Aṅguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
I. Sambodha Vagga

IX. The Book of the Nines

Chapter I: The Awakening

Sutta 2

Nissaya-Sampanna Suttaṃ

Reliant

[233]

Thus have I heard:

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

Now a certain monk visited the Exalted One,
saluted him and sat down at one side.

So seated, he spoke thus to the Exalted One:

"Lord, they say: 'Fully reliant,¹ full reliant!'

Pray how far, lord, is a monk fully reliant?"

"If by² faith a monk put away evil and made good become,
just by him is that evil put away.

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If by conscientiousness a monk put away evil and made good become,
just by him is that evil put away.

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[234] If by fear of blame a monk put away evil and made good become,
just by him is that evil put away.

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If by energy a monk put away evil and made good become,
just by him is that evil put away.

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If by wisdom a monk put away evil and made good become,
just by him is that evil put away.

Indeed, then is evil put away
and well put away by that monk,
when³ it is seen with Ariyan wisdom and put away by him.

And when, monk, be is established in these five states,
there are four (other) states,
which a monk ought to rely on.⁴

What four?

Herein a monk deliberately follows the thing
(which ought to be followed);
deliberately attends to the thing
(which ought to be attended to);
deliberately avoids the thing
(which ought to be avoided);
deliberately expels the thing
(which ought to be expelled).⁵

Monk, in such-wise is a monk fully reliant."

¹ Nissaya-sampanno. Comy. patiṭṭhāna-sampanno, cf. A. i, 116; Child, s.v.

² Nissāya.

³ Yaṅsa. Comy. yaṃ assa.

⁴ Upanissāya vihātabbā; cf. M. ii, 3.