an.10.54 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Serenity

“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is not skilled in the ways of others’ minds should train: ‘I will be skilled in the ways of my own mind.’ It is in this way that you should train yourselves.

“And how is a bhikkhu skilled in the ways of his own mind? It is just as if a woman or a man—young, youthful, and fond of ornaments—would look at her or his own facial reflection in a clean bright mirror or in a bowl of clear water. If they see any dust or blemish there, they will make an effort to remove it. But if they do not see any dust or blemish there, they will be glad about it, and their wish fulfilled, they will think, ‘How fortunate for me that I’m clean!’

“So too, bhikkhus, self-examination is very helpful for a bhikkhu to grow in wholesome qualities: ‘Do I gain internal serenity of mind or not? Do I gain the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena or not?’

(1) “If, by such self-examination, a bhikkhu knows: ‘I gain internal serenity of mind but not the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena,’ he should base himself on internal serenity of mind and make an effort to gain the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena. Then, some time later, he gains both internal serenity of mind and the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena.

(2) “But if, by such self-examination, he knows: ‘I gain the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena but not internal serenity of mind,’ he should base himself on the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena and make an effort to gain internal serenity of mind. Then, some time later, he gains both the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena and internal serenity of mind.

(3) “But if, by such self-examination, he knows: ‘I gain neither internal serenity of mind nor the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena,’ he should put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to obtain both those wholesome qualities. Just as one whose clothes or head had caught fire would put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to extinguish the fire on his clothes or head, so that bhikkhu should put forth extraordinary desire, effort, zeal, enthusiasm, indefatigability, mindfulness, and clear comprehension to obtain both those wholesome qualities. Then, some time later, he gains both internal serenity of mind and the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena.

(4) “But if, by such self-examination, he knows: ‘I gain both internal serenity of mind and the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena,’ he should base himself on those same wholesome qualities and make a further effort to reach the destruction of the taints.

“Robes, I say, are twofold: to be used and those not to be used. Almsfood too, I say, is twofold: that to be used and that not to be used. Lodgings too, I say, are twofold: those to be used and those not to be used. Villages or towns too, I say, are twofold: those to be resorted to and those not to be resorted to. Countries or regions too, I say, are twofold: those to be resorted to and those not to be resorted to. Persons too, I say, are twofold: those to be associated with and those not to be associated with.

(5) “When it was said: ‘Robes, I say, are twofold: those to be used and those not to be used,’ for what reason was this said? If one knows of a robe: ‘When I use this robe, unwholesome qualities increase in me and wholesome qualities decline,’ one should not use such a robe. But if one knows of a robe: ‘When I use this robe, unwholesome qualities decline in me and wholesome qualities increase,’ one should use such a robe. When it was said: ‘Robes, I say, are twofold: to be used and not to be used,’ it is because of this that this was said.

(6) “When it was said: ‘Almsfood too, I say, is twofold: that to be used and that not to be used,’ for what reason was this said? If one knows of some almsfood: ‘When I use this almsfood, unwholesome qualities increase in me and wholesome qualities decline,’ one should not use such almsfood. But if one knows of some almsfood: ‘When I use this almsfood, unwholesome qualities decline in me and wholesome qualities increase,’ one should use such almsfood. When it was said: ‘Almsfood too, I say, is twofold: that to be used and that not to be used,’ it is because of this that this was said.

(7) “When it was said: ‘Lodgings too, I say, are twofold: those to be used and those not to be used,’ for what reason was this said? If one knows of a lodging: ‘When I use this lodging, unwholesome qualities increase in me and wholesome qualities decline,’ one should not use such a lodging. But if one knows of a lodging: ‘When I use this lodging, unwholesome qualities decline in me and wholesome qualities increase,’ one should use such a lodging. When it was said: ‘Lodgings too, I say, are twofold: those to be used and those not to be used,’ it is because of this that this was said.

(8) “When it was said: ‘Villages or towns too, I say, are twofold: those to be resorted to and those not to be resorted to,’ for what reason was this said? If one knows of a village or town: ‘When I resort to this village or town, unwholesome qualities increase in me and wholesome qualities decline,’ one should not resort to such a village or town. But if one knows of a village or town: ‘When I resort to this village or town, unwholesome qualities decline in me and wholesome qualities increase,’ one should resort to such a village or town. When it was said: ‘Villages or towns too, I say, are twofold: those to be resorted to and those not to be resorted to,’ it is because of this that this was said.

(9) “When it was said: ‘Countries or regions too, I say, are twofold: those to be resorted to and those not to be resorted to,’ for what reason was this said? If one knows of a country or region: ‘When I resort to this country or region, unwholesome qualities increase in me and wholesome qualities decline,’ one should not resort to such a country or region. But if one knows of a country or region: ‘When I resort to this country or region, unwholesome qualities decline in me and wholesome qualities increase,’ one should resort to such a country or region. When it was said: ‘Countries or regions too, I say, are twofold: those to be resorted to and those not to be resorted to,’ it is because of this that this was said.”

(10) “When it was said: ‘Persons too, I say, are twofold: those to be associated with and those not to be associated with,’ for what reason was this said? If one knows of a person: ‘When I associate with this person, unwholesome qualities increase in me and wholesome qualities decline,’ one should not associate with such a person. But if one knows of a person: ‘When I associate with this person, unwholesome qualities decline in me and wholesome qualities increase,’ one should associate with such a person. When it was said: ‘Persons too, I say, are twofold: those to be associated with and those not to be associated with,’ it is because of this that this was said.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Serenity

“Mendicants, if a mendicant isn’t skilled in the ways of another’s mind, then they should train themselves: ‘I will be skilled in the ways of my own mind.’

And how is a mendicant skilled in the ways of their own mind?
Suppose there was a woman or man who was young, youthful, and fond of adornments, and they check their own reflection in a clean bright mirror or a clear bowl of water. If they see any dirt or blemish there, they’d try to remove it.
But if they don’t see any dirt or blemish there, they’re happy with that, as they’ve got all they wished for:
‘How fortunate that I’m clean!’
In the same way, checking is very helpful for a mendicant’s skillful qualities.
‘Do I have internal serenity of heart or not? Do I have the higher wisdom of discernment of principles or not?’
Suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this:
‘I have serenity but not discernment.’ Grounded on serenity, they should practice meditation to get discernment.
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this:
‘I have discernment but not serenity.’ Grounded on discernment, they should practice meditation to get serenity.
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this:
‘I have neither serenity nor discernment.’ In order to get those skillful qualities, they should apply intense enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness.
Suppose your clothes or head were on fire. In order to extinguish it, you’d apply intense enthusiasm, effort, zeal, vigor, perseverance, mindfulness, and situational awareness.

In the same way, in order to get those skillful qualities, that person should apply intense enthusiasm …
After some time they have both serenity and discernment.
But suppose that, upon checking, a mendicant knows this:
‘I have both serenity and discernment.’ Grounded on those skillful qualities, they should practice meditation further to end the defilements.
I say that there are two kinds of robes:
those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear.
I say that there are two kinds of almsfood:
that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat.
I say that there are two kinds of lodging:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.
I say that there are two kinds of market town:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.
I say that there are two kinds of country:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.
I say that there are two kinds of people:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.
‘I say that there are two kinds of robes:
those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear.’
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Well, should you know of a robe:
‘When I wear this robe, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not wear that kind of robe.
Whereas, should you know of a robe:
‘When I wear this robe, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should wear that kind of robe.
‘I say that there are two kinds of robes:
those you should wear, and those you shouldn’t wear.’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘I say that there are two kinds of almsfood:
that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat.’
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Well, should you know of almsfood:
‘When I eat this almsfood, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not eat that kind of almsfood.
Whereas, should you know of almsfood:
‘When I eat this almsfood, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should eat that kind of almsfood.
‘I say that there are two kinds of almsfood:
that which you should eat, and that which you shouldn’t eat.’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘I say that there are two kinds of lodging:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Well, should you know of a lodging:
‘When I frequent this lodging, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of lodging.
Whereas, should you know of a lodging:
‘When I frequent this lodging, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of lodging.
‘I say that there are two kinds of lodging:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘I say that there are two kinds of market town:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Well, should you know of a market town:
‘When I frequent this market town, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of market town.
Whereas, should you know of a market town:
‘When I frequent this market town, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of market town.
‘I say that there are two kinds of market town:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘I say that there are two kinds of country:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Well, should you know of a country:
‘When I frequent this country, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of country.
Whereas, should you know of a country:
‘When I frequent this country, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of country.
‘I say that there are two kinds of country:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘I say that there are two kinds of people:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
That’s what I said, but why did I say it?
Well, should you know of a person:
‘When I frequent this person, unskillful qualities grow, and skillful qualities decline.’ You should not frequent that kind of person.
Whereas, should you know of a person:
‘When I frequent this person, unskillful qualities decline, and skillful qualities grow.’ You should frequent that kind of person.
‘I say that there are two kinds of people:
those you should frequent, and those you shouldn’t frequent.’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”