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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

10: The Book of the Tens

I. Benefits — AN 10.1: What’s the Purpose?

1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2“Sir, what is the purpose and benefit of skillful ethics?”

“Ānanda, having no regrets is the purpose and benefit of skillful ethics.”


3“But what’s the purpose and benefit of having no regrets?”

“Joy is the purpose and benefit of having no regrets.”

4“But what’s the purpose and benefit of joy?”

“Rapture …”


5“But what’s the purpose and benefit of rapture?”

“Tranquility …”

6“But what’s the purpose and benefit of tranquility?”

“Bliss …”


7“But what’s the purpose and benefit of bliss?”

“Immersion …”

8“But what’s the purpose and benefit of immersion?”

“Truly knowing and seeing …”

9“But what’s the purpose and benefit of truly knowing and seeing?”

“Disillusionment and dispassion …”


10“But what’s the purpose and benefit of disillusionment and dispassion?”

“Knowledge and vision of freedom is the purpose and benefit of disillusionment and dispassion.


11So, Ānanda, the purpose and benefit of skillful ethics is not having regrets. Joy is the purpose and benefit of not having regrets. Rapture is the purpose and benefit of joy. Tranquility is the purpose and benefit of rapture. Bliss is the purpose and benefit of tranquility. Immersion is the purpose and benefit of bliss. Truly knowing and seeing is the purpose and benefit of immersion. Disillusionment and dispassion is the purpose and benefit of truly knowing and seeing. Knowledge and vision of freedom is the purpose and benefit of disillusionment and dispassion. So, Ānanda, skillful ethics progressively lead up to the highest.”

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​   ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: 

2"Kimatthiyāni, bhante, kusalāni sīlāni kimānisaṁsānī"ti?

"Avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsānī"ti.


3"Avippaṭisāro pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso"ti?

"Avippaṭisāro kho, ānanda, pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso"ti.

4"Pāmojjaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan"ti?

"Pāmojjaṁ kho, ānanda, pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsan"ti.


5"Pīti pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā"ti?

"Pīti kho, ānanda, passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā"ti.

6"Passaddhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā"ti?

"Passaddhi kho, ānanda, sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā"ti.


7"Sukhaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan"ti?

"Sukhaṁ kho, ānanda, samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsan"ti.

8"Samādhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso"ti?

"Samādhi kho, ānanda, yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso"ti.

9"Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan"ti?

"Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ kho, ānanda, nibbidāvirāgatthaṁ nibbidāvirāgānisaṁsan"ti.


10"Nibbidāvirāgo pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso"ti?

"Nibbidāvirāgo kho, ānanda, vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.


11Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni; avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso; pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ; pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā; passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā; sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ; samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso; yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidāvirāgatthaṁ nibbidāvirāgānisaṁsaṁ; nibbidāvirāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso. Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni anupubbena aggāya parentī"ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.