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#### Aṅguttara-Nikāya
2. Duka Nipāta
2. Adhikaraṇa Vagga

#### The Book of Twos

#### Suttas 11-20

[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

# Disputes

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

#### Sutta 11

#### Balāni Suttaṁ (1)

# Powers 1

[11][pts] "Two, beggars, are powers.

What two?

The power of consideration, and
the power of development.

And what, beggars, is
the power of consideration?

Here, beggars, someone thus considers:

'Painful bodily conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state; and
painful verbal conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state; and
painful mental conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state.'

He, thus considering,
lets go bodily painful conduct, and
takes up bodily pleasant development;
lets go verbal painful conduct, and
takes up verbal pleasant development,
lets go mental painful conduct, and
takes up mental pleasant development
enclosing the self in purity.

This, beggars, is said to be
the power of consideration.

And what, beggars, is
the power of development?

There, beggars,
whatever is the power of the seeker,
that is the power of development.

For with the power of the seeker, one
lets go lust,
lets go anger,
lets go confusion.

Letting go lust,
letting go anger,
letting go confusion,
whatever is unskillful,
that is abandoned,
whatever is bad,
that is not associated with.

This, beggars, is said to be
the power of development.

These, then, beggars, are the two powers."

§

#### Sutta 12

#### Balāni Suttaṁ (2)

# Powers 2

[12][pts] "Two, beggars, are powers.

What two?

The power of consideration, and
the power of development.

And what, beggars, is
the power of consideration?

Here, beggars, someone thus considers:

'Painful bodily conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state; and
painful verbal conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state; and
painful mental conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state.'

He, thus considering,
lets go bodily painful conduct, and
takes up bodily pleasant development;
lets go verbal painful conduct, and
takes up verbal pleasant development,
lets go mental painful conduct, and
takes up mental pleasant development
enclosing the self in purity.

This, beggars, is said to be
the power of consideration.

And what, beggars, is
the power of development?

Here, beggars, a beggar
develops the mind dimension
of self-awakening
seated in separation,
seated in dispassion,
seated in ending,
culminating in indifference.

Develops the Dhamma-research dimension
of self-awakening
seated in separation,
seated in dispassion,
seated in ending,
culminating in indifference.

Develops the energy dimension
of self-awakening
seated in separation,
seated in dispassion,
seated in ending,
culminating in indifference.

Develops the enthusiasm dimension
of self-awakening
seated in separation,
seated in dispassion,
seated in ending,
culminating in indifference.

Develops the impassivity dimension
of self-awakening
seated in separation,
seated in dispassion,
seated in ending,
culminating in indifference.

Develops the serenity dimension
of self-awakening
seated in separation,
seated in dispassion,
seated in ending,
culminating in indifference.

Develops the detachment dimension
of self-awakening
seated in separation,
seated in dispassion,
seated in ending,
culminating in indifference.

This, beggars, is said to be
the power of development.

These, then, beggars, are the two powers."

§

#### Sutta 13

#### Balāni Suttaṁ (3)

# Powers 3

[13][pts] "Two, beggars, are powers.

What two?

The power of consideration, and
the power of development.

And what, beggars, is
the power of consideration?

Here, beggars, someone thus considers:

'Painful bodily conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state; and
painful verbal conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state; and
painful mental conduct
has a bad fruition
both in this seen thing, and
in the future state.'

He, thus considering,
lets go bodily painful conduct, and
takes up bodily pleasant development;
lets go verbal painful conduct, and
takes up verbal pleasant development,
lets go mental painful conduct, and
takes up mental pleasant development
enclosing the self in purity.

This, beggars, is said to be
the power of consideration.

And what, beggars, is
the power of development?

Here, beggars, a beggar
separating himself from sense pleasures,
separating himself from unskillful things,
with thinking,
with pondering
isolation-born pleasurable-enthusiasm
rises up into and
makes a habitat of
The First Knowledge.

Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar,
dissolving thought and pondering,
internally self-pacified,
become whole-heartedly single minded,
without thinking,
without pondering,
rises up into and
makes a habitat of
The Second Knowledge.

Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar,
with the vanishing of enthusiasm, and
living detached,
minding,
self-aware, and
pleased,
experiencing in his own body
that of which the Aristocrats speak
when they say:

'Detached, minding, he lives pleasantly'

rises up into and makes a habitat of
The Third Knowledge.

Again, beggars, deeper than that,
a beggar,
letting go of pleasures,
letting go of pains,
settling down the antecedent mental ease and mental pain,
without pain, but
without pleasure,
detached,
recollected,
surpassingly pure,
rises up into and makes a habitat of
The Fourth Knowledge.

This, beggars, is said to be
the power of development.

These, then, beggars, are the two powers."

§

#### Sutta 14

#### Dhamma Dasanā Suttaṁ

# Explanations

[14][pts] The Tathāgata, beggars,
explains things two ways.

What two?

Concisely,[1] and
at length.[2]

These, beggars,
are the two ways
the Tathāgata explains things.

§

#### Sutta 15

#### Adhikaraṇa Suttaṁ

# Disputes

[This "translation" makes very free with the Pāḷi in the service, I hope, of clarity of meaning.]

[15][pts] "If in any dispute,[3] beggars,
the defending beggar and
the accusing beggar
do not well and thoroughly
examine both themselves and each other,
there is to be expected beggars,
in consequence of this dispute,
that it will lead to
lengthy, difficult, uncivilized ...
not peaceful living
for the Beggars.

But if in any dispute, beggars,
the defending beggar and
the accusing beggar
do well and thoroughly
examine both themselves and each other,
there is to be expected beggars,
in consequence of this dispute,
that it will not lead to
lengthy, difficult, uncivilized ...
not peaceful living
for the Beggars.

And how, beggars, does
the defending beggar
well and thoroughly
examine both himself and the other?

Here, beggars,
the defending beggar
thus considers:

'I have in some way, offended
by some sort of bodily
lack of skill.

That beggar has seen in me
some sort of bodily
lack of skill.

Had I not offended
by some sort of bodily
lack of skill,
he could not have seen anything;
but since he did see something,
I must have offend
by some sort of bodily
lack of skill.

But further,
seeing that I did offend
by some sort of bodily
lack of skill,
this beggar became displeased.

Thus displeased,
he spoke to me
of his displeasure.

Thus accused by him
of this bodily lack of skill,
I became displeased at him and
I spoke to others about this displeasure.

In that I was in error
and here,
I,
like a tourist who
smuggles goods across the boarder,[4]
lost my head, and
doubled my fault.'

That is how the defending beggar
well and thoroughly
examines both himself and the other.

■

And how, beggars, does
the accusing beggar
well and thoroughly
examine both himself and the other?

Here, beggars,
the accusing beggar
thus considers:

'This beggar has committed
a bodily lack of skill.

I saw this
lack of bodily skill.

Had this beggar
not committed
this bodily lack of skill
I could not have seen it.

So as I did see
this bodily lack of skill
he did do it.

But seeing
this bodily lack of skill
I became displeased.

Being displeased
I spoke to him
of his bodily lack of skill.

Thus accused by me
of this bodily lack of skill,
he became annoyed at me and
he spoke to others about this annoyance.

In that I,
in my displeasure,
spoke to him of my displeasure,
I was in error
and here,
I,
like a tourist who
smuggles goods across the boarder,
lost my head, and
doubled my disturbance.'

That is how the accusing beggar
well and thoroughly
examines both himself and the other.

■

If in any dispute, beggars,
the defending beggar and
the accusing beggar
do not well and thoroughly
examine both themselves and each other,
there is to be expected beggars,
in consequence of this dispute,
that it will lead to
lengthy, difficult, uncivilized ...
not peaceful living
for the Beggars.

But if in any dispute, beggars,
the defending beggar and
the accusing beggar
do well and thoroughly
examine both themselves and each other,
there is to be expected beggars,
in consequence of this dispute,
that it will not lead to
lengthy, difficult, uncivilized ...
not peaceful living
for the Beggars."

§

#### Sutta 16

#### Aññataro Brāhmaṇa Suttaṁ

# A Certain Brāhmin

[16][pts] There then, a certain Brahmin
approached the Lucky Man
and drew near.

Having drawn near
he exchanged greetings
with the Lucky Man.

Having drawn near and
exchanged greetings and
well-wishing,
he took a low seat
to one side.

Seated to one side then,
he said this
to the Lucky Man:

"What is the driving force,
what results in
some individuals
when the body breaks up at death
arising again
in lower
painful states of punishment,
Niraya?"

"Conduct against form,
uneven conduct,
are the driving forces, Brahmin,
which here bring one,
when the body breaks up at death
to arising again
in the lower,
painful states of punishment,
Niraya."

"What is the driving force,
what results in
some individuals
when the body breaks up at death
arising again
in pleasant
heavenly worlds?"

"Conduct in agreement with form,
even conduct,
are the driving forces, Brahmin,
which here bring one,
when the body breaks up at death
to arising again
in pleasant
heavenly worlds?"

"Wonderful good Gotama!

Wonderful good Gotama!

Just as though, good Gotama,
one were to set upright the upside-down,
or uncover the covered,
or to show the way to one who was lost,
or were to bring a light into the darkness
so that creatures there might see:
'There are Forms!'

In the same way, the good Gotama has
in many a figure
presented his Dhamma.

I take myself to the venerable Gotama for refuge,
I take myself to the Dhamma for refuge;
I take myself to the Saṅgha for refuge."

§

#### Sutta 17

#### Jānussoni Suttaṁ

# Jānussoni

[17][pts] There then, Brahmin Jānussoṇi
approached the Lucky Man
and drew near.

Having drawn near
he exchanged greetings
with the Lucky Man.

Having drawn near and
exchanged greetings and
well-wishing,
he took a low seat
to one side.

Seated to one side then,
he said this
to the Lucky Man:

"What, Venerable, is the driving force,
what results in
some individuals
when the body breaks up at death
arising again
in lower
painful states of punishment,
Niraya?"

"It is doing, Brahmin,
and not doing
which here bring one,
when the body breaks up at death
to arising again
in the lower,
painful states of punishment,
Niraya."

"What, Venerable, is the driving force,
what results in
some individuals
when the body breaks up at death
arising again
in pleasant
heavenly worlds?"

"It is doing, Brahmin,
and not doing
which here bring one,
when the body breaks up at death
to arising again
in pleasant
heavenly worlds."

"I do not understand, venerable Gotama,
the precise detail
of that which was spoken of concisely by him,
but which was not spoken of in detail.

It would be good for me
if the venerable Gotama
were to teach me Dhamma
such that I would understand
the precise detail
of that which was spoken of concisely by him
but which was not spoken of in detail."

"In that case, Brahmin, Give ear!

Give your mind over to studious attention!

I will speak!"

And Brahmin Jānussoṇi responding:
"Even so, Venerable!"
The Lucky Man said:

"Here, Brahmin, some person
not done bodily pleasant conduct; has done verbal painful conduct, and
not done verbal pleasant conduct; has done mental painful conduct, and
not done mental pleasant conduct.

Thus it is by doing, Brahmin,
and not doing
that when the body breaks up at death
beings arise again
in the lower,
painful states of punishment,
Niraya."

Again Brahmin, some person

has done bodily pleasant conduct, and
not done bodily painful conduct;
has done verbal pleasant conduct, and
not done verbal painful conduct;
has done mental pleasant conduct, and
not done mental painful conduct;

Thus it is by doing, Brahmin,
and not doing
that when the body breaks up at death
beings arise again
in pleasant
heavenly worlds."

"Wonderful good Gotama!

Wonderful good Gotama!

Just as though, good Gotama,
one were to set upright the upside-down,
or uncover the covered,
or to show the way to one who was lost,
or were to bring a light into the darkness
so that creatures there might see:
'There are Forms!'

In the same way, the good Gotama has
in many a figure
presented his Dhamma.

I take myself to the venerable Gotama for refuge,
I take myself to the Dhamma for refuge;
I take myself to the Saṅgha for refuge."

May the Venerable Gotama remember me
as a lay disciple
who from this day
and for as long as life lasts
has taken refuge.

§

#### Sutta 18

#### Ekaṁsena Suttaṁ

# Definitively

[18][pts][than] There then, Old Man Ānanda
approached the Lucky Man
and drew near.

Having drawn near
he took a low seat
to one side.

With Ānanda seated to one side then,
the Lucky Man
said this:

"I have, Ānanda,
definitively declared the not-doing of
painful bodily conduct,
painful verbal conduct,
painful mental conduct."

"The Lucky Man having definitively declared
the not-doing of
painful bodily conduct,
painful verbal conduct,
painful mental conduct,
what danger is to be expected
from the doing of these
not-to-be done things?"

The dangers to be expected
from the doing of these things
I have definitively declared
the not-doing of —
painful bodily conduct,
painful verbal conduct,
painful mental conduct —
are:

The self speaks against the self;
on looking into it, the knowledgeable find him blamable;
a bad sounding reputation precedes him;
when the body breaks up at death
he arises again
in the lower,
painful states of punishment,
Niraya.

These then, Ānanda,
are the dangers to be expected
from the doing of these things
I have definitively declared
the not-doing of —
painful bodily conduct,
painful verbal conduct,
painful mental conduct.

But, Ānanda, I have also,
definitively declared the doing of
pleasant bodily conduct,
pleasant verbal conduct,
pleasant mental conduct."

"Then, Venerable,
The Lucky Man having definitively declared
the doing of
pleasant bodily conduct,
pleasant verbal conduct,
pleasant mental conduct,
what benefit is to be expected
from the doing of these
to-be done things?"

The benefits to be expected
from the doing of these things
I have definitively declared
the doing of —
pleasant bodily conduct,
pleasant verbal conduct,
pleasant mental conduct —
are:

The self does not speak against the self;
on looking into it, the knowledgeable find him blameless;
a good sounding reputation precedes him;
when the body breaks up at death
he arises again
in some pleasant
heavenly world.

These then, Ānanda,
are the benefits to be expected
from the doing of these things
I have definitively declared
the doing of —
pleasant bodily conduct,
pleasant verbal conduct,
pleasant mental conduct.

§

#### Sutta 19

#### Kusala Suttaṁ

# Skillful

[19][pts][than] "The unskillful, beggars,
let that go.

It is possible, beggars,
to let go of the unskillful.

If it were not, beggars, possible
to let go of,
to not do the unskillful,
I would not speak thus:

'The unskillful, beggars,
let that go.'

Since, however, beggars, it is possible
to let go of the unskillful
therefore I speak thus:

'The unskillful, beggars,
let that go.'

Now if, beggars, letting go of the unskillful
conduced here to the useless,
the painful,
I would not speak thus:

'The unskillful, beggars,
let that go.'

Since, however, beggars,
letting go of the unskillful
conduces to the pleasant,
the useful,
therefore I speak thus:

'The unskillful, beggars,
let that go.'"

§

"The skillful, beggars,
beget that.

It is possible, beggars,
to beget the skillful.

If it were not, beggars, possible
to beget the skillful,
I would not speak thus:

'The skillful, beggars,
beget that.'

Since, however, beggars,
it is possible
to beget the skillful
therefore I speak thus:

'The skillful, beggars,
beget that.'

Now if, beggars,
begetting the skillful
conduced to the useless,
the painful,
I would not speak thus:

'The skillful, beggars,
beget that.'

Since, however, beggars,
begetting the skillful
conduces to the pleasant,
the useful,
therefore I speak thus:

'The skillful, beggars,
beget that.'"

§

#### Sutta 20

#### Sad'Dhamma Suttaṁ

# The Good Word[5]

[20][pts] "Two, beggars,
conduce to
the confusion of,
the disappearance of
the good Word.

What two?

Badly laid-down phrase and syllable and
badly-derived spirit.

Badly laid-down phrase and syllable, beggars,
drives poorly-practiced spirit.

Thus it is, beggars,
that these two conduce
to the confusion of,
the disappearance of
the good Word."

§

"Two, beggars, conduce
to the non-confusion of,
the non-disappearance of
the good Word.

What two?

Well laid-down phrase and syllable and
well-derived spirit.

Well laid-down phrase and syllable, beggars,
drives well-practiced spirit.

Thus it is, beggars,
that these two conduce to
the non-confusion of,
the non-disappearance of
the good Word."

[1] Saṅkhittena. Literally 'with a toss'; to toss off, toss in, throw out, throw in. Not exactly the style of the Tathāgatas this must have been understood more closely to what we have in English. Brief or concise ... or maybe not! ... 'to toss off witty repartee' does not imply the use of careless wording.

[2] Vitthārena. Actually more like 'at breadth' which we do not have. In depth will not do because all the Buddha's teachings, brief or lengthy are 'Wondrously Deep'. See: AN 3 123.

[3] What is under discussion here is not an offence which would be brought before the Saṅgha or a wrongful accusation which might be refuted by a "lion's roar" — that is by explaining how such a deed was not an offence and that an offence of such a nature as the accusation was not to be found in such a one. Here the offending behavior may not even have been seen by the accused, but is not denied just because of that. The transgression by both parties here is the making of a mountain of a mole hill, the making of a big fuss about a triviality.

[4] The point here is that in both cases the beggar has paid once for the goods (in the case of the accuser, by the disturbance he initially felt, and then by the disturbance he created by speaking of it to the accused; and in the case of the accused by the initial deed and then by the disturbance he created by speaking of it to others), and then by smuggling them across the border has incurred an additional fee in risk and guilt. Or, if he is caught, he looses his goods and must pay the penalty for smuggling as well. I am not sure which is intended.

[5] See: AN 2 40 which compliments this sutta.

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