Aṇguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
2. Anusaya Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sevens
Chapter II: Leanings
Sutta 16
Anicc'ānupassī Suttaṃ
Not Always
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
'Yes, lord,' they replied;
and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these seven persons are gift-worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
What seven?
Consider some person who abides
seeing impermanence in all compounded things,
conscious of it,
aware of it,
at all times,
continually,
without a break,
marking it mentally,
[9] fathoming it by wisdom;
and destroying the cankers,
he enters and abides in the cankerless mind-emancipation,
wisdom-emancipation,
here and now,
realizing it himself by knowledge
this, monks, is the first gift-worthy person
worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
■
Again, consider one who likewise abides
seeing impermanence in all compounded things,
conscious of it,
aware of it,
at all times,
continually,
without a break,
marking it mentally,
fathoming it by wisdom;
and for him the cankers' ending
and life's ending
are at the same time,
not one before and one after;
this, monks, is the second gift-worthy person
worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
■
Again, consider one who likewise abides
seeing impermanence in all compounded things,
conscious of it,
aware of it,
at all times,
continually,
without a break,
marking it mentally,
fathoming it by wisdom;
who, destroying the five lower fetters,
after an interval becomes completely cool
this, monks, is the third gift-worthy person
worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
■
Again, consider one who likewise abides
seeing impermanence in all compounded things,
conscious of it,
aware of it,
at all times,
continually,
without a break,
marking it mentally,
fathoming it by wisdom;
who, destroying the five lower fetters,
after lessening his period becomes completely cool
this, monks, is the fourth gift-worthy person
worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
■
Again, consider one who likewise abides
seeing impermanence in all compounded things,
conscious of it,
aware of it,
at all times,
continually,
without a break,
marking it mentally,
fathoming it by wisdom;
who, destroying the five lower fetters,
without (karmic) residue becomes completely cool
this, monks, is the fifth gift-worthy person
worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
■
Again, consider one who likewise abides
seeing impermanence in all compounded things,
conscious of it,
aware of it,
at all times,
continually,
without a break,
marking it mentally,
fathoming it by wisdom;
who, destroying the five lower fetters,
with some residue becomes completely cool[1]
this, monks, is the sixth gift-worthy person
worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
■
Again, consider one who likewise abides
seeing impermanence in all compounded things,
conscious of it,
aware of it,
at all times,
continually,
without a break,
marking it mentally,
fathoming it by wisdom;
who, destroying the five lower fetters,
who, becomes part of the upward stream, bound for the highest;[2]
this, monks, is the seventh gift-worthy person
worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
Verily, monks, these seven persons are gift-worthy
worthy of offerings,
worthy of oblations,
the world's peerless field for merit.
[1] These are Non-returners, antarā-, upakacca-, asaṇkhāra-, sasaṇkhāra-parinibbayin; see K.S. v, 57; [SN 46.3] Dial. iii, 227; DhS. trsl., § 146, n. 1. See below, p. 41.
[2] A-kaniṭṭha: not the youngest.
