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SN 12.22PTS SN 2.282 min read

The Ten Powers (2nd)

Dutiyadasabalasutta

The Buddha’s teaching rests on his possession of ten powers and four grounds for self-confidence. When hearing such an open teaching, a mendicant puts forth great effort, considering the good for both themselves and for others.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.22Linked Discourses 12.22
  • 0.23. Dasabalavagga3. The Ten Powers

0.3DutiyadasabalasuttaThe Ten Powers (2nd)

1.1Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Dasabalasamannāgato, bhikkhave, tathāgato catūhi ca vesārajjehi samannāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti:“Mendicants, a Realized One has ten powers and four kinds of self-assurance. With these he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the divine wheel.

1.3‘iti rūpaṁ iti rūpassa samudayo iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo,Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the disappearance of form.1.4iti vedanā iti vedanāya samudayo iti vedanāya atthaṅgamo,Such is feeling, such is the origin of feeling, such is the disappearance of feeling.1.5iti saññā iti saññāya samudayo iti saññāya atthaṅgamo,Such is perception, such is the origin of perception, such is the disappearance of perception.1.6iti saṅkhārā iti saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo iti saṅkhārānaṁ atthaṅgamo,Such are choices, such is the origin of choices, such is the disappearance of choices.1.7iti viññāṇaṁ iti viññāṇassa samudayo iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo.Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the disappearance of consciousness.

1.8Iti imasmiṁ sati idaṁ hoti, imassuppādā idaṁ uppajjati;So, when this exists, this comes to be; due to the arising of this, this arises.1.9imasmiṁ asati idaṁ na hoti imassa nirodhā idaṁ nirujjhati.When this doesn’t exist, this doesn’t come to be; due to the cessation of this, this ceases. That is:

1.10Yadidaṁ avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā;Ignorance is a requirement for choices.

1.11saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe…Choices are a requirement for consciousness. …1.12evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.1.13Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho;When ignorance fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, choices cease.1.14saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe…When choices cease, consciousness ceases. …1.15evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti’.That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

2.1Evaṁ svākkhāto, bhikkhave, mayā dhammo uttāno vivaṭo pakāsito chinnapilotiko.The teaching well-explained thus by me is clarified, revealed, illuminated, and stripped of patchwork.12.2Evaṁ svākkhāte kho, bhikkhave, mayā dhamme uttāne vivaṭe pakāsite chinnapilotike alameva saddhāpabbajitena kulaputtena vīriyaṁ ārabhituṁ:In this teaching thus well-explained, it is quite enough for a gentleman who has gone forth out of faith to rouse up energy.22.3‘kāmaṁ taco ca nhāru ca aṭṭhi ca avasissatu, sarīre upassussatu maṁsalohitaṁ. Yaṁ taṁ purisathāmena purisavīriyena purisaparakkamena pattabbaṁ, na taṁ apāpuṇitvā vīriyassa saṇṭhānaṁ bhavissatī’ti.‘Gladly, let only skin, sinews, and tendons remain! Let the flesh and blood waste away in my body! I will not stop trying until I have achieved what is possible by human strength, energy, and vigor.’3

3.1PTS 2.29Dukkhaṁ, bhikkhave, kusīto viharati vokiṇṇo pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi, mahantañca sadatthaṁ parihāpeti.A lazy person lives in suffering, mixed up with bad, unskillful qualities, neglecting their heart’s great goal.43.2Āraddhavīriyo ca kho, bhikkhave, sukhaṁ viharati pavivitto pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi, mahantañca sadatthaṁ paripūreti.But an energetic person lives happily, secluded from bad, unskillful qualities, fulfilling their heart’s great goal.

3.3Na, bhikkhave, hīnena aggassa patti hoti.The best isn’t reached by the worst.53.4Aggena ca kho, bhikkhave, aggassa patti hoti.The best is reached by the best.3.5Maṇḍapeyyamidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ, satthā sammukhībhūto.This spiritual life is the cream, mendicants, and the Teacher is before you.

3.6Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, vīriyaṁ ārabhatha appattassa pattiyā, anadhigatassa adhigamāya, asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya.So you should rouse up energy for attaining the unattained, achieving the unachieved, and realizing the unrealized, thinking:63.7‘Evaṁ no ayaṁ amhākaṁ pabbajjā avañjhā bhavissati saphalā saudrayā.‘In this way our going forth will not be barren, but will be fruitful and fertile.73.8Yesañca mayaṁ paribhuñjāma cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāraṁ tesaṁ te kārā amhesu mahapphalā bhavissanti mahānisaṁsā’ti—And the services of those whose robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick we enjoy shall be very fruitful and beneficial for them.’3.9evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabbaṁ.That’s how you should train.

3.10Attatthaṁ vā hi, bhikkhave, sampassamānena alameva appamādena sampādetuṁ;Considering what is good for yourself, mendicants, is quite enough for you to persist with diligence.3.11paratthaṁ vā hi, bhikkhave, sampassamānena alameva appamādena sampādetuṁ;Considering what is good for others is quite enough for you to persist with diligence.3.12ubhayatthaṁ vā hi, bhikkhave, sampassamānena alameva appamādena sampādetun”ti.Considering what is good for both is quite enough for you to persist with diligence.”

3.13Dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. “Stripped of patchwork” is ironic given that this is, in fact, a patchwork discourse. This passage appears at MN 22:42.1, where it has a meaningful context. The following section on arousing energy is another patchwork, this time of passages from elsewhere in the canon on arousing energy.

    ↩ sn12.22:2.1
  2. This sentence is not entirely coherent. The opening phrase is normally followed by “those who”, while alameva (“quite enough”) follows the accusative, not the locative.

    ↩ sn12.22:2.2
  3. ↩ sn12.22:2.3
  4. Elsewhere we find, “in a well explained teaching and training a lazy person lives in suffering” at AN 1.325:1.1, and “mixed up with bad, unskillful qualities” at AN 3.40:2.11.

    ↩ sn12.22:3.1
  5. These lines are unique.

    ↩ sn12.22:3.3
  6. ↩ sn12.22:3.6
  7. Almost the same as AN 7.72:17.2ff.

    ↩ sn12.22:3.7