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AN 6.68PTS AN 3.4221 min read

Enjoying Company

Saṅgaṇikārāmasutta

A mendicant who loves to socialize can’t find peace in meditation, but one who loves solitude can.

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

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.68Numbered Discourses 6.68
  • 0.27. Devatāvagga7. A God

0.3SaṅgaṇikārāmasuttaEnjoying Company

1.1PTS 3.423“‘So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu saṅgaṇikārāmo saṅgaṇikarato saṅgaṇikārāmataṁ anuyutto, gaṇārāmo gaṇarato gaṇārāmataṁ anuyutto, eko paviveke abhiramissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.“Mendicants, it is quite impossible that a mendicant who enjoys company and groups, who loves them and likes to enjoy them, should take pleasure in being alone in seclusion.1.2‘Eko paviveke anabhiramanto cittassa nimittaṁ gahessatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.Without taking pleasure in being alone in seclusion, it’s impossible to learn the patterns of the mind.1.3‘Cittassa nimittaṁ agaṇhanto sammādiṭṭhiṁ paripūressatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.Without learning the mind’s character, it’s impossible to fulfill right view.1.4‘Sammādiṭṭhiṁ aparipūretvā sammāsamādhiṁ paripūressatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.Without fulfilling right view, it’s impossible to fulfill right immersion.1.5‘Sammāsamādhiṁ aparipūretvā saṁyojanāni pajahissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.Without fulfilling right immersion, it’s impossible to give up the fetters.1.6‘Saṁyojanāni appahāya nibbānaṁ sacchikarissatī’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.Without giving up the fetters, it’s impossible to realize extinguishment.

2.1‘So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na saṅgaṇikārāmo na saṅgaṇikarato na saṅgaṇikārāmataṁ anuyutto, na gaṇārāmo na gaṇarato na gaṇārāmataṁ anuyutto, eko paviveke abhiramissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.It’s quite possible that a mendicant who doesn’t enjoy company and groups, who doesn’t love them and like to enjoy them, should take pleasure in being alone in seclusion.2.2‘Eko paviveke abhiramanto cittassa nimittaṁ gahessatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.For someone who takes pleasure in being alone in seclusion, it’s possible to learn the mind’s character.2.3‘Cittassa nimittaṁ gaṇhanto sammādiṭṭhiṁ paripūressatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.For someone who learns the mind’s character, it’s possible to fulfill right view.2.4‘Sammādiṭṭhiṁ paripūretvā sammāsamādhiṁ paripūressatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.Having fulfilled right view, it’s possible to fulfill right immersion.2.5‘Sammāsamādhiṁ paripūretvā saṁyojanāni pajahissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.Having fulfilled right immersion, it’s possible to give up the fetters.2.6‘Saṁyojanāni pahāya nibbānaṁ sacchikarissatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjatī”ti.Having given up the fetters, it’s possible to realize extinguishment.”

2.7Catutthaṁ.