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an.8.34 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

The Field

“Bhikkhus, a seed sown in a field that possesses eight factors does not bring forth abundant fruits, its fruits are not delectable, and it does not yield a profit. What eight factors?

“Here, (1) the field has mounds and ditches; (2) it contains stones and gravel; (3) it is salty; (4) it is not deeply furrowed; (5) it does not have inlets for the water to enter; (6) it does not have outlets for excess water to flow out; (7) it does not have irrigation channels; and (8) it does not have boundaries. A seed sown in a field that possesses these eight factors does not bring forth abundant fruits, its fruits are not delectable, and it does not yield a profit.

“So too, bhikkhus, a gift given to ascetics and brahmins who possess eight factors is not of great fruit and benefit, and it is not very brilliant or pervasive. What eight factors? Here, the ascetics and brahmins are of wrong view, wrong intention, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong concentration. A gift given to ascetics and brahmins who possess these eight factors is not of great fruit and benefit, and it is not very brilliant or pervasive.

“Bhikkhus, a seed sown in a field that possesses eight factors brings forth abundant fruits, its fruits are delectable, and it yields a profit. What eight factors?

“Here, (1) the field does not have mounds and ditches; (2) it does not contain stones and gravel; (3) it is not salty; (4) it is deeply furrowed; (5) it has inlets for the water to enter; (6) it has outlets for excess water to flow out; (7) it has irrigation channels; and (8) it has boundaries. A seed sown in a field that possesses these eight factors brings forth abundant fruits, its fruits are delectable, and it yields a profit.

“So too, bhikkhus, a gift given to ascetics and brahmins who possess eight factors is of great fruit and benefit, and it is extraordinarily brilliant and pervasive. What eight factors? Here, the ascetics and brahmins are of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. A gift given to ascetics and brahmins who possess these eight factors is of great fruit and benefit, and it is extraordinarily brilliant and pervasive.”

When the field is excellent,
and the seed sown is excellent,
and there is an excellent supply of rain,
the yield of grain is excellent.

Its health is excellent;
its growth too is excellent;
its maturation is excellent;
its fruit truly is excellent.

So too when one gives excellent food
to those accomplished in virtuous behavior,
it arrives at several kinds of excellence,
for what one has done is excellent.

Therefore if one desires excellence
let a person here be accomplished;
one should resort to those accomplished in wisdom;
thus one’s own accomplishments flourish.

One accomplished in true knowledge and conduct,
having gained accomplishment of mind,
performs action that is accomplished
and accomplishes the good.

Having known the world as it is,
one should attain accomplishment in view.
One accomplished in mind advances
by relying on accomplishment in the path.

Having rubbed off all stains,
having attained nibbāna,
one is then freed from all sufferings:
this is total accomplishment.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

A Field

“Mendicants, when a field has eight factors a seed sown in it is not very fruitful or rewarding or productive.
What eight factors does it have?
It’s when a field has mounds and ditches. It has stones and gravel. It’s salty. It doesn’t have deep furrows. And it’s not equipped with water inlets, water outlets, irrigation channels, and boundaries.
When a field has these eight factors a seed sown in it is not fruitful or rewarding or productive.
In the same way, when an ascetic or brahmin has eight factors a gift given to them is not very fruitful or beneficial or splendid or bountiful.
What eight factors do they have?
It’s when an ascetic or brahmin has wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong immersion.
When an ascetic or brahmin has these eight factors a gift given to them is not very fruitful or beneficial or splendid or bountiful.
When a field has eight factors a seed sown in it is very fruitful and rewarding and productive.
What eight factors does it have?
It’s when a field doesn’t have mounds and ditches. It doesn’t have stones and gravel. It’s not salty. It has deep furrows. And it’s equipped with water inlets, water outlets, irrigation channels, and boundaries.
When a field has these eight factors a seed sown in it is very fruitful and rewarding and productive.
In the same way, when an ascetic or brahmin has eight factors a gift given to them is very fruitful and beneficial and splendid and bountiful.
What eight factors do they have?
It’s when an ascetic or brahmin has right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
When an ascetic or brahmin has these eight factors a gift given to them is very fruitful and beneficial and splendid and bountiful.
When the field is excellent,
and the seed sown in it is excellent,
and the rainfall is excellent,
the crop of grain will be excellent.
Its health is excellent,
its growth is excellent,
its maturation is excellent,
and its fruit is excellent.
So too, when you give excellent food
to those of excellent ethics,
it leads to many excellences,
for what you did was excellent.
So if a person wants excellence,
let them excel in this.
You should frequent those with excellent wisdom,
so that your own excellence will flourish.
Excelling in knowledge and conduct,
and having excellence of mind,
you perform excellent deeds,
and gain excellent benefits.
Truly knowing the world,
and having attained excellence of view,
one who excels in mind proceeds,
relying on excellence in the path.
Shaking off all stains,
and attaining the excellence of extinguishment,
you’re freed from all sufferings:
this is complete excellence.”