Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.26
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 6.26
3. Anuttariyavagga
3. Unsurpassable
Mahākaccānasutta
With Mahākaccāna
Tatra kho āyasmā mahākaccāno bhikkhū āmantesi:
There Mahākaccāna addressed the mendicants:
“āvuso bhikkhave”ti.
“Reverends, mendicants!”
“Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahākaccānassa paccassosuṁ.
“Reverend,” they replied.
Āyasmā mahākaccāno etadavoca:
Venerable Mahākaccāna said this:
“acchariyaṁ, āvuso;
“It’s incredible, reverends,
abbhutaṁ, āvuso.
it’s amazing!
Yāvañcidaṁ tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sambādhe okāsādhigamo anubuddho sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ cha anussatiṭṭhānāni.
How this Blessed One who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, has found an opportunity amid confinement; that is, the six topics for recollection. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.
Katamāni cha?
What six?
Idhāvuso, ariyasāvako tathāgataṁ anussarati:
Firstly, a noble disciple recollects the Realized One:
‘itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti.
‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’
Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṁ anussarati nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti;
When a noble disciple recollects the Realized One their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion.
ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā.
At that time their mind is unswerving. They’ve left behind greed; they’re free of it and have risen above it.
‘Gedho’ti kho, āvuso, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘Greed’ is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation.
Sa kho so, āvuso, ariyasāvako sabbaso ākāsasamena cetasā viharati vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena.
That noble disciple meditates with a heart just like space, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
Idampi kho, āvuso, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evam’idhekacce sattā visuddhidhammā bhavanti.
Relying on this, some sentient beings become pure in this way.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, ariyasāvako dhammaṁ anussarati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects the teaching:
‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo …pe… paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti.
‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’
Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye ariyasāvako dhammaṁ anussarati nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti;
When a noble disciple recollects the teaching their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. …
ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā.
‘Gedho’ti kho, āvuso, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
Sa kho so, āvuso, ariyasāvako sabbaso ākāsasamena cetasā viharati vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena.
Idampi kho, āvuso, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evam’idhekacce sattā visuddhidhammā bhavanti.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, ariyasāvako saṅghaṁ anussarati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha:
‘suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā’ti.
‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’
Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye ariyasāvako saṅghaṁ anussarati nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti;
When a noble disciple recollects the Saṅgha their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. …
ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā.
‘Gedho’ti kho, āvuso, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
Sa kho so, āvuso, ariyasāvako sabbaso ākāsasamena cetasā viharati vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena.
Idampi kho, āvuso, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evam’idhekacce sattā visuddhidhammā bhavanti.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, ariyasāvako attano sīlāni anussarati akhaṇḍāni …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikāni.
Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects their own ethical precepts, which are unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion.
Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye ariyasāvako attano sīlaṁ anussarati nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti;
When a noble disciple recollects their ethical precepts their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. …
ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā.
‘Gedho’ti kho, āvuso, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
Sa kho so, āvuso, ariyasāvako sabbaso ākāsasamena cetasā viharati vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena.
Idampi kho, āvuso, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evam’idhekacce sattā visuddhidhammā bhavanti.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, ariyasāvako attano cāgaṁ anussarati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects their own generosity:
‘lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me …pe…
‘I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate!
yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato’ti.
Among people full of the stain of stinginess I live at home rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.’
Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye ariyasāvako attano cāgaṁ anussarati nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti;
When a noble disciple recollects their own generosity their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion. …
ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā.
‘Gedho’ti kho, āvuso, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
Sa kho so, āvuso, ariyasāvako sabbaso ākāsasamena cetasā viharati vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena.
Idampi kho, āvuso, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evam’idhekacce sattā visuddhidhammā bhavanti.
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, ariyasāvako devatā anussarati:
Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects the deities:
‘santi devā cātumahārājikā, santi devā …pe… tatuttari.
‘There are the Gods of the Four Great Kings, the Gods of the Thirty-Three, the Gods of Yama, the Joyful Gods, the Gods Who Love to Imagine, the Gods Who Control what is Imagined by Others, the Gods of Brahmā’s Host, and gods even higher than these.
Yathārūpāya saddhāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā saddhā saṁvijjati.
When those deities passed away from here, they were reborn there because of their faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom. I, too, have the same kind of faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom.’
Yathārūpena sīlena …
sutena …
cāgena …
paññāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha upapannā; mayhampi tathārūpā paññā saṁvijjatī’ti.
Yasmiṁ, āvuso, samaye ariyasāvako attano ca tāsañca devatānaṁ saddhañca sīlañca sutañca cāgañca paññañca anussarati nevassa tasmiṁ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṁ cittaṁ hoti;
When a noble disciple recollects the faith, ethics, learning, generosity, and wisdom of both themselves and the deities their mind is not full of greed, hate, and delusion.
ujugatamevassa tasmiṁ samaye cittaṁ hoti, nikkhantaṁ muttaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ gedhamhā.
At that time their mind is unswerving. They’ve left behind greed; they’re free of it and have risen above it.
‘Gedho’ti kho, āvuso, pañcannetaṁ kāmaguṇānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘Greed’ is a term for the five kinds of sensual stimulation.
Sa kho so, āvuso, ariyasāvako sabbaso ākāsasamena cetasā viharati vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena.
That noble disciple meditates with a heart just like space, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
Idampi kho, āvuso, ārammaṇaṁ karitvā evam’idhekacce sattā visuddhidhammā bhavanti.
Relying on this, some sentient beings become pure in this way.
Acchariyaṁ, āvuso, abbhutaṁ, āvuso.
It’s incredible, reverends, it’s amazing!
Yāvañcidaṁ tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sambādhe okāsādhigamo anubuddho sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya, yadidaṁ cha anussatiṭṭhānānī”ti.
How this Blessed One who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, has found an opportunity amid confinement; that is, the six topics for recollection. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment.”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.