Theravadan

From: Bhikkhu Sujato

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.75 Numbered Discourses 3.75

8. Ānandavagga 8. Ānanda

Nivesakasutta Support

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“Ye, ānanda, anukampeyyātha ye ca sotabbaṁ maññeyyuṁ mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā te vo, ānanda, tīsu ṭhānesu samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā. “Ānanda, those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to—friends and colleagues, relatives and family—should be encouraged, supported, and established in three things.

Katamesu tīsu? What three?

Buddhe aveccappasāde samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā: Experiential confidence in the Buddha:

‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi 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.’

dhamme aveccappasāde samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā: Experiential confidence in the teaching:

‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko 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.’

saṅghe aveccappasāde samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā: Experiential confidence in the Saṅgha:

‘suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo 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.’

Siyā, ānanda, catunnaṁ mahābhūtānaṁ aññathattaṁ—There might be change in the four principal states—

pathavīdhātuyā āpodhātuyā tejodhātuyā vāyodhātuyā, na tveva buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa siyā aññathattaṁ tatridaṁ aññathattaṁ. earth, water, air, and fire—but a noble disciple with experiential confidence in the Buddha would never change.

So vatānanda, buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato ariyasāvako nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā pettivisayaṁ vā upapajjissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. In this context, ‘change’ means that such a noble disciple will be reborn in hell, the animal realm, or the ghost realm: this is quite impossible.

Siyā, ānanda, catunnaṁ mahābhūtānaṁ aññathattaṁ—There might be change in the four principal states—

pathavīdhātuyā āpodhātuyā tejodhātuyā vāyodhātuyā, na tveva dhamme …pe… earth, water, air, and fire—but a noble disciple with experiential confidence in the teaching …

na tveva saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgatassa ariyasāvakassa siyā aññathattaṁ tatridaṁ aññathattaṁ. or the Saṅgha would never change.

So vatānanda, saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato ariyasāvako nirayaṁ vā tiracchānayoniṁ vā pettivisayaṁ vā upapajjissatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. In this context, ‘change’ means that such a noble disciple will be reborn in hell, the animal realm, or the ghost realm: this is quite impossible.

Ye, ānanda, anukampeyyātha ye ca sotabbaṁ maññeyyuṁ mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā te vo, ānanda, imesu tīsu ṭhānesu samādapetabbā nivesetabbā patiṭṭhāpetabbā”ti. Those who you have sympathy for, and those worth listening to—friends and colleagues, relatives and family—should be encouraged, supported, and established in these three things.”

Pañcamaṁ.

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