Aṅguttara Nikāya
2. Dukanipāta
4. Samacittavaggo
33. Bhikkhus, I will tell you the non Great Man and the Great Man, listen and attend carefully. Bhikkhus, who is the non Great Man? He is ungrateful and lacks consideration. Bhikkhus, it should be thoroughly known that ungratefulness and lack of consideration is low. It is completely the sphere of the non Greāt Man Bhikkhus, who is the Great Man? He is grateful and has consideration for others. Bhikkhus, it should be thoroughly known that being grateful and consideration for others is noble. It is completely the sphere of the Greāt Man.
34. Bhikkhus, I say, you cannot repay two persons. Who are the two? It is mother and father. Bhikkhus, if you had borne your father and mother on your shoulders and lived a hundred years and meanwhile rubbed and massaged their bodies and they let loose urine and excreta, yet you have not returned the gratitude shown to you. Even if you offer them all the wealth and make them rulers of the earth, even then you have not returned the gratitude shown to you, because they have done much more. They fed you when you could not walk and showed you the world.
If your mother and father did not have faith and you instilled faith in them, if they did not have virtues instilled virtues in them, if they were miserly, made them benevolent and if they were not wise, made them wise, you have shown gratitude to your mother and father, it is more than enough.
35. A certain brahmin approached the Blessed One, exchanged friendly greeting, sat on a side and said:
What is good Gotama’s faith and what does he preach?
Brahmin, I preach doing and not doing. How does good Gotama preach doing and not doing?
Brahmin, I say do not do misconduct by body, words and mind and I say do no demeritorious thinking in any of the various spheres, develop good conduct by body, words and mind and I say do meritorious thinking in any of the various spheres. Brahmin, thus I say I preach doing and not doing.
Good Gotama, I understood, it is like something overturned is reinstated, it is like something is disclosed. It is like the path was told to someone who has lost his way, or like a lamp lighted for the darkness for those who have eyes to see forms. Good Gotama has explained the Teaching in various ways. Now I take refuge in the Blessed One in the Teaching and the Community of bhikkhus. Remember me as a lay disciple, from today until life lasts.
36. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said: Venerable sir, how many are there in the world to receive gifts and to whom should gifts be given?
Householder, there are two groups to receive gifts, they are the trainers and those who have gone beyond the training. Householder, gifts should be given to them. Then the Blessed One further said:
They are straightforward in body, speech and mind.
And are a field of merit for those making sacrifices.
Friends, bhikkhus, who is the person with external bonds? Here bhikkhus, the bhikkhu is virtuous observing the higher code of rules and practising good conduct seeing fear in the slightest fault.
He abides enjoying a certain peaceful release of mind. After death he is born with a certain company of gods. Disappearing from there does not return here. Bhikkhus, this is the person with external bonds who is a non returner.
Again, friends, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu is virtuous observing the higher code of rules and practising good conduct seeing fear in the slightest fault. He follows the method of getting wearied, detaching and ceasing from sensual desires and from thinking. He follows the method of putting an end to craving. After death he is born with a certain company of gods. Disappearing from there, he does not return here. Bhikkhus, this is the person with external bonds he is a non returner.
Then many gods who had developed equanimity approached the Blessed One, worshipping the and standing on a side they said to the Blessed One :
Venerable sir, venerable Sāriputta in the Pubba monastery is explaining to the bhikkhus, the person with internal bonds and the person with external bonds. The gathering is excited. Good, if the Blessed One would approach venerable Sāriputta out of compassion. The Blessed One accepted in silence.
Then the Blessed One, like a strong man who would stretch his bent arm or bend his stretched arm disappering from Jeta’s grove appeared before venerable Sāriputta in the Pubba monastery. Then the Blessed One sat on the prepared seat and venerable Sāriputta too worshipped the Blessed One and sat on a side The Blessed One said: Sāriputta, many gods who have developed equanimity approached me worshipped me and standing on a side they said: Venerable sir, venerable Sāriputta in the Pubba monastery is explaining to the bhikkhus, the person with internal bonds and the person with external bonds. The gathering is excited. Good, if the Blessed One would approach venerable Sāriputta out of compassion. Sāriputta, those gods stand as though fixed to the tip of a sword clustered together in tens, twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties and seventies. They do not hurt each other thus standing.
Sāriputta, that training should be done here itself. Our mental faculties should be pacified and our mind should be appeased. Our bodily, verbal, and mental actions will be appeasing towards co-associates in the holy life. Sāriputta, you should train in this manner. Sāriputta, those gone forth in other faiths should not hear this discourse, if they have not heard it.
38. I heard thus. at one time venerable Mahakaccayana was living in Benares on the bank of river Kaddamadaha. Then the brahmin Aramamadaṇḍa approached venerable Mahakaccayana exchanged friendly greetings sat on a side and said: Good Kaccayana what is the reason and cause that warriors dispute with warriors, brahmins with brahmins and householders with householders and even recluses with recluses. On account of a conceited, bonded attachment to sensual craving, warriors dispute with warriors, brahmins with brahmins and householders with householders.
Good Kaccayana what is the reason and cause that recluses dispute with recluses? On account of a conceited, bonded attachment craving for a doctrinal view recluses dispute with recluses.
Good Kaccayana, in this world is there anyone who has overcome this conceited, bonded attachment to sensual craving and the conceited bonded attachment craving for a doctrinal view?
Brahmin, there is a person who has overcome this conceited, bonded attachment to sensual craving and the conceited bonded attachment, craving for a doctrinal view.
Good Kaccayana, who is it, that has overcome this conceited, bonded attachment to sensual craving and the conceited bonded attachment craving, for a doctrinal view.
Brahmin, in the eastern state there is a city called Sāvatthi, there the Blessed One, worthy and rightfully enlightened now lives. He has overcome this conceited, bonded attachment to sensual craving and the conceited bonded attachment craving, for a doctrinal view.
When this was said the brahmin Aramadaṇḍa got up from his seat, arranged his shawl on one shoulder putting his right knee on the ground and clasping his hands towards the direction in which the Blessed One was, made this solemn utterance thrice. ‘I worship the Blessed One, worthy and rightfully enlightened’ He has overcome this conceited, bonded attachment to sensual craving and the conceited bonded attachment craving, for a doctrinal view.
Good Kaccayana, I understood, it is like something overturned is reinstated, it is like something is disclosed. It is like the path was told to someone who has lost his way, or like a lamp lighted for the darkness for those who have eyes to see forms. Good Kaccayana has explained the Teaching in various ways. Now I take refuge in the Blessed One in the Teaching and the Community of bhikkhus. Good Kaccayana, remember me as a lay disciple, from today until life lasts.
39. At one time venerable Mahakaccayana was living in the Gunḍa forest in Madhura. Then the brahmin Kaṇḍarayana approached venerable Mahakaccayna exchanged friendly greetings, sat on a side and said:
“Good Kaccayana, I hear that the recluse Kaccayana does not welcome, attend or give a seat to brahmins decayed, aged and come to the end of the life span. Good Kaccayana, is it the right conduct?”
“Brahmin, the Blessed One who knows and sees, is worthy and rightfully enlightened has shown an elder and a young one. Brahmin there may be an aged one, eighty, ninety, or even a hundred years from birth. If he enjoys sensual pleasures, surrounded by them, burning with sensual worries, thinking sensual thoughts and feverish about sensual searchings, on that he is reckoned a young one.
“Brahmin, there may be a young one with dark black hair, young in the first stage of life, in prime of youth If he does not enjoy sensual pleasures, surrounded by them, not burning with sensual worries, not thinking sensual thoughts and not feverish about sensual searchings, on that he is reckoned a wise elder.”
When this was said, the brahmin Kaṇḍarayana got up from his seat, arranged his shawl on one shoulder and putting his head at the feet of the young bhikkhus and said “Good ones, you are elderly, we are young ones.”
Good Kaccayana, I understood, it is like something overturned is reinstated, it is like something is disclosed. It is like the path was told to someone who has lost his way, or like a lamp lighted for the darkness for those who have eyes to see forms. Good Kaccayana has explained the Teaching in various ways. Now I take refuge in the Blessed One in the Teaching and the Community of bhikkhus. Good Kaccayana, remember me as a lay disciple, from today until life lasts.
40. Bhikkhus, at a time when robbers are strong, kings become weak and live unpleasantly not able to go to or come from the bordering states to get any work done there. The brahmin householders too at such times live unpleasantly not able to go to or come in to find some external work.
Bhikkhus, in the same manner, when unvirtuous bhikkhus become strong the good bhikkhus become weak and they get to the bordering states. Bhikkhus, it is for the harm, ill luck and unpleasantness of many gods and men.
41. Bhikkhus, I do not appreciate two wrong methods, whether of the householders or of those gone forth.
Bhikkhus, householders or those gone forth on account of the wrong method do not become accomplished.
Walking in the correct path is meritorious.
Bhikkhus, I appreciate two right methods, whether of the householders or of those gone forth.
Bhikkhus, householders or those gone forth on account of the right method become accomplished.
Walking in the correct path is meritorious.
42. Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who misunderstand the suttas with similar letters misunderstand the meaning and the Teaching. It is for the harm and unpleasantness of many gods and men. They accure much demerit and work for the disappearance of this good Teaching.
43. Bhikkhus, those bhikkhus who understand the suttas with similar letters understand the meaning and see the Teaching directly. It is for the welfare and unpleasantness of many gods and men. They accure much merit and work for the stabilization of this good Teaching.
