AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.101 A Panner

Numbered Discourses 3.101 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.101

10. A Lump of Salt – 10. Loṇakapallavagga

AN 3.101 A Panner – Paṁsudhovakasutta

1.1

“Gold has coarse corruptions: sand, soil, and gravel.

“Santi, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa oḷārikā upakkilesā paṁsuvālukā sakkharakaṭhalā.

1.2

A panner or their apprentice pours it into a pan, where they wash, rinse, and clean it.

Tamenaṁ paṁsudhovako vā paṁsudhovakantevāsī vā doṇiyaṁ ākiritvā dhovati sandhovati niddhovati.

1.3

When that’s been eliminated, there are medium corruptions in the gold: fine grit and coarse sand.

Tasmiṁ pahīne tasmiṁ byantīkate santi jātarūpassa majjhimasahagatā upakkilesā sukhumasakkharā thūlavālukā.

1.4

The panner washes it again.

Tamenaṁ paṁsudhovako vā paṁsudhovakantevāsī vā dhovati sandhovati niddhovati.

1.5

When that’s been eliminated, there are fine corruptions in the gold: fine sand and black grime.

Tasmiṁ pahīne tasmiṁ byantīkate santi jātarūpassa sukhumasahagatā upakkilesā sukhumavālukā kāḷajallikā.

1.6

The panner washes it again.

Tamenaṁ paṁsudhovako vā paṁsudhovakantevāsī vā dhovati sandhovati niddhovati.

1.7

When that’s been eliminated, only gold dust is left.

Tasmiṁ pahīne tasmiṁ byantīkate athāparaṁ suvaṇṇasikatāvasissanti.

1.8

A goldsmith or their apprentice places the gold in a crucible where they blow, melt, and smelt it.

Tamenaṁ suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā jātarūpaṁ mūsāyaṁ pakkhipitvā dhamati sandhamati niddhamati.

1.9

Still the gold is not settled and the dross is not totally gone. It’s not pliable, workable, or radiant, but is brittle and not completely ready for working.

Taṁ hoti jātarūpaṁ dhantaṁ sandhantaṁ niddhantaṁ aniddhantakasāvaṁ, na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya.

1.10

But the goldsmith keeps on blowing, melting, and smelting it.

Hoti so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ suvaṇṇakāro vā suvaṇṇakārantevāsī vā taṁ jātarūpaṁ dhamati sandhamati niddhamati.

1.11

The gold becomes pliable, workable, and radiant, not brittle, and ready to be worked.

Taṁ hoti jātarūpaṁ dhantaṁ sandhantaṁ niddhantaṁ niddhantakasāvaṁ, mudu ca hoti kammaniyañca pabhassarañca, na ca pabhaṅgu, sammā upeti kammāya.

1.12

Then the goldsmith can successfully create any kind of ornament they want, whether a bracelet, earrings, a necklace, or a golden garland.

Yassā yassā ca pilandhanavikatiyā ākaṅkhati—yadi paṭṭikāya, yadi kuṇḍalāya, yadi gīveyyake, yadi suvaṇṇamālāya—tañcassa atthaṁ anubhoti.

2.1

In the same way, a bhikkhu who is committed to the higher mind has coarse corruptions: bad bodily, verbal, and mental conduct. A sincere, capable bhikkhu gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, santi adhicittamanuyuttassa bhikkhuno oḷārikā upakkilesā kāyaduccaritaṁ vacīduccaritaṁ manoduccaritaṁ, tamenaṁ sacetaso bhikkhu dabbajātiko pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

2.2

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, there are middling corruptions: sensual, malicious, or cruel thoughts. A sincere, capable bhikkhu gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

Tasmiṁ pahīne tasmiṁ byantīkate santi adhicittamanuyuttassa bhikkhuno majjhimasahagatā upakkilesā kāmavitakko byāpādavitakko vihiṁsāvitakko, tamenaṁ sacetaso bhikkhu dabbajātiko pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

2.3

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, there are fine corruptions: thoughts of family, country, and being looked up to. A sincere, capable bhikkhu gives these up, gets rid of, eliminates, and obliterates them.

Tasmiṁ pahīne tasmiṁ byantīkate santi adhicittamanuyuttassa bhikkhuno sukhumasahagatā upakkilesā ñātivitakko janapadavitakko anavaññattipaṭisaṁyutto vitakko, tamenaṁ sacetaso bhikkhu dabbajātiko pajahati vinodeti byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

2.4

When they’ve been given up and eliminated, only thoughts about the teaching are left.

Tasmiṁ pahīne tasmiṁ byantīkate athāparaṁ dhammavitakkāvasissanti.

2.5

That samādhi is not peaceful or sublime or tranquil or unified, but is held in place by forceful suppression.

So hoti samādhi na ceva santo na ca paṇīto nappaṭippassaddhaladdho na ekodibhāvādhigato sasaṅkhāraniggayhavāritagato.

2.6

But there comes a time when that mind is stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi.

Hoti so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ taṁ cittaṁ ajjhattaṁyeva santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.

2.7

That samādhi is peaceful and sublime and tranquil and unified, not held in place by forceful suppression.

So hoti samādhi santo paṇīto paṭippassaddhiladdho ekodibhāvādhigato na sasaṅkhāraniggayhavāritagato.

2.8

They become capable of realizing anything that can be realized by insight to which they extend the mind, in each and every case.

Yassa yassa ca abhiññā sacchikaraṇīyassa dhammassa cittaṁ abhininnāmeti abhiññā sacchikiriyāya tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane.

3.1

If they wish: ‘May I wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying myself and becoming one again; appearing and disappearing; going unimpeded through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with my hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling my body as far as the Brahmā realm.’

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhaveyyaṁ—ekopi hutvā bahudhā assaṁ, bahudhāpi hutvā eko assaṁ; āvibhāvaṁ, tirobhāvaṁ; tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamāno gaccheyyaṁ, seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ kareyyaṁ, seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gaccheyyaṁ, seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kameyyaṁ, seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parimaseyyaṁ parimajjeyyaṁ; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteyyan’ti,

3.2

They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane.

4.1

If they wish: ‘With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, may I hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.’

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘dibbāya sotadhātuyā visuddhāya atikkantamānusikāya ubho sadde suṇeyyaṁ dibbe ca mānuse ca ye dūre santike cā’ti,

4.2

They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane.

5.1

If they wish: ‘May I understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with my mind.

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘parasattānaṁ parapuggalānaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajāneyyaṁ—

5.2

May I understand mind with greed as “mind with greed”,

sarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ sarāgaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,

5.3

and mind without greed as “mind without greed”;

vītarāgaṁ vā cittaṁ vītarāgaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;

5.4

mind with hate as “mind with hate”,

sadosaṁ vā cittaṁ sadosaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,

5.5

and mind without hate as “mind without hate”;

vītadosaṁ vā cittaṁ vītadosaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;

5.6

mind with delusion as “mind with delusion”,

samohaṁ vā cittaṁ samohaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,

5.7

and mind without delusion as “mind without delusion”;

vītamohaṁ vā cittaṁ vītamohaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;

5.8

constricted mind as “constricted mind”,

saṅkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ saṅkhittaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,

5.9

and scattered mind as “scattered mind”;

vikkhittaṁ vā cittaṁ vikkhittaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;

5.10

expansive mind as “expansive mind”,

mahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ mahaggataṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,

5.11

and unexpansive mind as “unexpansive mind”;

amahaggataṁ vā cittaṁ amahaggataṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;

5.12

mind that is not supreme as “mind that is not supreme”,

sauttaraṁ vā cittaṁ sauttaraṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,

5.13

and mind that is supreme as “mind that is supreme”;

anuttaraṁ vā cittaṁ anuttaraṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;

5.14

mind immersed in samādhi as “mind immersed in samādhi”,

samāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ samāhitaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,

5.15

and mind not immersed in samādhi as “mind not immersed in samādhi”;

asamāhitaṁ vā cittaṁ asamāhitaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ;

5.16

freed mind as “freed mind”,

vimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ cittanti pajāneyyaṁ,

5.17

and unfreed mind as “unfreed mind”.’

avimuttaṁ vā cittaṁ avimuttaṁ cittanti pajāneyyan’ti,

5.18

They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane.

6.1

If they wish: ‘May I recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. May I remember: “There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.” May I recollect my many past lives, with features and details.’

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussareyyaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe: “amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno”ti, iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussareyyan’ti,

6.2

They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane.

7.1

If they wish: ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place—and understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds: “These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They spoke ill of the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they acted out of that wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never spoke ill of the noble ones; they had right view; and they acted out of that right view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.” And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, may I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. And may I understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.’

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passeyyaṁ cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajāneyyaṁ: “ime vata bhonto sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā vacīduccaritena samannāgatā manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannā; ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā vacīsucaritena samannāgatā manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā, te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapannā”ti, iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passeyyaṁ cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajāneyyan’ti,

7.2

They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane.

8.1

If they wish: ‘May I 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.’

So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyan’ti,

8.2

They are capable of realizing it, in each and every case.”

tatra tatreva sakkhibhabbataṁ pāpuṇāti sati satiāyatane”ti.

8.3

Dasamaṁ.