Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
XI. Sambodhi Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas
III. The Book of the Threes
XI. Enlightenment
Sutta 110
Catuttha Nidāna Suttaṃ
Three Causes (d)
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
[1] 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:
"(which prevents the arising)" This is a mistake. There are actions which arise abscent lust, etc., for example the not doing of an action based on lust, etc. That too is kamma and is the point of the sutta.
— p.p.
"Monks, there are these three causes (which prevent the arising) of actions.
What three?
Desire for things
which in the past
were based on desire,
is not generated.
Desire for things
which in the future
will be based on desire,
is not generated.
Desire for things
which in the present time
are based on desire,
is not generated.
§
2. And how, monks, is desire for things
which in the past
were based on desire,
not generated?
One fully understands
the future result
of things which in the past
were based on desire.
Foreseeing this result
one turns away from it,[1]
and so doing,
conceiving no desire[2] for it in the heart,
one penetrates it by insight
and sees it plain.
That is how desire for things
which in the past
were based on desire,
is not generated.
■
3. And how, monks, is desire
which in the future
will be based on desire,
is not generated?
One fully understands
the future result
of things yet to come
which are based on desire.
Foreseeing this result
one turns away from it,
and so doing,
conceiving no desire for it in the heart,
one penetrates it by insight
and sees it plain.
That is how desire for things
which in the future
will be based on desire,
is not generated.
■
4. And how, monks, is desire
for things present,
which are based on desire,
not generated?
One fully understands
the future result
of present things,
based on desire.
Foreseeing this result
one turns away from it,
and so doing,
conceiving no desire for it in the heart,
one penetrates it by insight
and sees it plain.
That is how desire
for things present
which are based on desire
is not generated.
These are the three causes
(which prevent the arising) of actions."
[1] Text abhinivaddheti. Comy. abhinivaṭṭeti. Neither word is in Ang. Index or Pāli Dict.; apparently equal to abhinivajjeti. Comy. gives also a common reading, abhinibbajjeti.
[2] Abhivirājetvā, again not in Index or Dict.
