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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

3: The Book of the Threes

XII. Bound for Loss — AN 3.121: Purity (2nd)

1“Mendicants, there are these three kinds of purity. What three? Purity of body, speech, and mind.

And what is purity of body? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or have sex. This is called ‘purity of body’.


2And what is purity of speech? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. This is called ‘purity of speech’.


3And what is purity of mind?

It’s when a mendicant who has sensual desire in them understands ‘I have sensual desire in me.’ When they don’t have sensual desire in them, they understand ‘I don’t have sensual desire in me.’ They understand how sensual desire arises; how, when it’s already arisen, it’s given up; and how, once it’s given up, it doesn’t arise again in the future.

When they have ill will in them they understand ‘I have ill will in me’; and when they don’t have ill will in them they understand ‘I don’t have ill will in me’. They understand how ill will arises; how, when it’s already arisen, it’s given up; and how, once it’s given up, it doesn’t arise again in the future.

When they have dullness and drowsiness in them they understand ‘I have dullness and drowsiness in me’; and when they don’t have dullness and drowsiness in them they understand ‘I don’t have dullness and drowsiness in me’. They understand how dullness and drowsiness arise; how, when they’ve already arisen, they’re given up; and how, once they’re given up, they don’t arise again in the future.

When they have restlessness and remorse in them they understand ‘I have restlessness and remorse in me’; and when they don’t have restlessness and remorse in them they understand ‘I don’t have restlessness and remorse in me’. They understand how restlessness and remorse arise; how, when they’ve already arisen, they’re given up; and how, once they’re given up, they don’t arise again in the future.

When they have doubt in them they understand ‘I have doubt in me’; and when they don’t have doubt in them they understand ‘I don’t have doubt in me’. They understand how doubt arises; how, when it’s already arisen, it’s given up; and how, once it’s given up, it doesn’t arise again in the future.

This is called ‘purity of mind’.

These are the three kinds of purity.


Purity of body, purity of speech,
and undefiled purity of heart.
A pure person, blessed with purity,
has washed off all bad things, they say.”

1"Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, soceyyāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Kāyasoceyyaṁ, vacīsoceyyaṁ, manosoceyyaṁ.

Katamañca, bhikkhave, kāyasoceyyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, abrahmacariyā paṭivirato hoti. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, kāyasoceyyaṁ.


2Katamañca, bhikkhave, vacīsoceyyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato hoti, samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, vacīsoceyyaṁ.


3Katamañca, bhikkhave, manosoceyyaṁ?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ kāmacchandaṁ:  ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ kāmacchando’ti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ kāmacchandaṁ:  ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ kāmacchando’ti pajānāti; yathā ca anuppannassa kāmacchandassa uppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca uppannassa kāmacchandassa pahānaṁ hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca pahīnassa kāmacchandassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti;

santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ byāpādaṁ:  ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ byāpādo’ti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ byāpādaṁ:  ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ byāpādo’ti pajānāti; yathā ca anuppannassa byāpādassa uppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca uppannassa byāpādassa pahānaṁ hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca pahīnassa byāpādassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti;

santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ thinamiddhaṁ:  ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ thinamiddhan’ti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ thinamiddhaṁ:  ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ thinamiddhan’ti pajānāti; yathā ca anuppannassa thinamiddhassa uppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca uppannassa thinamiddhassa pahānaṁ hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca pahīnassa thinamiddhassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti;

santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ uddhaccakukkuccaṁ:  ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ uddhaccakukkuccan’ti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ uddhaccakukkuccaṁ:  ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ uddhaccakukkuccan’ti pajānāti; yathā ca anuppannassa uddhaccakukkuccassa uppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca uppannassa uddhaccakukkuccassa pahānaṁ hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca pahīnassa uddhaccakukkuccassa āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti;

santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ vicikicchaṁ:  ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ vicikicchā’ti pajānāti; asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ vicikicchaṁ:  ‘Natthi me ajjhattaṁ vicikicchā’ti pajānāti; yathā ca anuppannāya vicikicchāya uppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca uppannāya vicikicchāya pahānaṁ hoti, tañca pajānāti; yathā ca pahīnāya vicikicchāya āyatiṁ anuppādo hoti, tañca pajānāti.

Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, manosoceyyaṁ.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi soceyyānīti.


4Kāyasuciṁ vacīsuciṁ,
cetosuciṁ anāsavaṁ;
Suciṁ soceyyasampannaṁ,
āhu ninhātapāpakan"ti.

Navamaṁ.