Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
I. Ānisaṇsa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
I. Profit
Sutta 8
Saddha Suttaṃ
The Believer[1]
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, a monk may be a believer
but yet not be virtuous.
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be both a believer
and virtuous?'
But, monks, when a monk is both a believer
and virtuous,
he is complete in that respect.
■
Monks, a monk may be both a believer
and virtuous
yet not learned.[2]
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be both a believer
and virtuous
and learned?'
But, monks, when a monk is a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
he is complete in that respect.
■
Monks, a monk may be a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
yet no dhamma-preacher.
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be a believer
and virtuous
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher?'
But, monks, when a monk is a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
he is complete in that respect.
■
Monks, a monk may be a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher
yet not a frequenter of debates.[3]
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be a believer
and virtuous
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates?'
But, monks, when a monk is a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
he is complete in that respect.
■
Monks, a monk may be a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher
and a frequenter of debates,
yet not be confident[4] in expounding dhamma in a company.
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be a believer
and virtuous
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company?'
But, monks, when a monk is a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and is confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
he is complete in that respect.
■
Monks, a monk may be a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
yet not be expert in discipline.[5]
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be a believer
and virtuous
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and be expert in discipline?'
But, monks, when a monk is a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and is confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and is expert in discipline,
he is complete in that respect.
■
Monks, a monk may be a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and be expert in discipline,
yet be no forest-dweller,
a lodger in solitude.
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be a believer
and virtuous
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and be expert in discipline,
and be a forest-dweller,
a lodger in solitude?'
But, monks, when a monk is a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and is confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and is expert in discipline,
and is a forest-dweller,
a lodger in solitude,
he is complete in that respect.
■
Monks, a monk may be a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and be expert in discipline,
and be a forest-dweller,
a lodger in solitude,
yet not be one who attains at will,
without difficulty
and without trouble,
the four musings[6]
which belong to the higher thought,
which even in this same visible state
are blissful to abide in.
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be a believer
and virtuous
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and be expert in discipline,
and be a forest-dweller,
and be a lodger in solitude
and be one who attains at will,
without difficulty
and without trouble,
the four musings
which belong to the higher thought,
which even in this same visible state
are blissful to abide in?'
But, monks, when a monk is a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and is confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and is expert in discipline,
and is a forest-dweller,
a lodger in solitude,
and is one who attains at will,
without difficulty
and without trouble,
the four musings
which belong to the higher thought,
which even in this same visible state
are blissful to abide in
he is complete in that respect.
■
Monks, a monk may be a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and be expert in discipline,
and be a forest-dweller,
a lodger in solitude,
and be one who attains at will,
without difficulty
and without trouble,
the four musings
which belong to the higher thought,
which even in this same visible state
are blissful to abide in,
yet he does not, by destroying the cankers,
in this same visible state comprehending it of himself,
realize the heart's release,
the release by insight,
and attaining it abide therein.
Thus in that respect he is incomplete.
That defect must be remedied by the thought:
'How can I be a believer
and virtuous
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and be confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and be expert in discipline,
and be a forest-dweller,
and be a lodger in solitude
and be one who attains at will,
without difficulty
and without trouble,
the four musings
which belong to the higher thought,
which even in this same visible state
are blissful to abide in,
and by destroying the cankers,
in this same visible state comprehending it of myself,
realize the heart's release,
the release by insight,
and attaining it abide therein?'
But, monks, when a monk is a believer
and virtuous,
and learned,
and a dhamma-preacher,
and a frequenter of debates,
and is confident in expounding dhamma in a company,
and is expert in discipline,
and is a forest-dweller,
a lodger in solitude,
and is one who attains at will,
without difficulty
and without trouble,
the four musings
which belong to the higher thought,
which even in this same visible state
are blissful to abide in,
and by destroying the cankers,
in this same visible state comprehending it of himself,
realizes the heart's release,
the release by insight,
and attaining it abides therein,
he is complete in that respect.
[9] Monks, if he be endowed with these ten qualities a monk is altogether[7] charming and complete in every attribute."
[1] Saddho is defined in the Elevens as one who is sure Iti pi so Bhagavā, etc.
[2] Bahussuta, one who has heard much.
[3] Parisāvacara; cf. K.S. v, 60 n.
[4] Visārada; cf. below, § 22, visārado paṭijānāmi dhammaṃ desetuṃ.
[5] Vinayadhara, one who, like Upāli, knows by heart the rules of discipline.
[6] All these belong to the Ariyan Method (ñāya), see G.S. ii, 41.
[7] Samanta-pāsaāilco. The title (etad-agga) conferred on the monk Upasena because of his highly qualified following at A. i, 24 = G.S. i, 10. It is also the name of the Vinaya Commentary.
