Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Atthaka Nipāta
IX. Sati-Vagga

VIII. The Book of the Eights

Chapter IX: Mindfulness

Sutta 83

Kiṃ Mūlaka? Suttaṃ

The Root of Things

[221]

Once the Exalted One was staying in Sāvatthi.

There the Exalted One addressed the Monks saying:

"Monks, if wanderers of other views should question you thus:

'Wherein, sirs, are all things¹ rooted?

What is their origin?

What gives rise to all things;

what is their confluence;

what is their chief state;

what their master state;

what their further state;

and of all things what is most precious?'

Monks, thus questioned,
how would you answer those wanderers of other views?"

■

"Lord, our ideas have their foundation in the Exalted One;
they are guided by the Exalted One
and are protected by him.

[222] Well indeed were it for us,
if the Exalted One were to make clear
the purpose of this speech;
then, on hearing it,
the monks would bear it in mind!"²

■

"Wherefore, monks,
listen,
pay heed,
I will speak."

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

"If, monks, wanderers of other views should question you thus:

'Wherein, sirs, are all things rooted?

What is their origin?

What gives rise to all things;

what is their confluence;

what is their chief state;

what their master state;

what their further state;

and of all things what is most precious?'

Answer them thus:

'Reverend sirs,
all things are rooted in desire;³

they have their origin in attention;

contact gives rise to them;

their confluence is feeling;⁴

their chief state is concentration;

mindfulness is their master state;

wisdom their further state;⁵

and of all things emancipation is the most precious.'⁶

Monks, thus questioned, so answer."

¹ Sabbe dhammā, Mrs. Rhys Davids' Buddhism 222, states of consciousness; Comy. pañca-k-khandhā. The whole sutta with one other clause recurs at A. v, 106.

² Above, p. 108.

³ Chanda. Comy. the desire to do; see Buddhism, loc. cit., Cpd. 244.

⁴ See D. ii, 61; Dial, ii, 58 and note there.

⁵ This is quoted at Sn.A. 146 and S.A. i, 251, but both with kusala.