AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.245 The Benefits of Training

Numbered Discourses 4.245 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.245

25. Perils of Offenses – 25. Āpattibhayavagga

AN 4.245 The Benefits of Training – Sikkhānisaṁsasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, this spiritual life is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its overseer, with freedom as its core, and with mindfulness as its ruler.

“Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyaṁ.

1.2

And how is training its benefit?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti?

1.3

Firstly, I laid down for my disciples the training that deals with supplementary regulations in order to inspire confidence in those without it and to increase confidence in those who have it.

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya.

1.4

They undertake whatever supplementary regulations I have laid down, keeping them unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

2.1

Furthermore, I laid down for my disciples the training that deals with the fundamentals of the spiritual life in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

2.2

They undertake whatever training that deals with the fundamentals of the spiritual life I have laid down, keeping it unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

2.3

That’s how training is its benefit.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti.

3.1

And how is wisdom its overseer?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti?

3.2

I taught the Dhamma to my disciples in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

3.3

They examine with wisdom any teachings I taught them.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā paññāya samavekkhitā honti.

3.4

That’s how wisdom is its overseer.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti.

4.1

And how is freedom its core?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti?

4.2

I taught the Dhamma to my disciples in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

4.3

They experience through freedom any teachings I taught them.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā vimuttiyā phusitā honti.

4.4

That’s how freedom is its core.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti.

5.1

And how is mindfulness its ruler?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti?

5.2

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll fulfill the training dealing with supplementary regulations, or support with wisdom in every situation the training dealing with supplementary regulations I’ve already fulfilled.’

‘Iti aparipūraṁ vā ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti—ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

5.3

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll fulfill the training dealing with the fundamentals of the spiritual life, or support with wisdom in every situation the training dealing with the fundamentals of the spiritual life I’ve already fulfilled.’

‘Iti aparipūraṁ vā ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti—ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

5.4

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll examine with wisdom the teaching that I haven’t yet examined, or support with wisdom in every situation the teaching I’ve already examined.’

‘Iti asamavekkhitaṁ vā dhammaṁ paññāya samavekkhissāmi, samavekkhitaṁ vā dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti—ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

5.5

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll experience through freedom the teaching that I haven’t yet experienced, or support with wisdom in every situation the teaching I’ve already experienced.’

‘Iti aphusitaṁ vā dhammaṁ vimuttiyā phusissāmi, phusitaṁ vā dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti—ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

5.6

That’s how mindfulness is its ruler.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti.

5.7

‘This spiritual life is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its overseer, with freedom as its core, and with mindfulness as its ruler.’

‘Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyan’ti,

5.8

That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.

5.9

Tatiyaṁ.