10: The Book of the Tens
IX. Senior Mendicants — AN 10.86: Overestimation
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1At one time Venerable Mahākassapa was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. There he addressed the mendicants: “Reverends, mendicants!”
“Reverend,” they replied. Venerable Mahākassapa said this:
2“Take a mendicant who declares enlightenment: ‘I understand: “Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.”’
They’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.
3The Realized One or one of his disciples comprehends their mind and investigates: ‘Why does this venerable declare enlightenment, saying: “I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’?”’
4They understand, ‘This venerable overestimates themselves and takes that to be the truth. They perceive that they’ve attained what they haven’t attained, done what they haven’t done, and achieved what they haven’t achieved. And they declare enlightenment out of overestimation:
“I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’”’
6-7The Realized One or one of his disciples comprehends their mind and investigates: ‘Why does this venerable overestimate themselves and take that to be the truth? Why do they perceive that they’ve attained what they haven’t attained, done what they haven’t done, and achieved what they haven’t achieved? And why do they declare enlightenment out of overestimation:
“I understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’”’
8-9They understand, ‘This venerable is very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reinforcing them by recitation, mentally scrutinizing them, and comprehending them theoretically. Therefore this venerable overestimates themselves and takes that to be the truth. …’
10They understand, ‘This venerable is covetous, and often lives with a heart full covetousness. Being full of covetousness means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.
11This venerable has ill will …
12dullness and drowsiness …
13restlessness …
14doubt …
15This venerable relishes work. They love it and like to relish it …
16This venerable relishes talk …
17sleep …
18company …
19When there is still more to be done, this venerable stopped half-way after achieving some insignificant distinction. Stopping half-way means decline in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One.’
20It’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 mahākassapo rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tatra kho āyasmā mahākassapo bhikkhū āmantesi: "āvuso bhikkhave"ti.
"Āvuso"ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahākassapassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahākassapo etadavoca:
2"Idhāvuso, bhikkhu aññaṁ byākaroti: ‘khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.
Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusalosyāyakusaloyāyakusalo 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.
3Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karoti: ‘kiṁ nu kho ayamāyasmā aññaṁ byākaroti – khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.
4Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti:
5‘Adhimāniko kho ayamāyasmā adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti – khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.
6Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca manasi karoti: ‘kiṁ nu kho ayamāyasmā nissāya adhimāniko adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti – khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.
7Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti:
8‘Bahussuto kho pana ayamāyasmā sutadharo sutasannicayo, ye te dhammā ādikalyāṇā majjhekalyāṇā pariyosānakalyāṇā sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ abhivadanti, tathārūpāssa dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā. Tasmā ayamāyasmā adhimāniko adhimānasacco, appatte pattasaññī, akate katasaññī, anadhigate adhigatasaññī. Adhimānena aññaṁ byākaroti – khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāmī’ti.
9Tamenaṁ tathāgato vā tathāgatasāvako vā jhāyī samāpattikusalo paracittakusalo paracittapariparacittapariparacittapariyāyakusaloyāyakusaloyāyakusalo evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti:
10‘Abhijjhālu kho pana ayamāyasmā; abhijjhāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Abhijjhāpariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (1)
11Byāpanno kho pana ayamāyasmā; byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Byāpādapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (2)
12Thinamiddho kho pana ayamāyasmā; thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (3)
13Uddhato kho pana ayamāyasmā; uddhaccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Uddhaccapariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (4)
14Vicikiccho kho pana ayamāyasmā; vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā bahulaṁ viharati. Vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhānaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (5)
15Kammārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā kammarato kammārāmataṁ anuyutto. Kammārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (6)
16Bhassārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā bhassarato bhassārāmataṁ anuyutto. Bhassārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (7)
17Niddārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā niddārato niddārāmataṁ anuyutto. Niddārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (8)
18Saṅgaṇikārāmo kho pana ayamāyasmā saṅgaṇikarato saṅgaṇikārāmataṁ anuyutto. Saṅgaṇikārāmatā kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ. (9)
19Sati kho pana ayamāyasmā uttari karaṇīye oramattakena visesādhigamena antarā vosānaṁ āpanno. Antarā vosānagamanaṁ kho pana tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye parihānametaṁ’. (10)
20So 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.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.