Aṅguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XIX: Yodhajīva Vagga

The Book of the Fours

Chapter XIX: Fighting Man

Sutta 182

Pāṭibhoga Suttaṃ

Surety¹

 

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[179]

Thus have I heard:

On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.

Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:

"Monks,² no recluse or brahmin,
no Deva,
no Māra,
no Brahmā
can be surety against four things.

What four?

That what is of a nature to decay
may not decay;³, -
no recluse, no brahmin,
no Deva,
no Māra,
no Brahmā
can be surety against that.

That what is of a nature to be diseased
may not be diseased, -
no recluse, no brahmin,
no Deva,
no Māra,
no Brahmā
can be surety against that.

That what is of a nature to die
may not die, -
no recluse, no brahmin,
no Deva,
no Māra,
no Brahmā
can be surety against that.

That the fruit of those evil deeds⁴
that defile and lead to again-becoming,
deeds unhappy
whose fruit in future time is pain,
rebirth,
decay
and death,
may not come to pass, -
no recluse, no brahmin,
no Deva,
no Māra,
no Brahmā
can be surety against that.

Against these four things, monks, there can be no surety.'⁵

 

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¹ Quoted at Kvu. 457 = Points of Contr. 260 (where, as in our text, jīrī ti is misprinted jīvī ti). It is expanded at A. iii, 54, where such wishes are termed alabbhanīyāni.

² Text misprints bhikkhu.

³ Both text and Kvu. misprint ma jīrī ti as ma jīvī ti.

⁴ Cf. S. iv, 186.

⁵ At UdA. 156, 178, where the B. guarantees a bevy of celestial nymphs to Nanda; it is equal to paṭibhūto (Skt. pratibhū, surety) and paṭissava (promise).