Aṇguttara Nikāya
4. Catukka Nipāta
III. Uruvelā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter III: Uruvelā
Sutta 28
Ariyavaṃsa Suttaṃ
Lineage[1]
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
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 Ariyan lineages,
reckoned as ancient,
as of long standing,
as traditional,
primeval,
pure and unadulterated now as then,
are not confounded,
nor shall they be,
are not despised
by discerning recluses and brahmins.
What are the four?
Herein, monks, a monk is content
with any sort of robes,[2]
and speaks in praise of such content.
For the sake of getting robes
he resorts not
to unseemly and unbecoming conduct.
If he gets not robes
he is not dismayed thereat:
and if he does get them
he is free from the bond of selfishness,
of greed,
of craving for them.
Seeing the danger therein
and skilled in the escape[3] therefrom
he makes use of them.
Yet does he not exalt himself
because of his content
with any sort of robes,
nor does he disparage others
(who are not content).
Whoso, monks, is skilled herein,
not slothful,
but mindful and heedful,
this monk is one
who stands firm
in the primeval, ancient, Ariyan lineage.
Then again, a monk is content
with any sort of alms-food [31]
and speaks in praise of such content.
For the sake of getting alms-food
he resorts not
to what is unseemly and unbecoming.
If he gets not alms-food
he is not dismayed thereat:
and if he does get it
he is free from the bond of selfishness,[4]
of greed,
of craving for it.
Seeing the danger therein
and skilled in the escape therefrom,
he makes use of it.
Yet does he not exalt himself
because of his content
with any sort of alms-food,
nor does he disparage others
(who are not content).
Whoso, monks, is skilled herein,
not slothful,
but mindful and heedful,
this monk is one
who stands firm
in the primeval, ancient, Ariyan lineage.
Then again, a monk is content
with any sort of lodging
and speaks in praise of such content.
For the sake of getting lodging
he resorts not
to what is unseemly and unbecoming.
If he gets not lodging
he is not dismayed thereat:
and if he does get it
he is free from the bond of selfishness,
of greed,
of craving for it.
Seeing the danger therein
and skilled in the escape therefrom,
he makes use of it.
Yet does he not exalt himself
because of his content
with any sort of lodging,
nor does he disparage others
(who are not content).
Whoso, monks, is skilled herein,
not slothful,
but mindful and heedful,
this monk is one
who stands firm
in the primeval, ancient, Ariyan lineage.
Once more, monks, a monk delights in abandoning.
So delighting he delights in making-become.[5]
Yet because of his delight in abandoning
and his delight in making-become
he exalts not himself because of that delight,
nor does he disparage others
(who delight not therein).
Whoso, monks, is skilled herein,
not slothful,
but mindful and heedful,
this monk is one
who stands firm
in the primeval, ancient, Ariyan lineage.
These, monks, are the four Ariyan lineages
reckoned as ancient,
as of long standing,
as traditional,
primeval,
pure and adulterated now as then;
which are not confounded
nor shall be,
are not despised
by discerning recluses and brahmins.
Moreover, monks, possessed of these four Ariyan lineages,
if a monk dwell in the east[ed1]
he masters discontent
and content,[6] monks.
If a monk dwell in the west
he masters discontent
and content, monks.
If a monk dwell in the north
he masters discontent
and content, monks.
If a monk dwell in the south
he masters discontent
and content, monks.
Why is that?
A sage, monks masters discontent and content.
No discontent compels the sage,
The sage no discontent compels:[7]
[32] The sage doth discontent compel,
Compeller of discontent is he.
Him, that all kamma hath decided[8]
And scattered it, who shall restrain?
Pure as the gold of Jambu he.
Who is there can speak blame of him?
Even the devas praise that man:
Praised by Brahmā himself is he.'[9]
[1] Ariya-vaṇsa. Most of this sutta is in the Sangīti Sutta, D. iii, 224. Comy. states that it was preached at the Jetavana to forty (?) thousand monks. This is reckoned the eighth 'lineage,' the seven others being the Khattiya, Brāhmaṇa, Vessa, Sudda, Samaṇa, Kula and Rāja-varjsas. It is also called Ariya-tanti and Ariya-paveṇi.
[2] Comy. as is natural treats the subject of monkish life in extraordinary detail. Most of the matter will be found at VM. i, 62 ff.
[3] Nisaaraṇa-puñño. Comy. takes this to mean 'knowing their use for keeping him warm.'
[4] Gathita, lit. bound, tied.
[5] Pahāna and bhāvanā, i.e. in abandoning evil and developing good things.
[6] Arati-rati-saho.
[7] Comy., Sinh. text vīra-saṇhati for text's dhīraṃ sahati (four times).
[8] Sinh. text and Comy. sabba (for sammā of text) -kamma; Sinh. text and text -vyākaiaṃ (determined, settled). Text also reads kho for ko.
[9] This couplet occurs above, I, § 6. Cf. Dhp. 230; Ud. 77.
[ed1] Woodward abridges the rest of this and ends without the question, just having 'He is a sage.'
