AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.13 Hopes

Numbered Discourses 3.13 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.13

2. The Chariot-Maker – 2. Rathakāravagga

AN 3.13 Hopes – Āsaṁsasutta

1.1

“These three kinds of people are found in the world.

“Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

1.2

What three?

Katame tayo?

1.3

The hopeless, the hopeful, and the one who has done away with hope.

Nirāso, āsaṁso, vigatāso.

1.4

And what, bhikkhū, is a hopeless person?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave puggalo nirāso?

1.5

It’s when some person is reborn in a low family—a family of outcastes, bamboo-workers, hunters, chariot-makers, or waste-collectors—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo nīce kule paccājāto hoti, caṇḍālakule vā venakule vā nesādakule vā rathakārakule vā pukkusakule vā dalidde appannapānabhojane kasiravuttike, yattha kasirena ghāsacchādo labbhati.

1.6

And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, chronically ill—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrances, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.

So ca hoti dubbaṇṇo duddasiko okoṭimako bavhābādho kāṇo vā kuṇī vā khañjo vā pakkhahato vā, na lābhī annassa pānassa vatthassa yānassa mālāgandhavilepanassa seyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.

1.7

They hear this:

So suṇāti:

1.8

‘They say the aristocrats have anointed the aristocrat named so-and-so as king.’

‘itthannāmo kira khattiyo khattiyehi khattiyābhisekena abhisitto’ti.

1.9

It never occurs to them:

Tassa na evaṁ hoti:

1.10

‘Oh, when will the aristocrats anoint me too as king?’

‘kudāssu nāma mampi khattiyā khattiyābhisekena abhisiñcissantī’ti.

1.11

This is called a hopeless person.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo nirāso.

2.1

And what, bhikkhū, is a hopeful person?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo āsaṁso?

2.2

It’s when some person is the eldest son of an anointed aristocratic king. He has not yet been anointed, but is eligible, and has been confirmed in the succession.

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa jeṭṭho putto hoti ābhiseko anabhisitto acalappatto.

2.3

He hears this:

So suṇāti:

2.4

‘They say that the aristocrats have anointed the aristocrat named so-and-so as king.’

‘itthannāmo kira khattiyo khattiyehi khattiyābhisekena abhisitto’ti.

2.5

It occurs to him:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

2.6

‘Oh, when will the aristocrats anoint me too as king?’

‘kudāssu nāma mampi khattiyā khattiyābhisekena abhisiñcissantī’ti.

2.7

This is called a hopeful person.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo āsaṁso.

3.1

And what, bhikkhū, is a person who has done away with hope?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo vigatāso?

3.2

It’s when a king has been anointed.

Idha, bhikkhave, rājā hoti khattiyo muddhāvasitto.

3.3

He hears this:

So suṇāti:

3.4

‘They say that the aristocrats have anointed the aristocrat named so-and-so as king.’

‘itthannāmo kira khattiyo khattiyehi khattiyābhisekena abhisitto’ti.

3.5

It never occurs to him:

Tassa na evaṁ hoti:

3.6

‘Oh, when will the aristocrats anoint me too as king?’

‘kudāssu nāma mampi khattiyā khattiyābhisekena abhisiñcissantī’ti.

3.7

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

3.8

Because the former hope he had to be anointed has now died down.

Yā hissa, bhikkhave, pubbe anabhisittassa abhisekāsā sā paṭippassaddhā.

3.9

This is called a person who has done away with hope.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo vigatāso.

3.10

These are the three kinds of people found in the world.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

4.1

In the same way, these three kinds of people are found among the bhikkhū.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā bhikkhūsu.

4.2

What three?

Katame tayo?

4.3

The hopeless, the hopeful, and the one who has done away with hope.

Nirāso, āsaṁso, vigatāso.

4.4

And what, bhikkhū, is a hopeless person?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo nirāso?

4.5

It’s when some person is unethical, of bad qualities, filthy, with suspicious behavior, underhand, no true ascetic or spiritual practitioner—though claiming to be one—rotten inside, corrupt, and depraved.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti pāpadhammo asuci saṅkassarasamācāro paṭicchannakammanto assamaṇo samaṇapaṭiñño abrahmacārī brahmacāripaṭiñño antopūti avassuto kasambujāto.

4.6

They hear this:

So suṇāti:

4.7

‘They say that the bhikkhu named so-and-so has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’

‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti.

4.8

It never occurs to them:

Tassa na evaṁ hoti:

4.9

‘Oh, when will I too realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.’

‘kudāssu nāma ahampi āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissāmī’ti.

4.10

This is called a hopeless person.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo nirāso.

5.1

And what, bhikkhū, is a hopeful person?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo āsaṁso?

5.2

It’s when a bhikkhu is ethical, of good character.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo.

5.3

They hear this:

So suṇāti:

5.4

‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti.

5.5

It occurs to them:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

5.6

‘Oh, when will I too realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.’

‘kudāssu nāma ahampi āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissāmī’ti.

5.7

This is called a hopeful person.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo āsaṁso.

6.1

And what, bhikkhū, is a person who has done away with hope?

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo vigatāso?

6.2

It’s when a bhikkhu is a perfected one, who has ended all defilements.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ hoti khīṇāsavo.

6.3

They hear this:

So suṇāti:

6.4

‘itthannāmo kira bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī’ti.

6.5

It never occurs to them:

Tassa na evaṁ hoti:

6.6

‘Oh, when will I too realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with my own insight due to the ending of defilements.’

‘kudāssu nāma ahampi āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissāmī’ti.

6.7

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

6.8

Because the former hope they had to be freed has now died down.

Yā hissa, bhikkhave, pubbe avimuttassa vimuttāsā sā paṭippassaddhā.

6.9

This is called a person who has done away with hope.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo vigatāso.

6.10

These are the three people found among the bhikkhū.”

Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā bhikkhūsū”ti.

6.11

Tatiyaṁ.