Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka-Nipāta
11. Phāsu-Vihāra Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The book of the Fives
Chapter XI: The Abodes of Comfort
Sutta 104
Samaṇa Sukhu-Māla Suttaṃ
He Who Graces
Translated by E. M. Hare
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
'Yes, lord,' they replied;
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks,[1] endowed with five qualities
a monk is a recluse who graces recluses.[2]
What five?
Herein, monks, a monk is often asked
to accept a robe,
not seldom;
—
often asked
to accept alms,
not seldom;
—
often asked
to accept lodging,
not seldom;
—
often asked
to accept medicaments,
not seldom.
■
And with whomsoever he has fellowship in the godly life,
often they act cordially toward him,
not [101] seldom;
—
often they speak cordially toward him,
not seldom;
—
often they think cordially of him,
not seldom;
—
cordially they offer service,
seldom without cordiality.
■
And the pains that arise from bile,
or from phlegm,
or from wind,
or the union of humours,
or that come from seasonal changes,
or from improper care,
or from an attack (of some disease),
or that come as a result gf (former) deeds —
they press not sorely upon him;
he suffers little from ill-health.
■
And he obtains at will,
without trouble,
without difficulty,
both here and nöw,
the abodes of ease:
the fourfold musings,
highly mental.[3]
■
And by destroying the cankers,
he enters and abides in
the emancipation of the mind,
the emancipation of insight,
which is free of the cankers,
realizing this state
by his own knowledge
even in this life.
Verily, monks,
endowed with these five qualities
a monk is a recluse
who graces recluscs.
§
Of him, monks, of whom
in speaking rightly
one may say:
'He is a recluse who graces recluses' —
verily of me, monks,
in speaking rightly
may one say that —
'He is a recluse who graces recluses'.
§
I, monks,
am often asked to accept a robe,
I am not seldom asked;
—
often asked
to accept alms,
I am not seldom asked;
—
often asked
to accept lodging,
I am not seldom asked;
—
often asked
to accept medicaments,
I am not seldom asked.
■
With whomsoever I have fellowship in the godly life,
unto me often they act cordially,
not seldom;
—
often they speak cordially toward me,
not seldom;
—
often they think cordially of me,
not seldom;
—
cordially they offer service,
seldom without cordiality.
■
And the pains that arise from bile,
or from phlegm,
or from wind,
or the union of humours,
or that come from seasonal changes,
or from improper care,
or from an attack (of some disease),
or that come as a result gf (former) deeds —
they press not sorely upon me;
I suffer little from ill-health.
■
And I obtain at will,
without trouble,
without difficulty,
both here and nöw,
the abodes of ease:
the fourfold musings,
highly mental.
■
And having destroyed the cankers,
I enter and abide in
the emancipation of the mind,
the emancipation of insight,
which is free of the cankers,
realizing this state
by my own knowledge
even in this life.
§
Verily, monks, of him of whom in speaking rightly one may say;
'He is a recluse who graces recluses' —
even of me, monks,
in speaking rightly
one may say that -
'He is a recluse who graces recluses.'
[1] The whole of this sutta recurs as part of § 87 of the 'Fours,' A. ii, 87: see trsl. The third clause is stock; Cf. S. iv, 230; Mil. 302; as diseases in the lists at A. v, 110; Mil. 112; the fourth and fifth, above, §31.
[2] Samaṇesu samaṇa-sukhumālo.
[3] Abhicetāsikānaṃ. The rendering is quite literal. The mental residuum from fourfold jhāna was sati-cum-upekkhā, mental alertness and poise.
