Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
II. Rathakāra Vagga

The Book of the Threes

Sutta 12

Sāraṇīya Suttaṃ

To Be Remembered Life-Long

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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[12][pts][bodh][upal] "These three, beggars,
should be remembered
life-long
by a crowned king of the ruling class.

What three?

That place, beggars, where
a crowned ruling-class king
was born.

That, beggars,
is the first
a crowned ruling-class king
should remember life-long.

And further on,
at a point later on, beggars,
the place where a ruling-class king
was crowned.

That, beggars,
is the second
a crowned ruling class king
should remember life-long.

And further on,
at a point later on, beggars,
the conquered territory
a crowned ruling-class king
was at when victorious in battle.

That, beggars,
is the third
a crowned ruling-class king
should remember life-long.

These then, beggars,
are the three,
which should be remembered
life-long
by a crowned king of the ruling class.

 

■

 

Even so, beggars,
these three
should be remembered
life-long
by a beggar.

What three?

That place, beggars, where
the beggar shaved off his head-hair and beard,
dressed in ochre robes and
left the house
for homelessness.

That, beggars,
is the first
a beggar
should remember life-long.

And further on,
at a point later on, beggars,
the place where a beggar
understood,
as it was really intended,
the phrase:
'This is pain;'
understood,
as it was really intended,
the phrase:
'This is the origin of pain;'
understood,
as it was really intended,
the phrase:
'This is the ending of pain;'
understood,
as it was really intended,
the phrase:
'This is the walk to walk to
the ending of pain.'

That, beggars,
is the second
a beggar
should remember life-long.

And further on,
at a point later on, beggars,
the place where a beggar
destroyed the corrupting influences, and
without corrupting influences,
heart-freed,
wisdom-freed,
in this seen thing
came to know this as an eye-witness
rising up into and
abiding therein.

That, beggars,
is the third
a beggar
should remember life-long.

These then, beggars,
are the three
that should be remembered
life-long
by a beggar."