7. Mahāvagga
7. The Great Chapter
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“Sattahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.
“A mendicant with seven qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammaññū ca hoti atthaññū ca attaññū ca mattaññū ca kālaññū ca parisaññū ca puggalaparoparaññū ca.
It’s when a mendicant knows the teachings, knows the meaning, has self-knowledge, knows moderation, knows the right time, knows assemblies, and knows individuals high and low.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammaññū hoti?
And how is a mendicant one who knows the teachings?
suttaṁ geyyaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ gāthaṁ udānaṁ itivuttakaṁ jātakaṁ abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ.
statements, mixed prose & verse, discussions, verses, inspired exclamations, legends, stories of past lives, amazing stories, and elaborations.
suttaṁ geyyaṁ …pe… abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ, nayidha ‘dhammaññū’ti vucceyya.
they would not be called ‘one who knows the teachings’.
suttaṁ geyyaṁ …pe… abbhutadhammaṁ vedallaṁ, tasmā ‘dhammaññū’ti vuccati.
they are called ‘one who knows the teachings’.
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tassa tasseva bhāsitassa atthaṁ jānāti:
It’s when a mendicant knows the meaning of this or that statement:
‘ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho, ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho’ti.
‘This is what that statement means; that is what this statement means.’
No ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tassa tasseva bhāsitassa atthaṁ jāneyya:
If a mendicant did not know the meaning of this or that statement,
‘ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho, ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho’ti, nayidha ‘atthaññū’ti vucceyya.
they would not be called ‘one who knows the meaning’.
Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tassa tasseva bhāsitassa atthaṁ jānāti:
But because they do know the meaning of this or that statement,
‘ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho, ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho’ti, tasmā ‘atthaññū’ti vuccati.
they are called ‘one who knows the meaning’.
Iti dhammaññū, atthaññū.
Such is the one who knows the teachings and the one who knows the meaning.
‘ettakomhi saddhāya sīlena sutena cāgena paññāya paṭibhānenā’ti.
‘This is the extent of my faith, ethics, learning, generosity, wisdom, and eloquence.’
‘ettakomhi saddhāya sīlena sutena cāgena paññāya paṭibhānenā’ti, nayidha ‘attaññū’ti vucceyya.
they would not be called ‘one who has self-knowledge’.
‘ettakomhi saddhāya sīlena sutena cāgena paññāya paṭibhānenā’ti, tasmā ‘attaññū’ti vuccati.
they are called ‘one who has self-knowledge’.
Iti dhammaññū, atthaññū, attaññū.
Such is the one who knows the teachings, the one who knows the meaning, and the one who has self-knowledge.
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mattaṁ jānāti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ paṭiggahaṇāya.
It’s when a mendicant knows moderation when receiving robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
No ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mattaṁ jāneyya cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ paṭiggahaṇāya, nayidha ‘mattaññū’ti vucceyya.
If a mendicant did not know moderation, they would not be called ‘one who knows moderation’.
Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mattaṁ jānāti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ paṭiggahaṇāya, tasmā ‘mattaññū’ti vuccati.
But because they do know moderation, they are called ‘one who knows moderation’.
Iti dhammaññū, atthaññū, attaññū, mattaññū.
Such is the one who knows the teachings, the one who knows the meaning, the one who has self-knowledge, and the one who knows moderation.
‘ayaṁ kālo uddesassa, ayaṁ kālo paripucchāya, ayaṁ kālo yogassa, ayaṁ kālo paṭisallānassā’ti.
‘This is the time for recitation; this is the time for questioning; this is the time for meditation; this is the time for retreat.’
‘ayaṁ kālo uddesassa, ayaṁ kālo paripucchāya, ayaṁ kālo yogassa, ayaṁ kālo paṭisallānassā’ti, nayidha ‘kālaññū’ti vucceyya.
they would not be called ‘one who knows the right time’.
‘ayaṁ kālo uddesassa, ayaṁ kālo paripucchāya, ayaṁ kālo yogassa, ayaṁ kālo paṭisallānassā’ti, tasmā ‘kālaññū’ti vuccati.
they are called ‘one who knows the right time’.
Iti dhammaññū, atthaññū, attaññū, mattaññū, kālaññū.
Such is the one who knows the teachings, the one who knows the meaning, the one who has self-knowledge, the one who knows moderation, and the one who knows the right time.
‘ayaṁ khattiyaparisā, ayaṁ brāhmaṇaparisā, ayaṁ gahapatiparisā, ayaṁ samaṇaparisā.
‘This is an assembly of aristocrats, of brahmins, of householders, or of ascetics.
Tattha evaṁ upasaṅkamitabbaṁ, evaṁ ṭhātabbaṁ, evaṁ kattabbaṁ, evaṁ nisīditabbaṁ, evaṁ bhāsitabbaṁ, evaṁ tuṇhī bhavitabban’ti.
This one should be approached in this way. This is how to stand, to act, to sit, to speak, or to stay silent when there.’
‘ayaṁ khattiyaparisā …pe…
evaṁ tuṇhī bhavitabban’ti, nayidha ‘parisaññū’ti vucceyya.
they would not be called ‘one who knows assemblies’.
‘ayaṁ khattiyaparisā, ayaṁ brāhmaṇaparisā, ayaṁ gahapatiparisā, ayaṁ samaṇaparisā.
Tattha evaṁ upasaṅkamitabbaṁ, evaṁ ṭhātabbaṁ, evaṁ kattabbaṁ, evaṁ nisīditabbaṁ, evaṁ bhāsitabbaṁ, evaṁ tuṇhī bhavitabban’ti, tasmā ‘parisaññū’ti vuccati.
they are called ‘one who knows assemblies’.
Iti dhammaññū, atthaññū, attaññū, mattaññū, kālaññū, parisaññū.
Such is the one who knows the teachings, the one who knows the meaning, the one who has self-knowledge, the one who knows moderation, the one who knows the right time, and the one who knows assemblies.
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dvayena puggalā viditā honti.
It’s when a mendicant understands individuals in terms of pairs.
eko ariyānaṁ dassanakāmo, eko ariyānaṁ na dassanakāmo.
one likes to see the noble ones, one does not.
eko saddhammaṁ sotukāmo, eko saddhammaṁ na sotukāmo.
one likes to hear the true teaching, one does not.
Yvāyaṁ puggalo saddhammaṁ na sotukāmo,
The individual who doesn’t like to hear the true teaching
eko ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti, eko anohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti.
one actively listens to the teaching, one does not.
Yvāyaṁ puggalo anohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti,
The individual who doesn’t actively listen to the teaching
Yvāyaṁ puggalo ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti,
The individual who does actively listen to the teaching
eko sutvā dhammaṁ dhāreti, eko sutvā dhammaṁ na dhāreti.
one remembers the teaching they’ve heard, one does not.
Yvāyaṁ puggalo sutvā na dhammaṁ dhāreti,
The individual who doesn’t remember the teaching they’ve heard
Yvāyaṁ puggalo sutvā dhammaṁ dhāreti,
The individual who does remember the teaching they’ve heard
eko dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhati, eko dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ na upaparikkhati.
one examines the meaning of the teachings they have remembered, one does not.
Yvāyaṁ puggalo dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ na upaparikkhati,
The individual who does not examine the meaning of the teachings they have remembered
Yvāyaṁ puggalo dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhati,
The individual who does examine the meaning of the teachings they have remembered
Dve puggalā dhātānaṁ dhammānaṁ atthaṁ upaparikkhanti—
Two individuals examine the meaning of the teachings they have remembered:
eko atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno, eko atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya na dhammānudhammappaṭipanno.
one understands the meaning and the teaching and practicesin line with the teaching, one understands the meaning and the teaching but does not practice in line with the teaching.
Yvāyaṁ puggalo atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya na dhammānudhammappaṭipanno,
The individual who understands the meaning and the teaching but does not practice in line with the principle of the teaching
Yvāyaṁ puggalo atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipanno,
The individual who understands the meaning and the teaching and practices in line with the principle of the teaching
Dve puggalā atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammappaṭipannā—
Two individuals understand the meaning and the teaching and practice in line with the teaching:
eko attahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya, eko attahitāya ca paṭipanno parahitāya ca.
one practices to benefit themselves but not others, and one practices to benefit both themselves and others.
Yvāyaṁ puggalo attahitāya paṭipanno no parahitāya,
The individual who practices to benefit themselves but not others
Yvāyaṁ puggalo attahitāya ca paṭipanno parahitāya ca,
The individual who practices to benefit both themselves and others
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno dvayena puggalā viditā honti.
That’s how a mendicant understands individuals in terms of pairs.
Evaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu puggalaparoparaññū hoti.
That’s how a mendicant is one who knows individuals high and low.
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, sattahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti pāhuneyyo …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.
A mendicant with these seven qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.”
Catutthaṁ.