Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
VII. Devatā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sixes
Chapter VII: The Devas
Sutta 71
Sakkhibhabba Suttaṃ
The Eyewitness
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, if a monk be possessed of six things,
he cannot become this and that,
so as to be bound personally to attain,
given the opportunity.[1]
What six?
[300] Suppose, monks, a monk know not as a fact:
"These[2] things partake of failure,"
or,
"These things partake of stability,"
or,
"These things partake of distinction,"
or,
"These things partake of penetration,"
nor is he zealous
nor helpful.
Monks, if a monk be possessed of these six,
he cannot become this and that,
so as to be bound personally to attain,
given the opportunity.'
§
But, monks, if a monk be possessed of six things,
he can become this and that,
so as to be bound personally to attain,
given the opportunity.
What six?
Suppose, monks, a monk know as a fact:
"These things partake of failure,"
or,
"These things partake of stability,"
or,
"These things partake of distinction,"
or,
"These things partake of penetration,"
and is he zealous
and helpful.
Monks, if a monk be possessed of these six,
he can become this and that,
so as to be bound personally to attain,
given the opportunity.'
[1] We have here the terms hard to render of bhabbo and bhabbatā, is to, or should, become, and the abstract noun of the same. Cf. hereon Mrs. Rhys Davids' Manual, p. 128; Sakya, p. 324; Khp. vi, 11.
[2] The Comy. refers to Vism.; see trsl. ii, 103; cf. D. iii, 277; A. ii, 167.
