Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

3: The Book of the Threes

11. Well Known

1"Bhikkhus, possessing three qualities, a well-known bhikkhu is acting for the harm of many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of devas and human beings. What three? He encourages them in discordant bodily action, discordant verbal action, and discordant mental qualities. [n.342] Mp. "Discordant (ananulomike) means not in conformity with the teaching. Gross ‘discordant bodily action’ is destroying life, etc.; or (more subtly) worshipping the directions or making offerings to the spirits. Gross ‘discordant verbal action’ is false speech, etc.; or (more subtly), if one does not wish to give to others, deceiving them by saying one does not have anything to give. Gross ‘discordant mental action’ is longing, etc.; or (more subtly), explaining a meditation subject incorrectly." Mp illustrates this with the story of the elder mentioned at Vism 296,12–16, Ppn 9.6, who taught a young man to meditate on loving-kindness toward his wife. As a result he was overcome by lust and beat against the walls of his meditation cell all night. I translate ananulomikesu dhammesu in accordance with Mp, but the word dhammesu can also mean "teachings," and it is possible that this was the original intention. Possessing these three qualities, a well-known bhikkhu is acting for the harm of many people, for the unhappiness of many people, for the ruin, harm, and suffering of many people, of devas and human beings.

2"Bhikkhus, possessing three qualities, a well-known bhikkhu is acting for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, for the good, welfare, and happiness of many people, of devas and human beings. What three? He encourages them in concordant bodily action, concordant verbal action, and concordant mental qualities. Possessing these three qualities, a well-known bhikkhu is acting for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, for the good, welfare, and happiness of many people, of devas and human beings."

1"Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato ñāto bhikkhu bahujanaahitāya paṭipanno hoti bahujanadukkhāya, bahuno janassa anatthāya ahitāya dukkhāya devamanussānaṁ. Katamehi tīhi? Ananulomike kāyakamme samādapeti, ananulomike vacīkamme samādapeti, ananulomikesu dhammesu samādapeti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato ñāto bhikkhu bahujanaahitāya paṭipanno hoti bahujanadukkhāya, bahuno janassa anatthāya ahitāya dukkhāya devamanussānaṁ.

2Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato ñāto bhikkhu bahujanahitāya paṭipanno hoti bahujanasukhāya, bahuno janassa atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ. Katamehi tīhi? Anulomike kāyakamme samādapeti, anulomike vacīkamme samādapeti, anulomikesu dhammesu samādapeti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato ñāto bhikkhu bahujanahitāya paṭipanno hoti bahujanasukhāya, bahuno janassa atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānan"ti.


Paṭhamaṁ.

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