16. Ekadhammapāḷi | 1 | Aṅguttara
Aṅguttara Nikāya
1. Ekakanipāta
16. Ekadhammapāḷi
XVI. One thing
i. First Subchapter
296 (1)
Bhikkhus, there is 1 thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
- What is that 1 thing?
Recollection of the Buddha. This is that 1 thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads exclusively to disenchantment ...to Nibbāna.
297 (2)–305 (10)162
(297) Bhikkhus, there is 1 thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
- What is that 1 thing?
Recollection of the Dhamma ...
(298) Recollection of the Saṅgha ...
(299) Recollection of virtuous behaviour ...
(300) Recollection of generosity ...
(301) Recollection of the devas ...
(302) Mindfulness of breathing ...
(303) Mindfulness of death ...
(304) Mindfulness directed to the body ...
(305) Recollection of peace.
- This is that 1 thing that, when developed and cultivated, leads exclusively to disenchantment ...to Nibbāna.
ii. Second Subchapter
306 (1)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing
on account of which unarisen unwholesome qualities arise and arisen unwholesome qualities increase and expand so much as wrong view.
For one of wrong view, unarisen unwholesome qualities arise and arisen unwholesome qualities increase and expand.
307 (2)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen wholesome qualities increase and expand so much as right view.
For one of right view, unarisen wholesome qualities arise and arisen wholesome qualities increase and expand.
308 (3)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen wholesome qualities do not arise and arisen wholesome qualities decline so much as wrong view.
For one of wrong view, unarisen wholesome qualities do not arise and arisen wholesome qualities decline.
309 (4)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen unwholesome qualities do not arise and arisen unwholesome qualities decline so much as right view.
For one of right view, unarisen unwholesome qualities do not arise and arisen unwholesome qualities decline.
310 (5)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen wrong view arises and arisen wrong view increases so much as careless attention.
For one of careless attention, unarisen wrong view arises and arisen wrong view increases.
311 (6)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing on account of which unarisen right view arises and arisen right view increases so much as careful attention.
For one of careful attention, unarisen right view arises and arisen right view increases.
312 (7)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing
on account of which, with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell, so much as wrong view.
Possessing wrong view, with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world, in hell.
313 (8)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing
on account of which, with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world, so much as right view.
Possessing right view, with the breakup of the body, after death, beings are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.
314 (9)
Bhikkhus, for a person of wrong view, whatever bodily kamma, verbal kamma, and mental kamma he instigates and undertakes in accordance with that view,
and whatever his volition, yearning, inclination, and volitional activities, all lead to what is unwished for, undesired, and disagreeable, to harm and suffering.
- For what reason?
Because the view is bad.
Suppose, Bhikkhus, a seed of Neem, bitter cucumber, or bitter gourd were planted in moist soil. Whatever nutrients it takes up from the soil and from the water would all lead to its bitter, pungent, and disagreeable flavour.
- For what reason?
Because the seed is bad.
So too, for a person of wrong view ...all lead to what is unwished for, undesired, and disagreeable, to harm and suffering.
- For what reason?
Because the view is bad.
315 (10)
Bhikkhus, for a person of right view, whatever bodily kamma, verbal kamma, and mental kamma he instigates and undertakes in accordance with that view,
and whatever his volition, yearning, inclination, and volitional activities, all lead to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to well-being and happiness.
- For what reason?
Because the view is good.
Suppose, Bhikkhus, a seed of sugar cane, hill rice, or grape were planted in moist soil:
Whatever nutrients it takes up from the soil and from the water would all lead to its sweet, agreeable, and delectable flavour.
- For what reason?
Because the seed is good.
So too, for a person of right view ...all lead to what is wished for, desired, and agreeable, to welfare and happiness.
- For what reason?
Because the view is good.
iii. Third Subchapter
316 (1)
Bhikkhus, there is 1 person
who arises in the world for the harm of many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of devas and human beings.
- Who is that 1 person?
It is one who holds wrong view and has an incorrect perspective. He draws many people away from the good Dhamma and establishes them in a bad Dhamma.
- This is that 1 person
who arises in the world for the harm of many people, the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of devas and human beings.
317 (2)
Bhikkhus, there is 1 person who arises in the world for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, for the good, welfare, and happiness of many people, of devas and human beings.
- Who is that 1 person?
It is one who holds right view and has a correct perspective. He draws many people away from a bad Dhamma and establishes them in the good Dhamma.
- This is that 1 person
who arises in the world for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, for the good, welfare, and happiness of many people, of devas and human beings.
318 (3)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single thing so blameworthy as wrong view. Wrong view is the worst of things that are blameworthy.
319 (4)
Bhikkhus, I do not see even a single person who is acting so much for the harm of many people, the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of devas and human beings, as the hollow man Makkhali.
Just as a trap set at the mouth of a river would bring about harm, suffering, calamity, and disaster for many fish,
so too, the hollow man Makkhali is, as it were, a ‘trap for people’ who has arisen in the world for the harm, suffering, calamity, and disaster of many beings.
320 (5)
Bhikkhus, one who encourages [others] in a badly expounded Dhamma and discipline, and the one whom he encourages, and the one who, thus encouraged, practices in accordance with it, all generate much demerit.
- For what reason?
- Because that Dhamma is badly expounded.
321 (6)
Bhikkhus, one who encourages [others] in a well-expounded Dhamma and discipline, and the one whom he encourages, and the one who, thus encouraged, practices in accordance with it, all generate much merit.
- For what reason?
- Because that Dhamma is well expounded.
322 (7)
Bhikkhus, with a badly expounded Dhamma and discipline, moderation should be known by the giver [of a gift], not by the recipient.
- For what reason?
Because that Dhamma is badly expounded.
323 (8)
Bhikkhus, with a well-expounded Dhamma and discipline, moderation should be known by the recipient [of a gift], not by the giver.
- For what reason?
Because that Dhamma is well expounded.
324 (9)
Bhikkhus, whoever arouses energy in a badly expounded Dhamma and discipline dwells in suffering.
- For what reason?
Because that Dhamma is badly expounded.
325 (10)
Bhikkhus, whoever is lazy in a well-expounded Dhamma and discipline dwells in suffering.
- For what reason?
Because that Dhamma is well expounded.
326 (11)
Bhikkhus, whoever is lazy in a badly expounded Dhamma and discipline dwells in happiness.
- For what reason?
Because that Dhamma is badly expounded.
327 (12)
Bhikkhus, whoever arouses energy in a well-expounded Dhamma and discipline dwells in happiness.
- For what reason?
Because that Dhamma is well expounded.
328 (13)
Bhikkhus, just as even a trifling amount of faeces is foul smelling, so too I do not praise even a trifling amount of existence, even for a mere finger snap.
329 (14)–332 (17)
(329) Bhikkhus, just as even a trifling amount of urine is foul smelling ...
(330) a trifling amount of saliva is foul smelling ...
(331) a trifling amount of pus is foul smelling .... .
(332) a trifling amount of blood is foul smelling,
- so too I do not praise even a trifling amount of existence, even for a mere finger snap.
iv. Jambudvīpa Repetition Series [Fourth Subchapter]
333 (1)–347 (15)182
(333) Just as, Bhikkhus, in this Jambudvīpa, delightful parks, groves, landscapes, and lotus ponds are few,
while more numerous are the hills and slopes, rivers that are hard to cross, places with stumps and thorns, and rugged mountains,
so too those beings are few who are born on dry ground;
more numerous are those beings who are born in water.
(334) ...so too those beings are few who are reborn among human beings; more numerous are those beings who have been reborn elsewhere than among human beings.
(335) ...so too those beings are few who are reborn in the middle provinces; more numerous are those who have been reborn in the outlying provinces among the uncouth foreigners.
(336) ...so too those beings are few who are wise, intelligent, astute, able to understand the meaning of what has been well stated and badly stated;
more numerous are those who are unwise, stupid, obtuse, unable to understand the meaning of what has been well stated and badly stated.
(337) ...so too those beings are few who are endowed with the noble eye of wisdom; more numerous are those beings who are confused and immersed in ignorance.
(338) ...so too those beings are few who get to see the Tathāgata; more numerous are those beings who do not get to see him.
(339) ...so too those beings are few who get to hear the Dhamma and discipline expounded by the Tathāgata; more numerous are those who do not get to hear it.
(340) ...so too those beings are few who, having heard the Dhamma, retain it in mind; more numerous are those who, having heard the Dhamma, do not retain it in mind.
(341) ...so too those beings are few who examine the meaning of the teachings that have been retained in mind; more numerous are those who do not examine the meaning of the teachings that have been retained in mind.
(342) ...so too those beings are few who understand the meaning and the Dhamma and then practice in accordance with the Dhamma;
more numerous are those who do not understand the meaning and the Dhamma and do not practice in accordance with the Dhamma.
(343) ...so too those beings are few who acquire a sense of urgency about things inspiring urgency; more numerous are those who do not acquire a sense of urgency about things inspiring urgency.
(344) ...so too those beings are few who, when inspired with a sense of urgency, strive carefully; more numerous are those who, when inspired with a sense of urgency, do not strive carefully.
(345) ...so too those beings are few who gain concentration, one-pointedness of mind, based on release; more numerous are those who do not gain concentration, one-pointedness of mind, based on release.
(346) ...so too those beings are few who obtain the exquisite taste of delicious food; more numerous are those who do not gain such food but subsist on scraps brought in a bowl.
(347) ...so too those beings are few who obtain the taste of the meaning, the taste of the Dhamma, the taste of liberation;
more numerous are those who do not obtain the taste of the meaning, the taste of the Dhamma, the taste of liberation.
Therefore, Bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will obtain the taste of the meaning, the taste of the Dhamma, the taste of liberation.’
- It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.
348 (16)–377 (45)190
(348)–(350) Just as, Bhikkhus, in this Jambudvīpa delightful parks, groves, landscapes, and lotus ponds are few,
while more numerous are the hills and slopes, rivers that are hard to cross, places with stumps and thorns, and rugged mountains,
so too those beings are few who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn among human beings.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(351)–(353) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn among the devas.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(354)–(356) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away as devas, are reborn among the devas.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away as devas, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(357)–(359) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away as devas, are reborn among human beings.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away as devas, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(360)–(362) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away from hell, are reborn among human beings.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away from hell, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(363)–(365) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away from hell, are reborn among the devas.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away from hell, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(366)–(368) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn among human beings.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(369)–(371) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn among the devas.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(372)–(374) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away from the sphere of afflicted spirits, are reborn among human beings.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away from the sphere of afflicted spirits, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.
(375)–(377) ...so too those beings are few who, when they pass away from the sphere of afflicted spirits, are reborn among the devas.
More numerous are those who, when they pass away from the sphere of afflicted spirits, are reborn in hell ...in the animal realm ...in the sphere of afflicted spirits.