AN 3.12

Sāraṇīyasutta

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyāni bhavanti. Katamāni tīṇi? Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, padese rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto jāto hoti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ hoti.

Commemoration

“An anointed aristocratic king should commemorate three places as long as he lives. What three? The place he was born. This is the first place.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ padese rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto hoti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ hoti.

The place he was anointed as king. This is the second place.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ padese rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto saṅgāmaṁ abhivijinitvā vijitasaṅgāmo tameva saṅgāmasīsaṁ ajjhāvasati. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ hoti. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyāni bhavanti.

The place where he won victory in battle, establishing himself as foremost in battle. This is the third place. These are the three places an anointed king should commemorate as long as he lives.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tīṇimāni bhikkhussa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyāni bhavanti. Katamāni tīṇi? Yasmiṁ, bhikkhave, padese bhikkhu kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ bhikkhussa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ hoti.

In the same way, a mendicant should commemorate three places as long as they live. What three? The place where the mendicant shaved off their hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness. This is the first place.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ padese bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ bhikkhussa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ hoti.

The place where the mendicant truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is the second place.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, yasmiṁ padese bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ bhikkhussa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ hoti. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi bhikkhussa yāvajīvaṁ sāraṇīyāni bhavantī”ti.

The place where the mendicant realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. This is the third place. These are the three places a mendicant should commemorate as long as they live.”