Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
VIII: Ākaṇkha-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
VIII: On Wishes
Sutta 80
Āghāta-Paṭivinaya Suttaṃ
Ways of Checking Ill-will
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
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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, there are these ten ways of checking ill-will.
What ten?
[1] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so has done me harm.
But how can that be?[1]
■
[2] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so is doing me harm.
But how can that be?
■
[3] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so will do me harm.
But how can that be?
■
[4] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so has done harm to one dear and precious to me.
But how can that be?
■
[5] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so is doing harm to one dear and precious to me.
But how can that be?
■
[6][ed1] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so will do harm to one dear and precious to me.
But how can that be?
■
[7] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so has done good to one not dear and precious to me.
But how can that be?
■
[8] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so is doing good to one not dear and precious to me.
But how can that be?
■
[9] One checks ill-will at the thought:
So-and-so will do good to one not dear and precious to me.
But how can that be?
■
[10] And[ed2] one is not groundlessly annoyed.
These are the ten ways of checking ill-will.'
taṃ kut'ettha labbhā' ti? 'What is to be gained from that?' The meaning is understood if kamma is kept in mind. The idea is to calm one's tendency to an angry reaction by remembering that this deed this fellow does will return to him and that therefore there is no need to seek vengence from a feeling of outrage at injustice.
— p.p.
[1] Kut'ettha labbhā ( = sakkā). Cf. S. i, 185. Possibly 'it can't be helped.'
[ed1] Woodward omits.
[ed2] Woodward has "Thus" which would indicate that this was a conclusion based on the previous nine and this would leave us with only nine factors. The Pali reads "and": "aṭṭhāne ca na ~." Bhk. Bodhi footnotes the previous sutta with the explanation that this has to do with getting angry when one stubs one's toe on a rock and such things as are not intentional affliction-inflictions.
