Aṇguttara Nikāya
4. Catukka Nipāta
III. Uruvelā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter III: Uruvelā
Sutta 27
Santuṭṭhi Suttaṃ
Contented[1]
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, these four things are trifling,
easily gotten
and blameless.
What four?
Among robes, monks,
rag-robes are a trifling thing,
easily gotten
and blameless.
Of food, monks,
alms-food of scraps
is a trifling thing,
easily gotten
and blameless.
Of lodgings, monks,
the root of a tree
is a trifling thing,
easily gotten
and blameless.
Of medicines, monks,
ammonia[2]
is a trifling thing,
easily gotten
and blameless.
These are the four trifling things,
easily gotten
and blameless.
Indeed, monks, when a monk is content
with trifles that are easily gotten,
I declare this to be
one of the factors of recluseship.[3]
Contented with what brings no blame,
A trifling, easy-gotten thing,
His mind untroubled by the thought[4]
Of lodging, robes, or food and drink,
[30] He is not worried where to go.[5]
And thus the things declared to suit
The life of the recluse are won
By that contented, earnest monk.'[6]
[1] At Itiv. 102. Cf. Path of Purity, i, 76.
[2] Pūtimutta.
[3] Here text has aññataraṃ sāmaññaṃ, but Itiv. sāmaññ'angaṃ (factor of recluseship).
[4] To make sense with vighāto cittasaa text should read na for ca.
[5] Disā na paṭihaññati. So Itiv., Sinh. ed., and Comy. - i.e., he is not vexed by his destination. But our text reads unmetrically na paṭihaññanti, 'his bearings are not troubled.' Comy. apparently takes disā, as abl. sing., meaning 'the direction of a village, etc., where he might expect alms, etc.'
[6] Text sikkhato, but Comy., Sinh. ed., and Itiv. bhikkhuno.
