AN 10.24

Mahācundasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahācundo cetīsu viharati sahajātiyaṁ. Tatra kho āyasmā mahācundo bhikkhū āmantesi: “āvuso bhikkhave”ti. “Āvuso”ti kho te bhikkhū āyasmato mahācundassa paccassosuṁ. Āyasmā mahācundo etadavoca:

By Mahācunda

At one time Venerable Mahācunda was staying in the land of the Cetīs at Sahajāti. There he addressed the mendicants: “Reverends, mendicants!” “Reverend,” they replied. Venerable Mahācunda said this:

“Ñāṇavādaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu vadamāno: ‘jānāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, passāmimaṁ dhamman’ti. Tañce, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ lobho abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, doso … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, so evamassa veditabbo: ‘nāyamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato lobho na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ lobho abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati; nāyamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato doso na hoti … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ pāpikā icchā abhibhuyya tiṭṭhatī’ti.

“Reverends, a mendicant who makes a declaration of knowledge says: ‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching.’ Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going. Or that hate … delusion … anger … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … or corrupt wishes master that mendicant 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 … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’

Bhāvanāvādaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu vadamāno: ‘bhāvitakāyomhi bhāvitasīlo bhāvitacitto bhāvitapañño’ti. Tañce, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ lobho abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, doso … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, so evamassa veditabbo: ‘nāyamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato lobho na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ lobho abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati; nāyamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato doso na hoti … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ pāpikā icchā abhibhuyya tiṭṭhatī’ti.

A mendicant who makes a declaration of development says: ‘I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’ Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going. Or that hate … delusion … anger … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … or corrupt wishes master that mendicant 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 … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’

Ñāṇavādañca, āvuso, bhikkhu vadamāno bhāvanāvādañca: ‘jānāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, passāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, bhāvitakāyomhi bhāvitasīlo bhāvitacitto bhāvitapañño’ti. Tañce, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ lobho abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, doso … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, so evamassa veditabbo: ‘nāyamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato lobho na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ lobho abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati; nāyamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato doso na hoti … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ pāpikā icchā abhibhuyya tiṭṭhatī’ti.

A mendicant who makes a declaration of both knowledge and development says: ‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching. And I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’ Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going. Or that hate … delusion … anger … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … or corrupt wishes master that mendicant 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 … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’

Seyyathāpi, āvuso, puriso daliddova samāno aḍḍhavādaṁ vadeyya, adhanova samāno dhanavāvādaṁ vadeyya, abhogova samāno bhogavāvādaṁ vadeyya. So kismiñcideva dhanakaraṇīye samuppanne na sakkuṇeyya upanīhātuṁ dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā. Tamenaṁ evaṁ jāneyyuṁ: ‘daliddova ayamāyasmā samāno aḍḍhavādaṁ vadeti, adhanova ayamāyasmā samāno dhanavāvādaṁ vadeti, abhogavāva ayamāyasmā samāno bhogavāvādaṁ vadeti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi ayamāyasmā kismiñcideva dhanakaraṇīye samuppanne na sakkoti upanīhātuṁ dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā’ti.

Suppose a poor, needy, and penniless person was to declare themselves to be rich, affluent, and wealthy. But when it came time to make a payment they weren’t able to come up with any money, grain, silver, or gold. They would know of them: ‘This person declares themselves to be rich, affluent, and wealthy, but they are in fact poor, penniless, and needy.’ Why is that? Because when it came time to make a payment they weren’t able to come up with any money, grain, silver, or gold.

Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, ñāṇavādañca bhikkhu vadamāno bhāvanāvādañca: ‘jānāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, passāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, bhāvitakāyomhi bhāvitasīlo bhāvitacitto bhāvitapañño’ti. Tañce, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ lobho abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, doso … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, so evamassa veditabbo: ‘nāyamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato lobho na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ lobho abhibhuyya tiṭṭhati; nāyamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato doso na hoti … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ pāpikā icchā abhibhuyya tiṭṭhatī’ti.

In the same way, a mendicant who makes a declaration of knowledge and development says: ‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching. And I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’ Suppose that greed masters that mendicant and keeps going. Or that hate … delusion … anger … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … or corrupt wishes master that mendicant 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 … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … or corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes master them and keep going.’

Ñāṇavādaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu vadamāno: ‘jānāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, passāmimaṁ dhamman’ti. Tañce, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ lobho nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, doso … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, so evamassa veditabbo: ‘ayamāyasmā tathā pajānāti yathā pajānato lobho na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ lobho nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati; tathā ayamāyasmā pajānāti yathā pajānato doso na hoti … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ pāpikā icchā nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhatī’ti.

A mendicant who makes a declaration of knowledge says: ‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching.’ Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going. Or that hate … delusion … anger … acrimony … 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 … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’

Bhāvanāvādaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu vadamāno: ‘bhāvitakāyomhi bhāvitasīlo bhāvitacitto bhāvitapañño’ti. Tañce, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ lobho nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, doso … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, so evamassa veditabbo: ‘tathā ayamāyasmā pajānāti yathā pajānato lobho na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ lobho nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati; tathā ayamāyasmā pajānāti yathā pajānato doso na hoti … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ pāpikā icchā nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhatī’ti.

A mendicant who makes a declaration of development says: ‘I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’ Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going. Or that hate … delusion … anger … acrimony … 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 … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’

Ñāṇavādañca, āvuso, bhikkhu vadamāno bhāvanāvādañca: ‘jānāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, passāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, bhāvitakāyomhi bhāvitasīlo bhāvitacitto bhāvitapañño’ti. Tañce, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ lobho nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, doso … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, so evamassa veditabbo: ‘tathā ayamāyasmā pajānāti yathā pajānato lobho na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ lobho nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati; tathā ayamāyasmā pajānāti yathā pajānato doso na hoti … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ pāpikā icchā nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhatī’ti.

A mendicant who makes a declaration of both knowledge and development says: ‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching. And I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’ Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going. Or that hate … delusion … anger … acrimony … 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 … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’

Seyyathāpi, āvuso, puriso aḍḍhova samāno aḍḍhavādaṁ vadeyya, dhanavāva samāno dhanavāvādaṁ vadeyya, bhogavāva samāno bhogavāvādaṁ vadeyya. So kismiñcideva dhanakaraṇīye samuppanne sakkuṇeyya upanīhātuṁ dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā. Tamenaṁ evaṁ jāneyyuṁ: ‘aḍḍhova ayamāyasmā samāno aḍḍhavādaṁ vadeti, dhanavāva ayamāyasmā samāno dhanavāvādaṁ vadeti, bhogavāva ayamāyasmā samāno bhogavāvādaṁ vadeti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathā hi ayamāyasmā kismiñcideva dhanakaraṇīye samuppanne sakkoti upanīhātuṁ dhanaṁ vā dhaññaṁ vā rajataṁ vā jātarūpaṁ vā’ti.

Suppose a rich, affluent, and wealthy person was to declare themselves to be rich, affluent, and wealthy. And whenever it came time to make a payment they were able to come up with the money, grain, silver, or gold. They would know of them: ‘This person declares themselves to be rich, affluent, and wealthy, and they are in fact rich, affluent, and wealthy.’ Why is that? Because when it came time to make a payment they were able to come up with the money, grain, silver, or gold.

Evamevaṁ kho, āvuso, ñāṇavādañca bhikkhu vadamāno bhāvanāvādañca: ‘jānāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, passāmimaṁ dhammaṁ, bhāvitakāyomhi bhāvitasīlo bhāvitacitto bhāvitapañño’ti. Tañce, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ lobho nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, doso … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati, so evamassa veditabbo: ‘tathā ayamāyasmā pajānāti yathā pajānato lobho na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ lobho nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhati; tathā ayamāyasmā pajānāti yathā pajānato doso na hoti … moho … kodho … upanāho … makkho … paḷāso … macchariyaṁ … pāpikā issā … pāpikā icchā na hoti, tathāhimaṁ āyasmantaṁ pāpikā icchā nābhibhuyya tiṭṭhatī’”ti.

In the same way, a mendicant who makes a declaration of knowledge and development says: ‘I know this teaching, I see this teaching. And I am developed in physical endurance, ethics, mind, and wisdom.’ Suppose that greed does not master that mendicant and keep going. Or that hate … delusion … anger … acrimony … 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 … acrimony … disdain … contempt … stinginess … nasty jealousy … and corrupt wishes, so corrupt wishes don’t master them and keep going.’”