Itivuttaka – Page 2 – Daily Sutta Reading

Iti 92 Saṅghāṭikaṇṇasutta: The Hem of the Robe

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, even though a bhikkhu might hold on to the hem of my robe and follow close behind me step by step, if he is covetous for objects of desire, strongly passionate, malevolent, corrupt in thought, unmindful, uncomprehending, unconcentrated, of wandering mind and uncontrolled faculties, he is far from me and I am far from him. What is the reason? That bhikkhu does not see Dhamma. Not seeing Dhamma, he does not see me.

“Bhikkhus, even though a bhikkhu might live a hundred leagues away, if he is not covetous for objects of desire, not strongly passionate, not malevolent, uncorrupt in thought, with mindfulness established, clearly comprehending, concentrated, of unified mind and controlled faculties, he is close to me and I am close to him. What is the reason? That bhikkhu sees Dhamma. Seeing Dhamma, he sees me.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

Though closely following behind,
Full of longings and resentment,
See how far away he is—
The desirous one from the desireless,
One unquenched from the quenched,
A greedy one from the one without greed.

But a wise person who by direct knowledge
Has fully understood the Dhamma,
Becomes desireless and tranquil
Like a calm unruffled lake.

See how close he is to him—
A desireless one to the desireless,
One quenched to the quenched,
The greedless one to the one without greed.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 92 Saṅghāṭikaṇṇasutta: The Hem of the Robe by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Français, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 76 Sukhapatthanāsutta: Wishing for Happiness

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Aspiring to these three forms of bliss, monks, a wise person should guard his virtue. Which three? Thinking, ‘May praise come to me,’ a wise person should guard his virtue. Thinking, ‘May wealth come to me,’ a wise person should guard his virtue. Thinking, ‘At the break-up of the body, after death, may I reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world,’ a wise person should guard his virtue. Aspiring to these three forms of bliss, a wise person should guard his virtue.”

Intelligent,
you should guard your virtue,
aspiring to three forms of bliss:
praise;
the obtaining of wealth;
and, after death, rejoicing
in heaven.

Even if you do no evil
but seek out one who does,
you’re suspected of evil.
Your bad reputation
grows.

The sort of person you make a friend,
the sort you seek out,
that’s the sort you yourself become–
for your living together is of
that sort.

The one associated with,
the one who associates,
the one who’s touched,
the one who touches another
–like an arrow smeared with poison–
contaminates the quiver.
So, fearing contamination, the enlightened
should not be comrades
with evil people.

A man who wraps rotting fish
in a blade of kusa grass
makes the grass smelly:
so it is
if you seek out fools.

But a man who wraps powdered incense
in the leaf of a tree
makes the leaf fragrant:
so it is
if you seek out
the enlightened.

So,
knowing your own outcome
as like the leaf-wrapper’s,
you shouldn’t seek out
those who aren’t good.

The wise would associate
with those who are.
Those who aren’t good
lead you to hell.
The good help you reach
a good destination.

Read this translation of 76 Itivuttakavuttaka by Bhikkhu Ṭhanissaro on DhammaTalks.org. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or SuttaFriends.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Español, Français, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 17 Dutiyasekhasutta: The Good Friend

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, in regard to external factors, I do not perceive another single factor so helpful as good friendship for a bhikkhu who is a learner, who has not attained perfection but lives aspiring for the supreme security from bondage. Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who has a good friend abandons what is unwholesome and develops what is wholesome.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

When a bhikkhu has good friends,
And is reverential and respectful,
Doing what his friends advise,
Clearly comprehending and mindful,
He may progressively attain
The destruction of all fetters.

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 17 Dutiyasekhasutta: The Good Friend by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Català, Čeština, Español, Français, Italiano, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

Iti 19 Saṁghasāmaggīsutta: Harmony in the Saṅgha

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“One thing, mendicants, arises in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans. What one thing? Harmony in the Saṅgha. When the Saṅgha is in harmony, they don’t argue, insult, block, or reject each other. This inspires confidence in those without it, and increases confidence in those who have it.”

The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“A Saṅgha in harmony is happy,
as is support for those in harmony.
Taking a stand on the teaching,
favoring harmony, they ruin no sanctuary.
After creating harmony in the Saṅgha,
they rejoice in heaven for an eon.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 19 Saṁghasāmaggīsutta: Harmony in the Saṅgha by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Iti 83 Pañcapubbanimittasutta: The Five Prognostic Signs

This was said by the Lord, said by the Arahant, so I heard:

“Bhikkhus, when a deva is due to pass away from a company of devas, five prognostic signs appear: his flower-garlands wither, his clothes become soiled, sweat is released from his armpits, his bodily radiance fades, and the deva takes no delight in his heavenly throne. The devas, observing the prognostic signs that this deva is due to pass away, encourage him in three things with the words: ‘Go from here, friend, to a good bourn. Having gone to a good bourn, gain that which is good to gain. Having gained that which is good to gain, become firmly established in it.’”

When this was said, a certain bhikkhu asked the Lord: “Venerable sir, what is reckoned by the devas to be a good bourn? What is reckoned by the devas to be a gain that is good to gain? What is reckoned by the devas to be firmly established?”

“It is human existence, bhikkhus, that is reckoned by the devas to be a good bourn. When a human being acquires faith in the Dhamma-and-Discipline taught by the Tathāgata, this is reckoned by the devas to be a gain that is good to gain. When faith is steadfast in him, firmly rooted, established and strong, not to be destroyed by any recluse or brahmin or deva or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone else in the world, this is reckoned by the devas to be firmly established.”

This is the meaning of what the Lord said. So in regard to this it was said:

When a deva whose life is exhausted
Passes away from a deva-company,
The devas encourage him
In three ways with the words:
“Go, friend, to a good bourn,
To the fellowship of humans.
On becoming human acquire faith
Unsurpassed in the true Dhamma.
That faith made steadfast,
Become rooted and standing firm,
Will be unshakeable for life
In the true Dhamma well proclaimed.
Having abandoned misconduct by body,
Misconduct by speech as well,
Misconduct by mind, and whatever else
Is reckoned as a fault,
Having done much that is good
Both by body and by speech,
And done good with a mind
That is boundless and free from clinging,
With that merit as a basis
Made abundant by generosity,
You should establish other people
In the true Dhamma and the holy life.”
When the devas know that a deva
Is about to pass from their midst,
Out of compassion they encourage him:
“Return here, deva, again and again.”

This too is the meaning of what was said by the Lord, so I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 83 Pañcapubbanimittasutta: The Five Prognostic Signs by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Iti 71 Sammādiṭṭhikasutta: Having Right View

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, I’ve seen beings who engaged in good conduct of body, speech, and mind, who did not abuse the noble ones, who held right view and acted accordingly. At the breaking up of the body, after death, they were reborn in a good destination, a heaven world.

Now, I don’t say this because I’ve heard it from some other ascetic or brahmin. I only say it because I’ve known, seen, and realized it for myself.”

That is what the Buddha said. On this it is said:

“When the mind has been directed right,
and words rightly spoken,
and right bodily deeds have been done,
a person here
learned, doer of good deeds,
though their life may be short,
when their body breaks up,
that wise person is reborn in heaven.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 71 Sammādiṭṭhikasutta: Having Right View by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net.

Iti 29 Sukhavihārasutta: Living in Happiness

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, when a mendicant has two qualities they live happily in the present life—without distress, anguish, and fever—and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a good rebirth. What two? Guarding the sense doors and moderation in eating. When a mendicant has these two qualities they live happily in the present life—without distress, anguish, and fever—and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a good rebirth.”

That is what the Buddha said. On this it is said:

“Eye, ear, nose, tongue,
body, and likewise mind:
a mendicant who makes these
sense doors well guarded—
eating in moderation,
restrained in the sense faculties—
reaps happiness
both physical and mental.
Not burning in body,
not burning in mind,
by day or by night
such a person lives in happiness.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Read this translation of Itivuttaka 29 Sukhavihārasutta: Living in Happiness by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, or DhammaTalks.org.

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