Aṅguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
V. Cūḷa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
V. The Minor Section
Sutta 48
Pabbata-Rāja Suttaɱ
Mountain
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Then he addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, Lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said this:
"Monks, the mighty sāl trees
that rest on Himālaya, lord of mountains,
have growth of three sorts.
What three?
They grow in branches, leaves and foliage;
they grow in bark and shoots;
they grow in soft-wood and pith.
These are the three growths.
■
Just so, monks, dependent on a believing clansman
the folk within his house
have growth of three sorts.
What three?
[136] They grow in faith,
they grow in virtue,
they grow in wisdom.
These are the three growths.
Just[1] as a mountain, all of solid rock,[2]
Stands in a forest, in a mighty grove,
And 'neath its shelter grow the forest-lords:
So in this world, dependent on their head,
A virtuous believer, wife and children,
Kinsmen and friends and relatives, who live
Supported by that clan-head, grow apace.
When they behold that good man's charity,
His virtue and the righteous life he leads,
If they have wits, they follow his example:[3]
So in this life treading with righteousness
The path that leads unto the Happy Lot,
In the Heaven World they win the bliss they seek.'[4]
[1] These gāthās recur at A. iii, 40, [sic AN 5.40] where in line 2 text reads rukkhā for our rukkhaɱ (note suggests a scribal blunder for rukkhaɱ, acc. to which I trans.
[2] In l. 1 note suggests pabbataɱ selaɱ for pabbato selo (= silā-mayo. Comy.).
[3] Text should read passamānānukubbanti (=anukaronti).
[4] Kāmakāmino, cf. A. ii, 62; [AN 4.55] Itiv. 112.
