Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
V. Dhammika Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sixes
Chapter V: Dhammika
Paṭhama Sandiṭṭhika Suttaṃ
Sutta 47
For This Life (a)
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
[1][than][olds] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Now Sīvaka of the Top-knot,[1]
a wanderer,
visited the Exalted One,
greeted him
and, after exchanging the usual compliments,
sat down at one side.
So seated, he said to the Exalted One:
'They say, sir,[2]
"Dhamma's for this life,[3]
Dhamma's for this life!"
But how, sir, is Dhamma for this life,
for other worlds,[4]
bidding "Come see,"
leading onwards,
knowable to the wise by its relation to self?'[5]
'Come, Sīvaka,
I will just question you in turn about this;
answer as you please.
■
Now what think you, Sīvaka,
suppose there's greed here in the self,[6]
would you know:
"There's greed here in myself" -
or suppose there's no greed,
would you know:
"There is no greed here in myself"?'
'Surely, sir.'
'Well, when you know
"There's greed here in myself"
when you know
"There is no greed here in myself"
thus is [254] Dhamma for this life,
for other worlds,
bidding "Come see,"
leading onwards,
knowable to the wise
by its relation to self.
■
Now what think you, Sīvaka,
suppose there's hatred here in the self,
would you know:
"There's hatred here in myself" -
or suppose there's no hatred,
would you know:
"There is no hatred here in myself"?'
'Surely, sir.'
'Well, when you know
"There's hatred here in myself"
when you know
"There is no hatred here in myself"
thus is Dhamma for this life,
for other worlds,
bidding "Come see,"
leading onwards,
knowable to the wise
by its relation to self.
■
Now what think you, Sīvaka,
suppose there's infatuation here in the self,
would you know:
"There's infatuation here in myself" -
or suppose there's no infatuation,
would you know:
"There is no infatuation here in myself"?'
'Surely, sir.'
'Well, when you know
"There's infatuation here in myself"
when you know
"There is no infatuation here in myself"
thus is Dhamma for this life,
for other worlds,
bidding "Come see,"
leading onwards,
knowable to the wise
by its relation to self.
§
Now what think you, Sīvaka,
suppose there's some hold[7] greed has here in the self,
would you know:
"There's some hold greed has here in myself" -
or suppose there's no hold greed has,
would you know:
"There is no hold greed has here in myself"?'
'Surely, sir.'
'Well, when you know
"There's some hold greed has here in myself"
when you know
"There is no hold greed has here in myself"
thus is Dhamma for this life,
for other worlds,
bidding "Come see,"
leading onwards,
knowable to the wise
by its relation to self.
■
Now what think you, Sīvaka,
suppose there's some hold hatred has here in the self,
would you know:
"There's some hold hatred has here in myself" -
or suppose there's no hold hatred has,
would you know:
"There is no hold hatred has here in myself"?'
'Surely, sir.'
'Well, when you know
"There's some hold hatred has here in myself"
when you know
"There is no hold hatred has here in myself"
thus is Dhamma for this life,
for other worlds,
bidding "Come see,"
leading onwards,
knowable to the wise
by its relation to self.
■
Now what think you, Sīvaka,
suppose there's some hold infatuation has here in the self,
would you know:
"There's some hold infatuation has here in myself" -
or suppose there's no hold infatuation has,
would you know:
"There is no hold infatuation has here in myself"?'
'Surely, sir.'
'Well, when you know
"There's some hold infatuation has here in myself"
when you know
"There is no hold infatuation has here in myself"
thus is Dhamma for this life,
for other worlds,
bidding "Come see,"
leading onwards,
knowable to the wise
by its relation to self.
■
'This, indeed, is wonderful, Master Gotama!
This, indeed, is wonderful, Master Gotama!
'Tis just as if one had set upright a thing toppled over,
opened out a covered thing,
showed a blind man along the road,
brought an oil lamp into the dark,
so that those that had eyes could see objects —
it is just thus that Dhamma
has been blazed abroad by Master Gotama
in manifold ways.
'I, Master Gotama,
go to Master Gotama for refuge,
to Dhamma
and to the monk-Order;
let Master Gotama look upon me as a lay-disciple,
to that refuge gone,
henceforth as long as life lasts!'
[1] Moliya-sīvaka; cf. S. iv, 230.
[2] Bhante.
[3] Saṃ- (sa- or sayan ?) diṭṭhi-ka. Cf. above VI, §10.
[4] Akāliko, not of earthly time-measure.
[5] Pacc-attaṃ.
[6] Ajjh-attaṃ. Comy. Niyakajjhatte.
[7] -dhammaṃ.
