Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XVIII: Sañcetaniya Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XVIII: Intentional
Sutta 171
Sañcetanā Suttaṃ
Intention[1]
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, where there is bodily action,[2]
there arises to the self pleasure or pain
caused by intention of bodily action.[3]
[164] Or, monks, where there is action of speech,
there arises pleasure or pain to the self
caused by intentional action of speech.
Or, monks, where there is thought,
there arises pleasure or pain to the self
caused by intentional action of thought.
Or it is due to ignorance.[4]
§
Monks, it is due to ignorance
that either of himself
one plans planned bodily action,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain,
or that others plan against him
planned bodily action,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain.
Either of set purpose, monks,
one plans planned bodily action
following on which
arises to the self of him[5]
that pleasure or pain,
or not of set purpose
does he plan such bodily action.
§
Again, either of himself, monks,
one plans planned action of speech,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain,
or others plan against him
planned action of speech,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain.
Either of set purpose, monks,
one plans planned action of speech,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain,
or not of set purpose
does he plan such action of speech,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain.
§
Again, monks, either of himself
one plans planned action of thought,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain,
or others plan against him
planned action of thought,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain.
Either of set purpose, monks,
one plans planned action of thought,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain,
or not of set purpose
does he plan such action of thought,
following on which
arises to the self of him
that pleasure or pain.
§
Monks, in these[6] instances ignorance is followed.
But by the utter ceasing and ending of ignorance
that bodily action exists not,
following on which
that pleasure or pain
arises to the self of him;
by the utter ceasing and ending of ignorance
that action of speech exists not,
following on which
that pleasure or pain
arises to the self of him;
by the utter ceasing and ending of ignorance
of thought exists not,
following on which
that pleasure or pain
arises to the [165] self of him;
there[7] is no field,
following on which
that pleasure or pain
arises to the self of him;
there is no base,
following on which
that pleasure or pain
arises to the self of him;
there is no sphere of action,
following on which
that pleasure or pain
arises to the self of him;
there is no occasion,
following on which
that pleasure or pain
arises to the self of him."
[1] Sañcetanā. Cf. M. iii, 207; K.S. ii, 30, where Sāriputta instructs Ānanda in this subject, and Expos. i, 117 (Discourse on Kamma); Pts. of Contr. 225 (The physical and moral), both of which quote § 1.
[2] Comy. expl. kāye as kāya-dvāre, kāya-viññattiyā (by gesture). Cf. Expos. i, 109. The three doors of action are act of body, speech, thought. 'Acts pass through doors.'
[3] Or kāya-sañcetanikā-hetu, by reason of volition capable of causing an act.
[4] Here text adds avijjā-paccayā vā. This acc. to S. ii (which reads vā and Comy. ca) belongs to next § in our text. Comy. has it both at the end of § 1 and at the beginning of § 2, acc. to which I trans. rather baldly to give the simple meaning.
[5] Yaṃ assa ajjhattaṃ uppajjati (subjective pleasure or pain).
[6] Here S. ii, 40 inserts chasu, but our texts and Comy. both at S. and here omit. As a matter of fact there are more than six. SA. has catusu ṭhanesu - i.e., the four alternatives in § 2, applied in a threefold way, make twelve.
[7] Taṃ may mean 'that field,' but its position seems to refer it to the state of end of ignorance.
