Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
VIII. Ānanda Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
VIII. About Ānanda
Sutta 72
Ājīvaka Suttaṃ
The Ascetic
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 venerable Ānanda was staying at Kosambī, in Ghosita Park.
Now a certain housefather, [197] who was a follower of an ascetic mendicant,[1] came to see the venerable Ānanda.
On coming to bim
he greeted him and sat down at one side.
So seated
he said this to the venerable Ānanda:
"Pray, worthy Ānanda,
whose doctrine is well taught?
Who are rightly conducted in the world?
Who are well-farers in the world?"[2]
"Now, housefather, in this matter
I will put you a question.
Do you answer my question
as you think fit.
■
What think you, housefather?
They who preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of passion,
they who preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of malice
they who preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of delusion, —
is their doctrine well preached or not?
How think you of this?"
"The doctrine of they who preach
the abandoning of passion,
the doctrine of they who preach
the abandoning of malice
the doctrine of they who preach
the abandoning of delusion, sir,
is well preached.
That is my opinion."
■
2. "Now what think you, housefather?
They who so conduct themselves
as to abandon passion,
they who so conduct themselves
as to abandon malice
they who so conduct themselves
as to abandon delusion, —
are they well conducted in the world?
What is your opinion?"
"They who so conduct themselves
as to abandon passion,
they who so conduct themselves
as to abandon malice
they who so conduct themselves
as to abandon delusion, sir,
certainly they are well conducted in the world."
■
3. "Now what think you, housefather?
They whose passion is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time;
they whose whose malice is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time;
they whose whose delusion is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time, —
are such well-farers in the world or not?
What is your opinion?"
"They whose passion is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time;
they whose whose malice is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time;
they whose whose delusion is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time, such, sir,
are well-farers in the world, methinks."
■
4. 'Then you have admitted this much:
They who preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of passion,
they who preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of malice
they who preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of delusion, —
their doctrine is well preached.
They who so conduct themselves
as to abandon passion,
they who so conduct themselves
as to abandon malice
they who so conduct themselves
as to abandon delusion, —
are well conducted in the world.
They whose passion is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time;
they whose whose malice is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time;
they whose whose delusion is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time, —
are well-farers in the world."
"It is wonderful, sir!
It is marvellous!
Here is no trumpeting of one's own creed,
no depreciation of another's [198] creed,[3]
but just teaching of Dhamma
in its proper sphere.[4]
You have spoken of (man's) welfare,
and self is not brought in question.[5]
§
5. Now you yourself, worthy Ānanda,
preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of passion,
preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of malice
preach a doctrine
for the abandoning of delusion
and your doctrine is well preached.
You conduct yourself
so as to abandon passion,
you conduct yourself
so as to abandon malice
you conduct yourself
so as to abandon delusion, —
and you are well conducted in the world.
In you, worthy Ānanda, passion is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time;
malice is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time;
delusion is abandoned,
cut down at the root,
made like a palm-tree stump,
made such as not to become,
of a nature not to spring up again in future time,
surely you are a well-farer in the world.
§
6. Excellent, sir!
It is excellent!
It is as if one should raise the fallen,
open up what is hidden,
point out the way
to one gone astray,
hold up a shining light
so that they who have eyes
may see forms.
Thus has Dhamma been expounded
by the worthy Ānanda
in divers ways.
I myself, worthy Ānanda,
do go for refuge to the Buddha,
to Dhamma,
to the Order of Monks.
Let master Ānanda accept me
as a lay-follower
from this day forth
so long as life shall last
as one who has so taken refuge."
[1] For the ascetic practices of these mendicants see DhA. ii, 55; A. iii, 384.
[2] Referring to the formula of Buddha-Dhamma-Saṇgha (svākkhāto, supaṭipanno, sugato).
[3] For this formula cf. M. i, 402.
[4] Āyatane va.
[5] Attho ca vutto attā ca anupanīto. Comy. takes this to mean, 'You have given an answer to my question, but you do not say "I myself have such virtues."' The same phrase occurs at A. iii, 359 (where Comy. says nothing). There is, I think, no reference here to the soul-theory.
