Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Atthaka Nipāta
IX. Sati-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
Chapter IX: Mindfulness
Sutta 82
Puṇṇiya Suttaṃ
The Venerable Puṇṇiya
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.
Now the venerable Puṇṇiya[1] came to see the Exalted One
and on coming to him saluted him
and sat down at one side, and said:
'Lord, what is the cause,
what is the reason,
why sometimes it occurs to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma
and sometimes it does not?
'Suppose, Punniya, a monk is a believer,
but does not visit him,
then it does not occur to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.
But when, Punniya, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata;
then it occurs to him to preach Dhamma.
■
Or, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata,
but does not sit down to listen,
then it does not occur to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.
But when, Punniya, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata;
and he sits down to listen,
then it occurs to him to preach Dhamma.
■
[221] Or, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata,
and he sit down to listen,
but does not question the Tathāgata
then it does not occur to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.
But when, Punniya, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata;
and sits down to listen,
and he questions the Tathāgata
then it occurs to him to preach Dhamma.
■
Or, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata,
and he sit down to listen,
and he questions the Tathāgata
but does not listen to Dhamma with attentive ear
then it does not occur to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.
But when, Punniya, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata;
and sits down to listen,
and he questions the Tathāgata
and he listens to Dhamma with attentive ear
then it occurs to him to preach Dhamma.
■
Or, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata,
and he sit down to listen,
and he questions the Tathāgata
and he listens to Dhamma with attentive ear
but when he has heard it, does not bear Dhamma in mind
then it does not occur to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.
But when, Punniya, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata;
and sits down to listen,
and he questions the Tathāgata
and he listens to Dhamma with attentive ear
and when he has heard it, he bears what he has heard in mind
then it occurs to him to preach Dhamma.
■
Or, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata,
and he sit down to listen,
and he questions the Tathāgata
and he listens to Dhamma with attentive ear
and when he has heard it, he bears what he has heard in mind
but does not test the truth of the doctrines he has heard
then it does not occur to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.
But when, Punniya, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata;
and sits down to listen,
and he questions the Tathāgata
and he listens to Dhamma with attentive ear
and when he has heard it, he bears what he has heard in mind
and he tests the truth of the doctrines he has heard
then it occurs to him to preach Dhamma.
■
Or, a monk is a believer
and visits the Tathāgata,
and he sit down to listen,
and he questions the Tathāgata
and he listens to Dhamma with attentive ear
and when he has heard it, he bears what he has heard in mind
and he tests the truth of the doctrines he has heard
but walks not in conformity with Dhamma, though knowing both letter and spirit;
then it does not occur to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.
But when, Punniya, a monk is a believer,
and visits the Tathāgata,
sits down to listen,
questions the Tathāgata,
listens with attentive ear,
bears what he has heard in mind,
tests the truth of the doctrines heard,
and knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma,
then it occurs to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.
When these eight conditions come to pass,[2]
Punniya, then it most occurs to the Tathāgata to preach Dhamma.'
[1] Cf. the whole sutta with A. v, 154, where ten terms are given. Puṇṇiya is again the inquirer, but both here and ad A. v, the Comy. is silent. I do not find mention of him elsewhere in the four Nikāyas.
[2] We should possibly read: 'Yato ca kho, P., imehi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu hoti'; but the S.e. is the same as our text, and includes aṭṭhahi with most MSS. The Comy. seems to agree with the text, observing: Samannāgato-ti, sāmīatthe paccattaṃ, samannāgatassāti vuttaṃ hoti.
