Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Numbered Discourses (Aṅguttara)

AN 10.115

Bad Principles (3rd) · Tatiyaadhammasutta

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“Mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles. And you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.” That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken, the Holy One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling.

“Adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo dhammo ca; anattho ca veditabbo attho ca. Adhammañca viditvā dhammañca, anatthañca viditvā atthañca yathā dhammo yathā attho tathā paṭipajjitabban”ti. Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.

Soon after the Buddha left, those mendicants considered, “The Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail. Who can explain in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha?”

Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ acirapakkantassa bhagavato etadahosi: “idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo dhammo ca; anattho ca veditabbo attho ca. Adhammañca viditvā dhammañca, anatthañca viditvā atthañca yathā dhammo yathā attho tathā paṭipajjitabban’ti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā”ti?

Then they considered, “This Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. He is capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha. Let’s go to him, and ask him about this matter. As he answers, so we’ll remember it.”

Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi: “ayaṁ kho āyasmā ānando satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā ānando imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāma. Yathā no āyasmā ānando byākarissati tathā naṁ dhāressāmā”ti.

Then those mendicants went to Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. They told him what had happened, and said,

Atha kho te bhikkhū yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavocuṁ:

—

“Idaṁ kho no, āvuso ānanda, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘adhammo ca …pe… tathā paṭipajjitabban’ti.

—

Tesaṁ no, āvuso, amhākaṁ acirapakkantassa bhagavato etadahosi: ‘idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho— adhammo ca …pe… tathā paṭipajjitabbanti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā’ti?

“May Venerable Ānanda please explain this.”

Tesaṁ no, āvuso, amhākaṁ etadahosi: ‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā ānando satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā ānando imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāma. Yathā no āyasmā ānando byākarissati tathā naṁ dhāressāmā’ti. Vibhajatu āyasmā ānando”ti.

“Reverends, suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But he’d pass over the roots and trunk, imagining that the heartwood should be sought in the branches and leaves. Such is the consequence for the venerables. Though you were face to face with the Buddha, you bypassed him, imagining that you should ask me about this matter. For he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of divinity. He is the preacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from death, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. You should have remembered it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”

“Seyyathāpi, āvuso, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva mūlaṁ atikkamma khandhaṁ sākhāpalāse sāraṁ pariyesitabbaṁ maññeyya; evaṁsampadamidaṁ āyasmantānaṁ satthari sammukhībhūte taṁ bhagavantaṁ atisitvā amhe etamatthaṁ paṭipucchitabbaṁ maññatha. So hāvuso, bhagavā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passati, cakkhubhūto ñāṇabhūto dhammabhūto brahmabhūto vattā pavattā atthassa ninnetā amatassa dātā dhammassāmī tathāgato. So ceva panetassa kālo ahosi yaṁ tumhe bhagavantaṁyeva upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha. Yathā vo bhagavā byākareyya tathā naṁ dhāreyyāthā”ti.

“Certainly he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of divinity. He is the preacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from death, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. We should have remembered it in line with the Buddha’s answer. Still, Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. You are capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha. Please explain this, if it’s no trouble.”

“Addhāvuso ānanda, bhagavā jānaṁ jānāti passaṁ passati cakkhubhūto ñāṇabhūto dhammabhūto brahmabhūto vattā pavattā atthassa ninnetā amatassa dātā dhammassāmī tathāgato. So ceva panetassa kālo ahosi yaṁ mayaṁ bhagavantaṁyeva upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāma, yathā no bhagavā byākareyya tathā naṁ dhāreyyāma. Api cāyasmā ānando satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā ānando imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Vibhajatāyasmā ānando agaruṁ katvā”ti.

“Then listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, reverend,” they replied. Ānanda said this:

“Tenahāvuso, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato ānandassa paccassosuṁ. Athāyasmā ānando etadavoca:

“Reverends, the Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: ‘You should know bad principles and good principles. And you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.’

“Yaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo dhammo ca; anattho ca veditabbo attho ca. Adhammañca viditvā dhammañca, anatthañca viditvā atthañca yathā dhammo yathā attho tathā paṭipajjitabban’ti.

So what are bad principles? What are good principles? What are bad results? And what are good results?

Katamo cāvuso, adhammo, katamo ca dhammo, katamo ca anattho, katamo ca attho?

Wrong view is a bad principle. Right view is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong view are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right view are good results.

Micchādiṭṭhi, āvuso, adhammo; sammādiṭṭhi dhammo; ye ca micchādiṭṭhipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti, ayaṁ anattho; sammādiṭṭhipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti, ayaṁ attho.

Wrong purpose is a bad principle. Right purpose is a good principle. … Wrong speech is a bad principle. Right speech is a good principle. … Wrong action is a bad principle. Right action is a good principle. … Wrong livelihood is a bad principle. Right livelihood is a good principle. … Wrong effort is a bad principle. Right effort is a good principle. … Wrong mindfulness is a bad principle. Right mindfulness is a good principle. … Wrong immersion is a bad principle. Right immersion is a good principle. … Wrong knowledge is a bad principle. Right knowledge is a good principle. …

Micchāsaṅkappo, āvuso, adhammo; sammāsaṅkappo dhammo … micchāvācā, āvuso, adhammo; sammāvācā dhammo … micchākammanto, āvuso, adhammo; sammākammanto dhammo … micchāājīvo, āvuso, adhammo; sammāājīvo dhammo … micchāvāyāmo, āvuso, adhammo; sammāvāyāmo dhammo … micchāsati, āvuso, adhammo; sammāsati dhammo … micchāsamādhi, āvuso, adhammo; sammāsamādhi dhammo … micchāñāṇaṁ, āvuso, adhammo; sammāñāṇaṁ dhammo ….

Wrong freedom is a bad principle. Right freedom is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong freedom are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right freedom are good results.

Micchāvimutti, āvuso, adhammo; sammāvimutti dhammo; ye ca micchāvimuttipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti, ayaṁ anattho; sammāvimuttipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti, ayaṁ attho.

The Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: ‘You should know bad principles and good principles … and practice accordingly.’ And this is how I understand the detailed meaning of this summary recital. If you wish, you may go to the Buddha and ask him about this. You should remember it in line with the Buddha’s answer.”

Ayaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo dhammo ca …pe… tathā paṭipajjitabban’ti, imassa kho ahaṁ, āvuso, bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmi. Ākaṅkhamānā ca pana tumhe, āvuso, bhagavantaṁyeva upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha. Yathā vo bhagavā byākaroti tathā naṁ dhāreyyāthā”ti.

“Yes, reverend,” said those mendicants, approving and agreeing with what Ānanda said. Then they rose from their seats and went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Then they said:

“Evamāvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato ānandassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

—

“Yaṁ kho no bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho: ‘adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo …pe… tathā paṭipajjitabban’ti.

—

Tesaṁ no, bhante, amhākaṁ acirapakkantassa bhagavato etadahosi: ‘idaṁ kho no, āvuso, bhagavā saṅkhittena uddesaṁ uddisitvā vitthārena atthaṁ avibhajitvā uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ paviṭṭho— adhammo ca, bhikkhave, veditabbo …pe… tathā paṭipajjitabbanti. Ko nu kho imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajeyyā’ti?

—

Tesaṁ no, bhante, amhākaṁ etadahosi: ‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā ānando satthu ceva saṁvaṇṇito sambhāvito ca viññūnaṁ sabrahmacārīnaṁ. Pahoti cāyasmā ānando imassa bhagavatā saṅkhittena uddesassa uddiṭṭhassa vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa vitthārena atthaṁ vibhajituṁ. Yannūna mayaṁ yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkameyyāma; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyāma. Yathā no āyasmā ānando byākarissati tathā naṁ dhāressāmā’ti.

“Sir, we went to Ānanda and asked him about this matter. And Ānanda clearly explained the meaning to us in this manner, with these words and phrases.”

Atha kho mayaṁ, bhante, yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkamimhā; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etamatthaṁ apucchimhā. Tesaṁ no, bhante, āyasmatā ānandena imehi ākārehi imehi padehi imehi byañjanehi attho suvibhatto”ti.

“Good, good, mendicants! Ānanda is astute, he has great wisdom. If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as Ānanda. That is what it means, and that’s how you should remember it.”

“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhave. Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, ānando. Mahāpañño, bhikkhave, ānando. Mañcepi tumhe, bhikkhave, upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ paṭipuccheyyātha, ahampi cetaṁ evamevaṁ byākareyyaṁ yathā taṁ ānandena byākataṁ. Eso ceva tassa attho evañca naṁ dhāreyyāthā”ti. Tatiyaṁ.