Aṅguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
VII: Saññā Vagga

The Book of Fives

Sutta 61

Paṭhama Saññā Suttaṁ

First Perceptions Sutta

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:

"Beggars! These five perceptions^[1] when made become,
when made a big deal of,
are of great fruit,
of great advantage,
plunge into the deathless
conclude in the deathless.

What five?

Perception of impurity,
perception of death,
perception of disadvantage,
perception of the disgusting nature of food,
perceiving nothing to delight in in all the world.

Beggars! These five perceptions when made become,
when made a big deal of,
are of great fruit,
of great advantage,
plunge into the deathless
conclude in the deathless.

 

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^[1] Saññā. Once-knowing. Perception. Not, as per Hare, 'thought'. The idea is the perceiving of impurity, etc., not the thought of impurity, etc. It makes all the difference.