5. Cūḷavaggo | 3 | Aṅguttara

Aṅguttara Nikāya I
3. Tika Nipāta

5. Cūḷavaggo

1. Sammukhībhāva Sutta –– Confrontations

41. Bhikkhus, the son of a clansman who has faith accrues much merit with the confrontation of 3 things. What 3? When the clansman with faith is confronted with faith, he accrues much merit. When the clansman with faith is confronted with something to give, he accrues much merit. When the clansman with faith is confronted with someone to accept, he accrues much merit. Bhikkhus, the son of a clansman who has faith accrues much merit with these 3 confrontations.

 2. Tiṭhāna Sutta –– The 3 instances

42. Bhikkhus, the one who is pleased and has faith should be known in these 3 instances. What 3? He desires to see the virtuous ones, he desires to hear the Teaching, he lives a household life, the blemishes of selfishness given up, the mind released and benevolent, open handed and giving to those in need, attached to arranging the giving of gifts. Bhikkhus, the one who is pleased and has faith should be known in these 3 instances.

If someone desires to see the virtuous and hear the Teaching from them
And has overcome the blemishes of selfishness, he is said to have faith.

3. Atthavasa Sutta –– A profitable bend

43. Bhikkhus, someone who sees these 3 profitable bends in himself, should undoubtedly teach others. What 3? He that teaches should experience the meaning and the Teaching. He that listens should experience the meaning and the Teaching. And both the teacher and the taught should experience the meaning and the Teaching. Bhikkhus, someone seeing these 3 profitable bends, should undoubtedly teach others.

4. Kathāpavatti Sutta –– A course of conversation

44. Bhikkhus, there are 3 instances for a course of conversation. What 3? He that teaches should experience the meaning and the Teaching. He that listens should experience the meaning and the Teaching. And both the teacher and the taught should experience the meaning and the Teaching. Bhikkhus, in these 3 instances there is a course of conversation.

5. Paṇḍita Sutta - The Great Wise Men

45. Bhikkhus, these 3 are appointed by Great Wise Men. What 3? Bhikkhus, giving gifts is appointed by Great Wise Men Bhikkhus, going forth and becoming homeless is appointed by Great Wise Men. Bhikkhus, attending on mother and father is appointed by Great Wise Men. These 3 are appointed by Great Wise Men.

6. Sīlavanta Sutta –– The virtuous

46. Bhikkhus, when virtuous ones, gone forth abide supported on a village or hamlet, on 3 instances the people there, accrue merit. What 3? By body, by speech and by mind. Bhikkhus, when virtuous ones, gone forth abide supported on a village or hamlet, on these 3 instances the people there, accrue merit.

7. Saṅkhata Lakkhaṇa Sutta –– The signs of a compounded

47. Bhikkhus, these 3 are the signs of a compounded. What 3? The arising is evident, the fading is evident and the change is evident. Bhikkhus, these 3 are the signs of a compounded.

8. Asaṅkhata Lakkhaṇa Sutta –– The signs of the uncompounded

48. Bhikkhus, these 3 are the signs of an uncompounded. What 3? The arising is not evident, the fading is not evident and the change is not evident. Bhikkhus, these 3 are the signs of an uncompounded.

9. Pabbatarāja Sutta –– The Great Mountain Himalayas

49. Bhikkhus, large trees around the Himalaya mountains grow in 3 directions. What 3? Their branches, leaves and foliage grow, their bark and shoots grow and they grow the essence of the pith.

Bhikkhus, in the same manner the household of a clansman’s son who has faith grows in 3 directions. What 3? In faith, virtues and wisdom. Bhikkhus the household of a clansman’s son who has faith grows in 3 directions.

On the huge mountain, in the deep forest, trees grow relying on bigger trees
In the same manner relying on the householder who has faith
His wife, children, relations, friends, associates and those living under him,
Seeing his virtues, benevolence and good conduct, do no wrong.
Behaving according to the Teaching, they increase and go to heaven
And rejoice in heaven partaking sensual pleasures.

10. Ātappakaraṇīya Sutta –– Mortification

50. Bhikkhus, on 3 instances mortification should be done. What 3? For the not arising of non-arisen de-meritorious thoughts, for the arising of not arisen meritorious thoughts and for enduring sharp, rough disagreeable bodily feelings of the nature of ending life. Bhikkhus, on these 3 instances mortification should be done. Bhikkhus, when the Bhikkhu tortures himself for the not arising of non-arisen de-meritorious thoughts, for the arising of not arisen meritorious thoughts and for enduring sharp, rough disagreeable, bodily feelings of the nature of ending life, it is said that the Bhikkhu does the mortification mindfully and cleverly for the rightful ending of unpleasantness.

11. Mahācora Sutta –– The Highwayman

51. Bhikkhus, provided 3 things the highwayman cuts limbs, plunders, robs or stays in ambush. What are the 3? Bhikkhus, he takes cover in the uneven, takes cover under a covering, and takes cover under the powerful.

Bhikkhus, how does the highwayman take cover in the uneven? Here he hides in uneven river valleys and uneven mountain slopes, thus he takes cover in the uneven.

Bhikkhus, how does the highwayman hide under a covering? Here he hides among heavily grown grass, in a place crowded with trees, in a cave or in the great forest, thus he hides under a covering.

Bhikkhus, how does the highwayman take cover under the powerful? Here, he takes cover under kings or the kings’ ministers. It occurs to him: If I tell anything to the king or the king’s ministers, they will interpret it to my benefit. If they tell anything, the king or the king’s ministers talk defensively, thus he takes cover under the powerful. Bhikkhus, provided with these 3 things the highwayman cuts limbs, plunders, robs or stays in ambush.

In the same manner Bhikkhus, the evil Bhikkhu endowed with 3 things destroys himself, falls to an offence and questioned by the wise accrues much demerit.

What are the 3? Bhikkhus, he takes cover in the uneven, takes cover under a covering and under the powerful.

Bhikkhus, how does the Bhikkhu take cover in the uneven? Here the evil Bhikkhu is endowed with uneven bodily action, uneven verbal action and uneven mental action, thus the evil Bhikkhu takes cover in the uneven.

Bhikkhus, how does the Bhikkhu take cover under a covering? Here the evil Bhikkhu has extremist wrong views. Thus the Bhikkhu takes cover under a covering.

Bhikkhus, how does the evil Bhikkhu take the cover of the powerful? Here, he takes cover under kings or the kings’ ministers. It occurs to him: If I tell anything to the king or the king’s ministers, they will interpret it to my benefit. If they tell anything, the king or the king’s ministers talk defensively, thus he takes cover under the powerful. Bhikkhus, the evil Bhikkhu endowed with these 3 things destroys himself, falls to an offence and questioned by the wise accrues much demerit.