8: The Book of the Eights
I. Love — AN 8.2: Wisdom
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1“Mendicants, there are eight causes and reasons that lead to acquiring the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life, and to its increase, growth, and full development once it has been acquired. What eight?
It’s when a mendicant lives relying on the Teacher or a spiritual companion in a teacher’s role. And they set up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for them, with warmth and respect. This is the first cause.
2When a mendicant lives relying on the Teacher or a spiritual companion in a teacher’s role — with a keen sense of conscience and prudence for them, with warmth and respect — from time to time they go and ask them questions: ‘Why, sir, does it say this? What does that mean?’ Those venerables clarify what is unclear, reveal what is obscure, and dispel doubt regarding the many doubtful matters. This is the second cause.
3After hearing that teaching they perfect withdrawal of both body and mind. This is the third cause.
4A 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 the fourth cause.
5They’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 the fifth cause.
6They 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 the sixth cause.
7When in the Saṅgha they don’t engage in motley talk or unworthy talk. Either they talk on Dhamma, or they invite someone else to do so, or they respect noble silence. This is the seventh cause.
8They meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form. Such is feeling, such is the origin of feeling, such is the ending of feeling. Such is perception, such is the origin of perception, such is the ending of perception. Such are choices, such is the origin of choices, such is the ending of choices. Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’ This is the eighth cause.
9Their spiritual companions esteem them: ‘This venerable lives relying on the Teacher or a spiritual companion in a teacher’s role. They set up a keen sense of conscience and prudence for them, with warmth and respect. Clearly this venerable knows and sees.’ This quality leads to warmth, respect, esteem, harmony, and unity.
10‘This venerable lives relying on the Teacher or a spiritual companion in a teacher’s role, and from time to time they go and ask them questions … Clearly this venerable knows and sees.’ This quality also leads to warmth, respect, esteem, harmony, and unity.
11‘After hearing that teaching they perfect withdrawal of both body and mind. Clearly this venerable knows and sees.’ This quality also leads to warmth, respect, esteem, harmony, and unity.
12‘This venerable is ethical … Clearly this venerable knows and sees.’ This quality also leads to warmth, respect, esteem, harmony, and unity.
13‘This venerable is very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. … Clearly this venerable knows and sees.’ This quality also leads to warmth, respect, esteem, harmony, and unity.
14‘This venerable lives with energy roused up … Clearly this venerable knows and sees.’ This quality also leads to warmth, respect, esteem, harmony, and unity.
15‘When in the Saṅgha they don’t engage in motley talk or unworthy talk. Either they talk on Dhamma, or they invite someone else to do so, or they respect noble silence. Clearly this venerable knows and sees.’ This quality also leads to warmth, respect, esteem, harmony, and unity.
16‘They meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. … Clearly this venerable knows and sees.’ This quality also leads to warmth, respect, esteem, harmony, and unity.
17These are the eight causes and reasons that lead to acquiring the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life, and to its increase, growth, and full development once it has been acquired.”
1"Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, hetū aṭṭha paccayā ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattanti. Katame aṭṭha?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu satthāraṁ upanissāya viharati aññataraṁ vā garuṭṭhāniyaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ, yatthassa tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti pemañca gāravo ca. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo hetu paṭhamo paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattati.
2So taṁ satthāraṁ upanissāya viharanto aññataraṁ vā garuṭṭhāniyaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ, yatthassa tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti pemañca gāravo ca, te kālena kālaṁ upasaṅkamitvā paripucchati paripañhati: ‘idaṁ, bhante, kathaṁ; imassa ko attho’ti? Tassa te āyasmanto avivaṭañceva vivaranti, anuttānīkatañca uttānīkaronti, anekavihitesu ca kaṅkhāṭhāniyesu dhammesu kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinodenti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo hetu dutiyo paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattati.
3So taṁ dhammaṁ sutvā dvayena vūpakāsena sampādeti – kāyavūpakāsena ca cittavūpakāsena ca. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo hetu tatiyo paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattati.
4Sīlavā hoti, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho hetu catuttho paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattati.
5Bahussuto 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. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo hetu pañcamo paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattati.
6Āraddhavīriyo viharati akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya, kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya, thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, chaṭṭho hetu chaṭṭho paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattati.
7Saṅghagato kho pana anānākathiko hoti atiracchānakathiko. Sāmaṁ vā dhammaṁ bhāsati paraṁ vā ajjhesati ariyaṁ vā tuṇhībhāvaṁ nātimaññati. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo hetu sattamo paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattati.
8Pañcasu kho pana upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati: ‘iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā, iti vedanāya samudayo, iti vedanāya atthaṅgamo; iti saññā … pe … iti saṅkhārā … iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo hetu aṭṭhamo paccayo ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattati.
9Tamenaṁ sabrahmacārī evaṁ sambhāventi: ‘Ayaṁ kho āyasmā satthāraṁ upanissāya viharati aññataraṁ vā garuṭṭhāniyaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ, yatthassa tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti pemañca gāravo ca. Addhā ayamāyasmā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passatī’ti. Ayampi dhammo piyattāya garuttāya bhāvanāya sāmaññāya ekībhāvāya saṁvattati. (1)
10‘Taṁ kho panāyamāyasmā satthāraṁ upanissāya viharanto aññataraṁ vā garuṭṭhāniyaṁ sabrahmacāriṁ, yatthassa tibbaṁ hirottappaṁ paccupaṭṭhitaṁ hoti pemañca gāravo ca, te kālena kālaṁ upasaṅkamitvā paripucchati paripañhati: "Idaṁ, bhante, kathaṁ; imassa ko attho"ti? Tassa te āyasmanto avivaṭañceva vivaranti, anuttānīkatañca uttānīkaronti, anekavihitesu ca kaṅkhāṭhāniyesu dhammesu kaṅkhaṁ paṭivinodenti. Addhā ayamāyasmā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passatī’ti. Ayampi dhammo piyattāya garuttāya bhāvanāya sāmaññāya ekībhāvāya saṁvattati. (2)
11‘Taṁ kho panāyamāyasmā dhammaṁ sutvā dvayena vūpakāsena sampādeti – kāyavūpakāsena ca cittavūpakāsena ca. Addhā ayamāyasmā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passatī’ti. Ayampi dhammo piyattāya garuttāya bhāvanāya sāmaññāya ekībhāvāya saṁvattati. (3)
12‘Sīlavā kho panāyamāyasmā pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Addhā ayamāyasmā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passatī’ti. Ayampi dhammo piyattāya garuttāya bhāvanāya sāmaññāya ekībhāvāya saṁvattati. (4)
13‘Bahussuto kho panāyamāyasmā sutadharo sutasannicayo. Ye te dhammā ādikalyāṇā majjhekalyāṇā pariyosānakalyāṇā sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ abhivadanti, tathārūpāssa dhammā bahussutā honti dhātā vacasā paricitā manasānupekkhitā diṭṭhiyā suppaṭividdhā. Addhā ayamāyasmā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passatī’ti. Ayampi dhammo piyattāya garuttāya bhāvanāya sāmaññāya ekībhāvāya saṁvattati. (5)
14‘Āraddhavīriyo kho panāyamāyasmā viharati akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya, kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya, thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu. Addhā ayamāyasmā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passatī’ti. Ayampi dhammo piyattāya garuttāya bhāvanāya sāmaññāya ekībhāvāya saṁvattati. (6)
15‘Saṅghagato kho panāyamāyasmā anānākathiko hoti atiracchānakathiko. Sāmaṁ vā dhammaṁ bhāsati paraṁ vā ajjhesati ariyaṁ vā tuṇhībhāvaṁ nātimaññati. Addhā ayamāyasmā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passatī’ti. Ayampi dhammo piyattāya garuttāya bhāvanāya sāmaññāya ekībhāvāya saṁvattati. (7)
16‘Pañcasu kho panāyamāyasmā upādānakkhandhesu udayabbayānupassī viharati – iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā … pe … iti saññā … iti saṅkhārā … iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamoti. Addhā ayamāyasmā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passatī’ti. Ayampi dhammo piyattāya garuttāya bhāvanāya sāmaññāya ekībhāvāya saṁvattati. (8)
17Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha hetū aṭṭha paccayā ādibrahmacariyikāya paññāya appaṭiladdhāya paṭilābhāya, paṭiladdhāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā saṁvattantī"ti.
Dutiyaṁ.