Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
48. Indriya Saṃyutta
5. Jarā Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
48. Kindred Sayings on the Faculties
5. Old Age
Sutta 45
Paṭhama Pubb'Ārama Suttaṃ
East Park (a)
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī
in East Park,
at the terraced house of Migara's mother.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, by cultivating and making much
of what controlling faculties
does the monk in whom the āsavas are destroyed
declare gnosis,
to wit:
'I know full well
that destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the holy life,
done is the task,
there is no more of being here for me'?"
"For us, lord,
things have the Exalted one as their root,
their guide,
their resort.
It were well for us
if the Exalted One would reveal the meaning
of what he has just uttered."
§
"Well, monks, by cultivating and making much
of a single controlling faculty,
a man in whom the āsavas are destroyed
may thus declare gnosis:
'I know full well
that destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the holy life,
done is the task,
there is no more of being here for me.'"
And what is that one controlling faculty?
Monks, in the Ariyan disciple who has won insight[1]
faith is established as a matter of course,[2]
energy is established as a matter of course,
mindfulness is established as a matter of course,
concentration is established as a matter of course.
It is by cultivating and making much
of this single controlling faculty
(of insight)
that a monk in whom the āsavas are destroyed can declare gnosis,
to wit:
'I know full well
that destroyed is rebirth,
lived is the holy life,
done is the task,
there is no more of being here for me.'"
[1] Paññāvato.
[2] Tadanvayā (accordantly) = taṇ anugacchamānā anuvattamānā. Comy. Cf. S. iii, 156 (of a bunch of mangoes), tāni tadanvayāni bhavanti (go along with it).
