Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
15. Tikaṇḍaki Vaggo
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter XV: Three-thorn Grove
Sutta 143
Sārandada Suttaṃ
At Sarandada Shrine
Translated by E. M. Hare
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once, while he dwelt near Vesālī,
at the Gabled Hall in Mahāvana,
the Exalted One early one morning,
after dressing,
took bowl and robe
and entered Vesālī for alms.
■
Nöw at that time
about five hundred Licchavis were met
and seated at Sārandada[1] shrine
and this chance talk occurred:
'Rarely are the five treasures[2]
revealed in the world.
What five?
Rarely is the elephant treasure
revealed in the world.
Rarely the horse treasure
revealed in the world.
Rarely the the jewel treasure
revealed in the world.
Rarely the the woman treasure
revealed in the world.
Rarely the rarely the householder
treasure revealed in the world.
Rarely are these five treasures
revealed in the world.'
■
Now these Licchavis had put a man in the road, saying:
"When, my man, you see the Exalted One coming along,
come and tell us."
And the man saw the Exalted One
a good way off coming along,
and went and told the Licchavis, saying:
"Sirs,[3] here comes this same Exalted One,
arahant,
fully enlightened;
and now's the time
to do what you meant!"
■
And the Licchavis approached the Exalted One,
saluted him
and stood at one side;
and so standing they said:
'Lord, [127] it were good
if the Exalted One were to visit Sārandada shrine
out of compassion!'
The Exalted One accepted in silence.
And when he had come to the shrine,
he sat down on the seat they had made ready;
and so seated
he said this to the Licchavis:
'What talked ye of, 0 Licchavis,
as ye sat here together just now;
what talk between you was interrupted?'
■
'Lord, as we sat together
the talk turned on how rarely the five treasures
are revealed[4] in the world.
What five?
Rarely is the elephant treasure
revealed in the world.
Rarely the horse treasure
revealed in the world.
Rarely the the jewel treasure
revealed in the world.
Rarely the the woman treasure
revealed in the world.
Rarely the rarely the householder
treasure revealed in the world.
Rarely are these five treasures
revealed in the world.'
§
'Truly with you Licchavis,
sense-enthralled,[5]
talk between you
turns just to things of the flesh!
Five, O Licchavis, are the treasures
rarely revealed in the world.
What five?
The[6] Tathāgata,
arahant,
fully enlightened,
is rarely revealed in the world;
■
rare in the world
is a person able to teach discipline and Dhamma,
declared by the Tathāgata;
■
rare in the world
is a person able to recognize the teaching,
declared by the Tathāgata;
■
rare in the world
is a person who has stepped his way[7] in Dhamma by Dhamma,
recognizing the teaching,
Dhamma and discipline,
declared by the Tathāgata;
■
rare in the world
is a person who is grateful and thankful.[8]
Verily, 0 Licchavis, these are the five treasures
rarely revealed in the world.'
[1] A yakkka shrine; see K.S. v, 231 n.
[2] Generally seven, the other two being the wheel and the minister; see Dial. ii, 202-8; [BS DN 17] A. iv, 89.
[3] Bhante.
[4] Pātu-bhāvo, the making become manifest.
[5] Kamādhimuttānaṃ. Comy. vatthu-kāma-kilesa-kāmesu adhimuttānaṃ.
[6] Cf. below V, § 196; VI, § 96.
[7] Dhammānudhamma-paṭipanno.
[8] See K.S. ii, 183 and the Jackal simile, also G.S. i, 72 n.
