Aṅguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
VII. Devatā Vagga

The Book of the Sixes

Chapter VII: The Devas

Sutta 71

Sakkhibhabba Suttaṃ

The Eyewitness

[299]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

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

"Monks, if a monk be possessed of six things,
he cannot become this and that,
so as to be bound personally to attain,
given the opportunity.¹

What six?

[300] Suppose, monks, a monk know not as a fact:

"These² things partake of failure,"

or,

"These things partake of stability,"

or,

"These things partake of distinction,"

or,

"These things partake of penetration,"

nor is he zealous
nor helpful.

Monks, if a monk be possessed of these six,
he cannot become this and that,
so as to be bound personally to attain,
given the opportunity.'

But, monks, if a monk be possessed of six things,
he can become this and that,
so as to be bound personally to attain,
given the opportunity.

What six?

Suppose, monks, a monk know as a fact:

"These things partake of failure,"

or,

"These things partake of stability,"

or,

"These things partake of distinction,"

or,

"These things partake of penetration,"

and is he zealous
and helpful.

Monks, if a monk be possessed of these six,
he can become this and that,
so as to be bound personally to attain,
given the opportunity.'

¹ We have here the terms hard to render of bhabbo and bhabbatā, is to, or should, become, and the abstract noun of the same. Cf. hereon Mrs. Rhys Davids' Manual, p. 128; Sakya, p. 324; Khp. vi, 11.