Aṅguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
I. Sambodha Vagga

Sutta 1

Sambodhi-Pakkhiya Suttaɱ

Enlightenment

Translated from the Pali
by Sister Upalavanna

 

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[1][pts][than] I heard thus. At one time The Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta's grove in Sāvatthi. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus:

Bhikkhus, if wandering ascetics of other sects ask you, friends by what means should factors associated with enlightenment be developed, how would you explain it? Venerable sir, The Blessed One is the origin of the Teaching ... re ... the bhikkhus will bear it in mind hearing it from The Blessed One."

Then bhikkhus, listen carefully and attend, I will tell. Bhikkhus, if wandering ascetics of other sects ask you, friends by what means should factors associated with enlightenment be developed, you should explain it thus:

Here, friends, the bhikkhu becomes a spiritual friend, with good association and good friendship. This is the first means of developing factors associated with enlightenment.

Again, friends, the bhikkhu becomes virtuous restrained in the higher code of rules, observing the rules, conducts himself seeing fear in the slightest fault. This is the second means of developing factors associated with enlightenment.

Again, friends, the bhikkhu becomes a quick and easy gainer for nothing of such talk about austere penances, providing explanations of the mind's activities such as wanting little, satisfaction, seclusion, not wanting company, arousing effort, talk about virtues, concentration, wisdom, release and talk about knowledge and vision of release This is the third means of developing factors associated with enlightenment.

Again, friends, the bhikkhu abides with aroused effort, to dispel demeritorious things and to amass meritorious things with the firm endeavour of not giving up the main aim in meritorious things. This is the fourth means of developing factors associated with enlightenment.

Again, friends, the bhikkhu becomes wise endowed with wisdom about the rising and fading nature of the five holding masses for the noble penetration to rightfully end unpleasantness. This is the fifth means of developing factors associated with enlightenment.

Bhikkhus, from a spiritual friend; a good association and good friendship is desirable to the bhikkhu, to become virtuous restrained in the higher code of rules, to conduct himself observing the rules, seeing fear in the slightest fault.

Bhikkhus, from a spiritual friend; a good association and good friendship is desirable to the bhikkhu, for a quick and easy gain for nothing of such talk about austere penances, providing explanations of the mind's activities such as wanting little, satisfaction, seclusion, not wanting company, arousing effort, talk about virtues, concentration, wisdom, release and talk about knowledge and vision of release.

Bhikkhus, from a spiritual friend; a good association and good friendship is desirable to the bhikkhu to abide with aroused effort, to dispel demeritorious things and to amass meritorious things with the firm endeavour of not giving up the main aim in meritorious things.

Bhikkhus, from a spiritual friend; a good association and good friendship is desirable to the bhikkhu to become wise, endowed with wisdom about the rising and fading nature of the five holding masses for the noble penetration to rightfully end unpleasantness.

Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu established in these five things should further develop four things. -to dispel greed loathing should be developed, to dispel anger lovingkindness should be developed, to cut up thoughts, in and out breathing should be developed, to root out the measuring `I be', the perception of impermanence should be developed. Bhikkhus, to one developed in the perception of impermanence, the perception of no self gets established. One with the perception of no-self completely destroys the perception 'I be' and here and now enjoys extinction.