Aṅguttara Nikāya 2
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 2.52–63
6. Puggalavagga
The Chapter on Persons
52
“Dveme, bhikkhave, puggalā loke uppajjamānā uppajjanti bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya, bahuno janassa atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ.
“Two people, mendicants, arise in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.
Katame dve?
What two?
Tathāgato ca arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, rājā ca cakkavattī.
The Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha; and the wheel-turning monarch.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve puggalā loke uppajjamānā uppajjanti bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya, bahuno janassa atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan”ti.
These two people arise in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.”
53
“Dveme, bhikkhave, puggalā loke uppajjamānā uppajjanti acchariyamanussā.
“Two people, mendicants, arise in the world who are incredible human beings.
Katame dve?
What two?
Tathāgato ca arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, rājā ca cakkavattī.
The Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha; and the wheel-turning monarch.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve puggalā loke uppajjamānā uppajjanti acchariyamanussā”ti.
These are the two people who arise in the world who are incredible human beings.”
54
“Dvinnaṁ, bhikkhave, puggalānaṁ kālakiriyā bahuno janassa anutappā hoti.
“There are two people, mendicants, whose death is regretted by many people.
Katamesaṁ dvinnaṁ?
What two?
Tathāgatassa ca arahato sammāsambuddhassa, rañño ca cakkavattissa.
The Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha; and the wheel-turning monarch.
Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dvinnaṁ puggalānaṁ kālakiriyā bahuno janassa anutappā hotī”ti.
These are the two people, mendicants, whose death is regretted by many people.”
55
“Dveme, bhikkhave, thūpārahā.
“Mendicants, these two are worthy of a monument.
Katame dve?
What two?
Tathāgato ca arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, rājā ca cakkavattī.
The Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha; and the wheel-turning monarch.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve thūpārahā”ti.
These are the two who are worthy of a monument.”
56
“Dveme, bhikkhave, buddhā.
“Mendicants, there are two kinds of Buddhas.
Katame dve?
What two?
Tathāgato ca arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, paccekabuddho ca.
The Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha; and an independent Buddha.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve buddhā”ti.
These are the two kinds of Buddhas.”
57
“Dveme, bhikkhave, asaniyā phalantiyā na santasanti.
“These two, mendicants, are not startled by a crack of thunder.
Katame dve?
What two?
Bhikkhu ca khīṇāsavo, hatthājānīyo ca.
A mendicant who has ended defilements; and a thoroughbred elephant.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve asaniyā phalantiyā na santasantī”ti.
These are the two who are not startled by a crack of thunder.”
58
“Dveme, bhikkhave, asaniyā phalantiyā na santasanti.
“These two, mendicants, are not startled by a crack of thunder.
Katame dve?
What two?
Bhikkhu ca khīṇāsavo, assājānīyo ca.
A mendicant who has ended defilements; and a thoroughbred horse.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve asaniyā phalantiyā na santasantī”ti.
These are the two who are not startled by a crack of thunder.”
59
“Dveme, bhikkhave, asaniyā phalantiyā na santasanti.
“These two, mendicants, are not startled by a crack of thunder.
Katame dve?
What two?
Bhikkhu ca khīṇāsavo, sīho ca migarājā.
A mendicant who has ended defilements; and a lion, king of beasts.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve asaniyā phalantiyā na santasantī”ti.
These are the two who are not startled by a crack of thunder.”
60
“Dveme, bhikkhave, atthavase sampassamānā kiṁpurisā mānusiṁ vācaṁ na bhāsanti.
“Aborigines see two reasons not to use regular speech.
Katame dve?
What two?
Mā ca musā bhaṇimhā, mā ca paraṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhimhāti.
Thinking: ‘May we not lie, and may we not misrepresent others with falsehoods.’
Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve atthavase sampassamānā kiṁpurisā mānusiṁ vācaṁ na bhāsantī”ti.
Aborigines see these two reasons not to use regular speech.”
61
“Dvinnaṁ dhammānaṁ, bhikkhave, atitto appaṭivāno mātugāmo kālaṁ karoti.
“Mendicants, females die without getting enough of two things.
Katamesaṁ dvinnaṁ?
What two?
Methunasamāpattiyā ca vijāyanassa ca.
Sexual intercourse and giving birth.
Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dvinnaṁ dhammānaṁ atitto appaṭivāno mātugāmo kālaṁ karotī”ti.
Females die without getting enough of these two things.”
62
“Asantasannivāsañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi santasannivāsañca.
“Mendicants, I will teach you about living with bad people and living with good people.
Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Yes, sir,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
“Kathañca, bhikkhave, asantasannivāso hoti, kathañca asanto sannivasanti?
“What is it like living with bad people? How do bad people live together?
Idha, bhikkhave, therassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti:
It’s when a senior mendicant thinks:
‘theropi maṁ na vadeyya, majjhimopi maṁ na vadeyya, navopi maṁ na vadeyya;
‘No mendicant, whether senior, middle, or junior, should admonish me;
therampāhaṁ na vadeyyaṁ, majjhimampāhaṁ na vadeyyaṁ, navampāhaṁ na vadeyyaṁ.
and I shouldn’t admonish any mendicant, whether senior, middle, or junior.
Thero cepi maṁ vadeyya ahitānukampī maṁ vadeyya no hitānukampī, noti naṁ vadeyyaṁ viheṭheyyaṁ passampissa nappaṭikareyyaṁ.
If a mendicant—whether senior, middle, or junior—were to admonish me, they wouldn’t be sympathetic, and I’d bother them by saying “No!” And anyway I wouldn’t deal with it even if I saw what I did wrong.’
Majjhimo cepi maṁ vadeyya …pe… navo cepi maṁ vadeyya, ahitānukampī maṁ vadeyya no hitānukampī, noti naṁ vadeyyaṁ viheṭheyyaṁ passampissa nappaṭikareyyaṁ’.
Majjhimassapi bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti …pe… navassapi bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti:
And a middle or a junior mendicant also thinks:
‘theropi maṁ na vadeyya, majjhimopi maṁ na vadeyya, navopi maṁ na vadeyya;
‘No mendicant, whether senior, middle, or junior, should admonish me;
therampāhaṁ na vadeyyaṁ, majjhimampāhaṁ na vadeyyaṁ, navampāhaṁ na vadeyyaṁ.
and I shouldn’t admonish any mendicant, whether senior, middle, or junior.
Thero cepi maṁ vadeyya ahitānukampī maṁ vadeyya no hitānukampī noti naṁ vadeyyaṁ viheṭheyyaṁ passampissa nappaṭikareyyaṁ.
If a mendicant—whether senior, middle, or junior—were to admonish me, they wouldn’t be sympathetic, and I’d bother them by saying “No!” And anyway I wouldn’t deal with it even if I saw what I did wrong.’
Majjhimo cepi maṁ vadeyya … navo cepi maṁ vadeyya ahitānukampī maṁ vadeyya no hitānukampī, noti naṁ vadeyyaṁ viheṭheyyaṁ passampissa nappaṭikareyyaṁ’.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asantasannivāso hoti, evañca asanto sannivasanti.
That’s what it’s like living with bad people; that’s how bad people live together.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, santasannivāso hoti, kathañca santo sannivasanti?
What is it like living with good people? How do good people live together?
Idha, bhikkhave, therassa bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti:
It’s when a senior mendicant thinks:
‘theropi maṁ vadeyya, majjhimopi maṁ vadeyya, navopi maṁ vadeyya;
‘Any mendicant, whether senior, middle, or junior, should admonish me;
therampāhaṁ vadeyyaṁ, majjhimampāhaṁ vadeyyaṁ, navampāhaṁ vadeyyaṁ.
and I should admonish any mendicant, whether senior, middle, or junior.
Thero cepi maṁ vadeyya hitānukampī maṁ vadeyya no ahitānukampī, sādhūti naṁ vadeyyaṁ na naṁ viheṭheyyaṁ passampissa paṭikareyyaṁ.
If a mendicant—whether senior, middle, or junior—were to admonish me, they’d be sympathetic, so I wouldn’t bother them, but say “Thank you!” And I’d deal with it when I saw what I did wrong.’
Majjhimo cepi maṁ vadeyya …pe… navo cepi maṁ vadeyya hitānukampī maṁ vadeyya no ahitānukampī, sādhūti naṁ vadeyyaṁ na naṁ viheṭheyyaṁ passampissa paṭikareyyaṁ’.
Majjhimassapi bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti …pe… navassapi bhikkhuno evaṁ hoti:
And a middle or a junior mendicant also thinks:
‘theropi maṁ vadeyya, majjhimopi maṁ vadeyya, navopi maṁ vadeyya;
‘Any mendicant, whether senior, middle, or junior, may admonish me;
therampāhaṁ vadeyyaṁ, majjhimampāhaṁ vadeyyaṁ, navampāhaṁ vadeyyaṁ.
and I’ll admonish any mendicant, whether senior, middle, or junior.
Thero cepi maṁ vadeyya hitānukampī maṁ vadeyya no ahitānukampī, sādhūti naṁ vadeyyaṁ na naṁ viheṭheyyaṁ passampissa paṭikareyyaṁ.
If a mendicant—whether senior, middle, or junior—were to admonish me, they’d be sympathetic, so I wouldn’t bother them, but say “Thank you!” And I’d deal with it when I saw what I did wrong.’
Majjhimo cepi maṁ vadeyya …pe… navo cepi maṁ vadeyya hitānukampī maṁ vadeyya no ahitānukampī, sādhūti naṁ vadeyyaṁ na naṁ viheṭheyyaṁ passampissa paṭikareyyaṁ’.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, santasannivāso hoti, evañca santo sannivasantī”ti.
That’s what it’s like living with good people; that’s how good people live together.”
63
“Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, adhikaraṇe ubhato vacīsaṁsāro diṭṭhipaḷāso cetaso āghāto appaccayo anabhiraddhi ajjhattaṁ avūpasantaṁ hoti, tasmetaṁ, bhikkhave, adhikaraṇe pāṭikaṅkhaṁ:
“In a disciplinary issue, when the tale-bearing on both sides—with contempt for each other’s views, resentful, bitter, and exasperated—is not settled internally, you can expect that this disciplinary issue will be
‘dīghattāya kharattāya vāḷattāya saṁvattissati, bhikkhū ca na phāsuṁ viharissanti’.
long, fractious, and troublesome, and the mendicants won’t live comfortably.
Yasmiñca kho, bhikkhave, adhikaraṇe ubhato vacīsaṁsāro diṭṭhipaḷāso cetaso āghāto appaccayo anabhiraddhi ajjhattaṁ suvūpasantaṁ hoti, tasmetaṁ, bhikkhave, adhikaraṇe pāṭikaṅkhaṁ:
In a disciplinary issue, when the tale-bearing on both sides—with contempt for each other’s views, resentful, bitter, and exasperated—is well settled internally, you can expect that this disciplinary issue
‘na dīghattāya kharattāya vāḷattāya saṁvattissati, bhikkhū ca phāsuṁ viharissantī’”ti.
won’t lead to lasting acrimony and enmity, and the mendicants will live comfortably.”
Puggalavaggo paṭhamo.