Aṅguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
V. Akkosa Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
V: Reviling
Sutta 44
Kusinārā Suttaɱ
At Kusinara
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was staying at Kusinara in the Wood of Offerings.[1]
On that occasion the Exalted One addressed the monks saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, sir," replied those monks to the Exalted One, who said this:
[56] "Monks, a monk who desires to admonish another[2]
should do so after investigation
of five conditions in his own self,
after setting up
five conditions in his own self.
§
What are the five conditions
he should investigate in his own self?
A monk who desires to admonish another
must thus investigate:
'Am I or am I not
one who practises utter purity in body;
am I or am I not
possessed of utter purity in body
flawless and untainted?'
Is this quality manifest in me
or is it not?'
If he be not so,
there are found folk who say to him:
'Come now, let your reverence practise
conduct as to body.'
Folk are found to speak thus.
■
Again, monks, a monk who desires to admonish another
should thus investigate:
'Am I or am I not
one who practises utter purity in speech,
flawless and untainted?
Is this quality manifest in me
or is it not?'
If he be not so,
there are found folk who say to him:
'Come now, let your reverence practise
conduct as to speech.'
Folk are found to speak thus.
■
Again, monks, a monk who desires to admonish another
should thus investigate:
'Is a heart of goodwill
free from malice
established in me
towards my fellows in the Brahma-life?
Is this quality manifest in me
or is it not?'
If it be not so,
there are found folk to say to him:
'Come now, let your reverence practise
the heart of goodwill.'
Folk are found to speak thus.
■
Then again, monks, a monk who desires to admonish another
should thus investigate:
'Am I or am I not
one who has heard much,
who bears in mind what he has heard,
who hoards up what he has heard?
Those teachings which,
lovely alike at the beginning,
the middle
and the end (of life)
proclaim in the spirit
and in the letter
the all-fulfilled,
utterly purified Brahma-life -
have such teachings been much heard by me,
borne in mind,
practised in speech,
pondered in the heart
and rightly penetrated by view?
Is this quality manifest in me
or is it not?'
Then, monks, if he be not one who has heard much,
who bears in mind what he has heard,
who hoards up what he has heard;
those teachings which,
lovely alike at the beginning,
the middle
and the end (of life)
proclaim in the spirit
and in the letter
the all-fulfilled,
utterly purified Brahma-life -
if such teachings have not been much heard by him,
borne in mind,
practised in speech,
pondered in the heart
and rightly penetrated by view,
then folk are found to say to him:
[57] 'Come now, let your reverence complete knowledge of the Sayings.'[3]
Folk are found to speak thus.
■
Again, monks, a monk who desires to admonish another
should thus investigate:
'Are-the obligations in full
thoroughly learned by heart,
well analysed
with thorough knowledge of the meaning,
clearly divided
sutta by sutta
and in minute detail by me?
Is this condition manifest in me
or is it not?'
For if not there are found folk to say to him:
'But where was this said by the Exalted One, your reverence?'
When thus questioned he cannot explain.
Then there will be those who say:
'Come now, let your reverence
train himself in the discipline.'
There will be found folk to speak thus.
These five conditions
must be investigated in his own self.
§
And what five conditions
must be set up in his own self?[4]
(He considers:)
'Do I speak in season or not?
■
Do I speak of facts or not,
■
do I speak gently or harshly,
■
do I speak words fraught with profit or not,
■
do I speak with a kindly heart
■
or inwardly malicious?'
■
These five conditions
he must set up in his own self.
Monks, these five conditions
are to be investigated in his own self,
and these other five conditions
are to be set up in his own self
by a monk who desires to admonish another."
[1] Cf. G.S. i, 251 n., Bali-haraṇe vanasaṇde. A bali ceremony, as still practised in India and Ceylon, is a sort of devil-dancing to appease local 'deities' by offerings. When there is no ceremony, fruit and flowers are offered to the devas.
[2] At Vin. ii, 248, addressed to Upāli.
[3] Āgama. The āgamas are usually the Four Great Nikāyas. One who knows these is called āgatāgamo. This evidently refers to the two recognized 'collected sayings' of ancient times, the āgama and the vinaya (-patimokkha) as in next §.
[4] At G.S. iii, 144 ff.
