Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
XI: Samaṇa-Saññā-Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
XI: Ideas of a Recluse

Sutta 104

Bīja Suttaṃ

The Seed

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

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved

For details see Terms of Use.

 

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[150]

[1][than] THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One said this:

"Monks, for a man, a person,
who has wrong view,
wrong thinking,
wrong speech,
wrong action,
wrong living,
wrong effort,
wrong mindfulness,
wrong concentration,
wrong knowledge
and wrong release,
whatsoever bodily action
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever action of speech
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever action of mind
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever intention
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever aspiration
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever resolve
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever activities of mind (directed thereto) there may be -
all those states conduce to what is unpleasant,
not delightful,
not charming,
not profitable,
to what is painful.

What is the cause of that?

Monks, the view is bad.

■

Suppose, monks, a nimb-seed^[1]
or a seed of creeper
or bitter gourd
be planted in moist soil.

[213] Whatever essence it derive from earth or water,
all that conduces to its bitterness,
its acridity,
its unpleasant taste.

What is the cause of that?

The bad nature of the seed, monks.

■

Just so in a man, a person,
who has wrong view,
wrong thinking,
wrong speech,
wrong action,
wrong living,
wrong effort,
wrong mindfulness,
wrong concentration,
wrong knowledge
and wrong release,
whatsoever bodily action
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever action of speech
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever action of mind
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever intention
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever aspiration
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever resolve
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever activities of mind (directed thereto) there may be -
all those states conduce to what is unpleasant,
not delightful,
not charming,
not profitable,
to what is painful.

What is the cause of that?

Monks, the view is bad.

 

§

 

But, monks, for a man, a person,
who has right view,
right thinking,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration,
right knowledge
and right release,
whatsoever bodily action
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever action of speech
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever action of mind
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever intention
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever aspiration
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever resolve
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever activities of mind (directed thereto) there may be -
all those states conduce to what is pleasant,
delightful,
charming,
profitable,
to what is pleasure.

What is the cause?

Monks, that view of his is auspicious.^[2]

■

Suppose, monks, a seed of sugar-cane
or paddy
or grape
be planted in moist soil.

Whatsoever essence it derives from earth and water,
all that conduces to its sweetness,
pleasant- [151] ness
and delicious flavour.

What is the cause of that?

The happy nature of the seed.

■

Just so, monks, in a man, a person,
who has right view,
right thinking,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness,
right concentration,
[214]right knowledge
and right release,
whatsoever bodily action
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever action of speech
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever action of mind
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever intention
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever aspiration
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever resolve
is carried to completion and fulfilment
according to that view,
whatsoever activities of mind (directed thereto) there may be -
all those states conduce to what is pleasant,
delightful,
charming,
profitable,
to what is pleasure.

What is the cause?

Monks, that view of his is auspicious.'

 

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^[1] As at A. i, 32 = G.S. i, 28.

^[2] Bhaddikā.