AN 7 The Book of the Sevens – Sattakanipāta > AN 7.43 Graduation (2nd)

Numbered Discourses 7.43 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.43

4. Deities – 4. Devatāvagga

AN 7.43 Graduation (2nd) – Dutiyaniddasasutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

1.3

Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kosambi for alms.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya kosambiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

1.4

Then it occurred to him,

Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi:

1.5

“It’s too early to wander for alms in Kosambi.

“atippago kho tāva kosambiyaṁ piṇḍāya carituṁ.

1.6

Why don’t I go to the monastery of the wanderers who follow other paths?”

Yannūnāhaṁ yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkameyyan”ti.

1.7

Then he went to the monastery of the wanderers who follow other paths, and exchanged greetings with the wanderers there.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā tehi aññatitthiyehi paribbājakehi saddhiṁ sammodi.

1.8

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

2.1

Now at that time while those wanderers who follow other paths were sitting together this discussion came up among them,

Tena kho pana samayena tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

2.2

“Reverends, anyone who lives the full and pure spiritual life for twelve years is qualified to be called a ‘graduate bhikkhu’.”

“yo hi koci, āvuso, dvādasavassāni paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati, ‘niddaso bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti.

3.1

Ānanda neither approved nor dismissed that statement of the wanderers who follow other paths.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ bhāsitaṁ neva abhinandi nappaṭikkosi.

3.2

He got up from his seat, thinking,

Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi:

3.3

“I will learn the meaning of this statement from the Buddha himself.”

“bhagavato santike etassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmī”ti.

3.4

Then Ānanda wandered for alms in Kosambi. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened, adding:

Atha kho āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

4.1

“Idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya kosambiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ.

4.2

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, etadahosi:

4.3

‘atippago kho tāva kosambiyaṁ piṇḍāya carituṁ.

4.4

Yannūnāhaṁ yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkameyyan’ti …pe…

4.5

tehi saddhiṁ sammodiṁ.

4.6

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁ.

5.1

Tena kho pana, bhante, samayena tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:

5.2

‘yo hi koci, āvuso, dvādasavassāni paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati, niddaso bhikkhūti alaṁvacanāyā’ti.

5.3

Atha khvāhaṁ, bhante, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ bhāsitaṁ neva abhinandiṁ nappaṭikkosiṁ.

5.4

Anabhinanditvā, appaṭikkositvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁ:

5.5

‘bhagavato santike etassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmī’ti.

5.6

“Sir, in this teaching and training can we describe a bhikkhu as a ‘graduate’ solely because they have completed a certain number of years?”

Sakkā nu kho, bhante, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye kevalaṁ vassagaṇanamattena niddaso bhikkhu paññāpetun”ti?

6.1

“No, Ānanda, we cannot.

“Na kho, ānanda, sakkā imasmiṁ dhammavinaye kevalaṁ vassagaṇanamattena niddaso bhikkhu paññāpetuṁ.

6.2

These are the seven qualifications for graduation that I make known after realizing them with my own insight.

Satta kho imāni, ānanda, niddasavatthūni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni.

7.1

What seven?

Katamāni satta?

7.2

It’s when someone is faithful, conscientious, prudent, learned, energetic, mindful, and wise.

Idhānanda, bhikkhu, saddho hoti, hirīmā hoti, ottappī hoti, bahussuto hoti, āraddhavīriyo hoti, satimā hoti, paññavā hoti.

7.3

These are the seven qualifications for graduation that I make known after realizing them with my own insight.

Imāni kho, ānanda, satta niddasavatthūni mayā sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā paveditāni.

7.4

A bhikkhu who has these seven qualifications for graduation is qualified to be called a ‘graduate bhikkhu’. This is so whether they have lived the full and pure spiritual life for twelve years,

Imehi kho, ānanda, sattahi niddasavatthūhi samannāgato bhikkhu dvādasa cepi vassāni paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati, ‘niddaso bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya;

7.5

twenty-four years,

catubbīsati cepi vassāni paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati, ‘niddaso bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya;

7.6

thirty-six years, or forty-eight years.”

chattiṁsati cepi vassāni paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati, ‘niddaso bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāya, aṭṭhacattārīsañcepi vassāni paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati, ‘niddaso bhikkhū’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti.

7.7

Dvādasamaṁ.

7.8

Devatāvaggo catuttho.

8.0

Tassuddānaṁ

8.1

Appamādo hirī ceva,

8.2

dve suvacā duve mittā;

8.3

Dve paṭisambhidā dve vasā,

8.4

duve niddasavatthunāti.