Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

37. Non-Decline

1"Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who possesses four qualities is incapable of decline and is in the vicinity of nibbāna. What four? Here, a bhikkhu is accomplished in virtuous behavior, guards the doors of the sense faculties, observes moderation in eating, and is intent on wakefulness.

2(1) "And how is a bhikkhu accomplished in virtuous behavior? Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the Pāṭimokkha, possessed of good conduct and resort, seeing danger in minute faults. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. It is in this way that a bhikkhu is accomplished in virtuous behavior.

3(2) "And how does a bhikkhu guard the doors of the sense faculties? Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu does not grasp its marks and features. Since, if he left the eye faculty unrestrained, bad unwholesome states of longing and dejection might invade him, he practices restraint over it; he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having smelled an odour with the nose … Having tasted a taste with the tongue … Having felt a tactile object with the body … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, a bhikkhu does not grasp its marks and features. Since, if he left the mind faculty unrestrained, bad unwholesome states of longing and dejection might invade him, he practices restraint over it; he guards the mind faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the mind faculty. It is in this way that a bhikkhu guards the doors of the sense faculties.

4(3) "And how does a bhikkhu observe moderation in eating? Here, reflecting carefully, a bhikkhu consumes food neither for amusement nor for intoxication nor for the sake of physical beauty and attractiveness, but only for the support and maintenance of this body, for avoiding harm, and for assisting the spiritual life, considering: ‘Thus I shall terminate the old feeling and not arouse a new feeling, [n.700] That is, I shall terminate the old discomfort of hunger without creating fresh discomfort by eating to excess. and I shall be healthy and blameless and dwell at ease.’ It is in this way that a bhikkhu observes moderation in eating.

5(4) "And how is a bhikkhu intent on wakefulness? Here, during the day, while walking back and forth and sitting, a bhikkhu purifies his mind of obstructive qualities. In the first watch of the night, while walking back and forth and sitting, he purifies his mind of obstructive qualities. In the middle watch of the night he lies down on the right side in the lion's posture, with one foot overlapping the other, mindful and clearly comprehending, after noting in his mind the idea of rising. After rising, in the last watch of the night, while walking back and forth and sitting, he purifies his mind of obstructive qualities. It is in this way that a bhikkhu is intent on wakefulness.


"A bhikkhu who possesses these four qualities is incapable of decline and is in the vicinity of nibbāna."

6Established in virtuous behavior,
restrained in the sense faculties,
moderate in eating,
intent on wakefulness:

7a bhikkhu dwells thus ardently,
unwearying by day and night,
developing wholesome qualities [n.701] I take dhammaṁ here to represent Skt dhammān, the plural accusative. Such usage is not rare in Pāli verse.
to attain security from bondage.

8A bhikkhu who delights in heedfulness,
seeing the danger in heedlessness,
is incapable of decline:
he is close to nibbāna. [n.702] The verse is identical with Dhp 32.

1"Catūhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu abhabbo parihānāya nibbānasseva santike. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlasampanno hoti, indriyesu guttadvāro hoti, bhojane mattaññū hoti, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti.

2Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlasampanno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlavā hoti pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sīlasampanno hoti.

3Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī. Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati; rakkhati cakkhundriyaṁ; cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati. Sotena saddaṁ sutvā … ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī. Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati; rakkhati manindriyaṁ; manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti.

4Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu bhojane mattaññū hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti: ‘neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya; yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṁsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya. Iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati, anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu bhojane mattaññū hoti.

5Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu divasaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti; rattiyā paṭhamaṁ yāmaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti; rattiyā majjhimaṁ yāmaṁ dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappeti, pāde pādaṁ accādhāya, sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasi karitvā; rattiyā pacchimaṁ yāmaṁ paccuṭṭhāya caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti.


Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu abhabbo parihānāya, nibbānasseva santiketi.

6Sīle patiṭṭhito bhikkhu,
indriyesu ca saṁvuto;
Bhojanamhi ca mattaññū,
jāgariyaṁ anuyuñjati.

7Evaṁ vihārī ātāpī,
ahorattamatandito;
Bhāvayaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ,
yogakkhemassa pattiyā.

8Appamādarato bhikkhu,
pamāde bhayadassi vā;
Abhabbo parihānāya,
nibbānasseva santike"ti.


Sattamaṁ.

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