Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
VII. Bhūmi-Cāla Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
Chapter VII: On Earthquakes
Sutta 63
Dhamma Briefly
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1][than][olds] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.
Then a certain monk approached the Exalted One and greeted him and,
after exchanging compliments of friendliness and courtesy,
sat down at one side.
So seated, he spoke to the Exalted One thus:
'Lord, well were it for me if the Exalted One would teach me Dhamma briefly.
After hearing it I would abide alone, secluded, zealous, earnest, resolved.'
[1]'But this is just how some foolish fellows beg of me;
and when they have heard me preach Dhamma,
they think I am just the one to be followed!'
■
'Lord, let the Exalted One teach me Dhamma briefly!
Let the Well-farer teach me Dhamma briefly!
Perhaps I might understand the purpose of the Exalted One's word;
perhaps I might become an heir to the word of the Exalted One!'
§
'Wherefore, monk, you must train yourself thus:
Inwardly[2] my mind shall become firm and well composed;
and evil and wrong states,
which arise and overwhelm the mind,
shall find no footing.[3]
Thus indeed, monk, must you train yourself.
■
When, monk, inwardly your mind is firm and well composed,
and evil and wrong states,
which arise and overwhelm the mind,
find no footing;
then, monk, you must train yourself thus:
§
Through amity
shall the release of the mind
become made become by me,
continuously developed,
made a vehicle [199] of,
made a basis,
exercised,
augmented,
thoroughly set going.[4]
Thus indeed, monk, you must train yourself.
■
When, monk, this concentration is thus made-become and developed by you,
then you should make become this concentration
with initial and sustained application;
-◦-
make it become without initial application
but with sustained application only;
-◦-
make it become without either initial or sustained application;
-◦-
make it become with rapture;
-◦-
make it become without rapture;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with pleasure;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with poise.[5]
■
When, monk, this concentration is made-become by you,
and well made-become;
then, monk, you must train yourself thus:
Through pity
shall the release of the mind
become made become by me,
continuously developed,
made a vehicle of,
made a basis,
exercised,
augmented,
thoroughly set going.
Thus indeed, monk, you must train yourself.
■
When, monk, this concentration is thus made-become and developed by you,
then you should make become this concentration
with initial and sustained application;
-◦-
make it become without initial application
but with sustained application only;
-◦-
make it become without either initial or sustained application;
-◦-
make it become with rapture;
-◦-
make it become without rapture;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with pleasure;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with poise.
§
When, monk, this concentration is made-become by you,
and well made-become;
then, monk, you must train yourself thus:
Through sympathy
shall the release of the mind
become made become by me,
continuously developed,
made a vehicle of,
made a basis,
exercised,
augmented,
thoroughly set going.
Thus indeed, monk, you must train yourself.
When, monk, this concentration is thus made-become and developed by you,
then you should make become this concentration
with initial and sustained application;
-◦-
make it become without initial application
but with sustained application only;
-◦-
make it become without either initial or sustained application;
-◦-
make it become with rapture;
-◦-
make it become without rapture;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with pleasure;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with poise.
§
When, monk, this concentration is made-become by you,
and well made-become;
then, monk, you must train yourself thus:
Through poise shall the release of the mind be made-become by me,
continuously developed,
made a vehicle of,
made a basis,
exercised,
augmented,
thoroughly set going.[6]
Thus indeed, monk, you must train yourself.
■
When, monk, this concentration is thus made-become and developed by you,
then you should make become this concentration
with initial and sustained application;
-◦-
make it become without initial application
but with sustained application only;
-◦-
make it become without either initial or sustained application;
-◦-
make it become with rapture;
-◦-
make it become without rapture;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with pleasure;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with poise.
§
When, monk, these concentrations are made-become by you,
and well made-become;
then, monk, you must train yourself thus:
[7] As to the body,
looking upon the body
I will live strenuous,
self-possessed
and mindful,
overcoming the hankering and dejection
common in this world.
[200] Thus indeed, monk, you must train yourself.
■
When, monk, this concentration is thus made-become and developed by you,
then you should make become this concentration
with initial and sustained application;
-◦-
make it become without initial application
but with sustained application only;
-◦-
make it become without either initial or sustained application;
-◦-
make it become with rapture;
-◦-
make it become without rapture;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with pleasure;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with indifference.
§
When, monk, this concentration is made-become by you,
and well made-become;
then, monk, you must train yourself thus:
As to feelings, looking upon feelings
looking upon the body
I will live strenuous,
self-possessed
and mindful,
overcoming the hankering and dejection
common in this world.
Thus indeed, monk, you must train yourself.
■
When, monk, this concentration is thus made-become and developed by you,
then you should make become this concentration
with initial and sustained application;
-◦-
make it become without initial application
but with sustained application only;
-◦-
make it become without either initial or sustained application;
-◦-
make it become with rapture;
-◦-
make it become without rapture;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with pleasure;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with indifference.
§
When, monk, this concentration is made-become by you,
and well made-become;
then, monk, you must train yourself thus:
As to thoughts, looking upon thoughts
looking upon the body
I will live strenuous,
self-possessed
and mindful,
overcoming the hankering and dejection
common in this world.
Thus indeed, monk, you must train yourself.
■
When, monk, this concentration is thus made-become and developed by you,
then you should make become this concentration
with initial and sustained application;
-◦-
make it become without initial application
but with sustained application only;
-◦-
make it become without either initial or sustained application;
-◦-
make it become with rapture;
make it become without rapture;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with pleasure;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with indifference.
§
When, monk, this concentration is made-become by you,
and well made-become;
then, monk, you must train yourself thus:
As to mental states, looking upon mental states,
I will live strenuous,
self-possessed
and mindful,
overcoming the hankering and dejection
common in this world.
Thus indeed, monk, you must train yourself.
■
When, monk, this concentration is thus made-become
and developed by you,
then you should make this concentration become
with initial and sustained application;
-◦-
make it become without initial application,
but with sustained application only;
-◦-
make it become without either initial or sustained application;
-◦-
make it become with rapture;
-◦-
make it become without rapture;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with pleasure;
-◦-
make it become accompanied with poise.
§
When, monk, this concentration is made-become by you,
and well made-become;
then, monk, just to whatever place you go,
you shall go in comfort;[8]
-◦-
wherever you stand,
you shall stand in comfort;
-◦-
wherever you sit,
you shall sit in comfort;
-◦-
and wherever you make your bed,
you shall lie down in comfort.'
§
And the monk,
roused by the Exalted One's exhortation,
got up frorh his seat,
saluted the Exalted One and departed,
passing him by on his right.
■
Now not long after,
dwelling alone,
secluded,
zealous,
earnest,
resolved,
that monk attained to
and abode in
that unsurpassed goal of the godly life,
realizing it by personal knowledge in this life,
for the sake of which
clansmen rightly go forth from the home
to the homeless life;
and he fully realized:
birth is destroyed;
lived is the godly life;
done is what had to be done;
there is no more living in this state.
And that monk was numbered among the Arahants.
[1] Cf. K.S. v., 121. The punctuation is different at S. v., evam eva pana not being printed in a separate sentence as here. The Comy. observes that this monk followed the teachings slackly and did not perform the duties of a recluse; but the Buddha saw that he was sure of Arahantship.
[2] Ajjhattaṃ. See DhS. trsl. 45.
[3] The Comy. calls this the mūla-samādhi Cf. M. i, 91; It. 19.
[4] This stock passage recurs at D. ii, 102; M. iii, 97; S. i, 116; Ud. 62.
[5] Cf. Vism. 85; trsl. 99. The first three concentrations are known as the 'three'; see D. iii, 219; M. iii, 162; S. iv, 360. Sappītika and nippītika — translated here: with and without rapture, following Professor Maung Tin — are said at A. i, 81 to be the two chief states of ease. Pleasure, sāta, is not given at Vism., loc. cit., but sukha.
[6] These four are the Brahma-vihāra; see D. iii, 248; A. iii, 290; DhS. trsl., §§ 251 ff.
[7] These are the cattāro satipaṭṭhāna; see D. ii, 290; M. i, 56; A. i, 39; S. v. 294. See for discussions on these Dial, ii, 322 K.S. v. p. xiv.
[8] Phāsu. Comy. By this, showing Arahantship.
