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Numbered Discourses · AN 10.170

  • Numbered Discourses 10.170Aṅguttara Nikāya 10.170
  • 17. With Jānussoṇi17. Jāṇussoṇivagga

The Near ShoreOrimasutta

“Mendicants, I will teach you the near shore and the far shore.“Orimañca, bhikkhave, tīraṁ desessāmi pārimañca tīraṁ. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak. …Taṁ suṇātha …pe… And what, mendicants, is the near shore? What is the far shore?katamañca, bhikkhave, orimaṁ tīraṁ, katamañca pārimaṁ tīraṁ? Killing living creatures is the near shore, mendicants, and not killing living creatures is the far shore.Pāṇātipāto, bhikkhave, orimaṁ tīraṁ, pāṇātipātā veramaṇī pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Stealing is the near shore, and not stealing is the far shore.Adinnādānaṁ orimaṁ tīraṁ, adinnādānā veramaṇī pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Sexual misconduct is the near shore, and refraining from sexual misconduct is the far shore.Kāmesumicchācāro orimaṁ tīraṁ, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Lying is the near shore, and not lying is the far shore.Musāvādo orimaṁ tīraṁ, musāvādā veramaṇī pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Divisive speech is the near shore, and refraining from divisive speech is the far shore.Pisuṇā vācā orimaṁ tīraṁ, pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Harsh speech is the near shore, and refraining from harsh speech is the far shore.Pharusā vācā orimaṁ tīraṁ, pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Talking nonsense is the near shore, and refraining from talking nonsense is the far shore.Samphappalāpo orimaṁ tīraṁ, samphappalāpā veramaṇī pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Covetousness is the near shore, and contentment is the far shore.Abhijjhā orimaṁ tīraṁ, anabhijjhā pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Ill will is the near shore, and good will is the far shore.Byāpādo orimaṁ tīraṁ, abyāpādo pārimaṁ tīraṁ. Wrong view is the near shore, and right view is the far shore.Micchādiṭṭhi orimaṁ tīraṁ, sammādiṭṭhi pārimaṁ tīraṁ. This is the near shore, and this is the far shore.Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, orimaṁ tīraṁ, idaṁ pārimaṁ tīranti.

Few are those among humansAppakā te manussesu, who cross to the far shore.ye janā pāragāmino; The rest just runAthāyaṁ itarā pajā, around on the near shore.tīramevānudhāvati.

When the teaching is well explained,Ye ca kho sammadakkhāte, the people who practice accordinglydhamme dhammānuvattino; will cross overTe janā pāramessanti, Death’s dominion so hard to pass.maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ.

Rid of dark qualities,Kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ vippahāya, an astute person would develop the bright.sukkaṁ bhāvetha paṇḍito; Having left home for homelessnessOkā anokamāgamma, in seclusion, where joy is hard,viveke yattha dūramaṁ.

they’d long for satisfaction there.Tatrābhiratimiccheyya, Having given up sensual pleasures, owning nothing,hitvā kāme akiñcano; an astute person would cleanse themselvesPariyodapeyya attānaṁ, of mental corruptions.cittaklesehi paṇḍito.

And those whose minds are rightly developedYesaṁ sambodhiyaṅgesu, in the awakening factors;sammā cittaṁ subhāvitaṁ; who, letting go of attachments,Ādānapaṭinissagge, delight in not grasping—anupādāya ye ratā; with defilements ended, brilliant,Khīṇāsavā jutimanto, they are quenched in this world.”te loke parinibbutā”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 10.117 With Saṅgārava 0.99near 3.3will cross over Death’s dominion so hard to pass. Rid of dark qualities, an astute person would develop the bright. Having left home for homelessness in seclusion, where joy is hard, they’d long for satisfaction there. F…
  2. AN 10.169 With Saṅgārava 0.85near 3.3When the teaching is well explained, the people who practice accordingly will cross over Death’s dominion so hard to pass. Rid of dark qualities, an astute person would develop the bright. Having left home for homelessne…
  3. Dhp 76–89 6. The Astute 0.80near 3.3Few are those among humans who cross to the far shore. The rest just run around on the near shore. When the teaching is well explained, the people who practice accordingly will cross over Death’s dominion so hard to pass…
  4. AN 10.118 The Near Shore 0.60near 0.1Numbered Discourses 10.118 12. The Ceremony of Descent The Near Shore “Mendicants, I will teach you the near shore and the far shore. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha s…
  5. MN 129 The Foolish and the Astute 0.51near 3.3Suppose a gambler were to lose his wife and child, all his property, and then get thrown in jail with his first losing hand. Such a losing hand is trivial compared to the losing hand whereby a fool, having done bad thing…