Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
XXI: Kara-Ja-Kāya-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
XXI: The Body Born of Deeds
Sutta 209
Adhamma-Cariyā Suttaṃ
After Death (a)
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] THUS have I heard:
Now a certain brāhmin came to see the Exalted One, and on coming to him greeted him courteously, and after the exchange of greetings and reminiscent talk sat down at one side.
So seated he said this to the Exalted One:
"Pray, Master Gotama, what is the reason, what is the cause why certain beings of this world,
when body breaks up, beyond death rise up again in the Waste, the Ill-bourn, the Downfall, in Purgatory?"
"Brahmin, the reason and cause for this are conduct that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life.
That is why beings are so born."
§
"But pray, Master Gotama, what is the reason, what is the cause why certain beings of this world,
when body breaks up, beyond death rise up again in the Happy Bourn, the heaven-world?"
"Brahmin, the reason and cause are conduct that is dhflmma. and straight ways.
That is the reason why they are so reborn."
§
"For my part I don't understand in full the meaning of this pronouncement in brief made by the worthy Gotama.
Well for me if the worthy Gotama would teach me dhamma in [196] such a way that I could understand in full the meaning of this brief utterance of the worthy Gotama."
§
"Then listen, brāhmin. Pay attention carefully and I will speak."
"I will, master," replied that brāhmin to the Exalted One, who said this:
"Threefold, brāhmin, is conduct by body that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life.
Fourfold brāhmin, is conduct by speech that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life.
Threefold brāhmin, is conduct by mind that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life.
§
And how is bodily conduct that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life threefold?
In this connexion, brāhmin,
a certain one takes life,
he is a hunter,
bloody-handed,
given over to killing and slaying,
void of compassion to all living creatures.
■
A certain one takes what is not given;
he takes with thievish intent
things not given to him,
the property of another person,
situated in jungle
or in village.
■
In sexual desires
he is a wrong-doer;
he has intercourse with girls in ward of mother or father,
brother,
sister
or relatives (or clan);
with girls lawfully guarded,
already pledged to a husband
and protected by the rod,
even with girls crowned with the flower-garland (of betrothal).
Thus is bodily conduct that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life threefold.
§
And how is conduct by speech that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life fourfold?
In this connexion, brāhmin,
a certain one is a liar.
When cited to appear before the council
or a company
or amid his relatives
or guild-men
or before the royal family
and asked to bear witness
with the words:
'Come, good fellow!
Say what you know.'
Though he knows not, he says, 'I know';
though he knows, he says, 'I know not';
though he has not seen, he says 'I saw';
though he saw, he says 'I saw not'.
Thus for his own sake
or that of others
or to get some carnal profit or other
he deliberately utters falsehood.
■
Also he is a slanderer.
Hearing something at one place
he proclaims it somewhere else
to bring about a quarrel between the parties;
what he has heard here
he repeats there
to bring about a quarrel between the parties.
Thus he breaks up harmony,
foments strife between those discordant,
discord is his delight;
exulting in
and passionately fond of discord,
he utters speech
that makes for discord.
■
Also he is of harsh speech.
Whatsoever speech is rough,
cutting,
bitter about others,
abusive of others,
provoking wrath
and conducive to distraction -
such speech does he utter.
■
He is given to idle babble,
he speaks out of season,
speaks unrealities;
he speaks things unprofitable,
what is not-dhamma
and not-discipline;
he utters speech not worth treasuring up,
speech unreasonable
and not worth listening to,
undiscriminating
and unconcerned with profit.
Thus is conduct by speech that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life fourfold.
§
And how is conduct by mind that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life threefold?
In this connexion, brāhmin,
a certain one is covetous,
he is one who covets the property of another,
thinking:
'O that what is another's were mine!'
■
He is malevolent of heart,
the thoughts of his heart are corrupt, thus:
'Let these beings be slain,
come to destruction,
be destroyed,
not exist at all.'
■
Also he has wrong view,
he is perverse in outlook,
holding:
There is no gift,
no offering,
no sacrifice;
there is no fruit or ripening of deeds
well done or ill done;
this world is not,
the world beyond is not;
there is no mother,
no father,
no beings supernaturally born;
there are no recluses and brāhmins in the world
who have gone right,
who fare rightly,
men who by their own comprehension
have realized this world
and the world beyond
and thus declare.
Thus is conduct by mind that is not-dhamma and crooked ways of life threefold.
'This is the reason, brāhmin this is the cause why certain beings of this world,
when body breaks up, beyond death rise up again in the Waste, the Ill-bourn, the Downfall, in Purgatory".
'Threefold, brāhmin, is conduct by body that is Dhamma and straight ways of life.
Fourfold brāhmin, is conduct by speech that is Dhamma and straight ways of life.
Threefold brāhmin, is conduct by mind that is Dhamma and straight ways of life.
§
And how is bodily conduct that is dhamma and straight ways of life threefold?
Herein a certain one abandons taking life,
abstains therefrom;
he has laid aside the rod,
has laid aside the knife;
he dwells modest,
charitable,
feeling compassion towards every living creature.
■
He abandons taking what is not given,
abstains therefrom;
the property of another,
situated in jungle or in village,
if not given,
he takes not with thievish intent.
■
In sexual desires
he abandons wrong action,
abstains therefrom.
He has no intercourse
with girls in ward of mother or father,
of brother,
sister
or relatives (or clan),
with girls lawfully guarded,
already plighted to a husband
and protected by the rod,
even with girls crowned
with the flower-garlands (of betrothal).
Thus is conduct by body that is dhamma and straight ways of life threefold.
§
And how is conduct by speech that is dhamma and straight ways of life fourfold?
In this connexion, brāhmin,
a certain one abandons lying speech
he abstains therefrom.
When cited to appear before the council
or a company
or amid his relatives
or guild-men
or before the royal family
and asked to bear witness
with the words:
'Come, good fellow!
Say what you know.'
If he knows not, he says, 'I know not';
if he knows, he says, 'I know';
if he has not seen, he says 'I saw not';
if he saw, he says 'I saw'.
Thus neither for his own sake
or that of others
or to get some carnal profit or other
does he deliberately utter falsehood.
■
Abandoning slanderous speech
he abstains therefrom.
When he hears something at one place
he does not proclaim it elsewhere
to bring about a quarrel between the parties;
what he has heard here
he does not report there
to bring about a quarrel between the parties;
thus he brings together the discordant,
restores harmony,
harmony is his delight,
he exults in,
is passionately fond of harmony;
he utters speech that makes for harmony.
■
Also he abandons harsh speech,
abstains therefrom.
Whatsoever speech is blameless,
pleasant to the ear,
affectionate,
going to the heart,
urbane,
agreeable to many folk,
delightful to many folk,
of such speech he is a speaker.
■
Also abandoning idle babble
he abstains therefrom;
he speaks in season,
of facts,
of the aim,
of dhamma,
of discipline;
he utters speech worth treasuring up,
speech seasonable
and worth listening to,
discriminating
and concerned with the aim.
Thus is conduct by speech that is dhamma and straight ways of life fourfold.
§
And how is conduct by mind that is dhamma and straight ways of life fourfold?
In this connexion, brāhmin,
a certain one is not covetous;
he covets not the property of another,
thinking:
'0 that what is another's were mine!'
■
He is not malevolent of heart,
the thoughts of his heart
are not corrupt.
He wishes:
'Let these beings carry about the self in peace,
free from enmity,
free from sorrow
and in happiness.'
■
Also he has right view;
he is reasonable in outlook,
holding that there are such things as gift,
offering,
oblation,
fruit and ripening of deeds
done well or ill;
that this world is,
that the world beyond is;
that mother, father and beings of supernatural birth (in other worlds) do exist;
that there are in the world recluses and brāhmins
who have gone rightly,
who fare rightly,
men who of their own comprehension
have realized this world and the world beyond
and thus declare it.
Thus is conduct by mind that is dhamma and straight ways of life threefold.
This is the reason, brāhmin this is the cause why certain beings of this world,
when body breaks up, beyond death rise up again in the Happy Bourn, the heaven-world"
§
'Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent, Master Gotama!
It is as if one should raise the fallen,
open up the hidden,
point out the way
to one gone astray,
hold up a shining light
so that they who have eyes
may see objects.
Thus has dhamma been expounded in divers ways by the worthy Gotama.
I myself, worthy Gotama,
do go for resort to the awakened one,
to dhamma
and to the order of monks.
Let the worthy Gotama reckon me as a lay-follower
from this day forth,
so long as life shall last,
as one who has gone to him as resort."
