Aṅguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XXV: Āppatti-bhaya Vagga

The Book of the Fours

Chapter XXV: Fear of Offence

Sutta 243

Sikkhā-Nisaṃsa Suttaṃ

Profit of the Training¹

 

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[248]

Thus have I heard:

On a certain occasion the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

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

"Monks, this God-life is lived
for the sake of the profit of the training,
of further wisdom,
of the essence of release,
of the mastery of mindfulness.

 

§

 

And how, monks, comes
the profit of the training?

Herein, monks, I have set forth for disciples
the higher practice of the training
for the sake of giving confidence
to the wavering
and for the increase in faith²
of the confident.

As a result of my setting forth for disciples
the higher practice of the training
for the sake of giving confidence
to the wavering
and for the increase in faith
of the confident, monks,
a disciple³ becomes one
whose deeds are consistent,
congruous,
not shady,
not spotted.⁴

By undertaking them
he trains himself
in the precepts of that training.

■

Then again, monks, I have set forth for disciples
the rudiments⁵ of the training
in the God-life
for the utter destruction of Ill
in every way.

As a result of my setting forth for disciples
the rudiments of the training
in the God-life
for the utter destruction of Ill
in every way, monks,
a disciple becomes one
whose deeds are consistent,
congruous,
not shady,
not spotted.

By undertaking them
he trains himself
in the precepts of that training.

Thus, monks, is the profit of the training.

■

And how, monks, is there further wisdom?

Herein, monks, I have set forth for disciples
teachings for the utter destruction of Ill
in every way.

As a result of my setting forth for disciples
teachings for the utter destruction of Ill
in every way, monks,
those teachings are well scrutinized by wisdom.⁶

Thus there is further wisdom.

■

[249] And how, monks, is there essence of release?

Herein, monks, I have set forth for disciples
teachings for the utter destruction of Ill
in every way.

As a result of my setting forth for disciples
teachings for the utter destruction of Ill
in every way, monks,
those teachings are realized⁷ by release.

Thus there is the essence of release.

■

And how, monks, is there mastery of mindfulness?

By the thought:

"I shall complete the higher practice of the training
where incomplete,
or if complete
I shall supplement it here and there by wisdom,"⁸ -
mindfulness in the self is well set up.

By the thought:

"I shall complete the rudiments of the God-life
where incomplete,
or if complete
I shall supplement them here and there by wisdom," -
mindfulness in the self is well set up.

By the thought:

"The teaching not closely scrutinized
I shall scrutinize,
or if closely scrutinized
I will supplement it here and there by wisdom," -
mindfulness in the self is well set up.

By the thought:

The teaching not yet fully realized by release
I will fully realize,
or if fully realized
I will supplement it here and there by wisdom, -
mindfulness in the self is well set up.

Thus, monks, is mastery of mindfulness.

Monks, this God-life is lived
for the sake of the profit of the training,
of further wisdom,
of the essence of release,
of the mastery of mindfulness.

What I have said was said in this connexion.'

 

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¹ Cf. Itiv., p. 40.

² Text should read bhiyyo-bhāvāya.

³ So

⁴ Cf. supra, § 192.

⁵ Ādibrahma-cariyikā, K.S. v, 354; G.S. i, 211.

⁶ Samavekkhita - sudiṭṭha (in my Comy. MS. has ñāya-samapekkhā (?) = samādhi-vipassanā).

⁷ Phassitā (contacted).

⁸ Supra, § 194.