Saɱyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
45. Magga Saɱyutta
3. Micchatta Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
45. Kindred Sayings on the Way
3. Perversion
Sutta 24
Dutiya Paṭipadā Suttaɱ
Practice (b)
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, whether in householder or recluse,
I praise no wrong practice.
If a householder or recluse practise perversity,
then in consequence of
and because of
his practice of perversity
he is no winner[1] of the Method,
the Norm
and the good.[2]
And what, monks, is wrong practice?
It is as follows:
Wrong view,
wrong aim,
wrong speech,
wrong action,
wrong living,
wrong effort,
wrong mindfulness
wrong concentration.
This, monks, is called 'wrong practice'.
Whether in householder or recluse, monks,
I praise not wrong practice.
For if a householder or recluse practise perversity,
then in consequence of
and because of
his practice of perversity
he is no winner of the Method,
the Norm
and the good.
§
But, monks, I do praise right practice,
whether in householder or recluse.
If a householder or recluse
be given to right practice,
then in consequence of
and because of
his right practice
he is a winner of the Method,
the Norm
and the good.
And what, monks, is right practice?
It is as follows:
Right view,
right aim,
right speech,
right action,
right living,
right effort,
right mindfulness
right concentration.
This, monks, is called 'right practice'.
Whether in householder or recluse, monks, I praise right practice.
For, monks, whether a man be householder or recluse,
if be given to right practice,
then in consequence of
and because of
his right practice
he is a winner of the Method,
the Norm
and the good.
[1] Ārādako.
[2] Ñāyaṅ, dhammaṅ, kusalaṅ. Comy. defines as ariya-magga, dhammaṅ. This passage is quoted by the rājah Milinda to Nāgasena, M.P. 243. At Dialog. ii, 327 n. 'Practical Buddhism is summed up (M. i, 181, 197) as exertion in ñāya, dhamma and kusala, the Method, the Norm and the good. Ñāya is defined at S. v, 388 as what comes pretty much to our "method" in philosophy.' Cf. Mrs. Rhys Davids's Buddhism (1912), p. 90.
