Aṇguttara Nikāya
VIII. Atthaka Nipāta
IX. Sati-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
VIII. The Book of the Eights
Chapter IX: Mindfulness
Sutta 83
Kiṃ Mūlaka? Suttaṃ
The Root of Things
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][olds] Once the Exalted One was staying in Sāvatthi.
There the Exalted One addressed the Monks saying:
"Monks, if wanderers of other views should question you thus:
'Wherein, sirs, are all things[1] rooted?
What is their origin?
What gives rise to all things;
what is their confluence;
what is their chief state;
what their master state;
what their further state;
and of all things what is most precious?'
Monks, thus questioned,
how would you answer those wanderers of other views?"
■
"Lord, our ideas have their foundation in the Exalted One;
they are guided by the Exalted One
and are protected by him.
[222] Well indeed were it for us,
if the Exalted One were to make clear
the purpose of this speech;
then, on hearing it,
the monks would bear it in mind!"[2]
■
"Wherefore, monks,
listen,
pay heed,
I will speak."
§
'Yea, lord,' they replied;
and the Exalted One said:
"If, monks, wanderers of other views should question you thus:
'Wherein, sirs, are all things rooted?
What is their origin?
What gives rise to all things;
what is their confluence;
what is their chief state;
what their master state;
what their further state;
and of all things what is most precious?'
Answer them thus:
'Reverend sirs,
all things are rooted in desire;[3]
they have their origin in attention;
contact gives rise to them;
their confluence is feeling;[4]
their chief state is concentration;
mindfulness is their master state;
wisdom their further state;[5]
and of all things emancipation is the most precious.'[6]
Monks, thus questioned, so answer."
[1] Sabbe dhammā, Mrs. Rhys Davids' Buddhism 222, states of consciousness; Comy. pañca-k-khandhā. The whole sutta with one other clause recurs at A. v, 106.
[3] Chanda. Comy. the desire to do; see Buddhism, loc. cit., Cpd. 244.
[4] See D. ii, 61; Dial, ii, 58 and note there.
[5] This is quoted at Sn.A. 146 and S.A. i, 251, but both with kusala.
[6] Cf. It. 40; A. ii, 243 for these last three; also below, p. 257.
