Aṇiguttara Nikāya
Dasaka-Nipāta
II. Nātha Vagga

The Book of Tens

Sutta 15

Appamāda Suttaṃ

Appamāda

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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

"Whatsoever beings, beggars
— footless, two-footed, four-footed, many-footed,
visible or invisible,
with perception or without perception
or neither-perceiving-nor-not-perceiving —
of these, the Tathāgata, arahant, Number-one-self-awakened-one,
is declared the topmost.

In the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
of all the characteristics of feet
of those that walk on feet
are found in the elephant's foot,
and of footprints
the elephant's is declared the topmost,
that is, in terms of size
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
in peaked-roof buildings
all roof-beams converge at the peak,
incline towards the peak,
are found together at the peak
and the peak is declared the topmost,
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
of root-scents,
black sandalwood is declared the topmost,
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
of heartwood scents,
the scent of the red sandalwood is declared the topmost,
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
of flower scents,
the scent of the jasmine flower is declared the topmost,
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
all paper-kings are subject to a Wheel-turning king,
and of kings,
the Wheel-turning king is declared the topmost,
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
the light of whatever starry bodies there are
is not a sixteenth part of the light of the moon,
and the light of the moon is declared the topmost,
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
in the clear, cloudless days of autumn
the sun rising up in the darkness of space
shines forth, blazes up, and lights the sky,
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost.

Just as, beggars,
whatsoever great rivers there be, that is:
The Ganges,
The Yamuna,
The Aciravati,
The Sarabhu,
The Mahi,
incline towards the sea,
tend towards the sea,
head towards the sea,
and the great sea is declared the topmost,
in the same way, beggars,
all skillful things are rooted in not being careless,
converge in not being careless,
and not being careless is the thing declared the topmost."

 

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References:

See also: SN 5.51.45-54 where this almost-identical list is used in a way which is often repeated throughout the suttas.