Aṅguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
VIII: Ākaṅkha-Vagga

X. The Book of the Tens

VIII: On Wishes

Sutta 73

Iṭṭha-Dhamma Suttaṃ

Desirable

[92]

THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, these ten things are desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

What ten?

Wealth is desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

Beauty is desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

Health is desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

Virtues are desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

The Brahma-life is desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

Friends are desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

Much knowledge is desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

Wisdom is desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

Teachings are desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

The heaven worlds¹ are desirable,
[93] dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

These are the ten.

[136]Monks, to these ten things desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world,
ten things are obstacles.

■

Sloth and non-exertion
is an obstacle to wealth.

■

Lack of finery and adornment
is an obstacle to beauty.

■

Acting unseasonably
is an obstacle to health.

■

Friendship with the wicked
is an obstacle to virtues.

■

Non-restraint of the sense-faculties
is an obstacle to the Brahma-life.

■

Quarrelling
is an obstacle to friends.

■

Failure to repeat (what one has heard)
is an obstacle to much knowledge.

■

Not to lend an ear² and ask questions
is an obstacle to wisdom.

■

Lack of study and examination
is an obstacle to teachings.

■

Wrong faring³
is an obstacle to (gaining) the heavens.

These are the ten obstacles
to these ten things which are desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

Monks, ten things are helps⁴
to these ten things
which are desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world.

■

Energy and exertion
are helps to getting wealth.

■

Finery and adornment
are helps to beauty.

■

Seasonable action
is a help to health.

■

A lovely friendship
is a help to virtues.

■

Restraint of the sense-faculties
is a help to the Brahma-life.

■

Not quarrelling
is a help to friendship.

■

Repetition
is a help to much knowledge.

■

Lending an ear and asking questions
are helps to wisdom.

■

Study and examination
are helps to teachings.

■

Right faring
is a help to the heaven worlds.

These are the ten helps
to these ten things
which are desirable,
dear,
charming,
hard to win in the world."

¹ Burmese MSS. have maggā; Sinh. sattā. Comy. does not notice. The tenth item in next would indicate maggā as the more likely reading.

² Read asussūsā for text's asussusā, and so below.

³ Micchā-paṭipatti (cf. paṭipanno, one who fares on a way).