Aṅguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sevens
The Recital
I. Samaṇa Vagga
Suttas 81-90:
The Monk Chapter
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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Sutta 81
Bhikkhū-Dhamma Suttaɱ
The Breaking Up
[81.1][ed1] 'Monks, by the breaking up of seven conditions, one becomes a monk.[1]
Of what seven?
The view of individuality[2] is broken up;
perplexity is broken up;
the delusion that virtue and ritual suffice is broken up;
lust is broken up;
hatred is broken up;
infatuation is broken up;
and conceit is broken up.
Monks, by the breaking up of these seven conditions, one becomes a monk.'
Sutta 82
Samaṇa-Dhamma Suttaɱ
The Quieting
[82.1] 'Monks, by the quieting of seven conditions, one becomes a recluse.[3]
Of what seven?[ed2]
The view of individuality is quieted;
perplexity is quieted;
the delusion that virtue and ritual suffice is quieted;
lust is quieted;
hatred is quieted;
infatuation is quieted;
and conceit is quieted.
Monks, by the quieting up of these seven conditions, one becomes a monk.'
Sutta 83
Brāhmaṇa-Dhamma Suttaɱ
The Rejection
[83.1] 'Monks, by the rejection of seven conditions, one becomes a brahman.[4]
Of what seven?
The view of individuality is rejected;
perplexity is rejected;
the delusion that virtue and ritual suffice is rejected;
lust is rejected;
hatred is rejected;
infatuation is rejected;
and conceit is rejected.
Monks, by the rejecting of these seven conditions, one becomes a brahman.'
Sutta 84
Sotthiya-Dhamma Suttaɱ
The Purging
[84.1] 'Monks, by the purging of seven conditions, one becomes a purified man.[5]
Of what seven?
The view of individuality is purged;
perplexity is purged;
the delusion that virtue and ritual suffice is purged;
lust is purged;
hatred is purged;
infatuation is purged;
and conceit is purged.
Monks, by the purging of these seven conditions, one becomes purified man.'
Sutta 85
Nahātaka-Dhamma Suttaɱ
The Washing Away
[85.1] 'Monks, by the washing away of seven conditions, one becomes a cleansed man.[6]
Of what seven?
The view of individuality is washed away;
perplexity is washed away;
the delusion that virtue and ritual suffice is washed away;
lust is washed away;
hatred is washed away;
infatuation is washed away;
and conceit is washed away.
Monks, by the washing away of these seven conditions, one becomes a cleansed man.'
Sutta 86
Vedagu-Dhamma Suttaɱ
The Understanding
[86.1] 'Monks, by the understanding of seven conditions, one becomes perfect in knowledge.[7]
Of what seven?
The view of individuality is understood;
perplexity is understood;
the delusion that virtue and ritual suffice is understood;
lust is understood;
hatred is understood;
infatuation is understood;
and conceit is understood.
Monks, by the understanding of these seven conditions, one becomes perfect in knowledge.'
Sutta 87
Ariya-Dhamma Suttaɱ
The Slaying
[87.1] 'Monks, by the slaying - as an enemy - of seven conditions, one becomes an Ariyan.[8]
Of what seven?
The view of individuality is slain;
perplexity is slain;
the delusion that virtue and ritual suffice is slain;
lust is slain;
hatred is slain;
infatuation is slain;
and conceit is slain.
Monks, by the slaying of these seven conditions, one becomes an Ariyan.'
Sutta 88
Arahatta-Dhamma Suttaɱ
The Warding Off
[88.1] 'Monks, by warding off seven conditions, one becomes an Arahant.[9]
Of what seven?
The view of individuality is warded off;
perplexity is warded off;
the delusion that virtue and ritual suffice is warded off;
lust is warded off;
hatred is warded off;
infatuation is warded off;
and conceit is warded off.
Monks, by the warding off of these seven conditions, one becomes an Arahant.'
Sutta 89
Asad'Dhamma Suttaɱ
Bad qualities
[89.1] 'Monks, there are seven bad qualities.
What seven?
Unbelief,
lack
of conscientiousness,
of fear of blame,
of learning,
indolence,
carelessness in attention
and want of wisdom.
Verily, monks, these are the seven bad qualities.'
Sutta 90
Sad'Dhamma Suttaɱ
Good qualities
[90.1]'Monks, there are these seven good qualities.
What seven?
Faith,
conscientiousness,
fear of blame,
learning,
strenuous energy,
mindfulness
and wisdom.[10]
Verily, monks, these are the seven good qualities.'
[1] Here, and in the following auttas, there is a play on the words, which is to be found elsewhere, both in Canonical and Commentarial literature, and which it is impossible to render in translation. Thus here the punning words are bhinnattā and bhikkhu, which are etymologically no more allied than are broken and brother; cf. K.S. v, 147 n.; Nd.1 70; Nd.2 477. Conditions = dhammā.
[2] See K.S. iii, 86 n.
[3] Samitatta and samaṇa, see Dhp. 265; S.B.E. x, 66; [? pg 65?] Nd.1 265.
[4] Bāhitatta and brāhmaṇa; see Sn. 519; Vin. i, 3; Ud. 3; Dhp. 388; Mil. 225; Nd.2 464.
[5] Nissuttatta and sotthika; see M. i, 280.
[6] Niṇhātatta and nahātaka; see Sn. 521; SnA. 428: Ninhāya dhovitvā; cf. Sn. 646; Dhp. 422.
[7] Viditatta and vedagū; see Sn. 1060; cf. Vin. i, 3.
[8] Arīhatatta and ariya; P.E.D. observes that this is to be omitted. At M. i, 280 the definition of both ariya and arahā is the same, viz. Ārakā'ssa honti pāpakā. Trenckner gives no other reading at 553. At D.A. i, 146 on arahaɱ we read: ārakattā arīnaɱ arānañca hatattā paccayādīnaɱ arahattā pāpakaraṇe rahābhāva. Besides, its inclusion makes up the ten suttas for the chapter. Cf. Expositor 452; Vv.A. 106.
[9] Ārakatta and arahā.
[10] Cf. M. iii, 21; above, p. 71 ff.
[ed1] Hare gives no nidanas for any of the following suttas. The Pali gives
EVAṂ ME SUTAṂ.||
Ekaɱ samayaɱ Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaɱ viharati.|| ||
[ed2] The PTS Text abbreviates suttas 82-87 giving only the first line. For sutta 88 it provides the complete sutta altering the term in the formula correspondingly. Hare follows the PTS exactly. The BJT Pali expands repeating the formula of sutta 81 for each which is clearly a mistake. I have fully expanded the Pali and Hare's translation altering the terms throughout using his vocabulary for Hare's translation.
