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Dhammatalk SearchAṅguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XII: Kesi Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XII: Kesi
Sutta 117
Ārakkha Suttaṁ
On Guard
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, on four occasions should earnestness,
mindfulness
and guard of one's thoughts
be exerted by one's own person.[1]
On what four occasions?
With the thought:
'Let not my mind run riot
amid things passionate',
by one's own person
should earnestness,
mindfulness
and guard of one's thoughts be exerted.[2]
With the thought:
'Let not my mind be malicious
amid things malicious',
by one's own person
should earnestness,
mindfulness
and guard of one's thoughts be exerted.
With the thought:
'Let not my mind be deluded amid things delusive',
by one's own person
should earnestness,
mindfulness
and guard of one's thoughts be exerted.
With the thought:[ed1]
'Let not my mind be intoxicated amid things prideful',
by one's own person
should earnestness,
mindfulness
and guard of one's thoughts be exerted.
When a monk's mind,
by abandoning passion,
does not run riot amid things passionate;
when his mind, by abandoning malice,
is not malicious amid things malicious;
when his mind, by abandoning delusion,
is not deluded among things delusive,
when his mind, by abandoning intoxication,
is not intoxicated among things prideful,[ed1]
then he fears not,
trembles not,
is not shaken,
falls not into fearfulness,
he goes not according to what Wanderers may say.'[3]
[1] Atta-rūpena, but Comy. (followed at K.S. iv, 60) takes it as meaning attha-, 'for one's own profit.' Cf. supra, §§ 87, 113 (kāyena).
[2] Cf. S. iv, 307.
[3] Na samaṇa-vacana-hetu gacchati. cf. A. i, 174, samaṇa-vādo.
[ed1] Woodward omits this 4th occasion and curiously omits it also in the summary paragraph. I have used his translation of 'mada' from AN 3.39. In footnote 1, he refers to it as 'intoxication'. Bhk. Bodhi translates 'intoxication.'
