Aṇguttara-Nikāya
II. Duka Nipāta
VIII. Nimitta Vagga
The Book of Twos
Suttas 76-85
Indications
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Sutta 76
With Indications
[76.1][pts] "With signs[1], beggars,
are born bad, unskillful things,
not without signs.
It is by letting go at these signs
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 77
With Dependencies
[77.1][pts] "With dependencies[2] beggars,
are born bad, unskillful things,
not without dependencies.
It is by letting go of dependencies
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 78
With Driving
[78.1][pts] "It is with driving[3] beggars,
that bad , unskillful things are born,
not without being driven.
It is by letting go of driving
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 79
With Own-Making
[79.1][pts] "With own-making[4] beggars,
are born bad, unskillful things,
not without own-making.
It is by letting go of own-making
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 80
With Percussing
[80.1][pts] "With percussing beggars,
are born bad, unskillful things,
not without percussing.
It is by letting go of percussing
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 81
With Substance
[81.1][pts][83] "With substance[5] beggars,
are born bad, unskillful things,
not without substance.
It is by letting go of substance
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 82
With Sense Experience
[82.1][pts] "With sense experience beggars,
are born bad, unskillful things,
not without sense experience.
It is by letting go of sense experience
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 83
With Perception
[83.1][pts] "With perception beggars,
are born bad, unskillful things,
not without perception.
It is by letting go of perception
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 84
With Consciousness
[84.1][pts] "With consciousness[6] beggars,
are born bad, unskillful things,
not without consciousness.
It is by letting go of consciousness
that bad, unskillful things are prevented."
Sutta 85
Interest in the Own-made
[85.1][pts] "Interest[7] in the own-made, beggars,
not no interest in the own-made,
gives birth to bad, unskillful things.
It is by letting go of interest in the own-made
that those bad, unskillful things are prevented."
[1] Nimittā: Woodward: characteristics. Usually: "signs." Mark. Signature.
[2] Nidānā: Woodward: condition. Downbound.
[3] Hetu. See: Glossology: Hetu.
[4] Saṇkhārā: Woodward: "having constituent parts." Other translators would have it say: "With Volitional Complexes" (Rhys Davids'), "With activities," (Hare, Horner), or "With formations" (Bhk. Bodhi, Bhk. Nanamoli, Walshe), or "With Fabrications," (Bhk. Thanissaro). To my ear these all lack the ownership that makes such things a problem. A ship is constructed, fabricated, etc, and breaks apart, is not the self; but unless one is attached by way of ownership, it does not bring pain.
[5] Rūpa: Woodward: objects. This and the following three are khandhas. Note that in the PTS version of the Pāḷi, "Saṇkhāra" is #79 and is not in its "normal" position as the fourth khanda. This may be an error, or it may indicate that the rigid grouping-together known as the khandhas was a later development. Here "rūpa" indicates "with something that is a 'thing,'" something that has already become something, (as from the pre-existing mother and father substance is given to the child) or possibly in this case by way of bringing, conjuring a thing into some kind of "form." This can be read either way.
[6] Viññāṇa. Re-knowing-knowing. A consciousness which must stand for both the individualized consciousness experienced through the senses of the ordinary person, and the undefined consciousness of the arahant.
[7] Saṇkhatārammaṇā: No "with" here. Always dangerous to get sleepy dealing with these suttas. Patterns are established and nearly always broken at one point or another. I think we are to understand that while the others were nimittas, (signs, signatures) this is where those signs themselves begin. So I am suggesting that this group is to be read as: (#76) Bad things are foreshadowed by signs and can be stopped if those signs are recognized and the appropriate action is taken. (#77-84) These are those signs. (#85) This is the place for that appropriate action. In other words this collection has dimension, is not a linear presentation.
