Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.57
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 5.57
6. Nīvaraṇavagga
6. Hindrances
Abhiṇhapaccavekkhitabbaṭhānasutta
Subjects for Regular Reviewing
“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, ṭhānāni abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbāni itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
“Mendicants, a woman or a man, a layperson or a renunciate should often review these five subjects.
Katamāni pañca?
What five?
‘Jarādhammomhi, jaraṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
‘I am liable to grow old, I am not exempt from old age.’ A woman or a man, a layperson or a renunciate should often review this.
‘Byādhidhammomhi, byādhiṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
‘I am liable to get sick, I am not exempt from sickness.’ …
‘Maraṇadhammomhi, maraṇaṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
‘I am liable to die, I am not exempt from death.’ …
‘Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
‘I must be parted and separated from all I hold dear and beloved.’ …
‘Kammassakomhi, kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo.
‘I am the owner of my deeds and heir to my deeds. Deeds are my womb, my relative, and my refuge.
Yaṁ kammaṁ karissāmi—kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā—
I shall be the heir of whatever deeds I do, whether good or bad.’
tassa dāyādo bhavissāmī’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
A woman or a man, a layperson or a renunciate should often review this.
Kiñca, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘jarādhammomhi, jaraṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā?
What is the advantage for a woman or a man, a layperson or a renunciate of often reviewing this: ‘I am liable to grow old, I am not exempt from old age’?
Atthi, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ yobbane yobbanamado, yena madena mattā kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti.
There are sentient beings who, intoxicated with the vanity of youth, do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato yo yobbane yobbanamado so sabbaso vā pahīyati tanu vā pana hoti.
Reviewing this subject often, they entirely give up the vanity of youth, or at least reduce it.
Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘jarādhammomhi, jaraṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
This is the advantage for a woman or a man, a layperson or a renunciate of often reviewing this: ‘I am liable to grow old, I am not exempt from old age’.
Kiñca, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘byādhidhammomhi, byādhiṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā?
What is the advantage of often reviewing this: ‘I am liable to get sick, I am not exempt from sickness’?
Atthi, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ ārogye ārogyamado, yena madena mattā kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti.
There are sentient beings who, drunk on the vanity of health, do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato yo ārogye ārogyamado so sabbaso vā pahīyati tanu vā pana hoti.
Reviewing this subject often, they entirely give up the vanity of health, or at least reduce it.
Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘byādhidhammomhi, byādhiṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
This is the advantage of often reviewing this: ‘I am liable to get sick, I am not exempt from sickness’.
Kiñca, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘maraṇadhammomhi, maraṇaṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā?
What is the advantage of often reviewing this: ‘I am liable to die, I am not exempt from death’?
Atthi, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ jīvite jīvitamado, yena madena mattā kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti.
There are sentient beings who, drunk on the vanity of life, do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato yo jīvite jīvitamado so sabbaso vā pahīyati tanu vā pana hoti.
Reviewing this subject often, they entirely give up the vanity of life, or at least reduce it.
Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘maraṇadhammomhi, maraṇaṁ anatīto’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
This is the advantage of often reviewing this: ‘I am liable to die, I am not exempt from death’.
Kiñca, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā?
What is the advantage of often reviewing this: ‘I must be parted and separated from all I hold dear and beloved’?
Atthi, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ piyesu manāpesu yo chandarāgo yena rāgena rattā kāyena duccaritaṁ caranti, vācāya duccaritaṁ caranti, manasā duccaritaṁ caranti.
There are sentient beings who, aroused by desire and lust for their dear and beloved, do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato yo piyesu manāpesu chandarāgo so sabbaso vā pahīyati tanu vā pana hoti.
Reviewing this subject often, they entirely give up desire and lust for their dear and beloved, or at least reduce it.
Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
This is the advantage of often reviewing this: ‘I must be parted and separated from all I hold dear and beloved’.
Kiñca, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘kammassakomhi, kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo, yaṁ kammaṁ karissāmi—
What is the advantage of often reviewing like this: ‘I am the owner of my deeds and heir to my deeds. Deeds are my womb, my relative, and my refuge.
kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā—tassa dāyādo bhavissāmī’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā?
I shall be the heir of whatever deeds I do, whether good or bad’?
Atthi, bhikkhave, sattānaṁ kāyaduccaritaṁ vacīduccaritaṁ manoduccaritaṁ.
There are sentient beings who do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato sabbaso vā duccaritaṁ pahīyati tanu vā pana hoti.
Reviewing this subject often, they entirely give up bad conduct, or at least reduce it.
Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, atthavasaṁ paṭicca ‘kammassakomhi, kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo, yaṁ kammaṁ karissāmi—
This is the advantage for a woman or a man, a layperson or a renunciate of often reviewing like this: ‘I am the owner of my deeds and heir to my deeds. Deeds are my womb, my relative, and my refuge.
kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā—
I shall be the heir of whatever deeds I do, whether good or bad.’
tassa dāyādo bhavissāmī’ti abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhitabbaṁ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
Then that noble disciple reflects:
‘na kho ahaññeveko jarādhammo jaraṁ anatīto, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbe sattā jarādhammā jaraṁ anatītā’ti.
‘It’s not just me who is liable to grow old, not being exempt from old age. For all sentient beings grow old according to their nature, as long as they come and go, pass away and are reborn.’
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato maggo sañjāyati.
When they review this subject often, the path is born in them.
So taṁ maggaṁ āsevati bhāveti bahulīkaroti.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
Tassa taṁ maggaṁ āsevato bhāvayato bahulīkaroto saṁyojanāni sabbaso pahīyanti anusayā byantīhonti.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
‘Na kho ahaññeveko byādhidhammo byādhiṁ anatīto, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbe sattā byādhidhammā byādhiṁ anatītā’ti.
‘It’s not just me who is liable to get sick, not being exempt from sickness. For all sentient beings get sick according to their nature, as long as they come and go, pass away and are reborn.’
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato maggo sañjāyati.
When they review this subject often, the path is born in them.
So taṁ maggaṁ āsevati bhāveti bahulīkaroti.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
Tassa taṁ maggaṁ āsevato bhāvayato bahulīkaroto saṁyojanāni sabbaso pahīyanti, anusayā byantīhonti.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
‘Na kho ahaññeveko maraṇadhammo maraṇaṁ anatīto, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇaṁ anatītā’ti.
‘It’s not just me who is liable to die, not being exempt from death. For all sentient beings die according to their nature, as long as they come and go, pass away and are reborn.’
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato maggo sañjāyati.
When they review this subject often, the path is born in them.
So taṁ maggaṁ āsevati bhāveti bahulīkaroti.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
Tassa taṁ maggaṁ āsevato bhāvayato bahulīkaroto saṁyojanāni sabbaso pahīyanti, anusayā byantīhonti.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
‘Na kho mayhevekassa sabbehi piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo’ti.
‘It’s not just me who must be parted and separated from all I hold dear and beloved. For all sentient beings must be parted and separated from all they hold dear and beloved, as long as they come and go, pass away and are reborn.’
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato maggo sañjāyati.
When they review this subject often, the path is born in them.
So taṁ maggaṁ āsevati bhāveti bahulīkaroti.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
Tassa taṁ maggaṁ āsevato bhāvayato bahulīkaroto saṁyojanāni sabbaso pahīyanti, anusayā byantīhonti.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
‘Na kho ahaññeveko kammassako kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo, yaṁ kammaṁ karissāmi—kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā—tassa dāyādo bhavissāmi;
‘It’s not just me who shall be the owner of my deeds and heir to my deeds.
atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbe sattā kammassakā kammadāyādā kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇā, yaṁ kammaṁ karissanti—kalyāṇaṁ vā pāpakaṁ vā—tassa dāyādā bhavissantī’ti.
For all sentient beings shall be the owners of their deeds and heirs to their deeds, as long as they come and go, pass away and are reborn.’
Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ abhiṇhaṁ paccavekkhato maggo sañjāyati.
When they review this subject often, the path is born in them.
So taṁ maggaṁ āsevati bhāveti bahulīkaroti.
They cultivate, develop, and make much of it.
Tassa taṁ maggaṁ āsevato bhāvayato bahulīkaroto saṁyojanāni sabbaso pahīyanti, anusayā byantīhontīti.
By doing so, they give up the fetters and eliminate the underlying tendencies.
Byādhidhammā jarādhammā,
For others, sickness is natural,
atho maraṇadhammino;
and so are old age and death.
Yathā dhammā tathā sattā,
Though this is how their nature is,
jigucchanti puthujjanā.
ordinary people feel disgusted.
Ahañce taṁ jiguccheyyaṁ,
If I were to be disgusted
evaṁ dhammesu pāṇisu;
with creatures whose nature is such,
Na metaṁ patirūpassa,
it would not be appropriate for me,
mama evaṁ vihārino.
since my life is just the same.
Sohaṁ evaṁ viharanto,
Living in such a way,
ñatvā dhammaṁ nirūpadhiṁ;
I understood the truth without attachments.
Ārogye yobbanasmiñca,
I mastered all vanities—
jīvitasmiñca ye madā.
of health, of youth,
Sabbe made abhibhosmi,
and even of life—
Nekkhammaṁ daṭṭhu khemato;
seeing renunciation as sanctuary.
Tassa me ahu ussāho,
Zeal sprang up in me
Nibbānaṁ abhipassato.
as I looked to extinguishment.
Nāhaṁ bhabbo etarahi,
Now I’m unable
Kāmāni paṭisevituṁ;
to indulge in sensual pleasures;
Anivatti bhavissāmi,
there’s no turning back,
Brahmacariyaparāyaṇo”ti.
I’m committed to the spiritual life.”
Sattamaṁ.