Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
45. Magga Saṃyutta
1. Avijjā Vagga

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
45. Kindred Sayings on the Way
1. On Ignorance

Sutta 2

Upaḍḍha Suttaṃ

The Half^[1]

Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids

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[2]

[1][than][bodh] THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying among the Sakyans
at Sakkara,
a Sakyan township.

Then the venerable Ānanda came to the Exalted One,
saluted him
and sat down at one side.

So seated
the venerable Ānanda said this:

"The half of the holy life,^[2] lord,
it is friendship with what is lovely,^[3]
association with what is lovely,
intimacy with what is lovely!"

"Say not so, Ānanda!

Say not so, Ānanda!

It is the whole,
not the half,
of the holy life, -
this friendship,
this association,
this intimacy with what is lovely.

Of a monk who is a friend,
an associate,
an intimate
of what is lovely
we may expect this, -
that he will develop the Ariyan eightfold way,
that he will make much of the Ariyan eightfold way.

And how, Ānanda, does such a monk
develop and make much of
the Ariyan eightfold way?

[3] Herein,^[4] Ānanda, he cultivates right view,
which is based on detachment,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.

He cultivates right aim,
which is based on detachment,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.

He cultivates right speech,
which is based on detachment,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.

He cultivates right action,
which is based on detachment,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.

He cultivates right living,
which is based on detachment,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.

He cultivates right effort,
which is based on detachment,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.

He cultivates right mindfulness,
which is based on detachment,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.

He cultivates right concentration,
which is based on detachment,
on dispassion,
on cessation,
which ends in self-surrender.

That, Ānanda, is how a monk who is a friend,
an associate,
an intimate of what is lovely,
cultivates and makes much of
the Ariyan eightfold way.

This is the method, Ānanda,
by which you are to understand
how the whole of this holy life
consists in friendship,
in association,
in intimacy
with what is lovely.

Indeed, Ānanda, beings liable to rebirth
are liberated from rebirth;
beings liable to decay,
liable to death,
liable to grief,
woe,
lamentation
and despair,
are liberated therefrom
because of my friendship with what is lovely.^[5]

It is by this method, Ānanda,
that you are to understand how
the whole of this holy life
consists in friendship,
in association,
in intimacy with what is lovely."

 

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^[1] At S. i, 87 (Kosala-saṇyutta), to which Comy. refers here, the Buddha relates this incident to Pasenadi, rājah of Kosala. Cf. K.S. i, 112-3 n.

^[2] Brahmacariya = ariya-magga. Comy.

^[3] Kalyāṇa. The word 'lovely' was originally suggested by Mrs. Rhys Davids (K.S. i, 112 n.) to express 'beauty, physical and moral,' being exactly what is meant by ὂρα προδθιλη̑ in the Bible at N.T., Phil iv, 8 ('whatsoever things are lovely').

^[4] Idha, 'here,' as usually, imasmiṃ sāsane (in this teaching). Comy.

^[5] Mamaṃ kalyāṇamittaṃ āgamma (which last word Comy. takes as ārabbha, sandhāya, paṭicca, 'beginning with, concerned with, owing to' me). Comy. remarks that the above-mentioned statements could not be known as facts by Ānanda, who was sekha, learner, only; whereas Sāriputta, an adept (in the next sutta), knew them well.

 

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