Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Numbered Discourses (Aṅguttara)

AN 3.68

Followers of Other Religions · Aññatitthiyasutta

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“Mendicants, if wanderers of other religions were to ask: ‘There are these three things. What three? Greed, hate, and delusion. These are the three things. What’s the difference between them?’ How would you answer them?” “Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.” “Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Sace, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘tayome, āvuso, dhammā. Katame tayo? Rāgo, doso, moho— ime kho, āvuso, tayo dhammā. Imesaṁ, āvuso, tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ ko viseso ko adhippayāso kiṁ nānākaraṇan’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ kinti byākareyyāthā”ti? “Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti. “Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Mendicants, if wanderers of other religions were to ask: ‘There are these three things. What three? Greed, hate, and delusion. These are the three things. What’s the difference between them?’ You should answer them: ‘Greed, reverends, is mildly blameworthy, but slow to fade away. Hate is very blameworthy, but quick to fade away. Delusion is very blameworthy, and slow to fade away.’

“Sace, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘tayome, āvuso, dhammā. Katame tayo? Rāgo, doso, moho— ime kho, āvuso, tayo dhammā; imesaṁ, āvuso, tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ ko viseso ko adhippayāso kiṁ nānākaraṇan’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘rāgo kho, āvuso, appasāvajjo dandhavirāgī, doso mahāsāvajjo khippavirāgī, moho mahāsāvajjo dandhavirāgī’ti.

And if they ask: ‘What is the cause, what is the reason why greed arises, and once arisen it increases and grows?’ You should say: ‘The feature of beauty. When you apply the mind irrationally to the feature of beauty, greed arises, and once arisen it increases and grows. This is the cause, this is the reason why greed arises, and once arisen it increases and grows.’

‘Ko panāvuso, hetu ko paccayo yena anuppanno vā rāgo uppajjati uppanno vā rāgo bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattatī’ti? ‘“Subhanimittan”tissa vacanīyaṁ. Tassa subhanimittaṁ ayoniso manasi karoto anuppanno vā rāgo uppajjati uppanno vā rāgo bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattati. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena anuppanno vā rāgo uppajjati uppanno vā rāgo bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattatī’ti.

And if they ask: ‘What is the cause, what is the reason why hate arises, and once arisen it increases and grows?’ You should say: ‘The feature of aversion. When you apply the mind irrationally to the feature of aversion, hate arises, and once arisen it increases and grows. This is the cause, this is the reason why hate arises, and once arisen it increases and grows.’

‘Ko panāvuso, hetu ko paccayo yena anuppanno vā doso uppajjati uppanno vā doso bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattatī’ti? ‘“Paṭighanimittan”tissa vacanīyaṁ. Tassa paṭighanimittaṁ ayoniso manasi karoto anuppanno vā doso uppajjati uppanno vā doso bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattati. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena anuppanno vā doso uppajjati uppanno vā doso bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattatī’ti.

And if they ask: ‘What is the cause, what is the reason why delusion arises, and once arisen it increases and grows?’ You should say: ‘Irrational application of mind. When you apply the mind irrationally, delusion arises, and once arisen it increases and grows. This is the cause, this is the reason why delusion arises, and once arisen it increases and grows.’

‘Ko panāvuso, hetu ko paccayo yena anuppanno vā moho uppajjati uppanno vā moho bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattatī’ti? ‘“Ayoniso manasikāro”tissa vacanīyaṁ. Tassa ayoniso manasi karoto anuppanno vā moho uppajjati uppanno vā moho bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattati. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena anuppanno vā moho uppajjati uppanno vā moho bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya saṁvattatī’ti.

And if they ask, ‘What is the cause, what is the reason why greed doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up?’ You should say: ‘The feature of ugliness. When you apply the mind rationally on the ugly feature of things, greed doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up. This is the cause, this is the reason why greed doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up.’

‘Ko panāvuso, hetu ko paccayo yena anuppanno ceva rāgo nuppajjati uppanno ca rāgo pahīyatī’ti? ‘“Asubhanimittan”tissa vacanīyaṁ. Tassa asubhanimittaṁ yoniso manasi karoto anuppanno ceva rāgo nuppajjati uppanno ca rāgo pahīyati. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena anuppanno ceva rāgo nuppajjati uppanno ca rāgo pahīyatī’ti.

And if they ask, ‘What is the cause, what is the reason why hate doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up?’ You should say: ‘The heart’s release by love. When you apply the mind rationally on the heart’s release by love, hate doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up. This is the cause, this is the reason why hate doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up.’

‘Ko panāvuso, hetu ko paccayo yena anuppanno ceva doso nuppajjati uppanno ca doso pahīyatī’ti? ‘“Mettā cetovimuttī”tissa vacanīyaṁ. Tassa mettaṁ cetovimuttiṁ yoniso manasi karoto anuppanno ceva doso nuppajjati uppanno ca doso pahīyati. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena anuppanno ceva doso nuppajjati uppanno ca doso pahīyatī’ti.

And if they ask, ‘What is the cause, what is the reason why delusion doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up?’ You should say: ‘Rational application of mind. When you apply the mind rationally, delusion doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up. This is the cause, this is the reason why delusion doesn’t arise, or if it’s already arisen it’s given up.’”

‘Ko panāvuso, hetu ko paccayo yena anuppanno ceva moho nuppajjati uppanno ca moho pahīyatī’ti? ‘“Yonisomanasikāro”tissa vacanīyaṁ. Tassa yoniso manasi karoto anuppanno ceva moho nuppajjati uppanno ca moho pahīyati. Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena anuppanno vā moho nuppajjati uppanno ca moho pahīyatī’”ti. Aṭṭhamaṁ.