Bhikkhu Sujato

“Mendicants, when these four times are rightly developed and progressed, they gradually lead to the ending of defilements. What four?

A time for listening to the teaching,
a time for discussing the teaching,
a time for serenity,
and a time for discernment.

It’s like when it rains heavily on a mountain top, and the water flows downhill to fill the hollows, crevices, and creeks. As they become full, they fill up the pools. The pools fill up the lakes, the lakes fill up the streams, and the streams fill up the rivers. And as the rivers become full, they fill up the ocean.

In the same way, when these four times are rightly developed and progressed, they gradually lead to the ending of defilements.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.147 Dutiyakālasutta: Times (2nd) by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net.

“Mendicants, there are these five opportunities for freedom. If a mendicant stays diligent, keen, and resolute at these times, their mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary. What five?

Firstly, the Teacher or a respected spiritual companion teaches Dhamma to a mendicant. That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how the Teacher or a respected spiritual companion teaches it. Feeling inspired, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, one feels bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. This is the first opportunity for freedom. If a mendicant stays diligent, keen, and resolute at this time, their mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary.

Furthermore, it may be that neither the Teacher nor a respected spiritual companion teaches Dhamma to a mendicant. But the mendicant teaches Dhamma in detail to others as they learned and memorized it. That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how they teach it in detail to others as they learned and memorized it. Feeling inspired, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, one feels bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. This is the second opportunity for freedom. …

Furthermore, it may be that neither the Teacher nor … the mendicant teaches Dhamma. But the mendicant recites the teaching in detail as they learned and memorized it. That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how they recite it in detail as they learned and memorized it. Feeling inspired, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, one feels bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. This is the third opportunity for freedom. …

Furthermore, it may be that neither the Teacher nor … the mendicant teaches Dhamma … nor does the mendicant recite the teaching. But the mendicant thinks about and considers the teaching in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized it. That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how they think about and consider it in their heart, examining it with the mind as they learned and memorized it. Feeling inspired, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, one feels bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. This is the fourth opportunity for freedom. …

Furthermore, it may be that neither the Teacher nor … the mendicant teaches Dhamma … nor does the mendicant recite the teaching … or think about it. But a meditation subject as a foundation of immersion is properly grasped, attended, borne in mind, and comprehended with wisdom. That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how a meditation subject as a foundation of immersion is properly grasped, attended, borne in mind, and comprehended with wisdom. Feeling inspired, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, one feels bliss. And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. This is the fifth opportunity for freedom. …

These are the five opportunities for freedom. If a mendicant stays diligent, keen, and resolute at these times, their mind is freed, their defilements are ended, and they arrive at the supreme sanctuary.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.26 Vimuttāyatanasutta: Opportunities for Freedom by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net.

“There are, mendicants, these two assemblies. What two? An assembly educated in fancy talk, not in questioning, and an assembly educated in questioning, not in fancy talk. And what is an assembly educated in fancy talk, not in questioning? It is an assembly where, when discourses spoken by the Realized One—deep, profound, transcendent, dealing with emptiness—are being recited the mendicants do not want to listen. They don’t pay attention or apply their minds to understand them, nor do they think those teachings are worth learning and memorizing. But when discourses composed by poets—poetry, with fancy words and phrases, composed by outsiders or spoken by disciples—are being recited the mendicants do want to listen. They pay attention and apply their minds to understand them, and they think those teachings are worth learning and memorizing. But when they’ve learned those teachings they don’t question or examine each other, saying: ‘Why does it say this? What does that mean?’ So they don’t clarify what is unclear, or reveal what is obscure, or dispel doubt regarding the many doubtful matters. This is called an assembly educated in fancy talk, not in questioning.

And what is an assembly educated in questioning, not in fancy talk? It is an assembly where, when discourses composed by poets—poetry, with fancy words and phrases, composed by outsiders or spoken by disciples—are being recited the mendicants do not want to listen. They don’t pay attention or apply their minds to understand them, nor do they think those teachings are worth learning and memorizing. But when discourses spoken by the Realized One—deep, profound, transcendent, dealing with emptiness—are being recited the mendicants do want to listen. They pay attention and apply their minds to understand them, and they think those teachings are worth learning and memorizing. And when they’ve learned those teachings they question and examine each other, saying: ‘Why does it say this? What does that mean?’ So they clarify what is unclear, reveal what is obscure, and dispel doubt regarding the many doubtful matters. This is called an assembly educated in questioning, not in fancy talk. These are the two assemblies. The better of these two assemblies is the assembly educated in questioning, not in fancy talk.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 2.47 by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net.

“Mendicants, someone with five qualities is unable to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities even when listening to the true teaching. What five?

They listen to the teaching bent only on putting it down.
They listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind.
They’re antagonistic to the teacher, planning to attack them.
They’re witless, dull, and stupid.
And they think they know what they don’t know.

Someone with these five qualities is unable to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities even when listening to the true teaching.

Someone with five qualities is able to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true teaching. What five?

They don’t listen to the teaching bent only on putting it down.
They don’t listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind.
They’re not antagonistic to the teacher, and not planning to attack them.
They’re wise, bright, and clever.
And they don’t think they know what they don’t know.

Someone with these five qualities is able to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true teaching.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.153 Tatiyasammattaniyāmasutta: Inevitability Regarding the Right Path (3rd) by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net.

“Mendicants, these four people are found in the world. What four?

One who understands immediately,
one who understands after detailed explanation,
one who needs education,
and one who merely learns by rote.

These are the four people found in the world.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.133 Ugghaṭitaññūsutta: One Who Understands Immediately by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net.

338

“Just as, mendicants, in India the delightful parks, woods, meadows, and lotus ponds are few, while the hilly terrain, inaccessible riverlands, stumps and thorns, and rugged mountains are many; so too the sentient beings who get to see a Realized One are few, while those who don’t get to see a Realized One are many.

339

… so too the sentient beings who get to hear the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One are few, while those sentient beings who don’t get to hear the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One are many.

340

… so too the sentient beings who remember the teachings they hear are few, while those who don’t remember the teachings are many.

341

… so too the sentient beings who examine the meaning of the teachings they have memorized are few, while those who don’t examine the meaning of the teachings are many.

342

… so too the sentient beings who understand the meaning and the teaching and practice accordingly are few, while those who understand the meaning and the teaching but don’t practice accordingly are many.

343

… so too the sentient beings inspired by inspiring places are few, while those who are uninspired are many.

344

… so too the sentient beings who, being inspired, strive effectively are few, while those who, even though inspired, don’t strive effectively are many.

345

… so too the sentient beings who, relying on letting go, gain immersion, gain unification of mind are few, while those who don’t gain immersion, don’t gain unification of mind relying on letting go are many.

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 1.333–377 Catutthavagga by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, or SuttaFriends.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net.

“Mendicants, there are these five benefits of listening to the teaching. What five?

You learn new things,
clarify what you’ve learned,
get over uncertainty,
correct your views,
and inspire confidence in your mind.

These are the five benefits of listening to the teaching.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.202 Dhammassavanasutta: Listening to the Teaching by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net.

“These three patients are found in the world. What three?

In some cases a patient won’t recover from an illness, regardless of whether or not they get suitable food and medicines, and a capable carer.

In some cases a patient will recover from an illness, regardless of whether or not they get suitable food and medicines, and a capable carer.

In some cases a patient can recover from an illness, but only if they get suitable food and medicines, and a capable carer, and not if they don’t get these things.

Now, it’s for the sake of the last patient—who will recover only if they get suitable food and medicines, and a capable carer—that food, medicines, and a carer are prescribed. But also, for the sake of this patient, the other patients should be looked after.

These are the three kinds of patients found in the world.

In the same way, these three people similar to patients are found in the world. What three? Some people don’t enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities, regardless of whether or not they get to see a Realized One, and to hear the teaching and training that he proclaims.

Some people do enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities, regardless of whether or not they get to see a Realized One, and to hear the teaching and training that he proclaims.

Some people can enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities, but only if they get to see a Realized One, and to hear the teaching and training that he proclaims, and not when they don’t get those things.

Now, it’s for the sake of this last person that teaching the Dhamma is prescribed, that is, the one who can enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities, but only if they get to see a Realized One, and to hear the teaching and training that he proclaims. But also, for the sake of this person, the other people should be taught Dhamma.

These are the three people similar to patients found in the world.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.22 Gilānasutta: Patients by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net.

“These seven things lead to the decline of a lay follower. What seven?

1. They miss out on seeing the mendicants.
2. They neglect listening to the true teaching.
3. They don’t train in higher ethical conduct.
4. They’re very suspicious about mendicants, whether senior, junior, or middle.
5. They listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind.
6. They seek outside of the Buddhist community for those worthy of religious donations.
7. And they serve them first.

These seven things lead to the decline of a lay follower.

These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a lay follower. What seven?

1. They don’t miss out on seeing the mendicants.
2. They don’t neglect listening to the true teaching.
3. They train in higher ethical conduct.
4. They’re very confident about mendicants, whether senior, junior, or middle.
5. They don’t listen to the teaching with a hostile, fault-finding mind.
6. They don’t seek outside of the Buddhist community for those worthy of religious donations.
7. And they serve the Buddhist community first.

These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a lay follower.”

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“A lay follower misses out on seeing
those who are evolved
and listening to the teachings of the Noble One.
They don’t train in higher ethical conduct,

and their suspicion about mendicants
just grows and grows.
They want to listen to the true teaching
with a fault-finding mind.

They seek outside the Buddhist community
for someone else worthy of religious donations,
and that lay follower
serves them first.

These seven principles leading to decline
have been well taught.
A lay follower who practices them
falls away from the true teaching.

A lay follower doesn’t miss out on seeing
those who are evolved
and listening to the teachings of the Noble One.
They train in higher ethical conduct,

and their confidence in mendicants
just grows and grows.
They want to listen to the true teaching
without a fault-finding mind.

They don’t seek outside the Buddhist community
for someone else worthy of religious donations,
and that lay follower
serves the Buddhist community first.

These seven principles that prevent decline
have been well taught.
A lay follower who practices them
doesn’t fall away from the true teaching.”

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.29 Dutiyaparihānisutta: Non-decline for a Lay Follower by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on SC-Voice.net.