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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

3: The Book of the Threes

90. The Trainings (2)

1"Bhikkhus, there are 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.

1"Tisso imā, bhikkhave, sikkhā. Katamā tisso? Adhisīlasikkhā, adhicittasikkhā, adhipaññāsikkhā.

2"And what, bhikkhus, is the training in the higher virtuous behavior? Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous …. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. This is called the training in the higher virtuous behavior.

2Katamā ca, bhikkhave, adhisīlasikkhā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti … pe … samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, adhisīlasikkhā.

3"And what, bhikkhus, is the training in the higher mind? Here, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the first jhāna … the fourth jhāna …. This is called the training in the higher mind.

3Katamā ca, bhikkhave, adhicittasikkhā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi … pe … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, adhicittasikkhā.

4"And what, bhikkhus, is the training in the higher wisdom? Here, with the destruction of the taints, a bhikkhu 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.

"These, bhikkhus, are the three trainings."

4Katamā ca, bhikkhave, adhipaññāsikkhā? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, adhipaññāsikkhā. Imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso sikkhāti.

5Energetic, strong, and resolute,
meditative, mindful, the faculties guarded,
one should practice the higher virtue,
the higher mind, and the higher wisdom.

5Adhisīlaṁ adhicittaṁ,
adhipaññañca vīriyavā;
Thāmavā dhitimā jhāyī,
sato guttindriyo care.

6As before, so after;
as after, so before;
as below, so above;
as above, so below;

6Yathā pure tathā pacchā,
yathā pacchā tathā pure;
Yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ,
yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho.



7as by day, so at night;
as at night, so by day,
having overcome all quarters,
with measureless concentration.[n.528] Mp, commenting on this verse and the previous one, says: "As before, so after: as earlier one trains in the three trainings, so one trains in them afterward; and so for the second line. As below, so above: as one sees the lower part of the body as unattractive, one extends this to the upper part; and inversely for the second line. As by day, so at night: as one trains in the three trainings by day, so one trains in them at night; and inversely for the second line. Having overcome all quarters by way of the object, with measureless concentration, with the concentration of the path of arahantship."

7Yathā divā tathā rattiṁ,
yathā rattiṁ tathā divā;
Abhibhuyya disā sabbā,
appamāṇasamādhinā.

8They call him a trainee on the path,
whose conduct has been well purified.
They call him enlightened in the world,
a wise one who has fulfilled the practice.[n.529] I read with Be and Ee dhīraṁ paṭipadantaguṁ. Ce has vīraṁ. Mp glosses: "A wise one endowed with wisdom; one who is wise in terms of the aggregates, wise in terms of the sense bases, gone to the end of the practice" (khandhadhīra-āyatanadhīravasena dhīraṁ dhitisampannaṁ paṭipattiyā antaṁ gataṁ).

8Tamāhu sekhaṁ paṭipadaṁ,
atho saṁsuddhacāriyaṁ;
Tamāhu loke sambuddhaṁ,
dhīraṁ paṭipadantaguṁ.

9For one freed by craving's destruction,
with the cessation of consciousness
the emancipation of the mind
is like the extinguishing of a lamp.[n.530] Mp: "This is the arahant's emancipation of mind, occurring with the ceasing of the final consciousness. It is like the full extinguishing of a lamp. No place where it has gone is discerned; there is only arrival at the indiscernible state (apaṇṇattikabhāvūpagamano yeva hoti)."

9Viññāṇassa nirodhena,
taṇhākkhayavimuttino;
Pajjotasseva nibbānaṁ,
vimokkho hoti cetaso"ti.

Dasamaṁ.