AN 11.1

Kimatthiyasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kimatthiyāni, bhante, kusalāni sīlāni kimānisaṁsānī”ti? “Avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsānī”ti.

What’s the Goal?

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, what is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics?” “Ānanda, having no regrets is the goal and benefit of skillful ethics.”

“Avippaṭisāro pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”? “Avippaṭisāro kho, ānanda, pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso”.

“But what is the goal and benefit of having no regrets?” “Joy is the goal and benefit of having no regrets.”

“Pāmojjaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”? “Pāmojjaṁ kho, ānanda, pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ”.

“But what is the goal and benefit of joy?” “Rapture …”

“Pīti pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”? “Pīti kho, ānanda, passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā”.

“But what is the goal and benefit of rapture?” “Tranquility …”

“Passaddhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”? “Passaddhi kho, ānanda, sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā”.

“But what is the goal and benefit of tranquility?” “Bliss …”

“Sukhaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”? “Sukhaṁ kho, ānanda, samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ”.

“But what is the goal and benefit of bliss?” “Immersion …”

“Samādhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”? “Samādhi kho, ānanda, yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso”.

“But what is the goal and benefit of immersion?” “Truly knowing and seeing …”

“Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsaṁ”? “Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ kho, ānanda, nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ”.

“But what is the goal and benefit of truly knowing and seeing?” “Disillusionment …”

“Nibbidā pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”? “Nibbidā kho, ānanda, virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā”.

“But what is the goal and benefit of disillusionment?” “Dispassion …”

“Virāgo pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”? “Virāgo kho, ānanda, vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.

“But what is the goal and benefit of dispassion?” “Knowledge and vision of freedom is the goal and benefit of dispassion.

Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni, avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso, pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ, pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā, passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā, sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ, samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso, yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidatthaṁ nibbidānisaṁsaṁ, nibbidā virāgatthā virāgānisaṁsā, virāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso. Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni anupubbena aggāya parentī”ti.

So, Ānanda, the goal and benefit of skillful ethics is not having regrets. Joy is the goal and benefit of not having regrets. Rapture is the goal and benefit of joy. Tranquility is the goal and benefit of rapture. Bliss is the goal and benefit of tranquility. Immersion is the goal and benefit of bliss. Truly knowing and seeing is the goal and benefit of immersion. Disillusionment is the goal and benefit of truly knowing and seeing. Dispassion is the goal and benefit of disillusionment. And knowledge and vision of freedom is the goal and benefit of dispassion. So, Ānanda, skillful ethics progressively lead up to the highest.”