Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
48. Indriya Saṃyutta
5. Jarā Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
48. Kindred Sayings on the Faculties
5. Old Age
Sutta 43
Sāketa Suttaṃ
Sāketa
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] THUS have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāketa[1]
at Añjana Wood,
in Antelope Grove.
On that occasion the Exalted One said this to the monks:
Monks, is there any method,
by reckoning according to which
the five controlling faculties
are the five powers,
and the five powers again
are the five controlling faculties?
"For us, lord,
things have the Exalted one as their root,
their guide,
their resort.[2]
It were well for us
if the Exalted One would reveal the meaning
of what he has just uttered."[3]
"Well, monks, there is such a method,
by reckoning according to which
the five controlling faculties
are the five powers,
and again the five powers
are the five controlling faculties.
And of what sort, monks, is such a method,
by reckoning according to which
the five controlling faculties
are the five powers,
and again the five powers
are the five controlling faculties?
That, monks, which is the controlling faculty of faith
is also the power of faith:
that which is the power of faith
is also the controlling faculty of faith.
■
That, monks, which is the controlling faculty of energy
is also the power of energy:
that which is the power of energy
is also the controlling faculty of energy.
■
That, monks, which is the controlling faculty of mindfulness
is also the power of mindfulness:
that which is the power of mindfulness
is also the controlling faculty of mindfulness.
■
That, monks, which is the controlling faculty of concentration
is also the power of concentration:
that which is the power of concentration
is also the controlling faculty of concentration.
■
[195] That, monks, which is the controlling faculty of insight
is also the power of insight:
that which is the power of insight
is also the controlling faculty of insight.
§
Suppose, monks, a river that flows east,
slopes east,
tends east.
In the middle of it is an island.
Now, monks, there is a method,
by reckoning according to which,
the stream of that river is accounted single.
Again there is a method,
by reckoning according to which,
the stream is accounted double.
Now what sort of method is that
according to which the stream of that river
may be reckoned as single?
Thus:
The water at the east end
and the water at the west end
of that island
will be reckoned as a single stream.
That is the method.
And what sort of method
is that according to which
the stream of that river
may be reckoned as double?
Thus:
The water on the north side
and the water on the south side
will be reckoned as a double stream.
That is the method
according to which the stream
may be reckoned as double.
Just in the same way, monks,
that which is the controlling faculty of faith
is also the power of faith:
that which is the power of faith
is also the controlling faculty of faith;
■
that which is the controlling faculty of energy
is also the power of energy:
that which is the power of energy
is also the controlling faculty of energy;
■
that which is the controlling faculty of mindfulness
is also the power of mindfulness:
that which is the power of mindfulness
is also the controlling faculty of mindfulness;
■
that which is the controlling faculty of concentration
is also the power of concentration:
that which is the power of concentration
is also the controlling faculty of concentration;
■
that which is the controlling faculty of insight
is also the power of insight:
that which is the power of insight
is also the controlling faculty of insight.
Monks, by the fact of cultivating and making much of
the five controlling faculties,
a monk, by the destruction of the āsavas,
in this very life
fully comprehends,
realizes for himself
and attains intellectual release
and release by insight,
and abides therein."
[1] A town in Kosala, formerly the capital (which at this time was Sāvatthī); Buddh. India, 39. Cf. M. i, 149; A. ii, 24; iii, 169; iv, 427.
[3] Cf. S. ii, 24, etc. Here text is abridged.
