AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.163 Ugly

Numbered Discourses 4.163 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.163

17. Practice – 17. Paṭipadāvagga

AN 4.163 Ugly – Asubhasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, there are four ways of practice.

“Catasso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.

1.2

What four?

Katamā catasso?

1.3

Painful practice with slow insight,

Dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,

1.4

painful practice with swift insight,

dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā,

1.5

pleasant practice with slow insight, and

sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā,

1.6

pleasant practice with swift insight.

sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.

2.1

And what’s the painful practice with slow insight?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā?

2.2

It’s when a bhikkhu meditates observing the ugliness of the body, perceives the repulsiveness of food, perceives dissatisfaction with the whole world, observes the anicca of all conditions,

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asubhānupassī kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke anabhiratisaññī, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī;

2.3

and has well established the perception of their own death.

maraṇasaññā kho panassa ajjhattaṁ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

2.4

They rely on these five powers of a trainee:

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati—

2.5

faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom.

saddhābalaṁ, hiribalaṁ, ottappabalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, paññābalaṁ.

2.6

But these five faculties manifest in them weakly:

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti—

2.7

faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom.

saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

2.8

Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

2.9

This is called the painful practice with slow insight.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā.

3.1

And what’s the painful practice with swift insight?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā?

3.2

It’s when a bhikkhu meditates observing the ugliness of the body, perceives the repulsiveness of food, perceives dissatisfaction with the whole world, observes the anicca of all conditions,

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asubhānupassī kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke anabhiratisaññī, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī;

3.3

and has well established the perception of their own death.

maraṇasaññā kho panassa ajjhattaṁ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

3.4

They rely on these five powers of a trainee:

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati—

3.5

faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom.

saddhābalaṁ …pe… paññābalaṁ.

3.6

And these five faculties manifest in them strongly:

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti—

3.7

faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom.

saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ.

3.8

Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

3.9

This is called the painful practice with swift insight.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.

4.1

And what’s the pleasant practice with slow insight?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā?

4.2

It’s when a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.

Idha bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati;

4.3

As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, they enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of samādhi, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without placing the mind and keeping it connected.

vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati;

4.4

And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third absorption, where they meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’

pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati;

4.5

Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

4.6

They rely on these five powers of a trainee:

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati—

4.7

faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom.

saddhābalaṁ …pe… paññābalaṁ.

4.8

But these five faculties manifest in them weakly:

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni mudūni pātubhavanti—

4.9

faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom.

saddhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ.

4.10

Because of this, they only slowly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ muduttā dandhaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

4.11

This is called the pleasant practice with slow insight.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā dandhābhiññā.

5.1

And what’s the pleasant practice with swift insight?

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā?

5.2

It’s when a bhikkhu … enters and remains in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption …

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

5.3

They rely on these five powers of a trainee:

So imāni pañca sekhabalāni upanissāya viharati—

5.4

faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom.

saddhābalaṁ, hiribalaṁ, ottappabalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, paññābalaṁ.

5.5

And these five faculties manifest in them strongly:

Tassimāni pañcindriyāni adhimattāni pātubhavanti—

5.6

faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom.

saddhindriyaṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ, satindriyaṁ, samādhindriyaṁ, paññindriyaṁ.

5.7

Because of this, they swiftly attain the conditions for ending the defilements in the present life.

So imesaṁ pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ adhimattattā khippaṁ ānantariyaṁ pāpuṇāti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

5.8

This is called the pleasant practice with swift insight.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sukhā paṭipadā khippābhiññā.

5.9

These are the four ways of practice.”

Imā kho, bhikkhave, catasso paṭipadā”ti.

5.10

Tatiyaṁ.