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AN 7.33PTS AN 4.281 min read

Respect for Conscience

Hirigāravasutta

The Buddha tells of hearing the seven principles of non-decline from a god.

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

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.33Numbered Discourses 7.33
  • 0.24. Devatāvagga4. Deities

0.3HirigāravasuttaRespect for Conscience

1.1PTS 4.29“Imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhikkhave, sā devatā maṁ etadavoca:“Mendicants, tonight, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, came to me, bowed, stood to one side, and said to me:1.2‘sattime, bhante, dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattanti.‘Sir, these seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.1.3Katame satta?What seven?1.4Satthugāravatā, dhammagāravatā, saṅghagāravatā, sikkhāgāravatā, samādhigāravatā, hirigāravatā, ottappagāravatā.Respect for the Teacher, for the teaching, for the Saṅgha, for the training, for immersion, for conscience, and for prudence.1.5Ime kho, bhante, satta dhammā bhikkhuno aparihānāya saṁvattantī’ti.These seven things don’t lead to the decline of a mendicant.’

1.6Idamavoca, bhikkhave, sā devatā.That is what that deity said.1.7Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there.

2.1Satthugaru dhammagaru,One respectful of the Teacher and the teaching,2.2saṅghe ca tibbagāravo;keenly respecting the Saṅgha;2.3Samādhigaru ātāpī,respecting immersion, being energetic,2.4sikkhāya tibbagāravo.and keenly respecting the training;

3.1Hiriottappasampanno,endowed with conscience and prudence,3.2sappatisso sagāravo;reverential and respectful—3.3Abhabbo parihānāya,it is impossible for them to decline;3.4nibbānasseva santike”ti.they have drawn near to extinguishment.”

3.5Dutiyaṁ.