Aṅguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
VIII. Arahatta Vagga

The Book of the Sixes

Chapter VIII: Arahantship

Sutta 75

Dukkha Suttaṃ

Ill at Ease

[301]

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 follow six things,
he will live ill at ease here now,
vexed with himself,¹
troubled,
fretful;
and, on the breaking up of the body after death,
an ill-faring is to be expected.

What six?

Brooding on sense-desire,
brooding on ill-will
brooding on cruelty;
conjuring up thoughts of lust,
conjuring up thoughts of ill-will
conjuring up thoughts of cruelty.

Monks, if a monk follow these six,
he will live ill at ease at ease here now,
vexed with himself,
troubled,
fretful;
and, on the breaking up of the body after death,
an ill-faring is to be expected.

Monks, if a monk follow six things,
he will live happily here now,
neither vexed,
troubled,
nor fretful;
and, on the breaking up of the body after death,
a well-faring may be expected.

What six?²

Reflecting on renunciation,
reflecting on freedom from ill-will
reflecting on freedom from cruelty;
conjuring up thoughts of renunciation,
conjuring up thoughts of freedom from ill-will
conjuring up thoughts of freedom from cruelty.

Verily, monks, if a monk follow these six things,
he will live happily here now,
neither vexed,
troubled,
nor fretful;
and, on the breaking up of the body after death,
a well-faring may be expected.'

¹ Sa-vighātaṃ.