Aṅguttara Nikāya


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Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
14. Rāja Vaggo

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter XIV: The Rajah

Sutta 134

Khatatiya-Rāja Suttaɱ

In Every Quarter[1]

Translated by E. M. Hare

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[116]

[1] Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

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

"Monks, if he have five[2] qualities,
a warrior rajah,
anointed of head,
in whatsoever quarter he abide,
abides where he himself has conquered.

What five?

Herein, monks, the anointed warrior rajah
is well born on both sides,
pure in descent
as far back as seven generations
both of mother and father,
unchallenged
and without reproach
in point of birth;[3]

he is rich with great wealth and resources
and his treasuries and granaries overflow;[4]

and his strength is in the four[5] divisions of his army,
loyal and alert to commands;

his minister is wise,
intelligent,
discreet,
able to judge rightly
the future from past happenings;[6]

and these four things ripen to his glory;

and with this fifth quality of glory,
wheresoever he abide,
he abides where he himself has conquered.

And how is that?

Verily, monks, it is just thus
for conquerors of the conquered.[7]

 

§

 

Even so, monks, if he have five qualities, a monk,
in whatsoever quarter he abide,
abides released in heart.

What five?

Herein, monks, the monk is virtuous,
lives restrained in the restraint of the Obligations,
perfected in conduct and habit,
seeing danger in the smallest fault,
in his endeavour,
training himself in the steps of the training, —
this is like the anointed warrior rajah's perfect birth.

He has heard much,
bears in mind things heard,
as it were lays up in store things heard;
those things lovely in the beginning,
lovely in the middle,
lovely in the end,
which set forth in spirit and letter
the godly life of purity,
perfect in its entirety —
those are heard much by him,
resolved upon,
made familiar by speech,
pondered over in mind,
fully understood [117] in theory, —
this is like the rajah's riches
and overflowing treasuries
and granaries.

He abides in active energy,
putting away all unright things,
taking to right things,
steadfast and strenuous,
shirking not the burden of right, —
this is like the rajah's strength.

He has insight,
being endowed with insight into the way
of the rise and fall of things,
with Ariyan penetration
into the way to the complete destruction of Ill, —
this is like the rajah's possession of a minister.

And these four things ripen to his release;
and with this fifth quality that is release,
wheresoever he abide,
he abides released in mind.

And how is that?

Verily, monks, it is just thus
for those whose minds are released.'[8]

 


[1] The uddana reads rājā yassaɱ disaɱ, so also S.e.

[2] Cf. D. i, 137 for eight qualities; Mp. 639 ff. nearly equals DA. i, 281.

[3] A. i, 163; D. i, 113; Sn. p. 115; J. i, 2; below V, § 192.

[4] Cf. D. i, 134; Vin. i, 342.

[5] Elephants, chariots, cavalry and foot soldiers.

[6] At D. i, 137 this is a quality of the rajah; see Dial. i, 178 n.

[7] Vijitāvīnaɱ. Comy. vijita-vijayānaɱ, mahantena vijayena samannāgatānaɱ.

[8] Vimutta-cittānaɱ. Comy. pañcāhi vimuttīhi vimutta-mānāsānaɱ.


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