AN 9 The Book of the Nines – Navakanipāta > AN 9.5 Powers

Numbered Discourses 9.5 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.5

1. Awakening – 1. Sambodhivagga

AN 9.5 Powers – Balasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, there are these four powers.

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, balāni.

1.2

What four?

Katamāni cattāri?

1.3

The powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness.

Paññābalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, anavajjabalaṁ, saṅgāhabalaṁ.

1.4

And what is the power of wisdom?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, paññābalaṁ?

1.5

One has clearly seen and clearly contemplated with wisdom those qualities that are skillful and considered to be skillful; those that are unskillful … blameworthy … blameless … dark … bright … to be cultivated … not to be cultivated … not worthy of the noble ones … worthy of the noble ones and considered to be worthy of the noble ones.

Ye dhammā kusalā kusalasaṅkhātā ye dhammā akusalā akusalasaṅkhātā ye dhammā sāvajjā sāvajjasaṅkhātā ye dhammā anavajjā anavajjasaṅkhātā ye dhammā kaṇhā kaṇhasaṅkhātā ye dhammā sukkā sukkasaṅkhātā ye dhammā sevitabbā sevitabbasaṅkhātā ye dhammā asevitabbā asevitabbasaṅkhātā ye dhammā nālamariyā nālamariyasaṅkhātā ye dhammā alamariyā alamariyasaṅkhātā, tyassa dhammā paññāya vodiṭṭhā honti vocaritā.

1.6

This is called the power of wisdom.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, paññābalaṁ.

2.1

And what is the power of energy?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, vīriyabalaṁ?

2.2

One generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives to give up those qualities that are unskillful and considered to be unskillful; those that are blameworthy … dark … not to be cultivated … not worthy of the noble ones and considered to be not worthy of the noble ones.

Ye dhammā akusalā akusalasaṅkhātā ye dhammā sāvajjā sāvajjasaṅkhātā ye dhammā kaṇhā kaṇhasaṅkhātā ye dhammā asevitabbā asevitabbasaṅkhātā ye dhammā nālamariyā nālamariyasaṅkhātā, tesaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

2.3

One generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives to gain those qualities that are skillful and considered to be skillful; those that are blameless … bright … to be cultivated … worthy of the noble ones and considered to be worthy of the noble ones.

Ye dhammā kusalā kusalasaṅkhātā ye dhammā anavajjā anavajjasaṅkhātā ye dhammā sukkā sukkasaṅkhātā ye dhammā sevitabbā sevitabbasaṅkhātā ye dhammā alamariyā alamariyasaṅkhātā, tesaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭilābhāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati.

2.4

This is called the power of energy.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, vīriyabalaṁ.

3.1

And what is the power of blamelessness?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, anavajjabalaṁ?

3.2

It’s when a bhikkhu has blameless conduct by way of body, speech, and mind.

Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako anavajjena kāyakammena samannāgato hoti, anavajjena vacīkammena samannāgato hoti, anavajjena manokammena samannāgato hoti.

3.3

This is called the power of blamelessness.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, anavajjabalaṁ.

4.1

And what is the power of inclusiveness?

Katamañca, bhikkhave, saṅgāhabalaṁ?

4.2

There are these four ways of being inclusive.

Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, saṅgahavatthūni—

4.3

Giving, kindly words, taking care, and equality.

dānaṁ, peyyavajjaṁ, atthacariyā, samānattatā.

4.4

The best of gifts is the gift of the teaching.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, dānānaṁ yadidaṁ dhammadānaṁ.

4.5

The best sort of kindly speech is to teach the Dhamma again and again to someone who is engaged and who lends an ear.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, peyyavajjānaṁ yadidaṁ atthikassa ohitasotassa punappunaṁ dhammaṁ deseti.

4.6

The best way of taking care is to encourage, settle, and ground the unfaithful in faith, the unethical in ethics, the stingy in generosity, and the ignorant in wisdom.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, atthacariyānaṁ yadidaṁ assaddhaṁ saddhāsampadāya samādapeti niveseti patiṭṭhāpeti, dussīlaṁ sīlasampadāya … macchariṁ cāgasampadāya … duppaññaṁ paññāsampadāya samādapeti niveseti patiṭṭhāpeti.

4.7

The best kind of equality is the equality of a stream-enterer with another stream-enterer, a once-returner with another once-returner, a non-returner with another non-returner, and a perfected one with another perfected one.

Etadaggaṁ, bhikkhave, samānattatānaṁ yadidaṁ sotāpanno sotāpannassa samānatto, sakadāgāmī sakadāgāmissa samānatto, anāgāmī anāgāmissa samānatto, arahā arahato samānatto.

4.8

This is called the power of inclusiveness.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, saṅgāhabalaṁ.

4.9

These are the four powers.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri balāni.

5.1

A noble disciple who has these four powers has got past five fears.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi balehi samannāgato ariyasāvako pañca bhayāni samatikkanto hoti.

5.2

What five?

Katamāni pañca?

5.3

Fear regarding livelihood, disrepute, feeling insecure in an assembly, death, and bad rebirth.

Ājīvikabhayaṁ, asilokabhayaṁ, parisasārajjabhayaṁ, maraṇabhayaṁ, duggatibhayaṁ.

5.4

Then that noble disciple reflects:

Sa kho so, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:

5.5

‘I have no fear regarding livelihood.

‘nāhaṁ ājīvikabhayassa bhāyāmi.

5.6

Why would I be afraid of that?

Kissāhaṁ ājīvikabhayassa bhāyissāmi?

5.7

I have these four powers:

Atthi me cattāri balāni—

5.8

the powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness.

paññābalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, anavajjabalaṁ, saṅgāhabalaṁ.

5.9

A witless person might fear for their livelihood.

Duppañño kho ājīvikabhayassa bhāyeyya.

5.10

A lazy person might fear for their livelihood.

Kusīto ājīvikabhayassa bhāyeyya.

5.11

A person who does blameworthy things by way of body, speech, and mind might fear for their livelihood.

Sāvajjakāyakammantavacīkammantamanokammanto ājīvikabhayassa bhāyeyya.

5.12

A person who does not include others might fear for their livelihood.

Asaṅgāhako ājīvikabhayassa bhāyeyya.

5.13

I have no fear of disrepute …

Nāhaṁ asilokabhayassa bhāyāmi …pe…

5.14

I have no fear about feeling insecure in an assembly …

nāhaṁ parisasārajjabhayassa bhāyāmi …pe…

5.15

I have no fear of death …

nāhaṁ maraṇabhayassa bhāyāmi …pe…

5.16

I have no fear of a bad rebirth.

nāhaṁ duggatibhayassa bhāyāmi.

5.17

Why would I be afraid of that?

Kissāhaṁ duggatibhayassa bhāyissāmi?

5.18

I have these four powers:

Atthi me cattāri balāni—

5.19

the powers of wisdom, energy, blamelessness, and inclusiveness.

paññābalaṁ, vīriyabalaṁ, anavajjabalaṁ, saṅgāhabalaṁ.

5.20

A witless person might be afraid of a bad rebirth.

Duppañño kho duggatibhayassa bhāyeyya.

5.21

A lazy person might be afraid of a bad rebirth.

Kusīto duggatibhayassa bhāyeyya.

5.22

A person who does blameworthy things by way of body, speech, and mind might be afraid of a bad rebirth.

Sāvajjakāyakammantavacīkammantamanokammanto duggatibhayassa bhāyeyya.

5.23

A person who does not include others might be afraid of a bad rebirth.’

Asaṅgāhako duggatibhayassa bhāyeyya’.

5.24

A noble disciple who has these four powers has got past these five fears.”

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi balehi samannāgato ariyasāvako imāni pañca bhayāni samatikkanto hotī”ti.

5.25

Pañcamaṁ.