sutta » an » an5 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.104

Samaṇasukhumālasutta

An Exquisite Ascetic of Ascetics

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti.
“Mendicants, a mendicant with five qualities is an exquisite ascetic of ascetics.

Katamehi pañcahi?
What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ senāsanaṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ gilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjati, appaṁ ayācito.
It’s when a mendicant usually uses only what they’ve been invited to accept—robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick—rarely using them without invitation.

Yehi kho pana sabrahmacārīhi saddhiṁ viharati, tyassa manāpeneva bahulaṁ kāyakammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; manāpeneva bahulaṁ vacīkammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; manāpeneva bahulaṁ manokammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena;
When living with other spiritual practitioners, they usually treat them agreeably by way of body, speech, and mind, and rarely disagreeably.

manāpaṁyeva upahāraṁ upaharanti, appaṁ amanāpaṁ.
And they usually present them with agreeable things, rarely with disagreeable ones.

Yāni kho pana tāni vedayitāni pittasamuṭṭhānāni vā semhasamuṭṭhānāni vā vātasamuṭṭhānāni vā sannipātikāni vā utupariṇāmajāni vā visamaparihārajāni vā opakkamikāni vā kammavipākajāni vā, tānissa na bahudeva uppajjanti.
They’re healthy, so the various unpleasant feelings—stemming from disorders of bile, phlegm, wind, or their conjunction; or caused by change in weather, by not taking care of themselves, by overexertion, or as the result of past deeds—usually don’t come up.

Appābādho hoti, catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī,
They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.
And they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo hoti.
A mendicant with these five qualities is an exquisite ascetic of ascetics.

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo’ti, mameva taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo’ti.
And if anyone should be rightly called an exquisite ascetic of ascetics, it’s me.

Ahañhi, bhikkhave, yācitova bahulaṁ cīvaraṁ paribhuñjāmi, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ piṇḍapātaṁ paribhuñjāmi, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ senāsanaṁ paribhuñjāmi, appaṁ ayācito; yācitova bahulaṁ gilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ paribhuñjāmi, appaṁ ayācito.
For I usually use only what I’ve been invited to accept.

Yehi kho pana bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ viharāmi, te maṁ manāpeneva bahulaṁ kāyakammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; manāpeneva bahulaṁ vacīkammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena; manāpeneva bahulaṁ manokammena samudācaranti, appaṁ amanāpena;
When living with other spiritual practitioners, I usually treat them agreeably.

manāpaṁyeva upahāraṁ upaharanti, appaṁ amanāpaṁ.
And I usually present them with agreeable things.

Yāni kho pana tāni vedayitāni—pittasamuṭṭhānāni vā semhasamuṭṭhānāni vā vātasamuṭṭhānāni vā sannipātikāni vā utupariṇāmajāni vā visamaparihārajāni vā opakkamikāni vā kammavipākajāni vā—tāni me na bahudeva uppajjanti. Appābādhohamasmi.
I’m healthy.

catunnaṁ kho panasmi jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī,
I get the four absorptions when I want, without trouble or difficulty.

āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmi.
And I’ve realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life.

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo’ti, mameva taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘samaṇesu samaṇasukhumālo’”ti.
So if anyone should be rightly called an exquisite ascetic of ascetics, it’s me.”

Catutthaṁ.