Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
II: Bala Vagga

The Book of the Fives

II: The Powers

Sutta 18

Parahita Suttaṃ

For Whose Good? (b)

 

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[13] [9]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

'Yes, lord,' they replied; and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, possessed of five things
a monk is set on the good of another,
but not his own good.

Of what five?

Herein, monks, a monk strives to perfect virtue in another
but does not perfect virtue in himself;
he strives to perfect concentration in another,
but does perfect concentration in himself;
he strives to perfect release in another,
but he does not perfect release in himself;
he strives to perfect vision and knowledge of release in another,
but he does not perfect vision and knowledge of release in himself.

Monks, possessed of these five things
a monk is set on the good of another,
but not his own good.