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Numbered Discourses · AN 5.106

  • Numbered Discourses 5.106Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.106
  • 11. Living Comfortably11. Phāsuvihāravagga

With ĀnandaĀnandasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī in Ghosita’s monastery.Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, how could a mendicant live comfortably while staying in a monastic community?”“Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti?

“It’s when a mendicant is accomplished in their own ethical conduct, but they don’t urge others to be ethical.“Yato kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attanā sīlasampanno hoti, no paraṁ adhisīle sampavattā; That’s how a mendicant could live comfortably while staying in a monastic community.”ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti.

“But sir, could there be another way for a mendicant to live comfortably while staying in a monastic community?”“Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo yathā bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti?

“There could, Ānanda.“Siyā, ānanda. It’s when a mendicant is accomplished in their own ethical conduct, but they don’t urge others to be ethical.Yato kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attanā sīlasampanno hoti, no paraṁ adhisīle sampavattā; And they watch themselves, but don’t watch others.attānupekkhī ca hoti, no parānupekkhī; That’s how a mendicant could live comfortably while staying in a monastic community.”ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti.

“But sir, could there be another way for a mendicant to live comfortably while staying in a monastic community?”“Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo yathā bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti?

“There could, Ānanda.“Siyā, ānanda. It’s when a mendicant is accomplished in their own ethical conduct, but they don’t urge others to be ethical.Yato kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attanā sīlasampanno hoti, no paraṁ adhisīle sampavattā; And they watch themselves, but don’t watch others.attānupekkhī ca hoti, no parānupekkhī; And they’re not well-known, but aren’t bothered by that.apaññāto ca hoti, tena ca apaññātakena no paritassati; That’s how a mendicant could live comfortably while staying in a monastic community.”ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti.

“But sir, could there be another way for a mendicant to live comfortably while staying in a monastic community?”“Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo yathā bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti?

“There could, Ānanda.“Siyā, ānanda. It’s when a mendicant is accomplished in their own ethical conduct, but they don’t urge others to be ethical.Yato kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attanā sīlasampanno hoti, no paraṁ adhisīle sampavattā; And they watch themselves, but don’t watch others.attānupekkhī ca hoti, no parānupekkhī; And they’re not well-known, but aren’t bothered by that.apaññāto ca hoti, tena ca apaññātakena no paritassati; And they get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.catunnañca jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī; That’s how a mendicant could live comfortably while staying in a monastic community.”ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti.

“But sir, might there be another way for a mendicant to live comfortably while staying in a monastic community?”“Siyā pana, bhante, aññopi pariyāyo yathā bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyyā”ti?

“There could, Ānanda.“Siyā, ānanda. It’s when a mendicant is accomplished in their own ethical conduct, but they don’t urge others to be ethical.Yato kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attanā sīlasampanno hoti, no paraṁ adhisīle sampavattā; And they watch themselves, but don’t watch others.attānupekkhī ca hoti, no parānupekkhī; And they’re not well-known, but aren’t bothered by that.apaññāto ca hoti, tena ca apaññātakena no paritassati; And they get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.catunnañca jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī; And they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.āsavānañca khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati; That’s how a mendicant could live comfortably while staying in a monastic community.ettāvatāpi kho, ānanda, bhikkhu saṅghe viharanto phāsuṁ vihareyya.

And I say that there is no better or finer way of living comfortably than this.”Imamhā cāhaṁ, ānanda, phāsuvihārā añño phāsuvihāro uttaritaro vā paṇītataro vā natthīti vadāmī”ti.

Similar passages elsewhere

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

  1. SN 47.9 Sick 0.55near 4.6So Ānanda, live as your own island, your own refuge, with no other refuge. Let the teaching be your island and your refuge, with no other refuge. And how does a mendicant do this? It’s when a mendicant meditates by obser…
  2. AN 5.105 Living Comfortably 0.53near 0.1Numbered Discourses 5.105 11. Living Comfortably Living Comfortably “Mendicants, there are these five ways of living comfortably. What five? It’s when a mendicant consistently treats their spiritual companions with kindn…
  3. AN 5.110 Wilderness 0.52near 4.6Numbered Discourses 5.110 11. Living Comfortably Wilderness “Mendicants, when a mendicant has five qualities they’re ready to frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest. What five? It’s when a mendicant is…
  4. AN 8.86 With Nāgita 0.52near 4.6Take a mendicant living within a village who I see sitting immersed in samādhi. I think to myself: ‘Now a monastery worker, a novice, or a fellow practitioner will make this venerable fall from immersion.’ So I’m not ple…
  5. Iti 111 Accomplishment in Ethics 0.52near 4.6So It Was Said 111 The Book of the Fours The Chapter on the Brahmin’s Offering of the Teaching Accomplishment in Ethics This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard. “Mendicants, live by the ethic…
  6. AN 2.52–63 The Chapter on Individuals 0.50near 6.8won’t lead to lasting acrimony and enmity, and the mendicants will live comfortably.”…
  7. AN 5.234 Very Helpful 0.50near 4.6Numbered Discourses 5.234 24. A Resident Mendicant Very Helpful “Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities is very helpful to the monastery. What five? They’re ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conduct…