AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta > AN 5.73 One Who Lives by the Teaching (1st)

Numbered Discourses 5.73 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.73

8. Warriors – 8. Yodhājīvavagga

AN 5.73 One Who Lives by the Teaching (1st) – Paṭhamadhammavihārīsutta

1.1

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

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

1.2

“Sir, they speak of ‘one who lives by the teaching’.

“‘dhammavihārī, dhammavihārī’ti, bhante, vuccati.

1.3

How is one who lives by the teaching defined?”

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu dhammavihārī hotī”ti?

2.1

“Bhikkhu, take a bhikkhu who memorizes the teaching—

“Idha, bhikkhu, bhikkhu dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇāti—

2.2

statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications.

suttaṁ, geyyaṁ, veyyākaraṇaṁ, gāthaṁ, udānaṁ, itivuttakaṁ, jātakaṁ, abbhutadhammaṁ, vedallaṁ.

2.3

They spend their days studying that teaching. But they neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.

So tāya dhammapariyattiyā divasaṁ atināmeti, riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ.

2.4

That bhikkhu is called one who studies a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu: ‘bhikkhu pariyattibahulo, no dhammavihārī’.

3.1

Furthermore, a bhikkhu teaches Dhamma in detail to others as they learned and memorized it.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, bhikkhu yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ vitthārena paresaṁ deseti.

3.2

They spend their days advocating that teaching. But they neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.

So tāya dhammapaññattiyā divasaṁ atināmeti, riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ.

3.3

That bhikkhu is called one who advocates a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu: ‘bhikkhu paññattibahulo, no dhammavihārī’.

4.1

Furthermore, a bhikkhu recites the teaching in detail as they learned and memorized it.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, bhikkhu yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ vitthārena sajjhāyaṁ karoti.

4.2

They spend their days reciting that teaching. But they neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.

So tena sajjhāyena divasaṁ atināmeti, riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ.

4.3

That bhikkhu is called one who recites a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu: ‘bhikkhu sajjhāyabahulo, no dhammavihārī’.

5.1

Furthermore, a bhikkhu thinks about and considers the teaching in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized it.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhu, bhikkhu yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ cetasā anuvitakketi anuvicāreti manasānupekkhati.

5.2

They spend their days thinking about that teaching. But they neglect retreat, and are not committed to internal serenity of heart.

So tehi dhammavitakkehi divasaṁ atināmeti, riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, nānuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ.

5.3

That bhikkhu is called one who thinks a lot, not one who lives by the teaching.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu: ‘bhikkhu vitakkabahulo, no dhammavihārī’.

6.1

Take a bhikkhu who memorizes the teaching—

Idha, bhikkhu, bhikkhu dhammaṁ pariyāpuṇāti—

6.2

statements, songs, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and classifications.

suttaṁ, geyyaṁ, veyyākaraṇaṁ, gāthaṁ, udānaṁ, itivuttakaṁ, jātakaṁ, abbhutadhammaṁ, vedallaṁ.

6.3

They don’t spend their days studying that teaching. They don’t neglect retreat, and they’re committed to internal serenity of heart.

So tāya dhammapariyattiyā na divasaṁ atināmeti, nāpi riñcati paṭisallānaṁ, anuyuñjati ajjhattaṁ cetosamathaṁ.

6.4

That’s how a bhikkhu is one who lives by the teaching.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhu, bhikkhu dhammavihārī hoti.

7.1

So, bhikkhu, I’ve taught you the one who studies a lot, the one who advocates a lot, the one who recites a lot, the one who thinks a lot, and the one who lives by the teaching.

Iti kho, bhikkhu, desito mayā pariyattibahulo, desito paññattibahulo, desito sajjhāyabahulo, desito vitakkabahulo, desito dhammavihārī.

7.2

Out of compassion, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples.

Yaṁ kho, bhikkhu, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya, kataṁ vo taṁ mayā.

7.3

Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, bhikkhu! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”

Etāni, bhikkhu, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyatha, bhikkhu, mā pamādattha, mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī”ti.

7.4

Tatiyaṁ.