Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
I: Sekha-Bala Vagga

The Book of Fives

Sutta 6

A-Kusala-Samāpatti Suttaṁ

Unskillful Aquirements

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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

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

There, to the Beggars gathered round, he said:

"Beggars!"

And: "Broke Tooth!" the Beggars gathered round responding,
The Lucky Man said:

"There is no acquiring access by that which is unskillful, beggars,
as long as faith in skillful things has been established as an instinctive response.^[1]

But when faith in skillful things is utterly displaced,^[2] beggars,
lack of faith having set up possession,
then there is penetration by that which is unskillful.

There is no acquiring access by that which is unskillful, beggars,
as long as sense of shame has been established as an instinctive response.

But when sense of shame is utterly displaced, beggars
shamelessness having set up possession,
then there is penetration by that which is unskillful.

There is no acquiring access by that which is unskillful, beggars,
as long as fear of blame has been established as an instinctive response.

But when fear of blame is utterly displaced, beggars
lack of fear of blame having set up possession,
then there is penetration by that which is unskillful.

There is no acquiring access by that which is unskillful, beggars,
as long as energy has been established as an instinctive response.

But when energy is utterly displaced, beggars
indolence having set up possession,
then there is penetration by that which is unskillful.

There is no acquiring access by that which is unskillful, beggars,
as long as wisdom has been established as an instinctive response.

But when wisdom is utterly displaced, beggars
stupidity having set up possession,
then there is penetration by that which is unskillful.

 

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^[1] Pacc'upa-ṭ-ṭhitā. PED: [pp. of pacc'upa-ṭ-ṭhahati; [paṭi+upa+sthā] "to stand up before," to be present;] (re)presented, offered, at one's disposal, imminent, ready, present. I would say rather to have at one's disposal (uprising, upa) the reflex (paṭi) previously established (sthā) of ... In other words at the first appearance of danger the reflex of faith, etc. also appears: 'instinctive response.'

^[2] Antarahitā. All the dictionaries say: Antara + dhāyati. Between + dhāyati, but give no definition of dhāyati (or any of the alternate spellings) (? carry-forward? hold-forth?) and define as 'disappear' which one can deduce from the context. I deduce from the context that this is Anta + rahita. End + without or to be deprived of and come up with 'utterly devoid of'.