AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.72 A Disciple of the Ājīvakas

Numbered Discourses 3.72 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.72

8. Ānanda – 8. Ānandavagga

AN 3.72 A Disciple of the Ājīvakas – Ājīvakasutta

1.1

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

1.2

Then a householder who was a disciple of the Ājīvaka ascetics went up to Venerable Ānanda, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to Ānanda:

Atha kho aññataro ājīvakasāvako gahapati yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so ājīvakasāvako gahapati āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

2.1

“Sir, whose teaching is well explained?

“Kesaṁ no, bhante ānanda, dhammo svākkhāto?

2.2

Who in the world is practicing well?

Ke loke suppaṭipannā?

2.3

Who in the world has done well?”

Ke loke sukatā”ti?

2.4

“Well then, householder, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.

“Tena hi, gahapati, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi, yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.

2.5

What do you think, householder?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati,

2.6

Is the teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion well explained or not?

ye rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto no vā?

2.7

Or how do you see this?”

Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

2.8

“The teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion is well explained.

“Ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto.

2.9

That’s how I see it.”

Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

3.1

“What do you think, householder?

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati,

3.2

Are those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion practicing well or not?

ye rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā no vā?

3.3

Or how do you see this?”

Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

3.4

“Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well.

“Ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā.

3.5

That’s how I see it.”

Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

4.1

“What do you think, householder?

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gahapati,

4.2

Have those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion—so they’re cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future—done well in the world, or not?

yesaṁ rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā no vā?

4.3

Or how do you see this?”

Kathaṁ vā te ettha hotī”ti?

4.4

“Those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion have done well in the world.

“Yesaṁ, bhante, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno …pe… yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā.

4.5

That’s how I see it.”

Evaṁ me ettha hotī”ti.

5.1

“So, householder, you’ve declared:

“Iti kho, gahapati, tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ:

5.2

‘The teaching of those who teach for giving up greed, hate, and delusion is well explained.’

‘ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, dosassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, mohassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desenti, tesaṁ dhammo svākkhāto’ti.

5.3

And you’ve declared:

Tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ:

5.4

‘Those who practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion are practicing well.’

‘ye, bhante, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa pahānāya paṭipannā, mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā, te loke suppaṭipannā’ti.

5.5

And you’ve declared:

Tayāvetaṁ byākataṁ:

5.6

‘Those who’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion have done well in the world.’”

‘yesaṁ, bhante, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, yesaṁ doso pahīno …pe… yesaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, te loke sukatā’”ti.

6.1

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

6.2

There’s no acclaiming your own teaching or disrespecting someone else’s,

Na ceva nāma sadhammukkaṁsanā bhavissati, na ca paradhammāpasādanā.

6.3

just teaching what’s relevant in that context. The goal is spoken of, but the self is not involved.

Āyataneva dhammadesanā, attho ca vutto, attā ca anupanīto.

6.4

You, sir, teach Dhamma for giving up greed, hate, and delusion.

Tumhe, bhante ānanda, rāgassa pahānāya dhammaṁ desetha, dosassa …pe… mohassa pahanāya dhammaṁ desetha.

6.5

Your teaching is well explained.

Tumhākaṁ, bhante ānanda, dhammo svākkhāto.

6.6

You, sir, practice for giving up greed, hate, and delusion.

Tumhe, bhante ānanda, rāgassa pahānāya paṭipannā, dosassa …pe… mohassa pahānāya paṭipannā.

6.7

You in the world are practicing well.

Tumhe, bhante, loke suppaṭipannā.

6.8

You’ve given up greed, hate, and delusion.

Tumhākaṁ, bhante ānanda, rāgo pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo, tumhākaṁ doso pahīno …pe… tumhākaṁ moho pahīno ucchinnamūlo tālāvatthukato anabhāvaṅkato āyatiṁ anuppādadhammo.

6.9

You in the world have done well.

Tumhe loke sukatā.

7.1

Excellent, sir! Excellent!

Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante.

7.2

As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, Venerable Ānanda has made the teaching clear in many ways.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ ayyena ānandena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.

7.3

I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the bhikkhu Saṅgha.

Esāhaṁ, bhante ānanda, taṁ bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.

7.4

From this day forth, may Venerable Ānanda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Upāsakaṁ maṁ ayyo ānando dhāretu, ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

7.5

Dutiyaṁ.