Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
V. Dhammika Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sixes
Chapter V: Dhammika
Ānanda Suttaṃ
Sutta 51
Ānanda
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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Once the venerable Ānanda and the venerable Sāriputta
were dwelling near Sāvatthī.
Now the venerable Ānanda visited the venerable Sāriputta
greeted him
and, after exchanging the usual polite talk,
sat down at one side.
So seated, the venerable Ānanda said this
to the venerable Sāriputta:
[257] 'How, reverend Sāriputta, may a monk
learn new[1] doctrine
and doctrines learnt remain unconfused,
and old doctrines,
to which erstwhile he was mentally attuned,[2]
remain in use
and he get to know something not known?
■
'The venerable Ānanda is very learned;[3]
let the venerable one illuminate[4] this.'
'Well then, reverend Sāriputta,
listen,
pay good heed
and I will speak."
'Yes, sir,' he rejoined;
and the venerable Ānanda said:
'Consider, reverend Sāriputta,
a monk who masters Dhamma:[5]
the sayings, psalms, catechisms, songs, solemnities, speeches, birth stories, marvels and runes -
as learnt,
as mastered,
he teaches others Dhamma in detail;
as learnt,
as mastered,
he makes others say it in detail;
as learnt,
as mastered,
he makes others repeat it in detail;
as learnt,
as mastered,
he ever reflects,
ever ponders over it in his heart,
mindfully he pores on it.
■
Wheresoever abide elders,
learned[6] in traditional lore,
Dhamma-minders,
discipline-minders,
epitomists,
there he spends Was;[7]
and visiting them from time to time,
questions and inquires of them:
"This talk, sir,
what, verily, is its aim?"[8] -
and their reverences disclose the undisclosed,
make, as it were, a causeway[9]
where there is none,
drive away doubt
concerning many perplexing things.
■
In this Way, reverend Sāriputta,
a monk may learn new doctrine,
and doctrines learnt remain unconfused,
old doctrines,
to which erstwhile he was mentally attuned,
remain in use
and he gets to know something not known.'
■
[258] 'Excellent,
amazing,
reverend sir,
is all this that has been so well said by the venerable Ānanda;
and we will mind
that the venerable one is endowed
with these six things:
The venerable Ānanda masters Dhamma:
the sayings, psalms and the rest;
the venerable Ānanda teaches others Dhamma in detail,
as learnt,
as mastered;
the venerable Ānanda makes others say it;
the venerable Ānanda makes others repeat it;
rhe venerable Ānanda reflects,
ponders,
pores on it;
wheresoever learned elders abide,
there the venerable Ānanda spends Was,
and he questions them:
"This talk, sir,
what is its aim?'[10] -
and they disclose the undisclosed,
make a causeway where there is none,
drive away doubt
concerning many perplexing things.'
[1] A-s-suta, not heard.
[2] Cetasā samphuṭṭha-pubbā. Comy. cittena phusita-pubbā.
[3] Lit. 'has heard much.'
[4] Cf. above V, § 170,
[6] Āgatāgamā dhamma-dharā vinaya-dharā mātikā-dharā; cf. A. i, 117. On the last Comy. observes: dve pātimokkha-dharā.
[7] Vassam upeti, that is the rainy season, Lent; this lasts four months, June to October, and monks then may not travel; thus it is a Retreat, but I borrow the short Sinhalese word.
[8] Or 'meaning.'
[9] An-uttānī-kataṃ uttānī-karonti, from √tan and √kr.
[10] Or 'meaning.'
