Aṇguttara Nikāya
XI. Ekā-Dasaka Nipāta
II. Anussati Vagga
The Book of Elevens
Sutta 15
Subhūti Suttaṃ
Subhūti
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
[1][pts] Once Upon a Time, The Lucky Man,
revisiting the Sakyans,
Kapilavatthu,
Nigrodhā's Park.[1]
There then Old Man Subhūti,
together with Faith,
a beggar of faith,
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,
The Lucky Man said this
to Old Man Subhūti:
"What is the name of this bhikkhu, Subhūti?"
"Faith is his name, Bhante,
a beggar of faith,
the son of a upāsaka,[2] gone forth out of faith
from home into homelessness."
"I hope then, Subhūti,
that bhikkhu Faith
a beggar of faith,
the son of a upāsaka,
gone forth out of faith
from home into homelessness,
lives following the path of faith?"
"Now, Bhagavā, is the time!
Now, Well-gone, is the time
for The Lucky Man to speak of
the path of faith of the faithful.
Now I will learn
if this beggar is controlled by
the path of faith of the faithful
or if he is not.
Then give ear, Subhūti!
Give your mind over to
studious attention!
I will speak!"
And Old Man Subhūti responding:
"Even so, Bhante!"
The Lucky Man said:
Here, Subhūti,
a beggar has ethical standards,
living controlled by the control
of the Pātimokkha,
conducting himself with perfect conduct,
seeing danger in the smallest measure of
what should be avoided,
undertaking the training of
the trainee's path.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar has ethical standards,
living controlled by the control
of the Pātimokkha,
conducting himself with perfect conduct,
seeing danger in the smallest measure of
what should be avoided,
undertaking the training of
the trainee's path,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar has herd much,
bears in mind what he has heard,
retains what he has heard —
Whatever Dhammas are
helpful at the beginning,
helpful in the middle,
helpful at the end,
with the meaning in spirit
in accord with the letter,
speaking of
living alone,
being satisfied with
the thoroughly pure,
thoroughly cleansed,
best of lives —
in a way similar to that,
such things
are much heard,
developed and
retained in mind —
speech familiarized,
carefully considered,
clear of opinions and
pea-soup talk.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar has herd much,
bears in mind what he has heard,
retains what he has heard —
Whatever Dhammas are
helpful at the beginning,
helpful in the middle,
helpful at the end,
with the meaning in spirit
in accord with the letter,
speaking of
living alone,
being satisfied with
the thoroughly pure,
thoroughly cleansed,
best of lives —
in a way similar to that,
such things
much heard,
developed and
retained in mind —
speech familiarized,
carefully considered,
clear of opinions and
pea-soup talk,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar has a good friend,
a good companion,
a good intimate.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar has a good friend,
a good companion,
a good intimate,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar is well-spoken,
is characterized by doing things gently,
patiently advises doing the right thing.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar is well-spoken,
is characterized by doing things gently,
patiently advises doing the right thing,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
whatever it be,
weighty or trivial,
in matters relating to the best of lives,
concerning that,
he is handy
or if he has insufficient knowledge
investigates ways and means
enough to make do,
enough to manage.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar, whatever it be,
weighty or trivial,
in matters relating to the best of lives,
concerning that,
is handy
or if he has insufficient knowledge
investigates ways and means
enough to make do,
enough to manage,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar enjoys Dhamma,
loves discussing,
takes great delight in,
higher Dhamma,
higher discipline.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar, enjoys Dhamma,
loves discussing
takes great delight in
higher Dhamma
higher discipline,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar has set going energy,
lives letting go of unskillful things,
taking up skillful things
persevering,
holding fast to strong effort,
not laying down the burden of
skillful things.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar, has set going energy,
lives letting go of unskillful things,
taking up skillful things,
persevering,
holding fast to strong effort,
not laying down the burden of
skillful things,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar, the four knowings,[3]
made of the higher heart,
are easily gained,
without difficulty,
without trouble
while living in this seen thing.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar, the four knowings,
made of the higher heart,
are easily gained,
without difficulty,
without trouble
while living in this seen thing,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar recollects not just one arrangement of his previous inhabitations,
For example:
Just one birth,
just two births,
just three births,
just four births,
just five births,
just ten births,
just twenty births,
just thirty births,
just forty births,
just fifty births,
or one hundred births in all,
or a thousand births in all,
or a hundred-thousand births in all,
not just one evolution of a kappa,
not just one devolution of a kappa,
not just one evolution and devolution of a kappa.
That there —:
Of such a name
of such a clan
of such color
of such food
of such experience of pleasure and pain,
of such coming to life's end.
Shifting away from that,
re-appearing elsewhere.
In that habitation —:
Of such a name
of such a clan
of such color
of such food
of such experience of pleasure and pain,
of such coming to life's end.
Shifting away from that reborn here.
Thus with its makeup in detail,
the recollecting of not just one arrangement
of previous inhabitations.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar recollects not just one arrangement of his previous inhabitations,
For example:
Just one birth,
just two births,
just three births,
just four births,
just five births,
just ten births,
just twenty births,
just thirty births,
just forty births,
just fifty births,
or one hundred births in all,
or a thousand births in all,
or a hundred-thousand births in all,
not just one evolution of a kappa,
not just one devolution of a kappa,
not just one evolution and devolution of a kappa.
That there —:
Of such a name
of such a clan
of such color
of such food
of such experience of pleasure and pain,
of such coming to life's end.
Shifting away from that,
re-appearing elsewhere.
In that habitation —:
Of such a name
of such a clan
of such color
of such food
of such experience of pleasure and pain,
of such coming to life's end.
Shifting away from that reborn here.
Thus with its makeup in detail,
the recollecting of not just one arrangement
of previous inhabitations,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar, with purified godlike sight
knows of beings
their shifting away, re-appearance,
being left behind, advancing,
their beauty, their ugliness,
their experiencing of pleasure,
experiencing of pain,
according to their intentional deeds:
'For sure these good beings were
committed to injurious bodily conduct,
committed to injurious verbal conduct,
committed to injurious mental conduct,
denigrated Aristocrats,
held low views,
were committed to behavior in accordance with low views,
for upon the break up of the body after death
they have arisen in states of woe,
pain,
punishment,
Niraya Hell.
For sure these good beings were
committed to beneficial bodily conduct,
committed to beneficial verbal conduct,
committed to beneficial mental conduct,
spoke well of Aristocrats,
were of high view,
were committed to behavior in accordance with high view,
for upon the break up of the body after death
they have arisen in worlds of heavenly pleasures.'
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar, with purified godlike sight
knows of beings
their shifting away, re-appearance,
being left behind, advancing,
their beauty, their ugliness,
their experiencing of pleasure,
experiencing of pain,
according to their intentional deeds:
'For sure these good beings were
committed to injurious bodily conduct,
committed to injurious verbal conduct,
committed to injurious mental conduct,
denigrated Aristocrats,
held low views,
were committed to behavior in accordance with low views,
for upon the break up of the body after death
they have arisen in states of woe,
pain,
punishment,
Niraya Hell.
For sure these good beings were
committed to beneficial bodily conduct,
committed to beneficial verbal conduct,
committed to beneficial mental conduct,
spoke well of Aristocrats,
were of high view,
were committed to behavior in accordance with high view,
for upon the break up of the body after death
they have arisen in worlds of heavenly pleasures,'
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful.
■
And further, moreover, Subhūti,
a beggar, with the destruction of the corrupting influences
sees for himself,
with his own higher powers,
in this seen thing,
and rises up into and inhabits
a corrupting-influence-free
freedom of heart and
freedom of wisdom.
In so far, Subhūti,
as a beggar, with the destruction of the corrupting influences
sees for himself,
with his own higher powers,
in this seen thing,
and rises up into and inhabits
a corrupting-influence-free
freedom of heart and
freedom of wisdom,
he follows, Subhūti,
the path of faith of the faithful."
■
This said, Old Man Subhūti
said this to The Lucky Man:
"As to this, Bhante,
the path of faith of the faithful
of which The Lucky Man has spoken
exist in this beggar and
this beggar is seen to behave accordingly.
This beggar, Bhante,
has ethical standards,
living controlled by the control
of the Pātimokkha,
conducting himself with perfect conduct,
seeing danger in the smallest measure of
what should be avoided,
undertaking the training of
the trainee's path.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
has herd much,
bears in mind what he has heard,
retains what he has heard —
Whatever Dhammas are
helpful at the beginning,
helpful in the middle,
helpful at the end,
with the meaning in spirit
in accord with the letter,
speaking of
living alone,
being satisfied with
the thoroughly pure,
thoroughly cleansed,
best of lives —
in a way similar to that,
such things
are much heard,
developed and
retained in mind —
speech familiarized,
carefully considered,
clear of opinions and
pea-soup talk.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
has a good friend,
a good companion,
a good intimate.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
is well-spoken,
is characterized by doing things gently,
patiently advises doing the right thing.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
whatever it be,
weighty or trivial,
in matters relating to the best of lives,
concerning that,
he is handy
or if he has insufficient knowledge
investigates ways and means
enough to make do,
enough to manage.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
enjoys Dhamma,
loves discussing,
takes great delight in,
higher Dhamma,
higher discipline.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
has set going energy,
lives letting go of unskillful things,
taking up skillful things
persevering,
holding fast to strong effort,
not laying down the burden of
skillful things.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
the four knowings,
made of the higher heart,
are easily gained,
without difficulty,
without trouble
while living in this seen thing.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
recollects not just one arrangement of his previous inhabitations,
For example:
Just one birth,
just two births,
just three births,
just four births,
just five births,
just ten births,
just twenty births,
just thirty births,
just forty births,
just fifty births,
or one hundred births in all,
or a thousand births in all,
or a hundred-thousand births in all,
not just one evolution of a kappa,
not just one devolution of a kappa,
not just one evolution and devolution of a kappa.
That there —:
Of such a name
of such a clan
of such color
of such food
of such experience of pleasure and pain,
of such coming to life's end.
Shifting away from that,
re-appearing elsewhere.
In that habitation —:
Of such a name
of such a clan
of such color
of such food
of such experience of pleasure and pain,
of such coming to life's end.
Shifting away from that reborn here.
Thus with its makeup in detail,
the recollecting of not just one arrangement
of previous inhabitations.
■
This beggar, Bhante,
with purified godlike sight
knows of beings
their shifting away, re-appearance,
being left behind, advancing,
their beauty, their ugliness,
their experiencing of pleasure,
experiencing of pain,
according to their intentional deeds:
'For sure these good beings were
committed to injurious bodily conduct,
committed to injurious verbal conduct,
committed to injurious mental conduct,
denigrated Aristocrats,
held low views,
were committed to behavior in accordance with low views,
for upon the break up of the body after death
they have arisen in states of woe,
pain,
punishment,
Niraya Hell.
For sure these good beings were
committed to beneficial bodily conduct,
committed to beneficial verbal conduct,
committed to beneficial mental conduct,
spoke well of Aristocrats,
were of high view,
were committed to behavior in accordance with high view,
for upon the break up of the body after death
they have arisen in worlds of heavenly pleasures.'
■
This beggar, Bhante,
with the destruction of the corrupting influences
sees for himself,
with his own higher powers,
in this seen thing,
and rises up into and inhabits
a corrupting-influence-free
freedom of heart and
freedom of wisdom."
■
"Well-done!
Well-done, Subhūti.
Live with faith, Subhūti,
and when you, Subhūti,
hanker after seeing the Tathāgata,
you should draw near,
together with Faith,
this beggar of faith,
to see the Tathāgata."
[1] No location is given for this sutta, but I have taken the "There then" with which it begins as indicating the location of the previous sutta.
[2] PED: a devout or faithful layman, a lay devotee.
