Aṅguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
VII. Mahā Vagga
Sutta 68 [DTO 69]
Añña-Titthiya Suttaɱ
Sectarians
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Proofed against and modified in accordance with the revised edition at dhammatalks.org
Provenance, terms and conditons
[1][pts] "Monks, if you are asked
by wanderers of other sects,
'Friends, there are these three qualities.
Which three?
Passion, aversion, and delusion.
These are the three qualities.
Now what is the difference,
what the distinction,
what the distinguishing factor
among these three qualities?'
— when thus asked,
how would you answer
those wanderers of other sects?"
"For us, lord,
the teachings have the Blessed One
as their root, their guide, and their arbitrator.
It would be good if the Blessed One himself
would explicate the meaning of this statement.
Having heard it from the Blessed One,
the monks will remember it."
"In that case, monks,
listen and pay close attention.
I will speak."
"As you say, lord,"
the monks responded.
The Blessed One said,
"Monks, if you are asked
by wanderers of other sects,
'Friends, there are these three qualities.
Which three?
Passion, aversion, and delusion.
These are the three qualities.
Now what is the difference,
what the distinction,
what the distinguishing factor
among these three qualities?'
— when thus asked,
you should answer those wanderers of other sects
in this way,
'Friends, passion carries little blame
and is slow to fade.
Aversion carries great blame
and is quick to fade.
Delusion carries great blame
and is slow to fade.
"[Then if they ask,]
'But what, friends,
is the reason, what the cause,
why unarisen passion arises,
or arisen passion tends to growth and abundance?'
'The theme of the attractive,'
it should be said.
'For one who attends inappropriately
to the theme of the attractive,
unarisen passion arises
and arisen passion tends to growth and abundance...'
"[Then if they ask,]
'But what, friends,
is the reason, what the cause,
why unarisen aversion arises,
or arisen aversion tends to growth and abundance?'
'The theme of irritation,'
it should be said.
'For one who attends inappropriately
to the theme of irritation,
unarisen aversion arises
and arisen aversion tends to growth and abundance...'
"[Then if they ask,]
'But what, friends,
is the reason, what the cause,
why unarisen delusion arises,
or arisen delusion tends to growth and abundance?'
'Inappropriate attention,'
it should be said.
'For one who attends inappropriately,
unarisen delusion arises
and arisen delusion tends to growth and abundance...'
"[Then if they ask,]
'But what, friends,
is the reason, what the cause,
why unarisen passion does not arise,
or arisen passion is abandoned?'
'The theme of the unattractive'
it should be said.
'For one who attends appropriately
to the theme of the unattractive,
unarisen passion does not arise
and arisen passion is abandoned...'
"[Then if they ask,]
'But what, friends,
is the reason, what the cause,
why unarisen aversion does not arise,
or arisen aversion is abandoned?'
'Good will as an awareness-release,'
it should be said.
'For one who attends appropriately
to good will as an awareness-release,
unarisen aversion does not arise
and arisen aversion is abandoned...'
"[Then if they ask,]
'But what, friends,
is the reason, what the cause,
why unarisen delusion does not arise,
or arisen delusion is abandoned?'
'Appropriate attention,'
it should be said.
'For one who attends appropriately,
unarisen delusion does not arise
and arisen delusion is abandoned.
This is the reason, this the cause,
why unarisen delusion does not arise
and arisen delusion is abandoned.'"
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