25. Āpattibhayavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.245

Numbered Discourses 4.245

25. Āpattibhayavagga

25. Perils of Offenses

Sikkhānisaṁsasutta

The Benefits of Training

“Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyaṁ.

“Mendicants, this spiritual life is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its overseer, with freedom as its core, and with mindfulness as its ruler.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti?

And how is training its benefit?

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya.

Firstly, I laid down for my disciples the training that deals with supplementary regulations in order to inspire confidence in those without it and to increase confidence in those who have it.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ābhisamācārikā sikkhā paññattā appasannānaṁ pasādāya pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

They undertake whatever supplementary regulations I have laid down, keeping them intact, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

Furthermore, I laid down for my disciples the training that deals with the fundamentals of the spiritual life in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ ādibrahmacariyikā sikkhā paññattā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathā so tassā sikkhāya akhaṇḍakārī hoti acchiddakārī asabalakārī akammāsakārī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu.

They undertake whatever training that deals with the fundamentals of the spiritual life I have laid down, keeping it intact, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, sikkhānisaṁsaṁ hoti.

That’s how training is its benefit.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti?

And how is wisdom its overseer?

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

I taught the Dhamma to my disciples in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā paññāya samavekkhitā honti.

They examine with wisdom any teachings I taught them.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, paññuttaraṁ hoti.

That’s how wisdom is its overseer.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti?

And how is freedom its core?

Idha, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

I taught the Dhamma to my disciples in order to rightly end suffering in every way.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, mayā sāvakānaṁ dhammā desitā sabbaso sammā dukkhakkhayāya tathā tathāssa te dhammā vimuttiyā phusitā honti.

They experience through freedom any teachings I taught them.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, vimuttisāraṁ hoti.

That’s how freedom is its core.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti?

And how is mindfulness its ruler?

‘Iti aparipūraṁ vā ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā ābhisamācārikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti—ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll fulfill the training dealing with supplementary regulations, or support with wisdom in every situation the training dealing with supplementary regulations I’ve already fulfilled.’

‘Iti aparipūraṁ vā ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ paripūressāmi, paripūraṁ vā ādibrahmacariyikaṁ sikkhaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti—ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll fulfill the training dealing with the fundamentals of the spiritual life, or support with wisdom in every situation the training dealing with the fundamentals of the spiritual life I’ve already fulfilled.’

‘Iti asamavekkhitaṁ vā dhammaṁ paññāya samavekkhissāmi, samavekkhitaṁ vā dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti—ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll examine with wisdom the teaching that I haven’t yet examined, or support with wisdom in every situation the teaching I’ve already examined.’

‘Iti aphusitaṁ vā dhammaṁ vimuttiyā phusissāmi, phusitaṁ vā dhammaṁ tattha tattha paññāya anuggahessāmī’ti—ajjhattaṁyeva sati sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

Mindfulness is well established in oneself: ‘In this way I’ll experience through freedom the teaching that I haven’t yet experienced, or support with wisdom in every situation the teaching I’ve already experienced.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, satādhipateyyaṁ hoti.

That’s how mindfulness is its ruler.

‘Sikkhānisaṁsamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati paññuttaraṁ vimuttisāraṁ satādhipateyyan’ti,

‘This spiritual life is lived with training as its benefit, with wisdom as its overseer, with freedom as its core, and with mindfulness as its ruler.’

iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan”ti.

That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”

Tatiyaṁ.