Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

3: The Book of the Threes

88. The Process of Training (3)

1"Bhikkhus, every half-month more than a hundred and fifty training rules come up for recitation; clansmen who desire their own good train in these. These are all comprised within these three trainings. What three? The training in the higher virtuous behavior, the training in the higher mind, and the training in the higher wisdom. These are the three trainings in which all this is comprised.


2"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu fulfills virtuous behavior, concentration, and wisdom. He falls into offenses in regard to the lesser and minor training rules and rehabilitates himself. For what reason? Because I have not said that he is incapable of this. But in regard to those training rules that are fundamental to the spiritual life, in conformity with the spiritual life, his behavior is constant and steadfast. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. With the destruction of the taints, he realizes for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it.


"If he does not attain and penetrate this, [n.527] Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ. Mp: "If he does not reach and penetrate that arahantship" (taṁ arahattaṁ apāpuṇanto appaṭivijjhanto). with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of nibbāna in the interval.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, he is an attainer of nibbāna upon landing … an attainer of nibbāna without exertion … an attainer of nibbāna through exertion … one bound upstream, heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm.


"If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the utter destruction of three fetters and with the diminishing of greed, hatred, and delusion, he is a once-returner who, after coming back to this world only one more time, makes an end of suffering.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a one-seed attainer who, after being reborn once more in human existence, makes an end of suffering.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a family-to-family attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among good families two or three times, makes an end of suffering.

If he does not attain and penetrate this, with the utter destruction of three fetters, he is a seven-times-at-most attainer who, after roaming and wandering on among devas and humans seven times at most, makes an end of suffering.

3"Thus, bhikkhus, one who cultivates fully reaches fulfillment; one who cultivates in part succeeds in part. These training rules, I say, are not barren."

1"Sādhikamidaṁ, bhikkhave, diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṁ anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchati yattha attakāmā kulaputtā sikkhanti. Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sikkhā yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati. Katamā tisso? Adhisīlasikkhā, adhicittasikkhā, adhipaññāsikkhā – imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sikkhā yatthetaṁ sabbaṁ samodhānaṁ gacchati.


2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlesu paripūrakārī hoti samādhismiṁ paripūrakārī paññāya paripūrakārī. So yāni tāni khuddānukhuddakāni sikkhāpadāni tāni āpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Na hi mettha, bhikkhave, abhabbatā vuttā. Yāni ca kho tāni sikkhāpadāni ādibrahmacariyakāni brahmacariyasāruppāni tattha dhuvasīlo ca hoti ṭhitasīlo ca, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. So āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.


Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā antarāparinibbāyī hoti.

Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā upahaccaparinibbāyī hoti. Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā asaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti. Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sasaṅkhāraparinibbāyī hoti. Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā uddhaṁsoto hoti akaniṭṭhagāmī.


Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā, rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī hoti, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā ekabījī hoti, ekaṁyeva mānusakaṁ bhavaṁ nibbattetvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā kolaṅkolo hoti, dve vā tīṇi vā kulāni sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

Taṁ vā pana anabhisambhavaṁ appaṭivijjhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sattakkhattuparamo hoti, sattakkhattuparamaṁ deve ca manusse ca sandhāvitvā saṁsaritvā dukkhassantaṁ karoti.

3Iti kho, bhikkhave, paripūraṁ paripūrakārī ārādheti padesaṁ padesakārī. Avañjhāni tvevāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sikkhāpadāni vadāmī"ti.


Aṭṭhamaṁ.

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