an.6.45 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Debt

“Monks, for one who partakes of sensuality, poverty is suffering in the world.”

“Yes, lord.”

“And a poor, destitute, penniless person gets into debt. For one who partakes of sensuality, getting into debt is suffering in the world.”

“Yes, lord.”

“And a poor, destitute, penniless person, having gotten into debt, owes interest payments. For one who partakes of sensuality, interest payment is suffering in the world.”

“Yes, lord.”

“And when a poor, destitute, penniless person owing interest payments does not pay interest on time, they serve him notice. For one who partakes of sensuality, being served notice is suffering in the world.”

“Yes, lord.”

“And when a poor, destitute, penniless person, being served notice, does not pay, they hound him. For one who partakes of sensuality, being hounded is suffering in the world.”

“Yes, lord.”

“And when a poor, destitute, penniless person, being hounded, does not pay, he is put into bondage. For one who partakes of sensuality, bondage is suffering in the world.”

“Yes, lord.”

“Thus, monks, poverty is suffering in the world for one who partakes of sensuality. Getting into debt is suffering in the world for one who partakes of sensuality. Interest payment is suffering in the world for one who partakes of sensuality. Being served notice is suffering in the world for one who partakes of sensuality. Being hounded is suffering in the world for one who partakes of sensuality. Bondage is suffering in the world for one who partakes of sensuality.

“In the same way, monks, whoever has no conviction with regard to skillful mental qualities, no sense of conscience with regard to skillful mental qualities, no sense of concern with regard to skillful mental qualities, no persistence with regard to skillful mental qualities, no discernment with regard to skillful mental qualities is, in the discipline of a noble one, said to be poor, destitute, & penniless.

“He—poor, destitute, & penniless, having no conviction with regard to skillful mental qualities, no sense of conscience… no sense of concern… no persistence… no discernment with regard to skillful mental qualities—engages in misconduct by way of the body, misconduct by way of speech, misconduct by way of the mind. For him, I tell you, this is getting into debt.

“For the purpose of concealing his bodily misconduct, he formulates evil desires: He desires, ‘May they not know about me.’ He resolves, ‘May they not know about me.’ He speaks, [thinking,] ‘May they not know about me.’ He makes an effort with his body, [thinking,] ‘May they not know about me.’ For the purpose of concealing his verbal misconduct… For the purpose of concealing his mental misconduct, he formulates evil desires: He desires, ‘May they not know about me.’ He resolves, ‘May they not know about me.’ He speaks, [thinking,] ‘May they not know about me.’ He makes an effort with his body, [thinking,] ‘May they not know about me.’ For him, I tell you, this is interest payment.

“And then his well-behaved companions in the holy life say about him, ‘This venerable one acts in this way, behaves in this way.’ For him, I tell you, this is being served notice.

“And then, when he has gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, he is beset with evil, unskillful thoughts accompanied by remorse. For him, I tell you, this is being hounded.

“He—poor, destitute, & penniless, having engaged in misconduct by way of the body, misconduct by way of speech, & misconduct by way of the mind—on the break-up of the body, after death, is bound by the bond of hell or the bond of the animal womb. And I can imagine no one other bond so tormenting, so painful, so obstructive to the unexcelled rest from bondage, as the bond of hell or the bond of the animal womb.”

Poverty is called
suffering in the world;
so, too, is getting into debt.
A poor person, in debt,
partaking of sensuality, suffers hardship.
Then they hound him
and put him into bondage:
the painful
bond for one longing to gain
sensual pleasures.

Now, anyone with no conviction
in the discipline of a noble one
—no sense of conscience,
no sense of concern—
contemplating evil actions,
doing wrong by way of body,
wrong by way of speech,
& wrong by way of the mind,
wants: ‘May they not know about me.’
He creeps along in body,
speech, or mind,
piling up evil actions,
here & there,
again & again.
He, with evil actions,
his wisdom weak,
knowing his own wrong-doing, is
a poor person, in debt.
Partaking of sensuality,
he suffers hardship.

Then they hound him—
painful mental resolves
born of remorse—
at home or in the wilderness.

He, with evil actions,
his wisdom weak,
knowing his own wrong-doing,
goes to an animal womb
or is bound in hell:
the painful bond
from which the enlightened
are freed.

But one with confidence,
living at home,
making gifts of his belongings,
righteously-gained,
wins both goals:
advantage in the here-&-now,
& happiness in the world beyond.
The liberality of this householder
piles up merit.

Now, anyone with conviction
firmly established
in the discipline of a noble one—
with a sense of conscience,
a sense of concern,
discerning
& restrained by virtue—is, in the discipline of a noble one,
said to be living in ease.

Gaining a pleasure not of the flesh,
he determines on equanimity:
abandoning the five hindrances
—persistence constantly aroused—
entering the jhanas:
unified,
mindful, &
wise.

Knowing this
as it actually is
in the total ending of all fetters,
through everywhere
not-clinging,
his mind is rightly released.

In him, Such, rightly released,
there is the knowledge,
in the total ending
of the fetters of becoming:
‘My release
is unshakable.’

That is the highest knowledge
that,the happiness unexcelled.
Sorrowless,
dustless,
at rest,
that
is release from debt.

- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu

- Editor: Gabriel Laera

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Debt

“Mendicants, isn’t poverty suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When a poor, penniless person falls into debt, isn’t being in debt also suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When a poor person who has fallen into debt agrees to pay interest, isn’t the interest also suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When a poor person who has fallen into debt and agreed to pay interest fails to pay it when it falls due, they get a warning.
Isn’t being warned suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When a poor person fails to pay after getting a warning, they’re prosecuted.
Isn’t being prosecuted suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When a poor person fails to pay after being prosecuted, they’re imprisoned.
Isn’t being imprisoned suffering in the world for a person who enjoys sensual pleasures?”
“Yes, sir.”
“So mendicants, poverty, debt, interest, warnings, prosecution, and imprisonment are suffering in the world for those who enjoy sensual pleasures.
In the same way, whoever has no faith, conscience, prudence, energy, and wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities
is called poor and penniless in the training of the Noble One.
Since they have no faith, conscience, prudence, energy, or wisdom when it comes to skillful qualities, they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.
This is how they’re in debt, I say.
In order to conceal the bad things they do by way of body, speech, and mind they harbour corrupt wishes.
They wish, plan, speak, and act with the thought: ‘May no-one find me out!’
This is how they pay interest, I say.
Good-hearted spiritual companions say this about them:
‘This venerable acts like this, and behaves like that.’
This is how they’re warned, I say.
When they go to a wilderness, the root of a tree, or an empty hut, they’re beset by remorseful, unskillful thoughts.
This is how they’re prosecuted, I say.
That poor, penniless person has done bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re trapped in the prison of hell or the animal realm.
I don’t see a single prison that’s as brutal, as vicious, and such an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary as the prison of hell or the animal realm.
Poverty is said to be suffering in the world,
and so is being in debt.
A poor person who has fallen into debt
frets even when spending the loan.
And then they’re prosecuted,
or even thrown in jail.
Such imprisonment is true suffering
for someone who prays for pleasure and possessions.
In the same way, in the noble one’s training
whoever has no faith,
no conscience or prudence,
contemplates bad deeds.
After doing bad things
by way of body,
speech, and mind,
they wish, ‘May no-one find me out!’
Their behavior is creepy
by body, speech, and mind.
They pile up bad deeds
on and on, life after life.
That stupid evildoer,
knowing their own misdeeds,
is a poor person who has fallen into debt,
and frets even when spending the loan.
And when in village or wilderness
they’re prosecuted
by painful mental plans,
which are born of remorse.
That stupid evildoer,
knowing their own misdeeds,
goes to one of the animal realms,
or is trapped in hell.
Such imprisonment is true suffering,
from which a wise one is released.
With confident heart, they give
with wealth that is properly earned.
That faithful householder
wins both ways:
welfare and benefit in this life,
and happiness in the next.
This is how, for a householder,
merit grows by generosity.
In the same way, in the noble one’s training,
whoever is grounded in faith,
with conscience and prudence,
wise, and ethically restrained,
is said to live happily
in the noble one’s training.
After gaining spiritual bliss,
they concentrate on equanimity.
They give up the five hindrances,
constantly energetic,
and enter the absorptions,
unified, alert, and mindful.
Truly knowing in this way
the end of all fetters,
by not grasping in any way,
their mind is rightly freed.
To that poised one, rightly freed
with the end of the fetters of rebirth,
the knowledge comes:
‘My freedom is unshakable.’
This is the ultimate knowledge.
This is the supreme happiness.
Sorrowless, stainless, secure:
this is the highest freedom from debt.”