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AN 3.99 Potthakasutta: Jute

“Jute canvas is ugly, unpleasant to touch, and worthless whether it’s new, worn in, or worn out. They use worn out jute canvas for scrubbing pots, or else they just throw it away on the rubbish heap.

In the same way, if a junior mendicant is unethical, of bad character, this is how they’re ugly, I say. That person is just as ugly as jute canvas. If you associate with, accompany, and attend to that person, following their example, it’ll be for your lasting harm and suffering. This is how they’re unpleasant to touch, I say. That person is just as unpleasant to touch as jute canvas. Any robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick that they receive are not very fruitful or beneficial for the donor. This is how they’re worthless, I say. That person is just as worthless as jute canvas.

If a middle mendicant is unethical, of bad character, this is how they’re ugly, I say. …

If a senior mendicant is unethical, of bad character, this is how they’re ugly, I say. … If you associate with, accompany, and attend to that person, following their example, it’ll be for your lasting harm and suffering. …

If such a senior mendicant speaks among the Saṅgha, the mendicants say: ‘What’s an incompetent fool like you got to say? How on earth could you imagine you’ve got something worth saying!’ That person becomes angry and upset, and blurts out things that make the Saṅgha throw them out, as if they were throwing jute canvas away on the rubbish heap.

Cloth from Kāsi is beautiful, pleasant to touch, and valuable whether it’s new, worn in, or worn out. They use worn out cloth from Kāsi for wrapping, or else they place it in a fragrant casket.

In the same way, if a junior mendicant is ethical, of good character, this is how they’re beautiful, I say. That person is just as beautiful as cloth from Kāsi. If you associate with, accompany, and attend to such a person, following their example, it will be for your lasting welfare and happiness. This is how they’re pleasant to touch, I say. That person is just as pleasant to touch as cloth from Kāsi. Any robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick that they receive are very fruitful and beneficial for the donor. This is how they’re valuable, I say. That person is just as valuable as cloth from Kāsi.

If a middle mendicant is ethical, of good character, this is how they’re beautiful, I say. …

If a senior mendicant is ethical, of good character, this is how they’re beautiful, I say. …

If such a senior mendicant speaks in the midst of the Saṅgha, the mendicants say: ‘Venerables, be quiet! The senior mendicant is speaking on the teaching and training.’

So you should train like this: ‘We will be like cloth from Kāsi, not like jute canvas.’ That’s how you should train.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.99 Potthakasutta: Jute by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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AN 3.133 Yodhājīvasutta: A Warrior

“Mendicants, a warrior with three factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned as a factor of kingship. What three? He’s a long-distance shooter, a marksman, one who shatters large objects. A warrior with these three factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned as a factor of kingship.

In the same way, a mendicant with three factors is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. What three? They’re a long-distance shooter, a marksman, and one who shatters large objects.

And how is a mendicant a long-distance shooter? It’s when a mendicant truly sees any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They truly see any kind of feeling at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all feeling—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They truly see any kind of perception at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all perception—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They truly see any kind of choices at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near: all choices—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They truly see any kind of consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near, all consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ That’s how a mendicant is a long-distance shooter.

And how is a mendicant a marksman? It’s when a mendicant truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. That’s how a mendicant is a marksman.

And how does a mendicant shatter large objects? It’s when a mendicant shatters the great mass of ignorance. That’s how a mendicant shatters large objects.

A mendicant with these three qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.133 Yodhājīvasutta: A Warrior by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Bengali, Indonesian, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

AN 5.235 Anukampasutta: A Compassionate Mendicant

“Mendicants, a resident mendicant with five qualities shows compassion to the lay people. What five?

  1. They encourage them in higher ethics.
  2. They equip them to see the truth of the teachings.
  3. When they are sick, they go to them and prompt their mindfulness, saying: ‘Establish your mindfulness, good sirs, in what is worthy.’
  4. When a large mendicant Saṅgha is arriving with mendicants from abroad, they go to the lay people and announce: ‘A large mendicant Saṅgha is arriving with mendicants from abroad. Make merit! Now is the time to make merit!’
  5. And they eat whatever food they give them, coarse or fine, not wasting a gift given in faith.

A resident mendicant with these five qualities shows compassion to the lay people.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.235 Anukampasutta: A Compassionate Mendicant by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaFriends.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Bengali, Indonesian, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

Snp 1.9 From… Hemavatasutta: With Hemavata

[This is just a few verses from a much longer sutta. The conversation takes place between the yakkha Hemavata and the Buddha.]

“What has the world arisen in?” said Hemavata,
What does it get close to?
By grasping what
is the world troubled in what?”

“The world’s arisen in six,” said the Buddha to Hemavata.
“It gets close to six.
By grasping at these six,
the world’s troubled in six.”

“What is that grasping
by which the world is troubled?
Tell us the exit when asked:
how is one released from all suffering?”

“The world has five kinds of sensual stimulation,
and the mind is said to be the sixth.
When you’ve discarded desire for these,
you’re released from all suffering.

This is the exit from the world,
explained in accord with the truth.
The way I’ve explained it is how
you’re released from all suffering.”

“Who here crosses the flood,
Who crosses the deluge?
Who, not standing and unsupported,
does not sink in the deep?”

“Someone who is always endowed with ethics,
wise and serene,
inwardly reflective, mindful,
crosses the flood so hard to cross.

Someone who desists from sensual perception,
who has escaped all fetters,
and is finished with relishing of rebirth,
does not sink in the deep.”


Read the entire translation of Snp 1.9 Hemavatasutta: With Hemavata by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net.

Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Afrikaans, Deutsch, Indonesian, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, Slovenščina, or தமிழ். Learn how to find your language.

AN 8.87 Pattanikujjanasutta: Turning the Bowl Upside Down

“Mendicants, the Saṅgha may, if it wishes, turn the bowl upside down for a lay follower on eight grounds. What eight? They try to prevent the mendicants from getting material possessions. They try to harm mendicants. They try to drive mendicants from a monastery. They insult and abuse mendicants. They divide mendicants against each other. They criticize the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. The Saṅgha may, if it wishes, turn the bowl upside down for a lay follower on these eight grounds.

The Saṅgha may, if it wishes, turn the bowl upright for a lay follower on eight grounds. What eight? They don’t try to prevent the mendicants from getting material possessions. They don’t try to harm mendicants. They don’t try to drive mendicants from a monastery. They don’t insult and abuse mendicants. They don’t divide mendicants against each other. They don’t criticize the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. The Saṅgha may, if it wishes, turn the bowl upright for a lay follower on these eight grounds.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.87 Pattanikujjanasutta: Turning the Bowl Upside Down by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Bengali, Indonesian, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, 汉语.

Vv 4.10 Ucchu Sutta: Sugar Cane Mansion

Moggallana Bhante:

Devata, you shine like the sun which illuminates the sky and the earth. You shine like a great Brahma who shines brighter than Sakka and the Tavatimsa devas. You surpass others with your beauty, fame, and power.

Devata, you are wearing blue lotus garlands, your skin is the color of gold, and you are adorned with beautiful gowns. Now that you are worshiping me, I ask you: who are you?

What kind of meritorious action did you do in the past? Did you practice generosity well, or follow precepts? How were you born in this heaven? I ask you about the action that gave this result.

Devata:

Bhante, in this village where we are now, you came to our house on your almsround. I was pleased to see you. I offered you a small piece of sugar-cane with a delighted heart.

Later, when my mother-in-law came home, she asked me, “Daughter-in-law, where did you put my sugar-cane?” and I told her, “I neither threw it away nor ate it. I offered it to a peaceful monk.” My mother-in-law got very angry. Scolding me, she said, “Hey! Are you the owner of this house or am I? Who makes the decisions here?” She hit me with a stone and I died instantly. I was reborn as a devata in this heaven.

That was the meritorious action I did to enjoy this divine happiness surrounded by gods. The god Sakka protects the Tavatimsa Heaven and the Tavatimsa devas protect me. The result of the offering of a small sugar-cane was not small. It bore great fruit. I enjoy happiness in the heavenly Nandana Park like the god Sakka.

Bhante, you are very compassionate and wise. I came here to ask about your well-being and to worship you. I have received all these wonderful things having offered a small piece of sugar-cane to you with a mind of faith and a joyful heart.


Read this translation of Vimānavatthu 4.10 Ucchu Sutta: Sugar Cane Mansion by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

You can find the entire translation of the Vimanavatthu: Stories of Heavenly Mansions available on SuttaFriends.org.