Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

25. The Spiritual Life

1"Bhikkhus, this spiritual life is not lived for the sake of deceiving people and cajoling them; nor for the benefit of gain, honor, and praise; nor for the benefit of winning in debates; nor with the thought: ‘Let the people know me thus.’ But rather, this spiritual life is lived for the sake of restraint, abandoning, dispassion, and cessation." [n.670] Saṁvaratthaṁ pahānatthaṁ virāgatthaṁ nirodhatthaṁ. These four aims of the spiritual life, it seems, are the reason for including this sutta in the Fours.

2The Blessed One taught the spiritual life,
not based on tradition, culminating in nibbāna,
lived for the sake of
restraint and abandoning. [n.671] Mp glosses nibbānogadhagāminaṁ with nibbānassa antogāminaṁ, "leading into nibbāna."
This is the path of the great beings, [n.672] All three editions that I consulted have mahantehi, but I prefer the reading in It §35, 28,17, mahattehi, glossed by It-a I 112,25, mahāātumehi uḷārajjhāsayehi, "by the great spirits, by those of lofty disposition."
the path followed by the great seers.

3Those who practice it
as taught by the Buddha,
acting upon the Teacher's guidance,
will make an end of suffering.

1"Nayidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati janakuhanatthaṁ, na janalapanatthaṁ, na lābhasakkārasilokānisaṁsatthaṁ, na itivādappamokkhānisaṁsatthaṁ, na ‘iti maṁ jano jānātū’ti. Atha kho idaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ vussati saṁvaratthaṁ pahānatthaṁ virāgatthaṁ nirodhatthanti.

2Saṁvaratthaṁ pahānatthaṁ,
brahmacariyaṁ anītihaṁ;
Adesayi so bhagavā,
nibbānogadhagāminaṁ;
Esa maggo mahantehi,
anuyāto mahesibhi.

3Ye ca taṁ paṭipajjanti,
yathā buddhena desitaṁ;
Dukkhassantaṁ karissanti,
satthusāsanakārino"ti.


Pañcamaṁ.

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