23. Dīghacārikavaggo | 5 | Aṅguttara

Aṅguttara Nikāya

023. Dīghacārikavaggo
III. Lengthy Wandering

221 (1) Lengthy Wandering (1)

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers for one who engages in lengthy and unsettled wandering. What 5?

1) One does not hear what one has not heard;
2) one does not clarify what one has heard;
3) one is not confident about the portion that one has heard;
4) one contracts a severe illness; and
5) one has no friends.

- These are the 5 dangers for one who engages in lengthy and unsettled wandering.

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 benefits in periodic wandering. What 5?

1) One gets to hear what one has not heard;
2) one clarifies what one has heard;
3) one is confident about some things one has heard;
4) one does not contract a severe illness; and
5) one has friends.

- These are the 5 benefits in periodic wandering.

222 (2) Lengthy Wandering (2)

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers for one who engages in lengthy and unsettled wandering. What 5?

1) One does not achieve what one has not yet achieved;
2) one falls away from what one has already achieved;
3) one is timid about some things one has achieved;
4) one contracts a severe illness; and
5) one has no friends.

- These are the 5 dangers for one who engages in lengthy and unsettled wandering.

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 benefits in periodic wandering. What 5?

1) One achieves what one has not yet achieved;
2) one does not fall away from what one has already achieved;
3) one is confident about the portion that one has achieved;
4) one does not contract a severe illness; and
5) one has friends.

- These are the 5 benefits in periodic wandering.

223 (3) Residing Too Long

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers in residing too long [in the same place]. What 5?

1) One comes to own and accumulate many goods;

2) one comes to own and accumulate many medicines;

3) one takes on many tasks and duties and becomes competent in the various things to be done;

4) one forms bonds with householders and monastics in an unsuitable way typical of laypeople; and

5) when one departs from that monastery, one departs full of concern.

- These are the 5 dangers in residing too long [in the same place].

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 benefits in residing for a balanced period [in the same place].

What 5?

1) One does not come to own and accumulate many goods;

2) one does not come to own and accumulate many medicines;

3) one does not take on many tasks and duties and become competent in the various things to be done;

4) one does not form bonds with householders and monastics in an unsuitable way typical of laypeople; and

5) when one departs from that monastery, one departs without concern.

- These are the 5 benefits in residing for a balanced period [in the same place].

224 (4) Miserly

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers in residing too long [in the same place]. What 5?

One becomes

1) miserly with dwelling places,
2) miserly with families,
3) miserly with gains,
4) miserly with praise, and
5) miserly with the Dhamma.

- These are the 5 dangers in residing too long [in the same place].

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 benefits in residing for a balanced period [in the same place].

What 5?

One does not become …

1) miserly with dwelling places,
2) miserly with families,
3) miserly with gains,
4) miserly with praise, and
5) miserly with the Dhamma.

- These are the 5 benefits in residing for a balanced period [in the same place].

225 (5) One Who Visits Families (1)

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers for one who visits families. What 5?

1) One commits the offense of going to visit [families] without taking leave [of another Bhikkhu].

2) One commits the offense of sitting privately [with a woman].

3) One commits the offense of sitting on a concealed seat [with a woman].

4) One commits the offense of teaching the Dhamma to a woman in more than 5 or six sentences.

5) One is infested by sensual thoughts.

- These are the 5 dangers for one who visits families.

226 (6) One Who Visits Families (2)

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers when a Bhikkhu who visits families bonds too closely with them. What 5?

1) He often gets to see women.
2) When he often gets to see them, he bonds with them.
3) When he bonds with them, they become intimate.
4) When they become intimate, lust finds an opening.
5) When his mind is in the grip of lust,

it can be expected that he will lead the spiritual life dissatisfied, commit a certain defiled offense, or give up the training and return to the lower life.

- These are the 5 dangers when a Bhikkhu who visits families bonds too closely with them.

227 (7) Wealth

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers in wealth. What 5?

1) It is shared by fire,
2) water,
3) kings,
4) thieves, and
5) displeasing heirs.

- These are the 5 dangers in wealth.

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 benefits in wealth. What 5?

By means of wealth,

1) one makes oneself happy and pleased and properly maintains oneself in happiness;

2) one makes one’s parents happy and pleased and properly maintains them in happiness;

3) one makes one’s wife and children, slaves, workers, and servants happy and pleased and properly maintains them in happiness;

4) one makes one’s friends and companions happy and pleased and properly maintains them in happiness;

5) one establishes for ascetics and Brahmins an uplifting offering of alms that is heavenly, resulting in happiness, and conducive to heaven.

- These are the 5 benefits in wealth.

228 (8) A Meal

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers for a family that prepares their meal late in the day. What 5?

1) Guests who are visiting are not served on time.

2) The deities that receive oblations are not served on time.

3) Ascetics and Brahmins who eat once a day and refrain from eating at night, abstaining from meals outside the proper time, are not served on time.

4) Slaves, workers, and servants grimace when they do their work.

5) Much of a poorly timed meal is not nutritious.

- These are the 5 dangers for a family that prepares their meal late in the day.

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 benefits for a family that prepares their meal at the proper time. What 5?

1) Guests who are visiting are served on time.

2) The deities that receive oblations are served on time.

3) Ascetics and Brahmins who eat once a day and refrain from eating at night, abstaining from meals outside the proper time, are served on time.

4) Slaves, workers, and servants do their work without grimacing.

5) Much of a properly timed meal is nutritious.

- These are the 5 benefits for a family that prepares their meal at the proper time.

229 (9) Snake (1)

Bhikkhus, there are these 5 dangers in a black snake. What 5?

1) It is impure,
2) foul-smelling,
3) frightening,
4) dangerous, and
5) it betrays friends.

- These are the 5 dangers in a black snake.

So too, there are these 5 dangers in women. What 5?

1) They are impure,
2) foul-smelling,
3) frightening,
4) dangerous, and
5) they betray friends.

- These are the 5 dangers in women.

230 (10) Snake (2)