Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

3: The Book of the Threes

1. Peril

1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus!"

"Venerable sir!" those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

2"Bhikkhus, whatever perils arise all arise on account of the fool, not on account of the wise person. Whatever calamities arise all arise on account of the fool, not on account of the wise person. Whatever misfortunes arise all arise on account of the fool, not on account of the wise person. Just as a fire that starts in a house made of reeds or grass burns down even a house with a peaked roof, plastered inside and out, draft-free, with bolts fastened and shutters closed; so too, whatever perils arise … all arise on account of the fool, not on account of the wise person.

3(1) Thus, bhikkhus, the fool brings peril, the wise person brings no peril; the fool brings calamity, the wise person brings no calamity; the fool brings misfortune, the wise person brings no misfortune. There is no peril from the wise person; there is no calamity from the wise person; there is no misfortune from the wise person.

4"Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will avoid the three qualities possessing which one is known as a fool, and we will undertake and practice the three qualities possessing which one is known as a wise person.’ It is in this way that you should train yourselves."

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

2"Yāni kānici, bhikkhave, bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Ye keci upaddavā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Ye keci upasaggā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, naḷāgārā vā tiṇāgārā vā aggi mutto kūṭāgārānipi ḍahati ullittāvalittāni nivātāni phusitaggaḷāni pihitavātapānāni; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Ye keci upaddavā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Ye keci upasaggā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.

3Iti kho, bhikkhave, sappaṭibhayo bālo, appaṭibhayo paṇḍito. Saupaddavo bālo, anupaddavo paṇḍito. Saupasaggo bālo, anupasaggo paṇḍito. Natthi, bhikkhave, paṇḍitato bhayaṁ, natthi paṇḍitato upaddavo, natthi paṇḍitato upasaggo.

4Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘yehi tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo veditabbo te tayo dhamme abhinivajjetvā, yehi tīhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito veditabbo te tayo dhamme samādāya vattissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.


Paṭhamaṁ.

Back to Top