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 Suttaṃ
The Seeker's Allies[1] — In Sum
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
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!
[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
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.
