Aṅguttara Nikāya I
3. Tika Nipāta

5. Cūlavaggo

1. Sammukhībhāvasuttaṃ –– Confrontations

41. Bhikkhus, the son of a clansman who has faith accrues much merit with the confrontation of three things. What three? When the clansman with faith is confronted with faith, he accrues much merit. When the clansman with faith is confronted with something to give, he accrues much merit. When the clansman with faith is confronted with someone to accept, he accrues much merit. Bhikkhus, the son of a clansman who has faith accrues much merit with these three confrontations.

 2. Tiṭhānasuttaṃ –– The three instances

42. Bhikkhus, the one who is pleased and has faith should be known in these three instances. What three? He desires to see the virtuous ones, he desires to hear the Teaching, he lives a household life, the blemishes of selfishness given up, the mind released and benevolent, open handed and giving to those in need, attached to arranging the giving of gifts. Bhikkhus, the one who is pleased and has faith should be known in these three instances.

If someone desires to see the virtueous and hear the Teaching from them
And has overcome the blemishes of selfishes, he is said to have faith.

3. Atthavasaṃsuttaṃ –– A profitable bend

43. Bhikkhus, someone who sees these three profitable bends in himself, should undoubtedly teach others. What three? He that teaches should experience the meaning and the Teaching. He that listens should experience the meaning and the Teaching. And both the teacher and the taught should experience the meaning and the Teaching. Bhikkhus, someone seeing these three profitable bends, should undoubtedly teach others.

4. Kathāpavattisuttaṃ –– A course of conversation

44. Bhikkhus, there are three instances for a course of conversation. What three? He that teaches should experience the meaning and the Teaching. He that listens should experience the meaning and the Teaching. And both the teacher and the taught should experience the meaning and the Teaching. Bhikkhus, in these three instances there is a course of conversation.

5. Paṇḍitasuttaṃ The Great Wise Men

45. Bhikkhus, these three are appointed by Great Wise Men. What three? Bhikkhus, giving gifts is appointed by Great Wise Men Bhikkhus, going forth and becoming homeless is appointed by Great Wise Men. Bhikkhus, attending on mother and father is appointed by Great Wise Men. These three are appointed by Great Wise Men.

6. Sīlavantasuttaṃ –– The virtueous

46. Bhikkhus, when virtueous ones, gone forth abide supported on a village or hamlet, on three instances the people there, accrue merit. What three? By body, by speech and by mind. Bhikkhus, when virtueous ones, gone forth abide supported on a village or hamlet, on these three instances the people there, accrue merit.

7. Sankhatalakhaṇasuttaṃ –– The signs of a compounded

47. Bhikkhus, these three are the signs of a compounded. What three? The arising is evident, the fading is evident and the change is evident. Bhikkhus, these three are the signs of a compounded.

8. Asankhatalakhaṇasuttaṃ –– The signs of the uncompounded

48. Bhikkhus, these three are the signs of an uncompounded. What three? The arising is not evident, the fading is not evident and the change is not evident. Bhikkhus, these three are the signs of an uncompounded.

9. Pabbatarājasuttaṃ –– The Great Mountain Himalayas

49. Bhikkhus, large trees around the Himalaya mountains grow in three directions. What three? Their branches, leaves and foliage grow, their bark and shoots grow and they grow the essence of the pith.

Bhikkhus, in the same manner the household of a clansman’s son who has faith grows in three directions. What three? In faith, virtues and wisdom. Bhikkhus the household of a clansman’s son who has faith grows in three directions.

On the huge mountain, in the deep forest, trees grow relying on bigger trees
In the same manner relying on the householder who has faith
His wife, children, relations, friends, associates and those living under him,
Seeing his virtues, benevolence and good conduct, do no wrong.
Behaving according to the Teaching, they increase and go to heaven
And rejoice in heaven partaking sensual pleasures.

10. ~Aatappakaranīyasuttaṃ –– Mortification

50. Bhikkhus, on three instances mortification should be done. What three? For the not arising of non arisen demeritorious thoughts, for the arising of not arisen meritorious thoughts and for enduring sharp, rough disagreeable bodily feelings of the nature of ending life. Bhikkhus, on these three instances mortification should be done. Bhikkhus, when the bhikkhu tortures himself for the not arising of non arisen demeritorious thoughts, for the arising of not arisen meritorious thoughts and for enduring sharp, rough disagreeable, bodily feelings of the nature of ending life, it is said that the bhikkhu does the mortification mindfully and cleverly for the rightful ending of unpleasantness.

11Ṃahācorasuttaṃ –– The Highwayman

51. Bhikkhus, provided three things the highwayman cuts limbs, plunders, robs or stays in ambush. What are the three? Bhikkhus, he takes cover in the uneven, takes cover under a covering, and takes cover under the powerful.

Bhikkhus, how does the highwayman take cover in the uneven? Here he hides in uneven river valleys and uneven mountain slopes, thus he takes cover in the uneven.

Bhikkhus, how does the highwayman hide under a covering? Here he hides among heavily grown grass, in a place crowded with trees, in a cave or in the great forest, thus he hides under a covering.

Bhikkhus, how does the highwayman take cover under the powerful? Here, he takes cover under kings or the kings’ ministers. It occurs to him: If I tell anything to the king or the king’s ministers, they will interpret it to my benefit. If they tell anything, the king or the king’s ministers talk defensively, thus he takes cover under the powerful. Bhikkhus, provided with these three things the highwayman cuts limbs, plunders, robs or stays in ambush.

In the same manner bhikkhus, the evil bhikkhu endowed with three things destroys himself, falls to an offence and questioned by the wise accrues much demerit.

What are the three? Bhikkhus, he takes cover in the uneven, takes cover under a covering and under the powerful.

Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu take cover in the uneven? Here the evil bhikkhu is endowed with uneven bodily action, uneven verbal action and uneven mental action, thus the evil bhikkhu takes cover in the uneven.

Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu take cover under a covering? Here the evil bhikkhu has extremist wrong views.[1] Thus the bhikkhu takes cover under a covering.

Bhikkhus, how does the evil bhikkhu take the cover of the powerful? Here, he takes cover under kings or the kings’ ministers. It occurs to him: If I tell anything to the king or the king’s ministers, they will interpret it to my benefit. If they tell anything, the king or the king’s ministers talk defensively, thus he takes cover under the powerful. Bhikkhus, the evil bhikkhu endowed with these three things destroys himself, falls to an offence and questioned by the wise accrues much demerit.

Notes

1. The evil bhikkhu has extremist wrong view. ‘antaggāhikāyadiṭṭhiyā samanāgato hoti’ Some views like the aims could not be reached in this very life. So involved in various wrong actions.