AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.122 The Danger of Waves

Numbered Discourses 4.122 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.122

13. Fears – 13. Bhayavagga

AN 4.122 The Danger of Waves – Ūmibhayasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, anyone who enters the water should anticipate four dangers.

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, bhayāni udakorohantassa pāṭikaṅkhitabbāni.

1.2

What four?

Katamāni cattāri?

1.3

The dangers of waves, marsh crocodiles, whirlpools, and gharials.

Ūmibhayaṁ, kumbhīlabhayaṁ, āvaṭṭabhayaṁ, susukābhayaṁ—

1.4

These are the four dangers that anyone who enters the water should anticipate.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri bhayāni udakorohantassa pāṭikaṅkhitabbāni.

1.5

In the same way, a gentleman who goes forth from the lay life to homelessness in this teaching and training should anticipate four dangers.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāri bhayāni idhekaccassa kulaputtassa imasmiṁ dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa pāṭikaṅkhitabbāni.

1.6

What four?

Katamāni cattāri?

1.7

The dangers of waves, marsh crocodiles, whirlpools, and gharials.

Ūmibhayaṁ, kumbhīlabhayaṁ, āvaṭṭabhayaṁ, susukābhayaṁ.

2.1

And what, bhikkhū, is the danger of waves?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, ūmibhayaṁ?

2.2

It’s when a gentleman has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness, thinking:

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti:

2.3

‘I’m swamped by rebirth, old age, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I’m swamped by suffering, mired in suffering.

‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto;

2.4

Hopefully I can find an end to this entire mass of suffering.’

appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti.

2.5

When they’ve gone forth, their spiritual companions advise and instruct them:

Tamenaṁ tathā pabbajitaṁ samānaṁ sabrahmacārino ovadanti anusāsanti:

2.6

‘You should go out like this, and come back like that. You should look to the front like this, and to the side like that. You should contract your limbs like this, and extend them like that. This is how you should bear your outer robe, bowl, and robes.’

‘evaṁ te abhikkamitabbaṁ, evaṁ te paṭikkamitabbaṁ, evaṁ te āloketabbaṁ, evaṁ te viloketabbaṁ, evaṁ te samiñjitabbaṁ, evaṁ te pasāritabbaṁ, evaṁ te saṅghāṭipattacīvaraṁ dhāretabban’ti.

2.7

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

2.8

‘Formerly, as a lay person, I advised and instructed others.

‘mayaṁ kho pubbe agāriyabhūtā samānā aññe ovadāmapi anusāsāmapi.

2.9

And now these bhikkhū—who you’d think were my children or grandchildren—imagine they can advise and instruct me!’

Ime panamhākaṁ puttamattā maññe nattamattā maññe ovaditabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññantī’ti.

2.10

Angry and upset, they resign the training and return to a lesser life.

So kupito anattamano sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.

2.11

This is called a bhikkhu who resigns the training and returns to a lesser life because they’re afraid of the danger of waves.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ūmibhayassa bhīto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvatto.

2.12

‘Danger of waves’ is a term for anger and distress.

Ūmibhayanti kho, bhikkhave, kodhūpāyāsassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

2.13

This is called the danger of waves.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ūmibhayaṁ.

3.1

And what, bhikkhū, is the danger of marsh crocodiles?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kumbhīlabhayaṁ?

3.2

It’s when a gentleman has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness …

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti:

3.3

‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto;

3.4

appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti.

3.5

When they’ve gone forth, their spiritual companions advise and instruct them:

Tamenaṁ tathā pabbajitaṁ samānaṁ sabrahmacārino ovadanti anusāsanti:

3.6

‘You may eat, consume, taste, and drink these things, but not those. You may eat what’s allowable, but not what’s unallowable. You may eat at the right time, but not at the wrong time.’

‘idaṁ te khāditabbaṁ, idaṁ te na khāditabbaṁ, idaṁ te bhuñjitabbaṁ, idaṁ te na bhuñjitabbaṁ, idaṁ te sāyitabbaṁ, idaṁ te na sāyitabbaṁ, idaṁ te pātabbaṁ, idaṁ te na pātabbaṁ, kappiyaṁ te khāditabbaṁ, akappiyaṁ te na khāditabbaṁ, kappiyaṁ te bhuñjitabbaṁ, akappiyaṁ te na bhuñjitabbaṁ, kappiyaṁ te sāyitabbaṁ, akappiyaṁ te na sāyitabbaṁ, kappiyaṁ te pātabbaṁ, akappiyaṁ te na pātabbaṁ, kāle te khāditabbaṁ, vikāle te na khāditabbaṁ, kāle te bhuñjitabbaṁ, vikāle te na bhuñjitabbaṁ, kāle te sāyitabbaṁ, vikāle te na sāyitabbaṁ, kāle te pātabbaṁ, vikāle te na pātabban’ti.

3.7

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

3.8

‘Formerly, as a lay person, I used to eat, consume, taste, and drink what I wanted, not what I didn’t want.

‘mayaṁ kho pubbe agāriyabhūtā samānā yaṁ icchāma taṁ khādāma, yaṁ na icchāma na taṁ khādāma;

3.9

yaṁ icchāma taṁ bhuñjāma, yaṁ na icchāma na taṁ bhuñjāma;

3.10

yaṁ icchāma taṁ sāyāma, yaṁ na icchāma na taṁ sāyāma;

3.11

yaṁ icchāma taṁ pivāma, yaṁ na icchāma na taṁ pivāma;

3.12

I ate and drank both allowable and unallowable things, at the right time and the wrong time.

kappiyampi khādāma akappiyampi khādāma kappiyampi bhuñjāma akappiyampi bhuñjāma kappiyampi sāyāma akappiyampi sāyāma kappiyampi pivāma akappiyampi pivāma, kālepi khādāma vikālepi khādāma kālepi bhuñjāma vikālepi bhuñjāma kālepi sāyāma vikālepi sāyāma kālepi pivāma vikālepi pivāma;

3.13

And these faithful householders give us a variety of delicious foods at the wrong time of day. But these bhikkhū imagine they can gag our mouths!’

yampi no saddhā gahapatikā divā vikāle paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā denti, tatrapime mukhāvaraṇaṁ maññe karontī’ti.

3.14

Angry and upset, they resign the training and return to a lesser life.

So kupito anattamano sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.

3.15

This is called a bhikkhu who resigns the training and returns to a lesser life because they’re afraid of the danger of marsh crocodiles.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kumbhīlabhayassa bhīto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvatto.

3.16

‘Danger of marsh crocodiles’ is a term for gluttony.

Kumbhīlabhayanti kho, bhikkhave, odarikattassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

3.17

This is called the danger of marsh crocodiles.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kumbhīlabhayaṁ.

4.1

And what, bhikkhū, is the danger of whirlpools?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, āvaṭṭabhayaṁ?

4.2

It’s when a gentleman has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness …

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti:

4.3

‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi, dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto;

4.4

appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti.

4.5

When they’ve gone forth, they robe up in the morning and, taking their bowl and robe, enter a village or town for alms without guarding body, speech, and mind, without establishing mindfulness, and without restraining the sense faculties.

So evaṁ pabbajito samāno pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisati arakkhiteneva kāyena arakkhitāya vācāya arakkhitena cittena anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā asaṁvutehi indriyehi.

4.6

There they see a householder or their child amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.

So tattha passati gahapatiṁ vā gahapatiputtaṁ vā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitaṁ samaṅgībhūtaṁ paricārayamānaṁ.

4.7

They think:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

4.8

‘Formerly, as a lay person, I amused myself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.

‘mayaṁ kho pubbe agāriyabhūtā samānā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitā samaṅgībhūtā paricārimhā;

4.9

And it’s true that my family is wealthy.

saṁvijjanti kho pana me kule bhogā.

4.10

I can both enjoy my wealth and make merit.

Sakkā bhoge ca bhuñjituṁ puññāni ca kātuṁ.

4.11

Why don’t I resign the training and return to a lesser life, so I can enjoy my wealth and make merit?’

Yannūnāhaṁ sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjeyyaṁ puññāni ca kareyyan’ti.

4.12

They resign the training and return to a lesser life.

So sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.

4.13

This is called a bhikkhu who resigns the training and returns to a lesser life because they’re afraid of the danger of whirlpools.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āvaṭṭabhayassa bhīto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvatto.

4.14

‘Danger of whirlpools’ is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation.

Āvaṭṭabhayanti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

4.15

This is called the danger of whirlpools.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, āvaṭṭabhayaṁ.

5.1

And what, bhikkhū, is the danger of gharials?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, susukābhayaṁ?

5.2

It’s when a gentleman has gone forth from the lay life to homelessness …

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti:

5.3

‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto;

5.4

appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti.

5.5

5.6

There they see a female scantily clad, with revealing clothes.

So tattha passati mātugāmaṁ dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā.

5.7

Lust infects their mind,

Tassa mātugāmaṁ disvā dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti.

5.8

so they resign the training and return to a lesser life.

So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati.

5.9

This is called a bhikkhu who resigns the training and returns to a lesser life because they’re afraid of the danger of gharials.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu susukābhayassa bhīto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvatto.

5.10

‘Danger of gharials’ is a term for females.

Susukābhayanti kho, bhikkhave, mātugāmassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

5.11

This is called the danger of gharials.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, susukābhayaṁ.

5.12

These are the four dangers that a gentleman who goes forth from the lay life to homelessness in this teaching and training should anticipate.”

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri bhayāni idhekaccassa kulaputtassa imasmiṁ dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa pāṭikaṅkhitabbānī”ti.

5.13

Dutiyaṁ.