Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka-Nipāta
12. Andhakavinda Vagga

The book of the Fives

Chapter XII: Andhakavinda

Sutta 116

Vaṇṇa Suttaṃ

Praise¹

 

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[108]

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, pursuing five courses
a nun is surely cast into hell as a reward.

What five?

Without² testing or plumbing³ the matter,
she speaks in praise of the unpraiseworthy;
without testing or plumbing the matter,
she speaks in dispraise of the praiseworthy;
without testing or plumbing the matter,
she shows her faith in things unbelievable;
without testing or plumbing the matter,
she shows her disbelief in things believable;
and she rejects⁴ the gift of faith.

Monks, pursuing these five courses
a nun is surely cast into hell as a reward.'

 

§

 

Monks, pursuing five courses
a nun is surely set in heaven as a reward.

What five?

After^ed1 testing and plumbing the matter,
she speaks in praise of the praiseworthy,
after testing and plumbing the matter,
she speaks in dispraise of the unpraiseworthy;
after testing and plumbing the matter,
she shows her faith in things believable,
after testing and plumbing the matter,
she shows her disbelief in things unbelievable;
and she accepts the gift of faith.

Monks, pursuing these five courses
a nun is surely set in heaven as a reward.

 

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¹ Vaṇṇanā.

² Cf. below V, § 236; A. ii, 84; Pug. 49.

³ Apariyogāhetvā.

⁴ Vinipāteti. Comy. she gives it to another. Cf. below V, § 235.

 

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^ed1 Hare abridges this entire half of the sutta with 'Pursuing the opposite she goes to heaven.' As it does not readily adapt itself in English to precise opposites there are some slight deviations in my reconstruction.