Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
15. Tikaṇḍaki Vaggo

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter XV: Three-thorn Grove

Sutta 144

Tikaṇḍakī Suttaṃ

At Three-thorn Grove

Translated by E. M. Hare

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[127]

[1] Thus have I heard:

Once, while dwelling near Sāketa at Three-thorn Grove,
the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:

"Monks!"

'Lord,' they replied;
and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, good is it for a monk
from time to time
to abide conscious of the distasteful
in what is not distasteful;^[1]

■

monks, good is it for a monk
from time to time
to abide conscious of what is not distasteful
in the distasteful;

■

monks, good is it for a monk
from time to time
to abide conscious of the distasteful
in both what is not and what is distasteful;

■

monks, good is it for a monk
from time to time
to abide [128] conscious of what is not distasteful
in both what is and what is not distasteful;

■

monks, good is it for a monk
from time to time,
rid^[2] of all that,
both the distasteful and what is not,
to abide in poise,^[3] mindful and self-possessed.

 

§

 

Monks, pressing toward what good mark^[4]
should a monk abide
conscious of the distasteful
in what is not distasteful?

"May the passion of impassioning things
surge not within me!" —

it is verily pressing toward this good mark
that a monk abides
conscious of the distasteful
in what is not distasteful.

■

Monks, pressing toward what good mark
should a monk abide
conscious of what is not distasteful
in the distasteful?

"May the defilement of defiling things
surge not within me!" —

it is verily pressing toward this good mark
that a monk abides conscious of what is not distasteful
in the distasteful.

■

Monks, pressing toward what good mark
should a monk abide
conscious of the distasteful
in both what is not and what is distasteful?

"May the passion of impassioning things
surge not within me!" —

"May the defilement of defiling things
surge not within me!" —

it is verily pressing toward this good mark
that a monk abides
conscious of the distasteful
in both what is not and what is distasteful.

■

Monks, pressing toward what good mark
should a monk abide
conscious of what is not distasteful
in both what is and what is not distasteful?

"May the defilement of defiling things
surge not within me!" —

"May the passion of impassioning things
surge not within me!" —

it is verily pressing toward this good mark
that a monk abides
conscious of what is not distasteful
in both what is and what is not distasteful.

■

Monks, pressing toward what good mark
should a monk abide
in poise,
mindful and self-possessed,
rid of both the distasteful
and what is not distasteful?

"May never anywhere,^[5]
in any place,
in any way,
within me
surge the passion of impassioning things;
may never anywhere,
in any place,
in any way,
within me
surge the defilement of defiling things;
may never anywhere,
in any place,
in any way,
within me
[129] surge the confusion of confounding things!" —

it is verily pressing toward this good mark
that a monk abides in poise,
mindful and self-possessed,
rid of both the distasteful
and what is not distasteful.'

 

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^[1] Appaṭikkūle. Comy. -ārammaṇe. Cf. Dial. iii, 107; K.S. v, 100 for the whole section.

^[2] Tad-ubhayaṃ abhivajjetvā, elsewhere translated avoiding; Cf. It. 81.

^[3] Upekkhako. Comy. majjhatta-bhāve ṭhito. Cf. the late Lord Northcliffe: 'The important thing is poise. ... Poise in all things and at all times. So few men have it.' (My Northcliffe Diary, by Mr. Tom Clarke.)

^[4] Attha-vasaṃ paṭicca; Cf. above, § 57; on attha see Mrs. Rhys Davids' Sakya; vasa means originally, will, wish, desire; so: aim, purpose; paṭicca is the ger. of pacceti, to go against; Cf. Philippians iii, 14.

^[5] Kvacini katthaci kiñcana. Comy. kismici ārammaṇe; kismici padese; koci appamattako pi.