Aṇguttara Nikāya
XI. Ekā-Dasaka Nipāta
II. Anussati Vagga
The Book of Elevens
Sutta 12
Mahānāma Suttaṃ
Mahānāma (a)
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
[1][pts][than] Once Upon a Time, The Lucky Man,
revisiting the Sakyans,
Kapilavatthu,
Nigrodhā's Park.
Also at this time
many beggars were at work
making robes for The Lucky Man.
"The robes being finished," they said,
"The Lucky Man will go on his three months tour."
Then Mahānāma the Sakkyan came to know:
Many beggars are at work
making robes for The Lucky Man.
"The robes being finished," they are saying,
"The Lucky Man will go on his three months tour."
There then Mahānāma the Sakkyan
went to where The Lucky Man was located,
where he drew near and
having drawn near The Lucky Man,
having given salutation,
took a seat to one side.
Having taken a seat to one side then,
Mahānāma the Sakkyan said this
to The Lucky Man:
"I have heard, Bhante,
that many beggars are at work
making robes for The Lucky Man.
"The robes being finished," they are saying,
"The Lucky Man will go on his three months tour."'
In that diverse residence, Bhante
in which we reside
in whose residence
should we reside?"
"Well said!
Well said, Mahānāma.
You reflect good form[1]
when you sons of clans
approach the Tathāgata and ask:
'In that diverse residence, Bhante,
in which we reside
in whose residence
should we reside?'
■
In that of the accomplished in faith, then Mahānāma,
not that of the faithless.
In that of the accomplished in energy,
not in that of the indolent.
In that of the accomplished in setting up the mind,
not that of the absent-minded.
In that of the accomplished in composure,
not that of the confused.
In that of the accomplished in wisdom,
not that of the stupid.
■
Then, Mahānāma, these five things set up,
six further things should be developed.
Here, Mahānāma,
you should recollect the Tathāgata:
'He is truly the Lucky Man,
aristocrat,
The Consummately Self-Awakened,
accomplished in vision and conduct,
The Welcome One,
knower of the world,
unsurpassed coachman of trainable men,
Master of gods and men,
The Awakened One,
The Lucky Man.'
At which time, Mahānāma,
the student of the aristocrats
recollects the Tathāgata
not at that time does
lust obsess the heart,
nor does anger obsess the heart,
nor does confusion obsess the heart.
At such time
the heart walks tall.
Then further, Mahānāma,
with heart walking tall,
setting out from the Tathāgata,
the student of the aristocrats
gains the thrill of attainment,
gains the thrill of Dhamma,
gains possession of Dhamma,
knowing gladness,
being pleased,
enthusiastic.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body becomes impassive
impassive in body
pleasure is experienced
pleased,
the heart is serene.
This Mahānāma, is called
the student of the aristocrats
who lives successfully
among those born going unevenly,
among those born devious
he lives without deviance,
perfecting the Dhamma ear,
he develops minding the Buddha.
■
And further, after that, Mahānāma,
you should recollect the Dhamma:
'Well-preached by The Lucky Man
is the Dhamma
to be seen for one's self,
outside of Time,
a 'come see' thing,
leading onward,
to be experienced for himself
by the learned.'
At which time, Mahānāma,
the student of the aristocrats
recollects the Dhamma
not at that time does
lust obsess the heart,
nor does anger obsess the heart,
nor does confusion obsess the heart.
At such time
the heart walks tall.
Then further, Mahānāma,
with heart walking tall,
setting out from the Dhamma,
the student of the aristocrats
gains the thrill of attainment,
gains the thrill of Dhamma,
gains possession of Dhamma,
knowing gladness,
being pleased,
enthusiastic.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body becomes impassive
impassive in body
pleasure is experienced
pleased,
the heart is serene.
This Mahānāma, is called
the student of the aristocrats
who lives successfully
among those born going unevenly,
among those born devious
he lives without deviance,
perfecting the Dhamma ear,
he develops minding the Dhamma.
■
And further, after that, Mahānāma,
you should recollect the Saṇgha:
Practicing well
is The Lucky Man's Saṇgha of followers
practicing uprightly
is The Lucky Man's Saṇgha of followers
practicing according to method
is The Lucky Man's Saṇgha of followers
practicing consummately
is The Lucky Man's Saṇgha of followers
that is,
the four pairs of persons,
the eight individual-persons.
This is The Lucky Man's Saṇgha
deserving of offerings
worthy of veneration
worthy of the right hand salute
unsurpassed field for merit in the world.
At which time, Mahānāma,
the student of the aristocrats
recollects the Saṇgha
not at that time does
lust obsess the heart,
nor does anger obsess the heart,
nor does confusion obsess the heart.
At such time
the heart walks tall.
Then further, Mahānāma,
with heart walking tall,
setting out from the Saṇgha,
the student of the aristocrats
gains the thrill of attainment,
gains the thrill of Dhamma,
gains possession of Dhamma,
knowing gladness,
being pleased,
enthusiastic.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body becomes impassive
impassive in body
pleasure is experienced
pleased,
the heart is serene.
This Mahānāma, is called
the student of the aristocrats
who lives successfully
among those born going unevenly,
among those born devious
he lives without deviance,
perfecting the Dhamma ear,
he develops minding the Saṇgha.
■
And further, after that, Mahānāma,
you should recollect your ethical standards:
Unbroken
uncorrupted
consistent
untarnished
untrammeled
unperverted
unadulterated
evolving into serenity.
At which time, Mahānāma,
the student of the aristocrats
recollects ethical standards
not at that time does
lust obsess the heart,
nor does anger obsess the heart,
nor does confusion obsess the heart.
At such time
the heart walks tall.
Then further, Mahānāma,
with heart walking tall,
setting out from ethics,
the student of the aristocrats
gains the thrill of attainment,
gains the thrill of Dhamma,
gains possession of Dhamma,
knowing gladness,
being pleased,
enthusiastic.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body becomes impassive
impassive in body
pleasure is experienced
pleased,
the heart is serene.
This Mahānāma, is called
the student of the aristocrats
who lives successfully
among those born going unevenly,
among those born devious
he lives without deviance,
perfecting the Dhamma ear,
he develops minding ethical standards.
■
And further, after that, Mahānāma,
you should recollect your liberality:
'It is truly a gain for me,
it is truly well-gained by me,
that in this world
obsessed by the stingy grip of greed,
I inhabit my home
with a heart without
the grip of greed,
freely giving,
open-handed,
delighting in letting go,
taking delight in
liberally dispensing gifts.'
At which time, Mahānāma,
the student of the aristocrats
recollects liberality,
not at that time does
lust obsess the heart,
nor does anger obsess the heart,
nor does confusion obsess the heart.
At such time
the heart walks tall.
Then further, Mahānāma,
with heart walking tall,
setting out from ethics,
the student of the aristocrats
gains the thrill of attainment,
gains the thrill of Dhamma,
gains possession of Dhamma,
knowing gladness,
being pleased,
enthusiastic.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body becomes impassive
impassive in body
pleasure is experienced
pleased,
the heart is serene.
This Mahānāma, is called
the student of the aristocrats
who lives successfully
among those born going unevenly,
among those born devious
he lives without deviance,
perfecting the Dhamma ear,
he develops minding liberality.
■
And further, after that, Mahānāma,
you should recollect the gods:
'There are gods of the Four Great Kings,
there are gods of the Three and Thirty,
there are Yama gods,
there are gods of Delight,
there are gods that delight in creation,
there are gods that have power
over the creations of others,
there are gods of Brahmā's realms
there are gods beyond that.
Such as was the form of faith
those devas had
cutting away from here,
uprising there,
such form of faith
is to be found in me as well.
Such as was the form of ethics
those devas had
cutting away from here,
uprising there,
such form of ethics
is to be found in me as well.
Such as was the form of the heard
those devas had
cutting away from here,
uprising there,
such form of the heard
is to be found in me as well.
Such as was the form of liberality
those devas had
cutting away from here,
uprising there,
such form of liberality
is to be found in me as well.
Such as was the form of wisdom
those devas had
cutting away from here,
uprising there,
such form of wisdom
is to be found in me as well.'
At which time, Mahānāma,
the student of the aristocrats
recollects
the faith, and
ethics, and
hearings, and
liberality, and
wisdom
of both himself, and
those devas,
not at that time does
lust obsess the heart,
nor does anger obsess the heart,
nor does confusion obsess the heart.
At such time
the heart walks tall.
Then further, Mahānāma,
with heart walking tall,
the student of the aristocrats
gains the thrill of attainment,
gains the thrill of Dhamma,
gains possession of Dhamma,
knowing gladness,
being pleased,
enthusiastic.
Enthusiastic in mind,
the body becomes impassive
impassive in body
pleasure is experienced
pleased,
the heart is serene.
This Mahānāma, is called
the student of the aristocrats
who lives successfully
among those born going unevenly,
among those born devious
he lives without deviance,
perfecting the Dhamma ear,
he develops minding the gods.
[1]Paṭirūpa. PED: [paṭi + rūpa] fit, proper, suitable, befitting, seeming; Woodward: "a fit thing"; Bhikkhu Thanissaro: "fitting". The transition from the introduction to the question of Mahānāma is very weak in English. In the Pāḷi we can see that the Buddha is most likely praising the construction of the question, and the question itself relates to the departure of the Buddha from his homeland into a state of homelessness likely only imperfectly understood by Mahānāma. The Buddha clarifies.
