Aṅguttara Nikāya
Chakka-Nipāta
III: Anuttariya-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Sixes
Chapter III: Above All
Sutta 21
Sāmagāmaka Suttaɱ
At Sāmagāmaka[1]
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One once dwelt among the Sakkas
at Sāmagāma[2] near the lotus-pond.
Now, when the night was far spent,
a deva of exceeding loveliness,
lighting up the whole lotus-pond,
approached him,
saluted
and stood at one side.|| ||
Thus standing,
the deva said to the Exalted One:
'Lord, these three things lead to a monk's failure.
What three?
Delight[3] in worldly activity,[4]
delight in talk,
delight in sleep.
Lord, these three things lead
to the falling away of a monk.'
Thus spake that deva
and the Master approved.
Then thought the deva:
'The Master is one in thought with me,'
and, saluting the Exalted One,
keeping him on his right,
vanished thence.
§
And when that night was over,
the Exalted One addressed [221] the monks
and told them:
When the night was far spent, monks,
a deva of exceeding loveliness,
lighting up the whole lotus-pond,
approached,
saluted
and stood at one side.
Thus standing,
the deva said:
'Lord, these three things lead to a monk's failure.
What three?
Delight in worldly activity,
delight in talk,
delight in sleep.
Lord, these three things lead
to the falling away of a monk.'
Thus spake that deva
and I approved.
Then thought the deva:
'The Master is one in thought with me,'
and, saluting,
keeping me on his right,
vanished thence.
Monks, it is to the discredit of each one of you,
it is to the loss of each one of you,[5]
that even devas know the things
that lead to your failing in righteousness.
Monks, other three things that lead to failure
I will also teach you;
listen,
pay heed
and I will speak."
'Yes, lord,' rejoined those monks;
and the Exalted One said:
"And what, monks, are the three?
Delight in company,
evil speaking
and friendship with bad men.
Verily, monks, these are the three things
that lead to failure.
Monks, all those who
in the long road of the past
have failed in righteousness,
have failed in righteousness
just because of these six things;
all those who in the long road of the future
shall fail in righteousness,
shall do so because of these six things;
yea, monks, all who now fail in righteousness,
fail therein just because of these six things.'
[1] In the Uddāna: Sāmako. S.e. Samako.
[2] Sāmagāmake. Comy. Sāmakānaɱ ussannattā evaɱ laddha-nāme gāmake; the name recurs at M. ii, 243 as Sāmagāma; MA. (Aluvihāra ed., p. 829) merely repeats our comment.
[3] Cf. above VI, § 14; It. 71; below, §§ 31 and 69
[4] Kamma.
[5] S.e. reads tesaɱ vo dulladdhā
Of Related Interest:
See AN 6.22 for what was probably the conclusion of this sutta.
