Aṅguttara Nikāya
XI. Ekā-Dasaka Nipāta
I. Nissāya

The Book of Elevens

Sutta 1

Kim Atthiya? Suttaṃ

What is the Purpose?

 

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[1][pts][than] I HEAR TELL:

Once upon a time, The Lucky man,
Sāvatthi-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anathapiṇḍika's Sporting Grounds.

There then, Old Man Ānanda
went to where The Lucky Man was located,
where he drew near and
having drawn near The Lucky Man,
having given salutation,
took a seat to one side.

Having taken a seat to one side then,
Old Man Ānanda said this
to The Lucky Man:

"What is the purpose, Bhante, of
skillful ethical standards,
what is the advantage?"

"Being without self-reproach,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of ethical standards
being without self-reproach
the advantage."

 

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"Then, further, Bhante,
being without self-reproach —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Being glad
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
being without self-reproach,
being glad
the advantage."

"Then, further, Bhante,
being glad —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Approval,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
being glad,
approval
the advantage."

"Then, further, Bhante,
approval —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Being impassive,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
approval,
being impassive
the advantage."

"Then, further, Bhante,
being impassive —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Being pleased,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
being impassive,
being pleased
the advantage."

"Then, further, Bhante,
being pleased —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Having serenity,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
being pleased,
having serenity
the advantage."

"Then, further, Bhante,
having serenity —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Knowing and seeing things
the way they are,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
having serenity,
knowing and seeing things
the way they are
the advantage."

"Then, further, Bhante,
knowing and seeing things
the way they are —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Weariness,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
knowing and seeing things
the way they are
weariness
the advantage."

"Then, further, Bhante,
weariness —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Dispassion,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
weariness
dispassion
the advantage."

"Then, further, Bhante,
dispassion —
what is the purpose,
what is the advantage?"

"Freedom through knowing and seeing,
Ānanda,
is the purpose of
dispassion
freedom through knowing and seeing
the advantage.

 

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It is in this way, Ānanda,
that the purpose and profit of
skillful ethical standards is
being without self-reproach;

that the purpose and profit of
being without self-reproach is
is gladness;

that the purpose and profit of
being glad is
approval;

that the purpose and profit of
approval is
being impassive;

that the purpose and profit of
being impassive is
being pleased;

that the purpose and profit of
being pleased is
serenity;

that the purpose and profit of
serenity is
knowing and seeing things
the way they are;

that the purpose and profit of
knowing and seeing things
the way they are is
weariness;

that the purpose and profit of
weariness is
dispassion;

that the purpose and profit of
dispassion is
freedom through knowing and seeing.

Thus, then, Ānanda,
bit-by-bit
skillful ethical standards
leads to the topmost."