Aṅguttara Nikāya


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Edited: Saturday, February 25, 2023 1:13 PM

Aṅguttara Nikāya
Eka-Nipātā

The Book of Ones

Suttas 585-654

Translated from the Pāḷi by Michael M. Olds

 


 

[585] [PTS: XXI. 43] In the same way, beggars,
as one whose heart suffuses
a great body of water
includes the small streams
flowing into and becoming part of
that body of water;[1]

In the Same Way, beggars,
one who makes become,
makes a big thing
of minding by way of body,
includes those skillful things
that conduce to vision.

[586][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into something thrilling.

What is that one thing?

It is minding by way of body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into something thrilling.

[587][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into great attainment.

What is that one thing?

It is minding by way of body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into great attainment.

[588][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into the ease
that comes from a sense of accomplishment.

What is that one thing?

It is minding by way of body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into the ease
that comes from a sense of accomplishment.

[589][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into awareness of mind.

What is that one thing?

It is minding by way of body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into awareness of mind.

[590][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into obtaining knowledge and vision.

What is that one thing?

It is minding by way of body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into obtaining knowledge and vision.

[591][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into living pleasantly
in this visible thing.

What is that one thing?

It is minding by way of body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into living pleasantly
in this visible thing.

[592][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into enjoying
the vision of freedom
of one who has served his time.

What is that one thing?

It is minding by way of body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
made a big thing,
evolves into enjoying
the vision of freedom
of one who has served his time.

[593][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
tranquillizes the body.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
indeed tranquillizes the body.

[594][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
tranquillizes the heart.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
indeed tranquillizes the heart.

[595][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
settles down the inner dialogue
and meandering thoughts.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
indeed settles down the inner dialogue
and meandering thoughts.

[596][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
leads to the completion
of that which conduces to vision.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
indeed leads to the completion
of that which conduces to vision.

[597][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
conduces to the non-arising
of unskillful things
not present in this visible thing.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
indeed conduces to the non-arising
of unskillful things
not present in this visible thing.

[598][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
conduces to the disappearance
of unskillful things
that are present in this visible thing.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
indeed conduces to the disappearance
of unskillful things
that are present in this visible thing.

[599][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
conduces to the arising
of skillful things
not yet present in this visible thing.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
indeed conduces to the arising
of skillful things
not yet present in this visible thing.

[600][pts] One thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
conduces to the maturation
of skillful things
that are present in this visible thing.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of
indeed conduces to the maturation
of skillful things
that are present in this visible thing.

[601][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of
blindness passes off.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of
blindness passes off.

[602][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of
vision is acquired.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of
vision is acquired.

[603][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of
the 'I am'-pride passes off.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of
the 'I am'-pride passes off.

[604][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of
bias[2] gets uprooted.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of
bias gets uprooted.

[605][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of
the attachments pass off.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of
the attachments pass off.

[606][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
it develops into wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of,
it develops into wisdom.

[607][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
it develops into the complete mastery of awakening.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of,
it develops into the complete mastery of awakening.

[608][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
not only just one data is penetrated.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of,
not only just one data is penetrated.

[609][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
a diversity of data is penetrated.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of
a diversity of data is penetrated.

[610][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
not only just one data is synthesized.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

Indeed, beggars,
if this one thing is made to become,
made much of,
not only just one data is synthesized.

[611][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
the fruit of Streamwinning
may be seen with one's own eyes.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

If this one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
the fruit of Streamwinning
may be seen with one's own eyes.

[612][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
the fruit of Once-Returning
may be seen with one's own eyes.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

If this one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
the fruit of Once-Returning
may be seen with one's own eyes.

[613][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
the fruit of Non-Returning
may be seen with one's own eyes.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

If this one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
the fruit of Non-Returning
may be seen with one's own eyes.

[614][pts] If one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
the fruit of Arahantship
may be seen with one's own eyes.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

If this one thing, beggars,
is made to become,
made much of,
the fruit of Arahantship
may be seen with one's own eyes.

[615][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops the gaining of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops the gaining of wisdom.

[616][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops the empowerment of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops the empowerment of wisdom.

[617][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops the fullness of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops the fullness of wisdom.

[618][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops great scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops great scope of wisdom.

[619][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops broad scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops broad scope of wisdom.

[620][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops full scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops full scope of wisdom.

[621][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops deep scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops deep scope of wisdom.

[622][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops scope of wisdom beyond knowing.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops scope of wisdom beyond knowing.

[623][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops other-worldly scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops other-worldly scope of wisdom.

[624][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops wisdom made much of.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops wisdom made much of.

[625][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops swift scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops swift scope of wisdom.

[626][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops quick scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops quick scope of wisdom.

[627][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops ready scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops ready scope of wisdom.

[628][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops speedy scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops speedy scope of wisdom.

[629][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops sharp scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops sharp scope of wisdom.

[630][pts] One thing, beggars,
made to become,
made much of,
develops penetrating scope of wisdom.

What is that one thing?

Minding body.

This one thing, beggars,
if made to become,
made much of,
develops penetrating scope of wisdom.

[631][pts] Beggars, they do not savor immortality
who do not savor minding by way of body.

[632][pts] Beggars, they indeed savor immortality
who savor minding by way of body.

[633][pts] Beggars, they have not tasted immortality
who have not tasted minding by way of body.

[634][pts] Beggars, they indeed have tasted immortality
who have tasted minding by way of body.

[635][pts] Beggars, they have bypassed immortality
who have bypassed minding by way of body.

[636][pts] Beggars, they indeed have not bypassed immortality
who have not bypassed minding by way of body.

[637][pts] Beggars, they have restrained immortality
who have restrained minding by way of body.

[638][pts] Beggars, they indeed have embarked on immortality
who have embarked on minding by way of body.

[639][pts] Beggars, they have been careless with immortality
who have been careless with minding by way of body.

[640][pts] Beggars, they indeed have not been careless with immortality
who have not been careless with minding by way of body.

[641][pts] Beggars, they have forgotten immortality
who have forgotten minding by way of body.

[642][pts] Beggars, they indeed have not forgotten immortality
who have not forgotten minding by way of body.

[643][pts] Beggars, they have not visited immortality
who have not visited minding by way of body.

[644][pts] Beggars, they indeed have visited immortality
who have visited minding by way of body.

[645][pts] Beggars, they have not made immortality become
who have not made minding by way of body become.

[646][pts] Beggars, they indeed have made immortality become
who have made minding by way of body become.

[647][pts] Beggars, they have not made a big thing of immortality
who have not made a big thing of minding by way of body.

[648][pts] Beggars, they indeed have made a big thing of immortality
who have made a big thing of minding by way of body.

[649][pts] Beggars, they have no higher knowledge of immortality
who have not got higher knowledge of minding by way of body.

[650][pts] Beggars, they indeed have higher knowledge of immortality
who have higher knowledge of minding by way of body.

[651][pts] Beggars, they have no thorough knowledge of immortality
who have no thorough knowledge of minding by way of body.

[652][pts] Beggars, they indeed have thorough knowledge of immortality
who have thorough knowledge of minding by way of body.

[653][pts] Beggars, they have not realized the truth of immortality
who have not realized the truth of minding by way of body.

[654][pts] Beggars, they indeed have realized the truth of immortality
who have realized the truth of minding by way of body.

Here Ends the Book of Ones

 


[1] Woodward has:

"Even as one, monks, who embraces with his mind's eye the mighty ocean includes therewith all the rivulets whatsoever that run into the ocean; just so, monks, by whomsoever mindfulness relating to body is practiced, made much of and plunged into, — in him exist all good states whatsoever that have part in wisdom."

The phrase at issue is: cetasaa phuto — Woodward's: "embraces with his mind's eye" — seeing in the expression the psychic power of clairvoyance.

The term "phuto" (PED: > pharati > sphur, sphar, to twitch; Lat sperno "spurn"; lit. kick away; to excite or stimulate the nerves) (— to me it sounds like an onomat for "spray"; say phooey!) seems to be highly correlated with two floral activities: the blossoming and casting forth of scent by a flower, and the splitting open of a seed pod and the casting forth of the seed (the way a mustard seed pod bursts and casts out its seed comes to mind). PED has: pervade, permeate, thrill, expand, spread out, spread with, fill, spread out over. To me there is a world of difference between these and "embrace." Or encompass with the mind, etc. To me "embrace" implies having mastered where pervade implies investigation perhaps without limits. This, in turn, has critical importance in the second half of the simile where we must ask: "Is it that when we practice mindfulness relating to body good states that have part in wisdom are automatically created; or is it that we should, in our making a big thing of recollection of body, include also those skillful things that conduce to vision.

More critical in my estimation, however is "sati", here and through to the end in the term kāya-gatāsati.

Starting with the Pāḷi English Dictionary:

Sati [see etym. Under sarati (2)]

But first I think it is important to know of Sarati (1): to go, to flow, run, move along; 1. to make go; 2. to rub, to mix

Sarati (2): [Lat memor, memoria = memory; Greek care, witness, martyr; Gothic maurnan = English mourn, to care] to remember; caus. Sāreti to remind

[so on with sati] memory, recognition, consciousness, intentness of mind, wakefulness of mind, mindfulness, alertness, lucidity of mind, self-possession, conscience, self-consciousness.

The task we have in selecting a term to be used to understand this word is that it must be made to "taste of freedom." Those definitions which do not include the idea of letting go (or include the idea of 'ever-minding') are omitting half of the meaning of this term as described in painstaking detail in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (other translator's use of the term mindfulness notwithstanding). Look at the idea of flow and go in the first definition of the root concept; think of what is happening in the process of mourning or remembering the dead. These are ideas which speak of saying goodbye, of process. So in my choice of the phrase "Minding body" I am again suggesting that what is thought of here is that which is encompassed in the idea of satisfaction: penetrating knowledge and release. Penetrating knowledge of the transience of body, the pain associated with that transience, and seeing that as a consequence, "body" cannot be the "self" or "of the self." And then letting it go. Mindfulness and attention and such ideas just never let go and this is a huge error! Read the "refrains" between the sections (for example, for "Body"), the emphasis is not for nothing: "This is the way to live in a body so seeing body that one releases one's angry downbound longing and misery, and rising above it all, watchful and diligent, satisfied, reviewing and calming down, overcoming any taṇhā that may appear, one is bound up bound up in nothing at all in the World."

[2] Anusaya. PED: bent, bias proclivity, the persistence of a dormant or latent disposition, predisposition, tendency. Always in a bad sense. In the oldest texts the word usually occurs absolutely, without mention of the cause or direction of the bias. Thus my trans, but usually translated "lurking tendencies" as with Woodward, and meaning specific, although varying, sets made up of: 1. pride, doubt, 2. ignorance, lust, hatred, 3. delusion and craving for rebirth.


Index to Aṅguttara Nikāya I: The Ekanipata Suttas ]

 


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