8. Ānandavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.73

Numbered Discourses 3.73

8. Ānandavagga

8. Ānanda

Mahānāmasakkasutta

With Mahānāma the Sakyan

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā gilānā vuṭṭhito hoti aciravuṭṭhito gelaññā.

Now at that time the Buddha had recently recovered from an illness.

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Mahānāma the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“dīgharattāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā evaṁ dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi:

“For a long time, sir, I have understood your teaching like this:

‘samāhitassa ñāṇaṁ, no asamāhitassā’ti.

‘Knowledge is for those with immersion, not those without immersion.’

Samādhi nu kho, bhante, pubbe, pacchā ñāṇaṁ;

But, sir, does immersion come first, then knowledge?

udāhu ñāṇaṁ pubbe, pacchā samādhī”ti?

Or does knowledge come first, then immersion?”

Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi:

Then Venerable Ānanda thought,

“bhagavā kho gilānavuṭṭhito aciravuṭṭhito gelaññā.

“The Buddha has recently recovered from an illness,

Ayañca mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ atigambhīraṁ pañhaṁ pucchati.

and this Mahānāma asks him a question that’s too deep.

Yannūnāhaṁ mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ ekamantaṁ apanetvā dhammaṁ deseyyan”ti.

Why don’t I take him off to one side and teach him the Dhamma?”

Atha kho āyasmā ānando mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā ekamantaṁ apanetvā mahānāmaṁ sakkaṁ etadavoca:

Then Ānanda took Mahānāma by the arm, led him off to one side, and said to him,

“sekhampi kho, mahānāma, sīlaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā, asekhampi sīlaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā; sekhopi samādhi vutto bhagavatā, asekhopi samādhi vutto bhagavatā; sekhāpi paññā vuttā bhagavatā, asekhāpi paññā vuttā bhagavatā.

“Mahānāma, the Buddha has spoken of the ethics, immersion, and wisdom of a trainee; and the ethics, immersion, and wisdom of an adept.

Katamañca, mahānāma, sekhaṁ sīlaṁ?

What is the ethics of a trainee?

Idha, mahānāma, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati …pe… samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

It’s when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.

Idaṁ vuccati, mahānāma, sekhaṁ sīlaṁ.

This is called the ethics of a trainee.

Katamo ca, mahānāma, sekho samādhi?

And what is the immersion of a trainee?

Idha, mahānāma, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption … second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption.

Ayaṁ vuccati, mahānāma, sekho samādhi.

This is called the immersion of a trainee.

Katamā ca, mahānāma, sekhā paññā?

And what is the wisdom of a trainee?

Idha, mahānāma, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.

Ayaṁ vuccati, mahānāma, sekhā paññā.

This is called the wisdom of a trainee.

Sa kho so, mahānāma, ariyasāvako evaṁ sīlasampanno evaṁ samādhisampanno evaṁ paññāsampanno āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

Then a noble disciple—accomplished in ethics, immersion, and wisdom—realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Evaṁ kho, mahānāma, sekhampi sīlaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā, asekhampi sīlaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā; sekhopi samādhi vutto bhagavatā, asekhopi samādhi vutto bhagavatā; sekhāpi paññā vuttā bhagavatā, asekhāpi paññā vuttā bhagavatā”ti.

In this way the Buddha has spoken of the ethics, immersion, and wisdom of both a trainee and an adept.”

Tatiyaṁ.