sutta » an » an3 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.92

Accāyikasutta

Urgent

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, kassakassa gahapatissa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.
“Mendicants, a farmer has three urgent duties.

Katamāni tīṇi?
What three?

Idha, bhikkhave, kassako gahapati sīghaṁ sīghaṁ khettaṁ sukaṭṭhaṁ karoti sumatikataṁ.
A farmer swiftly makes sure the field is well ploughed and tilled.

Sīghaṁ sīghaṁ khettaṁ sukaṭṭhaṁ karitvā sumatikataṁ sīghaṁ sīghaṁ bījāni patiṭṭhāpeti.
Next they swiftly plant seeds in season.

Sīghaṁ sīghaṁ bījāni patiṭṭhāpetvā sīghaṁ sīghaṁ udakaṁ abhinetipi apanetipi.
When the time is right, they swiftly irrigate or drain the field.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi kassakassa gahapatissa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.
These are the three urgent duties of a farmer.

Tassa kho taṁ, bhikkhave, kassakassa gahapatissa natthi sā iddhi vā ānubhāvo vā:
That farmer has no special power or ability to say:

‘ajjeva me dhaññāni jāyantu, sveva gabbhīni hontu, uttarasveva paccantū’ti.
‘Let the crops germinate today! Let them flower tomorrow! Let them ripen the day after!’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ tassa kassakassa gahapatissa tāni dhaññāni utupariṇāmīni jāyantipi gabbhīnipi honti paccantipi.
But there comes a time when that farmer’s crops germinate, flower, and ripen as the seasons change.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīṇimāni bhikkhussa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.
In the same way, a mendicant has three urgent duties.

Katamāni tīṇi?
What three?

Adhisīlasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhicittasikkhāsamādānaṁ, adhipaññāsikkhāsamādānaṁ—
Undertaking the training in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom.

imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi bhikkhussa accāyikāni karaṇīyāni.
These are the three urgent duties of a mendicant.

Tassa kho taṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno natthi sā iddhi vā ānubhāvo vā:
That mendicant has no special power or ability to say:

‘ajjeva me anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccatu sve vā uttarasve vā’ti.
‘Let my mind be freed from defilements by not grasping today! Or tomorrow! Or the day after!’

Atha kho, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ tassa bhikkhuno adhisīlampi sikkhato adhicittampi sikkhato adhipaññampi sikkhato anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimuccati.
But there comes a time—as that mendicant trains in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom—that their mind is freed from defilements by not grasping.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:
So you should train like this:

‘tibbo no chando bhavissati adhisīlasikkhāsamādāne, tibbo chando bhavissati adhicittasikkhāsamādāne, tibbo chando bhavissati adhipaññāsikkhāsamādāne’ti.
‘We will have keen enthusiasm for undertaking the training in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.
That’s how you should train.”

Paṭhamaṁ.