Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
VII. Devatā Vagga
The Book of Sixes
Sutta 65
Anāgāmi-Phala Suttaṃ
The Fruit of Non-Returning
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time the Lucky Man,
Savatthi-town revisiting,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Jeta Grove.
There then, the Lucky Man addressed the beggars:
"Beggars!"
And the beggars responding "Venerable!", the Lucky Man said this:
"There are six things, beggars, which,
if not given up,
make it impossible to see for yourself
the fruit of non-retuning.
What six?
Lack of faith,
lack of a sense of shame,
lack of a fear of blame,
slacking off,[1]
mis-remembering what is true,[2]
lack of wisdom.[3]
These then, beggars, are the six things, which,
if not given up,
make it impossible to see for yourself
the fruit of non-retuning.
There are six things, beggars, which,
if given up,
make it possible to see for yourself
the fruit of non-retuning.
What six?
Lack of faith,
lack of a sense of shame,
lack of a fear of blame,
slacking off,
mis-remembering what is true,
lack of wisdom.
These then, beggars, are the six things, which,
if given up,
make it possible to see for yourself
the fruit of non-returning."
[1] Kosajja. Uncool!
[2] Muṭṭha-saccaṃ. Muṭṭha: [past participle of mussati] having forgotten. PED has muṭṭha-saccaṃ as forgotten-mindedness, Hare uses 'forgetfulness in mindfulness. Bhk. Bodhi: muddle-mindedness. No one addresses 'sacca': truth, reality.
[3] Du-p-paññataṃ. Stupidity. Being stupefied. We tend to think of stupidity as a genetic trait, but it is here intended to mean a condition which can be remedied.
