AN 5 The Book of the Fives – Pañcakanipāta > AN 5.77 Future Perils (1st)

Numbered Discourses 5.77 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.77

8. Warriors – 8. Yodhājīvavagga

AN 5.77 Future Perils (1st) – Paṭhamaanāgatabhayasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, seeing these five future perils is quite enough for a wilderness bhikkhu to meditate diligently, keenly, and resolutely for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, anāgatabhayāni sampassamānena alameva āraññikena bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

2.1

What five?

Katamāni pañca?

2.2

Firstly, a wilderness bhikkhu reflects:

Idha, bhikkhave, āraññiko bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:

2.3

‘Currently I’m living alone in a wilderness.

‘ahaṁ kho etarahi ekako araññe viharāmi.

2.4

While living here alone

Ekakaṁ kho pana maṁ araññe viharantaṁ

2.5

I might get bitten by a snake, a scorpion, or a centipede.

ahi vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, vicchiko vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya, satapadī vā maṁ ḍaṁseyya,

2.6

And if I died from that it would stop my practice.

tena me assa kālaṅkiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo;

2.7

I’d better rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’

handāhaṁ vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā’ti.

2.8

This is the first future peril …

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva āraññikena bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

3.1

Furthermore, a wilderness bhikkhu reflects:

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, āraññiko bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:

3.2

‘Currently I’m living alone in a wilderness.

‘ahaṁ kho etarahi ekako araññe viharāmi.

3.3

While living here alone

Ekako kho panāhaṁ araññe viharanto

3.4

I might stumble and fall, or get food poisoning, or my bile or phlegm or stabbing wind might get upset.

upakkhalitvā vā papateyyaṁ, bhattaṁ vā bhuttaṁ me byāpajjeyya, pittaṁ vā me kuppeyya, semhaṁ vā me kuppeyya, satthakā vā me vātā kuppeyyuṁ,

3.5

And if I died from that it would stop my practice.

tena me assa kālaṅkiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo;

3.6

I’d better rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’

handāhaṁ vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā’ti.

3.7

This is the second future peril …

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva āraññikena bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

4.1

Furthermore, a wilderness bhikkhu reflects:

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, āraññiko bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:

4.2

‘Currently I’m living alone in a wilderness.

‘ahaṁ kho etarahi ekako araññe viharāmi.

4.3

While living here alone

Ekako kho panāhaṁ araññe viharanto

4.4

I might encounter wild beasts—a lion, a tiger, a leopard, a bear, or a hyena—which might take my life.

vāḷehi samāgaccheyyaṁ, sīhena vā byagghena vā dīpinā vā acchena vā taracchena vā, te maṁ jīvitā voropeyyuṁ,

4.5

And if I died from that it would stop my practice.

tena me assa kālaṅkiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo;

4.6

I’d better rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’

handāhaṁ vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā’ti.

4.7

This is the third future peril …

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva āraññikena bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

5.1

Furthermore, a wilderness bhikkhu reflects:

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, āraññiko bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:

5.2

‘Currently I’m living alone in a wilderness.

‘ahaṁ kho etarahi ekako araññe viharāmi.

5.3

While living here alone

Ekako kho panāhaṁ araññe viharanto

5.4

I might encounter youths escaping a crime or on their way to commit one, and they might take my life.

māṇavehi samāgaccheyyaṁ katakammehi vā akatakammehi vā, te maṁ jīvitā voropeyyuṁ,

5.5

And if I died from that it would stop my practice.

tena me assa kālaṅkiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo;

5.6

I’d better rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’

handāhaṁ vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā’ti.

5.7

This is the fourth future peril …

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva āraññikena bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

6.1

Furthermore, a wilderness bhikkhu reflects:

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, āraññiko bhikkhu iti paṭisañcikkhati:

6.2

‘Currently I’m living alone in a wilderness.

‘ahaṁ kho etarahi ekako araññe viharāmi.

6.3

But in a wilderness there are savage monsters who might take my life.

Santi kho panāraññe vāḷā amanussā, te maṁ jīvitā voropeyyuṁ,

6.4

And if I died from that it would stop my practice.

tena me assa kālaṅkiriyā, so mamassa antarāyo;

6.5

I’d better rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.’

handāhaṁ vīriyaṁ ārabhāmi appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā’ti.

6.6

This is the fifth future peril …

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamaṁ anāgatabhayaṁ sampassamānena alameva āraññikena bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.

7.1

These are the five future perils, seeing which is quite enough for a wilderness bhikkhu to meditate diligently, keenly, and resolutely for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized.”

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca anāgatabhayāni sampassamānena alameva āraññikena bhikkhunā appamattena ātāpinā pahitattena viharituṁ appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāyā”ti.

7.2

Sattamaṁ.