Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
III: Pañc'aṅgika Vagga

The Book of Fives

Sutta 24

Du-s-sīla Suttaṁ

Of Poverty in Ethics

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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

Once Upon a Time, The Lucky Man, Sāvatthī-town
came-a revisiting.

There, to the Beggars gathered round, he said:

"Beggars!"

And the beggars responding:
"Broke Tooth!"
Bhagava said:

"For one of poor ethics, beggars,
for the ethically bereft,
consummate serenity has had its means of support cut off.

Consummate serenity not being,
for the consummate-serenity-bereft,
knowing and seeing things as they are
has had its means of support cut off.

Knowing and seeing things as they are not being,
for the knowing-and-seeing-bereft,
world-weary dispassion has had its means of support cut off.

World-weary dispassion not being,
for the world-weary-dispassionate-bereft,
freedom through knowledge and vision has had its means of support cut off.

2. In just the same way, beggars, as with a tree
stripped of its branches and leaves,
its component parts just do not reach maturity.

The bark just doesn't reach maturity,
the soft-wood just doesn't reach maturity,
the heartwood just doesn't reach maturity.

3. Even so then, beggars, for one of poor ethics,
for the ethically-bereft,
consummate serenity has had its means of support cut off.

Consummate serenity not being,
for the consummate-serenity-bereft,
knowing and seeing things as they are
has had its means of support cut off.

Knowing and seeing things as they are not being,
for the knowing-and-seeing-bereft,
world-weary dispassion has had its means of support cut off.

World-weary dispassion not being,
for the world-weary-dispassionate-bereft,
freedom through knowledge and vision has had its means of support cut off.

4. For the ethically practiced, beggars,
for one who is ethically endowed,
consummate serenity is well endowed with means of support.

Consummate serenity being,
for the consummate-serenity-well-endowed,
knowing and seeing things as they are is well-endowed with means of support.

Knowing and seeing things as they are being,
for the knowing-and-seeing-things-as-they-are-well-endowed,
world-weary dispassion is well-endowed with means of support.

World-weary dispassion being,
for the world-weary-dispassion-well-endowed,
freedom through knowledge and vision is well-endowed with means of support.

5. In just the same way, beggars, as with a tree
endowed with branches and leaves,
the component parts of such may easily reach maturity.

The bark may easily reach maturity,
the soft-wood may easily reach maturity,
the heartwood may easily reach maturity.

6. For the ethically practiced, beggars,
for one who is ethically endowed,
consummate serenity is well endowed with means of support.

Consummate serenity being,
for the consummate-serenity-well-endowed,
knowing and seeing things as they are is well-endowed with means of support.

Knowing and seeing things as they are being,
for the knowing-and-seeing-things-as-they-are-well-endowed,
world-weary dispassion is well-endowed with means of support.

World-weary dispassion being,
for the world-weary-dispassion-well-endowed,
freedom through knowledge and vision is well-endowed with means of support.