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AN 5.135PTS AN 3.1522 min read

Aspiration (1st)

Paṭhamapatthanāsutta

A king’s son aspires to kingship, as a mendicant aspires to awakening.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.135Numbered Discourses 5.135
  • 0.214. Rājavagga14. Kings

0.3PaṭhamapatthanāsuttaAspiration (1st)

1.1“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa jeṭṭho putto rajjaṁ pattheti.“Mendicants, an anointed aristocratic king’s eldest son with five factors aspires to kingship.1.2Katamehi pañcahi?What five?

1.3Idha, bhikkhave, rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa jeṭṭho putto ubhato sujāto hoti mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena;It’s when an anointed aristocratic king’s eldest son is well born on both his mother’s and father’s side, stemming from a clean vessel, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy back to the seventh paternal generation.

1.4abhirūpo hoti dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato;He is attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty.

1.5mātāpitūnaṁ piyo hoti manāpo;He is dear and beloved to his parents.

1.6negamajānapadassa piyo hoti manāpo;He is dear and beloved to the people of town and country.

1.7yāni tāni raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ sippaṭṭhānāni hatthismiṁ vā assasmiṁ vā rathasmiṁ vā dhanusmiṁ vā tharusmiṁ vā tattha sikkhito hoti anavayo.He is trained and skilled in the arts of anointed aristocratic kings, such as elephant riding, horse riding, driving a chariot, archery, and swordsmanship.

2.1PTS 3.153Tassa evaṁ hoti:He thinks:2.2‘ahaṁ khomhi ubhato sujāto mātito ca pitito ca, saṁsuddhagahaṇiko, yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā akkhitto anupakkuṭṭho jātivādena.‘I’m well born on both my mother’s and father’s side, stemming from a clean vessel, with irrefutable and impeccable genealogy back to the seventh paternal generation.2.3Kasmāhaṁ rajjaṁ na pattheyyaṁ.Why shouldn’t I aspire to kingship?2.4Ahaṁ khomhi abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato.I’m attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty.2.5Kasmāhaṁ rajjaṁ na pattheyyaṁ.Why shouldn’t I aspire to kingship?2.6Ahaṁ khomhi mātāpitūnaṁ piyo manāpo.I’m dear and beloved to my parents.2.7Kasmāhaṁ rajjaṁ na pattheyyaṁ.Why shouldn’t I aspire to kingship?2.8Ahaṁ khomhi negamajānapadassa piyo manāpo.I’m dear and beloved to the people of town and country.2.9Kasmāhaṁ rajjaṁ na pattheyyaṁ.Why shouldn’t I aspire to kingship?2.10Ahaṁ khomhi yāni tāni raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ sippaṭṭhānāni hatthismiṁ vā assasmiṁ vā rathasmiṁ vā dhanusmiṁ vā tharusmiṁ vā, tattha sikkhito anavayo.I’m trained and skilled in the arts of anointed aristocratic kings, such as elephant riding, horse riding, driving a chariot, archery, and swordsmanship.2.11Kasmāhaṁ rajjaṁ na pattheyyan’ti.Why shouldn’t I aspire to kingship?’2.12Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi aṅgehi samannāgato rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa jeṭṭho putto rajjaṁ pattheti.An anointed aristocratic king’s eldest son with these five factors aspires to kingship.

3.1Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pattheti.In the same way, a mendicant with five qualities aspires to end the defilements.3.2Katamehi pañcahi?What five?

3.3Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saddho hoti, saddahati tathāgatassa bodhiṁ:It’s when a mendicant has faith in the Realized One’s awakening:3.4‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti.‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

3.5Appābādho hoti appātaṅko, samavepākiniyā gahaṇiyā samannāgato nātisītāya nāccuṇhāya majjhimāya padhānakkhamāya;They are rarely ill or unwell. Their stomach digests well, being neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and fit for meditation.

3.6asaṭho hoti amāyāvī, yathābhūtaṁ attānaṁ āvikattā satthari vā viññūsu vā sabrahmacārīsu;They’re not devious or deceitful. They reveal themselves honestly to the Teacher or sensible spiritual companions.

3.7āraddhavīriyo viharati akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya, kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya, thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu;They live with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They’re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities.

3.8paññavā hoti udayatthagāminiyā paññāya samannāgato ariyāya nibbedhikāya sammā dukkhakkhayagāminiyā.They’re wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering.

4.1PTS 3.154Tassa evaṁ hoti:They think:4.2‘ahaṁ khomhi saddho, saddahāmi tathāgatassa bodhiṁ:‘I am a person of faith; I have faith in the Realized One’s awakening …4.3“itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā”ti.4.4Kasmāhaṁ āsavānaṁ khayaṁ na pattheyyaṁ.Why shouldn’t I aspire to end the defilements?4.5Ahaṁ khomhi appābādho appātaṅko samavepākiniyā gahaṇiyā samannāgato nātisītāya nāccuṇhāya majjhimāya padhānakkhamāya.I’m rarely ill or unwell. My stomach digests well, being neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and fit for meditation.4.6Kasmāhaṁ āsavānaṁ khayaṁ na pattheyyaṁ.Why shouldn’t I aspire to end the defilements?4.7Ahaṁ khomhi asaṭho amāyāvī yathābhūtaṁ attānaṁ āvikattā satthari vā viññūsu vā sabrahmacārīsu.I’m not devious or deceitful. I reveal myself honestly to the Teacher or sensible spiritual companions.4.8Kasmāhaṁ āsavānaṁ khayaṁ na pattheyyaṁ.Why shouldn’t I aspire to end the defilements?4.9Ahaṁ khomhi āraddhavīriyo viharāmi akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya, kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ upasampadāya, thāmavā daḷhaparakkamo anikkhittadhuro kusalesu dhammesu.I live with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. I’m strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities.4.10Kasmāhaṁ āsavānaṁ khayaṁ na pattheyyaṁ.Why shouldn’t I aspire to end the defilements?4.11Ahaṁ khomhi paññavā udayatthagāminiyā paññāya samannāgato ariyāya nibbedhikāya sammā dukkhakkhayagāminiyā.I’m wise. I have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering.4.12Kasmāhaṁ āsavānaṁ khayaṁ na pattheyyan’ti.Why shouldn’t I aspire to end the defilements?’

4.13Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayaṁ patthetī”ti.A mendicant with these five qualities aspires to end the defilements.”

4.14Pañcamaṁ.