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Numbered Discourses · AN 10.108

  • Numbered Discourses 10.108Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.108
  • 11. Perceptions for Ascetics11. Samaṇasaññāvagga

DoctorsTikicchakasutta

“Mendicants, doctors prescribe a purgative for eliminating illnesses stemming from disorders of bile, phlegm, and wind.“Tikicchakā, bhikkhave, virecanaṁ denti pittasamuṭṭhānānampi ābādhānaṁ paṭighātāya, semhasamuṭṭhānānampi ābādhānaṁ paṭighātāya, vātasamuṭṭhānānampi ābādhānaṁ paṭighātāya. There is such a purgative, I don’t deny it.Atthetaṁ, bhikkhave, virecanaṁ; ‘netaṁ natthī’ti vadāmi. But this kind of purgative sometimes works and sometimes fails.Tañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, virecanaṁ sampajjatipi vipajjatipi.

I will teach a noble purgative that works without fail. Relying on that purgative, sentient beings who are liable to rebirth, old age, and death, to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are freed from all these things.Ahañca kho, bhikkhave, ariyaṁ virecanaṁ desessāmi, yaṁ virecanaṁ sampajjatiyeva no vipajjati, yaṁ virecanaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti, jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti, maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parimuccanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccanti. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” they replied.“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this:Bhagavā etadavoca:

“And what is the noble purgative that works without fail?“Katamañca taṁ, bhikkhave, ariyaṁ virecanaṁ, yaṁ virecanaṁ sampajjatiyeva no vipajjati, yaṁ virecanaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti, jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti, maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parimuccanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccanti?

For one of right view, wrong view is purged.Sammādiṭṭhikassa, bhikkhave, micchādiṭṭhi virittā hoti; And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong view are purged.ye ca micchādiṭṭhipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti te cassa virittā honti; And because of right view, many skillful qualities are fully developed.sammādiṭṭhipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti.

For one of right purpose, wrong purpose is purged. …Sammāsaṅkappassa, bhikkhave, micchāsaṅkappo viritto hoti …pe… For one of right speech, wrong speech is purged. …sammāvācassa, bhikkhave, micchāvācā virittā hoti … For one of right action, wrong action is purged. …sammākammantassa, bhikkhave, micchākammanto viritto hoti … For one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is purged. …sammāājīvassa, bhikkhave, micchāājīvo viritto hoti … For one of right effort, wrong effort is purged. …sammāvāyāmassa, bhikkhave, micchāvāyāmo viritto hoti … For one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is purged. …sammāsatissa, bhikkhave, micchāsati virittā hoti … For one of right immersion, wrong immersion is purged. …sammāsamādhissa, bhikkhave, micchāsamādhi viritto hoti … For one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is purged. …sammāñāṇissa, bhikkhave, micchāñāṇaṁ virittaṁ hoti …pe….

For one of right freedom, wrong freedom is purged.Sammāvimuttissa, bhikkhave, micchāvimutti virittā hoti; And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong freedom are purged.ye ca micchāvimuttipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti te cassa virittā honti; And because of right freedom, many skillful qualities are fully developed.sammāvimuttipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti. This is the noble purgative that works without fail. Relying on this purgative, sentient beings who are liable to rebirth, old age, and death, to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are freed from all these things.”Idaṁ kho taṁ, bhikkhave, ariyaṁ virecanaṁ yaṁ virecanaṁ sampajjatiyeva no vipajjati, yaṁ virecanaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti …pe… sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccantī”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. AN 10.109 Emetic 0.77near 5.8For one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is vomited up. … For one of right freedom, wrong freedom is vomited up. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong freedom are vomited up. And because of right fr…
  2. AN 10.107 The Bone-Washing Ceremony 0.65near 5.8For one of right action, wrong action is washed away. … For one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is washed away. … For one of right effort, wrong effort is washed away. … For one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfuln…
  3. AN 10.114 Bad Principles (2nd) 0.60near 5.8And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right knowledge are good results. Wrong freedom is a bad principle. Right freedom is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong f…
  4. AN 10.116 With Ajita 0.57near 5.8And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong freedom are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right freedom are good results. ‘You should know bad principles and good princi…