Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka-Nipāta
11. Phāsu-Vihāra Vagga

The book of the Fives

Chapter XI: The Abodes of Comfort

Sutta 106

Ānanda Suttaṃ

The Venerable Ānanda

 

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[102]

Thus have I heard:

'Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Kosambī in Ghosita Park;
and there the venerable Ānanda came to him,
saluted and sat down at one side.

So seated, the venerable Ānanda spoke thus to the Exalted One:

'Lord, to what extent
may the Order of monks,
as they live,
live comfortably?

'When, Ānanda, a monk has achieved virtue by self
and is no importuner¹ of another
as to more-virtue² —
to that extent, Ānanda,
may the Order,
as they live,
live comfortably.'

■

'But, lord, might there be another way
wherein the Order,
as they live,
may live comfortably?

'There might be, Ānanda,' said the Exalted One.

'When, Ānanda, a monk has achieved virtue by self
and is no importuner [103] of another
as to more-virtue,
considers self³
and does not consider another —
to that extent, Ānanda,
may the Order,
as they live,
live comfortably.'

■

'Lord, might there be yet another way
wherein the Order,
as they live,
may live comfortably?

'There might be, Ānanda,' said the Exalted One.

'When, Ānanda, a monk has achieved virtue by self
and is no importuner of another
as to more-virtue,
and considering self
and does not consider another,
and a monk is neither famous
nor vexed by lack of fame —
to that extent, Ānanda,
may the Order,
as they live,
live comfortably.'

■

'Lord, might there be yet another way
wherein the Order,
as they live,
may live comfortably?

'There might be, Ānanda,' said the Exalted One.

'When, Ānanda, a monk has achieved virtue by self
and is no importuner of another
as to more-virtue,
and considering self
and does not consider another,
and a monk is neither famous
nor vexed by lack of fame
and a monk obtains at will,
without trouble,
without difficulty,
both here and now,
the abodes of ease:
the fourfold musings,
highly mental —
to that extent, Ānanda,
may the Order,
as they live,
live comfortably.'

■

'Lord, might there be yet another way
wherein the Order,
as they live,
may live comfortably?

'There might be, Ānanda,' said the Exalted One.

'When, Ānanda, a monk has achieved virtue by self
and is no importuner of another
as to more-virtue,
and considering self
and does not consider another,
and a monk is neither famous
nor vexed by lack of fame
and a monk obtains at will,
without trouble,
without difficulty,
both here and now,
the abodes of ease:
the fourfold musings,
highly mental
and enters and abides
in the emancipation of the mind,
in the emancipation of insight,
which is free of the cankers,
realizing this state by his own knowledge
even in this life —
verily, Ānanda,
to that extent,
the Order of monks,
as they live,
may live comfortably.

And I declare, Ānanda,
than this comfortable abode
there is none higher,
none loftier.⁴

 

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¹ Sam-pa-vattar. The Comy. observes; paraṃ sīlabhāve na garahati, na upavadati.

² Adhisīle.

³ Attānupekkhī so also St. Paul to the Galatians (vi,l): '... if a man be overtaken in a fault ... restore (him) ... considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.'

⁴ Uttaritaro vā paṇītataro vā; the latter is from pra √nī, and occurs everywhere in the Piṭakas.