Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.47
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 6.47
5. Dhammikavagga
5. About Dhammika
Paṭhamasandiṭṭhikasutta
Apparent in the Present Life (1st)
Atha kho moḷiyasīvako paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
And then the wanderer Moḷiyasīvaka went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho moḷiyasīvako paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:
“‘sandiṭṭhiko dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo’ti, bhante, vuccati.
“Sir, they speak of ‘a teaching apparent in the present life’.
Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti?
In what way is the teaching apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves?”
“Tena hi, sīvaka, taññevettha paṭipucchāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.
“Well then, Sīvaka, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīvaka,
What do you think, Sīvaka?
santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ lobhaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ lobho’ti pajānāsi, asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ lobhaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ lobho’ti pajānāsī”ti?
When there’s greed in you, do you understand ‘I have greed in me’? And when there’s no greed in you, do you understand ‘I have no greed in me’?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Yaṁ kho tvaṁ, sīvaka, santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ lobhaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ lobho’ti pajānāsi, asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ lobhaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ lobho’ti pajānāsi—
“Since you know this,
evampi kho, sīvaka, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti …pe….
this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, sīvaka,
What do you think, Sīvaka?
santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ dosaṁ …pe…
When there’s hate …
santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ mohaṁ …pe…
delusion …
santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ lobhadhammaṁ …pe…
greedy ideas …
santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ dosadhammaṁ …pe…
hateful ideas …
santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ mohadhammaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ mohadhammo’ti pajānāsi, asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ mohadhammaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ mohadhammo’ti pajānāsī”ti?
When there are delusional ideas in you, do you understand ‘I have delusional ideas in me’? And when there are no delusional ideas in you, do you understand ‘I have no delusional ideas in me’?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, sir.”
“Yaṁ kho tvaṁ, sīvaka, santaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ mohadhammaṁ ‘atthi me ajjhattaṁ mohadhammo’ti pajānāsi, asantaṁ vā ajjhattaṁ mohadhammaṁ ‘natthi me ajjhattaṁ mohadhammo’ti pajānāsi—
“Since you know this,
evaṁ kho, sīvaka, sandiṭṭhiko dhammo hoti akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti.
this is how the teaching is apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.”
“Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe…
“Excellent, sir! Excellent!
upāsakaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”
Pañcamaṁ.