Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
I: Sekha-Bala Vagga

The Book of Fives

In the Name of the Potter, Aristocrat, #1 Wide-Awakened One

Sutta 1

Sekha-Bala-Saṅkhitta Suttaṁ

The Seeker's Allies^[1] — In Sum

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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[1][pts][bodh] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time Bhagava, Sāvatthi-town, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, came-a revisiting.

There, to the Beggars gathered round, he said:

"Beggars!"

And: "Broke Tooth!" the Beggars gathered round responded.

Then Bhagava said:

"There are these five allies (powers) of the seeker; what are these five?

The trust-ally,^[2]
The sense-of-shame-Ally,^[3]
The fear-of-blame-Ally,^[4]
The energy-ally,^[5]
The wisdom-ally.^[6]

These, then, Beggars, are five allies of the seeker.

Wherefore, Beggars, train yourselves this way:

"We shall make live within us 'the trust-ally,' ally of seekers.

"We shall make live within us 'the sense-of-shame-ally,' ally of seekers.

"We shall make live within us 'the fear-of-blame-ally,' ally of seekers.

"We shall make live within us 'the energy-ally,' ally of seekers.

"We shall make live within us 'the wisdom-ally,' ally of seekers.

This is how you should train yourselves!

 

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^[1] Balāni: usually translated "powers," ability, enabler. See: Glossology: Balāni

^[2] Saddhā: usually translated "faith," Bhikkhu Thanissaro has the unique: "conviction" which comes closer to the way Buddhists view faith. See: Glossology: Saddhā

^[3] Hiri: See: Glossology: Hiri

^[4] Ottappa: See: Glossology: Ottappa

^[5] Viriya: Bhikkhu Thanissaro uses the unique (and I am not sure justified) "persistence." See: Glossology: Viriya

^[6] Paññā: Hare uses "Insight;" Bhikkhu Thanissaro uses "discernment." The word means: pan-knowledge. I see it as the ability to use knowledge wisely; discernment in the sense of being able to judge what's best according to circumstances based on experience rather than judging by theory. See: Glossology: Paññā

 

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References:

PTS: Aṅguttara-Nikāya, III, Edited by Prof. E. Hardy, PhD, DD
The Book of the Gradual Sayings, III: The Book of the Fives, E.M. Hare, trans.