Ṭhānasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.115

Numbered Discourses 4.115

12. Kesivagga

12. With Kesi

Ṭhānasutta

Things

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, ṭhānāni.

“Mendicants, there are these four things.

Katamāni cattāri?

What four?

Atthi, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ amanāpaṁ kātuṁ;

There is a thing that’s unpleasant to do,

tañca kayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattati.

and doing it proves harmful.

Atthi, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ amanāpaṁ kātuṁ;

There is a thing that’s unpleasant to do,

tañca kayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattati.

but doing it proves beneficial.

Atthi, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ manāpaṁ kātuṁ;

There is a thing that’s pleasant to do,

tañca kayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattati.

but doing it proves harmful.

Atthi, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ manāpaṁ kātuṁ;

There is a thing that’s pleasant to do,

tañca kayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattati.

and doing it proves beneficial.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ ṭhānaṁ amanāpaṁ kātuṁ;

Take the thing that’s unpleasant to do,

tañca kayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattati—

and doing it proves harmful.

idaṁ, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ ubhayeneva na kattabbaṁ maññati.

This is regarded as a thing that shouldn’t be done on both grounds:

Yampidaṁ ṭhānaṁ amanāpaṁ kātuṁ;

because it’s unpleasant,

imināpi naṁ na kattabbaṁ maññati.

Yampidaṁ ṭhānaṁ kayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattati;

and because doing it proves harmful.

imināpi naṁ na kattabbaṁ maññati.

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ ubhayeneva na kattabbaṁ maññati.

This is regarded as a thing that shouldn’t be done on both grounds.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ ṭhānaṁ amanāpaṁ kātuṁ;

Next, take the thing that’s unpleasant to do,

tañca kayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattati—

but doing it proves beneficial.

imasmiṁ, bhikkhave, ṭhāne bālo ca paṇḍito ca veditabbo purisathāme purisavīriye purisaparakkame.

It is here that you can tell who is foolish and who is astute in regard to human strength, energy, and vigor.

Na, bhikkhave, bālo iti paṭisañcikkhati:

A fool doesn’t reflect:

‘kiñcāpi kho idaṁ ṭhānaṁ amanāpaṁ kātuṁ;

‘Despite the fact that this thing is unpleasant to do,

atha carahidaṁ ṭhānaṁ kayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattatī’ti.

doing it still proves beneficial.’

So taṁ ṭhānaṁ na karoti.

They don’t do that thing,

Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ akayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattati.

so that proves harmful.

Paṇḍito ca kho, bhikkhave, iti paṭisañcikkhati:

An astute person does reflect:

‘kiñcāpi kho idaṁ ṭhānaṁ amanāpaṁ kātuṁ;

‘Even though this thing is unpleasant to do,

atha carahidaṁ ṭhānaṁ kayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattatī’ti.

doing it still proves beneficial.’

So taṁ ṭhānaṁ karoti.

They do that thing,

Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ kayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattati.

so that proves beneficial.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ ṭhānaṁ manāpaṁ kātuṁ;

Next, take the thing that’s pleasant to do,

tañca kayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattati—

but doing it proves harmful.

imasmimpi, bhikkhave, ṭhāne bālo ca paṇḍito ca veditabbo purisathāme purisavīriye purisaparakkame.

It is here that you can tell who is foolish and who is astute in regard to human strength, energy, and vigor.

Na, bhikkhave, bālo iti paṭisañcikkhati:

A fool doesn’t reflect:

‘kiñcāpi kho idaṁ ṭhānaṁ manāpaṁ kātuṁ;

‘Even though this thing is pleasant to do,

atha carahidaṁ ṭhānaṁ kayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattatī’ti.

doing it still proves harmful.’

So taṁ ṭhānaṁ karoti.

They do that thing,

Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ kayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattati.

and so that proves harmful.

Paṇḍito ca kho, bhikkhave, iti paṭisañcikkhati:

An astute person does reflect:

‘kiñcāpi kho idaṁ ṭhānaṁ manāpaṁ kātuṁ;

‘Despite the fact that this thing is pleasant to do,

atha carahidaṁ ṭhānaṁ kayiramānaṁ anatthāya saṁvattatī’ti.

doing it still proves harmful.’

So taṁ ṭhānaṁ na karoti.

They don’t do that thing,

Tassa taṁ ṭhānaṁ akayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattati.

so that proves beneficial.

Tatra, bhikkhave, yamidaṁ ṭhānaṁ manāpaṁ kātuṁ, tañca kayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattati—

Next, take the thing that’s pleasant to do, and doing it proves beneficial.

idaṁ, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ ubhayeneva kattabbaṁ maññati.

This is regarded as a thing that should be done on both grounds:

Yampidaṁ ṭhānaṁ manāpaṁ kātuṁ, imināpi naṁ kattabbaṁ maññati;

because it’s pleasant,

yampidaṁ ṭhānaṁ kayiramānaṁ atthāya saṁvattati, imināpi naṁ kattabbaṁ maññati.

and because doing it proves beneficial.

Idaṁ, bhikkhave, ṭhānaṁ ubhayeneva kattabbaṁ maññati.

This is regarded as a thing that should be done on both grounds.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri ṭhānānī”ti.

These are the four things.”

Pañcamaṁ.