Recital (c)

Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.

[1] Thus have I heard:

On a certain occasion the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, Lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said this:

"Monks, this recital to be made twice a month
amounts to more than one hundred and fifty rules
wherein are trained
clansmen who are eager for their welfare.

Now all these combine together
to make these three forms of training.

What three?

The higher morality,
the higher thought
and the higher insight.

Herein are combined
one and all of these rules.

2. Now, Monks, in this matter
a monk keeps the laws of morality in full,
he practises concentration in full,
he practises the acquiring of insight in full.

Whatever minor, trifling observances
he may transgress,
he is cleared of them.

Why so?

I do not declare him
to be rendered unfit because of them,
for he strictly observes
the rudiments of the holy life,
the constituents of the holy life:

■

He is established in morality,
he trains himself in the rules of training
by undertaking them.

Such an one, by destroying the āsavas,
in this very life himself comes to know
thoroughly the heart's release,
the release by insight,
and attaining it
abides therein.

■

3. Yet if he attain not,
if he penetrate not so far as that,^[1]
by destroying the five fetters
that bind (to the lower worlds)
he attains release midway.

■

If he attain not,
if he penetrate not so far as that,
by destroying the five fetters
that bind (to the lower worlds)
he wins release by reduction of his time.

■

If he attain not,
if he penetrate not so far as that,
by destroying the five fetters
that bind (to the lower worlds)
he wins release without much trouble.

■

If he attain not,
if he penetrate not so far as that,
by destroying the five fetters
that bind (to the lower worlds)
he wins release with some little trouble.

■

If he attain not,
if he penetrate not so far as that,
by destroying the five fetters
that bind (to the lower worlds)
he wins release he is one who goes upstream
who goes to the Pure Abodes.

■

Or, if he attain not that,
if he penetrate not so far as that,
yet by destroying three fetters
and weakening those of lust,
malice
and delusion,
he is a once-returner:
once more coming back to this world
he makes an end of Ill.

■

Yet, if he attain not,
if he penetrate not so far as that,
by destroying three fetters
he is a "one-seeder":
he takes just one birth as a man
and then makes an end of Ill.

■

Or, if he attain not,
if he penetrate not so far as that,
yet by destroying three fetters
he is reborn in a good family:
he fares and wanders up and down
in two or three families
and makes an end of III.

■

Or, if he attain not,
if he penetrate not so far as that,
by the destruction of three fetters
he is destined to seven more births at most:
he fares and wanders up and down
among devas^[2] and mankind
seven times at most
and then makes an end of Ill.

■

Thus, monks, he who observes in full
attains in full:
he who observes partially
attains partially.

Not barren of result
are the rules of the training,
I declare."

^[1] Anabhisambhavaṃ appaṭivijjhaṃ, cf. S. v, 454.

^[2] Text has dve for deve.

^[ed1] See the Outline comparing Suttas 85-86-87.

Aṇguttara-Nikāya III. Tika Nipāta IX. Samaṇa Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings or More-Numbered Suttas III. The Book of the Threes IX. The Recluse

Sutta 87

Tatiya Sikkha Suttaṃ

Recital (c)

Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
IX. Samaṇa Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
IX. The Recluse