Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XIX: Yodhajīva Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XIX: Fighting Man[1]
Sutta 181
Yodhājīva Suttaṃ
Fighting Man
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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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, possessed of four qualities
a fighting-man is worthy of a rajah,
is a possession of a rajah,
is reckoned an attribute of a rajah.
What are the four?
Herein, monks, a fighting-man is skilled in points of vantage,
he is a far-shooter,
a shooter like lightning
and a piercer[2] of a huge object.[3]
Possessed of these four qualities
a fighting-man is worthy of a rajah,
is a possession of a rajah,
is reckoned an attribute of a rajah.
■
In like manner, monks,
possessed of four qualities
a monk is worthy of respect,
of offerings and gifts,
of being saluted with clasped hands upraised,
a field of merit
unsurpassed for the world.
What are the four?
[178] In this case a monk is skilled in points of vantage,
he is a far-shooter,
a shooter like lightning
and a piercer of a huge object.
Now in what way is a monk skilled in points of vantage?
In this case a monk is virtuous,
he dwells restrained
with the restraint of the Obligations;
perfect in the practice of right conduct
he sees danger in the slightest faults;
he takes up
and trains himself
in the rules of morality.[4]
Thus is a monk skilled in points of vantage.
§
And how, monks, is a monk a far-shooter?
Herein whatsoever object,
be it past,
future
or present,
of the self or external to the self,
gross or subtle,
mean or exalted,
far or near, -
every object in short that he beholds,
he looks upon it,
as it really is,
with right wisdom,
thus:
This is not of me.
Not this am I.
Not for me is this the self.
■
Whatsoever feeling,
be it past,
future
or present,
of the self or external to the self,
gross or subtle,
mean or exalted,
far or near, -
every feeling in short that he beholds,
he looks upon it,
as it really is,
with right wisdom,
thus:
This is not of me.
Not this am I.
Not for me is this the self.
■
Whatsoever perception,
be it past,
future
or present,
of the self or external to the self,
gross or subtle,
mean or exalted,
far or near, -
every perception in short that he beholds,
he looks upon it,
as it really is,
with right wisdom,
thus:
This is not of me.
Not this am I.
Not for me is this the self.
■
Whatsoever activity,
be it past,
future
or present,
of the self or external to the self,
gross or subtle,
mean or exalted,
far or near, -
every activity in short that he beholds,
he looks upon it,
as it really is,
with right wisdom,
thus:
This is not of me.
Not this am I.
Not for me is this the self.
■
Whatsoever consciousness he has,
be it past,
future
or present,
of the self or external to the self,
gross or subtle,
mean or exalted,
far or near, -
- everything in short of which he is conscious, -,
he looks upon it,
as it really is,
with right wisdom,
thus:
This is not of me.
Not this am I.
Not for me is this the self.
That is how a monk is a far-shooter.
§
And how is a monk a shooter like lightning?
Herein a monk understands as it really is:
This is Ill.
This is the arising of Ill.
This is the ending of Ill.
This is the practice going to the ending of Ill.
Thus is he a shooter like lightning.
§
And how is a monk a piercer of a huge object?
Herein a monk pierces through the huge mass of nescience.
That is how he is a piercer of a huge object.
Possessed of these four qualities a monk is worthy of respect,
of offerings and gifts,
of being saluted with clasped hands upraised,
a field of merit
unsurpassed for the world.
[1] cf. A. i, 284 = G.S. i, 263; A. iii, 84. Comy. calls this chapter Brāhmaṇa-vagga.
[2] Padāletā, or 'smasher.'
[4] See § 7 of Ch. IV.
