Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
III. Mahā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
III: The Great Chapter
Sutta 26
Kālī Suttaṃ
Kālī
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][bodh] Once the venerable Kaccāna the Great[1] was staying among the Avanti[2]
at Kuraraghara (Ospreys' Haunt)
on a sheer mountain crag.[3]
On that occasion
the lay-follower Kālī[4] came to see the venerable Kaccāna the Great,
and on coming to him
she saluted him
and sat down at one side.
So seated she said this to him:
[32] "Sir, this was said by the Exalted One
in The Maiden's Questions:[5]
'On winning of my weal, my peace of heart,
(Routing the host of sweet and pleasant shapes)
Musing alone I have attained to bliss.
Therefore I make no friendship with the folk.
Friendship with anyone is not for me.'
[47] Pray, sir, how is the full meaning
of this briefly put saying of the Exalted One
to be viewed?"
■
"Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainments of the earth-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the earth-device.
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the water-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the water-device.
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the the heat-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the heat-device
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the the air-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the air-device
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the the blue-green-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the blue-green-device
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the the yellow-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the yellow-device.
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the the red-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the red-device.
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the the white-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the white-device
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the the space-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the space-device
By thus thoroughly comprehending it
the Exalted One saw origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.
■
Some recluses and brahmins, sister,
highly expert in the attainment of the the intellection-device,
have wrought their weal thereby.[6]
But the Exalted One has thoroughly comprehended
to its utmost reach
excellence in the attainment of the intellection-device;
thus thoroughly comprehending
he saw the origination,
saw the danger,
saw the escape,
saw the knowledge and insight
into the Way
and Not-way.[7]
As a result of so seeing,
the attainment of his weal
and peace of heart
were seen by him.
Thus, sister, as to what was said
by the Exalted One
in the Maiden's Questions:
'On winning of my weal, my peace of heart,
(Routing the host of sweet and pleasant shapes)
Musing alone I have attained to bliss.
Therefore I make no friendship with the folk.
Friendship with anyone is not for me.'
[48] [33] This is how the full meaning
of the Exalted One's briefly put saying
is to be viewed."
[1] Cf. Vin. i, 194; G.S. i, 17, 61 ff.; iii, 214, 224, 227; K.S. iii, 10, 14; iv, 72.
[2] Our Comy. is silent on these names, but SA. ii, 258, on S. iv, 115 may be consulted.
[3] Our Text has pavatte pabbate, but at the other refs. cited papāte pabbate, acc. to which I trans.
[4] Cf. G.S. i, 25 n. She is named 'chief of those who believe even from hearsay.'
[5] Answer to the question 'Why makest thou no friends among the folk?' of the personified Taṇhā at S. i, 126 = K.S. i, 158. In i, 3 S. has jhāyaṇ for our jhāyī, but should read anubodhiṇ = anubujjhiṇ.
[6] Atthābinibbattesuṇ; v.l. attābhi-, which would mean 'have attained rebirth' (acc. to Niddesa i, 49), or (?) 'have achieved selfhood.'
[7] The four truths. Comy. samudaya-dukkha-nirodha-magga-saccañ.
