Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
IX: Thera-Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
IX: The Elders

Sutta 86

Adhimāna Suttaṃ

The Question of Gnosis

Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.

[108]

[1] THUS have I heard:

Once the venerable Kassapa the Great was staying in Rājagaha
at the Bamboo Grove at the Squirrels' Feeding-ground.

On that occasion [162] he called to the monks, saying:

"Monks, your reverences!"

"Yes, your reverence," replied those monks
to the venerable Kassapa the Great,
who said this:

"In this matter, your reverences,
a certain monk declares gnosis thus:

'Destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the Brahma-life,
done is what was to be done.

I am assured that there is no more
of life in these conditions.'

Then the Wayfarer
or a Wayfarer's disciple
who is a muser,
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
closely examines,
questions
and talks with him.

■

He, thus closely examined,
questioned
and talked with
by the Wayfarer
or a disciple of the Wayfarer,
who is a muser,
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
-he comes to [109] a desert (so to speak),
he comes to a jungle,
he comes to an ill pass,
to ruin,
to an ill pass and ruin alike.

■

For the Wayfarer or Wayfarer's disciple,
who is a muser,
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
reading his heart with his own thus ponders:

'How is it that this worthy is a boaster and garrulous about his own attainments, so as to say:

"Destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the Brahma-life,
done is what was to be done.

I am assured that there is no more
of life in these conditions."'

Then the Wayfarer
or a Wayfarer's disciple
who is a muser
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
reading his heart with his own, comes to know:

'This worthy is over-conceited;
regarding his own conceit as truth
he thinks he has won
what he has not won;
he thinks he has done
what he has not done;
he thinks he has attained
what he has not attained.

From over-conceit he declares gnosis thus:

"Destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the Brahma-life,
done is what was to be done.

I am assured that there is no more
of life in these conditions."

■

'Dependent on what, I wonder,
is this worthy thus conceited,
and regarding his own conceit as truth
thinks he has won
what he has not won;
thinks he has done
what he has not done;
thinks he has attained
what he has not attained
and thus declares gnosis?'

■

[163] Then the Wayfarer
or a Wayfarer's disciple
who is a muser
skilled in attaining (musing),
skilled in reading others' hearts,
skilled in reading the habit of others' hearts,
reading his heart with his own, comes to know:

'But this worthy is of deep learning;
he bears in mind what he has heard
and treasures it up;
those teaching that,
lovely in the beginning,
lovely midway,
lovely at the end (of life),
set forth the utterly complete Brahma-life
in all its purity -
such teachings he has much heard
and borne in mind,
verbally repeated,
mentally examined,
penetrated with view.

Therefore is this worthy conceited;
regarding his over-conceit as truth he thinks he has won what he has not won
what he has not won;
thinks he has done
what he has not done;
thinks he has attained
what he has not attained.

It is from over-conceit
that he declares gnosis thus:

"Destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the Brahma-life,
done is what was to be done.

I am assured that there is no more
of life in these conditions."'

■

This worthy is covetous;
he lives generally with heart obsessed by coveting.

Now obsession by coveting
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is malicious;
he lives generally with heart obsessed by malice.

Now obsession by malace
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is slothful and torpid;
he lives generally with heart obsessed by sloth and torpidity.

Now obsession by sloth and torpor
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is unbalanced;
he lives generally with heart unbalanced.

Now living generally with heart unbalanced
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is a doubter and waverer;
he lives generally with heart of doubt and wavering.

Now obsession by doubt and wavering
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy delights in doing things,
delights in deeds,
is wholly given over to delight in deeds.

Now delight in doing things,
delight in deeds,
being wholly given over to delight in deeds
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

[164] This worthy delights in gossip,
loves gossip,
is wholly given over to delight in gossip.

Now delight in gossip,
love of gossip,
being wholly given over to delight in gossip
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy delights in sleep,
loves sleep,
is wholly given over to delight in sleep.

Now delight in sleep,
love of sleep,
being wholly given over to delight in sleep
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

This worthy is delights in society,
loves society,
is wholly given over to delight in society.

Now delight in society,
love of society,
being wholly given over to delight in society
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

■

[110] Being of muddled wits,
this worthy, owing to special attainments,
but of trifling value,
has come to a halt midway of his career.

Now coming to a halt midway of one's career
means waning in this Dhamma-discipline
proclaimed by the Wayfarer.

Indeed, your reverences,
there is no possibility that this monk,
without abandoning these ten qualities,
should reach increase,
growth
and maturity
in this Dhamma-discipline.

■

But should he abandon these ten qualities,
there are good grounds for his reaching growth,
increase
and maturity therein."

Aṇguttara Nikāya X. Dasaka-Nipāta IX: Thera-Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings X. The Book of the Tens IX: The Elders

Sutta 86

Adhimāna Suttaṃ

The Question of Gnosis

Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
IX: Thera-Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
IX: The Elders