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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

3: The Book of the Threes


1“Mendicants, a shopkeeper who has three factors is unable to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. What three? It’s when a shopkeeper doesn’t carefully apply themselves to their work in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon. A shopkeeper who has these three factors is unable to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.

2In the same way, a mendicant who has three factors is unable to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired. What three? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t carefully apply themselves to a meditation subject as a foundation of immersion in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A mendicant who has these three factors is unable to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.

3A shopkeeper who has three factors is able to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. What three? It’s when a shopkeeper carefully applies themselves to their work in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A shopkeeper who has these three factors is able to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.

4In the same way, a mendicant who has three factors is able to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired. What three? It’s when a mendicant carefully applies themselves to a meditation subject as a foundation of immersion in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

A mendicant who has these three factors is able to acquire more skillful qualities or to increase the skillful qualities they’ve already acquired.”

1"Tīhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato pāpaṇiko abhabbo anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigantuṁ, adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kātuṁ. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko pubbaṇhasamayaṁ na sakkaccaṁ kammantaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, majjhanhikasamayaṁ na sakkaccaṁ kammantaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, sāyanhasamayaṁ na sakkaccaṁ kammantaṁ adhiṭṭhāti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi aṅgehi samannāgato pāpaṇiko abhabbo anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigantuṁ, adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kātuṁ.

2Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu abhabbo anadhigataṁ vā kusalaṁ dhammaṁ adhigantuṁ, adhigataṁ vā kusalaṁ dhammaṁ phātiṁ kātuṁ. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pubbaṇhasamayaṁ na sakkaccaṁ samādhinimittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, majjhanhikasamayaṁ na sakkaccaṁ samādhinimittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, sāyanhasamayaṁ na sakkaccaṁ samādhinimittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu abhabbo anadhigataṁ vā kusalaṁ dhammaṁ adhigantuṁ, adhigataṁ vā kusalaṁ dhammaṁ phātiṁ kātuṁ.

3Tīhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato pāpaṇiko bhabbo anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigantuṁ, adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kātuṁ. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, pāpaṇiko pubbaṇhasamayaṁ sakkaccaṁ kammantaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, majjhanhikasamayaṁ … pe … sāyanhasamayaṁ sakkaccaṁ kammantaṁ adhiṭṭhāti.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi aṅgehi samannāgato pāpaṇiko bhabbo anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigantuṁ, adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kātuṁ.

4Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu bhabbo anadhigataṁ vā kusalaṁ dhammaṁ adhigantuṁ, adhigataṁ vā kusalaṁ dhammaṁ phātiṁ kātuṁ. Katamehi tīhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pubbaṇhasamayaṁ sakkaccaṁ samādhinimittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, majjhanhikasamayaṁ … pe … sāyanhasamayaṁ sakkaccaṁ samādhinimittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu bhabbo anadhigataṁ vā kusalaṁ dhammaṁ adhigantuṁ, adhigataṁ vā kusalaṁ dhammaṁ phātiṁ kātun"ti.

Navamaṁ.