16. Indriyavaggo

Aṅguttara Nikāya
16. Indriyavaggo

1. Indriyasuttaṃ –– Faculties

016.01. Bhikkhus, these four are faculties. What four?

The faculty of faith, of effort, of mindfulness and of concentration.

Bhikkhus, these four are faculties.

2. Saddhābala –– Power of faith

016.02. Bhikkhus, these four are powers. What four?

The power of faith, of effort, of mindfulness and of concentration.

Bhikkhus, these four are powers.

3. Paññābalasuttaṃ –– The power of wisdom

01603. Bhikkhus, these four are powers. What four?

The power of wisdom, the power of effort, the power when free from faults and the power of a gathering.

Bhikkhus, these four are powers.

4. Satibalasuttaṃ –– The power of mindfulness

016.04. Bhikkhus, these four are powers. What four?

The power of mindfulness, the power of concentration, the power when free from faults and the power of a gathering.

Bhikkhus, these four are powers.

5. Paṭisankhābalasuttaṃ –– The power of wise thinking

016.05. Bhikkhus, these four are powers. What four?

The power of wise thinking, the power of development, the power when free from faults and the power of a gathering.

Bhikkhus, these four are powers.

6. Kappasuttaṃ –– World cycles

016.06. Bhikkhus, of a world cycle these four are innumerable. What four?

Bhikkhus, it is not easy to estimate how long the world cycle would roll forward, as this amount, of years, of hundred years, of thousand years, or of a hundred thousand years.

Bhikkhus, it is not easy to estimate how long the world cycle would stop rolling forward, as this amount, of years, of hundred years, of thousand years, or of a hundred thousand years.

Bhikkhus, it is not easy to estimate how long the world cycle would roll backwards, as this amount, of years, of hundred years, of thousand years, or of a hundred thousand years.

Bhikkhus, it is not easy to estimate how long the world cycle rolling backwards, would stop as this amount, of years, of hundred years, of thousand years, or of a hundred thousand years.

Bhikkhus, of a world cycle these four are innumerable.

7. Rogasuttaṃ –– Ailments

016.07. Bhikkhus, these two are ailments. What two?

Bodily and mental ailments.

Bhikkhus, there are sentient beings acknowledging freedom from bodily ailments for one year, … re … even for two years, … re … even for three years, … re … even for four years, … re … even for five years, … re … even for ten years, … re … even for twenty years, … re … even for thirty years, … re … even for forty years, … re … even for fifty years, … re … or even for a hundred years. Yet bhikkhus, sentient beings acknowledging freedom from mental ailments even for a moment are rare in the world, unless it is an arahant.

Bhikkhus, these four are ailments of one gone forth. What four?

Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu with many desires becomes annoyed and dissatisfied over this and other robes, morsel food, dwellings and requisites for the ill and arouses evil desires and wishes for wrongful gains and strives and exerts to gain them. Considering he approaches families, considering sits down, teaches thoughtfully holding back words.

Bhikkhus, these four are ailments of one gone forth.

Therefore bhikkhus, you should train thus. We will not be with many desires and become annoyed and dissatisfied over this and other robes, morsel food, dwellings and requisites for the ill, we will not arouse evil desires and wish for wrongful gains and strive and exert to gain them. Considering we will not approach families, considering we will not sit down, to teach, thoughtfully holding back words. Bhikkhus, you should train thus.

8. Parihānisuttaṃ –– Decrease

016.08. Venerable Sāriputta addressed the bhikkhus: Friends, bhikkhus, whoever bhikkhu or bhikkhuni sees in herself these four things should conclude am decreasing in meritorious things told by The Blessed One. What four?

An abundance of greed, an abundance of anger, an abundance of delusion, and the eye of wisdom not succeeding at the right moment.

Friends, bhikkhus, whoever bhikkhu or bhikkhuni sees in herself these four things should conclude am decreasing in meritorious things, told by The Blessed One.

Friends, bhikkhus, whoever bhikkhu or bhikkhuni sees in herself these four things should conclude am increasing in meritorious things told by The Blessed One. What four?

A diminution of greed, a diminution of anger, a diminution of delusion, and the eye of wisdom succeeding at the right moment.

Friends, bhikkhus, whoever bhikkhu or bhikkhuni sees in herself these four things should conclude am increasing in meritorious things told by The Blessed One.

9. Bhikkhunisuttaṃ –– To a bhikkhuni

016.09. At one time venerable Ānanda was abiding in Ghosita’s monastery in Kosambi. A certain bhikkhuni addressed a certain man: Good one, approach venerable Ānanda and in my words, worship venerable Ānanda with your head at his feet and tell him: Venerable sir, the bhikkhuni of this name is gravely ill, is in unpleasantness. She worships the feet of venerable Ānanda. It is good if venerable Ānanda could approach the monastery of the bhikkhunis, and approach her out of compassion.

He agreed, to do the words of that bhikkhuni, approached venerable Ānanda, worshipped, sat on a side and said to venerable Ānanda: Venerable sir, the bhikkhuni of this name is gravely ill, is in unpleasantness. She worships the feet of venerable Ānanda. It is good if venerable Ānanda could approach the monastery of the bhikkhunis, and approach her out of compassion. Venerable Ānanda, accepted the message in silence.

Venerable Ānanda, put on robes and taking bowl and robes approached the monastery of the bhikkhunis. That bhikkhuni seeing venerable Ānanda coming in the distance, covering herself together with the head, lay on her bed. Venerable Ānanda approached that bhikkhuni, sat on the prepared seat and said:

Sister, this body is produced from food and relying on food, food should be dispelled. Sister, this body is produced from craving and relying on craving, craving should be dispelled. Sister, this body is produced from measuring and relying on measuring, measuring should be dispelled. Sister, this body is produced from sexual intercourse, the bridge for sexual intercourse should be broken down. Said The Blessed One.

Sister, it was said, this body is produced from food and relying on food, food should be dispelled. Why was it said so? Here, sister, food should be taken wisely thinking. It is not for play, intoxication, decoration or to look beautiful. It is taken to uphold the body, without greed for soups, as a help to lead the holy life. Thus I destroy the earlier feelings and do not arouse any new. May there be no faults, for my comfortable abiding In the meantime relying on food he dispels food. If it was said this body is produced from food, relying on food, food should be dispelled it was said on account of this.

Sister, it was said, this body is produced from craving and relying on craving, craving should be dispelled. Why was it said so? Here, sister, the bhikkhu hears, the bhikkhu of this name has destroyed desires, has released the mind from desires and released through wisdom here and now abides having realized by himself. Then it occurs to him: When will I destroy desires, release my mind from desires and released through wisdom here and now abide having realized by myself. In the meantime relying on craving he dispels craving. If it was said this body is produced from craving and relying on craving, craving should be dispelled, it was said on account of this.

Sister, it was said this body is produced from measuring and relying on measuring, measuring should be dispelled. Why was it said so? Here, sister the bhikkhu hears the bhikkhu of this name has destroyed desires, … re … abides having realized by himself. It occurs to him, the venerable one of this name has destroyed desires … re … and abides here and now by himself having realized. Why should not I? In the meantime he dispels measuring relying on measuring. If it was said this body is produced from measuring and relying on measuring, measuring should be dispelled, it was said on account of this.

Sister, this body is produced from sexual intercourse, the bridge for sexual intercourse should be broken down. Said The Blessed One.

Then that bhikkhuni got down from her bed worshipped the feet of venerable Ānanda and said:

Venerable sir, pardon me I have done an offence owing to foolishness, delusion and demerit. Venerable sir, pardon me, it is for future restraint.

Sister, there, it is an offence owing to foolishness, delusion and demerit. As you see your offence and ask pardon according to the Teaching, we accept and grant you pardon. It is growth in the discipline of the noble ones to see the offence and ask for pardon according to the Teaching for future restraint.

10. Sugatavinayosuttaṃ –– The discipline of the Well Gone One

016.10. Bhikkhus, so long as the Well Gone One abides in the world, or the Well Gone One’s discipline is present it is for the welfare and pleasantness of many, for the compassion and pleasantness of gods and men. Bhikkhus, who is the Well Gone One?

Here, bhikkhus, the Thus Gone One is born in the world, worthy, rightfully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, Well Gone, knower of the worlds, the incomparable trainer of those to be trained, teacher of gods and men, enlightened and blessed. Bhikkhus, that is the Well Gone One.

Bhikkhus, what is the discipline of the Well Gone One?

He preaches the Teaching good at the beginning, middle and end, explaining the complete and pure holy life. Bhikkhus, this is the discipline of the Well Gone One.

Bhikkhus, so long as the Well Gone One abides in the world, or the Well Gone One’s discipline is present it is for the welfare and pleasantness of many, for the compassion and pleasantness of gods and men.

Bhikkhus, these four things conduce to the confusion and disappearance of the good Teaching. What four?

Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus learn the discourses grasped wrongly, on account of misplaced words and letters. On account of the misplaced words and letters the meaning too is miscarried.

Bhikkhus, this is the first thing that conduces to the confusion and disappearance of the good Teaching.

Again, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus become unruly endowed with stubborn ways, not patient, and not good at grasping instructions.

Bhikkhus, this is the second thing that conduces to the confusion and disappearance of the good Teaching.

Again, bhikkhus, the learned bhikkhus to whom the Canon had been handed down, they who bear the Teaching and the Discipline with the headings, do not recite the discourses completely to others. At their demise the roots cut, the Teaching would be without refuge. Bhikkhus, this is the third thing that conduces to the confusion and disappearance of the good Teaching.

Again, bhikkhus, the elder bhikkhus, live in abundance given to lethargy, not giving the first place to seclusion, and not making effort to attain the not yet attained and for the realization of the not yet realized. Bhikkhus, this is the fourth thing that conduces to the confusion and disappearance of the good Teaching.

Bhikkhus, these four things conduce to the confusion and disappearance of the good Teaching.

Bhikkhus, these four things conduce to the non-confusion and non-disappearance of the good Teaching. What four?

Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus learn the discourses rightly grasped, the words and letters correctly placed. On account of the correctly placed words and letters the meaning too is rightly carried.

Bhikkhus, this is the first thing that conduces to the non-confusion and non-disappearance of the good Teaching.

Again, bhikkhus, the bhikkhus become ruly endowed with suave ways, patient, and good at grasping instructions.

Bhikkhus, this is the second thing that conduces to the non-confusion and non-disappearance of the good Teaching.

Again, bhikkhus, the learned bhikkhus to whom the Canon had been handed down, they who bear the Teaching and the Discipline with the headings, recite the discourses completely to others. At their demise the roots not cut, the Teaching would be with refuge. Bhikkhus, this is the third thing that conduces to the non-confusion and non-disappearance of the good Teaching.

Again, bhikkhus, the elder bhikkhus, do not live in abundance given to lethargy, they give the first place to seclusion, and make effort to attain the not yet attained and for the realization of the not yet realized. Bhikkhus, this is the fourth thing that conduces to the non-confusion and non-disappearance of the good Teaching.

Bhikkhus, these four things conduce to the non-confusion and non-disappearance of the good Teaching.