Aṅguttara Nikāya 3
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 3
16. Acelakavagga
The Chapter on Practices
~
Untitled Discourses on Three Practices
“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.
“Mendicants, there are three practices.
Katamā tisso?
What three?
Āgāḷhā paṭipadā, nijjhāmā paṭipadā, majjhimā paṭipadā.
The addicted practice, the scorching practice, and the middle practice.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā?
And what’s the addicted practice?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco evaṁvādī hoti evaṁdiṭṭhi:
It’s when someone has this doctrine and view:
‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti.
‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures’;
So kāmesu pātabyataṁ āpajjati.
so they throw themselves into sensual pleasures.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā.
This is called the addicted practice.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā?
And what’s the scorching practice?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco acelako hoti muttācāro, hatthāpalekhano, naehibhadantiko, natiṭṭhabhadantiko, nābhihaṭaṁ na uddissakataṁ na nimantanaṁ sādiyati.
It’s when someone goes naked, ignoring conventions. They lick their hands, and don’t come or wait when called. They don’t consent to food brought to them, or food prepared on their behalf, or an invitation for a meal.
So na kumbhimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti, na kaḷopimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti na eḷakamantaraṁ na daṇḍamantaraṁ na musalamantaraṁ na dvinnaṁ bhuñjamānānaṁ na gabbhiniyā na pāyamānāya na purisantaragatāya na saṅkittīsu na yattha sā upaṭṭhito hoti na yattha makkhikā saṇḍasaṇḍacārinī na macchaṁ na maṁsaṁ na suraṁ na merayaṁ, na thusodakaṁ pivati.
They don’t receive anything from a pot or bowl; or from someone who keeps sheep, or who has a weapon or a shovel in their home; or where a couple is eating; or where there is a woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or who has a man in her home; or where there’s a dog waiting or flies buzzing. They accept no fish or meat or liquor or wine, and drink no beer.
So ekāgāriko vā hoti ekālopiko, dvāgāriko vā hoti dvālopiko … sattāgāriko vā hoti sattālopiko;
They go to just one house for alms, taking just one mouthful, or two houses and two mouthfuls, up to seven houses and seven mouthfuls.
ekissāpi dattiyā yāpeti, dvīhipi dattīhi yāpeti … sattahipi dattīhi yāpeti;
They feed on one saucer a day, two saucers a day, up to seven saucers a day.
ekāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāreti, dvāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāreti … sattāhikampi āhāraṁ āhāreti—iti evarūpaṁ addhamāsikampi pariyāyabhattabhojanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.
They eat once a day, once every second day, up to once a week, and so on, even up to once a fortnight. They live pursuing the practice of eating food at set intervals.
So sākabhakkhopi hoti, sāmākabhakkhopi hoti, nīvārabhakkhopi hoti, daddulabhakkhopi hoti, haṭabhakkhopi hoti, kaṇabhakkhopi hoti, ācāmabhakkhopi hoti, piññākabhakkhopi hoti, tiṇabhakkhopi hoti, gomayabhakkhopi hoti, vanamūlaphalāhāro yāpeti pavattaphalabhojī.
They eat herbs, millet, wild rice, poor rice, water lettuce, rice bran, scum from boiling rice, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. They survive on forest roots and fruits, or eating fallen fruit.
So sāṇānipi dhāreti, masāṇānipi dhāreti, chavadussānipi dhāreti, paṁsukūlānipi dhāreti, tirīṭānipi dhāreti, ajinampi dhāreti, ajinakkhipampi dhāreti, kusacīrampi dhāreti, vākacīrampi dhāreti, phalakacīrampi dhāreti, kesakambalampi dhāreti, vāḷakambalampi dhāreti, ulūkapakkhikampi dhāreti,
They wear robes of sunn hemp, mixed hemp, corpse-wrapping cloth, rags, lodh tree bark, antelope hide (whole or in strips), kusa grass, bark, wood-chips, human hair, horse-tail hair, or owls’ wings.
kesamassulocakopi hoti kesamassulocanānuyogamanuyutto,
They tear out their hair and beard, committed to this practice.
ubbhaṭṭhakopi hoti āsanapaṭikkhitto,
They constantly stand, refusing seats.
ukkuṭikopi hoti ukkuṭikappadhānamanuyutto,
They squat, committed to persisting in the squatting position.
kaṇṭakāpassayikopi hoti kaṇṭakāpassaye seyyaṁ kappeti,
They lie on a mat of thorns, making a mat of thorns their bed.
sāyatatiyakampi udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharati—
They pursue the practice of immersion in water three times a day, including the evening.
iti evarūpaṁ anekavihitaṁ kāyassa ātāpanaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.
And so they live pursuing these various ways of mortifying and tormenting the body.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā.
This is called the scorching practice.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā?
And what’s the middle practice?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;
It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
vedanāsu …pe…
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …
citte …pe…
They meditate observing an aspect of the mind …
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā.
This is called the middle practice.
Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso paṭipadāti.
These are the three practices.
Tisso imā, bhikkhave, paṭipadā.
Mendicants, there are three practices.
Katamā tisso?
What three?
Āgāḷhā paṭipadā, nijjhāmā paṭipadā, majjhimā paṭipadā.
The addicted practice, the scorching practice, the middle practice.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā …pe…
And what’s the addicted practice? …
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, āgāḷhā paṭipadā.
This is called the addicted practice.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā …pe…
And what is the scorching practice? …
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, nijjhāmā paṭipadā.
This is called the scorching practice.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā?
And what’s the middle practice?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati;
It’s when a mendicant generates enthusiasm, tries, makes an effort, exerts the mind, and strives so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise.
uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati;
They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up.
anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati;
They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise.
uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati ….
They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are completed by development. …
Chandasamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti
They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort.
vīriyasamādhi …pe…
They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to energy, and active effort.
cittasamādhi …pe…
They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to mental development, and active effort.
vīmaṁsāsamādhipadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti …pe….
They develop the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to inquiry, and active effort. …
Saddhindriyaṁ bhāveti …
They develop the faculty of faith …
vīriyindriyaṁ bhāveti …
energy …
satindriyaṁ bhāveti …
mindfulness …
samādhindriyaṁ bhāveti …
immersion …
paññindriyaṁ bhāveti …pe….
wisdom …
Saddhābalaṁ bhāveti …
They develop the power of faith …
vīriyabalaṁ bhāveti …
energy …
satibalaṁ bhāveti …
mindfulness …
samādhibalaṁ bhāveti …
immersion …
paññābalaṁ bhāveti …pe….
wisdom …
Satisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
They develop the awakening factor of mindfulness …
dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
investigation of principles …
vīriyasambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
energy …
pītisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
rapture …
passaddhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
tranquility …
samādhisambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …
immersion …
upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṁ bhāveti …pe….
equanimity …
Sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti …
They develop right view …
sammāsaṅkappaṁ bhāveti …
right thought …
sammāvācaṁ bhāveti …
right speech …
sammākammantaṁ bhāveti …
right action …
sammāājīvaṁ bhāveti …
right livelihood …
sammāvāyāmaṁ bhāveti …
right effort …
sammāsatiṁ bhāveti …
right mindfulness …
sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti ….
right immersion …
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, majjhimā paṭipadā.
This is called the middle practice.
Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso paṭipadā”ti.
These are the three practices.”
Acelakavaggo chaṭṭho.
Tassuddānaṁ
Satipaṭṭhānaṁ sammappadhānaṁ,
Iddhipādindriyena ca;
Balaṁ bojjhaṅgo maggo ca,
Paṭipadāya yojayeti.