Aṇguttara Nikāya


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Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Atthaka Nipāta
IX. Sati-Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
Chapter IX: Mindfulness

Sutta 81

Sati-Sampajañña Suttaṃ

Mindfulness

Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.

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[219]

[1] Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:

"Monks,[1] when mindfulness and self-possession are lacking,
conscientiousness and fear of blame are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks mindfulness and self-possession.

When conscientiousness and fear of blame are lacking,
the control of the senses is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks conscientiousness and the fear of blame.

When the control of the senses is lacking,
moral practice is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks control of the senses.

When moral practice is lacking,
right concentration is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks moral practice.

When right concentration is lacking,
true knowledge and vision are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks right concentration.

When true knowledge and vision are lacking,
aversion and dispassion are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks true knowledge and vision.

When aversion and dispassion are lacking,
emancipated knowledge and vision are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks aversion and dispassion.

Monks, just as in the case of a tree,
which is devoid of branches and foliage,
the shoots thereof come not to maturity,
nor the bark,
nor the sapwood,
nor the core;

when mindfulness and self-possession are lacking,
conscientiousness and fear of blame are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks mindfulness and self-possession;

when conscientiousness and fear of blame are lacking,
the control of the senses is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks conscientiousness and the fear of blame;

when the control of the senses is lacking,
moral practice is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks control of the senses;

when moral practice is lacking,
right concentration is perforce destroyed
in one who lacks moral practice;

when right concentration is lacking,
true knowledge and vision are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks right concentration;

when true knowledge and vision are lacking,
aversion and dispassion are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks true knowledge and vision;

when aversion and dispassion are lacking,
emancipated knowledge and vision are perforce destroyed
in one who lacks aversion and dispassion.

 

§

 

WARNING! As with AN 7.61, Hare has the sense of the second section here exactly backwards, requiring in each case the second step before the first.
The Pali:
Satisampajaññe bhikkhave,||
sati sati-sampajañña-sampannassa upanissampannaṃ hoti hirottappaṃ.
||
Bodhi:
When there is mindfulness and clear comprehension,
for one possessing mindfulness and clear comprehension,
the sense of moral shame and moral dread possess their proximate cause.

Olds:
Remembering to pay attention to memory, beggars,
possession of attention to memory establishes sense of shame/fear of blame.

p.p. explains it all — p.p.

Monks, when mindfulness and self-possession are present,
conscientiousness and fear of blame are the efficient cause
of possession of mindfulness and self-possession.

When conscientiousness and fear of blame are present,
the control of the senses is the efficient cause
of possession of conscientiousness and fear of blame.

[220] When the control of the senses is present,
moral practice is the efficient cause
of possession of the control of the senses.

When moral practice is present,
right concentration is the efficient cause
of possession of moral practice.

When right concentration is present,
true knowledge and vision are the efficient cause
of possession of right concentration.

When true knowledge and vision are present,
aversion and dispassion are the efficient cause
of possession of true knowledge and vision.

When aversion and dispassion are present,
emancipated knowledge and vision are the efficient cause
of possession of aversion and dispassion.

Monks, just as in the case of a tree,
possessing branches and foliage,
the shoots thereof come to maturity,
so likewise the bark,
the sapwood
and the core;
even so, monks,

when mindfulness and self-possession are present,
conscientiousness and fear of blame are the efficient cause
of possession of mindfulness and self-possession;

when conscientiousness and fear of blame are present,
the control of the senses is the efficient cause
of possession of conscientiousness and fear of blame;

when the control of the senses is present,
moral practice is the efficient cause
of possession of the control of the senses;

when moral practice is present,
right concentration is the efficient cause
of possession of moral practice;

when right concentration is present,
true knowledge and vision are the efficient cause
of possession of right concentration;

when true knowledge and vision are present,
aversion and dispassion are the efficient cause
of possession of true knowledge and vision;

when aversion and dispassion are present,
emancipated knowledge and vision are the efficient cause
of possession of aversion and dispassion.

 


[1] See above, p. 63.


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