AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.73 With Mahānāma the Sakyan

Numbered Discourses 3.73 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.73

8. Ānanda – 8. Ānandavagga

AN 3.73 With Mahānāma the Sakyan – Mahānāmasakkasutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

1.3

Now at that time the Buddha had recently recovered from an illness.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā gilānā vuṭṭhito hoti aciravuṭṭhito gelaññā.

1.4

Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

1.5

“For a long time, sir, I have understood your teaching like this:

“dīgharattāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā evaṁ dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi:

1.6

‘Knowledge is for those with samādhi, not those without samādhi.’

‘samāhitassa ñāṇaṁ, no asamāhitassā’ti.

1.7

But, sir, does samādhi come first, then knowledge?

Samādhi nu kho, bhante, pubbe, pacchā ñāṇaṁ;

1.8

Or does knowledge come first, then samādhi?”

udāhu ñāṇaṁ pubbe, pacchā samādhī”ti?

1.9

Then Venerable Ānanda thought,

Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi:

1.10

“The Buddha has recently recovered from an illness,

“bhagavā kho gilānavuṭṭhito aciravuṭṭhito gelaññā.

1.11

and this Mahānāma asks him a question that’s too deep.

Ayañca mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ atigambhīraṁ pañhaṁ pucchati.

1.12

Why don’t I take him off to one side and teach him the Dhamma?”

Yannūnāhaṁ mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ ekamantaṁ apanetvā dhammaṁ deseyyan”ti.

2.1

Then Ānanda took Mahānāma by the arm, led him off to one side, and said to him,

Atha kho āyasmā ānando mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ apanetvā mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:

2.2

“Mahānāma, the Buddha has spoken of the ethics, samādhi, and wisdom of a trainee; and the ethics, samādhi, and wisdom of an adept.

“sekhampi kho, mahānāma, sīlaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā, asekhampi sīlaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā; sekhopi samādhi vutto bhagavatā, asekhopi samādhi vutto bhagavatā; sekhāpi paññā vuttā bhagavatā, asekhāpi paññā vuttā bhagavatā.

2.3

What is the ethics of a trainee?

Katamañca, mahānāma, sekhaṁ sīlaṁ?

2.4

It’s when a bhikkhu is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and seeking alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

Idha, mahānāma, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

2.5

This is called the ethics of a trainee.

Idaṁ vuccati, mahānāma, sekhaṁ sīlaṁ.

3.1

And what is the samādhi of a trainee?

Katamo ca, mahānāma, sekho samādhi?

3.2

It’s when a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption.

Idha, mahānāma, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

3.3

This is called the samādhi of a trainee.

Ayaṁ vuccati, mahānāma, sekho samādhi.

4.1

And what is the wisdom of a trainee?

Katamā ca, mahānāma, sekhā paññā?

4.2

They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.

Idha, mahānāma, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

4.3

This is called the wisdom of a trainee.

Ayaṁ vuccati, mahānāma, sekhā paññā.

5.1

Then a noble disciple—accomplished in ethics, samādhi, and wisdom—realizes 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.

Sa kho so, mahānāma, ariyasāvako evaṁ sīlasampanno evaṁ samādhisampanno evaṁ paññāsampanno āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

5.2

In this way the Buddha has spoken of the ethics, samādhi, and wisdom of both a trainee and an adept.”

Evaṁ kho, mahānāma, sekhampi sīlaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā, asekhampi sīlaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā; sekhopi samādhi vutto bhagavatā, asekhopi samādhi vutto bhagavatā; sekhāpi paññā vuttā bhagavatā, asekhāpi paññā vuttā bhagavatā”ti.

5.3

Tatiyaṁ.