10: The Book of the Tens
IX. Senior Mendicants — AN 10.85: A Boaster
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1At one time Venerable Mahācunda was staying in the land of the Cetis at Sahajāti. There he addressed the mendicants: “Reverends, mendicants!”
“Reverend,” they replied. Venerable Mahācunda said this:
2“Take a mendicant who boasts and brags about their achievements: ‘I enter and emerge from the first absorption, the second absorption, the third absorption, and the fourth absorption. And I enter and emerge from the dimensions of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception. And I enter and emerge from the cessation of perception and feeling.’
3They’re pursued, pressed, and grilled by the Realized One, or by one of his disciples who has the absorptions, and is skilled in attainments, in the minds of others, and in the ways of another’s mind. Grilled in this way they get stuck or lose their way. They fall to ruin and disaster.
4The Realized One or one of his disciples comprehends their mind and investigates: ‘Why does this venerable boast and brag about their achievements, saying: “I enter and emerge from the first absorption … and the cessation of perception and feeling.”’
5-6They understand, ‘For a long time this venerable’s deeds have been broken, tainted, spotty, and marred. Their deeds and behavior are inconsistent. This venerable is unethical, and unethical conduct means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.
7This venerable is unfaithful, and lack of faith means decline …
8This venerable is uneducated and unpracticed, and lack of learning means decline …
9This venerable is hard to admonish, and being hard to admonish means decline …
10This venerable has bad friends, and bad friends mean decline …
11This venerable is lazy, and laziness means decline …
12This venerable is unmindful, and unmindfulness means decline …
13This venerable is deceptive, and deceitfulness means decline …
14This venerable is hard to look after, and being hard to look after means decline …
15This venerable is witless, and lack of wisdom means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.’
16Suppose one friend was to say to another: ‘My dear friend, when you need money for some payment, just ask me and I’ll give it.’ Then when some payment falls due, that friend says to their friend: ‘I need some money, my dear friend. Give me some.’ They’d say: ‘Well then, my dear friend, dig here.’ So they dig there, but don’t find anything. They’d say: ‘You lied to me, my dear friend, you spoke hollow words when you told me to dig here.’ They’d say: ‘My dear friend, I didn’t lie or speak hollow words. Well then, dig here.’ So they dig there as well, but don’t find anything. They’d say: ‘You lied to me, my dear friend, you spoke hollow words when you said dig here.’ They’d say: ‘My dear friend, I didn’t lie or speak hollow words. Well then, dig here.’ So they dig there as well, but don’t find anything. They’d say: ‘You lied to me, my dear friend, you spoke hollow words when you said dig here.’ They’d say: ‘My dear friend, I didn’t lie or speak hollow words. But I had gone mad, I was out of my mind.’
17In the same way, take a mendicant who boasts and brags about their achievements: ‘I enter and emerge from the first absorption … and the cessation of perception and feeling.’
18They’re pursued, pressed, and grilled by the Realized One, or by one of his disciples … Grilled in this way they get stuck or lose their way. They fall to ruin and disaster.
19The Realized One or one of his disciples comprehends their mind and investigates: ‘Why does this venerable boast and brag about their achievements, saying: “I enter and emerge from the first absorption … and the cessation of perception and feeling.”’
20-21They understand, ‘For a long time this venerable’s deeds have been broken, tainted, spotty, and marred. Their deeds and behavior are inconsistent. This venerable is unethical, and unethical conduct means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.
22This venerable is unfaithful …
23uneducated and unpracticed …
24hard to admonish …
25with bad friends …
26lazy …
27unmindful …
28deceptive …
29hard to look after …
30This venerable is witless, and lack of wisdom means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.’
31It’s not possible for a mendicant to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training without giving up these ten qualities. It is possible for a mendicant to achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training after giving up these ten qualities.”
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahācundo cetīsu viharati sahajātiyaṁ. Tatra kho āyasmā mahācundo bhikkhū āmantesi:
"āvuso bhikkhave"ti.
"Āvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahācundassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahācundo etadavoca:
2"Idhāvuso, bhikkhu katthī hoti vikatthī adhigamesu: ‘Ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipī’ti.
3Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo samanuyuñjati samanuggāhati samanubhāsati. So tathāgatena vā tathāgatasāvakena vā jhāyinā samāpattikusalena paracittakusalena paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusalenayāyakusalenayāyakusalena samanuyuñjiyamāno samanuggāhiyamāno samanubhāsiyamāno irīṇaṁ āpajjati vicinaṁ āpajjati anayaṁ āpajjati byasanaṁ āpajjati anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.
4Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karoti: ‘kiṁ nu kho ayamāyasmā katthī hoti vikatthī adhigamesu – ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi … pe … ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipī’ti.
5Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti:
6‘Dīgharattaṁ kho ayamāyasmā khaṇḍakārī chiddakārī sabalakārī kammāsakārī na santatakārī na santatavutti sīlesu. Dussīlo kho ayamāyasmā. Dussilyaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (1)
7Assaddho kho pana ayamāyasmā; assaddhiyaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (2)
8Appassuto kho pana ayamāyasmā anācāro; appasaccaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (3)
9Dubbaco kho pana ayamāyasmā; dovacassatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (4)
10Pāpamitto kho pana ayamāyasmā; pāpamittatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (5)
11Kusīto kho pana ayamāyasmā; kosajjaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (6)
12Muṭṭhassati kho pana ayamāyasmā; muṭṭhassaccaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (7)
13Kuhako kho pana ayamāyasmā; kohaññaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (8)
14Dubbharo kho pana ayamāyasmā; dubbharatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (9)
15Duppañño kho pana ayamāyasmā; duppaññatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ’. (10)
16Seyyathāpi, āvuso, sahāyako sahāyakaṁ evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yadā te, samma, dhanena dhanakaraṇīyaṁ assa, yāceyyāsi maṁ dhanaṁ. Dassāmi te dhanan’ti. So kiñcideva dhanakaraṇīye samuppanne sahāyako sahāyakaṁ evaṁ vadeyya: ‘attho me, samma, dhanena. Dehi me dhanan’ti. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘tena hi, samma, idha khanāhī’ti. So tatra khananto nādhigaccheyya. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘alikaṁ maṁ, samma, avaca; tucchakaṁ maṁ, samma, avaca – idha khanāhī’ti. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘nāhaṁ taṁ, samma, alikaṁ avacaṁ, tucchakaṁ avacaṁ. Tena hi, samma, idha khanāhī’ti. So tatrapi khananto nādhigaccheyya. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘alikaṁ maṁ, samma, avaca, tucchakaṁ maṁ, samma, avaca – idha khanāhī’ti. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘nāhaṁ taṁ, samma, alikaṁ avacaṁ, tucchakaṁ avacaṁ. Tena hi, samma, idha khanāhī’ti. So tatrapi khananto nādhigaccheyya. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘alikaṁ maṁ, samma, avaca, tucchakaṁ maṁ, samma, avaca – idha khanāhī’ti. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘nāhaṁ taṁ, samma, alikaṁ avacaṁ, tucchakaṁ avacaṁ. Api ca ahameva ummādaṁ pāpuṇiṁ cetaso vipariyāyan’ti.
17Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, bhikkhu katthī hoti vikatthī adhigamesu: ‘Ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipi, ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipī’ti.
18Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo samanuyuñjati samanuggāhati samanubhāsati. So tathāgatena vā tathāgatasāvakena vā jhāyinā samāpattikusalena paracittakusalena paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusalenayāyakusalenayāyakusalena samanuyuñjiyamāno samanuggāhiyamāno samanubhāsiyamāno irīṇaṁ āpajjati vicinaṁ āpajjati anayaṁ āpajjati byasanaṁ āpajjati anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.
19Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karoti: ‘kiṁ nu kho ayamāyasmā katthī hoti vikatthī adhigamesu – ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmipi … pe … ahaṁ saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjāmipi vuṭṭhahāmipī’ti.
20Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti:
21‘Dīgharattaṁ kho ayamāyasmā khaṇḍakārī chiddakārī sabalakārī kammāsakārī, na santatakārī na santatavutti sīlesu. Dussīlo kho ayamāyasmā; dussilyaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (1)
22Assaddho kho pana ayamāyasmā; assaddhiyaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (2)
23Appassuto kho pana ayamāyasmā anācāro; appasaccaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (3)
24Dubbaco kho pana ayamāyasmā; dovacassatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (4)
25Pāpamitto kho pana ayamāyasmā; pāpamittatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (5)
26Kusīto kho pana ayamāyasmā; kosajjaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (6)
27Muṭṭhassati kho pana ayamāyasmā; muṭṭhassaccaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (7)
28Kuhako kho pana ayamāyasmā; kohaññaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (8)
29Dubbharo kho pana ayamāyasmā; dubbharatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (9)
30Duppañño kho pana ayamāyasmā; duppaññatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ’. (10)
31So vatāvuso, bhikkhu ‘ime dasa dhamme appahāya imasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. So vatāvuso, bhikkhu ‘ime dasa dhamme pahāya imasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī"ti.
Pañcamaṁ.