Aṅguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
I. Sambodha Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
IX. The Book of the Nines
Chapter I: The Awakening
Sutta 5
Bala-Saṅgaha-Vatthu Suttaɱ
The Powers
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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Once, when the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There he addressed tthe monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied; and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these four powers.[1]
What four?
The power of wisdom,
of energy,
of faultlessness
and of sympathy.
■
And what, monks, is the power of wisdom?
Such conditions as are bad and reckoned so;
such as are good and reckoned so;
such as are blameworthy and reckoned so;
such as are faultless and reckoned so;
such as are dark[2] and reckoned so;
such as are bright and reckoned so;
such as are not to be sought after and reckoned so;
such as are to be sought after and reckoned so;
such are as not truly Ariyan and reckoned so;
such as are truly Ariyan and reckoned so -
all these things are clearly seen and by wisdom well examined.[3]
This, monks, is called the power of wisdom.
■
And what is the power of energy?
Such conditions as are bad and reckoned so;
such as are blameworthy,
dark,
not to be sought after,
not truly Ariyan,
and reckoned so -
to rid himself of such
he puts forth his whole desire,
exerts himself,
makes strenuous endeavour,
bends his mind and so resolves.
But such as are good and reckoned so;
are faultless,
bright,
to be sought after,
are Ariyan and reckoned so -
to gain all those he puts forth his whole desire,
exerts himself,
makes strenuous endeavour,
bends his mind,
and so resolves.
This, monks, is called the power of energy.
■
And what is the power of faultlessness?
Herein, monks, an Ariyan disciple is faultless in act of body,
is faultless in act of speech,
is faultless in act of thought.
This, monks, is called the power of faultlessness.
■
And what is the power of sympathy?
There are these four bases of sympathy:
gifts,
kindness,
doing good
and equal treatment.[4]
-◦-
Monks, that is the best gift:
the gift of Dhamma.
-◦-
Monks, that is the best kindness:
[242] teaching Dhamma again and again
to the good and attentive listener.
-◦-
Monks, that is the best of good deeds:
inciting, instilling, establishing the ways[5] of faith
in an unbeliever;
inciting, instilling, establishing the ways of virtue
in the immoral;
inciting, instilling, establishing the ways of generosity
in the mean;
inciting, instilling, establishing the ways of wisdom
in the foolish.
-◦-
Monks, that is the best equality:
that which exists between Streamwinner and Streamwinner,
between Once-retumer and Once-retumer,
between Non-returner and Non-returner,
between Arahant and Arahant.
This, monks, is called the power of sympathy.
These, monks, are the four powers.
§
Monks, the Ariyan disciple,
who is endowed with these four powers,
has passed by five fears.
What five?
The fear of (wrong) livelihood,
of ill-fame,
of embarrassment in assemblies,
of death,
of a miserable afterlife.[6]
■
Monks, that Ariyan disciple reflects thus:
"I fear not the fear of livelihood.[7]
Why should I fear the fear of livelihood?
Have I not four powers:
the power of wisdom,
energy,
faultlessness
and sympathy?
But the foolish may fear that fear;
the indolent may fear that fear;
the faulty in act of deed, word or thought may fear that fear;
the unsympathetic may fear that fear.
■
Nor do I fear the fear of ill-fame.
Why should I fear the fear of ill-fame?
Have I not four powers:
the power of wisdom,
energy,
faultlessness
and sympathy?
But the foolish may fear that fear;
the indolent may fear that fear;
the faulty in act of deed, word or thought may fear that fear;
the unsympathetic may fear that fear.
■
Nor do I fear the fear of embarrassment in assemblies.
Why should I fear the fear of of embarrassment in assemblies?
Have I not four powers:
the power of wisdom,
energy,
faultlessness
and sympathy?
But the foolish may fear that fear;
the indolent may fear that fear;
the faulty in act of deed, word or thought may fear that fear;
the unsympathetic may fear that fear.
■
Nor do I fear the fear of death.
Why should I fear the fear of death?
Have I not four powers:
the power of wisdom,
energy,
faultlessness
and sympathy?
But the foolish may fear that fear;
the indolent may fear that fear;
the faulty in act of deed, word or thought may fear that fear;
the unsympathetic may fear that fear.
■
Nor do I fear the fear of a miserable afterlife.
Why should I fear the fear of a miserable afterlife?
Have I not four powers:
the power of wisdom,
energy,
faultlessness
and sympathy?
But the foolish may fear that fear;
the indolent may fear that fear;
the faulty in act of deed, word or thought may fear that fear;
the unsympathetic may fear that fear.
Monks, possessed of those four powers,
the Ariyan disciple has passed by these five fears.'
[1] Cf. A. ii, 142, where these four recur; above, p. 2, for others. Our text and S.e. sangaha, but A. ii. and S.e., there, sangāha; see also D. iii, 152; trsl. popularity; above, p. 148.
[2] Above, p. 191. [?Ed.]
[3] Cf. M. i, 478, of a puqgala diṭṭhipatta.
[5] Saddhā-sampadāya samādapeti.
[6] Cf. Vbh. 379 and Vbh.A. 505; Mil. 196.
[7] Ājīvika-bhayaɱ. Comy. merely jīvita-vutti-bhayaɱ.
