Fearsome Reprisals (2)

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

[1][pts] I hear tell:

Once upon a time The Lucky Man
Sāvātthi-town revisiting
Anāthapiṇḍika's Jetavana sporting ground.

There then the Lucky Man said this
to the beggars:

"When, beggars,
the student of the Aristocrats
has eliminated five fearsome reprisals and
he has the four possessions of
the Streamwinner,
he may mentally determine
by himself, of himself,
the prediction:

'Detroyed for me is Hell,
destroyed the animal womb
destroyed the ghostly vestment
destroyed the painful,
ruinous
way of woe,
a Streamwinner am I
a thing no longer subject to
ruinous punishment,
sure as to an end in
future self-awakening.'

What five fearsome reprisals
has he eliminated?

When beggars
the destroyer of breathing things,
by the result of
his destroying breathing things,
generates fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
he also experiences
the corresponding mental
pain and misery;
but he who abstains from
the destruction of breathing things
by his abstention from
the destruction of breathing things
generates no fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates no fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
and experiences
no corresponding mental
pain and misery.

It is in this way that
abstaining from
destruction of breathing things
eliminates fearsome reprisals.

When beggars
the taker of ungiven things,
by the result of
his taking ungiven things,
generates fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
he also experiences
the corresponding mental
pain and misery;
but he who abstains from
the taking of ungiven things
by his abstention from
the taking of ungiven things
generates no fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates no fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
and experiences
no corresponding mental
pain and misery.

It is in this way that
abstaining from
taking ungiven things
eliminates fearsome reprisals.

When beggars
the indulger in
low pleasures of the senses^[1]
by the result of
his indulgence in
low pleasures of the senses,
generates fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
he also experiences
the corresponding mental
pain and misery;
but he who abstains from
indulgence in
low pleasures of the senses
by his abstention from
indulgence in
low pleasures of the senses
generates no fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates no fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
and experiences
no corresponding mental
pain and misery.

It is in this way that
abstaining from
indulgence in
low pleasures of the senses
eliminates fearsome reprisals.

When beggars
the speaker of untruths
by the result of
his speaking untruths,
generates fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
he also experiences
the corresponding mental
pain and misery;
but he who abstains from
speaking untruths
by his abstention from
speaking untruths
generates no fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates no fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
and experiences
no corresponding mental
pain and misery.

It is in this way that
abstaining from
speaking untruths
eliminates fearsome reprisals.

When beggars
the indulger in whiskies and wines,
the source of sloth^[2]
by the result of
his indulgence in
whiskies and wines,
the source of sloth,
generates fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
he also experiences
the corresponding mental
pain and misery;
but he who abstains from
indulgence in
whiskies and wines,
the source of sloth
by his abstention from
indulgence in
whiskies and wines,
the source of sloth
generates no fearsome reprisals
in this seen thing,
generates no fearsome reprisals
in ages to come,
and experiences
no corresponding mental
pain and misery.

It is in this way that
abstaining from
indulgence in
whiskies and wines,
the source of sloth
eliminates fearsome reprisals.

These are the five fearsome reprisals
has he eliminated.

What are the four possessions of
the Streamwinner that he has?

Here beggars,
the student of the aristocrats
has possession of
absolute confidence in the Buddha:

'He is indeed the Lucky Man,
Aristocrat,
Consummately Self-Awakened,
perfect in vission and conduct,
The Welgone
Seer of the World,
unsurpassed Dhamma-coach to good men,
teacher of gods and men,
Buddha,
Lucky Man;'

has absolute confidence in the Dhamma:

'Well taught is the Dhamma
by the Lucky Man,
visible in this life,
timeless,
a "come see" thing
guiding the intelligent to
personal experience;'

has absolute confidence in the Order:

'Well-going is
the Lucky Man's Order of followers,
following uprightness is
the Lucky Man's Order of followers,
following the method is
the Lucky Man's Order of followers,
following the right course is
the Lucky Man's Order of followers,
that is
the four pairs of men,^[3]
the eight individual men
this is
the Lucky Man's Order of followers^[4]
worthy of reverence,
worthy of hospitality,
worthy to receive gifts,
it is well for them
to be greeted with
a respectful salutation —^[5]
the world's unequalled
merit-making site;'

is possessed of the ethics
admired by the aristocrats;
substantial,
complete,
unspotted,
unblemished,
productive of freedom,
undisputed,
bringing profit,
rolling towards serenity.

These are the four possessions of
the Streamwinner
that he has.

These, beggars,
are the five fearsome reprisals
the student of the Aristocrats
has eliminated and
the four possessions of
the Streamwinner,
that he has
that he may mentally determine
by himself, of himself,
the prediction:

^[1] Note that here it is kāmesu micchā-cārī 'low sense pleasure indulgence' or carrying on not the usual 'Brahmā cariya' usually translated 'celibacy'. Celibacy, even when understood in its broadest sense as abstention from even lustful thoughts is too narrow. (For details of the Brahma-cariyaṃ see AN 7.47 pg 31) This term as given here would include gambling, watching TV, reading novels (not to mention writing them) and actually any activity connected with the intent to experience sense pleasure. Seen/heard that way it comports more closely with the main goal of the system: The escape from kamma, rebirth and pain.

^[2] Surā-mera-yamajja-pamā-daṭṭhāyī See footnote #3 in AN 9.18 for details

^[3] I dislike having to do this, but these days it will be taken wrong by many: "men" here means "people", "human beings" "manusa" "mankind".

^[4] Note that the Saṅgha (Order) is, in this frequently used description, defined by the accomplishment of the members, not by the initiation in a worldly group.

^[5] añjali PED: extending, stretching forth, gesture of lifting up the hands as a token of reverence (cf. English to "tender" one's respect), putting the ten fingers together and raising them to the head.

Aṅguttara Nikāya VIII. Navaka Nipāta III. Sattāvāsa Vagga

The Book of Nines

Sutta 28

Dutiya Vera-Bhaya Suttaṃ

Fearsome Reprisals (2)

Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Navaka Nipāta
III. Sattāvāsa Vagga