Apaṇṇakasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.16

Numbered Discourses 3.16

2. Rathakāravagga

2. The Chariot-Maker

Apaṇṇakasutta

A Sure Bet

“Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu apaṇṇakapaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti, yoni cassa āraddhā hoti āsavānaṁ khayāya.

“Mendicants, when a mendicant has three things their practice is a sure bet, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements.

Katamehi tīhi?

What three?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti, bhojane mattaññū hoti, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti.

It’s when a mendicant guards the sense doors, eats in moderation, and is dedicated to wakefulness.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti?

And how does a mendicant guard the sense doors?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī.

When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, they don’t get caught up in the features and details.

Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati, rakkhati cakkhundriyaṁ, cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint.

Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …

When they hear a sound with their ears …

ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …

When they smell an odor with their nose …

jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …

When they taste a flavor with their tongue …

kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …

When they feel a touch with their body …

manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī.

When they know an idea with their mind, they don’t get caught up in the features and details.

Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati, rakkhati manindriyaṁ, manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti.

That’s how a mendicant guards the sense doors.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu bhojane mattaññū hoti?

And how does a mendicant eat in moderation?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti:

It’s when a mendicant reflects rationally on the food that they eat:

‘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.

‘Not for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration, but only to sustain this body, to avoid harm, and to support spiritual practice. In this way, I shall put an end to old discomfort and not give rise to new discomfort, and I will have the means to keep going, blamelessness, and a comfortable abiding.’

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu bhojane mattaññū hoti.

That’s how a mendicant eats in moderation.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti?

And how is a mendicant dedicated to wakefulness?

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.

It’s when a mendicant practices walking and sitting meditation by day, purifying their mind from obstacles. In the first watch of the night, they continue to practice walking and sitting meditation. In the middle watch, they lie down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up. In the last watch, they get up and continue to practice walking and sitting meditation, purifying their mind from obstacles.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti.

This is how a mendicant is dedicated to wakefulness.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu apaṇṇakapaṭipadaṁ paṭipanno hoti, yoni cassa āraddhā hoti āsavānaṁ khayāyā”ti.

When a mendicant possesses these three things their practice is a sure bet, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.