Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
V. Uposatha Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
V: The Observance Day

Sutta 42

Vitthata Aṭṭh'aṇg'Uposatha Suttaṃ

The Observances (in detail)

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

[251] [171]

[1][bodh] Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park at Jeta Grove.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying: 'Monks.'

'Lord,' they replied,
and the Exalted One spoke thus:

"Monks, the Observance day,
when observed and kept with eight qualifications
is very fruitful,
of great advantage,
very splendid,
very thrilling.

Monks, how is it so observed and kept?

Herein, monks, an Ariyan disciple reflects thus:

"All their lives
arahants abandon taking life
and abstain therefrom;
they dwell meekly and kindly,
compassionately and mercifully to all beings,
laying aside stick and sword.

I, too, now, during this night and day,
will abandon taking life and abstain therefrom.

I will dwell meekly and kindly,
compassionately and mercifully to all beings
and lay aside both stick and sword.

So, in this way,
I shall follow the example of arahants
and keep the Observance."

With this first qualification is it kept.

■

"All their lives
arahants abandon taking what is not given
and abstain therefrom.

They dwell taking what is given,
expectant;
not stealing,
but holding themselves in purity.

I, too, now, during this night and day,
will abandon taking what is not given
and abstain therefrom.

I will dwell taking what is given,
expectant;
not stealing,
but holding myself in purity.

So, thereby, I shall follow the example of arahants
and keep the Observance."

With this second qualification is it kept.

■

"All their lives
arahants abstain from living the ungodly life;
living the godly life,
abiding apart,
they abstain from intercourse,
the village-practice.

I, too, now, during this night and day,
will abstain from living the ungodly life;
living the godly life,
abiding apart,
they abstain from intercourse,
the village-practice.

So, thereby, I shall follow the example of arahants and keep the Observance."

With this third qualification is it kept.

■

"All their lives
arahants abandon lying and abstain therefrom;
speaking the truth,
bondsmen to truth,
trustworthy,
dependable,
they deceive no one in the world.

I, too, now, during this night and day,
will abandon lying and abstain therefrom;
speaking the truth,
bondsmen to truth,
trustworthy,
dependable,
I will deceive no one in the world.

So, thereby, I shall follow the example of arahants and keep the Observance."

With this fourth qualification is it kept.

■

"All their lives
arahants abandon spirituous liquors that cause sloth,
and abstain therefrom.

I, too, now, during this night and day,
will abandon spirituous liquors that cause sloth,
and abstain therefrom.

So, thereby, I shall follow the example of arahants and keep the Observance."

With this fifth qualification is it kept.

■

"All their lives
arahants have but one meal (a day),
abstaining from food at night and at wrong times.

I, too, now, during this night and day,
will have but one meal,
abstaining from food at night and at wrong times.

So, thereby, I shall follow the example of arahants and keep the Observance."

With this sixth qualification is it kept.

■

"All their lives
arahants abstain from looking on at shows and fairs,
where there is dancing,
singing and music;
from wearing,
decorating or adorning themselves
with garlands, scents and cosmetics.

I, too, now during this night and day,
will abstain from looking on at shows and fairs,
where there is dancing,
singing and music;
from wearing,
decorating or adorning myself
with garlands, scents and cosmetics.

So, thereby, I shall follow the example of arahants and keep the Observance."

With this seventh qualification is it kept.

■

"All their lives
arahants abandon using large and lofty beds
and abstain therefrom;
they lie on low beds,
couches or strewn grass.

I, too, this night and day,
abstaining from the using a large or lofty bed,
will lie on a low one
or on a couch or on strewn grass.

So, in this way, I shall follow the example of arahants and keep the Observance."

With this eighth qualification is it kept.

Monks, the Observance day,
when observed and kept with these eight qualifications
is very fruitful,
of great advantage,
very splendid,
very thrilling.'

'How fruitful,
how advantageous,
how splendid
and how thrilling
is the Observance day (when kept)?

■

[172] Monks, though one hold power,
dominion,
sway
over these sixteen great peoples,
rich with the seven gems,
that is to say:

The Aṇgas,^[1]
Magadhas,
Kāsis,
Kosalas,
Vajjīs,
Mallas,
Cetīs,^[2]
Vaṃsas,
Pañcālas,
Macchas,
Sūrasenas,
Assakas,
Avantīs,
Gandharas
and the Kambojas,
yet such power is not worth a sixteenth part^[3]
of the Observance day
kept with the eight qualifications.

And why is that?

Mean, monks, is the rule of man compared with celestial happiness.

■

Monks, each fifty years of mankind
is but a single night and day to the hosts of the Four Royal devas;
their month has thirty of those nights,
their year twelve months.

The lifespan of those devas
consists of five hundred celestial years,
each equal to that year.

This is certain, monks,
that when woman or man keep the Observance day
with the eight qualifications,
they may arise,
when the body breaks up after death,
among the retinue of the Four Royal devas.