Aṅguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
Dhana Vaggo

The Book of the Sevens

Chapter I: Treasures

Sutta 9

Saṅyojana-p-Pahāna Suttaṃ

Their Riddance

[5]

THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

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

"Monks, by getting rid of,
by cutting away seven fetters
the godly life is lived.

What seven?

By getting rid of,
by cutting away the fetter of complying,
the godly life is lived.

■

By getting rid of,
by cutting away the fetter of resisting,
the godly life is lived.

■

By getting rid of,
by cutting away the fetter of view,
the godly life is lived.

■

By getting rid of,
by cutting away the fetter of uncertainty,
the godly life is lived.

■

By getting rid of,
by cutting away the fetter of conceit,
the godly life is lived.

■

By getting rid of,
by cutting away the fetter of worldly lusts,
the godly life is lived.

■

By getting rid of,
by cutting away the fetter of ignorance
the godly life is lived.

■

Verily, monks, it is by getting rid of,
by cutting away seven fetters
the godly life is lived.

[6] 2. And when a monk is rid of the fetter of complying
has cut it at the roots,
made it as palm-tree stump,¹
so that it cannot become in the future
nor rise again;

■

and when a monk is rid of the fetter of resisting
has cut it at the roots,
made it as palm-tree stump,
so that it cannot become in the future
nor rise again;

■

and when a monk is rid of the fetter of view
has cut it at the roots,
made it as palm-tree stump,
so that it cannot become in the future
nor rise again;

■

and when a monk is rid of the fetter of uncertainty
has cut it at the roots,
made it as palm-tree stump,
so that it cannot become in the future
nor rise again;

■

and when a monk is rid of the fetter of conceit
has cut it at the roots,
made it as palm-tree stump,
so that it cannot become in the future
nor rise again;

■

and when a monk is rid of the fetter of worldly lusts
has cut it at the roots,
made it as palm-tree stump,
so that it cannot become in the future
nor rise again;

■

and when a monk is rid of the fetter of ignorance
has cut it at the roots,
made it as palm-tree stump,
so that it cannot become in the future
nor rise again;

■

then is that monk said to have cut off craving,
unshackled the fetters,
and by understanding conceit in full,
made an end of ill.'²

¹ Vin. iii, 3; M. i, 370; S. iii, 10; A. i, 135, etc.