Aṅguttara-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

Sutta 93

Parisā Suttaṁ

Companies^[1]

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

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved

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[222]

[1][than] Thus have I heard:

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 companies.

What three?

The distinguished,
the discordant
and the harmonious company.

 

§

 

And what, monks, is the distinguished company?

Herein, monks, in whatsoever company
the elder monks are not luxurious,
are not lax,
not leaders in backsliding,
not shirkers of the burden of the secluded life,
but make an effort to win the unattained,
to reach the goal not reached,
to realize the unrealized, -
the generation that follows
comes to depend upon their view: -
this, monks, is called
'the distinguished company.'

■

2. And what, monks, is the discordant company?

Herein, monks, in whatsoever company
the monks dwell quarrelsome,
wrangling,
disputatious,
wounding each other
with the weapons of the tongue, -
such a company is called
'discordant.'

■

3. And what, monks, is the harmonious company?

Herein, monks, in whatsoever company
the monks dwell together in unity,
courteous,
without quarrelling,
like milk and water mixed,
looking on each other
with the eye of affection, -
such a company is called
'harmonious.'

 

§

 

4. Now, monks, at such time
as the monks dwell in harmony,
courteous
without quarrelling,
like milk and water mixed,
looking on each other
with the eye of affection,
at such time
they beget much merit:
at such time, monks,
they dwell in the Brahmā-way:^[2]
that is to say,
in one who is delighted
in the heart's release by sympathy
there is [223] born joyousness.

The body of the joyous one is calmed.

He whose body is calmed feels happiness.

The mind of the happy man is balanced.

■

5. Just as when, monks,
on a mountain
the rain falls in heavy drops,^[3]
that water flowing onwards
according to the slope
fills up the mountain-clefts
and rifts
and gullies,
and the mountain-clefts
and rifts
and gullies when filled
fill up the little pools,
and the little pools when filled
fill up the big pools,
and the big pools when filled
fill up the small rivers:
and the small rivers when filled
fill up the large rivers,
and the large rivers when filled
fill up the sea, -
even so at such time
as the monks dwell together in unity,
courteous,
without quarrelling,
like milk and water mixed,
looking on each other
with the eye of affection,
at such time they beget much merit:
at such time, monks,
they dwell in the Brahmā-way:
that is to say:

In one who is delighted
in the heart's release by sympathy
there is born joyousness.

The body of the joyous one is calmed.

He whose body is calmed feels happiness.

The mind of the happy man is balanced.

These are the three companies."

 

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^[1] Cf. supra, text 70 for Nos. 2 and 3; supra, II, v, iii, for No. 1 of these.

^[2] Brahmā-vihara, not the Sublime Moods of directed well-wishing, for which see K.S. v.

^[3] cf. K.S. ii, 27.