AN 11 The Book of the Elevens – Ekādasakanipāta > AN 11.2 Making a Wish

Numbered Discourses 11.2 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 11.2

1. Dependence – 1. Nissayavagga

AN 11.2 Making a Wish – Cetanākaraṇīyasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, an ethical person, who has fulfilled ethical conduct, need not make a wish:

“Sīlavato, bhikkhave, sīlasampannassa na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

1.2

‘May I have no regrets!’

‘avippaṭisāro me uppajjatū’ti.

1.3

It’s only natural that an ethical person has no regrets.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ sīlavato sīlasampannassa avippaṭisāro uppajjati.

2.1

When you have no regrets you need not make a wish:

Avippaṭisārissa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

2.2

‘May I feel joy!’

‘pāmojjaṁ me uppajjatū’ti.

2.3

It’s only natural that joy springs up when you have no regrets.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ avippaṭisārissa pāmojjaṁ uppajjati.

3.1

When you feel joy you need not make a wish:

Pamuditassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

3.2

‘May I experience rapture!’

‘pīti me uppajjatū’ti.

3.3

It’s only natural that rapture arises when you’re joyful.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ pamuditassa pīti uppajjati.

4.1

When your mind is full of rapture you need not make a wish:

Pītimanassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

4.2

‘May my body become tranquil!’

‘kāyo me passambhatū’ti.

4.3

It’s only natural that your body becomes tranquil when your mind is full of rapture.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ pītimanassa kāyo passambhati.

5.1

When your body is tranquil you need not make a wish:

Passaddhakāyassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

5.2

‘May I feel bliss!’

‘sukhaṁ vediyāmī’ti.

5.3

It’s only natural to feel bliss when your body is tranquil.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vediyati.

6.1

When you feel bliss you need not make a wish:

Sukhino, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

6.2

‘May my mind be immersed in samādhi!’

‘cittaṁ me samādhiyatū’ti.

6.3

It’s only natural for the mind to become immersed in samādhi when you feel bliss.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

7.1

When your mind is immersed in samādhi you need not make a wish:

Samāhitassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

7.2

‘May I truly know and see!’

‘yathābhūtaṁ jānāmi passāmī’ti.

7.3

It’s only natural to truly know and see when your mind is immersed in samādhi.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ samāhito yathābhūtaṁ jānāti passati.

8.1

When you truly know and see you need not make a wish:

Yathābhūtaṁ, bhikkhave, jānato passato na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

8.2

‘May I grow disillusioned!’

‘nibbindāmī’ti.

8.3

It’s only natural to grow disillusioned when you truly know and see.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ yathābhūtaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ nibbindati.

9.1

When you’re disillusioned you need not make a wish:

Nibbinnassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

9.2

‘May I become dispassionate!’

‘virajjāmī’ti.

9.3

It’s only natural to grow dispassionate when you’re disillusioned.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ nibbinno virajjati.

10.1

When you’re dispassionate you need not make a wish:

Virattassa, bhikkhave, na cetanāya karaṇīyaṁ:

10.2

‘May I realize the knowledge and vision of freedom!’

‘vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ sacchikaromī’ti.

10.3

It’s only natural to realize the knowledge and vision of freedom when you’re dispassionate.

Dhammatā esā, bhikkhave, yaṁ viratto vimuttiñāṇadassanaṁ sacchikaroti.

11.1

And so, bhikkhū, the knowledge and vision of freedom is the purpose and benefit of dispassion. Dispassion is the purpose and benefit of disillusionment. Disillusionment is the purpose and benefit of truly knowing and seeing. Truly knowing and seeing is the purpose and benefit of samādhi. Samādhi is the purpose and benefit of bliss. Bliss is the purpose and benefit of tranquility. Tranquility is the purpose and benefit of rapture. Rapture is the purpose and benefit of joy. Joy is the purpose and benefit of not having regrets. Not having regrets is the purpose and benefit of skillful ethics.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, virāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso, nibbidā virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā, yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ, samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso, sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ, passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā, pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā, pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ, avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni.

11.2

And so, bhikkhū, good qualities flow on and fill up from one to the other, for going from the near shore to the far shore.”

Iti kho, bhikkhave, dhammā dhamme abhisandenti, dhammā dhamme paripūrenti apārā pāraṁ gamanāyā”ti.

11.3

Dutiyaṁ.