5: The Book of the Fives
XIV. Kings — AN 5.134: In Whatever Region
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“Mendicants, with five factors an anointed aristocratic king lives in his own realm, no matter what region he lives in.
2What five?
An anointed aristocratic king is well born on both his mother’s and father’s side, of pure descent, irrefutable and impeccable in questions of ancestry back to the seventh paternal generation.
He is rich, affluent, and wealthy, with a full treasury and storehouses.
He is powerful, having an army of four divisions that is obedient and carries out instructions.
He has a counselor who is astute, competent, and intelligent, able to think issues through as they bear upon the past, future, and present.
These four things bring his fame to fruition.
With these five factors, including fame, an anointed aristocratic king lives in his own realm, no matter what direction he lives in. Why is that? Because that is how it is for victors.
3In the same way, a mendicant with five qualities lives with mind freed, no matter what region they live in. What five?
It’s when mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and seeking alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. This is like the anointed aristocratic king’s impeccable lineage.
They’re 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. This is like the anointed aristocratic king being rich, affluent, and wealthy, with full treasury and storehouses.
They live with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They’re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities. This is like the anointed aristocratic king having power.
They’re wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. This is like the anointed aristocratic king having a counselor.
These four qualities bring their freedom to fruition.
With these five qualities, including freedom, they live in their own realm, no matter what region they live in. Why is that? Because that is how it is for those whose mind is free.”
1"Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto yassaṁ yassaṁ disāyaṁ viharati, sakasmiṁyeva vijite viharati.
Idha, bhikkhave, rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto ubhato sujāto hoti mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena;
aḍḍho hoti mahaddhano mahābhogo paripuṇṇakosakoṭṭhāgāro;
balavā kho pana hoti caturaṅginiyā senāya samannāgato assavāya ovādapaṭikarāya;
pariṇāyako kho panassa hoti paṇḍito viyatto medhāvī paṭibalo atītānāgatapaccuppanne atthe cintetuṁ;
tassime cattāro dhammā yasaṁ paripācenti.
So iminā yasapañcamena dhammena samannāgato yassaṁ yassaṁ disāyaṁ viharati, sakasmiṁyeva vijite viharati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Evañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, hoti vijitāvīnaṁ.
3Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu yassaṁ yassaṁ disāyaṁ viharati, vimuttacittova viharati. Katamehi pañcahi?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu – rājāva khattiyo muddhāvasitto jātisampanno;
bahussuto hoti sutadharo sutasannicayo, ye te dhammā ādikalyāṇā majjhekalyāṇā pariyosānakalyāṇā sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ abhivadanti, tathārūpāssa dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā – rājāva khattiyo muddhāvasitto aḍḍho mahaddhano mahābhogo paripuṇṇakosakoṭṭhāgāro;
āraddhavīriyo viharati akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu – rājāva khattiyo muddhāvasitto balasampanno;
paññavā hoti udayatthagāminiyā paññāya samannāgato ariyāya nibbedhikāya sammā dukkhakkhayagāminiyā – rājāva khattiyo muddhāvasitto pariṇāyakasampanno;
tassime cattāro dhammā vimuttiṁ paripācenti.
So iminā vimuttipañcamena dhammena samannāgato yassaṁ yassaṁ disāyaṁ viharati vimuttacittova viharati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Evañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, hoti vimuttacittānan"ti.
Catutthaṁ.