the rule of Kubera (Vessavaṇa), the lord of treasure and gnomes. AKA Vesavana, the Great King of the North. However he appears to be expressing doubt (cuisquis?) ("whoever, whatever"). The name means literally "What-people". (For a little more on Vesavana, see the beginning of DN 32: The Ward Rune of Āṭānāṭa) Bhikkhu Bodhi translates "fauns".
[5] Here both Woodward and Bhikkhu Bodhi seem to be taking this backward, putting the tendency to corrupt on the Kimpurisā. But I have heard that the only beings that lie are humans, and further those that do lie would have no scruples about lying to mankind. On the other hand hearing non-humans (say fauns) speak could well disrupt the thinking of men.
Further, and on a different level, I do not really understand the use of bhaṇimhā here, and so have given it my own understanding of the situation.
