Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
X. Loṇa-Phala Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
X. A Grain of Salt[1]
Sutta 91
Accāyika Suttaṃ
Urgent
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, there are these three urgent[2] duties of a yeoman farmer.
What three?
Herein, monks, the yeoman farmer
gets his field well ploughed and harrowed
very quickly.
Having done so
he puts in his seed
very quickly.
Having done that
he lets the water in
and turns it off
very quickly.
These are his three urgent duties.
■
Now, monks, that yeoman farmer
has no such magic power or authority
as to say:
'Let my crops spring up today.
Tomorrow let them ear.
On the following day let them ripen.'
No!
It is just the due season
which makes them do this.
§
2. In the same way
there are these three urgent duties of a monk.
What three?
The undertaking of the training
in the higher morality,
in the higher thought
and in the higher insight.
These are his three urgent duties.
■
Now the monk
has no such magic power or authority
as to say:
'Today let my mind be released from the āsavas without grasping,
or tomorrow,
or the day following.'
No!
It is just the due season
which releases his mind,
as he undergoes the training
in the higher morality,
in the higher thought
and in the higher insight.
§
[220] Wherefore, monks,
thus must ye train yourselves:
'Keen shall be our desire
to undertake the training
in the higher morality,
in the higher thought
and in the higher insight.'
That is how ye must train yourselves."
[1] The title of this chapter derives from § 99.
[2] Accāyikāni = atipātikāni (insistent). Comy. Cf. supra, § 82.
