Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
VII. Bhūmi-Cāla Vagga
VIII. The Book of the Eights
Chapter VII: On Earthquakes
Sutta 62
Alaṃ Suttaṃ
Enough
[196]
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:
2. "Monks, possessed of six qualities
a monk is enough1 for self,
enough for others.
What six?
����3. [1] Herein a monk is quick2 to grasp the subtle doctrines;3
■
[2] he remembers those heard;
■
[3] reflects on the meaning of those remembered;
■
[4] knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
■
[5] has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
■
[6] he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
Possessed of these six
a monk is enough for self,
enough for others.
§
4. So likewise of five qualities
a monk is enough for self,
enough for others.
What five?
5. [ ] He is not very quick in grasping the subtle doctrines;
■
[1] but he remembers those heard;
■
[2] reflects on the meaning of those remembered;
■
[3] knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
■
[4] has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
■
[5] he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
Possessed of these five
he is enough for self,
enough for others.
§
6. Possessed of four qualities
a monk is enough for self,
but not for others.
What four?
7. [1] He is quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
■
[2] remembers those heard;
■
[3] reflects on those remembered;
■
[4] knowing both the letter [197] and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
■
[ ] but he has not a pleasant voice
a good enunciation,
urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
■
[ ] nor is he one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these four he is enough for self, but not for others.
§
8. Possessed of four qualities he is enough for others,
but not for self.
What four?
9. [1] He is quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
■
[2] remembers them;
■
[ ] but does not reflect on them;
■
[ ] knowing neither the letter nor the spirit,
he does not walk in conformity with Dhamma;
■
[3] yet he has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
■
[4] he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these four he is enough for others,
but not for self.
§
10. Possessed of three qualities he is enough for self,
but not for others.
What three?
11. [ ] He is not quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
■
[1] but remembers them;
■
[2] reflects upon them;
■
[3] knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
■
[ ] but he has not a pleasant voice
a good enunciation,
urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
■
[ ] nor is he one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these three he is enough for self,
but not for others.
§
12. Possessed of three qualities he is enough for others, but not for self.
What three?
13. [ ] He is not quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
■
[1] but remembers them;
■
[ ] yet does not reflect on them;
■
[ ] knowing neither the letter nor the spirit,
he does not walk in conformity with Dhamma;
■
[2] yet he has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
■
[3] he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these three he is enough for others,
but not for self.
§
14. Possessed with two qualities he is enough for self,
but not for others.
What two?
15. [ ] He is not quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
■
[ ] does not remember them;
■
[1] but reflects on them;
■
[2] knowing both the letter and the spirit,
walks in conformity with Dhamma;
■
[ ] but he has not a pleasant voice
a good enunciation,
urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
■
[ ] nor is he one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens his fellows in the godly life.
With these two he is enough for self,
but not for others.
§
16. Monks, possessed of two qualities a monk is enough for others,
but not for self.
What two?
17. [ ] Herein a monk is not very quick to grasp the subtle doctrines;
■
[ ] he does not remember those heard;
■
[ ] nor reflect on the meaning of those remembered;
■
[ ] knowing neither the letter nor the spirit,
he does not walk in conformity with Dhamma;
■
[198] [1] but he has a pleasant voice,
a good enunciation,
is urbane in speech,
distinct,
free from hoarseness
and informative;
■
[2] he is one who instructs,
incites,
rouses
and gladdens
his fellows in the godly life.
Possessed of these two qualities a monk is enough for others,
but not for self."
1 Alaṃ. Comy. samattho, pariyatto, anucchaviko.
2 Khippanisanti. Comy. He quickly grasps and knows the doctrines of the skandhas, elements, spheres, etc. (for which see DhS. trsl., § 1333). For the whole passage cf. A. ii, 97; v, 155; above, p. 149.
3 Kusalesu dhammesu.