Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
VI. Brāhmaṇa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
VI. The Brāhmins
Sutta 55
Nibbuta Suttaṃ
Nibbāna
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Now Jānussoṇi,[1] the brahmin, came to see the Exalted One.
On coming to him he greeted him courteously
and sat down at one side.
As he sat at one side
that brahmin said this to the Exalted One:
"'Seen in this life is Nibbāna'
is the saying, master Gotama.
Pray, master Gotama, how far is Nibbāna seen in this life?
How far is it a thing not involving time,
inviting one to come and see,
leading onward,
to be realized for themselves
by the wise?"
■
"Brahmin, one who is ablaze with lust,
overwhelmed with lust,
infatuated by lust,
practises wickedness in act,
speech
and thought.
If lust be abandoned
he no longer practises wickedness in act,
and thought.
One who is ablaze with lust,
overwhelmed with lust,
infatuated by lust,
knows not his own profit,
knows not the profit of others,
knows not the profit both of self and others.
When lust is abandoned
he knows,
as it really is,
his own profit,
he knows the profit of others,
he knows the profit both of self and others.
So far, brahmin, Nibbāna is seen in this life;
it is a thing not involving time,
inviting one to come and see,
leading onwards,
to be realized for themselves
by the wise.
■
One who is depraved with malice,
overwhelmed with malice,
infatuated by malice,
practises wickedness in act,
speech
and thought.
If malice be abandoned
he no longer practises wickedness in act,
and thought.
One who is depraved with malice,
overwhelmed with malice,
infatuated by malice,
knows not his own profit,
knows not the profit of others,
knows not the profit both of self and others.
When malice is abandoned
he knows,
as it really is,
his own profit,
he knows the profit of others,
he knows the profit both of self and others.
So far, brahmin, Nibbāna is seen in this life;
it is a thing not involving time,
inviting one to come and see,
leading onwards,
to be realized for themselves
by the wise.
■
One who is bewildered with delusion,
overwhelmed with delusion,
infatuated by delusion,
practises wickedness in act,
speech
and thought.
If delusion be abandoned
he no longer practises wickedness in act,
and thought.
One who is bewildered with delusion,
overwhelmed with delusion,
infatuated by delusion,
knows not his own profit,
knows not the profit of others,
knows not the profit both of self and others.
When delusion is abandoned
he knows,
as it really is,
his own profit,
he knows the profit of others,
he knows the profit both of self and others.
So far, brahmin, Nibbāna is seen in this life;
it is a thing not involving time,
inviting one to come and see,
leading onwards,
to be realized for themselves
by the wise."
■
"Excellent, master Gotama!
Excellent, master Gotama!
Even as one raises what is overthrown,
or shows forth what is hidden,
or points out the way to him that wanders astray,
or holds up a light in the darkness,
that they who have eyes ay see objects, —
even so in divers ways
hath the Norm been set forth by the worthy Gotama.
I myself, master Gotama,
do go for refuge to the worthy Gotama,
to Dhamma
and to the Order of monks.
May the worthy Gotama
accept me as a lay-follower
from this day forth
so long as life shall last,
as one who has taken refuge in him."
[1] For Jānussoṇi cf. supra, text 56; infra, text 166; K.S. iv, 4. [? K.S. 5.4]
Ed.: See also: [SN 2.12.47] [SN 5.45.4][SN 2.12.47] and many others outside SN. Personalities: Brāhmin Jāṇussoṇī
