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an.10.23 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Body

“Bhikkhus, there are things to be abandoned by body, not by speech. There are things to be abandoned by speech, not by body. There are things to be abandoned neither by body nor by speech but by having repeatedly seen with wisdom.

“And what, bhikkhus, are the things to be abandoned by body, not by speech? Here, a bhikkhu has committed a particular unwholesome deed with the body. His wise fellow monks investigate him and say thus: ‘You have committed a particular unwholesome deed with the body. It would really be good if you would abandon bodily misconduct and develop bodily good conduct.’ When his wise fellow monks investigate him and speak to him, he abandons bodily misconduct and develops bodily good conduct. These are called things to be abandoned by body, not by speech.

“And what are the things to be abandoned by speech, not by body? Here, a bhikkhu has committed a particular unwholesome deed by speech. His wise fellow monks investigate him and say thus: ‘You have committed a particular unwholesome deed by speech. It would really be good if you would abandon verbal misconduct and develop verbal good conduct.’ When his wise fellow monks investigate him and speak to him, he abandons verbal misconduct and develops verbal good conduct. These are called things to be abandoned by speech, not by body.

“And what are the things to be abandoned neither by body nor by speech but by having repeatedly seen with wisdom? Greed is to be abandoned neither by body nor by speech but by having repeatedly seen with wisdom. Hatred … Delusion … Anger … Hostility … Denigration … Insolence … Miserliness is to be abandoned neither by body nor by speech but by having repeatedly seen with wisdom.

“Evil envy, bhikkhus, is to be abandoned neither by body nor by speech but by having repeatedly seen with wisdom. And what is evil envy? Here, a householder or householder’s son is prospering in wealth or grain, in silver or gold. A slave or dependent might think of him: ‘Oh, may this householder or householder’s son not prosper in wealth or grain, in silver or gold!’ Or else an ascetic or brahmin gains robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and provisions for the sick. Another ascetic or brahmin might think of him: ‘Oh, may this venerable one not gain robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicines and provisions for the sick!’ This is called evil envy. Evil envy is to be abandoned neither by body nor by speech but by having repeatedly seen with wisdom.

“Evil desire, bhikkhus, is to be abandoned neither by body nor by speech but by having repeatedly seen with wisdom. And what is evil desire? Here, one without faith desires: ‘Let them know me as one endowed with faith.’ An immoral person desires: ‘Let them know me as virtuous.’ One with little learning desires: ‘Let them know me as learned.’ One who delights in company desires: ‘Let them know me as solitary.’ One who is lazy desires: ‘Let them know me as energetic.’ One who is muddle-minded desires: ‘Let them know me as mindful.’ One who is unconcentrated desires: ‘Let them know me as concentrated.’ One who is unwise desires: ‘Let them know me as wise.’ One whose taints are not destroyed desires: ‘Let them know me as one whose taints are destroyed.’ This is called evil desire. Evil desire is to be abandoned neither by body nor by speech but by having repeatedly seen with wisdom.

“If, bhikkhus, greed overcomes that bhikkhu and continues on; if hatred … delusion … anger … hostility … denigration … insolence … miserliness … evil envy … evil desire overcomes that bhikkhu and continues on, he should be understood thus: ‘This venerable one does not understand in such a way that he would have no greed; thus greed overcomes him and continues on. This venerable one does not understand in such a way that he would have no hatred … no delusion … no anger … no hostility … no denigration … no insolence … no miserliness … no evil envy … no evil desire; thus evil desire overcomes him and continues on.’

“If, bhikkhus, greed does not overcome that bhikkhu and continue on; if hatred … delusion … anger … hostility … denigration … insolence … miserliness … evil envy … evil desire does not overcome that bhikkhu and continue on, he should be understood thus: ‘This venerable one understands in such a way that he would have no greed; thus greed does not overcome him and continue on. This venerable one understands in such a way that he would have no hatred … no delusion … no anger … no hostility … no denigration … no insolence … no miserliness … no evil envy … no evil desire; thus evil desire does not overcome him and continue on.’”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh


Body

“Mendicants, there are things that should be given up by the body, not by speech.
There are things that should be given up by speech, not by the body.
There are things that should be given up neither by the body, nor by speech, but by seeing again and again with wisdom.
And what are the things that should be given up by the body, not by speech?
It’s when a mendicant has committed a certain unskillful offense by way of body.
After examination, sensible spiritual companions say this to them:
‘Venerable, you’ve committed a certain unskillful offense by way of body.
Please give up that bad bodily conduct and develop good bodily conduct.’
When spoken to by their sensible spiritual companions they give up that bad bodily conduct and develop good bodily conduct.
These are the things that should be given up by the body, not by speech.
And what are the things that should be given up by speech, not by the body?
It’s when a mendicant has committed a certain unskillful offense by way of speech.
After examination, sensible spiritual companions say this to them:
‘Venerable, you’ve committed a certain unskillful offense by way of speech.
Please give up that bad verbal conduct and develop good verbal conduct.’
When spoken to by their sensible spiritual companions they give up that bad verbal conduct and develop good verbal conduct.
These are the things that should be given up by speech, not by the body.
And what are the things that should be given up neither by the body, nor by speech, but by seeing again and again with wisdom?
Greed …
hate …
delusion …
anger …
hostility …
disdain …
contempt …
and stinginess are things that should be given up neither by the body, nor by speech, but by seeing again and again with wisdom.
Nasty jealousy should be given up neither by the body, nor by speech, but by seeing again and again with wisdom.
And what is nasty jealousy?
It’s when a householder or their child is prospering in money, grain, silver, or gold.
And a bondservant or dependent thinks:
‘Oh, may that householder or their child not prosper in money, grain, silver, or gold!’
Or an ascetic or brahmin receives robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.
And some other ascetic or brahmin thinks:
‘Oh, may that ascetic or brahmin not receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.’
This is called nasty jealousy.
Corrupt wishes should be given up neither by the body, nor by speech, but by seeing again and again with wisdom.
And what are corrupt wishes?
It’s when a faithless person wishes to be known as faithful.
An unethical person wishes to be known as ethical.
An unlearned person wishes to be known as learned.
A lover of company wishes to be known as secluded.
A lazy person wishes to be known as energetic.
An unmindful person wishes to be known as mindful.
A person without immersion wishes to be known as having immersion.
A witless person wishes to be known as wise.
A person who has not ended the defilements wishes to be known as having ended the defilements.
These are called corrupt wishes.
Corrupt wishes should be given up neither by the body, nor by speech, but by seeing again and again with wisdom.
Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going.
Or that hate …
delusion …
anger …
hostility …
disdain …
contempt …
stinginess …
nasty jealousy …
or corrupt wishes master them and keep going.
You should know of them:
‘This venerable does not have the understanding that would eliminate greed, so greed masters them and keeps going.
They don’t have the understanding that would eliminate hate …
delusion …
anger …
hostility …
disdain …
contempt …
stinginess …
nasty jealousy …
or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’
Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going.
Or that hate …
delusion …
anger …
hostility …
disdain …
contempt …
stinginess …
nasty jealousy …
or corrupt wishes don’t master that mendicant and keep going.
You should know of them:
‘This venerable has the understanding that eliminates greed, so greed doesn’t master them and keep going.
They have the understanding that eliminates hate …
delusion …
anger …
hostility …
disdain …
contempt …
stinginess …
nasty jealousy …
and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’”