Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
IX. Samaṇa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
IX. The Recluse
Sutta 83
Vajji-Putta Suttaṃ
The Vajjian
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 Ānanda was staying near Vesālī,
in Great Grove,
at the House with the Peaked Gable.
Now a certain monk
who was of the Vajjian clan
came to see the Exalted One.
On coming to him
he saluted him
and sat down at one side.
As he sat at one side
that monk said this to the Exalted One:
"Lord, the recital[1] I have to make twice a month
amounts to more than a hundred and fifty rules.[2]
Lord, I can't stand such a training!"
"Well, monk, can you stand the training
in three particulars:
That in the higher morality,
in the higher thought
and that in the higher insight?"
"Yes, lord, I can do that."[3]
"Then do so in these three particulars.
Then, monk, when you are proficient
in the higher morality,
thought
and insight,
then lust,
malice
and delusion
will be abandoned by you.
When you have abandoned these
you will not perform any wrong deed,
you will not follow any wicked way."
§
3. So that monk some time after
trained himself in the higher morality,
thought
and insight,
and on completion of this training,
lust,
malice
and delusion
were abandoned by him.
Thereafter he did no wrong deed,
he followed no wicked way.
[1] Uddesaṃ.
[2] Sādhikaṃ diyaḍḍhaṃ sikkhāpada-sataṃ. Cf. M. ii, 8: 'I have disciples ... who recite the paṭimokkha (obligations) twice a month amongst the Order of Monks.' As Dr. Morris remarks, the real number is 227; see also in § 85. Cf. the (?) truer version in Jātaka, No. 56.
[3] Comy. reads sikkhām'ahaṃ for sakkom'ahaṃ of text, which is better. Sinh. MSS. sakkām'ahaṃ.
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