What's the Point?

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

[1][pts][bodh] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time Bhagava, Sāvatthi,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park revisiting.

There Old Man Ānanda approached The Lucky Man.

Having approached the Potter he took a seat.

Having taken a seat Old Man Ānanda said this to Bhagava.

"What is the point, Bhante,
of skillful ethical conduct,
what is the advantage?"

"Freedom from remorse is the point, Ānanda,
of skillful ethical conduct,
freedom from remorse is the advantage."

"And freedom from remorse, Bhante,
what is the point of that,
what is the advantage?"

"Freedom from remorse, Ānanda,
has joy as its point,
joy as its advantage."

"And joy, Bhante,
what is the point of that,
what is the advantage?"

"Joy, Ānanda,
has enthusiasm as its point,
enthusiasm as its advantage."

"And enthusiasm, Bhante,
what is the point of that,
what is the advantage?"

"Enthusiasm, Ānanda,
has impassivity as its point,
impassivity as its advantage."

"And impassivity, Bhante,
what is the point of that,
what is the advantage?"

"Impassivity, Ānanda,
has pleasure as its point,
pleasure as its advantage."

"And pleasure, Bhante,
what is the point of that,
what is the advantage?"

"Pleasure, Ānanda,
has serenity as its point,
serenity as its advantage."

"And serenity, Bhante,
what is the point of that,
what is the advantage?"

"Serenity, Ānanda,
has knowing and seeing such as exists as its point,
knowing and seeing such as exists as its advantage."

"Knowing and seeing such as exists, Bhante,
what is the point of that,
what is the advantage?"

"Knowing and seeing such as exists, Ānanda,
has world weariness and dispassion as its point,
world weariness and dispassion as its advantage."

"World weariness and dispassion, Bhante,
what is the point of that,
what is the advantage?"

"World weariness and dispassion, Ānanda,
has knowing and seeing freedom as its point,
knowing and seeing freedom as its advantage.

Thus Ānanda skillful ethical conduct
has freedom from remorse as the point,
has freedom from remorse as the advantage,

freedom from remorse has joy as the point,
has joy as the advantage,

joy has enthusiasm as the point,
has enthusiasm as the advantage,

enthusiasm has impassivity as the point,
has impassivity as the advantage,

impassivity has pleasure as the point,
has pleasure as the advantage,

pleasure has serenity as the point,
has serenity as the advantage,

serenity has knowing and seeing such as exists as the point,
knowing and seeing such as exists as the advantage,

knowing and seeing such as exists
has world weariness and dispassion as the point,
world weariness and dispassion as the advantage

world weariness and dispassion has
knowing and seeing freedom as the point,
knowing and seeing freedom as the advantage.

Thus Ānanda skillful ethical conduct is directly followed after by the topmost."