Aṅguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
Mahā Vaggo
Sutta 66
Sakkāra-Garukāra Suttaɱ
Whom Should a Monk Respect?
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
[1] THUS have I heard:
At Sāvatthī
Now there arose in the mind of the venerable Sāriputta,
as he sat alone in seclusion,
this reflection:
'If a monk would abandon unrighteous ways,
if he would make righteousness become,
whom should he respect,
whom should he revere
and on whom should he rely?
§
Then thought the venerable one:
'Let a monk respect, revere and rely on the Teacher,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
Let him respect, revere and rely on Dhamma,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
Let him respect, revere and rely on the Order,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
Let him respect, revere and rely on the training,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
Let him respect, revere and rely on concentration,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
Let him respect, revere and rely on earnestness,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
Let him respect, revere and rely on goodwill,
if he would abandon unrighteousness ways
and make righteousness become.'[1]
§
Thought he:
'These things in me have been cleared and purified.
What if I were to go and tell them to the Exalted One!
They will become both purified within me
and better reckoned so.[2]
For, just as a man might come upon a gold ring,[3]
of pure and sterling quality, and think:
"This ring of mine is of pure and sterling gold,
but what if I were to go and show it to the goldsmiths!
My ring of gold, passed[4] by them,
will [81] be both purified
and better reckoned so!"
even so, when I have gone and told the Exalted One,
these things in me will be both purified and better reckoned so.'
§
Then, indeed, the venerable Sāriputta,
at eventide,
arose from seclusion
and approached the Exalted One.
And having come,
he saluted the Exalted One
and sat down at one side and said:
'Lord, as I sat alone in seclusion,
this reflection arose in my mind:
"Whom should a monk respect,
whom should he revere
and on whom should he rely,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become?"
■
And I thought:
"He should respect, revere and rely on the Teacher,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
"He should respect, revere and rely on the Dhamma,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
"He should respect, revere and rely on the Order,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
"He should respect, revere and rely on the training,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
"He should respect, revere and rely on concentration,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
"He should respect, revere and rely on earnestness,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
"He should respect, revere and rely on goodwill,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
These things are cleared and purified within me,
but if I were to speak about them to the Exalted One,
they would be both purified
and better reckoned so.
Just as if a man were to find a gold ring of pure and sterling quality, and think:
"This ring of mine is of pure and sterling gold,
but what if I were to go and show it to the goldsmiths!
My ring of gold, passed by them,
will be both purified
and better reckoned so!"
even so, when I have gone and told the Exalted One,
these things in me will be both purified and better reckoned so.'
§
'Well done! Well done! Sāriputta.
A monk should respect, revere and rely on the Teacher,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
A monk should respect, revere and rely on the Dhamma,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
A monk should respect, revere and rely on the Order,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
A monk should respect, revere and rely on the training,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
A monk should respect, revere and rely on concentration,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
A monk should respect, revere and rely on earnestness,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.
■
A monk should respect, revere and rely on goodwill,
if he would abandon unrighteous ways
and make righteousness become.'
§
When he had thus spoken, the venerable Sāriputta said:
'Lord, in its fullness,
I know the meaning of what the Exalted One has said in brief.
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher,
but should venerate Dhamma,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher,
lacks veneration also for Dhamma.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher and Dhamma,
but should venerate the Order,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher and Dhamma,
lacks veneration also for the Order.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma and the Order,
but should venerate the training,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma and the Order
lacks veneration also for the training.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order and the training,
but should venerate concentration,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order and the training
lacks veneration also for concentration.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training and concentration,
[82] but should venerate earnestness,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training and concentration,
lacks veneration also for earnestness.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training, concentration and earnestness,
but should venerate goodwill,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training, concentration and earnestness,
lacks veneration also for goodwill.
§
So also, lord, that a monk should venerate the Teacher,
but should not venerate Dhamma,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Dhamma,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher and Dhamma,
but should not venerate the Order,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Order,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher and Dhamma.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher, Dhamma and the Order,
but should not venerate the training,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the training,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher, Dhamma and the Order.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order and the training,
but should not venerate concentration,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for concentration
lacks veneration also for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order and the training.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training and concentration,
but should not venerate earnestness,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for earnestness,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training and concentration.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training, concentration and earnestness,
but should not venerate goodwill,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for goodwill,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training, concentration and earnestness.
Thus, lord, in its fullness, I understand the Exalted One's speech.'
§
'Well done! Well done! Sāriputta.
Well have you grasped the meaning of what I said in brief,
even in its fullness!'[5]
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher,
but should venerate Dhamma,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher,
lacks veneration also for Dhamma.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher and Dhamma,
but should venerate the Order,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher and Dhamma,
lacks veneration also for the Order.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma and the Order,
but should venerate the training,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma and the Order
lacks veneration also for the training.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order and the training,
but should venerate concentration,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order and the training
lacks veneration also for concentration.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training and concentration,
but should venerate earnestness,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training and concentration,
lacks veneration also for earnestness.
■
That a monk should lack veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training, concentration and earnestness,
but should venerate goodwill,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training, concentration and earnestness,
lacks veneration also for goodwill.
§
So also, Sāriputta, that a monk should venerate the Teacher,
but should not venerate Dhamma,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Dhamma,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher and Dhamma,
but should not venerate the Order,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the Order,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher and Dhamma.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher, Dhamma and the Order,
but should not venerate the training,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for the training,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher, Dhamma and the Order.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order and the training,
but should not venerate concentration,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for concentration
lacks veneration also for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order and the training.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training and concentration,
but should not venerate earnestness,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for earnestness,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training and concentration.
■
That a monk should venerate the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training, concentration and earnestness,
but should not venerate goodwill,
such a thing is not possible.
He who lacks veneration for goodwill,
lacks veneration also for the Teacher, Dhamma, the Order, the training, concentration and earnestness.
'Thus is the meaning of my speech to be regarded.'
[2] The text runs: Parisuddhā c'eva bhavissanti parisuddhasankhātatarā ca. Comy. observes: They will be purified to a greater measure.
[3] Nikkha, on this word see K.S. ii, 158 n.
[4] Kammāragato. Comy. Kammār'uddharuigato: gone through a refiner'a crucible.
[5] The text repeats in full. [Ed. Repeated in full for this edition.]
